The House

by Eden Darry

  How did someone get hold of so many dead bodies, even back then? The answer was quite clear. Someone who’d lived in this house—perhaps the man in the photo—had been a bodysnatcher or worse.

  Sadie flicked through the documents and photos, hoping to find a name. Page after page, she found nothing to indicate who had written the awful ledger. She stopped when she came across a photograph. Again, it showed the man from the previous photo, but this time he was joined by what she assumed were his family. A woman and two boys stood in front of what she recognized as her house.

  Like the first photo, this one filled her with a sense of dread. She picked up another picture. This one only had the woman in it—she guessed she was the man’s wife. She was posed on a chair, and on closer inspection, Sadie saw she was slumped slightly to the side, and the chair was propping her up. Her eyes were closed. With cold realization, Sadie knew the woman in the photo was dead.

  * * *

  “It was common back then,” Rachel said.

  Sadie called her after finding that awful photo. “Common? Are you joking?”

  “No. Lots of people had pictures taken of or with dead relatives. The Victorians were a weird bunch.”

  “What about selling the bodies?”

  “Common, as well. Obviously, illegal to dig them up, but it was rife. Look, Sadie, what’s going on?” Rachel’s voice was gentle over the phone.

  “It freaked me out. How would you have felt, finding that stuff?” Sadie hadn’t told her about the man who looked so much like Fin.

  “It’s weird, but I don’t understand why you’re getting your knickers in such a knot.”

  Sadie was a bit embarrassed. She’d called Rachel in tears. What was wrong with her? “You’re right—it was just a shock.”

  “Of course. Look, what are you doing this weekend?”

  Sadie was dreading the weekend. It would mean extended time spent with Fin. She felt horrible for thinking it. “We don’t have any plans.” Except for more arguments, she thought bitterly.

  “Why don’t you come down on Friday night? A few of us are going out. There’s people from your old chambers too. It’ll do you good.”

  Perhaps it was exactly what she needed. A night out in London with her friends, like the old days. God, she missed her old life. “Sure. Why not? Fin can watch the children.”

  “Excellent. You can stay at mine, and we’ll go shopping in the morning—if we’re in a fit state.”

  They spoke for a little longer, and by the time she hung up, Sadie felt much better. It was this creepy old house and its weird former inhabitants. A night back in her old life was exactly what she needed.

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Sadie ignored the exaggerated pleas of Kate and Jack who were trying to keep her on the dance floor and made her way over to the table Rachel had reserved them. She plonked down into a seat and drank deeply from her glass of wine. What she really needed was water, but there was none in sight, and she was already most of the way to drunk.

  Rachel leaned over and spoke directly into her ear to be heard above the loud thumping bass. “Enjoying yourself?”

  “God, yes!” Sadie shouted into her ear. “It’s been ages since I’ve had fun.”

  Rachel leaned in again. “What did you say?”

  “I said—” Sadie shook her head and gestured to the exit. You couldn’t hear yourself think in this club, and Sadie pushed away the realization she was getting old.

  Outside, Sadie breathed the clean cool air deeply. The weather still hadn’t turned, and it was pleasantly warm with a light breeze that dried the sweat on her skin.

  “You seem happy,” Rachel said.

  “I am. I’m so pleased I came.”

  Rachel nodded. “You haven’t seemed very happy lately.”

  Sadie wondered how much to say. She hadn’t told Rachel the extent of her problems with Fin, and she wasn’t sure why. Maybe because part of her had always thought Rachel looked down on Fin. Sadie also knew Rachel was quite close to her father, and any indication of trouble in paradise would get straight back to him. And wouldn’t he just love that bit of news?

  Tonight, though, Sadie was drunk, especially since the fresh air had hit her. “I think Fin and I are going to split up,” she blurted out.

  Rachel looked taken aback for a moment. Ever the lawyer, she recovered quickly. “Why?”

  Sadie shrugged. She could feel a sob working its way up her throat. “We haven’t been getting on.”

  “There must be more to it than that, Sadie. Though, I can’t say I’m surprised.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Rachel hesitated and Sadie knew she was calculating how much to say.

  “Look, I’m not like your dad. I like Fin, but I always thought…”

  “What?”

  “That she was beneath you, somehow.”

  Sadie was annoyed. Whatever her problems with Fin, she certainly wasn’t in any way above her. “That’s a terrible thing to say, Rachel.”

  “I know, I’m sorry. It’s the way I feel. You’re a successful lawyer—or you were until she dragged you out into the boonies.”

  “She didn’t drag me anywhere.”

  “She took advantage of the fact you weren’t yourself and convinced you country life was the way to go. Now look—you have no job, you live in the middle of nowhere, and you aren’t happy.”

  Despite the cruel things Rachel was saying, Sadie saw some truth in them. She wasn’t happy. She hated the house and she missed working.

  “You aren’t arguing with me,” Rachel said.

  “You’re right. I’m not happy living in the house so far from town. I do miss work. None of it’s Fin’s fault, though.”

  “Okay. Look, I probably said too much anyway. I didn’t mean to bash Fin, it’s just…I love you Sadie.”

