Curse of Ravenscourt - A Samantha Mystery.pdf

americangirl.com A — A MYSTERY —...

americangirl.com A — A MYSTERY — THE CURSE OF MYSTERY RAVENSCOURT SAMANTHA is excited about her family’s stay at a fancy new “apartment- hotel”— until she learns there’s a terrible curse on the building’s owner! As soon as Samantha arrives, one thing after another RAVENSCOURT THE CURSE OF goes alarmingly wrong. Is it the curse — or is something else scaring the residents from Ravenscourt? Nominated for the Agatha Award for Best Children’s/ Young Adult Mystery American Girl celebrates a girl’s inner star—that little whisper inside that encourages her to stand tall, reach high, and dream big. We take pride and care in helping girls become their very best today, so they’ll grow up to be the women who make a difference tomorrow. AGATHA Ages 9 and up $6.95 U.S. F2248-AB1A AWARD Made in China NOMINEE AS_F2248_PB.indd 1 7/18/12 9:48 AM  Enjoy all of these American Girl Mysteries®: THE SILENT STRANGER A Mystery LADY MARGARET’S GHOST A Mystery SECRETS IN THE HILLS A Mystery THE RUNAWAY FRIEND A Mystery SHADOWS ON SOCIETY HILL An Mystery THE CRY OF THE LOON A Mystery MISSING GRACE A Mystery CLUES IN THE SHADOWS A Mystery THE PUZZLE OF THE PAPER DAUGHTER A Mystery and many more! AS_F2248_FM.indd 1 9/9/09 3:34:33 PM AS_F2248_FM.indd 2 9/9/09 3:34:39 PM  — A M Y S T E RY — THE CURSE OF RAVENSCOURT by Sarah Masters Buckey AS_F2248_FM.indd 3 9/9/09 3:34:42 PM  Published by American Girl Publishing, Inc. Copyright © 2005 by American Girl, LLC All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Questions or comments? Call 1-800-845-0005, visit our Web site at americangirl.com, or write to Customer Service, American Girl, 8400 Fairway Place, Middleton, WI 53562-0497. Printed in China 09 10 11 12 13 LEO 14 13 12 11 10 All American Girl marks, American Girl Mysteries®, Samantha®, and Samantha Parkington® are trademarks of American Girl, LLC. PICTURE CREDITS The following individuals and organizations have generously given permission to reprint illustrations contained in “Looking Back”: pp. 174–175—Notre Dame gargoyles, © Paul Almasy/Corbis; The Dakota Building, © Monika Smith, Cordaiy Photo Library Ltd./Corbis; pp. 176–177—spirit body, North Wind Picture Archives; book, The Manhattan Rare Book Company; Sherlock Holmes silhouette, © H. Armstrong Roberts/Corbis; the Fox sisters: Kate Fox and Maggie Fox, Spirit Mediums from Rochester, New York. Engraved: Kate and Maggie Fox, Rochester Mediums, T. M. Easterly, Daguerrean. Daguerreotype by Thomas M. Easterly, 1852. Easterly 172. Missouri Historical Society Photographs and Prints Collection. Photograph and scan © 1994–2001, Missouri Historical Society; pp. 178–179—séance, © Bettmann/Corbis; ghost show, Library of Congress; elevator sketch, © Bettmann/Corbis; pp. 180–181— elevator operators, © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis; The Dakota Building, © Monika Smith, Cordaiy Photo Library Ltd./Corbis; elevator panel, photo by Teri Witkowski. Illustrations by Jean-Paul Tibbles Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Buckey, Sarah Masters, 1955– The curse of Ravenscroft : a Samantha mystery / by Sarah Masters Buckey; [illustrations by Jean-Paul Tibbles]. p. cm. — “American Girl” Includes historical information about New York City and its culture in the early 20th century. Summary: When her family temporarily moves into a luxury apartment building in 1904 Manhattan, eleven-year-old Samantha tries to discover whether a series of mishaps is related to a curse on the building’s owner. ISBN 978-1-58485-987-1 (pbk.) — ISBN 978-1-58485-995-6 [1. Apartment houses—Fiction. 2. New York (N.Y.)—History—1898–1951— Fiction. 3. Mystery and detective stories.] I. Tibbles, Jean-Paul, ill. II. Title. PZ7.B87983Cu 2005 [Fic]—dc22 2004060241 AS_F2248_FM.indd 4 9/9/09 3:34:42 PM  For J.J. AS_F2248_FM.indd 5 9/9/09 3:34:42 PM AS_F2248_FM.indd 6 9/9/09 3:34:42 PM  Table of Contents 1 Fear at First Sight............... 1 2 Above the Trees................. 14 3 Cursed.......................... 32 4 A Warning...................... 44 5 Sudden Departure............... 59 6 A Dangerous Journey........... 74 7 Clues from the Past............. 86 8 A Familiar Face.................. 103 9 Crash.......................... 115 10 A Midnight Visit............... 126 11 Footsteps....................... 141 12 The Raven Flies.................. 149 13 Detective Work................ 156 14 A Surprise Announcement...... 167 Looking Back.................. 175 AS_F2248_FM.indd 7 9/9/09 3:34:43 PM  1 Fear at First Sight Eleven-year-old Samantha Parkington sighed as she looked down the darkened second-floor hall. She had checked all the bedrooms. There was no sign of Jenny. From the attic came the thud of hammers and the grating screech of saws. Samantha felt a tap on her shoulder. She jumped slightly, then turned and saw Nellie. “Jenny’s not in the library,” Nellie reported, frowning. “Let’s try the parlor,” suggested Samantha. The girls hurried down the winding staircase to the first floor. Both were wearing new navy blue winter coats that were identical except for the collars. Samantha’s coat had a red velvet collar that went well with her pink cheeks and 1 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 1 9/9/09 3:40:23 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt dark brown hair and eyes. Nellie’s coat had a green velvet collar that set off her light brown hair and blue eyes. Samantha held Jenny’s coat in her arms. It was similar to the older girls’ coats but smaller, and with a warm, plaid-lined hood instead of a collar. “Jenny knew she was supposed to get ready,” said Nellie, who was carrying Jenny’s mittens. “Where can she be?” As Samantha and Nellie entered the parlor, Samantha