Silent Energies

Chapter Eleven - It's All in the Family

Clara Middlebridge had contacted Katy as a last resort. She had eventually told one of her friends about the crazy things that kept happening in her apartment after they had both witnessed a giant Shadow person standing over her bed one night. Her friend had joked that she needed Ed and Lorraine Warren. Obviously they were no longer available, however a desperate Google search had turned up the email that Katy kept open for these occasions. Clara hesitated for two weeks before emailing.

That was a few days ago, and now Katy was on a plane to her, all the way from England. Clara didn't dare believe that her problems were nearly over, although the optimist in her was hopeful.

Despite having never believed in the things that went ‘bump in the night' before, Clara found she had no choice since moving into her new apartment. At first, she chalked the odd noises up to being an unfamiliar building, and she just wasn't used to the sounds it made yet. Maybe it was traffic, maybe a noisy neighbour... But the longer everything went on, the more she began to think she must be going mad. I mean, it made more sense than... Ghosts...? It still sounded ridiculous to her, even with a complete stranger travelling from another country who agreed with it...

Clara only purchased her first apartment about six months earlier. About five months ago, she had received a solicitor's letter informing her that her presence was required at a Will reading for her Great Aunt Julianna who had passed away. Clara vaguely remembered visiting her Grandfather’s sister as a child. She remembered the kindly old woman had always kept dishes of sweets on all of the tables in her house that Clara was allowed to help herself to at will, and she also had the most breath-taking four- storey dolls house that Clara had ever seen! Of course, these were the most salient points to her as a four year old little girl, and she didn't remember much else about her Great Aunt. So Clara was surprised when the bicycle messenger had arrived on her doorstep with the lawyer's envelope requesting a signature.

She had only moved in a week earlier, so she was kind of surprised they had tracked her down so quickly at the new address. Then, how long had Great Aunt Julianna been keeping her in mind? She barely remembered the lady, how had she remembered Clara after all these years?

The messenger waited for her to read the letter, he would then return to the Solicitor with her reply. Clara tore open the letter open at the designated section and unfolded a brief letter, neatly typed and signed by hand. She read through the page about five times before the words began to sink in.

"Dear Ms Middlebridge,

My name is Beatrix Toller, and I represent the estate of your late Great Aunt Julianna Middlebridge.

Your late Aunt requested that you be present for the reading of her Last Will and Testament on Tuesday October 17th, 2023. A car will be sent for you at 9 am to take you to your Great Aunt's Estate in Upstate New York to read the Will.

The messenger will convey your reply to confirm your attendance. All other matters will be attended to by myself. If you have any further questions, these will all be answered on Monday.

Please accept my deepest condolences on the passing of your Great Aunt.

Yours Sincerely,

Beatrix Toller "

The elaborate, looping signature ended the correspondence so matter of factly, that it felt like there was no other option than to accept the events and confirm her attendance at the Will reading.

So she did.

The following morning, at exactly 9 am, a shiny black Rolls Royce pulled up to the curb outside her building and she stepped out of the foyer door. By the time she'd made it to the edge of the sidewalk, a tall gentleman had opened the back passenger door for her.

"Ms Middlebridge." He said with a polite nod.

It wasn't a question, it was a statement. He knew she was Clara Middlebridge. It seemed unusual to her, but she smiled and thanked him as she climbed in.

A tinted glass window shielded her from the driver, so she settled for looking out of the window as the car made its way out of town. The view got increasingly prettier, and less busy, the closer they got to her Aunt's house.

Eventually, the car turned into a driveway and pulled up to an enormous pair of ornate, wrought iron gates. A face flashed up on a screen next to the driver's door, and a few seconds later the gates began to open smoothly and silently. Once the car had passed between the gates, it sped away down the private road.

Rounding a final sweeping curve, the car began to slow down as a beautiful old red brick mansion emerged from behind a line of Japanese flowering cherry trees. Clara was awestruck by the gorgeous architecture... Great Aunt Julianna had certainly done well for herself. Clara vaguely remembered something about her Aunt being involved with property and that she travelled a lot.

The car came to a halt outside the entrance to the mansion, and a few moments later, the door cracked open, and she heard the same voice that had greeted her earlier that morning.

"Ms Middlebridge?" This time, it was a question.

“Coming," Clara replied and hurriedly out of the car. There was that polite nod again, as she was directed inside the open front door.

Stepping inside the grand entrance hall, Clara's eyes were immediately drawn to the sweeping marble staircases that began on opposite sides of the room, before sweeping out and back into a shared landing that rose the last few feet as a single flight. An immaculately dressed woman in her mid fifties stepped forward as she introduced herself.

"Clara,” the lady extended an elegantly manicured hand to Clara with a warm smile. “Beatrix Toller. it’s wonderful to meet you in person... Would you like a drink before we get started?" Clara shook her head, and the two women exchanged a warm handshake before Beatrix motioned to a large, sunny room that led off from the entrance hall via a high archway. Clara followed her, and they both took a seat at a large, rectangular, wooden table that sat in the centre of the room.

Beatrix quickly shuffled through some papers in front of her before straightening them up and patting them gently as she met Clara’s gaze.

"Firstly, let me say that I am sorry for your loss." Clara smiled and nodded her thanks as Beatrix continued.

"I've been your Great Aunt's Attorney for around 25 years now...” Clara's eyebrows raised slightly, and Beatrix smiled. “Yes, we've known each other a long time..." Her eyes misted over a little and Clara smiled, almost apologetically.

"Then, you probably knew her better than I did, "Clara said. "So, I'm sorry for your loss, I guess...” Beatrix blushed sheepishly.

"Thank you, yes... Your Great Aunt and I were travelling partners in my early twenties. We saw a lot of the world together over the years." Clara's eyes lit up.

"Wait! You were the lady in the pictures that my Auntie Julie used to show me when I was a little girl!” Beatrix's face brightened.

"Really? She showed you those?” Clara nodded.

“Yes, she did... It's the reason I travelled so much after I left school. Auntie Julie always made it sound so amazing that I really caught the travel bug!" Beatrix chuckled.

"Yes, that definitely sounds like Julie..." Beatrix paused for a moment, smiling fondly at the memory of her friend. She shook herself to bring herself back to the present. “Anyway! We've got a fair bit of paperwork to get through today. Shall we begin?" Clara smiled,

"Sure!"