A New Estate - Crimson Peak

Chapter Forty Three

What had surely only been minutes later, I was startled awake as I was pulled up and held so that my arms could be guided into a too large jacket.

I let out an undignified groan while battling against the heaviness of my eyes, struggling to get them open.

"I know, I'm sorry."

"Robert?" I mumbled, my mouth feeling numb and foreign.

"Yes," he laughed softly, "Jonathan couldn't find it in him to undress you, so I changed you instead."

"L-Lucille..."

"Don't you worry about her, not yet, we are dealing with that."

"And Thomas?"

I finally managed to open my eyes, instantly regretting it as my head pulsed and dots danced around my vision.

"He's here, but we can't fret about him right now either, we have to work fast before Lucille rears her ugly head again."

Robert's eyes flickered towards the entrance of the mine before returning back to meet mine, which were beginning to clear of colourful squiggles.

We finally managed to make eye contact as my vision settled and he gave me a shaky smile, blue eyes looking as tired and damp as I felt, his expression nothing but unhidden relief as tears rolled down his dirty cheeks, barely moving the drying clay.

He reached up and cupped my cheeks with hands that were sticky from the clay, his white sleeves flattened against his arms as they too were covered.

"I thought you were gone," he said, voice cracking.

"Never," I forced a laugh, placing one of my hands atop one of his, "I'm very difficult to rid of."

We shared a broken laugh, him nodding as he leaned in a rested his forehead against mine.

"This is cute and everything, but I feel that we have some more pressing matters to get to."

We separated and looked to Hille, who seemed to be anxious, his arms were crossed and he bounced from one foot to another, no doubt anticipating an appearance from Lucille.

"Yes, we should get moving," Robert agreed, standing up.

"Do we have a plan?" Hille asked.

"I do," I said, standing up myself and taking a moment to adjust my fresh blouse and skirt. "We must burn her remains."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Her bones, I pulled them from the clay so that I can dispose of them."

He looked at me as though I had sprouted a second head, nose scrunched up.

"Where did you get an idea like that? How would that be rid of her?"

"I can't say I'm entirely sure of the logistics, but I have read in stories that burning the bones relieves them of their connection to the living land."

"Which would be great, if it weren't for the fact that we're living in her home which probably still contains many traces of her."

"Of course, but if we can confer with Sir Sharpe-"

"Because he's the most reliable one right now."

"Hille," Alexander snipped, "will you stop being hostile and work with them?"

Hille rolled his eyes and turned away from us, shaking his head while Alexander turned to Robert and myself.

"You really think he can help?" He asked, his eyes trailing over my shoulder.