Leonora - Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

EMILY'S DIARY ENTRY

4TH JANUARY 1908

Dear Leonora,

Did we meet last night? I believe so. It was during Gladys Lee's séance, I drifted into my own world and a brilliant light surrounded me. I could no longer hear the other participants, I was transported into the astral realm, or somewhere like that. Leonora, I haven't told a soul, not even Vlad, and I tell him everything.

You reminded me of a time, yes a time many years ago. I must have been only five or six years old and I would play in my nursery at Coleridge Manor. Mama and Papa would be downstairs and my nanny would be reading a book when she should have been minding me. Do you remember Leonora? Because I'm starting to.

There was a corner of the nursery that I would avoid, because that was where it waited, it would watch me, it would watch me play. One morning I got into awful trouble, nanny's book was ripped to shreds and I got the blame. Of course, the grown ups couldn't see you, so it had to be me, it couldn't have been anyone else, but I knew who tore the pages from the book. That thing that lurked in the corner.

Oh Leonora, you would watch over me when I slept. How could I possibly forget. But somehow I did forget.

The years steadily passed by with each sultry summer, I developed into a young lady and other pastimes gained my attention. Boys, fashion, shopping and friendships filled my time and you eventually faded from view. Funnily enough, so did that thing in the corner of the nursery. Not that I went into the nursery any more. Dolls houses and spinning tops no longer interested me, the nanny had long left her position and moved back to her home town.

Yes, last night at the séance, I was taken back to that thing in the corner of the nursery, it would terrify me. I have no words to describe it, it had no form, it did not speak, but it would sometimes move in silence, closer and closer towards me. Oh Leonora, why remind me of such ghastly things? I cannot fathom no reason nor rhyme.

On a brighter note, I've been offered a position at the Society for Psychical Research, they need a part-time secretary and Mrs Hargrove has recommended me to her husband. Both seem like lovely people so I am seriously considering the post. Of course, I shall have to discuss it with Vlad first, but I know he'll agree. As long as I'm happy, he is happy to support me in all that I do. He's not like those obnoxious men who control their wives with strict Victorian values, he truly cares for me and I love him for that.

Oh well Leonora, I have written enough for this morning. It's time to visit the art studio. Toodle-oo for now.

P.S. Mrs Hargrove has given me a gift. I have yet to use it but it looks adorable. It's a crystal pendulum and she says it can pick up metaphysical changes in the atmosphere. When I get some time to myself, I'm going to play with it. Apparently, one can ask it questions and depending upon it's swing, it can answer yes or no.

E.B.