Daughters of the Sea

by HR Mason

  In spite of the connection, or perhaps because of it, she also feared the house. It seemed ridiculous to be afraid of a building made of wood and glass, yet she was. The feelings surrounding her future home warred inside her, pushing and pulling in equal measure.

  “Let’s go in,” Runa said to her mother, and they grabbed their belongings.

  A maid, who introduced herself as Maisie, greeted them at the front door. Runa had never seen her, and she wondered how many people worked at the estate. She was uncertain how she felt about being constantly surrounded by strangers, but she supposed that was part of living in a mansion.

  Grabbing the items from Runa’s hands, Maisie advised the women to follow her.

  “We must move quickly, ma’am. We don’t want Mr. Everwine to see his bride before the wedding. That would be bad luck,” she admonished.

  She led the women up the grand staircase to the second floor. The sound of their shoes on the immaculately shined hardwood floors echoed as they ventured down the vast hallway. They passed far too many rooms to count before finally arriving at the one which would serve as the bridal suite. Maisie ushered them into the room and shut the door quickly.

  “I believe everything is in order here. I’ve been assigned specifically to you, so if there’s anything at all you need, please let me know.”

  “You’ve been assigned to help me for the wedding?” Runa asked.

  “No, ma’am, I’m your personal maid.”

  “For how long?”

  “From now until… well… whenever, I suppose.”

  Maisie flitted about the room, smoothing the covers on the four-poster bed and running a finger across the top of an antique chest of drawers. She straightened the freshly cut roses in the Waterford crystal vase on the dressing table before adjusting her own apron over her black dress.

  Runa was unsure how to respond. She’d never had a personal maid, and she didn’t know what to do with one.

  “Thank you, Maisie. I’m sure everything is perfect.”

  “Oh, it is. Everything has to be perfect here, ma’am.”

  “Well.” Runa cleared her throat uncomfortably. “My mother and I will let you know if we need anything.”

  “There’s an intercom system next to the door. Everything is labeled, so just give me a ring when you need me,” Maisie replied as she prepared to exit.

  “Oh, I almost forgot. There is one thing. I assume my dress is in the closet? I put it there last week.”

  “Indeed. I saw it there this morning when I was dusting.” Maisie crossed the room to the closet and flung open the door. “It’s right—”

  The maid’s abrupt halt and sharp intake of breath caused both Runa and Asta to rush to her side. Runa stared in horror at the empty rack. Her wedding dress wasn’t there. In fact, there was nothing at all inside the closet.

  “My dress….”

  Runa’s hands flew to her mouth and her heart began to pound.

  Her dress was gone.

  “It was there. I saw it. I swear it was there,” Maisie muttered nervously.

  “All right, let’s all just take a deep breath. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation. There are about a hundred rooms in this house. It probably just got moved into another one by mistake.” Asta tried her best to defuse the situation.

  “Yes, that must be it. I’m going to talk to the rest of the staff and to Mr. Everwine. You aren’t to worry, Miss Brandon. We’ll find your dress!” Maisie ran from the room.

  Runa collapsed onto the bed. It was supposed to be her perfect day, and instead it was going to end in disaster. The newspapers had declared the Everwine wedding the “event of the year.” Everyone who was anyone was going to be there. Runa couldn’t marry Chase in her sweatpants and hoodie.

  “Mom, this cannot be happening,” Runa said desperately. “I should have known this was all just too good to be true.”

  “Sweetie, it’s going to be fine. They’ll find your dress. I’m sure it just got moved,” Asta soothed.

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Let’s let the staff do a search while we get you ready. We’ll fix your hair and makeup, and by the time we’re finished, I’m sure they’ll have returned with your dress in tow.”

  Asta pulled Runa to her feet and led her to the dressing table. Once Runa was seated on the finely upholstered stool at the vanity, Asta went across the room and reached into her bag. She pulled out a candle jar and grabbed a lighter.

  “I have the perfect thing.” She held up the jar for Runa’s inspection.

