Just then, a scrawny guy emerged from the crowd and handed a form to Willow.“The delivery form, Miss Nolan,” he announced.Willow took the form from him with a smile and a nod.It was the form she had the buyer’s representative fill out.What she saw made her eyes widen in surprise.
Sal inched closer to Willow.“What is it?”She inspected the form.“It says the buyer lives at…Cedarthorne Estate?”she announced.“That old mansion?”
“Yes, the estate beyond the emerald lake,” Willow answered, eyes still glued to the form.
“Cedarthorne?”Auden repeated.“Isn’t that where all the ghost stories about the witches originated?”
“Yup,” Willow raised her brows.“And it looks like Sal and Rafa are going to deliver it there,” she said, offering Sal the form.
Sal took it slowly.“You’re not coming with us?”she asked.
“No,” Willow replied and jutted out her lips.
“Why not?”Rafa asked.
“That place is haunted.”
“I didn’t know you were afraid of haunted houses, Willow.”Rafa snorted.
“Well, that place is an exception,” she said, shaking her head.“Good luck.”
If there was any hint of caution in Willow’s voice, it didn’t register.All Sal knew was that her days of worrying about whether she could keep Autumn Town afloat were over for now, and no haunted house would take that away.It’s just a quick delivery, she thought; nothing would go wrong.So for now, they would celebrate.
She grabbed a glass of wine from a roving server and hoisted it up.“Cheers!”she said, and they clinked their glasses and enjoyed the rest of the night.
Chapter Six
Cedarthorne Estate
SAL
Beyondtheinvitingandwarm glow of town existed a large estate that kept all but the bravest at bay.On a cliff overlooking the Emerald Lake sat Cedarthorne Estate.The once lavish property spanned St.Stephenshire’s boundary.Supposedly, someone wealthy built the beautiful place as a wedding present, but rumor had it the family abandoned the house one day, and nobody knew why.Strange things would happen there—the seasons were in constant flux, there were alleged ghost sightings, and then wailings had been heard by the lake—so the locals believed the old estate to be cursed and avoided the place.
Sal had first seen the mansion almost a year ago while working on theArt Cards of Nowherefrom her outdoor patio.The morning was foggy when she first caught sight of it.Depending on the light of day and the direction of the wind, she would sometimes see it through the fog, perched staunchly on the cliff, empty and lifeless.
Sal recalled all this as she turned to Rafa while they drove up the forested roads leading to the forsaken mansion.They listened to the Backstreet Boys during the drive, and they both couldn’t help but sing along.There was nothing more comforting than listening to songs from one’s childhood, and it was a happy day too.They were to deliver the complete collection to their anonymous buyer, all fifty framed paintings of St.Stephenshire.The thought of enough money to keep Autumn Town going elated Sal; she would no longer have to worry about the next few months.
“I can’t believe I’ve never been here before,” she said as she looked out the car window.The forest beyond her cottage and past the lake was lush.Was the place truly as unnerving as it was said to be?Everything in St.Stephenshire was so pleasant that it was hard to believe.
“I haven’t either.I heard a lot of ghost stories about this place when I was a kid,” Rafa said, drumming his hands on the steering wheel in tune to the song.
“Do you think that’s why Willow didn’t want to come along?”she asked.
“Maybe.You know what they say about old small towns.But I’m surprised Willow is thatsuperstitious,” Rafa said as they drove up the rocky path and finally arrived at the large old mansion.They both studied it as they parked.
“Which begs the question of why our mysterious buyer would stay here,” Sal said.
Rafa leaned forward to get a better view from the windshield.“Why, indeed,” was all he said.
The mansion must have been a marvel back in the day, because even in its old, dilapidated state, it still stood proud, with its painted white exterior and commanding portico supported by four Corinthian columns.The main entrance was also grand, with a large central door flanked by narrow panels and crowned by a fanlight window.Green shutters adorned the other windows, which contrasted beautifully with the dark shingled roof.The climbing ivy had scaled most of its walls and columns; the paint was peeling away, and the shingled roof needed mending.Yet it almost coaxed Sal into admiring its Old World grandeur.What stories does this old house have?She wondered.Her eyes wandered as she sat in the safety of Rafa’s car, half hoping she’d find a ghost suddenly peering back at her from one of the large windows.
A startling knock came at one of the car’s rear windows.The hair on the back of her neck stood as she let out a yelp.They both turned to see a stout, blond young man, bent over with the bluest eyes she had ever seen.He couldn’t see through Rafa’s heavily tinted car windows, but he smiled warmly.Rafa lowered his car window to eye level.He gestured to set the window down lower.
Rafa frowned and did not oblige.“Are you from Cedarthorne Mansion, sir?”
“Ah yes, yes!We’re all expecting you,” he said.Just then, he removed a pair of gloves he had on and wiped them on his apron.“I’ll call someone to help you both in.”He must have been the gardener.If he were, he wasn’t doing a good enough job.The lawn and plants needed tending badly.
Soon, another man joined them.He wore a black suit and a pair of gleaming black leather shoes.His look was a stark contrast to the crumbling structure that stood behind them.
