Chapter 14 Afterwards
"What happened after you were killed or rather became a wandering soul?" Eric
asked. "Were you able to stop Geoffrey getting his hands on the house and
money?"
"I will take you to find out one day soon. Don't worry it will be a much more
pleasant experience but first you wanted to know what happened after my supposed
death.
As I told you at the beginning, I walked to the 1866 cottage and stayed there
for three days. Twice people came to search the place but each time I slipped
back in time by a few hours so I was invisible to them. I thought long and hard
on what to do. Should I remain hidden or reveal myself? I decided the latter was
the best option. If I hid myself away and played dead the staff at The Beeches
would lose their jobs and eventually after five years, I expect Geoffrey would
have gained control of my money. After three days much of the soreness from the
fall had gone. Still vivid bruises on my shoulders and back and stiffness in the
arms but nothing I couldn't manage especially after the sufferings that had been
inflicted on me in the past.
Very late on the third night I transported myself to my bedroom at The Beeches
and in real time became solid again. It was very dark but I could hear Flora
sleeping on the small bed. Fumbling for the matches I lit a candle and in doing
so woke her. "M'Lady!" she cried, "You're back. You're alive!" She got out of
bed and hugged me.
"Shush," I said, "We don't want to wake the others."
"I'm sure they will want to know, M'Lady."
"Yes, but not now. I'm very weary. I'll talk to them all in the morning."
Flora helped me undress and then saw the bruising. "Did he do that?" she asked.
"Indirectly, but as I said, I'll tell you all in the morning."
"We prayed you weren't dead, Ma'am. And it seems our prayers were answered."
Poor Flora burst into tears. I hugged her and we ended up in bed together,
kissing and cuddling. Soon though tiredness overcame me and I slept.
In the morning, I awakened to find Flora's fingers feeling my cunt and massaging
my clit. "Naughty, naughty, Flora," I laughed as I thrust my hand between her
legs. It was such a joyous feeling to know that you are loved and Flora did love
me. And it wasn't just a sexual thing either. There was or should I say is,
because I hope when I take you back you will see it for yourself, a great bond
of affection between us.
Next day, I called the staff together and told them I was back and things would
carry on as normal. I did tell them that Geoffrey had thrown me from the train
but as there was no way to prove it, not to spread it around. I knew of course
it wouldn't be long before the whole neighbourhood knew and it would get back to
Geoffrey.
"You will understand," I went on, "That all the trauma's I've been though in the
past few years have left me a different person to what I was when I lived here
with my father. I am sure there will be some things you will find strange. One
thing particularly may perplex you. To rid my mind of some of the nightmares
that still hide there, I will disappear from you for short periods of time,
maybe days. Don't worry yourselves over it. As a lonely child here I learned
there are ways in and out of this place that are long since lost to your
knowledge. I shall not tell any of you because when I need to be alone, I really
do need to be alone."
"Is that how you got in when you came back?" Beyers asked, "All the doors and
windows were locked and I did my patrol about that time and didn't even see you
come along the drive."
"Don't fret, Beyers. You couldn't know my way of entering."
I did indeed spend a lot of time away from the house although so much of it was
in my wandering guise, time not recorded on the real time scale. I watched
Geoffrey's downfall. The tribunal had fined him £3,250 for negligence and
causing the loss of lives on the ship. Studenhall was sold to pay for this and
his many other debts. For a week or two he had a few funds left over from the
sales but gambled them away and ended up in a cheap lodging house above an inn
with a local prostitute to keep him company. Unfortunately she had contracted
syphilis and passed it on to him. When she was unable to work, they nearly
starved. One night Geoffrey beat her for not providing money or food and her
screams were heard throughout the inn. Two big Russian sailors were in the bar
at the time and went to her aid. Several days later Geoffrey's body was found in
the river and the sailors were well on their way back to their home country.
"Eric?"
"Yes dear."
"Would you like to come to The Beeches as it is in 1866 and meet those who you
have only seen as a ghost? Meet them in real time, my time? Can I introduce you
as the one who saved me from death on the train by having caught me in my fall?"
When Eric nodded in agreement she took his hand and whisked him away. They
materialised in her bedroom and shocked Flora who was washing and preparing
herself for bed.
"I wonder where she goes," Flora muttered to herself.
"Here and there Flora." The poor woman jumped. She knew the door hadn't opened
and so the entrance had to be in this room and yet she had searched many times
for it without any success.
"Oh Ma'am, you made me jump. I still don't know how you get in." Then she turned
and saw Eric in rather shabby clothes. They had stopped at the cottage to change
out of their 2001 attire before moving to The Beeches. Flora quickly covered her
breasts with her arms. "Oh Lord," she cried, "There's a man with you."
"Flora dear, you don't have to cover yourself any more than you did at
Studenhall. This is Eric Thacker and he is the man who broke my fall from the
train and saved my life. He is the one I have been seeing in my absences from
here."
"Pleased to meet you Sir." Flora did a little curtsy. "I expect you would like
me to sleep in my room tonight Ma'am"
"No Flora, stay here. You're well enough used to me entertaining men in my bed
and assisting too. Eric won't hurt me or you but he isn't averse to seeing naked
ladies and getting his cock into other cunts. Just remember though, and you too
Eric, he is MY man even if I might share him with you and some of the others as
a thank you for saving me. Now get us both undressed and we'll all snuggle up
together. I'm a free woman again now and I intend to enjoy myself."
Epilogue.
Eric finished the book and had it published. Later with Violet's help, they went
back in time to look at the lives of other people in the Victorian era and to
write erotic stories about them
Finis