  “You made it?”

  “Of course I did. I had a feeling we were going to need it.” Asta flicked the lighter, and the flame licked the wick and began to burn. “From the feel of the energy in this place, I should have brought my smudge sticks. Maybe next time.”

  Runa didn’t recognize the scent of the burning candle, but she was sure it had some sort of mystical meaning, as everything did with her mother.

  “What’s the scent?”

  “Cypress. It uplifts vibrations. It’ll make you feel grounded and safe,” Asta explained as she grabbed the brush and gently pulled it through Runa’s hair.

  “It’s nice.” Runa breathed deeply, trying to push away her anxious thoughts. “You always know just what to do.”

  “Not always,” Asta remarked quietly.

  The women readied themselves for the wedding, each lost in thought. Runa finished applying her makeup as Asta twisted and piled her daughter’s hair into an exquisite updo. The completed look was breathtaking.

  “My hair is perfect. Now I just need my dress.” Runa sighed.

  Both women turned at a knock on the door.

  “Come in,” Asta called.

  Maisie hurried into the room, wringing her hands and biting her lip. “Miss Brandon, the entire staff looked everywhere. We’ve inspected every single room in this house. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your dress is nowhere to be found.”

  “I hung my dress in that closet last week.” Runa pointed angrily in that direction.

  “I know, ma’am, and I saw your dress in that closet just this morning. I have no explanation.” Maisie fretted with her apron strings.

  “What am I going to do? This is not happening.” Runa lowered her face into her hands and tried to push away the encroaching tears.

  “Maisie, will you ask Chase to come here, please? I need a word with him.” Asta spoke with authority.

  “I’m afraid that’s not possible. The groom can’t see the bride before the wedding. It’s bad luck,” Maisie countered.

  “We’re well past bad luck. If we don’t get a handle on this catastrophe, there won’t be a wedding at all. Now please get Chase,” Asta commanded.

  The maid, wise enough not to argue, turned abruptly and scampered from the room. Mother and daughter waited in silence for several moments before they heard Chase’s heavy footsteps coming down the hall.

  “You wait here. I’ll handle this,” Asta instructed.

  Runa, far beyond her wit’s end, simply nodded.

  Closing the door behind her, Asta stepped into the hallway to meet Chase. From the look on his pale face, she knew he was already aware of the issue.

  “Asta, I have no idea how something like this could have happened.” Chase ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

  “How is it possible that Runa’s dress just disappeared into thin air? That doesn’t make sense.”

  “I don’t know. I’ve asked everyone. The staff have torn this place apart. I’ve looked for it, too. It’s nowhere.”

  “Have you asked your mother where it is?” Asta raised an eyebrow and looked Chase in the eyes.

  His mouth gaped. “My mother? You think she had something to do with this?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t seen her at all today, which strikes me as odd, don’t you agree?”

  “She’s seeing to the wedding details. You don’t really think my mother would sabotage Runa like that, do you?”
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  “Do you want me to answer that honestly, Chase?” Asta put one hand on her hip and waited for the answer.

  “No, I suppose I don’t.”

  “Well, regardless of the reason, Runa has no wedding dress, and she’s walking down the aisle in less than an hour. We’re now in damage control mode,” Asta replied.

  “Runa must be beside herself with worry. She was so excited to wear that dress. Should I go in and talk to her?” Chase asked.

  “Haven’t you heard it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding?” Asta asked sarcastically. “That maid of yours has been saying that since we arrived.”

  “I guess we don’t need any more of that.”

  “Listen, Chase, I’ve made no secret about the fact that I believe my daughter is making a huge mistake by marrying you. That being said, the last thing I want is to see her upset, so you and I are going to fix this. I don’t know how, but we are.”

  “I have an idea,” Chase replied as a smile bloomed across his face.

  “Go on,” Asta encouraged.

  “You know this is a very old house. Generations of people have lived here. They’ve been married here,” Chase began.

  “And how does that help Runa?”

