“What is it?” Mike asked.
“A locket,” she replied, standing and turning it over in her hands. It was initialled on the front with the letters MAR; she frowned as those were her initials, Matilda Alice Rhiamon. She turned it over and read the inscription in her mind. ‘Forever, my one true love.’ “That’s weird,” she said aloud. “It has my initials on it.” She looked at Mike.
“Were you named after one of your relatives?” he asked. Matilda gave a shrug.
“No idea, maybe, I guess.” She unclasped it and put it around her neck. “It’s pretty though,” she said. As she patted it against her chest, it knocked against her mother’s pentacle.
Her eyes clouded over; her feet suddenly anchored to the ground, and she was unable to move. It rushed through her from the bottom of her feet to the top of her head, a cold, harsh, icy chill, and her eyes looked, but she didn’t see Mike. What she saw sent utter terror reeling through her entire body, the fear of death or violation was unreal.
In front of her was a man and there was such an evil presence surrounding him that it shook her very core. He launched himself at the woman whom she had become, she screamed, grabbing her stomach as he held a dagger, pushing and turning it into her gut. It was as if the woman had possessed her body and she was reliving her murder, feeling her fear and her wretched pain.
“What’s wrong?” Mike asked startled. She shook as she cried.
“I’ve got to get out, get me out of here,” Matilda screamed, and she shot out of the back door.
“Matilda, what’s wrong?” Mike called, running out after her. Stopping only when reaching her van, Matilda leaned against it to steady herself.
“She was murdered,” she wept.
“Matilda, who was murdered, what are you talking about?” Mike asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
“Whoever owned that chest and this necklace was murdered here like my parents, my brother, all my family,” she cried hysterically. Matilda had never felt such fear, such evil since that day eleven years ago. She was convinced she had just relived that poor woman’s last moments of life. Feeling her despair, and her fear at knowing she was going to die.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He reached for her, drawing her fully against him he put his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder gently.
“Jesus Christ, I don’t know if I can do this,” she muttered, sinking herself deeper into his arms, and seeking comfort her head rested on his chest.
“Do what?” he asked, lifting her hair from her sodden cheeks as he looked at her.
“This Hall, Mike, I don’t know if I can do it.”
“Look, I know whatever just happened has frightened you, but I’m sure it was just some kind of panic attack or something.”
Matilda frowned, knowing damned well that it was not a panic attack, but Mike was just trying to calm her. He knew nothing of the history of the Hall, of her ghost, or her magic, - so why would he believe her, after all no one else had.
“I’m sorry, Mike, of course, you’re right. I guess the stress of it all just overpowered me for a minute,” she agreed, and reluctantly pulled herself away from the comfort of his arms. She swept back her long hair, and rubbed her eyes.
“Do you want to go back in?” he asked. She shook her head.
“No, I think I will nip into town. I need to buy a sofa and a few things for the Hall.” He kept his gaze with hers.
“Would you like me to come with you?” he asked. “We could take the van, and I can help you bring whatever you buy back.”
Matilda was about to shake her head and say no, but actually she thought it would be nice not to have to shop alone.
“Okay, if you really want to. I mean; I didn’t think guys like shopping.”
“Nah, I love it,” he said with a smile.
She laughed and took a breath looking at the front door of the hall. Knowing she had to go back inside to grab her bag gave her a chill.
“I’ll get it, where is it?” he asked as if reading her mind.
“On the kitchen table, my jacket is on the back of a chair,” Matilda said gratefully.
“Okay, back in a sec...” He went back in through the front door and emerged a few minutes later.
“Thank you,” she said gratefully, taking her jacket and bag from him.
He let Steve know where they were going, and asked him to keep an eye on Parker. Pulling out the keys to his van, he opened it. It was a box Luton van, so it had a lot more room in the back than hers.
Mike was an easy person to talk too. He was friendly and funny and by the time, they got to the town she was falling about with laughter at his appalling jokes and had forgotten about the terrifying vision.
