Paranormal After Dark

by Rebecca Hamilton

  Just as her eyes began to fall shut, she was jolted awake by the sound of Thomas’s footsteps on the backstairs. He pressed his lips to her forehead and slumped down in the chair beside her. “I’ll be the first to admit I’d fallen asleep when your brother came down for his shift.”

  “I offered to keep you company.”

  “I offered to ravish you, my beauty, but the moment was ruined by ongoing commotion from the engine house and Miss Fouke wailing for the captured raider to have fair trial.” He winked, his lips spreading into a sly smile. “At least, that’s what you said. I wasn’t bothered.”

  “What’s going on out there?”

  “You don’t want to know.” He pulled her hand to his cheek and nuzzled her open palm. “People have taken to the streets. They’re hell bent on revenge now; I watched them drag Brown’s son to the railroad bridge and shoot him until he was cut to pieces.”

  Adelaide grimaced. All the death—all the anger—in town was no doubt drawing souls back to consciousness. She tried to dismiss it and instead focus on Thomas. It wasn’t as easy as she thought. “Are you hungry? I made soup earlier and we have some day old bread. Not the best meal, but it’s better than nothing.”

  “You spoil me, my sweet.” He pressed his lips to her open palm. “Do you…ah…think you’ll have more trouble tonight? I mean, if Brown’s boy comes back.”

  Sarah made an audible choking sound in her throat and dropped the soup ladle against the pot with a clang.

  “It’s fine, Sarah, he knows.” Adelaide hesitated and then stood, pushing her sister away from the soup pot and scooping the stew into a small porcelain bowl. “Mr. Boerly came back.”

  “You’re not serious.”

  “Yes, Sarah, in a situation such as this I’d make light of dispatching spirits.”

  “But he saw it.”

  Adelaide set the steaming bowl of stew in front of Thomas. Before she could straighten, he caught her arm and pulled her to him, quickly pressing his lips to hers. “I know your dirty secret, Miss Randolph. At least one of them.”

  “Rake.”

  “You make me that way.”

  She grinned at him, trailing her fingertips across his jawline. Before she could respond, the moment was shattered by pounding on the door. “Girls? It’s your father.”

  “Poppa!” Sarah squealed. She scampered across the room and threw herself at the door, jerking the locks back and nearly hitting herself in the face as she pulled it open.

  Their father walked in and wrapped his arms around Sarah. “Sarah. Oh, Sarah, don’t cry.” It was at that moment Poppa noticed the male presence in the room; that he realized Thomas Cooper was sitting at the table, spoon in hand. His relieved expression clouded over in an instant. Accusingly, he looked from Thomas, to Adelaide, then back to Thomas and snapped, “Cooper. What are you doing here?”

  “Poppa, you remember Thomas Cooper.” Adelaide stepped in between them. “He was held captive in the Armory today and, when released, came to our home to make sure that we were okay. He’s hungry, Poppa, I had to thank him for his kindness. He and Robert have been splitting shifts downstairs to make certain we and the store were safe.”

  Poppa’s brow furrowed. “My daughters were alone.”

  Thomas cleared his throat, obviously disconcerted by Poppa’s cool anger. “I know sir. I mean, that is to say, I knew your whole family was alone. I knew you too good a gentleman to sit back while Brown attacked. And, with your home in such proximity to the Armory, I wanted to make sure everyone was okay.”

  “I’m sure you can understand how compromising this looks.” Her father continued to glare at her, while directing his speech at Thomas. “My daughter, letting a man into our house…my unattended daughter. The whole town knows you two have been spending time together—brazen time, touching in the streets—and if they knew you were here, like this?”

  “Poppa, Thomas asked me to court him and I’ve accepted.” Adelaide blurted it out; no sooner did the words leave her mouth did she realize how little the declaration was going to help the matter. “So it’s not brazen or scandalous. It’s fact.”

  Thomas squeezed her hand. He faced her father, unblinking; unafraid. It didn’t seem as if he cared what the older man thought about him being with her—alone or not. “It would have been just as easy for one of those raiders to cross the street and gain access to your home. And your daughters.”

