Vic woke in a sweaty, tangled mess. She slept poorly and was in desperate need of a shower. Her room was dim and gloomy. The weather outside was gloomy. Darkened clouds threatened precipitation. She shivered as she emerged from the warm, sweaty blankets and the cool air of the room hit her skin. She dragged herself into the shower.

  After the shower, she dressed in brown pants and a lovely burnt orange sweater. She put on makeup and added some jewelry and was ready to go. The next step would be getting some hot tea. She left her room and strolled down the hallway to the grand stairs. At the top she could hear Liam talking to Martha.

  “We saw the pretty lady again. She smells like roses.”

  “That’s not true. There’s nobody else here. dear.” Martha said.

  William spoke, “Mom doesn’t believe us either. But she’s real. She’s nice to us and tells us stories.”

  “Enough about your make-believe friend. Come along.”

  Vic descended the grand stairs, through the great hall, and into the breakfast room. Michael and Megan were already there, including the children and Martha. They talked about the day to come. Megan was going to get started on Sewing the curtains for the great hall, and Michael needed Vic’s help on the architectural details. After Martha took the boys to school, the work crew began to arrive for the work day.

  Vic and Michael avoided talking about what they’d experienced the night before and threw themselves into the day's work. Throughout the morning the sewing machine could be heard coming from the dining room. Work on pulling down old wallpaper continued throughout the main floor. The Ballroom contained the largest surface of wallpaper and some of the crew were already in there steaming it off.

  Vic and Michael went around the main floor going over what elements were original to the house and which had to be removed because they were later additions that didn’t make any sense to keep. The Billiard room had been paneled in cheap wood paneling sometime during the 1950s or 60s. The beautiful wood floor had also been carpeted over in orange shag, which was hideous.

  “Why anyone would choose this instead of keeping it original is beyond me,” Vic mentioned.

  “I’m pretty sure these changes were made by the family member who got the house after Virginia died. They made several renovations, moved in, and moved back out in less than a year. They did their best to keep the house in order, but nobody lived here. That’s how we got the house. It went up for sale, cheaply, after they had died.” He explained.

  They continued working throughout the morning, and the whole crew broke for lunch at 11:30. Vic wandered over to the dining room to see how the curtains were coming along. Megan had already completed a couple of curtains. They were made of a silk-like material, but less expensive to purchase. They also had lace and ruffles. They were rich and colorful.

  “My fingers ache,” Megan flexed her fingers. “Time for lunch I suppose.” She stood from the table and stretched. “I’m going to go see what Michael’s doing for lunch.” She walked out of the room.

  Vic ordered lunch for delivery and when it came she went up to her room to type up her notes on the house. She also made some notes about the missing people she had gleaned from the newspaper articles. She did not take notes on seeing the ghosts. The rich history of the house was fascinating. More fascinating to her now that she understands that what happened in the past does not necessarily stay buried. She had a peaceful hour of eating and writing. She then closed her laptop and returned downstairs.

  Megan and Michael entered through the short reception hall and returned from a quick lunch out. She headed for the dining room to continue her sewing for a few more hours. Vic and Michael checked in with the crew to make sure the afternoon was on track. Half the wallpaper in the ballroom had come down. After going over several little things Michael went to the library to do some paperwork and Vic consulted some books on architecture to make sure she had some elements right. After a time Megan and Vic both made their way into the library with Michael and they discussed the day's work.

  The sound of chaos entered the house as Liam and William ran in after school with Martha in tow. They burst through the library door and ran to Megan and Michael and gave them big hugs.

  “What did you learn in school today?” Megan asked Liam as he sat on her lap.

  “Did you know that if you mix blue and yellow you make green?” He said to her.

  “Yes, I do. I learned it in kindergarten just like you.” She kissed the top of his head.

  “Awe, I thought I was the first to discover it.” He looked sad.

  “Don’t worry, we all do in the beginning. People have been around discovering things for a long time. It’s okay to discover something for yourself that other people have also discovered.” She set him on the floor and stood taking his hand.