They parked in the outdoor car park and cut through the alleyway into town. She went straight to a furniture store and approached a salesperson.
“Excuse me,” she said, catching his attention. The young man smiled at them.
“How may I help you?” he asked.
“What do you have that I can take today?” Matilda asked. He gave her a little frown.
“Take today?” he repeated. She nodded.
“Well, we do have some end of lines, ex-stock over here. Of course we can deliver our new ranges within eight weeks,” he offered. She shook her head.
“No, I need something now; it doesn’t matter what it’s like, it’s only temporary,” she explained. He showed them a selection of sofas. Mike threw himself down on a twin sealer, and her eyes smiled at him as he bounced up and down.
“This is great,” he said agreeably, and he patted the seat next to him. Matilda dropped beside him and leaned back into the soft cushion.
“Mmm, I agree,” she said as the cushion enveloped her.
“We’ll take it,” he said patting her knee with his hand.
“Oh we will, will we?” she said, in a sarcastic tone, and raising her eyebrow at him. Mike pursed his lips and leaned back in the sofa.
“She’ll take it,” he corrected, thumbing to her. Matilda nudged him hard with her elbow and the salesman looked between the two of them confused. Mike chuckled, and closing his eyes, he snuggled into the cushion.
Leaving Mike crashed out on the blue two-seater sofa she followed the man back to the cash desk and waited for him to sort out the paperwork. Mike eventually got up and she watched him as he strolled around the three-piece suites. There was something so intriguing about him, his voice, his smile, and especially his laugh. Although she had seen Mike a few times over the years of planning this restoration, something about him seemed different. Maybe it was because she was older, but she was finding him irresistibly attractive.
“Is your husband going to pick them up now?” the man asked. She felt the heat rise to her cheeks.
“Oh, no he’s not my husband, just a friend with a van,” she corrected.
“Oh sorry,” he apologised and he busied himself on the till. Matilda glanced over towards Mike, and he was walking toward hers.
“All done?” he asked, placing his hand on the small of her back as he drew alongside her.
“Ah ha,” she replied, feeling the heat from his hand burn into her back. She inhaled him and he smelt dreamy.
“So what’s next?” he asked, releasing her back and leaning an elbow on the counter.
“Well I need to get a TV,” she replied a little startled by how he was affecting her. She addressed the salesperson. “Can I collect it in about an hour or so?”
“Of course, Madam, just go around to the loading bay and ring the bell, I will have it ready for you. We are open until six.”
“Great, thank you,” she said, putting her purse back in her bag.
They left the shop and further along the High Street they found an electrical store where Matilda purchased a TV and radio, arranging to collect them in around half an hour.
“Do you fancy something to eat?” she asked, spotting a McDonalds.
“Sure,” he replied. They went inside and waited in the queue.
&
nbsp; “So, do you have a girlfriend?” she asked. Shit, why did she just ask that, and the heat rose up her neck and covered her face.
“No, I don’t,” he replied, a smile edging his lips at her obvious embarrassment. “You?” he asked.
“Boyfriend, no,” she said, with a shake of her head and laugh in her voice. What boy would want to go out with her, she was crazy!
“Why did you laugh then?” he asked.
“I didn’t,” she replied.
“Yes you did. You said it as if it were the most ridiculous thing ever.”
“Well,” she mumbled, and they moved down the line. “I guess I’m not the easiest person to get on with. I have issues you know.” She pulled her hair back behind her ears, and looked away from him.
“What issues?” he asked, turning her to face him. His eyes locked onto hers refusing to allow her to ignore his question. She fluttered them nervously wondering why on earth she had started this conversation.
“Family issues that need to be resolved,” Matilda said flatly. He gave a slow nod.
“I can understand that,” he replied, as he had enough issues of his own to deal with.
