Page 37 of Once Upon a Midnight Dreary
After a long, agonizing night cowering beneath her covers, a hint of light pierced her drawn curtains in her room.Relief trickled through her as she threw off the blankets and rose from the bed.She’d barely slept.
Fatigue pounded through her, but she decided to forge onward.After breakfast, a walk to the local village would be good for her to get some fresh air and stretch her legs.It would also be a good time to check and see if there were any letters for her at the post.
She didn’t want to tell Gabriel this, as she wanted time to go alone and to think.To work out everything that had happened to her these last few days in the manor.
When Gabriel was busy in the kitchen, she pulled on her gloves and hat and slipped out the door.
Everything seemed so fresh and bright this morning after the previous day’s rains.The lawn still glistened, shining in the morning light.It was a welcome sight after being stuck inside the dark and dreary manor.
Victoria inhaled a deep breath, enjoying the clean breath of air.Her step was a little livelier as she headed down the footpath and into the village.
The village was bustling with morning activity.With the vendors setting up their carts and the people milling about heading to market.But she was interested in the post and headed there first.
The bell jingled her arrival as she headed inside.The same young man was there as the day she posted the letters.He smiled and nodded as she approached the counter.The post office was otherwise empty.
“Good mornin’, miss.What can I do for you?”he asked, his eyes were bright and his voice cheerful.
“I came to see if you had any letters for me.Miss Victoria Ravenwood,” she said.
“Ah, yes.”He nodded and turned away to the wall of mailboxes behind him.He searched through them until he found the one he wanted and pulled it down.“This came just yesterday.”
He handed it over.She recognized her aunt’s handwriting immediately.Not the sort of letter she was hoping for, exactly.
“Is there nothing else?”she asked.
“’Fraid not, miss.Ain’t your gentleman with you today?”His keen gaze glanced around behind her, as if waiting for him to pop into the building unannounced.
“No,” she said.“I came alone.I was hoping there were responses to my inquiries to hire staff.”
“At the manor?”He drew his brows together.
“Yes.Ravenfell.”
“I don’t ‘spect you’ll be getting any responses, miss,” he said.“Not with the way things are up there.”
Heat pounded through her.“What does that mean?”
“Just that…well…no one seems to keep a job there very long.The hauntings, they say.”
Her mouth turned dry as she stared at him.He mentioned the hauntings before when she was posting her letters.“What do you know about the hauntings?”
The boy shrugged.“Not much.Just what I’ve heard.”
“The lady who died there,” she said.“What have you heard about her?”
Victoria knew she was prying, but since Gabriel wasn’t forthcoming with information, perhaps she could find out something from this young man.
“I think her name was…Loraine?Leena?Something like that.I don’t really know much.It was a long time ago.”
Lenore.The name whispered through her mind.
“How long ago?”she prodded.
He thought long and hard about it before he answered.He whisked his hand over his smooth chin.“I can’t really say.But I know it’s been many years.”
Clearly, she wasn’t getting anywhere with him.“Thank you for your time.”
Clutching the letter, she turned toward the door.She almost reached it when he stopped her.