  It was bold, perhaps too bold. However, either her father was mollified by Thomas’s rushed explanation or he was too tired to argue any further. He shrugged and unwrapped Sarah’s arms from his waist. “Give me some soup too, Adelaide. I suppose I should thank you, Mr. Cooper, for attending to the safety of my family. It’s hell out there.”

  Adelaide noticed her father didn’t actually thank him. Regardless, she was relieved the potential confrontation had been quelled, even if only for the time being. Placing a bowl of soup and a mug of coffee in front of him, she reported, “Rebekah and the boys are asleep.”

  “Good.” Poppa held the mug under his nose and closed his eyes. “They’ve posted a guard around the engine house. Brown has no escape now.”

  “It’s like a rabbit trap my brother and I used to make when we were kids.” Thomas paused to take a sip of soup. “I heard forces have arrived from Winchester, Baltimore, and Frederick City to keep him from escaping.”

  “Most of the raiders have been killed.” Her father held the soup spoon to his lips but didn’t take a bite. “Do you remember John Cook? He was the school master here for quite some years. I’ve heard word that he is one of the raiders.”

  “Christ, Cook too? I hadn’t heard that; the bastard. He fooled us, he made us trust him and then made us like lambs to slaughter.”

  Adelaide’s vision pricked peppery black spots and her stance waivered; she grabbed onto Thomas’s shoulder for support. Mr. Cook, Elizabeth Wade’s former lover? He was always so nice. Such large blue eyes and a kind demeanor... how could he do this to Harpers Ferry? He knew them. He knew them all.

  “Four of our own have been killed.” Her father didn’t seem fazed that Cook had betrayed them. Either that, or he was too tired to care. “I was there when Beckham was shot. It was unspeakable.”

  Thomas scooped the last bit of soup out from his dish. “Robert and I have worked out a shift, taking turns and guarding the doors downstairs. We just switched out. I have no problem staying up and keeping an eye on things up here while you rest. I’m not tired.”

  Poppa nodded gratefully. “I would appreciate that, but you’ll need sleep as well. I’ll join you and Robert’s system: with three of us and the declining situation outside, we should be fine.”

  Thomas nodded.

  Poppa glanced between him and Adelaide. “If you don’t mind, Mr. Cooper, I’d appreciate it if you take Addy to her room and make sure it’s secure. The window faces the Armory and the engine house and, if you don’t think it’s safe, I’d prefer they sleep in the parlor.”

  Thomas nodded seriously. “Yes, sir.”

  Adelaide bit her lip, trying to hold back a grin, and nodded to the hallway. “This way.”

  “And Cooper,” Poppa’s voice interrupted them before they’d walked two paces towards the bedrooms, “I’ll be timing you. Don’t make me lose trust in you already.”

  Adelaide rolled her eyes and kept walking, leading Thomas to the room she shared with Sarah. He wrapped his arms around her as they looked out the window, pulling her close to him. There were mobs of people swarming in the streets; in the dim light they looked like ants covering a discarded piece of fruit. With the glow of torches and the silvery moon, she could make out the shape of the engine house.

  Thomas pressed his lips to her forehead. “There’s no escape for them. It’s only a matter of time.”

  “Why us?”

  “Why not us? The guns are all here, we make them and store them. Brown thought he could arm an uprising of eighty thousand. But no one came. I’m not sure he thought we’d fight ba
ck, either.”

  “They could have killed you.”

  “I think they knew we were skilled in gunsmith work. They’d have forced us to join them.” He turned her body to him, wrapping her in his arms. “You, beautiful girl, need to stop worrying.”

  “Easier said than done, I assure you.”

  He chuckled and then leaned over, gently pressing his lips to hers. “If you need company in your bed tonight, you know where to find me.”

  “Then stay.”

  “I’m fairly sure your father will shoot me.”

  She stood on her tip toes and kissed him, gently nibbling his bottom lip with her teeth. “Keep me safe tonight.”

  “Always.”

