The Black Swan

“I think I must have been overwrought-though I don’t know why. I was tired, of course.”

“I think it is the talk about ghostly revenants in this house.”

“Is there such talk now?”

“Yes, among the servants. Lady Somebody... long since dead ... is said to come back... and she still seems to be hanging around... according to them.”

“I hadn’t been thinking of that. But I was here so much with Celeste and my father.”

“That’s it, you see. It’s all to do with this shocking business. Roland and I have been thinking seriously about getting away.”

“He mentioned it last night.”

“Well, you see, he has neglected things in Yorkshire quite a bit lately. He really needs to have a place near Bradford.”

“He told me that.”

“This is a lovely house. Don’t think we don’t enjoy being here... immensely. But Roland says it’s living on your bounty. Well, you know what men are. They like to feel that they are the providers.”

“I understand all that.”

“I’m so glad you do. He knows how you feel about this house. You never want to let it go. Roland said something about it’s being in trust ...”

“I’m not sure whether that applies to the house, but it does to everything else.”

“Well, I don’t understand these matters. But I do know how you feel about this place... and you wouldn’t want to upset the all-important Mrs. Emery.” She grimaced. “I’ve got on the wrong side of her somehow. I think that could be straightened out in time though.”

“I’m sure it could.”

“In any case, at the moment she would be rather pleased to see me gone. I know what it is. She feels we are living at your expense. We understand it ... in a way. Do you think we should be more comfortable... somewhere else? Roland’s idea is for you to choose a house... somewhere near Bradford. What do you think?”

“I should keep Manor Grange, whatever happened. You do realize that?”

“Of course. It will be a place to visit often. Then we shall be coming to London for short stays. I’m sure that would placate Mrs. Emery.”

“She likes the house to be full of visitors. When my father was alive ...”

Phillida put her fingers to her lips and shook her head at me. “Well,” she said.

“What do you think? There’d be no harm in looking around.”

“I suppose not.”

“It’s really rather exciting. I love looking at houses, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do think it is rather fascinating.”

“Perhaps you would like a modern place... somewhere where nobody ... or very few people have lived before, so that no secrets or ghosts are left behind.”

“I don’t know. I’ve always loved old houses.”

“Well, won’t it be fun to look? Roland says he wants you to make the choice. He was so worried about you last night.”

“Where is he now?”

“He’s downstairs. He’s had a letter from Bradford. They want him to go up next week. He’s rather upset about it. I think he’ll want to take you with him. I shall go, of course. I’ll have things to do there and he wouldn’t want to leave you in this place without us.”

“He is kind and thoughtful... always.”

“Well, he’s your husband, isn’t he? And I love you too, Lucie. I keep thinking of that awful night... and what might have happened. Why, of course! It’s the shock of that.”

“What do you mean?”

“What happened that night.”

“You mean that fire? It has nothing to do with that.”

“But it happened in this house. It could have been... oh, I can’t say it. It was the shock. Shock has strange effects. You did not seem so very upset on the surface. Your feelings have been driven inward and have manifested themselves in this vision in the garden.”

“It sounds a little contrived to me,” I said, and found that I could laugh. Phillida was laughing with me. “You are laughing at me really. You and Roland are a pair. Roland always laughs at me and my wild antics, as he calls them. But I do think that might be a good and reasonable explanation of your vision last night.” She was earnest suddenly. “I am going to look after you, Lucie... just as I have looked after Roland. And the more I think of getting away from this place, the more I believe it to be the right answer.”

She surveyed the breakfast tray with pleasure, for I had eaten everything.

“I feel perfectly all right now,” I said. “I am going to get up.”

She kissed me lightly on the forehead.

“Thank you, Phillida,” I went on.

“Don’t you worry,” she said. “Roland and I are here with you. We are the magnificent triumvirate. We’ll stand together and beat all the hobgoblins in England if need be.”

She had certainly succeeded in banishing the horrors of the previous night, if not completely, which would have been impossible, to some extent. Over the next few days there was a great deal of talk about looking for a house in Yorkshire. I felt a certain enthusiasm for the project. I could not cast off the memory of what I had seen. Every night before I went to bed, I would go to the window and look out, half-expecting to see the man or ghost-whatever it was-sitting there. There would be a rush of panic as I approached the window and an intense relief when I saw the seat was empty.