  “I didn’t learn anything today,” William stated. “We just read. I like the Berenstain Bears.”

  “Reading is learning buddy,” Michael said to his son. “Go with your mom and Martha and get a snack. Dinner is not for several hours yet.”

  “Okay.” William ran to his mom and took her other hand.

  Vic and Michael were alone now. The silence stretched into awkwardness.

  “How are you doing today?” He fidgeted, “I mean after last night?”

  “Fine, I didn’t sleepwalk if that’s what you mean,” She said.

  “I meant after what happened…with the ghosts. But that’s good that you didn’t sleepwalk again.” He fiddled with the corner of a piece of paper.

  “How did you do?” She enquired. “I mean with Megan? I saw the look on her face when we were saying goodnight outside my door.”

  “Oh…um. Everything is fine. I didn’t tell her about the ghosts, but she did notice the power go out. She was coming to inquire when she found us in the hall together.”

  They talked about the ghost incident the night before and all the little strange things. Talk turned to the occult symbols that were a part of the house and they were about to discuss them when Megan returned.

  “The boy’s bellies are filled with apple slices and cheese.” She took the chair next to Vic. “Where were we? Oh yes, we were talking about the stain color for the wood flooring.”

  They went over details for about another hour when they heard a commotion coming from the great hall. All three of them got up and went out.

  Martha was yelling about demons and devils and dragging the two boys behind her. They were crying and trying to get out of her grip.

  “There are devils in this house. The boys are not safe. Nobody is safe. We have to go right now. I won’t let the demons have them. There’s a ghost after your boys.” Martha ranted.

  “Let go of the children,” Megan said tersely. “What are you doing?”

  Martha released her grip on the boys and they fell to the floor. Megan scooped them up and as she headed back to the library she said in the same tone to Micheal, “Handle this!”

  Michael was trying to control his rage. This woman who was like a part of their family and had been with them for years was acting crazy.

  Vic followed after Megan and the kids. Tension seemed to ooze from Megan. She sat on the sofa with both boys in her lap. They were sobbing.

  “I can’t believe Martha. Scaring the kids out of their wits and dragging them down the stairs crying. Screaming about devils and demons and ghosts. There’s no such thing. I know she’s religious but she has no right to terrorize my kids with her beliefs.” She rubbed the boy's backs and made shushing noises.

  William looked up at his mom. Tears streaked his little face as he said, “But there is a ghost. She’s nice to us and she smells like roses.”

  “Hush William, She put those awful ideas in your head. There’s no such thing as ghosts. You’re safe now.” She held both of them tight.

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  Vic was startled at what the boy had said. The two boys had also been seeing ghosts, one who smelled like roses. A smell she had been smelling on and off for days. She thought Megan had been wearing perfume, but what if it was the ghost smelling like roses and following the boys and Megan around?

  A few minutes later Michael returned ashen-faced. “Martha quit.” He came and sat next to Megan and lifted William into his lap.

  “She quit?” Megan repeated questioning.

  “Martha said that she had left the boys in the playroom alone for a few minutes. When she came back she said she saw a ghostly woman in an old-fashioned dress sitting on the sofa with the boys. Frightened, she ran forward and grabbed both boys by the arms and dragged them away from the ghost. She said the ghost looked at her with soulless eyes and started for her. She didn’t give it a chance. She dragged those boys out into the hall and down the stairs hollering about it. She said we all have to leave right now.” He hugged his boy tightly. “I tried to talk sense into her, but she wouldn’t listen. When she learned that we weren’t leaving she quit on the spot. I asked her about her things and she told me they belong to the devil now.”

  Megan was holding her hands over Liam’s ears and frowning at Michael. “I can’t believe that you said that in front of the boys. They’re already frightened enough. They’re going to have nightmares.”

  “It’s okay Mommy,” Liam looked up at her. “The ghost lady is nice. She’s not scary. She wants us all to be together.” She sighed heavily. “Liam, for the last time there’s no such thing as ghosts. It’s all in your imagination.”

