Red Wolfe by B.L. Herndon Page B

for her along with the mysterious red hood. She threw herself across the bed, still clutching the shredded green pieces. That’s went she spotted them, small ugly burnt cinders covering the emerald material. She sat up and looked down at the trim line of her dress. Seared holes littered the base hem line. She could barely believe it. She looked from her dress to the stripes in her hand, and then back to her dress.
    It had caught on fire.
    Ellena laid awake long into the night. Letting her fire burn out some time ago, she silently stared into the darkness as soft moonlight fluttered in from her window. Gregor had never come to see her, nor had Monsieur Wolfe.
    Suddenly the moonlight vanished, leaving the room completely black. Thinking it was merely a patch of clouds blocking the moon Ellena felt no need to be worried, but after several moments passed with still no light, she crept from her bed and felt her way to the window to find that the clouds were not to blame. The curtains had been shut.
    Her heart stopped.
    Was it possible that Gregor had crept inside and thinking that she was asleep closed them?
    “Gregor?” she softly whispered. “Are you here?” Soft footsteps ran across the room and Ellena threw open the curtains to better see. No one was there. “ Monsieur Wolfe?”
    Her dress swiveled as she slowly tiptoed around the bed. A thump caused her to whip around to see a small fire was springing to life in the hearth where a log had just been dropped into the old ashes. As the bright flames grew, they created towering streaks of light across the furniture and bed. The light steadily rose until finally reaching the portrait frames hanging on the wall, the auburn glow flickering across their golden edges. 
    The people were missing. Not missing as in the pictures had been taken out, but as if the people inside had just disappeared from the portrait itself. The same muddled painted backgrounds were still in each frame, one of a washroom, the other of a bedroom, only now the servants who had been in each one going about their normal chores were gone.
    “This can’t be,” Ellena mumbled.
    She heard the sound of footprints scurrying in the hall and Ellena rushed to throw the door open.
    “ Bonjour !” cried a rather plump woman who was walking down the hall with a hand full of blankets. The hall was full of people bustling about. One man was lighting more candles as a young girl swept the floor. Ellena knew their faces. They all stopped to stare, waiting for Ellena’s reply and of course the young woman replied in a way that most would in such a situation. She released a soft breath and fainted.
     
                               
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
             Chapter Five
     
    “Mademoiselle ?”
    Ellena slightly stirred, opening her eyes. She was back on the bed with Gregor anxiously hovering over her.
    “Stay calm,” he said as Ellena struggled to sit up. “You hit your head quite hard when you fell. We found you early this morning.”
    “Gregor!” She grabbed his arm. “The pictures!”
    But the servants were already back in their frames, each poised in their regular position and brightly smiling.
    “ Les portraits ? What about them?”
    “I—” she breathed, rubbing her head. “Nothing. I must have just been dreaming.”
    Her confusion soon turned to joy when she saw brilliant rays of sunlight streaming inside. The storm had finally died.
    “I will go prepare your breakfast.”
    “ Merci, monsieur , but if you don’t mind I’ll just change and be on my way.”
    Gregor looked so disappointed that Ellena felt her heart break. “I’ll be sure to come back very soon for a visit.”
    He nodded, leaving her to get ready as he waited in the main corridor that held the grand chandelier.
    “I apologize about the dress ,” she meekly said.
    “Think nothing of it. I just wish your stay here could have been more enjoyable.”
    “It was perfect