Free The Ghost House by Helen Phifer Page B

handkerchief; I was taken aback that he was comforting me. As I write this I have come to realise that it was the first time I have known him to be nice. I like this kind Edward and I liked the feel of his hands as they smoothed my hair even more.
    He stood to go and see his mother and I did not want him to leave me on my own but he did and I carried on sobbing. I wanted to go and see her but I am too afraid of his Lordship. I stood on legs that wobbled and went to the door of the library. It was then that I heard his Lordship roar at the top of his voice. It was a dreadful sound full of pain and misery which echoed around the great hall. I looked up to see Cook running along the passage; the doctor walked down the stairs and shook his head at her. I knew then that Lady Hannah the beautiful, kind woman was dead – gone forever. I closed the door and stumbled back to the chair in a daze. Lying back down I cried until I fell asleep, where I would not have to face the awful truth.
    I woke up in the dark. It was so cold. The fire I lit myself earlier had died down to a few glowing orange embers. The house was silent except for the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hall. Shivering, I stood up to go to my bedroom. I slipped from the library and ran along the corridor to the servants’ stairs at the back of the house. I was too afraid to look into the hall in case I saw a vision of Lady Hannah crumpled and bleeding to death on the floor. I turned the corner and squealed to see Edward sat on the bottom step, he was holding something in his hands that looked like a knife but it was so dark I couldn’t be sure.
    My heart began to race. I did not want to be alone with him in.. I mumbled my excuse and then dashed up the two flights of stairs until I reached the servants’ bathroom and locked the door. My tear-stained face stared back at me from the small mirror above the sink and my eyes were huge with both sorrow and fright. I splashed cold water onto my face and then ran to the safety of my bedroom.
    Undressing I slipped on the nightgown that Lady Hannah had only just bought for me and got into my freezing cold bed. I lay there trembling, waiting to get warm. A few minutes later a gentle knock on my door made my heart freeze.
    He whispered through the door, ‘Alice, it’s me, Edward, please can I come in?’
    I was terrified but my stomach began to flutter. I did not know what I should do. If Harold or Cook caught Edward in my room I would be in so much trouble. Before I could answer the doorknob began to turn and he crept in.
    ‘Alice, are you still awake?’
    I could barely whisper ‘yes’ but I did and he closed the door behind him. He walked across to where I lay and sat on the bed next to me: I felt sick with fear. I did not want Edward next to me but I could not send him away. He lifted a hand and began to stroke my hair and I felt myself shiver. He had been drinking because I could smell the sour whisky on his breath. I pulled away from his hand and then he slapped me across the face. Before I could do anything he was on top of me, his lips pressing down on my lips and his body pressed hard against mine. I am so ashamed of what happened next I cannot even write it down but I know it was wrong and it hurt so much that I cried in pain. After Edward was finished he stood up and walked out of the room, he did not even look back and I sobbed myself to sleep.
1 st November 1887
    I awoke early and spent a long time in the bath. Even after it had gone cold I stayed in there. I stayed until Millie hammered on the door demanding to come in. I was sore and did not know what to do with myself. I wanted to tell someone about what had happened because I did not know if it was right or wrong.
    When I went back into my room Edward was stood by the window he turned to me with tears rolling down his cheeks and told me how truly sorry he was and that he hoped he hadn’t hurt me too much last night. He looked so sad and forlorn that