Murder at Ravenshade Manor: Finding Rest

Ulrich wraps his arms around my waist, “You're wearing the dress I love." He whispers, and I giggle like we hadn't been married for 15 years.

“Well, we're hosting your yearly friends gathering, so I figured I should dress to impress." I shoo him off so I can finish my makeup.

“Yes, my friends should be here shortly." His smile doesn't reach his eyes, but he leaves before I can push. I join him downstairs as the doorbell rings.

"Crimson Drake! How lovely to see you again.” I reach out my hand.

He, in dramatic fashion, kisses my hand, “Lady Ravenshade! You look ravishing as always. Lord Ravenshade.” He nods.

“My dear, I would like to show Crimson our newest investment, do you mind manning the door for a moment?" He gestures to The Music Room.

“Of course, dear, I'll be just fine.” I watch the two of them head off, and I cannot help but wonder why all of his friends call us Lord and Lady. Surely we've been friends long enough for them to use our names. I don't have long to dwell on it before the doorbell rings again. I open the door and am greeted by the ladies of the event, “Saffron Bloom, Indigo West, Jade Glass! Lovely to see you all again! You must join me in The Tea Salon later, I've been working on a tea blend I think you'll just love!"

“Why don't you just take the ladies now, my dear? I will wait for our last guests." Ulrich kisses my cheek before sending me off.

I lead the ladies to The Tea Salon. I listen as they share stories about the last year and the different adventures they've had. Maybe being a housewife wasn't the path I should have taken. Soon, I mix up the tea blend, and we test Saffron’s ability to guess the herbs I used.

After the teacups are empty, I lead them to The Conservatory Ballroom. “I’ll stay behind for a moment. The botanist in me needs to check out your collection.” Saffron waves us off with a smile.

I breathe in the fresh air. I love all the trees and plants we had planted, and the hanging lanterns, it had such a whimsy to it. It has originally been an open courtyard at the center of the Manner, you can see it from every room, and most rooms have access to it, and it leads to The Garden Gallery. “Lady Ravenshade, I see The Rosewood Library has acquired a new painting. I must go see it for myself." Indigo walks through the library door.

"Oh yes, please do!” I watch her go, and then Jade touches my shoulder.

“Lady Ravenshade, this would be a great space to have a class. I would totally give you a deal.” Jade starts rattling on, she is so much younger than everyone else here, I don't know how she got included in this dinner a few years ago.

She keeps talking when suddenly, "Love! Where are my note cards? They aren't in my coat.” He hollers from the main entrance to the ballroom.

"In your office, my love.” I holler back, giggling, looking at Jade, "He'd be lost without me."

Her face has gone white. "I think I'll go check out your Garden Gallery.” She quickly moves on.

I know it's not a good look for a hostess to be alone, so I decided to head to the library to talk to Indigo. When suddenly I hear Jade's voice, it sounds like she tripped or hurt herself on something in the Garden. Before I can head in the direction, the lights go out. "A power outage? It's not even storming out.” I hear a door open behind me, but those are off limits to the guests. "Who's there?” I call out.

"Elodie.” The voice is soft and gentle, not one I immediately recognized. “You and all of this was supposed to be mine. His father practically adopted me, promised me the Manner because Ulrich was useless. But then he discovered I was in love with you!" Alabaster, where did he come from? He gets closer, towering over me.

“What are you saying!?" I back up, running into one of the decorative displays, and I hear something clanking to the ground. I'm out of space to run, “Ulrich! I scream.

He throws crumpled papers at me. “So he stole from you, and then figured out how to take Father's business right under him and won it all! And I was left with NOTHING!" He grabs me, and I feel something sharp near the top of my shoulder. Something clinks against the ground.

I scream in pain, and my body feels warm. “No! No! No! It wasn’t supposed to be you! It was supposed to be him.” I hear Alabaster cry out. I fight to stay, I fall to the ground. “They can’t find you here… He’ll know it was me. The window…” I struggle to stay awake, but keep fading out, I am pushed through a window, the house is so dark, he climbs the stairs, and sets me on the bedroom floor. “This could have been ours.” Then the world goes dark.

The memory fades, and I stand in The Conservatory Ballroom. I wonder if I can… I try to pick up the papers, to my surprise, I can, maybe it’s because no one is around. Regardless, I read it’s a love letter, telling me his plan and his devotion to me and how I would grow to love him… I shudder at the thought. But he couldn’t have used the spade, I knocked it over, so what did… then something caught my eye in one of the plants. I approach the letter opener… “So it was, Alabaster Finch in The Conservatory Ballroom with Antique Letter Opener.” I’d done it, I solved my own murder, and somehow I felt hollow. I move back to The South Wing Study, I look through files and notebooks and learn all the lies my husband kept from me.

I’d loved a man who never existed. The version of him I knew was a mask. I feel the rage fill me. I watch in the foyer as the group solves the murder and Alabaster is hauled off.

Ulrich holds a funeral, playing the man I knew him to be. People speak highly of me, and even buy the story of an unseen medical condition. Ulrich has me buried in his family's lot. Ulrich lays flowers on my grave, “Oh my love, light of my life, I will spend my days mourning you.” I wish I believed him.

My tombstone reads, “Loving and Faithful Wife Elodie Ravenshade”. And I hate it. My life was more than the liar I was married to. I hate that my last name will always be tied to him, I hate that my stuck in his favourite dress.

“I solved my own murder, shouldn’t that get me some say in what happens next?!” I shout to no one in particular.

“You're right, it should. Especially when you were never meant to die.” Someone who looks like a ghost, but he had an aura of authority about him, “Greetings, I am The Guide, I have come to guide you away from here. But seeing how cruel life has been to you, let me grant you some agency.” His smile is warm.

“Can I please wear my sunset orange dress? Instead of this black one,” he nods and with a snap of his fingers, my dress changes, and I feel more like me. “Thank you!” I float and spin, feeling freer.

“You have another request.” He speaks gently.

“Can we change the name on my tombstone to what it was before?” I gesture around me, “All of this.”

“And what is that?” He says with a hint of a smile.

“Elodie Dawn. My name is Elodie Dawn.” I say as a light glows around me.

He waves his hand, and my name changes on the tombstone, “Elodie Dawn, you are ready to cross the river, let me guide you there.” He offers me a hand and we set off.