called out, “Jenny! Are you in here?” There was no answer. Samantha looked around the large room. Usually, this cheerful parlor was one of her favorite places in the house. Its plump sofas were soft and welcoming, and its wide windows let the sun stream in. After school, Samantha and her adopted sisters, Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny, liked to sit here and have tea with Aunt Cornelia. They would snack on dainty sandwiches and cakes while they talked and laughed together. Today, however, the parlor smelled of 2 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 2 9/9/09 3:40:23 PM  Fear at First Sight wet plaster from the construction upstairs. All the furniture was covered with canvas cloths to keep out dust. The windows were covered, too, so the room had a dark, deserted look. Samantha peered into the dim corners. “Jenny?” she called again. “If you’re hiding, please come out. We have to leave.” Jenny’s tear-stained face appeared from behind an armchair. “Don’t go without me!” Samantha walked over to the armchair. “We’d never leave without you,” she reassured Jenny. “We’ve been looking for you. Uncle Gard, Aunt Cornelia, and Bridget are all waiting in the motorcar.” “Can’t we stay here?” pleaded seven-year- old Jenny, her lower lip trembling. “No,” said Nellie gently. “Remember how Uncle Gard told us that we’re going to go live at Ravenscourt for a few weeks? All the noise here is giving Aunt Cornelia headaches. When the builders are finished, we’ll move back in.” Jenny dived back behind the armchair. She 3 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 3 9/9/09 3:40:23 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt emerged clutching her favorite china doll, Louisa- Jane. The doll wore a slightly tattered flowered dress, and had eyes as blue as Jenny’s own. “Can Louisa-Jane come with me?” “Of course,” said Samantha. “We wouldn’t leave her behind, either.” She held out Jenny’s coat. “It’s cold outside. You’d better bundle up.” Jenny silently pulled on her coat and took the mittens Nellie handed her. Then she walked out into the hall, her head hung low, her small shoulders hunched protectively around Louisa-Jane. “She seems so upset,” Samantha whispered to Nellie as they followed Jenny into the foyer. “Is there anything I can do?” “No, she’ll be all right. It’s just that...” Nellie paused and looked around the foyer sadly. “We’ve been so happy here. It’s hard to leave.” We’re not really leaving, thought Samantha, feeling puzzled by Nellie’s words. We’re only going away for a few weeks. Uncle Gard said it will be more like a vacation than a move. 4 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 4 9/9/09 3:40:23 PM  Fear at First Sight Samantha knew what it was like to move from one house to another. Her parents had died when she was little, and she had lived most of her life with her grandmother in the small town of Mount Bedford, New York. That’s where she’d first met Nellie O’Malley. The two girls had become best friends—even though Samantha had lived in Grandmary’s fancy house and Nellie had worked as a servant girl next door. A year and a half ago, Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia had gotten married, and they had invited Samantha to come live with them in New York City. Soon after Samantha joined her aunt and uncle, she’d heard that Nellie’s parents had died. Through some detective work, Samantha had discovered that Nellie and her younger sisters, Bridget and Jenny, were living in a terrible orphanage. Samantha had helped to rescue them from the orphanage and brought them home to her aunt and uncle’s house across the street from New York’s Gramercy Park. 5 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 5 9/9/09 3:40:23 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt Samantha had been thrilled when Aunt Cornelia and Uncle Gard had decided to adopt the O’Malley girls. Ever since then, Samantha had thought her life was just about perfect. At last she had the family she had always dreamed about—complete with three sisters. But with four children, the family’s elegant home had begun to seem a little cramped. Aunt Cornelia and Uncle Gard had decided to ease the crowding by building more rooms in the attic. Once the construction was finished, there would be two new bedrooms for the four girls to share—and their very own bathroom. “We’ll only be at Ravenscourt for a few weeks,” Samantha said, trying to cheer up Nellie. “And Aunt Cornelia says it’s very nice.” Nellie nodded but said nothing. She opened the heavy front door and waited for Jenny to go through first. “I’ve always thought it would be great fun to live in an apartment,” Samantha continued enthusiastically as she and Nellie followed Jenny out the door. “I’ll bet Jenny will like it there.” 6 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 6 9/9/09 3:40:23 PM  Fear at First Sight A cold wind was whipping down the street. “I hope you’re right, Samantha,” said Nellie as she pushed the carved wooden door closed behind them. “But Bridget and Jenny and I have lived in apartments before.” Before Samantha could reply, Uncle Gard sounded the horn of his Pierce-Arrow motorcar. “Hop in, girls!” he called out. “We’ll turn into icicles if we wait out here much longer.” Eight-year-old Bridget was already sitting in the back of the motorcar. Her honey-brown curls were all but hidden under her plaid hood, and she held her teddy bear, Fred, tightly on her lap. Nellie climbed in next to Bridget, Jenny followed her, and Samantha squeezed in last. Samantha shivered as she settled against the leather seat. A wide tonneau cover stretched across the top of the Pierce-Arrow, but the November wind still whistled through the motorcar’s open sides. “Put these over