Some of them Witches

Chapter 6

The bathhouse looked more ominous than usual in the setting sun. Anyone visiting the property would surely think it was a place of ancient ritual sacrifice but inside was Marianne's idea of heaven. She and Virginia had worked on it together, enviously combing through online images of different styles from lavish Turkish baths to open-air Japanese hot spring hotels and settled on what she came upon now.

The stone structure was a massive dolmen with a large opening, a profound darkness seemingly emanating from within. The door had been her doing and some of her favorite work for even when you walked right up to it, it was difficult to tell it was a door at all. She had enchanted the paint to be darker and darker until it was such a deep and rich black that it seemed impervious to all light, until it didn't look like a door at all, but a cave mouth.

She found the doorknob easily with little more than muscle memory, stepped through it, and gasped when she saw someone was already there.

Violet lay in one of the copper tubs that lined the left wall. She had a washcloth laid over her face which she removed when she heard Marianne. "Everything alright?"

Marianne fought to catch her breath. "Sorry. Wasn't expecting company, I guess."

"I usually just use the shower in the house but nothing beats this place."

There were four tubs and four showers lined the back wall so all the ladies of the property could luxuriate comfortably. The stone was always cool, the water was always hot, and the view through the massive skylight above the tubs was perfection in any weather. Marianne especially loved it late at night for stargazing.

"Glad you like it," she said as she opened the tap on the tub next to Violet's. She went over to the bench against the right wall they had designated as the changing area and tossed her clothes onto it as she undressed.

She turned on the nearest shower and let the water wash over her a moment before beginning her lather cycle, scrubbing away every remnant of the day from her light brown skin before laying in the copper tub.

"How was the Johnson house?"

"The house is fine." End of conversation.

"The address makes me think it's more than fine," chuckled Violet.

"Ours are better," Marianne assured her.

"I'll be sure to tell the Johnsons that after they see what you do with the room. Maybe they'll let us do the rest."

"I doubt it. Papa Johnson was there when I turned up and he said they've already got a decorator on the rest of the house."

"How did that happen? Did you get there early or something?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"I'll email him first thing when I get back to the house. Did he say anything... upsetting?" Violet asked delicately.

Marianne thought back to the look he'd given her. Only the best for my little girl, right? "No."

"You know, you could tell me if he did." Her tone was even but somehow strangely encouraging to Marianne, which she figured must be a skill she acquired from the constant exposure to taciturn Lily.

"I know. He didn't. Miller's brother Nathan was there helping me move some stuff so either way, I would've probably been okay."

"You brought Miller's brother to work with you?"

"Not exactly." Yes exactly. She sighed. "I told him I'd give him a slice if he helped me out with the heavy lifting while I'm out there."

"You and Virginia never needed a man's help before."