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Alistair, still pinned to the wall by Finn, managed a strained nod of acknowledgment. "Lady Ferguson."
Withdrawing slightly but not releasing his grip on Alistair, Finn asked sharply, "Is this one of your 'watchers'?"
Lady Ferguson's eyes shifted to Alistair, then back to Finn. "You seem to have done your detective work, Mr Wright. Alistair is the last watcher of the island, sworn to protect Huldra House and all who reside within," she confirmed, her tone neutral.
"He might also be a murderer," Finn retorted, his voice hard.
Alistair's eyes widened in genuine shock. "Murderer?!"
Lady Ferguson exhaled deeply, her posture never wavering. "This conversation should be had in more civilized surroundings. This is neither the time nor the place for accusations."
With a grace that seemed out of place amid the chaos, Lady Ferguson led the group down a corridor, into a cozy sitting room. A roaring fire crackled in the hearth, throwing its warm golden light across plush sofas and ornate wooden furniture. The room, while richly appointed, had a homely feel, which blunted somewhat the confrontation that had just occurred.
A few moments later, Lady Ferguson returned with towels draped over her arm and a tray bearing cups of steaming hot chocolate. Each person took a towel, dabbing at their drenched clothes and hair.
"Thank you, Lady Ferguson," Amelia murmured, wrapping her fingers around the cup, allowing the warmth to seep into her.
Finn took a moment to sip the hot chocolate, surprised not just by its rich flavor but by the gesture itself. It reminded him of the drink his old Aunt Maggie used to give him back home when he was a kid in the swamps. He glanced over at Lady Ferguson, finding her observing him. Once again, he found himself questioning the icy exterior she presented to the world. Beneath it, hints of compassion and humanity seemed to stir.
Amelia broke the silence, "Now, Lady Ferguson, please help us understand what's really happening on this island."
With the warmth of the fire and the comfort of the hot chocolate, the room seemed miles away from the tumultuous storm outside. However, the tension in the room was palpable as Finn and Amelia began their questioning.
"Lord Carmichael and Ivar Ward," Finn began, leaning forward, his eyes unerringly fixed on Alistair. "Did you have anything to do with their deaths?"
Alistair took a deep breath, his face betraying a mix of frustration and sadness. "I had nothing to do with their deaths. Nothing at all. I'm a guardian of things, not a killer."
Amelia chimed in, "Your own mother said you were out of control with your dedication to watching Huldra House. She feared that you had a hand in the tragedies, that your warning of impending doom was somehow tied to the deaths. Like you were killing people who had somehow wronged Huldra House."
Alistair's eyes darkened, "My mother worries too much. She never understood our family's commitment, our duty. She saw it as a quaint tradition, nothing more. When Dad died, I took on the mantle of the last watcher."
Amelia pressed, "She mentioned you had expressed strong concerns about Lord Carmichael's resort proposal."
Alistair nodded, taking a moment before replying. "Not hatred towards Carmichael himself! The island has a delicate balance. And Lord Carmichael's plans, the resort... it would disrupt everything. If that resort was built, forces beyond our understanding, whether you believe in them or not, would unleash their wrath on those who dared disturb the serenity of this place."
Finn raised an eyebrow, "You're saying you predicted these deaths because these damned hidden folk everyone talks about would murder over some golf courses and a clubhouse hotel?"
"No," Alistair shook his head, "Don't joke about what you don't understand. I didn't predict the murders. I feared their possibility. I knew that Lady Ferguson, despite her lineage, was in favor of the resort. She was putting herself in danger. That's why I've been out there every night, watching."
Lady Ferguson, until now silent, interrupted, "The wraith, I presume? But isn't it supposed to protect the Ferguson line?"
Alistair's gaze turned distant, his voice carrying a weight of responsibility and regret. "That's the misconception, your ladyship, at least as my father told it, and he learned the truth from his father. The wraith doesn't protect the Ferguson line, it protects the secret beneath Huldra House. The entrance to the hidden world."
Finn's eyes narrowed, "The hidden folk. You're saying they would view Lady Ferguson's support of the resort as a betrayal? That she would be a target?"
Alistair's nod was heavy, "Exactly. The digging, the changes to the landscape... it would be seen as a grave betrayal of the promise her family made generations ago. The hidden folk and their secrets have been protected for centuries, and the wraith ensures that remains the case."
The room fell silent, the weight of Alistair's words hanging in the air. The fire crackled, and outside, the storm continued to rage, but inside, an ethereal storm of suspicion and accusations was brewing.
A cry echoed through the grand halls of Huldra House from somewhere distant but above, its eeriness amplified by the storm outside. Lady Ferguson stood abruptly, her face etched with concern. "Excuse me," she said, her voice quivering. "It's my son, Nathaniel. The storms, they torment him. I must attend to him."
As the grand door closed behind Lady Ferguson, Finn turned his attention back to Alistair. The atmosphere, already tense, now felt even more charged with the absence of the lady of the house.
"Tell me," Finn began, his tone softening slightly, "the nights Lord Carmichael and Ivar Ward died, did you see anything unusual?"
Alistair hesitated for a moment, then responded, "There were lights. I noticed them on at Huldra House, but not in the usual rooms. It was as if someone was roaming the halls. I had a feeling that someone other than Lady Ferguson was present in the house. Someone who shouldn't be."
Amelia's phone suddenly buzzed to life, its sharp ringtone slicing through the room's tense atmosphere. She hastily retrieved it, glancing at the screen before answering. "Hello?"