yourselves, girls,” said Aunt Cornelia. Reaching back from the front seat, she passed heavy woolen lap robes to the girls 7 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 7 9/9/09 3:40:24 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt while Uncle Gard got out and cranked the car’s starter. The cold engine sputtered, then grumbled to life. Uncle Gard jumped back into the driver’s seat. “We’re off!” he announced. They drove the car from the quiet of Gramercy Park through the bustle of midtown Manhattan, with its brightly lit stores and busy sidewalks. The streets were teeming with traffic, and Uncle Gard often had to honk and swerve to avoid horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, and other motorcars. Samantha leaned forward and watched the newspaper boys shouting headlines on the street corners, businessmen hurrying by in tall hats, and women carrying babies in their arms while other children clung to their long skirts. Sidewalk vendors were roasting chestnuts and smoked sausages. As Samantha smelled the food, she began to feel hungry. She remem- bered how Aunt Cornelia had said they would eat dinner at Ravenscourt. The building was one of the new “apartment-hotels,” where each apartment came fully furnished and staffed 8 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 8 9/9/09 3:40:24 PM  Fear at First Sight with a cook and a maid. Only grumpy Gertrude, the family’s housekeeper, would be staying at Ravenscourt with them; their cook, Mrs. Bailey, and their maids, Sally and Martha, were remaining home to take care of the house during construction. I’ll miss them, Samantha thought wistfully. It will be odd to have strangers living with us. As Uncle Gard drove through the changing New York neighborhoods, Samantha saw a group of tired-looking children trudge out of a factory building. She guessed that they were leaving work. Despite the cold wind, several of the children were barefoot and without either hats or jackets. I hope they have someplace warm to go home to, she thought. Samantha glanced over at Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny, who were sitting silently beside her, huddled in their lap robes. She remembered some of the awful places her adopted sisters had lived in the past. First, the whole O’Malley family had shared one cramped room in a tenement on New York’s East Side. Later, after 9 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 9 9/9/09 3:40:24 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt their parents died, Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny had been taken in briefly by their Uncle Mike, but he had soon abandoned them. The sisters had been forced to go to the orphanage, where they’d had too much work—and too little food. No wonder they’re scared, Samantha thought. “This will be a nice place,” she whispered to Jenny. Jenny glanced up at her gratefully, but she held tight to Louisa-Jane. Samantha continued to look out the window as they traveled uptown and then turned onto Central Park West, the wide street that followed the western border of Central Park. Traffic began to thin as they drove alongside the huge city park that was like an island of green in the middle of Manhattan. There were more trees and fewer buildings in this part of the city, and the air smelled clean and crisp. Uncle Gard drove north, past the stately American Museum of Natural History. Finally, he slowed down in front of two towering stone buildings, both facing Central Park. Over the entrance to the first building, the words 10 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 10 9/9/09 3:40:24 PM  Fear at First Sight Enderby Towers were inscribed in bold, black letters. The second building stood even taller than its neighbor, and it looked newer. An impressive gated archway led up to its main door. Across the archway, fancy gold-plated letters more than two feet high announced Ravenscourt. Uncle Gard pulled into a half-circle drive that led up to the archway. He stopped the motorcar in front of a massive statue of a fierce-looking raven. “Here we are!” he announced. Samantha stared up at the building. Every floor had carved stone decorations around the windows and balconies. The building was so high, she had to crane her neck to see the roof- top. At each corner of the roof stood a carved black raven with its wings spread wide, as if it would fly away at any moment. “Jiminy!” Samantha exclaimed under her breath. “I never thought Ravenscourt would be so big!” A red-haired young man wearing a blue doorman’s uniform came out from behind 11 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 11 9/9/09 3:40:24 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt the tall wrought-iron gate. “Good afternoon,” he greeted them, closing the gate behind himself. “May I help you?” Uncle Gard told him that they were the Edwards family. “Welcome to Ravenscourt,” the young man said, smiling. He gave his hand to Aunt Cornelia as she stepped out of the motorcar. Then he opened the back door, and Samantha climbed out, followed by the other girls. Uncle Gard set the car’s brake and walked over to the raven statue. “Bridget and Jenny, look here!” he said in mock surprise. “I do believe this bird is as big as you are.” The younger girls hurried to the statue. Aunt Cornelia pulled back the veil on her motoring hat and joined them. Samantha was about to follow, too, when she noticed that Nellie was still staring up at Ravenscourt. “I didn’t expect it to be like this—did you, Nellie?” Samantha asked excitedly. Nellie turned to face her, and Samantha saw that her friend’s blue eyes were wide with 12 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 12 9/9/09 3:40:24 PM  Fear at First Sight fear. Nellie looked as if she’d seen a nightmare come to life. “Nellie, what’s wrong?” “Nothing,” said Nellie, quickly recovering herself. “It’s just that I’ve seen ravens like that before. They always bring bad luck.” 13 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 13 9/9/09 3:40:24 PM  2 Above the Trees Nellie turned away, as if she did not want to say any more. Just then, the redheaded doorman opened the gate. Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia shepherded the younger girls through the stone archway, and Samantha and Nellie followed. At the end of the arch- way, the young doorman ushered them through a pair of glass doors trimmed in polished brass. Samantha blinked as she walked into the lobby of Ravenscourt. Cut-glass chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, and their bright lights were reflected in a series of gilt-framed mirrors along the walls. Red velvet chairs and sofas were placed in clusters around the lobby, but no one was sitting in them. 14 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 14 9/9/09 3:40:25 PM  Above the Trees “Where is everyone?” Samantha whispered to Nellie. “It’s so quiet!” Nellie just shook her head. A tall man with thinning brown hair and a carefully groomed mustache entered the lobby from an office to the left of the main door. He was wearing a black suit with a gold pocket watch displayed against his ample stomach. The doorman tipped his cap to the man. “The Edwards family has arrived, sir, and—” “Yes, I know, Martin,” the man interrupted briskly. The doorman opened his mouth, and Samantha thought he was about to say some- thing. But then he tipped his cap again and quickly went outside. The man in the black suit turned to Uncle Gard and Aunt Cornelia. “Welcome to Ravenscourt,” he said in a crisp British accent. “I’m Mr. Winthrop, manager of the building.” He smiled at Uncle Gard. “I understand you’re acquainted with Mr. Raven’s lawyer, Mr. Sterling.” 15 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 15 9/9/09 3:40:25 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt “Mr. Sterling and I are partners in the same law firm,” Uncle Gard acknowledged. “He heard that I was interested in renting an apartment for a short period, and he suggested Ravenscourt. When I visited last week, I was pleased to discover that you had a vacancy.” “Quite so,” said Mr. Winthrop. He looked concerned. “Ravenscourt opened only a few months ago. We’d expected to be fully occupied by now, but we’ve had some rather, ah, unexpected occurrences.” Unexpected occurrences? thought Samantha. I wonder what he means. Mr. Winthrop smiled again. “Still, we’re most happy to be able to accommodate your family. Please, step this way and I’ll show you to your apartment.” Mr. Winthrop led them through the lobby, his shoes tapping loudly on the polished black- and-white marble floor. As they followed him, Samantha made a game of stepping inside the marble squares—never on the cracks. She didn’t really believe the superstition that 16 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 16 9/9/09 3:40:25 PM  Above the Trees stepping on cracks could bring bad luck, but it was fun to skip over cracks anyway. When they reached the center of the lobby, Mr. Winthrop turned into a wide alcove. There was a door labeled Stairs on one side of the alcove, and two elevators were on the opposite side. Mr. Winthrop ushered them into an elevator compartment unlike any Samantha had ever seen before. It had a brass handrail at waist level, dark wood paneling, and a wood parquet floor. At the far side of the compart- ment, a wide mirror hung above a leather sofa. It’s like a little parlor, she thought. As Samantha moved to the back of the elevator, Bridget reached for her hand. Jenny clung to Aunt Cornelia’s hand and stared at the floor suspiciously, as if it might fall from under her feet at any moment. Nellie stared straight ahead, stone-faced. Samantha suddenly realized that none of the O’Malley sisters had ever been on an elevator before. She gave Bridget’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Twelfth floor,” Mr. Winthrop told the 17 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 17 9/9/09 3:40:25 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt elevator operator, a small, elderly man. The operator nodded and pulled a lever on the controls. The elevator started to climb. By the time they reached the twelfth floor, Bridget’s hand was damp with sweat. But as they exited the elevator alcove, she whispered to Samantha, “Actually, that wasn’t so bad.” They turned onto a corridor with gold patterned wallpaper on the walls and Oriental rugs on the floors. A large bronze plaque announced 12th Floor. “Only one other apartment is on this top floor, and that belongs to Mr. Raven himself,” Mr. Winthrop intoned. “His apartment is on that side”—he motioned to the left—“while yours is over here.” They followed Mr. Winthrop to the end of the corridor. Then they turned into a short hall that led directly to an imposing mahogany door. “After you, sir,” said Mr. Winthrop, handing Uncle Gard a shiny key. Before Uncle Gard could unlock the door, it was opened from the inside by a young woman in a white cap and starched white 18 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 18 9/9/09 3:40:25 PM  Above the Trees apron. “This is Mary Crosby,” said Mr. Winthrop. “She’ll be your maid.” Mary smiled a wide, gap-toothed smile and curtseyed politely. “May I take your coats?” she asked as the Edwards family entered. She had twinkling blue eyes and brown curls that peeked out from beneath her cap. She looks nice, thought Samantha as she handed Mary her coat. I bet she won’t fuss at us the way Gertrude does. Gertrude bustled down the hall, looking even grumpier than usual. She had arrived