Melissa seems at home in Grisham House but is Eric missing Cathy? Can they get rid of Melissa? What’s going to happen at the big party? Time to find out in Part 8 of Grisham House.

Grisham House Part 8

The days of the big party arrived, and Peckham was more overbearing than usual. I tried to ask her about using the house phone to call my parents, but she pretended not to hear and instead barked orders. Clean this, polish that, fetch this, carry that. By 6 pm exhaustion had taken over and all I wanted to do was sleep.

“You’ll be serving food and drinks, Cathy. Don’t mess up. There are important people attending tonight and if you make me look a fool, you’ll pay. Smart hair and a clean uniform. Understood?”

I knew the underlying threat Peckham was making as she sneered at Alice who trembled beside me. Rather than my usual curt reply though, I bowed politely and took to my room. Tonight was my chance to speak to Eric and get the answers I needed. He was trapped like me. I knew it deep inside.

Hair neat and tidy and clean uniform – if you could call it that; a long, past the knee grey drab, unflattering dress that hung from my body with a white apron tied around my waist – I marched down the stairs determined to make tonight mine.

Alice stood at the bottom, the freshly polished floor glistened. The smell of the wax lingered. Her shoes squeaked as she shifted, her fingers knotted together.

“You’ll be fine,” I said, pulling her hands apart and smiling.

A tear rolled down her cheek. “I don’t want to end up like the others.”

“You won’t. I promise.”

***

The reception rooms were filled to capacity. Men in suits and women in Victorian gowns chatted amongst each other. A three-piece band played from the top of the large sitting room and the guests mingled and flowed in and out through the patio doors onto the veranda overlooking the gardens. Soft music from the violin, cello, and piano drifted throughout the house and I couldn’t help but relax. The music soothed my aching body and my tired mind.

Alice remained by my side as we made our way towards Peckham. She, of course, was standing in the centre of the room, a flock gathered around her. I scanned quickly for Eric but couldn’t see him. Peckham saw us approach and excused herself. Grabbing me by the arm she dragged me to the door and out into the hallway. “Where have you been and why are you empty-handed?”

I bit my tongue. Now wasn’t the time for confrontation. Alice squeaked beside me. “Sorry, Ms Peckham, we came to you for our orders.”

Peckham sneered at me. “Good girl, Alice. At least one of you is reliable. Go to the kitchen. Cook is waiting and will instruct you.”

Her fingers squeezed my skin, tighter and tighter while she spoke. I should have wrenched my arm away. I would have three weeks ago. Instead, I stood statuesque and bowed my head. I’d have my time with her.

She smirked as she let go shoving us both towards the door to the back stairs. “Be quick. The guests are waiting.”

The music turned to sorrowful notes that caused goosebumps as the violin released its chorus. The guests stood around discussing whatever it is you discuss at parties and Alice and I wove in and around them with our trays of canopies and glasses of champagne. Peckham watched everything, even the sleazy men who lurched and leered at us. Their grins turning my stomach.

“I have to go back to the kitchen,” Alice said, as she passed me in the middle of the room. “We’ve run out of champagne.”

“Okay, you go, and I’ll pass out the rest of these canopies. When you get back, I’ll go and get more.”

Weaving in and out through the crowd, I stepped out onto the veranda. Still no sign of Eric. I heard Melissa though. Her high-pitched attempt of a laugh grated against my skin.

“Over here, girl,” she called. “Make it quick.” She turned to the lady on her left, another well to do woman stuffed into a dress that looked like it was squeezing her to death. “The service is dreadful. I’ve told Eric he needs to hire proper staff, but he insists on bringing in waifs and strays.” They both giggled turning their noses up at me and reaching for the canopies on my tray.

“We need more champagne here too,” Melissa said, turning her back on me.

I didn’t linger. I checked for Eric in the crowd and made my way inside. Alice hadn’t returned. My tray was empty. Peckham wasn’t in the room either. If I was quick, she wouldn’t even notice.

I raced down the hallway towards the back stairs. I was about to rush down to the kitchen when I heard the squeaking. Alice’s shoes. I turned. Alice was coming down the stairs dressed in a long white dress. Nothing fancy, just a plain nightshirt type thing. My breath caught.

“What are you doing?” I asked, grabbing her by the arm.

“Peckham says I’m needed for a special job.”

“What job?”

“I don’t know. She didn’t say, only that I’ve to wear this dress and meet her in Mr Grisham’s Study.”

“You can’t go.” Visions of the girl in white being chased by a monster flooded my brain. Eve’s disappearance and then Claire’s. Alice would be next. I knew it.

“I have to,” Alice said, tears filling her eyes. “You don’t understand, Cathy. I can’t go back to the orphanage. I won’t.”

“I’ll swap with you. You serve the guests and I’ll meet Peckham.”

“No! It’s my job,” she said, wrenching her arm out of my grip.

“But you don’t understand,” I shouted after her. “It’s not safe.” It wasn’t safe. I was sure of it. The screams in the night, the mysterious crying I’d heard, and not to mention what I’d seen. Eric couldn’t be involved though. He thought it was a ghost – his dead sister. I had to get to him, warn him about what Peckham was up to. She was the one keeping him trapped here and I’d bet anything, she’d filled his head with all the nonsense. But what were they doing with the girls?

#

Below are the links to the previous instalments and if you don’t want to wait until tomorrow, you can pop over to Amazon where you can purchase the complete story on Kindle for 99c/77p.

Grisham House Part 1
Grisham House Part 2
Grisham House Part 3
Grisham House Part 4
Grisham House Part 5
Grisham House Part 6
Grisham House Part 7

Buy Grisham House on Kindle:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QFVJC1S
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08QFVJC1S

Until next time,

Keep reading and writing,

Amanda