“Next, please,” the girl said impatiently. They both turned to the counter and placed their order. As they walked over to a corner booth, she was determined to get him off the subject of boyfriends. Hell, she was a twenty-one-year old virgin, far too obsessed with the past to think about any kind of future.
She watched him as he opened the wrapper on his burger and took a huge bite.
“I have found this amazing reclamation yard, and it’s only about thirty miles from here,” she said. “They have some original pieces that would be great for the Hall. We should take a drive over there sometime, and see what we can use.”
He stopped munching and gave her a nod of his head.
“Yeah, okay. Is it Millers?” he asked.
“Yes, do you know them?”
“You could say that, he was a good friend of dad’s, kind of an uncle who’s not an uncle, if you get my meaning. We are always buying his stuff for our builds.”
“Great, maybe I can get a discount then?” she said, with a grin. She took a bite of her burger, and the mayonnaise oozed out everywhere.
“Oops,” he said, and he grabbed a napkin and mopped up her chin.
“Thanks,” she said, lowering her eyes down to her chips, embarrassed at his simple gesture. Matilda was uncomfortable around men and had never had a relationship of any kind in her entire life. She wasn’t ugly or anything, in fact, she was quite stunning. Her hair was long, dark, and wavy, just skimming the top of her hips, her eyes emerald green her skin, clear and pale. She had a curvaceous but toned body, as she liked to run.
Matilda turned men’s heads, and occasionally they hit on her, although she tended to dress down and avoid places where single men congregate so she could avoid the whole scenario.
Matilda’s focus was firmly on this renovation and trying to find out what killed her family. She had no time to share her life with anyone besides, who would understand what she had suffered? Who would believe her when she told them a demon slaughtered her family, no-one right. Yes, she takes the pill, but it was only for medical reasons, as she gets the most god-awful period pains.
“Penny for them,” he said, knocking her out of her daydream.
“Sorry - what?” she asked.
“A penny for them, you were miles away.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just thinking about, well, my family, and the Hall.”
“It must be hard, to have gone back,” he said. Matilda nodded.
“It was, it is,” she confessed. “Still, I have to do it, and I have to see it through.”
“It will look fantastic when it is finished; I promise you,” he said, and he took a slurp of his coke.
“I’m sure it will. I can’t wait to do the interiors, the building work, err,” she said, pulling a face, and he laughed.
“So how long have you had Parker?” she asked.
“Nearly two years. I got him after dad died. Like you said, it can get lonely sometimes, and he is good company. Of course he’s completely bonkers,” he said. “When he was a puppy he ate everything, including my shoes, the table and chair legs. He even ate the bloody plaster from the wall.” Matilda laughed.
“He’s lovely, and so gentle.”
“Yeah, he wouldn’t hurt anyone. Just give him a biscuit, and you’ve got a friend for life,” Mike said affectionately.
They finished their food, headed back to the van, then drove around and collected her goods. They stopped off at a petrol garage on the way back, and she brought some kindling and firelighters.
Mike honked as they pulled up outside the hall; it was dark now, and raining.
Parker ran and jumped all over him.
“God, I haven’t been gone that long, Parker,” he said, as he fussed him. “Danny, Carlos, can you give us a hand to get this stuff into the Hall?” he yelled. The two men downed their tools and walked over to them. Mike undid the back of the van, and Parker immediately jumped into it.
“Hey, out,” Mike, yelled gesturing with his hand to the dog to get out. Parker jumped down. Between the three men, they took everything inside and into the kitchen.
“Okay, where do you want them?” Mike asked.
“Over here, please,” she replied, attempting to shift the large pine table out of the way. Mike immediately moved in and helped her push the table over slightly to allow room for the sofas, and she used her mother’s old butcher block to set the TV on.
“Thank you,” Matilda said to Carlos and Danny, as they removed the last of the plastic coverings from the sofas.
“You’re welcome, Miss,” Carlos said, his Portuguese accent gentle as he gave her a slight dip of his head.
“Yeah, thanks guys,” Mike added, lifting his head briefly from behind the TV, as the two left.
