Saraband for Two Sisters

I was out of bed in a second and, wrapping my robe about me, went to the window and watched. Then I heard the sound again. Laughter followed by a piercing scream. It was very odd.

I thought, “Someone is in the castle.”

From the window I could only see the turrets, but there was one room from which I could get a better view.

I lighted a candle, mounted the newel staircase, and went into the Castle Room. It looked eerie by the faint light of a moon. I stood at the window and held up the candle. I could only see my own face mirrored there, so I placed the candle on the table and, going back to the window seat, knelt there watching the turrets. Then I saw the light again. It flickered and went out. It was as though someone was carrying a lantern, the light of which showed as he passed the machicolations of the turret.

I opened the window and leaned out, trying to get a little nearer to the castle, and then suddenly I was sure I saw a face. It appeared on the battlements-a disembodied face as it were-peering out at me.

I felt my blood run cold, for it scarcely looked human, and for a matter of seconds it seemed to be staring at me. Then it disappeared, and the light with it. I had seen that face before. I knew it belonged to the man I had seen in the woods. I had recognized the thatch of hair and the heavy brows, though I could not make out the mark on his face.

“Strawberry John,” I murmured.

Then I felt my hair stand on end, because as I knelt there at the window I knew that I was not alone in the room. For a few seconds I believed myself to be in the presence of something uncanny, and I was afraid to turn round. Indeed, in those seconds I felt as though I were petrified, for I could not move. I was trembling with terror.

Someone was standing behind me. Someone was coming toward me. Fleetingly I remembered how Richard had not wanted me to come to this room.

I forced myself to turn sharply.

Mrs. Cherry was standing behind me. She looked unlike her daytime self because her hair was in two plaits which hung one over each shoulder and she was wearing a cloak of brown worsted which she clutched around her.

“Mrs. Cherry!” I cried.

“My lady, what are you doing up here? You’ll catch your death ... and the window open.”

“I thought it was-“ I began.

“I know, you’ve been having nightmares, I reckon. What possessed you to come up here? I heard footsteps on the stairs. I’m a light sleeper, and I thought it was Meg walking in her sleep. We have to watch her. Then I come in here and find you, my lady ... and in your condition.”

“Mrs. Cherry, something’s happening ...”

“Look, my lady, I’m going to get you back to bed. Why, you’re shivering with the cold. This is a nice thing, this is. The General would never forgive us if aught happened to you. Now you come on. It’s chilly in this room. I’m going to get you back to bed and quick as a flash of lightning.”

“There’s somebody in the castle,” I said.

“Nonsense. No one could get in. It’s all locked up. The General’s orders. It’s dangerous, he says, and it’s downright forbidden for any one of us to go in there.»

“I saw a light there. And I saw... a face.”

“Now, my lady, you’ve been having nightmares. A nice soothing posset is what you want. I’m going to get that for you right away.”

“I tell you I was not dreaming. I was wide awake and I heard the noise, a sort of laughter, and then I saw the light so I came up here to see better and then there was the face.”

“It was a trick of the light, I reckon.”

“No. It wasn’t. I think it was-the man I saw in the woods.”

“Strawberry John!”

“I couldn’t see the birthmark. It was just the shape of his head and all that hair.”

“Oh, no, my lady. That couldn’t be. Come along down. I want to get you back to bed. I wouldn’t go wandering round in the night if I was you. Some of these stairs are tricky. A fall in your condition wouldn’t be the slightest bit of good to you and it might cause great harm. It wouldn’t be the first time a nasty fall had put an end to someone’s hopes. Now come on. I’ll have no peace till I see you back in your warm bed. And I’m going to bring up a hot brick for you ... wrapped in lovely flannel, and one of my best soothing possets. Then in the morning you’ll feel right as rain and see it was only a nightmare.”

I could see it was no use talking to her so I allowed her to lead me back to my room. I was at least comforted by her presence. I don’t know what I had expected to see when I turned from the window and came face to face with her. It was such an anticlimax, when I had been expecting something supernatural to see that round rosy face looking at me in concern.

I was still shivering as she carefully tucked me in.

“Now you wait and I’ll get that hot brick and my posset. We’ll be quiet because we don’t want to wake the rest of the household.”

I lay in bed waiting for her return. It was no use her stating I had had a nightmare. I had seen the flickering light. I had seen the face at the turret. I was not such an imaginative person that I had made that up.