earlier in the day to ready the rooms. Now she met Aunt Cornelia with a list of concerns. “Ma’am, we don’t have enough paper to line the shelves. We need more soap, and...” As Gertrude read off her list of problems, Samantha heard her aunt sigh. Glancing up, she saw that Aunt Cornelia looked pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes. “Thank you, Gertrude,” Uncle Gard interjected. “Let’s discuss those things later. Mrs. Edwards is tired right now, and our trunks 19 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 19 9/9/09 3:40:25 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt will be arriving soon. Perhaps you could direct the men to the proper rooms.” Gertrude nodded with an air of self- importance. “Very good, sir. I’ll tell the porters where to put everything.” Mr. Winthrop proceeded to give the family a tour of the apartment. He directed them first to the formal parlor, just off the foyer. It was an impressive room with a large marble fireplace, a grand piano, and sofas and chairs covered in royal blue satin. “Many of our residents entertain frequently,” Mr. Winthrop boasted, “and this room provides the perfect gathering place.” Privately, Samantha thought that the Ravenscourt parlor wasn’t nearly as welcoming as their parlor at home. The sofa and chairs looked stiff and uncomfortable, and the room was too big to be cozy. She glanced at Nellie to see what she thought, but Nellie was staring at the floor with a worried expression on her face. Doesn’t she like it here? Samantha wondered. “When the weather is more pleasant,” 20 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 20 9/9/09 3:40:25 PM  Above the Trees Mr. Winthrop continued, “you may enjoy stepping out here.” He drew back the satin curtains and showed them a pair of double doors that opened onto a small balcony. Samantha saw Jenny’s eyes grow big. “It’s like in Rapunzel,” whispered Jenny, who loved fairy tales. Samantha nodded, smiling. “Now you must see the library,” said Mr. Winthrop. He took them across the hall to a small, wood-paneled room where a few new sets of matching books were carefully arranged on shelves. There were two comfortable chairs for reading, but even after Uncle Gard opened the curtains, the library remained quite dark. “I suppose we’ll need the electric lights to read in here,” Uncle Gard commented. “Perhaps so,” Mr. Winthrop admitted. He explained that the large rooms on the south side of the hall—the parlor, dining room, and bedrooms for the family—were sunny because their windows faced the street. But the smaller 21 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 21 9/9/09 3:40:25 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt rooms on the north side of the hall—the library, pantry, kitchen, and servants’ quarters—were darker because they looked out on the air shaft in the center of the building. “Of course,” Mr. Winthrop added, “light is not as important in those rooms, is it?” Samantha thought that servants might like sunlight as much as anyone else would, but she said nothing. As they returned to the hall, Mr. Winthrop gestured to the apartment’s telephone, an elegant silver desk model that sat on a stand by the library door. “It’s the new style that doesn’t need to be cranked,” he said proudly. “We have the most modern conveniences here!” Mr. Winthrop opened the door to the dining room, which had a wide fireplace and a table large enough to seat twelve. Next, he pointed out the master bedroom, which had its own small sitting room. Further down the hall, Mr. Winthrop showed them a bathroom and two smaller bedrooms. “Bridget and Jenny, you will share this room,” 22 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 22 9/9/09 3:40:25 PM  Above the Trees said Aunt Cornelia, gesturing to the first of the smaller bedrooms. “Nellie and Samantha, you girls will have the room at the end.” Samantha peeked in and saw a pretty room with twin beds covered in white brocade bedspreads, a white marble fireplace, and a big window with sheer white curtains. She wanted to explore the room, but Mr. Winthrop was continuing his tour. “That’s the service entrance,” he said, pointing to the door at the end of the hall. “It leads to the servants’ elevators and the back stairway.” Across from Samantha and Nellie’s room, a short hall led to the servants’ quarters. As Mr. Winthrop hurried them through this area, he pointed out Mary’s bedroom—a tiny, window- less room—and a slightly larger room with one window that would be Gertrude’s bedroom. Returning to the main hall, Mr. Winthrop showed them the pantry, the servants’ eating area, and the kitchen, where Samantha could smell roast beef cooking. Mr. Winthrop stopped outside the kitchen 23 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 23 9/9/09 3:40:26 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt door and introduced them to Mrs. Calloway, the cook. She was a stout, red-faced woman with a double chin that wagged like a turkey’s neck. “I can have dinner ready by seven-thirty if that suits you, ma’am,” Mrs. Calloway said, and Aunt Cornelia told her that would be fine. I hope seven-thirty comes soon, thought Samantha, her stomach starting to grumble. When they returned to the foyer, Mr. Winthrop gave a slight bow. “If I can be of any further service, please don’t hesitate to let me know,” he said in his clipped British accent. “We hope you enjoy your stay.” After the door had closed behind Mr. Winthrop, Uncle Gard looked at the girls with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Now that you’ve seen the apartment, how would you like a bird’s-eye view of all of New York?” “Oh, yes,” said Samantha, and Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny nodded. “Then I have a surprise for you,” Uncle