Work Text:
All Hallows Eve 1815
Violet had moved to 5 Bruton Street just that summer. It was time, now that Anthony and Kate were on the brink of starting their own family.
Only five of them had settled in at Number Five, for lack of a better name: Violet, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory and Hyacinth. Colin was only staying when he wasn’t traveling and Benedict had found his own bachelor lodgings close to the Academy of Arts.
Number 5 Bruton Street was built in 1770, and it used to be a public house called The Coach and Horses, where weary travelers could find a bed and a meal. Even the horses were found to get a warm welcome there.
There was a rumour, a mysterious, spooky story, which would chill the bones of even the most fearsome of people. Rumour was the pub had been haunted, but Violet did not believe in tales of gore and lore. She loved the beautiful exterior and stained glass windows it had. It was also just the right size for her ever-shrinking family.
On All Hallow’s Eve, Gregory and Hyacinth were playing conkers with chestnuts from a nearby chestnut tree, when a coach pulled by four horses entered Bruton Street. People on the street watched in awe as the coach passed them by. Women started screaming, when they saw the coach was driven by a ghostly ghoul. It had been a long time since anyone had seen a coach on Bruton Street, let alone the haunted coach.
Hyacinth, little fearless Hyacinth, wanted to know what all the fuss was about, so she stopped playing and watched as the coach came closer to her house. Gregory, not to be outdone by his little sister, also stopped playing, taking the lead from his sister.
When the coach stopped at their house, they noticed the driver was headless and the passengers of this supernatural carriage were staring through the windows with their dreary, skull-like faces.
The driver dismounted and opened the door for his weary passengers. They alighted one by one and stepped inside Number Five.
Hyacinth and Gregory joined the group, hissing and betting how their mother would respond to their unexpected guests. But Violet was not at home, she had gone shopping with Eloise and Francesca for their next ball.
“We can’t just let them take over the drawing room,” Gregory muttered.
“No, indeed, we need to feed them!” Hyacinth countered. “Mother would find us terrible hosts if we did not offer them refreshments.”
“They are ghosts!” Gregory nearly yelled at his sister.
“They are our guests!” Hyacinth riposted with a vengeance.
“At least there might be cake left over when they go!” Gregory muttered, suddenly seeing the pros of playing host to some ghosts.
“And you wonder why I mock you,” Hyacinth scoffed while walking to the kitchen to inform Cook of their guests. Gregory quickly followed, as he was still a bit afraid of the guests in their drawing room.
“Cook, could you provide us with sandwiches, cake, and tea?” Hyacinth asked, when she stepped into the kitchen.
“I was not informed Colin was back from his travels,” Cook replied, slightly annoyed.. How could she ever run a proper kitchen if she was not informed when the biggest glutton of the family would join them?
“It’s not — ouch!” Before Gregory could finish his sentence, giving the game away, Hyacinth had elbowed him in the ribs, shaking her head at him fervently.
“That would be lovely,” Hyacinth replied. “It was a surprise visit, none of us knew he was coming.” And with that she went back to the drawing room to entertain her guests, her brother in tow, stroking his painful ribs. Hyacinth sure knew how to give a punch with her bony elbows.
When the butler came in to deliver the tray laden with food, he looked around the room, seeing all the ghouls and he swallowed, turned on his heels, and left the room in a hurry.
“How rude!” Hyacinth murmured. “Apologies for his behaviour, shall I play Mummy?” she asked. Teapot in hand, she looked at the guests spread around the several couches.
She stopped pouring when they heard a commotion in the hallway. The door burst open and in came Violet, dressed in her finest shopping outfit, the butler cowering behind her back.
She saw her guests, turned to the butler and she dismissed him. “Thank you, that will be all.”
She took a moment to compose herself, taking off her coat and gloves and she sat down next to her children, who were entertaining ghosts on All Hallow’s Eve. She shook her head in wonderment at her well-behaved children and her wondrous guests. She had been told about this ghost story, had dismissed it with fervour, but now she had to admit it was real. Very real.
She poured herself a cup of tea and took a buttery biscuit with it while she asked her guests if they had had a pleasant journey.
Next to her, she heard Hyacinth gloating, “I win, pay up!”
Gregory groaned and handed her his pin money.