  “Well, a lot of clothes have been kept over the years. One of the bedrooms has wardrobes filled with old gowns. I’m not sure there’s anything appropriate, but we could look. I know it’s a long shot, but maybe we could find something?”

  “I don’t know, Chase. Runa is going to be devastated if she can’t get married in a dress she loves.”

  “I know. Her gown was the only detail that mattered to her,” Chase said sadly. “I can’t bear to see her disappointed.”

  “Well, it’s worth a try. Let’s go see what we can find.”

  Chase opened the door to the bridal suite and said gently, “Darling, I love you. And I’m going to fix this. I promise.”

  “I don’t see how, Chase,” Runa cried.

  “Trust me,” he answered.

  “I do. I trust you with my life,” she replied.

  “I’ll be back soon,” he assured her. “Everything is going to be fine.”

  Chase closed the door, and he and Asta walked swiftly down the hallway, around the corner, and down another corridor. Turning the glass doorknob, Chase flicked on the light and entered the room. Asta followed.

  It was another opulent bedroom suite, lined on all sides with large armoires. Asta counted, shocked to discover there were fifteen of them in the mammoth room.

  “Are all of these armoires filled with clothes?” she asked.

  “Yes. The maids organized them several years ago. The tags are labeled. They’re arranged in order of time period, with the newest ones closest to the door and the oldest ones against that wall.” Chase motioned across the room.

  “We don’t have much time. I suppose we should divide and conquer,” Asta recommended.

  “Great thinking. I’m sure Runa would prefer a more modern gown, so I’ll start with the ones closest to the door,” Chase declared.

  Asta realized Chase didn’t understand his future bride at all. She knew her daughter had a penchant for vintage elegance, but clearly he didn’t. She was well aware that the couple didn’t know each other well enough to get married, and she hated being right.

  “I’ll look through the older ones.” Asta sighed.

  The two worked in silence for several minutes. Asta marveled at how well kept the gowns were. The wardrobe she was perusing held garments from as far back as the late 1800s, yet they still looked brand-new.

  She was so caught up in the past that she was startled when Chase spoke.

  “I think I’ve found the perfect one.”

  He presented an ultra-modern gown, probably worn within the last ten years. It was floor length, adorned from top to bottom with glittering sequins, and the bustle in the back was pinned with what appeared to be a mile-long train. It was flashy, eye-catching, and over-the-top. The gown was everything Runa despised. The fact that Chase believed it to be perfect underscored how little he knew about the woman he was marrying.

  “I don’t know, Chase. That dress isn’t really Runa’s style.”

  “I can picture her in it so clearly….”

  A strange look came over his face. He caressed the gown lovingly, tracing his fingertips across the sequins.

  A chill ran down Asta’s spine as she watched her future son-in-law clearly caught up in a vivid memory. She didn’t understand, but it made her uncomfortable.

  “That’s not my daughter’s dress, Chase. It’s not right for her at all.”

  Turning back to the armoire, Asta continued her search. Her fingertips grazed the fabric of a gown, and a bolt of electricity arced from the dress into her body. For a second, all she could see was blue. The aura surrounded the dress, and she immediately understood.

  The color blue, signifying truth and healing powers, called out to her. Asta knew the gown was meant for Runa even before she pulled it from the rack. Once she looked at it, she was even more convinced. It might as well have been custom-made for her daughter.

  It was quite old. Asta read the label inside and saw it was dated 1900. The floor-length vintage lace wedding gown had flowing sleeves and crystal buttons leading down the back before ending in a small train. It was made of ivory crepe silk, and the Chantilly lace overlay accentuated the empire-style waistline and bateau neckline. It had small bits of tasteful beading, yet its understated elegance was classic and simple.

  “This is the dress. We must take it to Runa immediately,” Asta instructed as she lovingly draped the gown across her arms and headed for the door.

  “Are you sure? It’s so old. This one is much more… special.” Chase gestured toward the gown he was still holding.

  “I’m her mother, and I know far better than you the kind of gown she wants. And since someone in your household has lost my daughter’s dress, this is the one she’ll wear.”

