Chapter 9: Surrender

“A lady no less,”Beth teased.”I’m impressed Mr Hollingsworth!”

Ethan laughed,once again putting a comforting arm around her shoulders.His warmth and his closeness almost made Beth forget about the portrait until he spoke of it again.

“My mother hated this portrait.While I was growing up,she always told me how much it unsettled her.In fact the whole manor disturbed her in some way.After my father died,I returned from abroad to open my practice and she simply packed up and traveled the world.She never stayed here much.She had a small place she rented in the city.”

Beth pondered his words for a moment.It was difficult to imagine Polly being unsettled about anything,least of all a portrait in her own home where she had spent her entire married life and raised her son.

“Why do you think she had this aversion?”Beth asked.”I never thought of her as the kind of woman to be upset by anything.”

“Well,my mother was a very sensitive woman Beth.She firmly believed the manor had its own presence and she felt it in a way.”

“Like a spiritual presence?”

“I guess you could call it that.I remember her telling me that on her wedding night,she heard footsteps going up and down the hallway past her bedroom door.My father was sleeping soundly and so she decided to check who it was…as it turned out it wasn't so much a ‘who’ but a ‘what’…”

Beth shivered,remembering her vision of the casket and the little girl giving her that ominous warning.So Polly too had had a freaky supernatural experience,because that was definitely where this story was leading.

“What did she see?”Beth asked softly,both scared and intrigued to hear the answer.       “She saw her,”Ethan said,motioning towards the portrait,”aimlessly walking about and finally vanishing at the top of the stairs.”

“Ethan,are you pulling my leg?”Beth asked in a mock serious tone.”Ghost stories scare the living daylights out of me.”

Ethan pulled her into a full embrace,burying his face in her hair.It felt so good being in his arms,feeling safe and wanted.

“Well if you do get scared Beth,know that I will always do my best to chase all your fears away.”

Gently raising his head,and then leaning in until their lips were mere inches apart,Ethan tightened his hold on her,his grip tenderly fierce.

“Beth,”he muttered huskily,”My Beth….stay with me tonight.I want to make love to you.”  His lips found hers and as his kiss swept away all her resolve,Beth knew she would not refuse his request.