  “I know.” Sadie pulled Rachel into a hug. “I love you too.”

  “It’s because I love you that I’ve tried to bite my tongue as far as Fin is concerned. But maybe I shouldn’t have.” Rachel slipped her arms around Sadie’s waist.

  Sadie broke Rachel’s hold on her and stepped back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I don’t want to upset you but, well, frankly I’m surprised this marriage lasted as long as it did. I always wondered if that was why she saddled you with two kids. She probably knew it was the only way you’d stay with her.”

  “How dare you.” Sadie was surprised at how calm her voice sounded, while inside she boiled. “You’re supposed to be my friend. You’re supposed to commiserate with me, support me. How dare you say that about my children. Saddled? Fuck you, Rachel. Fuck. You.”

  * * *

  Fin put down the wallpaper steamer and used the scraper to peel off a strip Lucy had defaced with penises. If it wasn’t so awful, it would be sort of funny. Not that Fin had much experience, but they looked pretty realistic to her.

  The kids had gone to bed early, and at a loose end, Fin decided to get started on Lucy’s bedroom. It would make Sadie happy—she hated coming in here lately. She hated a lot of things to do with Fin and this house at the moment.

  Fin didn’t know what to do about it. She knew most of it was her fault. She was bad tempered, and she’d tried to stay out of the way as much as possible. It wasn’t the answer, though. Therapy would help, but she just couldn’t bring herself to go. It was stupid, but she’d grown up with people who saw stuff like that as a weakness. You went to a psychiatrist if you were a loony. She knew it was bollocks, and she knew it would probably help, but it almost seemed like admitting defeat.

  And that was the stupidest thing of all. Her relationship with Sadie was getting worse, and she should be doing everything to try to save it. Loads of people had psychiatrists, and it didn’t make them loonies or losers—it was only the ignorant people she grew up with that thought that, and look where they were now. Not exactly shining examples of keeping a stiff upper lip and handling your own problems.

  She hadn’t
told Sadie about Nathaniel Cushion either. The other day she came back and knew straight away Sadie had snooped in the boxes. Everything was out of order and jumbled up. Fin was filled with a peculiar kind of rage she’d never felt for Sadie before. She managed to calm herself down, but in the back of her mind was the thought that maybe she wasn’t so different from her family. If she wanted to save her marriage, perhaps telling Sadie about Cushion wasn’t the wisest idea. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree after all.

  She also wondered if she even wanted to save the relationship, and she felt ashamed for even thinking it. She loved Sadie with all her heart and she always would, but there was something so attractive about giving up. It would mean no more visits to her parents, feeling small and insignificant. No more dinner parties with her lawyer friends looking down their noses at her—okay, that wasn’t fair. A lot of them were a good laugh and never made her feel shit. She could also concentrate on the house, on getting it the way she wanted without Sadie constantly badgering her about wanting to leave.

  Lost in her own thoughts, Fin didn’t see what she’d uncovered at first. When the scraper hit an edge and wouldn’t budge, she looked up. It was a door.

  * * *

  Sadie turned to go back inside the club. She couldn’t get away fast enough.

  Rachel gripped her shoulders. “Sadie, come on. You’re better than her. You’ll meet someone worthy of you. Someone who’ll give you what you want. A life here in London. Amazing holidays, private school for the children, and you can go back to the work you’re brilliant at.”

  “Just stop. Stop it.” Rachel stepped close and Sadie shoved her away. “Fuck off.”

  Rachel looked hurt and Sadie felt bad. She shouldn’t have pushed her.

  “I’m sorry. I was out of order.” Rachel held out her hands, palms up. “Let’s forget I said anything. We’re both pissed. Let’s pretend this didn’t happen and go back inside.”

  “Go back inside? Are you mad? After what you said to me?” Sadie shook her head in disbelief. How could this woman be so arrogant. Who was she? How had Sadie not seen this before?

  “It makes me sad to see you like this. Wasting all your potential, all your hard work, on a life you don’t even want. On a woman that doesn’t deserve you.”

  Rachel turned and walked away. It was only then that Sadie realized she was standing in a dark alley by herself. She’d gotten much better recently, but even so, that familiar panic started to claw its way up and out of her chest. She hurried in after Rachel. What a fucking mess.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Fin removed the rest of the wallpaper from around the door. It was on one of those push-release catches, and it opened without even a squeak. Fin stood staring for a moment, wondering if she should go through. She gave the door a light shove and it opened further to reveal what looked like a passage.

  She’d heard of things like this before. She remembered reading a book about Catholics installing secret rooms or passages so they could pray or escape Henry VIII’s ban on Catholicism. This house was built hundreds of years later, so it wouldn’t be one of those.

  Most likely, it was used for the same purpose as the tunnel she found. What that was, she didn’t know, but she guessed this passage would somehow lead down into the basement. Using the torch from her phone, she stepped inside.

  * * *

  Sadie didn’t feel much like staying and partying. She was supposed to stay at Rachel’s flat tonight, but she supposed she couldn’t do that either now. It would be too weird.