  “Look, Asta, I know you don’t want me to marry Runa, but I need you to understand that I love her very much. I want to make her happy,” Chase said, meeting Asta’s eyes.

  “Then you’d better do it. Or you’ll have me to answer to.”

  With a curt nod, Asta pushed past Chase and headed toward the bridal suite. She didn’t wait for him to follow. Turning the knob, Asta entered the room confidently, locking the door behind her before Chase could attempt to join them.

  ***.

  “I’ve found your dress,” Asta announced, turning to approach Runa.

  “You found it?”

  Runa jumped from the stool, excited that it’d been found, but confusion overwhelmed her instead when she saw the gown in Asta’s hands wasn’t her own.

  “That’s not my dress,” she protested.

  “It’s the dress you were always meant to wear.”

  “What are you talking about, Mom?”

  Asta presented the gown for her daughter to see. Runa’s hands shook as she tentatively ran her fingertips across the lace. As she caressed the vintage fabric, specks of blue light emanated from her hands. She didn’t know if her mother saw it, and she didn’t care. Nothing had ever felt more perfect than touching the fabric of that dress.

  “What if it doesn’t fit me?” Runa murmured.

  “It will,” Asta decreed.

  Runa shimmied out of her sweatpants and hoodie and grabbed the garment from her mother. Asta unfastened several of the crystal buttons and slipped the gown over Runa’s head. As it fell into place, Runa sighed contentedly. The dress whispered to her, clinging to her frame as if it were part of her skin.

  Asta buttoned it and smoothed down the lace in the back. “Look at yourself,” she instructed.

  Runa walked across the room and looked into the mirror. She thought she’d found the perfect wedding dress before, but that garment paled in comparison to the one she was wearing. Her eyes filled with tears. No dress had ever fit a woman so well.

  As she gaz
ed in the mirror, the image shifted a bit. Runa was seeing herself, but then she wasn’t. It was nearly her, but not completely.

  She reached out to touch the image, and the reflection in the mirror reached back. Blue light flickered between outstretched fingertips. The woman in the mirror whispered, “Så det. So be it.”

  Twenty

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the minister declared loudly. “You may kiss your bride.”

  Chase gave Runa a satisfied grin before wrapping his arms around her and making her forget everything but him. She was Mrs. Everwine. They had really done it, and nothing else mattered.

  The crowd erupted in shouts of congratulations and hearty clapping. It all seemed like a lovely dream.

  Camille had outdone herself with the wedding details, and Runa believed no ceremony had ever been more beautiful. Everything went off without a hitch, except Chase’s slight pause over her name when he said his vows. Was it her imagination, or had his lips momentarily formed an F sound rather than an R?

  No one seemed to notice, of course, except Camille. She had cleared her throat loudly, sending Chase an icy glare. Runa felt badly for him. She’d smiled encouragingly, assuring him everything was all right. He’d been so nervous. Camille shouldn’t have made such a fuss.

  Clasping her husband’s hand inside her own, Runa squinted at the barrage of camera flashes. She felt like a celebrity being hounded by the paparazzi. She reminded herself that it would all be over soon, and then she and Chase could settle into normal married life.

  “Are you happy, Mrs. Everwine?” Chase whispered in her ear.

  “I am,” Runa replied with a smile and squeeze of his hand. “I love you.”

  “And I love you. You’ve made me the happiest man alive,” Chase said as he kissed her again.

  The reception in the ballroom continued well into the evening. She did her best to be social, but all Runa wanted was to find a quiet place to be alone. Chase was occupied with their guests, so she quickly made her escape, her high heels clicking on the hardwood floors of Everwine Manor.

  Leaving the grand banquet hall behind, Runa found the deserted conservatory. Alone, surrounded by plants and flowers, she felt as if she could finally breathe. The glass walls sparkled in the moonlight as she took a seat on a cushioned iron bench in the corner. She glanced at her reflection in the window, her face filled with stress and anxiety.