Gard said. “Put on your coats and come with me.” The girls followed Uncle Gard back to the 24 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 24 9/9/09 3:40:26 PM  Above the Trees elevator alcove. He opened a door across from the elevators that said Stairs and, in smaller letters, To the rooftop. He led the way upstairs. At the top, he opened another door, and they all stepped out into the cold November wind. “Is this really the roof?” asked Bridget, looking around hesitantly. “Yes,” said Uncle Gard, leading them around a large chimney. “It’s been made into a garden. There’s a wall around the edge, but be careful not to lean out over it. I don’t want you to fall off.” Beyond the chimney, Samantha saw that the flat roof was laid out with graveled walkways. Along the walkways there were wooden benches and planters filled with soil. In the center of the roof, a tiled fountain stood empty and silent. “In the summer, flowers bloom up here,” said Uncle Gard, leading them to the far side of the roof. “But even at this time of year, you can enjoy the view.” They gathered beside a huge carved raven that perched on a corner of the roof. The cold afternoon was quickly growing dark, 25 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 25 9/9/09 3:40:26 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt and Samantha could see the lights of the city twinkling like fireflies in the distance. “It’s beautiful up here!” exclaimed Bridget, looking out toward the hills and meadows of Central Park. “We’re high above the trees!” Samantha stood against the rough stone wall and peered down at the street. The people and carriages below looked smaller than she could have imagined. She’d never been up so high before, and she suddenly felt dizzy and sick to her stomach. “It’s beautiful,” she agreed. She tried to sound enthusiastic, but she was careful not to look down again. She was glad when Uncle Gard decided it was too cold to stay outside, and they returned to the apartment. Aunt Cornelia met them in the foyer as they were taking off their coats. She told Bridget and Jenny that their trunk had arrived, and Gertrude was now in their room unpacking it. “Could you go help her?” Aunt Cornelia asked the younger girls. “And make sure you 26 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 26 9/9/09 3:40:26 PM  Above the Trees have all your school clothes and books ready for tomorrow.” Then she smiled. “And there’s a tray of hot chocolate in there to warm you up.” As Bridget and Jenny hurried down the hall to their room, there was a loud knock at the front door. “It’s probably the movers bringing more trunks,” said Uncle Gard. But when Mary answered the door, Samantha saw a broad-shouldered man in a business suit standing with a young lady in a lavender silk dress and a matching feathered hat. The man had gray hair, a jutting jaw, and sharp eyes that seemed to size up the Edwards family at a glance. In a booming voice, he announced that he was Horace Raven, and he introduced his daughter, Eloise. “Won’t you come into the parlor?” asked Aunt Cornelia after the proper introductions were made. As they entered, Samantha noticed that Mr. Raven walked with a limp. Eloise Raven had a pretty smile, and her silk dress was cut in the 27 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 27 9/9/09 3:40:26 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt latest fashion—very snug at the waist, with a full skirt that ended in flounces at the floor. “We just wanted to say hello,” Mr. Raven said as they settled into the blue satin chairs. “I think you’ll be happy here. I don’t want to boast, but...” He proceeded to list all the special features of Ravenscourt, from its storage areas in the cellar to its modern elevators and rooftop garden. “There seem to be several new apartment buildings nearby,” Uncle Gard said conversationally. “I noticed Enderby Towers next door.” “Yes, but Ravenscourt is definitely the finest building in the area,” declared Mr. Raven, going slightly red in the face. “It’s much more luxurious than Enderby’s building, and taller, too.” Then Mr. Raven chuckled slightly. “I don’t mind telling you, I planned it that way. I’ve known Walter Enderby a long time. He was always bragging about what a fine place he had up here. I decided to build right next to 28 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 28 9/9/09 3:40:26 PM  Above the Trees him and show him what a real apartment building should look like.” Eloise Raven leaned forward in her chair, and strands of her auburn hair escaped from her broad-brimmed hat. “We’re very pleased to have your family at Ravenscourt,” she told Uncle Gard. Then she turned to Aunt Cornelia. “I recently graduated from the same school you attended, Mrs. Edwards. I remember when you came back to Miss Penwald’s Academy and gave a talk on women’s suffrage. You were wonderful!” Aunt Cornelia said that she hoped Eloise would come for tea someday. “We could talk about Miss Penwald’s Academy,” she suggested. Samantha was happy to think they were already getting to know their neighbors—and such nice neighbors, too. She looked over at Nellie. She was surprised to see that her friend was biting her lip and eyeing Mr. Raven nervously. What can be wrong? Samantha wondered. 