  * * *

  Tuesday, October 18th

  ADELAIDE’S EYES FLUTTERED open sleepily. She looked towards the window and was greeted by gray skies and rain dotted window panes. It seemed the sun didn’t even have the courage to come out. Being careful not to disturb Sarah, Adelaide eased out of bed and quietly crossed the room to the window.

  She was shocked to see the engine house surrounded by men in uniform. Soldiers?

  “Addy, I’m awake.” Sarah whispered sleepily from the bed. “What’s going on outside?”

  “I don’t know.” Adelaide kept her eyes fixed on the raider’s makeshift fort. “Soldiers are all around the engine house.”

  Sarah sat still for a moment, then crawled out from underneath the covers and crept to Adelaide’s side, her body trembling like a trapped bird. They watched in silence as uniformed soldiers stood stiffly around the engine house, seemingly waiting for something to happen.

  Adelaide cracked the window open slightly, in hopes that they could hear something—anything—to let them know what was going on.

  “Addy, I don’t think anything is happening.” Sarah chewed on her bottom lip. “I think they’re just standing there. What’s it called…cautiously waiting? It’s what militias do.”

  “Why don’t they go inside and drag them out?” Adelaide questioned. “There are by far more soldiers than raiders.”

  As they stood whispering, Adelaide noticed a handsome man with an outlandishly large hat step away from the engine house and casually wave the hat around. Almost as if on cue, several soldiers suddenly rushed into the engine house. They were only momentarily hampered by the strong door and then disappeared inside as if gobbled up by the building. In that instant, several gun shots crackled through the air and then, abruptly, silence.

  Adelaide squinted at the small building, almost as if staring at it as hard as she could would allow her to see through the brick walls. “Was that it? Is it over?”

  Agonizing moments ticked past. Finally, a few soldiers emerged from the engine house, firmly carrying a gray haired, grizzled man between them; the man was obviously unconscious. His thick, gray beard nearly touched his chest and, even from the distance Adelaide was at, she could tell his coat was covered in dirt and blood.

  “Is that Brown?” Sarah asked. “That’s who started all this? Why, he looks like an old man.”

  The two soldiers unceremoniously dropped the old man on the ground outside the engine house. One by one, other men were dragged outside and left in a row in the grass. Some of the men writhed in pain, a few barely moved at all. Still others were obviously dead, staring up at the sky with empty eyes and slack jaws. Adelaide wondered who these men were; what made them believe Brown’s plan would work. Did they really think that the citizens of Harpers Ferry would just sit back and let them take over the town?

  Sarah tugged on Adelaide’s chemise. “Their souls will rise, Addy. If Boerly came back, these men will come back as wraiths. They’ll be bent on destruction this time.”

  “So we wait. Be alert. Be cautious. And always be attuned to Those we can’t see.”

  After quickly fastening her corset, Adelaide shrugged her work dress on over her head, checking to make her watch was concealed in her pocket, and then began lacing up her shoes. She heard someone pounding down the hallway, their running steps sounding like the trip hammers of the Armory. It was Robert: suddenly yelling, pounding on the closed bedroom door. “It’s over! They’ve got Brown! They’ve captured old Ossawattomie Brown! Poppa just came in from the street, the Marines clubbed the old bastard right over the head.”

  Adelaide didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath. “Thank God.”

  She and Sarah quickly finished getting dressed and raced down the hall to the kitchen. Her father and Thomas were just sitting down at the table, mugs of steaming coffee in their hands.

  “Is it true Poppa?” Sarah squealed. “Did they really catch him?

  He nodded. “Most of his raiders are dead, either in the engine house or in the river. The town’s half lost their minds, why, they shot lead into one poor soul’s corpse all yesterday afternoon.”

  Adelaide set a plate of sliced bread and cheese in the middle of the table, smiling shyly at Thomas. Even tired, he looked handsome: his eyes droopy and his hair tussled from leaning against the wall for hours. “What happens now?”

  “I heard the colonel who led the assault, Robert Lee, will take Brown to the prison in Charlestown.” Thomas caught her hand in his, quickly squeezing it before he let her go. “He’ll await trial there. One of the lads from the Armory is betting it’ll be a fast trial: the whole county is in an uproar.”

