Letters From Sleepy Hollow – Chapter 5
(A Serial Novella)
November 1st
Dearest Anna,
I could not wait to write to you Anna as I know only you would understand. It is nearly four o’clock in the morning and yet I find myself wide awake in my bed, my head is still spinning from this evening. I have been lying here remembering every single moment and I fear I may not be able to sleep at all this night!
I’ll tell you first of the ball that Papa and I attended earlier tonight. The home of William Farrington, named Mayfair Manor after his mother, is everything one would suppose it would be, paling even the lovely VanWyck Manor by comparison. I have never seen so large a house, it rivals even the immense mansions of Boston and the great sprawling plantations I have seen in Virginia.
Upon first appearance Mayfair brings to mind a castle instead of a manor house with it large gray towers, soaring turrets and sharp pinnacled roofs. I immediately felt like Cinderella going to the Prince’s ball, all that was missing was a vast moat and a knight in shining armor guarding the entrance door. Great carriages with teams of magnificent horses were lined up in front of Mayfair for as far as I could see delivering guests dressed in beautiful gowns and handsome uniforms, it simply took my breath away. I did not realize there was such aristocracy in our little hamlet of Sleepy Hollow. Such magnificence Anna!
The interior was even more remarkable, elegance as I have never before seen. Papa who is not easily impressed with the trappings of the wealthy and would rather hide his fortune in the downy feathers of his mattress, could not help but be in awe of the beauty of the house. Even the servants were exquisite, dark skinned and beautifully attired, filling every room of the manor, constantly tending to every guest’s need, it was a sight to behold. (Perhaps Papa and I could replace Miss Gray with one of Mr. Farrington’s servants, surely he could manage with one less and I would be much happier.)
Mr. Farrington was a wonderful host and marvelous dancer and I was honored with several dances during the course of the evening. I must tell you Anna, that he is much more handsome than I previously thought. His eyes are such a pale, steel blue that they are nearly gray beneath black eyelashes. His hair is thick and dark, I would say almost black, which only sets the brilliance of his eyes off all the more. He is constantly brushing his hair off his forehead and more than once I had to stop from doing it myself. I was very fortunate to have time with him at all as it seemed every young girl in Sleepy Hollow wanted to dance with him. They were enamored of the man and simply giddy when he paid them any attention at all. Even Papa seemed to enjoy Mr. Farrington’s company also as I saw them together frequently during the course of the evening. While I was not swept off my feet as some of the other young ladies at the ball, I did enjoy the little time I spent with him as his knowledge of the history of Sleepy Hollow and the local legends (including that of the headless horseman) was quite extensive. It was during one of our conversations this evening that Mr. Farrington told me the story of VanWyck Manor and that same tale is the reason I lie here in my bed awake many hours later.
William, as he asked me to call him, told me a story and I will relate it to you as accurately as I can remember at this moment.
VanWyck Manor was originally constructed many years ago for a wealthy family from South Carolina named Abbott. Mr. James Abbott was a successful plantation owner from the South who decided to move his family north after the War. He, his wife Emily Barstow Abbott, and her younger sister Elizabeth were here at the manor overseeing its completion when Elizabeth, became very despondent and began having fits of some sort. She began to rant of evil spirits and to speak in tongues which frightened the local workers. There was talk in the village about demonic possession and witchcraft at the manor but Mrs. Abbott simply ignored the gossip and tried to comfort her poor sister. Unfortunately the young girl became more and more ill, eventually falling into a death like coma one evening. The following morning Mrs. Abbott went to Elizabeth’s room, fully expecting to find the girl still in her bed but her sister was gone. Emily and her husband searched the house but could not find Elizabeth anywhere. Frantic, they sent several of the workers into the woods surrounding the house, worried that some harm had befallen the poor girl. The men eventually found Elizabeth, lying dead in a clearing in the woods behind the manor. The poor girl was found leaning up against the large tree that stood in the center of clearing. The skin on her face torn to shreds and her eyes gouged as if she had been trying to pull them out of her skull. The men carried Elizabeth’s body back to the manor but refused to return to work and left the Abbott’s to fend for themselves. Two days later, Emily, distraught over the death of her sister, hung herself in the same tree where Elizabeth’s body had been discovered. Mr. Abbott abandoned his new home and returned to Charleston along with the bodies of his wife and sister-in-law. He never returned to Sleepy Hollow and died leaving the abandoned property to Stephen Barstow, Emily’s nephew. Stephen also inherited the plantation in Charleston and had