29 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 29 9/9/09 3:40:26 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt Mr. Raven confided to Aunt Cornelia that he was a widower and Eloise was his only child. “I’m sure Eloise would be glad of the society of a lady like yourself, Mrs. Edwards,” he said, looking fondly toward his daughter. “When I travel on business, Eloise often stays here with only Miss Simpson.” “Miss Simpson was my tutor,” Eloise explained. “Now she’s my companion because Father is so often away.” “I travel quite a bit for business, too,” said Uncle Gard. “In fact, I must leave tomorrow for Boston. I’ll return in a week.” “Well,” Mr. Raven boomed, “don’t worry about your family while you’re gone. We have doormen on duty round the clock, and my manager, Mr. Winthrop, is always available, too. Rest assured, Mr. Edwards, your wife and children will be safe at Ravenscourt.” Samantha glanced over at Nellie, wondering whether this would reassure her. Nellie, however, looked even more concerned. When the Ravens got up to leave, Uncle Gard and 30 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 30 9/9/09 3:40:26 PM  Above the Trees Aunt Cornelia walked them to the door. As soon as she and Nellie were alone, Samantha asked Nellie if something was bothering her. “Oh, Samantha!” Nellie blurted out. “I know Mr. Raven. He’s a terrible man. We never should have come here!” “Why?” asked Samantha, more confused than ever. Nellie looked around the parlor, as if afraid someone would overhear. “Let’s go to our room,” she whispered. “I’ll tell you there.” 31 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 31 9/9/09 3:40:26 PM  3 Cursed Samantha followed Nellie back to their bedroom. Apart from a few books that Gertrude had deposited on their bedside tables, none of Samantha’s and Nellie’s personal belongings had arrived yet. The white bedroom looked very tidy, but it felt chilly, and the large fireplace was unlit. Samantha settled down on one of the twin beds and drew its brocade bedspread around her shoulders. “Tell me what’s wrong,” she urged Nellie. For a few minutes, Nellie nervously paced the room. Then she sat down on the bed across from Samantha’s. “It happened when I was about seven,” Nellie began, “back before I even met you, when Dad and Mam were alive, and we were living off Chrystie Street.” 32 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 32 9/9/09 3:40:27 PM  Cursed Samantha nodded, remembering how Nellie had told her about the apartment where the O’Malleys’ family of five had been squeezed into a single room. Nellie went on to explain that across the street from where her family had lived, there was a tenement building owned by Mr. Raven. “Everyone said he was the meanest landlord in the city,” Nellie recalled. “He didn’t care if folks were out of work and their children starving—if they didn’t pay their rent, he turned them out onto the street.” One cold afternoon, Nellie said, she and Bridget were playing hopscotch on the sidewalk when they heard terrible crying. It was coming from an old woman who lived in Mr. Raven’s building. “Her name was Grandma Kildany and she was no more than this tall,” said Nellie, putting her hand up to her own forehead. “But people were scared of her. They said she had the second sight.” “Second sight?” Samantha echoed. Nellie paused, searching for the right words. 33 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 33 9/9/09 3:40:27 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt “Grandma Kildany could see things and know things that other people couldn’t,” she said finally. “Almost like a witch. And her keening that day was the worst thing I’ve ever heard—like all the sadness of the world pouring out of her.” “Why was she crying?” Nellie gulped and then explained that the Kildany family was very poor. The only heat in their apartment came from a coal-burning stove, and they had little money for coal. They had a new baby—Grandma Kildany’s first grandson—who was born early and very small. The family tried hard to keep the tiny infant warm, but no matter how many blankets they wrapped him in, the baby shivered in the cold apartment. One day, his grandmother found him dead in his cradle. “How awful!” Samantha gasped. Nellie nodded. The day after the baby died, she continued, Mr. Raven happened to come knocking at the door, demanding his usual month’s rent. When Grandma Kildany saw the landlord, she flew into a fury. She blamed 34 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 34 9/9/09 3:40:27 PM  Cursed him for her grandson’s death and said he’d be cursed till the end of his days. As he backed away from the furious old woman, Mr. Raven tripped and tumbled down the stairs. “You see how he walks, don’t you?” Nellie asked. “He broke his leg that day, and he still limps. People say that was the beginning of the curse.” Samantha felt a shiver of fear and she drew the bedcover more tightly around her shoulders. Mr. Raven does limp, she told herself. But Grandmary always said it was foolish to believe in superstitions. “Are you sure Mr. Raven is cursed, Nellie?” Before Nellie could answer, there was a quick knock at the bedroom door, which the girls had left ajar. “Come in,” Samantha called out. Mary bustled into the room, carrying a brass bucket filled with large chunks of coal. She began building a fire in the fireplace. “Beggin’ your pardon,” she said as she worked. “But I heard you talkin’ about the curse on Mr. Raven.” 