  It was over. Robert’s words continued to echo through her mind and Adelaide hungrily savored them. Now everything could return to normal.

  “I’m going to go back downstairs and take my shift in the store.” Her father glanced from Thomas, to her, and then back to Thomas. “Courting my daughter, are you, Cooper?”

  Thomas nodded.

  “Then I can trust you to keep her safe.” He took the flintlock off the table and then pushed a Harpers Ferry rifle into his hands. “I’m sure you know better than anyone how to use this.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Get some sleep.” Poppa started his descent on the staircase. “If you’ll stay, I’d like to keep up our shifts throughout the day. Just in case.”

  “Yes, sir, absolutely.” Thomas ran his hands over the rifle, expertly checking the condition. He glanced towards the staircase as if confirming her father was gone. “Do you want to tuck me in, my beauty?”

  “My pleasure.”

  She led him to her bedroom, glancing outside the window as she straightened the bedsheets for him. The bodies were still outside. “Don’t be alarmed if you wake up in a few hours and I’m sleeping beside you.”

  “I’d rather wake up feeling your body next to mine than alone in this big, empty bed.” He shrugged his frock coat off and rubbed the back of his neck, obviously stifling a yawn. “God, I’m tired. Just lay with me, just a bit.”

  “And let you take advantage of me?”

  “Yes.” He chuckled, reclining back on the bed and opening his arms to her.

  She curled up next to him, their bodies pressing together, and nuzzled her face against his shoulder. Sliding his hand into her hair, cradling her head, he kissed her tenderly. “Keeping you safe was all I wanted during this hell. Even when they had us in the Armory, I kept looking towards this house, wondering if you were okay. God, it’s all I could think about.”

  “I’m much better now, actually.”

  He kissed her again, a smile playing on his soft lips. “Do you think your father would let me sleep in here with you tonight?”

  “I’m sure he’d have something to say about it.”

  “We’re courting, though. Practically married as far as I’m concerned.”

  She laughed and touched her lips to his; it was tantalizing. His hands tightened around her waist. “If you desire me, just say so.”

  “Christ, I want you more than anything.”

  “What’s stopping you?”

  “Knowing that your father or brother would no doubt walk in on us and throw me out the window.” He chuckled, sliding his hand up to her corseted breasts. “I crave
you, Adelaide. Being close to you like this…I just want to lift those skirts up and touch you and—“

  Sarah walked into the room and stopped short, her jaw dropping. She immediately turned on her heel and dashed back into the hallway. “Jesus, Addy, close the door next time.”

  Adelaide groaned, touching her forehead to Thomas’s shoulder. “It’s impossible to find privacy in this house.”

  He slid her hand to the front of this trousers, pressing her palm to the bulge in his pants. “I need you. I’m in pain, beautiful, don’t you feel bad?”

  Leaning close to him, Adelaide wetted her lips. “I could make you feel better.”

  He sucked in a sharp breath. “You know I want that.”

  “And I want you.”

  He lowered her onto her back, crawling on top and simultaneously hoisting her skirts up and nudging her legs apart with his knee. Rocking his hips against hers, he gazed into her eyes as he simulated his rhythm against her body. It was mind blowing; tantalizing. “I want every inch of you, I want to kiss your body and be inside you.”

  She bit her lip, the pressure of his body between her legs felt incredible. Pressing her hands to his cheeks, she pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him. It immediately deepened, his tongue prompting her lips open and sliding into her mouth, gently caressing against hers. As the kisses grew hungrier, more passionate, his hands dropped to her skirt and slid to her legs. He fumbled with the fabric of her split leg drawers; his fingers slid against the soft flesh of her inner thigh.

  His eyes were locked on hers. “Do you want more?”

  She nodded, spreading her legs more to give him better access.

  His hand slid between her legs, his fingers trailing down her tender skin He leaned his head to hers and he kissed her, his fingers reaching deeper with each sharp breath she inhaled.

  And then he stopped. Leaning over, he pressed his lips between her legs and then crawled up to her body, crushing his mouth against hers. “I’m petrified your father or Robert will walk in on us. I smith Harpers Ferry guns. I don’t intend on being shot with one.”