Writing for Fun
February 2017
The Portrait in the Hall - Gerry Miller
As she lay there on her bed realisation had set in, she was dying, murdered with poison of her own making. Lady Julia had helped many women to dispose of their terrifyingly abusive husbands, many she did not know. Yet she had ensured as much as was possible that they had all deserved it. The laws of Italy handed absolute power and control of a wife’s property immediately to the husband on marriage. And so it had been with her, wives were then treated as slaves, lackeys, and as breeders to preserve a pure bloodline. The point puzzling Julia was who had bought it from her, she only sold to women and only those most carefully recommended and closely vetted. Her hand moved feebly across the damask quilt as both Bruno her dog and Coco her bullfinch laid beside her.
The undetectable powder lethally weakens the subject, over a period of days or sometimes weeks, it consisted of lead, arsenic, and belladonna it was colourless and tasteless.
As she took a last lingering look around her palatial bedroom, her eyes lit on the painting of her as a young teen with both Coco and Bruno. Painted by the grand Flemish master, Cornelius de Vos, it had been a gift to her mother, and was now a valuable part of her inheritance. Both pets nestled into her as if they sensed her imminent death, Bruno her toy spaniel had sickened as she had, Coco’s plumage was losing its vibrant colour. The loves of her life were dying too, storm clouds had been gathering for days and out across the Venetian lagoon Julia saw the lightning cracks illuminating the sky. Thunder rolled and rumbled as Julia held Bianco close, poor Coco was fluttering his wings nervously. She was not afraid life must hold another world for her, of that she was certain.
And thus the three lives ended as the storm rent the sky and tidal waves lashed the lagoon. The building shook and the painting on the easel tumbled managing to end face up on the floor. The door flew open and Julia’s husband was aghast as he stared into the wrecked room. A sneer of a smile crossed his face as he saw his wife and her damned pets were finally lying dead on the bed. Objective achieved and smiling he bent down picking up the painting, dropping it quickly as the frame burnt his hands; it was hot to the touch.
A few weeks later with Julia and pets buried, the property was sold, Paolo was on his way to England. Soon to be with Lord Julian Dashwood whom he had met when he was on his Grand Tour. A stay with him in his West Wickham country estate would do him the world of good. As a gift he brought with him the painting of the young Lady Julia and her pets. Julian had particularly admired the artist and in fact Paolo was so glad to get rid of it, he found it creepy and unsettling.
The gift was very well received by Lord Julian and was immediately hung in the great hall. The butler could not help but shiver as a premonition of doom was upon him. The friends were pleased to be reunited and soon became the talk of the town. Paolo was inducted into the ‘Hell Fire Club’ which secretly met in the Chamber of Echoes situated in caves in Lord Julian’s grounds. All guests arrived by boat, each masked and cloaked. The boat was always moored at the jetty, members and guests arrived unseen down the Thames. No vows of celibacy could be taken, initiations were carried out, satanic ceremonies were held, ‘lively women’ were part of the clientele and debauchery was rife. Attempts were made to summon the devil and his servants to these meetings. Bacchus god of wine was at least there in spirit.
Julia had woken on the ship’s crossing and with her pets roamed the ship freely practising and harnessing their newfound skills. The trio had such amusement at the passengers and crews expense. It took time to realise what powers they did possess, the misplacement of objects was most amusing. But they worked doggedly developing them all. Their rewards were the surprised and puzzled faces. The list became extensive: telepathy, colour changing, both Coco and Bruno could materialise in various body parts, the radiations of fire was spectacular Coco and Bruno could be quite terrifying.
Julia had at last managed to create a sound and shouted an incantation at one of the deck hands and with Coco screeching showing only his red fiery eyes the poor man ran terrified dropping his mop. They feigned a ghost dance with Julia’s head, Coco’s wings and Bruno’s tail, but the Captain’s eyes just glazed over. The skill they worked hard on was the warping of reality and the manipulation of dreams, whilst Julia could see it would be of huge advantage in the future it was difficult to master.
All was not fun as they tired and with their aura and radiance diminished they retired to the painting, for it was now their home.
The trio roused with a jolt, hammering had stirred them. As they peered from the painting they realised it was now hung in a great hall; the butler with the hammer was their first unsuspecting stooge; he was astounded and puzzled when the hall bureau contents were on the floor, candelabra had moved and the bureau legs had scorch marks. Julia’s fire raising had not been on target or controlled that night. The butler knew of his master’s satanical club and dutifully said nothing. It was more than his job’s worth.
The trio were excited, this appeared to be a permanent place and so they went out to explore. Coco his hearing being the sharpest, led them through the salon and towards the dining room. Bruno started growling as Julia passed through the door and then she gasped. The spectres soared on high and watched as the master of the house Lord Julian sat having breakfast with her husband Paolo. Coco dived towards him with only his beak showing, a small amount of ectoplasm shattering his plate, soft boiled eggs ran over the linen cloth. Lord Julian raised his head having heard something but seen nothing.
Paolo stammered his apologies not quite sure what had happened and indeed if he had seen anything. Julia brushed his cheek and then gave it a pinch, she wafted a slight aroma of Belladonna around him. Bruno followed behind and with a low growl heard from a snarling mouth the three were gone.
The trio returned to the painting and discussed what they could plan for Paolo, it was to be slow, and increasing in harm caused until satisfaction was granted. Julia watched as they heard footsteps on the stairs and into focus came the beautiful Maria, there at last was the answer to the puzzle of where her husband got the poison to kill her with. The three looked at each other and smiled revenge and judgement against two would be just double the fun.
