She was
just as you describe her--beautiful as a fairy, with golden hair, and
violet eyes, and she always wore a bunch of heliotrope in her dress.
"One night, Esther, one lovely, calm, midsummer night, forty years
ago, this house was broken into by burglars. They got in through the
Green Room window, which was always left open during the warm
weather. We--my mother, your Aunt Deborah, and I--were awakened by a
loud shriek for help. Recognising Alicia's voice, we instantly flew
out of bed, and, summoning the servants, tore to the Green Room as
fast as we could.
"To our horror, Esther, the door was locked, and before we could break
the lock the ruffians had murdered her! They escaped through the
window and were never caught. My mother, your great-grandmother, had
that part of the house pulled down, and on the site of it she planted
the white garden.
"Though Alicia's earthly body died, and was taken from us, her
beautiful spirit remains with us here. It follows us about in the
daytime in the form of a sunbeam, whilst occasionally, at night, it
assumes her earthly shape. The house is what is generally termed
haunted, and, no doubt, some people would be afraid to live in it. But
that, Esther, is because they do not understand spirits--your Aunt
Deborah and I do."
"Do you think, auntie," I asked with a thrill of joy, "do you think it
at all likely that I shall see Aunt Alicia again to-night?"
Aunt Amelia shook her head gently. "No, my dear," she said slowly, "I
think it will be impossible, because you are going home this
afternoon.
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