no use or desire of the house in New York. He eventually sold the property to Daniel VanWyck of Philadelphia who completed the house and moved his family in shortly thereafter. Daniel had no knowledge of the history of the house and when his oldest son, Adam began having nightmares and seizures he believed it was some mysterious illness and sent his son to the best hospital in Philadelphia. Adam recovered immediately upon leaving VanWyck manor but refused to return to home after he was well. He begged his father to let him stay in Philadelphia with his grandparents and Daniel finally relinquished even though he did not understand why Adam refused to return and was broken hearted at losing his son. VanWyck Manor remained quiet for several years until Daniel’s daughter turned eighteen years old. Several days after her birthday, Katrina developed the same symptoms as her brother Adam. She awoke the household during the night with her screams and was overcome with seizures the following day. Daniel did not wait very long until he sent Katrina away also. As with Adam, Katrina recovered immediately upon leaving the manor and like Adam, refused to return once she was well. Daniel and his wife decided it was time to leave Sleepy Hollow and returned with their three remaining children to Philadelphia. The house remained empty for many years. Neither Daniel nor his children returned to VanWyck Manor, the house eventually coming in to the possession of Richard VanWyck, Daniel’s great-nephew and Charles VanWyck’s father. Apparently Richard and his wife Isabel lived here for many years but Charles was sent to private boarding schools back east and never lived in the manor until after his parents had passed. He never married or had children and lived here for years with numerous housekeepers and several slaves until he sold the house to my father a few months ago.
The years since Daniel VanWyck owned the house have been quiet years mostly. While there are no reports of bizarre illnesses or suicides VanWyck Manor has still been home to strange happenings over the years.
Although Charles VanWyck never married he was still somewhat of a ladies man and often had female companions overnight in his home. One such woman was a young widow by the name of Susannah Sykes. If the name sounds familiar it is because I previously wrote to you about her son, our very own Reverend Malachi Sykes. It was well known that Susannah spent many nights here at VanWyck Manor and it was on one of occasions that she accused a young slave of stealing her favorite piece of jewelry, an emerald brooch from her room. The young girl’s name was Serene and although she adamantly denied the allegation and the brooch was nowhere in her room, she was hung in the woods as a thief that very same night. Now Susannah never admitted to finding the brooch but she was seen wearing the same pin a few days later by Serene’s mother. Apparently Charles noticed it also because when he delivered Susannah to her doorstep in town, she was never again invited to VanWyck Manor.
William said that similar incidents have been reported over the years, various items have gone missing and then have turned up later with no reasonable explanation. He also said that several young girls have been hired to work at VanWyck manor over the past fifty years but none have lasted more than a few days. He said the last girl, Shirley Dashel from Tarry Town, that was hired to help Miss Gray, quit about six months ago after spending only one night at the manor and after that Mr. VanWyck decided to sell the property. Apparently Shirley told Miss Gray that she saw a woman brushing the hair of a young girl in one of the spare bedrooms when she went to turn Mr. VanWyck’s bed down for the evening. The same woman and girl have been seen many times over the years by dozens of people and are believed to the ghosts of Emily Abbott and Elizabeth Barstow. William said it has always been the common belief in Sleepy Hollow that VanWyck Manor is haunted.
I have told you all I know Anna and you can see why I am still awake. I did not tell William of the strange things that have happened since I have been here, I would not add fuel to the fire and set the folks of Sleepy Hollow tongues to wagging about the manor again. I think it best to keep it all a secret for now and maybe now that I know a little more about what has been happening here I can look further into the history of the house. I am afraid Anna and I shall sleep with the lamp lit for some time.
As I believed all along, there is more to Sleepy Hollow than meets the eye. Pray for me and Papa.
Your friend always,
Caroline
Letters From Sleepy Hollow – Chapter 4
October 25th
My Dearest Anna,
Thank you so much for your latest letter and newspaper clipping from the Boston Daily Advertiser. It appears that the Court and the truth won out after all as my father has been completely vindicated in the tragedy last year at the mill. We all hoped for such a welcomed outcome but one can never tell for sure when matters like these are left up to the Court to decide. Jeremiah did a marvelous job testifying on my father’s behalf and we shall both be eternally grateful. I showed Papa the clipping when he arrived home last night and he seemed both pleased and sad. The burden of Mr. Myers death has weighed heavily upon him this past year and he is still troubled upon remembering.
