Sabbath's 2 Darlings- The 12: Book Two

6. A Lot Going On In This Town

"And what do you think?"

"It makes no never mind to me, Master Jude," Mr. Sabbath said. "I can't afford either and besides my daughter is afraid of horses."

Jude snorted. "I think your daughter is afraid of everything."

"I do not understand, sir."

Jude just placed his cigarette between his teeth and smiled. Slapping Mr. Sabbath on the back he went upstairs to change for dinner.

Mr. Sabbath watched him go, wishing he could demand he tell him what he meant. One thing he couldn't stand was for someone to bother his children. The doorbell saved him from being irrational and he listened stiffly as Franklin Smith went to answer it.

"Good evening." He heard the man great the guest. "Allow me to take your coat sir."

Mr. Sabbath tore his eyes from the stairs and looked at the door. Franklin was helping a man out off his coat and hanging it on the rack. He did the same with the man's dripping hat.

"Could I get you anything, sir?" Franklin asked. "Something to warm you up or a towel perhaps?" Franklin waited for the man to reply but he was looking around the foyer. Finally he turned to him and smiled.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Franklin bowed and walked up the hall, leading the man into the parlor. When he returned alone Mr. Sabbath stopped him.

"Is this the dinner guest?" he asked.

"Yes," Franklin said. "Odd fellow. Keeps looking around at everything...think we'd best watch him."

Mr. Sabbath nodded as Franklin left for the kitchen. He walked softly on the runner until he came to the parlor where he peeked in. The man was standing, not taking advantage of the lovely imported furniture nor helping himself to the wine in the decanter. He was staring up at the wall.

Mr. Sabbath stood tall and entered the room. "Good evening!"

The man spun around in surprise but smiled. "Evening," he said with a tip of his head. He then turned his attention back to the wall.

Mr. Sabbath joined him and stared up at the family portrait from when the boys were young. Old Mr. Richmond was seated in a burgundy chair with golden wood while his wife stood behind him in front of a window with the view of a pasture behind her. Adjacent her was Esau with his hand on his father's shoulder. By the arms of the chair were the other boys.

"I didn't know there were four," the man said.

Mr. Sabbath looked at him then up at the painting. "Yes, sir," he said. "Master Isaac the eldest died when he was a boy."

"Which one is he?"

Mr. Sabbath pointed. "The one his father is looking at."

The man looked at the painting at the boy to the right of the seated man. They were looking directly into each others' eyes. "How did it happen?"

"Church fire." Mr. Sabbath said quickly. "Can I get you anything, sir?" he asked to which the man smiled.

"Will you kindly tell Mr. Richmond I am here?"

"Yes, sir." Mr. Sabbath said and left the room. He didn't much care when strangers came to visit the mansion. Servants were always worried something would go missing and one of them would be blamed. He went upstairs and rapped on Esau's door. When he was asked to enter he did so with a bow. "Master Esau your guest has arrived."

Esau got up quickly from his seat and went downstairs much to John Sabbath's surprise. When he entered the parlor his thin lips formed a big smile. "Mr. Idris St. Cloud!" He grabbed the man's hand and gave it a firm shake. "Welcome to Drinking Water. I must ask though why you have chosen to stay at the Blue Roof Inn when you would have been more than welcome to stay here." He took a seat and offered his guest the same.

"I get enough big houses at home."

"Ah yes, your plantation," Esau said. "How is it?"

"It is where I prefer to be," Idris said. He watched Mr. Sabbath open the decanter and fill two glasses with the red liquid. When the glass was offered to him he accepted. "So what can you tell me about the forest?"

Esau laughed. "You get right down to business don't you?" he said. "I know how it works however. My grandfather ran a plantation. He was all business too." He took a sip of his wine and put the glass on the table. "The wood in question is the one right around here. Richmond Wood. Now before you say anything I've given it much thought. Long ago people once paid to hunt in them but there aren't any deer or jackrabbits or even a squirrel."

"Strange to hear," Idris said.

Esau nodded. "I think even if there were people still wouldn't want to go in," he laughed. "This is going to sound like madness, but they all believe it is haunted."

Idris raised a brow. "Haunted?"

Esau snickered. "Yes by all sorts of spooks."

Idris leaned back in his chair. "And...do people have reason to believe it is so?"

Esau wiggled in his seat. "Well...sure...I mean if you are foolish enough to believe in such things. Several years back..." He rubbed his jaw "...I can't exactly remember."

"Fourteen, Master Esau."

Idris looked at the butler who had supplied the answer.

"Fourteen!" Esau slapped his knee. "Fourteen years ago a woman froze in the wood in the winter. People say she haunts it along with..." His eyes flickered to the painting almost too quickly for Idris to catch. He finished off his wine. "To make a long story short the folks around here believe that all the restless dead haunt Richmond Wood. It's a whole lot of nonsense and that's why I want to tear it down and make use of the land and word in Dixie is you are the man who knows how to get the best use out of land."

"I'm flattered," Idris said.

"You're a smart fellow. Heck you make all us polite society look like imbeciles."

Idris looked up when he felt someone enter the room. It was the butler who he never noticed leave.

"Supper is ready, Master Esau."

Esau got up from his chair and waited for Idris to do the same then he shook his hand. "It's going to be a pleasure doing business with you," he said. "Now let's get some food in our stomachs."

As he walked to the dining room Idris looked over his shoulder to see the butler rest his head against the wall. There was a connection between this house and the monsters of Richmond Wood.