The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories by Simon Stern

Author:Simon Stern
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Valancourt Books
Published: 2018-11-20T16:00:00+00:00

MIRIAM’S GHOST by J. W. Hollingsworth

A Christmas Story

Captain Desmond leaned back in the open carriage with an unusual sense of enjoyment and relief, as his gaze took in spots of peculiar interest in the changing views of the country road, along which he was being rapidly whirled to his destination. The close atmosphere of a first-class carriage of an express train from which he had emerged, after a four hours journey not half-an-hour since, had left its usually cramped depression upon an active man used to open-air exposure, and he felt the rush of the wintry breeze upon his face with keen pleasure.

After the conclusion of the Afghan War, in which Hugh Desmond had gained both honour and distinction for the great ability he had displayed, in the execution of several difficult and arduous commissions, in which untiring watchfulness and marked bravery had placed his name in the forefront of those valued at the War Office, he had now arrived in England on leave of absence, after an unusually long period of service in India.

The Desmonds were an old and extremely aristocratic family, who traced their origin back to a time previous to the period of the Norman Conquest, and to whom the part of the country towards which he was being rapidly driven, had formerly belonged up to the reign of Henry VIII, when the main portion of the Desmond family became open adherents of the Protestant cause and the Reformation. But during the conflict of the two succeeding reigns the vast estates were lost to his family, and had been repeatedly bought and re-sold; the present owner, an extremely wealthy banker, being the grandson of the freeholder. The Maitland family had been bosom friends of Desmond’s father, and so, very soon after his return to England, he was a Christmas guest at Gurthford Manor, which was now visible from the acclivity he had reached on the road, and about a mile distant. A few minutes later the road commenced to descend gradually, leading through a wooded district on both sides of the way, terminating at Gurthford Park, upon entering the gates of which disclosed an avenue in a splendid forest of pine trees, which shortly after opened upon pasture land with the ancient Manor and Priory in full view in the sunshine of the wintry afternoon. On Desmond’s arrival at the mansion a welcome reception awaited him, and he was soon engaged in rapid conversation with his host and family.

It wanted but three days to Christmas, and several guests were yet to arrive on a Christmas visit, and a large house party was arranged for the coming festival. The shadows deepened, and soon after the well-lighted and curtained room enhanced the comfort of the ruddy firelight, and the cheerful conversation was brought to a temporary close by his being compelled to retire to his room to dress for dinner. Less than an hour later the family were seated to dinner. The head of the family, Mr. Maitland, was a well preserved and handsome man rather under sixty.

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