There were gasps and a loud scream from Miss Boyle. Wesley immediately grabbed his sister's hand to make sure she was still there.

"What's happening, Wesley?" Lydia asked. "Why was there a scream? Are you alright?"

"I am fine. All the candles have gone out is all," he replied.

Suddenly Lydia's hand was pulled from his. Wesley heard her scream and fall to the floor. He whirled around in a vain attempt to see what had happened to his sister in the dark room.

"Who was that?!" She asked her brother. She wished she could see what was going on. Who had pushed her to the floor?

"Are you okay?" Wesley asked.

"Who pushed me to the floor?"

"There's no one near us," Wesley said, hesitantly.

There was a blood-curdling almost unearthly scream. Wesley had to cover his ears. When he uncovered his ears his hair stood up on his back and a cold voice whispered, "Beware." in his ear. He was paralyzed.

The candles that filled the room flickered and lit once more. Wesley shoved the paralyzing fear away. It was probably nothing. Everything was fine. Candles quite often flicker out entirely and then relight without warning...in a completely synchronized manner. Of course.

Helena Hardwick was not frightened, she was entranced. She never thought her search for ideas would lead her to an actual haunted Estate. She needed to get out of here and go to her bedchamber. She hustled out of the room to find a servant to assist her.

Jane Grayson was frightened but was not going to show it. She marched up to the Earl and demanded to know what was going on.

"How dare you put your guests in danger?!" she demanded. The Earl barely glanced at her as he walked past her. Jane felt red hot anger boil up inside her. How dare he ignore her in such a way?! Her opinion deserved to be heard. She began to march up behind him. When someone touched her shoulder. She whirled around and found herself staring into the pleading face of Crispin Fenton. Her gaze softened and her heart skipped a beat.

"Cr — Lord Fenton. What just happened?"

" I'm afraid we do not have that information. I would ask you not to take your anger out onto my brother," Crispin said solemnly.

Jane immediately felt a strong bout of remorse. 

"I apologize." She felt completely embarrassed. "That was very insensitive of me." It wasn't like her to bow out so soon, but she would do anything for Crispin.

Suddenly someone asked, "Where is Miss Boyle?"

"Oh, goodness!" Kathrine gasped. "I swear I just saw her."

Katherine, who looked very pale was joined by her sister.

"You look very pale. Let's go sit for a while," she said leading her sister to a couch.

At least we no longer have to deal with her comments. Jane thought.

"Come now! We have to discover what just happened! Has anything like this happened before?" William demanded, following the stoic Earl about the room. "Where is Miss Boyle?"

He spun around and scowled at him. "It would be greatly appreciated if you would not inquire so many things of me. I had nothing to do with this," he said through clenched teeth.

Wesley gave a startled and concerned look. "Forgive me, Lord. I wasn't accusing you of anything. I am simply wondering if we are in any danger. I am sure..."

"Cease your incessant blabbering!" The Earl responded and waved the man off. 

"You must say something to calm the guest's nerves!" Crispin whispered to him through closed teeth.

The Earl looked at his brother. He sighed. 

"Calm down all of you!" The whole room was silent. The Earl continued, "Dinner will be served in just a moment! Please proceed in merriment and other rubbish." The Earl exited the room to follow his mother who had left moments earlier.  Lord Sebastion Fenton slid out a different exit. Kathrine wondered what he was up to and followed.

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Helena sat on her bed with a lit candle beside her. She dipped her quill into ink and started to scrawl down ideas. She brushed her quill on her lips and looked around the poorly lit room. Suddenly, the hall outside of her room gave a creak. She heard footsteps walk quickly by. Helena was alert as her head snapped up. She set down her parchment on her pillow and slowly stood up. She picked up the candle and walked towards the door. There were more footsteps. Helena pressed her ear to the door. She heard muffled voices. Eager to investigate, she cracked open the door and peeked out into the hallway.

Helena felt the cool air of the hallway blow on her face. She heard the pair of footsteps fade. Then, deeming the hallway safe to pass through, she slowly opened her door. She put her hand in front of her candle to shield the light from alerting anyone -- or anything --of her presence.

She spotted light coming from a room just down the hall. She heard the muffled voices as well. Her heart beat quickened. She crept forward slower than before. Helena was just inches from the room now. She stilled her breathing so she could hear what was being said.

"Oh, Frederick!" a distressed voice that sounded like an aged woman's voice. "What are we to do? We can't just send out guests home..."

"Why ever not?" This voice was the deep soft voice of the Earl! "After all, this...party was Crispin's idea." He said party with disdain.

"Might I add, a good idea Frederick," the woman replied.

"Mother, how was this a good idea?" His mother the Dowager! Of course!

"You barely get out of the manor here save it be to travel to your other estates! I'm worried that I won't be able to have any grandbabies..."

"Not with that again!" The Earl started to walk. Suddenly, he stopped and he started to whisper. "Mother, this has happened before...is it really wise...?"