  “But I saw her too, Mom.” William piped in.

  “Enough, we are not going to sit here and debate this.” She stood, letting Liam slide down until his feet hit the floor and then she took his hand. She reached for William who climbed down off his dad’s lap. “Now I have to find a new nanny. I can’t believe you just let her go.” Megan stalked out of the room with the boys.

  Michael looked agape. What was he supposed to do? The woman was crazy.

  “Is Megan going to be okay,” Vic Inquired. “I thought she was going to explode.”

  “She’ll be fine. She always is.” He said, “What I’m concerned about is that there’s a ghost visiting my sons. I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

  “The boys did say the ghost was nice.”

  “Yeah, but Liam also said the ghost wants them to stay with her. What does that mean? Is this ghost going to try to keep my sons here? How? As what? Does she want to kill the boys so they stay as ghosts?” Apprehensively he sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “I need to go talk with the crew and see if they have experienced anything. Talk tonight?”

  Vic nodded and then Michael left the room. She got up and strolled out the door. This was so weird to her. She never believed in ghosts before. The whole idea was ludicrous. She walked through the great hall, over to the grand stairs, and ascended. She used to believe the stories were all made up by people, or natural occurrences were thought to be supernatural by people who didn’t know any better. She had brushed off some things that happened to her here, but seeing those mangled ghosts in the basement…She couldn’t logic them away. She stepped off the stairs on the second floor and strolled down the hallway. Something bad happened here. That’s why there were ghosts. At least that’s what people say. Tragedy makes ghosts. She and Michael had seen the mangled ghosts in the cellar who were likely the men who died in the failed ritual. The boys were seeing a pretty, female ghost who smelled like roses. She was pretty sure that it had to be Virginia herself, but she had been really old when she died. Maybe it was her daughter.

  Vic turned around at the end of the hall and strode back. Once she came back to the grand stairs she turned away from them and headed for the stairs to the third floor. How many ghosts were in this house, she wondered. She climbed the stairs. On the third floor, she wandered down the hall. Twelve people went missing in this house. If all the people who died here were ghosts, then there were a lot of different ghosts here haunting this house, and maybe some of them were angry. Could they be in danger? Nothing had really happened. Okay, she did have that terrifying experience in the basement, but she wasn’t really sure what that was. Was it a ghost, an intruder?

  She entered the storeroom and looked around. She found a few more items of interest and grabbed them. She took the main stairs all the way down to the main floor. She’d had enough of the creepy servants’ stairs. Maybe Michael will fix them so they are bright and cheery.

  Vic found Megan and the boys in the dining room. Liam was coloring in a coloring book and William sat next to him playing a game on his mom’s tablet. Megan was sitting on the opposite side of the table, slouched over with her head in her hand, pen in the other, and going over some paperwork. Vic walked down the length of the table and set down the things she carried. Then she walked over to Megan.

  “Do you need help with anything?” Vic tried asking in a light-hearted manner.

  Megan growled in frustration. “I can’t concentrate.” She sits up straight and looks at Vic. “What I want to know is why you’re spending so much time with my husband.”

  Vic is taken aback, “What do you mean?”

  “I’ve seen the two of you sitting alone together in the library, laughing and making eyes at each other. I’m not blind.” Megan spits out.

  “It’s not like that.” Vic takes a step back.

  Megan stands, “Then what’s it like?” She lowers her voice so the boys don’t hear. “Because Michael strayed once before. We’re working on our marriage and family. Things are good now. I don’t need you getting in the way. I won’t let him throw his family away, and I won’t let you have him.”

  Vic puts her hands up in a placating manner. “It’s not like that. We talk about the house, its history, and ghosts. You said you didn’t want us discussing that around you, so we’ve been careful not to upset you.”

  “You shouldn’t be talking about it at all,” Megan grumbled.

  The boys were oblivious to their conversation.

  “If ghosts aren’t real then why does discussing them make you so upset? What really happened to you as a child?” Vic pushed.