  Her only choice was to pay an extortionate amount of money for a cab home, or stay with her parents. Neither was particularly appealing, but her parents were the best bet. She would need to brace herself for her dad’s questions. Unless…Rose was Fin’s friend, but Sadie also got on with her. Could she call Rose and stay with her?

  * * *

  Fin followed the passage which led along the side of the house. She mentally calculated she would be at her own bedroom now, but there didn’t seem to be another secret door.

  The passage was narrow, and she was reminded of her dream where she walked down one exactly like this. She also remembered what she found at the end of it, and her heart quickened.

  She came to a set of dusty wooden stairs that led down and into the basement as she’d anticipated. Fin hesitated for a moment, unsure of what she was about to do and sensing somehow that there would be no coming back from this. Whatever she found down there she couldn’t ever un-find, and the thought struck her as odd at the same time as she knew it was true.

  Fin went down.

  * * *

  Five minutes and a phone call later and Sadie was on her way to Rose’s flat. Rose had barely opened the door before Sadie was sobbing in her arms.

  She was aware of Rose leading her inside and onto the sofa, although she was almost hyperventilating now and conscious of the fact she would be mortified at her outburst tomorrow.

  Rose hugged her and patted her back like a baby, mumbling words of comfort. After a while, she started to calm down and came back to herself. She stayed in Rose’s arms because it felt better than anything else had lately. Rose seemed content to stay that way too.

  Sadie sat back and Rose’s arms fell away. “What happened, Sadie? I’m really worried about you.”

  Rose’s gentle words nearly undid her again, but she managed to keep her composure. “Everything’s just such a mess.”

  “Okay.” Rose nodded. “Why don’t you start from the beginning.”

  Before Sadie could think about it, she told Rose everything. All of it. She told her about how she was terrified her house was evil, how she saw something push Lucy off the playset and what she’d done to her room. That Liam was wetting the bed again and hiding it. She spoke about her fears her marriage was over and that Rachel had basically called her children and her marriage a mistake. The last revelation earned a what a rotten cow! from Rose that made Sadie smile.

  “That’s it. My life is a mess. My children are disturbed and my wife hates me.”

  “Don’t forget the part about your best friend implying your kids were a bad idea,” Rose said.

  “She didn’t imply they were a bad idea. She said I was saddled with them. I mean, on rare occasions I do wonder what the hell I was thinking.” Sadie grinned.

  Rose snorted. “What are you going to do?”

  “I have no idea. And I’m so sorry for bringing this to your door. I know you’re Fin’s friend first—”

  “I am, that’s true. But I hope I’m also your friend. Besides, Fin’s been a bit thin on the ground lately. She doesn’t return any of my texts or calls.”

  “She’s probably avoiding you because of what’s going on.”

  “Because she knows I’d give her a good kicking for being such a dickhead.”

  Sadie laughed. “It’s not all her fault.”

  “No, it never is just one person’s fault. Do you really think your house is evil?”

  Sadie told her about the photos she found and the ledger entries for the sale of body.

  Rose gave a dramatic shudder. “Now that is fucked up.”

  “Thanks. Rachel didn’t understand.”

  “Rachel’s a twat.” Rose waved her hand dismissively. “Have you shared any of this with Fin?”

  “No. Any mention of the house being anything other than paradise and she gets so defensive.”

  “Why’s she so invested in that creepy house?”

  Sadie shrugged. “She fell in love with it on day one. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I wasn’t keen. I’ve never seen her so happy—except when the children were born of course.” Sadie debated whether to tell Rose about the similarity between Fin and the man in the photo.

  Sadie took a deep breath and her heart beat faster. She was worried about how Rose would take this next bit of information. “I found a photo. It’s from the 1800s. There’s a man in it. I think he owned the house.”

  “And?”

  “He looks
so much like Fin they could be related.”

  Rose studied her then, obviously having her own internal debate about whether she should say something. “What are you saying, Sadie?”

  “I’ll sound ridiculous.” She took a deep breath and let the words rush out. “What if the house is haunted by this man, and he’s somehow called Fin back because they’re related?”

  To her surprise, Rose didn’t laugh. Instead, she said, “Did I ever tell you what Janey said when we came back that night?”

  “No.”

  “She thinks the house is evil.”

  “Oh.”

  “She told Fin she would bring her group over with their equipment if you wanted.”

  “I can imagine how that went down. Fin won’t hear a bad word against it.”

  “Sadie, there’s something wrong with that house. Even I picked that up. Why is Fin the only one who hasn’t?”

  Sadie sighed. “Because she’s somehow tied to it. Whatever it is that makes the place evil, it’s latched on to Fin.” It was ridiculous. She was a lawyer, for God’s sake, and here she was talking about ghosts and evil and hauntings. But, somehow, telling Rose about it lifted the invisible weight that had been crushing her for months.

  “What are you going to do?” Rose asked her.

  “I don’t know.” Except that wasn’t completely true. Sadie thought she might have an idea.

  * * *

  Fin reached the bottom of the stairs and shone her torch over the room in front of her. She bit back a scream.

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Fin gazed around the narrow room, eerily similar to the place in her dream. A stainless steel table dominated the middle with just enough room to walk around the sides. Bookcases lined the walls and were filled to capacity.