Mike plugged the aerial from the socket in the wall into the TV and fiddled about with it.
“I can’t get a decent picture; your aerial on the roof may need adjusting,” he informed her.
“Oh, damn,” she moaned. She had checked during the daylight to see if it was still up there, and it was, but it must have dislodged over the years.
“I can go up and check if you like?” he offered.
“Thanks, Mike, but not now. It’s dark outside and raining it wouldn’t be safe,” she said. He gave a shrug.
“I’ll be okay,” he replied. She looked at him and shook her head, not about to risk his life for the sake of a TV aerial.
“No, really, it can wait until the morning. I have a good book to read.”
“Okay, if you’re sure,” he said, and he stuffed the used packaging back in the box.
“Well, goodnight then, and we will see you 8am tomorrow,” he said. She caught his eye as he stared at her.
“Yes, thanks for all your help, Mike. That was above and beyond a contractor’s duty,” she said, looking away.
“Hey, I did that as a friend,” he said quite seriously. Matilda met his eyes again and they had never left her, as he held her gaze, she was afraid of falling deeper into them. “We are friends aren’t we, Matilda?” he asked, and his voice was so deep and sexy, that she swallowed feeling a rush of heat go through her entire body.
“Of course, we are,” she replied, managing a smile.
“Good. Night then,” he said, and he turned about and walked out of the kitchen. Matilda leaned on a kitchen chair for support feeling unexpectedly drained of energy and confused and she really had to hold herself back from grabbing hold of Mike and kissing him. She pushed off the chair, walked out of the kitchen, and headed towards the front door. Matilda locked it and stood there for a moment steadying her heartbeat to normal. She glanced to the windowsill.
“What the ....” she muttered, spotting the once dead plants now in full bloom. “Really, but I only watered you once,” she mumbled. Matilda brought her nose down to the pink bloom and inh
aled and it smelt sweet. She scrunched her nose up in puzzlement, before giving a shrug of her shoulders and returning to the kitchen.
She picked up her book from the kitchen worktop and sank down in her new sofa. Matilda was just about to flick open her book of spells, when there was a knock at the door. Jumping up and going to the front door, she opened it to find Mike standing there.
“I thought you should have this, just in case, after what happened with the boiler,” he said, offering her a medium sized fire extinguisher.
“Oh, okay, thanks,” she said surprised, and taking it from him.
“Good, well I’m off for the night, going to visit some friends in London. I’ll see you in the morning then.”
“Yes, in the morning. Goodnight, Mike.” He took a step back, gave a small nod of his head, turned around, and hurried down the steps. Matilda closed the door and bolted it again. Holding the fire extinguisher close to her chest, she walked back to the kitchen and put it down next to the fireplace; as it was not too chilly tonight, she decided not to light a fire. She lit a few candles dotted them around the room and turned out the light.
Filling the kettle and switching it on, she grabbed a mug from the cupboard put it down and walked to the fridge. Taking out the milk, she walked back, only to find it gone.
“What the…” she muttered, looking up and down the worktop. “Well the hell’s that mug gone,” she muttered with a puzzled frown. She glanced to the cupboard door, opened it and found it inside.
“Shut up!” she said staring at it, positive she had taken it out. She reached up and grabbing hold of it slammed it down onto the worktop and poured in the milk. She reached over to grab the tin with the t-bags in and found it wasn’t there. “Oh come on,” she mumbled, spinning around and scouting. She saw it on the kitchen table and shook her head; maybe she left it there. She grabbed it and returning to her mug, she stared at the empty worktop, turning around when she heard a little thud. The mug was on the kitchen table. Someone or something was playing games with her!
She snatched the mug angrily from the table, poured in the hot water, and dunked in the t-bag. Without taking her eye off the mug, she threw the t-bag in the bin, picked the mug up defiantly and walked to the sofa.
Malevolent Hall 1666AD Page 7