  Megan looked surprised, “Michael told you. Of course, he did. He shouldn’t have. It’s none of your damned business.” She straightened her papers on the table, “There’s no point in talking about this.”

  She told the boys it was time for them to go upstairs and they climbed out of their chairs and followed Megan out of the room.

  Vic calls after Megan, “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m just confused.”

  She got no response. She was left standing there alone feeling like an asshole. Vic texted her friend Allie and asked her to meet her at the Corner Bar, went to her room for her coat and purse and headed out.

  Fifteen minutes later she parked on a side street and walked the two blocks to the bar. It was a long, narrow bar that was squeezed between a pizza restaurant and a bookstore. Maybe she’d stop in the bookstore on her way out. The Corner Bar wasn’t busy yet, but would be soon. She was not the only one coming in. There was a bar that ran the length of the left wall, a few small tables in the front, and booths that ran along the right wall. Halfway down a staircase rose to the second floor. Through a narrow passage between the bar and the staircase sat more tables, with the bathrooms in the back. The second floor had more tables.

  Vic saw Allie at the bar and waved to her when she looked up. They smiled at each other. She wound her way through the growing throng and took the seat next to her. She took off her jacket and placed it on the back of the chair.

  “I’m so happy you could meet me again so soon after the last time. It’s been a hell of a day.” She ordered a drink from the bartender.

  Allie was dressed in the same fur jacket but wore fashionable jeans and sneakers this time. Better for the rain and mud she supposed. Vic told her all about what happened the night before with the power going out and seeing those terrifying ghosts. Then she moved on to what had happened today with the nanny, kids, and Megan. Especially the conversation where Megan all but accused her of having an affair with Michael.

  “Get out now!” Allie intimated. “First off I don’t know why you didn’t leave last night after being scared to death by ghosts, Second, Megan is crazy and she’s going to keep creating drama. You don’t need that. There’s other jobs out there.”

  “Michael loves his wife and family. He’s not even interested. Sure he’s cute, but he’s married with kids. I’m not about to break his family up. I’m still hurt about my ex cheating on me. I wouldn’t do that to another woman.” Her drink came and she picked it up and stirred it with the little straw.

  “But Megan said he cheated on her. You might not betray her, but he might.” Allie sipped her drink.

  “You act like I don’t get a say in this. Besides, he’s never come on to me. He’s a nice guy and I like him a lot. We work really well together. Plus we have to figure out what’s going on at the house.”

  “What happened to miss “I don’t believe in ghosts”? Allie said.

  “I experienced something I couldn’t explain away. It’s crazy I know.” Vic sipped her drink.

  “I think you’re in love with a married man.” Allie handed out some truth.

  “I’m not. I mean, maybe I do like him, but that’s as far as it goes. I am interested in getting to the bottom of this mystery.” Vic was excited, “All I thought was that I was going to provide expert knowledge to this renovation job and get to write an in-depth dissertation about the house and its history. But I’ve come to find out that ghosts are real and this house is full of them. Did you know that Edward Charles, the man who built the house didn’t die in a fire like the papers said? He and the members of his ‘social club’ who weren’t really a social club, but members in a secret magical society, died trying to do some sort of ritual.”

  “Who sounds crazy now?” Allie stared at her. “Where did you learn this?”

  “From his wife Virginia’s personal diary.” She finished her drink.

  They ordered more drinks, and some greasy bar food and talked about Allie’s miserable love life and fashion addiction. After two hours of drinks, food, and laughter Vic felt more herself.

  Out on the blustery street, Allie said, “Things at that house sound intense right now. It’s haunted. That would be enough to make me leave, but not you, you have to play history detective and get to the bottom of things. But a haunting on top of a jealous wife and you’re living under the same roof as she is. It’s all going to go up in flames. Come stay with me while you find another place and job.

  Vic hugged Allie, “Thanks Al, but you know I can’t do that. Megan will be fine. We’re not doing anything. Together Michael and I can solve the mystery, and who knows, maybe we can get the house cleansed and send these ghosts off to wherever they're supposed to go.”

  The two women said their goodbyes and left in separate directions.

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