Our long Indian summer is gone and fall has finally found its way into the valley. We had our first snowfall here in Sleepy Hollow this morning, the beautiful trees were covered in a brilliant white dust and I found myself wondering if this might be perhaps a sign of an early winter. The snow disappeared nearly as quickly as it came and by noon the colors of fall could once more be seen on the hillsides surrounding the manor. More and more trees have shed their fall cloaks and undressed themselves for the upcoming winter storms. It is sad to see and I am filled with a strong sense of melancholy at their appearence. I wonder how I shall feel when all the trees are bare. I stayed away from the woods today which should allay your fears slightly and I promise to try and keep my head about me when I do wander about.
Anna, I must apologize for my last letter, I contemplated for quite a while over sending it to you or not. I know I sound quite beside myself but you really mustn’t take me so seriously. I am fine, really, and I feel as if things are coming around for us here. I will stay away from the clearing in the woods as you have asked as I may not have any choice in the matter with winter coming in so quickly. Perhaps if you can come to visit in the spring I shall take you there and you can see it for yourself.
There is a bright hope for Sleepy Hollow yet. Papa arrived home last night and woke me with the news that we have been invited to a masquerade ball on Halloween at the home of William Farrington, the owner of both the Farrington Textile Mill and the Farrington General Store in town. He is supposed to be the wealthiest man and most eligible bachelor in Sleepy Hollow and I can tell you from what little I have seen of the man he is quite handsome. I am somewhat surprised that Papa accepted his invitation as he is not fond of parties and such but I believe it was for my benefit that he reluctantly accepted his offer. I am grateful for the distraction at least and maybe I shall venture a dance with Mr. Farrington should he ask. It will be nice to be around other people and maybe even have some fun for a change.
I spent most of my day searching my trunks for something appropriate to wear and I have decided on the sapphire blue gown that I wore two years ago at the Christmas party at our home in Boston. Mama thought it flattered my eyes and I believe it would still be considered quite fashionable in this small town. At least I do not have to fear that someone will recognize it since there will be none of the same guests in attendance except for Papa. That party seems like a lifetime ago, it was our last Christmas with Mama if you remember, and my parents were so happy. I can still remember how she looked in her beautiful ivory lace gown. Now that I think of it I realize how thin she was at the time, her skin nearly transparent in the candle light. She looked like an angel coming down the staircase, Papa on her arm, I remember it like it was only yesterday yet it seems so long ago. If we had only known it was to be one of the last times Mama would ever come down those stairs. How could we have known the she would be gone so quickly?
Well, Anna I have slipped into talking about things that are better off forgotten for now. I am glad that all is going well for you and your family. I also wonder at the strange disappearances of your brother, do you think perhaps he has found another girl to spend his time with? Jeremiah has always been the subject of many rumours and quiet scandals with his engaging good looks and undeniable charm as we both know. It is not hard to overlook his shortcomings when he is after all, a real gentleman in spite of his faults. I have still not heard the date of Jeremiah’s arrival from Papa but he believes he should be needed before the end of the year.
I will write to you after the ball and let you know all about it. I wonder if I this will prove to be my first real adventure in Sleepy Hollow? We can only hope. Say hello to your parents and Thomas (and your brother if you see him before I).
Your friend always,
Caroline
Letters From Sleepy Hollow – Chapter 3
(A Serial Novella)
October 20th
My Dearest Anna,
How excited I was to finally receive a letter from you, it is a welcome relief from the dreariness that my life has become of late.
How I wish I could be with you in Boston, I am suffering from a rare affliction known as withdrawal of the city life I am afraid. I have endured enough peace and quiet to last a lifetime in the short period I have been in Sleepy Hollow and I am concerned that there is no end in sight to it. But enough of my plight of boredom.
I cannot believe you actually rode in an automobile, you who were always so afraid of those contraptions! How exciting! Perhaps the next time I am in Boston you will be able to convince your Mr. Thomas Reid to give me a ride also? I may be of old age before I see an automobile in Sleepy Hollow, let alone ride in one, and with the roads being as they are here I would fear for my very life at the least! I must say that I am glad Thomas finally called on you but you must keep your heart in check Anna, you know the man’s reputation. It may be best to not fall “head over heels” in love until you know his intentions, don’t you think? I agree quite readily with you that he is positively handsome and charming but best to err on the side of caution and give it some time, yes? I know you will do the right thing Anna, as usual, you are always much more level headed than I.
That is interesting news about Jeremiah, I am thrilled that he is happily anticipating his arrival in Sleepy Hollow even if it is under the pretense of getting the new mill up and running. I shall take your advice dear friend and have patience, it seems I have nothing but time. I shall never utter a word to your brother about your eavesdropping, it is a secret that I shall take to my grave. We share many secrets do we not?
