A New Estate - Crimson Peak

Chapter Forty Three

Turning to follow his trail, I see Thomas stood in the furthest part of the mine beside a well embedded bit of rusted machinery, his white and rustic figure shrouded in shadow and barely visible.

I couldn't see his face clearly, but from what I could make out, he seemed hesitant and unsure, his head lowered to stare at the ground.

"I think if anyone is an expert here, it would be him," I nodded.

"During our rush down here," Robert started, "we may have come to an idea which can help us."

"And why should we trust him?" Alexander asked with genuine curiosity, not the vitriol Hille was exuding.

"What choice we got?" George replied. "It's either that or more people die."

"I can promise you," Thomas said, taking a few short steps out of the shadow, "I wish to stop her as much as you, she has held me back for long enough and denied me my time of peace, I wish to reach the ending Edith imagined for me."

George looked from Robert to Thomas repeatedly as Ben sighed and eventually pushed away from the vat he was brave enough to lean against.

"Okay," he said, "we'll put faith in you."

Hille rolled his eyes and scoffed, then let out a long and irritated sigh before meeting my eye.

"So, we need to start a fire," he nodded slowly, good thing we have a fireplace."

"No," Jonathan piped up only to shy away when we all turned towards him.

He tensed up, eyes darting between us all as his lips closed into a thin line.

"What do you mean?" Ben probed after a short bout of silence, hoping to coax him out of his meek hush.

Jonathan's shoulders slumped as he averted his eyes, the heel of one of his feet beginning to bounce.

"Well, and please don't think any less of me sir, but when I was younger things were really rough and to get money I would help with digging up and burning old bodies."

Ben nodded slowly while Hille and George looked taken aback and Robert could only give him a comfortable, almost fatherly smile.

"You was a grave robber?" George said, making Jonathan wince and look to the ground guiltily.

"We would burn decade old bodies to make room for new ones and rake through the ashes, yes."

"Right," Alexander started hesitantly, "and this aids us in what way?"

"My old boss, greedy as he was, was rather superstitious and always said to never burn the bodies inside somewhere you deem sacred," he smiled faintly. "'Dig 'em a pit,' he would say. 'burn 'em inside and they have time to get you'."

I was amazed at Jonathan's apparent ability to suddenly play a character despite his nerves, Alexander on the other hand seemed less impressed.

"Of course," he huffed, "as if it truly matters, we're haunted anyway."

"It takes two or three hours to burn bones to ash," Ben mused aloud, completely ignoring Alexander by looking to Jonathan, "correct?"

Jonathan gave a quick affirming nod in response.

"Then for the sake of superstition we should make a pit outside and burn her there."

Ben turned to Hille, George and Alexander.

"Alex, you and George take the shovels and find somewhere near the front gate to dig a hole."

Both men confirmed their understanding, Alexander a little more sullen compared to George's salute.

As they retreated up the stairs to the main foyer Ben looked to Jonathan.

"I'd like you to gather wood strips we've taken from the house, Hille will gather other supplies needed to start a fire."

Hille gave his own affirming nod and grabbed Jonathan's wrist, all but dragging the shaken man out of the room. Ben's eyes followed them until they were out of sight and then he finally faced Robert and myself.

"I assume that you both know your next course of action."

"I do," Robert said confidently while looking to Thomas, who had gotten ever closer while our attention was diverted.

"Good, I want everyone remaining to be alive when this is over."

"We will definitely try our hardest."

Ben's eyes darted between the three of us before he gave us a solemn smile and then turned to leave with the others.

We stayed quiet until he too was out of sight, then I let out a breath I wasn't fully aware that I was holding.

"Okay," I said, "what is your plan?"

Robert looked at me unsurely, his gaze trailing over my shoulder toward one of the vats.

"Being blunt, if I may, you're not going to like it."

"To be honest, darling, I haven't liked most of this."