1 A Spirited Manor Read Online Free

soon,
my Clara.  Have no fear of letting me go."
    "It hurts."
    "Then let someone help heal
your pain.  Let someone remind you why living can be a joy.  Let someone see
that spark of yours that I found irresistible.  Love.  And know that it is what
I want for you..."  He reached out, as if to touch her cheek. 
"Live... and love... for me..."
    "I shall try..." she
whispered, aching for just one moment more.
    But before he could reach her, he
disappeared.  Instead, she was running, running down that same dark hallway. 
Only this time, a terrible wind was blowing, was grasping at her and trying to
knock her off her feet.  She knew there were things in the darkness.  She could
see their red, glowing eyes.  She could make out their terrible shapes.  But
still she ran.
    Suddenly, a feminine voice cut
through the terror.  "Clara," the girlish voice called.  "Clara,
I need your help!"
    Clara stopped in the maze,
listening for the voice to lead her where she needed to go.
    "Clara..." came the
whisper again.
    Clara opened her eyes.  The room
was bathed in a dim blue light, almost too dim to see.  Clara sat up in her bed
and asked, "Who said that?"
    The form appeared as if Clara
was looking at the surface of a glassy lake and something was floating up from
the bottom.  As it became clearer, the blue glow in the room became stronger
until Clara could see everything as if it were bright as day.  But as the light
grew, the temperature dropped, and Clara found herself shivering and her eyes
watering from the cold.  Still the form came until Clara could see it was a
girl with a face as round and pale as the moon.  She was younger than Clara, perhaps
fourteen or fifteen years old.  She was plump and healthy, dressed in a gauzy
purple dress, but her skin was unearthly white.  Her strawberry blonde hair was
braided and pinned to her head, and she looked at Clara with shy uncertainty.
    It was at this moment that Clara
realized her eyes were open and they were actually seeing this strange
apparition.  It wasn't just some dream.  She crawled to the edge and looked
down.  This stranger was floating. 
    Clara screamed.
    She leapt out of bed and ran
into the hallway.  Almost immediately, she heard pounding steps from the floors
below.  Willard and Nan raced towards her, Willard carrying a fireplace poker
and Nan carrying a light.
    "What is it, ma'am?"
he asked, ready to face whatever had made Clara scream.
    Clara pointed at her room, her
heart pounding, unable to form complete sentences.  "There is a girl.  She
is dressed in purple.  She is floating.  In my room!"
    Willard and Nan looked at one another,
exchanging a strange glance.  Willard took the lamp, squared his shoulders and
walked into the room.  Nan scooped Clara into her arms to give her comfort, and
Clara was grateful for the warmth.  Willard came out, the poker lowered and his
stance much more relaxed.  "I looked in every corner and checked
everywhere, ma'am.  I believe your midnight visitor has gone."
    Clara looked at Nan in confusion
and walked into the room.  Willard had spoken the truth.  There was no one
there.  She turned to the two.  "But I saw her!"
    Nan patted Clara's hand and led
her to bed.  She helped her get her legs under the covers and tucked her in. 
She brushed back Clara's hair and said, "I know you did.  She was just a
dream, though.  Go to sleep and try to forget all about her.  I have a feeling
she will not be back tonight."
    Clara stared at where the girl
had stood.  "I know she was here.  I saw her.  She was right there."
    Nan and Willard made for the
doorway.  "Of course you did.  Rest.  We'll figure it all out in the
morning."
    And then the two closed her
door.
    Clara lay awake, staring at the
ceiling.  She wasn't one to tell tales, to be frightened by nightmares.  She
wondered if she was losing her mind, if perhaps it had all been too much and
now she was not only condemned to this living, but condemned to