Papa is spending all of his time at the mill, I hardly see him at all anymore. It would not be so terrible if it were not for the isolation of VanWyck Manor. I feel detached from the world Anna, as if I am the sole inhabitant of this strange place. Even Miss Gray keeps her distance as well, appearing only at supper to serve and then disappearing until the next afternoon. Breakfast is prepared and waiting before I rise in the morning and dinner is left on the buffet in the evening. It is perhaps my fault however. As I previously mentioned my personal belongings have been disappearing at an alarming rate although most have been found promptly. Only last week I returned from a walk to discover my hairbrush and hand mirror missing from my dressing table. I searched my room but when I could not find them, I lost my temper and rushed into Miss Gray’s quarters and demanded they be returned immediately. I was genuinely surprised by the woman’s reaction, she seemed both confused and alarmed when I confronted her and I had the impression that she had no idea what I was speaking of or where the missing items were. She told me she would find them and prepared a cup of tea for me while she searched. A short time later she returned and announced that they were located and returned and that I should be more careful of my things. She said they were both sitting upon the fireplace mantle in my room and that I simply did not see them and perhaps in the future I should be more mindful of where I leave my belongings. The woman then turned in a huff, stormed out of the kitchen and returned to her quarters. I felt like a scolded child Anna! I know I can be absent minded at times but I am quite sure I searched the mantle thoroughly and they were not on there. But why would she lie? I am truly perplexed over the entire matter and shall keep a better watch on Miss Gray in the future. I have the impression that she is hiding something and it may be in my best interest to discover what it is.
Dearest Anna, you must not worry about me so, I know I do go on about the loneliness here however, I have found some means of solace in this solitary place. I have taken to long walks in the woods surrounding the manor and do enjoy the privacy that they afford. The woods seem to go on and on endlessly, so different from the small gatherings of trees found around Boston. The quiet stillness of the woods is like a blanket surrounding me and I am comforted for a time. I spend long luxurious hours wandering about but keep an eye on the manor at all times for I fear it would be quite easy to get lost. I know that a stone wall surrounds the property but as of yet I have not located it as it lies far beyond the house. The colors are beautiful Anna and when the sun shines upon the orange and red leaves the woods blaze as if they are on fire, it is amazing to see. Even the trees that are already bare and ready for the winter snows are exquisite, their crooked black frames stand like sentries amongst the color, guarding the beauty that surrounds them. I find a simple peace among the silent woods and inasmuch have grown quite fond of them.
There is another part to the woods that I must tell you about Anna and I shall ask you to keep this in the strictest confidence. I have not even told Papa since doing so would cause him undo worry but I felt I must tell someone. There is a place that I find myself drawn to again and again that lies in the deepest, darkest recess of the VanWyck grounds. It is quiet in this place, without the cry of bird, squirrel or fairie diddle to interrupt the silence yet strangely there is a sense of disquiet there. In the woods there sits a bare and desolate clearing. It is barren of shrub, flower or weed except for a singular tree which stands directly in the center. The tree is ancient and black with twisted trunk and branches and is bare of leaves although there is an orange, yellow and red carpet of fallen leaves beneath it which suggest it lives still. Even stranger, Anna, the tree appears as if it was ripped straight up out of the ground by a large angry hand, hungry roots dangling sorrowfully beneath it and set down once more upon a large rock to which it attached itself to. Its gnarled and angry roots grip the large gray stone beneath it with long narrow fingers like tendrils trying to feed off of it. I have never seen anything like it, it is both hideous and lovely to behold and I find myself staring at it for long periods of time, entranced by its gruesome magnificence. Truth be told, I have spent lost hours lying in the cool, wet leaves beneath the dark specter only to find myself in the precarious position of having to find my way back to the manor near dark. I am frightened as it seems I cannot remember what happens when I am there but yet I cannot stop myself from returning to this lonely desolate place. Another confidence which I tell you and you alone Anna is that I sometimes find myself lying safely in my bed at the manor wondering if the tree dislodged itself from its rock and followed me home. I sound like a scared child do I not, but honestly I feel there is much more to Sleepy Hollow that I do not yet understand.
My dear, I fear I have rambled on here and yet have told you nothing. Truly, I am fine and there is no cause for concern although after reviewing this letter I have perhaps fueled the fire of your worry. Perhaps I will not send this letter after all, we shall see.