This has happened before? What was going on in this place? Helena wondered.

"Oh, Frederick, I'm sure everything will be fine. Nothing serious has come about in the other incidents," The Dowager replied. Helena gave a gasp. Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth. They must have heard! Suddenly there were footsteps coming quickly towards the door she was standing on the other side of. Helena quickly blew out the candle. Before she had time to move, the door was opened and she was face to face with the feared Earl. 

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Sebastion sighed as he ran upstairs to his sisters chamber. He opened the door to his sisters chamber. He took no heed to Lady Marion's audible gasp as he threw himself on her bed. 

"Sebastion!" Marion cried. "Why aren't you at the party?" 

"It was a bore. It was full of pretensious people not to mention a spectre blew out all of the candles and probably murdured someone." He smirked at her.

Marion sat on the bed beside him in an eager manner. "What?!" Marion smiled wide. "Tell me the whole story!"

Sebastion sat up, before he could begin, someone burst into the room. Marion gave a squeak of surprise.

Sebastion stood up. A young lady stood in the doorway. The lady blushed and was about to exit the room but was prevented by Sebastion running to shut the door before she could exit.

"Who are you and why are you spying?!" Sebastion demanded. 

"I am not spying! Let me out of this room this instant!" the girl replied, yanking on the doornob. 

Sebastion thought for a moment. "You are Katherine James, aren't you!"

She only looked at him only a moment and then continued to yank on the door.

"Let her out of the room Sebastion!" Lady Marion said, rolling her eyes.

"Not until I know why she followed me!" Sebastion replied.

Katherine sighed in exhasperation and turned around to look at him. "You were the one who went snuck out of the room in such a mysterious manner! You can hardly blame me for following you!"

"So you did follow me!" Sebastion said in triumph. 

"Of course! What else would I be doing? Now let me out of this room!"

Sebastion hesitated. 

"Oh come off it Sebastion and let the poor girl out of the room!"

Sebastion looked at Marion and then back at Katherine with a smug, contemplating look on his face.

"Sebastion." Marion said in a menacing manner that put any thought of imprisoning this girl any longer out of the young Lord's mind. 

"Alright!" He backed away from the door.

Kathering gave a huff of disdain at him and fled the room. Sebastion rolled his eyes and went to go regain his former seat on his sisters bed.

"That was rather odd," Marion said.

"As I told you, a bunch of pretensious people," Sebastion replied.

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Jane had decided to look for Grace Boyle. Not because she liked her, that couldn't be more false, rather, Jane wanted to find out what was going on in this place. If Crispin wasn't going to tell her what was going on in this house, she was going to find out herself.

Jane fetched her shawl with the intention of probably exploring every inch of this estate. Jane paused to fix her hair and pinch her cheeks. To most people, these lengths would seem counterintuitive, but the opposite is the truth for a real lady. 

Jane started to walk towards one of the many exits to this cursed room when she felt someone approach her from behind. She turned around to meet the smirking face of Mr Jonathon Baxby.

"Can I help you, Sir?" She asked with eyebrow raised. "It is hardly polite to follow a young lady out of a room without her knowing."

"My intention was to simply ask where you are going, Miss Grayson," He replied.

"It is not any business of yours to know where I am going," Jane replied.

"I did intend to escort you to wherever you are going, if that is alright with you."

Jane opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Mr Baxby saying, "After all, it would be scandalous for a young lady with your looks to be walking alone around what could be a haunted manor." 

"I'm sure it would be twice as scandalous for a young man and lady to be walking alone together with no chaperone," said Jane trying to walk past him. "Goodnight, Sir."

Jonathon followed her. "Not if the young man was a well known gentleman like myself! Do you think anyone would believe you would be in any compromising position with me? I think the only problem you would face would be the envy of all the other girls at this party if I were to escort you anywhere!"

Jane stopped and looked at him in an annoyed manner. "If you insist, you may come. Only because I know that if I don't let you escort me, you will probably follow me like a stray dog wherever I intend to go." Jane rolled her eyes and walked out of the room, her arm in the crook of Mr Baxby's.

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Grace Boyle woke up in a rather odd place. Wherever she was, it was dark and damp. Grace let her eyes adjust and started to stand up. She looked down at her gown. She could feel feel the grime on her best gown! My best gown has been ruined! Grace huffed out a frustrated sigh. 

"Where am I?!" She screamed. "Who took me down here?!" 

There was no answer.

"People will come looking for me! I am an eligable lady!" She screamed again. It was dark, her dress was ruined and she couldn't see anything. She wished she had never come to the blasted party! (Usually Miss Boyle doesn't give into using profanity such as 'blasted,' but she was beyond paying attention to her language.) Grace started to sob. 

"Why do unfortunate things always happen to me!" she whined. She sat on the floor. Was anyone going to come find her?

I apologize for the freakishly, stupidly long wait! I hope this was worth the wait. (Though it probably wasn't.) I promise I'll try to update on a more regular basic! xoxo Love you all and have a great day!