Sincerely yours,
Caroline
Letters From Sleepy Hollow – Chapter 2
(A Serial Novella)
October 8th
My dearest Anna,
It seems so long since I last spoke to you although it has been only a week and I am in dire need of a friend to speak to.
Sleepy Hollow is very beautiful this time of year and I am enjoying the grounds of the manor but I find the quiet isolation of the area nearly suffocating. Papa is absent for much of the day, leaving directly after breakfast which we have begun to take near dawn and returning for dinner only on occasion. Miss Gray is practically no company at all, spending her days in quiet distaste of me then disappearing to her rooms before nightfall. The evenings are excruciatingly lonely and the silence of the manor is nearly deafening as I await the sound of Papa’s carriage on the road. Darkness comes early this time of year and I am in dread of the isolation that will come with the winter snow storms.
I have spent the last few days becoming acquainted with VanWyck Manor and the grounds surrounding it. The main living quarters of the manor are not as large as I originally thought at first glance. There is a lovely arched gated entry that practically splits the house into two separate residences. The large structure on the opposite side of the arch consists primarily of the stables, a gentleman’s hall, and Miss Gray’s rooms. The stable is accessible from the entry arch and I am free to enter there but I have been forbidden to venture into the other rooms in that portion of the manor. Apparently Miss Gray is endowed by a bequest with a “life use” of her portion of the manor by Charles VanWyck, the prior owner.
As to Miss Gray, I must tell you her manner has shown no sign of improvement since our arrival here and I take my leave of her every chance I get. I have also noticed items in my bedroom have been misplaced and I may have to take the matter up with Papa if the situation continues. It is strange really, Miss Gray attends to the cleaning of my room and the changing of my sheets and such in an extremely efficient manner. Although her work is exemplary and I have no complaint in that regard, I do get the impression that she does not wish to linger in my quarters at all but rather is set on completing her chores in a whirlwind and exiting the main house as quickly as possible. That being said, what is she doing returning to my room to move inconsequential items about? Nothing has been stolen, merely moved and to the oddest places really. So far, I have ignored the frivolity but I may confront her directly if it continues. Wish me luck Anna!
Papa began work on our new mill several days ago and he is spending more and more time in town. His spirits seem lifted and for that I am grateful although he often appears quite exhausted. This is the way of it though whenever a new mill is built, he trusts only himself to oversee the construction. I am anxiously awaiting Jeremiah’s arrival, Papa relies on him and I cannot wait to see him again. Papa has no idea of my feelings for Jeremiah and in fact, Jeremiah has not even spoken to me of his true feelings although at our last meeting he mentioned that he could not wait to join us in New York. What do you think Anna? Am I just being a silly girl with a simple school girl crush on her best friend’s older brother? Does Jeremiah speak of me to you at all? If only we had had more time to spend together before I left. As he only just returned from school last year and then with the passing of my mother and the incident at the Newton mill, we had little time to become reacquainted. Perhaps when he joins Papa in the mill here we will have the opportunity to socialize. That is, if you believe it would be wise for me to do so, my dearest friend?
We went to service on Sunday and I must tell you it is very different from Boston. The Reverend Malachi Sykes is much removed from our dear Reverend Patrick O’Shea and not nearly as easy on the eyes. His sermons consist mainly of the evil that abounds around all of us and the devil’s influence that turns God fearing citizens into witches and other such nonsense. I have the feeling he believes that Sleepy Hollow is truly bewitched and that it is his lot in life to save everyone in the vicinity from the devil himself. Truly Anna, I thought I had left all this nonsense back in Massachusetts, after all, the Salem witch trials are long since in the past. I would find myself in another church if one was available but alas there is only one church here. Papa does not seem to mind too much although I did notice him smiling behind his hymnal when he thought I wasn’t looking. The other parishioners in the congregation seem quite taken with the Reverend however, which I must tell you, gives me chills. What a strange and bewildering place we find ourselves in!
I have had no encounter as of yet, with the Hessian that I wrote to you earlier about although I have spent nearly every evening watching and listening for his horse to come rushing pass on the road above. I believe he truly is merely a figment of Mr. Irving’s imagination yet I cannot seem to stop myself from keeping with my nightly vigil. At least it keeps me occupied while I await for something truly exciting to happen. Perhaps when Jeremiah arrives?
I must hurry and get this ready for the post. Please send my regards to your family (especially Jeremiah) and give Boston a fond hello for me. I miss you all so very much.
Your friend,
Caroline