35 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 35 9/9/09 3:40:27 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt “It’s true, isn’t it?” asked Nellie. Mary shook her head sadly. “Surely I’ve heard the story of the Kildany curse often enough,” she said with a soft Irish lilt. “Of course, I can’t say it’s true, for I don’t know that part of town myself. But with everything that’s been happenin’ since, well...” “What’s happened?” Samantha and Nellie asked together. “I shouldn’t be talkin’ about it,” Mary said, hesitating as she bent down and arranged the coal on the hearth. Samantha and Nellie insisted that they wanted to know everything. Finally Mary told them that, since Mr. Raven had been cursed, his wife had died in a carriage crash and one of his buildings had burned down. “Now people are sayin’ Ravenscourt is cursed. One poor worker died when they was buildin’ here. Fell right down the elevator shaft, he did, may he rest in peace.” Mary crossed herself and then heaved a sigh. “’Course, Mr. Raven told everybody it was an accident, but...” Her voice trailed off. 36 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 36 9/9/09 3:40:27 PM  Cursed “But accidents can happen to anyone, can’t they?” said Samantha, trying to convince herself. “Maybe it wasn’t the curse at all.” Mary gave her an odd glance. “Yes, miss, you’re probably right,” she said. Somehow, however, Samantha did not feel reassured. “And surely, anyone could have a new furnace break down twice in one week, too,” said Mary as she straightened up from building the fire. “Ah, well, Mr. Winthrop says it’ll be fixed by morning.” Mary put a match to the fire, and bright flames shot up. “This’ll keep you warm till then.” After Mary left, Nellie sat silently on her bed, her face looking drawn and pinched. “I wish we could leave Ravenscourt this very moment,” she confided to Samantha. “You heard what Mary said—it’s cursed.” Samantha looked around herself uneasily. When she had first seen the white bedroom, she’d thought it looked pretty. Now the room seemed cold and unfriendly. “Do you think we should talk to Uncle Gard?” Samantha asked. 37 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 37 9/9/09 3:40:27 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt Nellie shook her head. “He’d think it was silly.” Samantha nodded. She knew Nellie was right. Uncle Gard believed in scientific facts, not superstitions. He’d probably laugh at rumors of a curse. “If Ravenscourt really is cursed,” Samantha said slowly, “then more bad things will happen here, won’t they?” “Yes,” Nellie agreed. She clasped her arms tightly around herself and shuddered slightly. While Nellie stared into the fire, lost in her own thoughts, Samantha stood up and strolled around the room. Trying to seem as casual as she could, she stepped over to the closet and flung open its door. Except for a few hangers, it was empty. Next Samantha crouched down and, pretending to tighten her bootlaces, looked under the twin beds. There wasn’t even a dust ball on the floor. There’s nothing in here to be scared of, she told herself, and she sat back down on her bed. Her eyes fell on the Sherlock Holmes book, 38 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 38 9/9/09 3:40:27 PM  Cursed The Hound of the Baskervilles, that Gertrude had placed on her bedside table. Samantha had just started reading Sherlock Holmes stories, and the thought of the great detective gave her an idea. “We could be like detectives and watch and see what happens,” she suggested to Nellie. “If we could prove that the building is cursed, Uncle Gard would listen to us.” “I guess so,” said Nellie. She looked away from the fire and her eyes searched Samantha’s face. “But let’s not say anything to Bridget or Jenny. I don’t want to worry them, and—” Just then, the fire popped loudly. Both girls jumped as sparks sprayed onto the hearth. “And let’s be very careful, too,” Nellie continued, and she got up and secured the fire screen in front of the fireplace. “We will be,” Samantha promised. Dinner was served promptly at seven-thirty. A fire blazed in the dining-room fireplace, but the room was still cold. Aunt Cornelia gave each of the girls a warm woolen shawl. “Put these on, 39 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 39 9/9/09 3:40:27 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt and you’ll be snug as bugs,” she advised as they sat down at the long table. The dinner began with a creamy tomato soup, followed by a fish course of fried trout with slivered almonds. As Samantha nibbled her last bit of crispy fish, she decided that Mrs. Calloway was almost as good a cook as Mrs. Bailey at home. Uncle Gard got up during dinner to put more coal on the fire. “Perhaps this building isn’t as up-to-date as Mr. Raven promised us,” he said as they were finishing their main course of roast beef and gravy with mashed potatoes. He reached for Aunt Cornelia’s hand. “Are you sure you and the girls will be all right here while I’m away?” “Women are traveling round the world these days,” Aunt Cornelia said with a laugh. “I’m sure the girls and I can spend a night without central heating—especially since we have these lovely fireplaces.” As Mary brought in generous slices of cinnamon-scented apple pie, everyone heard 40 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 40 9/9/09 3:40:27 PM  Cursed the popping sound of the radiators coming to life. “Well, the boiler must be working again,” Uncle Gard said, looking relieved. “I guess we’re all tired. Let’s enjoy dessert and get a good night’s sleep.” s Samantha and Nellie were so tired that they didn’t talk much after Aunt Cornelia tucked them into bed. Samantha huddled under her covers and tried not to think about the curse. She was just drifting off to sleep when she heard the click of the door opening. Bridget tiptoed into the room and over to her sister’s bed. “Nellie!” she whispered. “Are you awake?” “Now I am,” Nellie said groggily. “What’s wrong?” “It’s Jenny,” Bridget said urgently. “She’s crying, and she wants you.” “All right,” Nellie whispered back. “But let’s be quiet so we don’t wake up Samantha.” Samantha listened to them tiptoe out. She 41 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 41 9/9/09 3:40:27 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt heard the muffled sounds of sobs coming from the next room. Maybe I can help comfort Jenny, too, she thought. She loves to hear fairy tales. Samantha eased out from under her covers, pulled on her robe, and slipped down the hall to Bridget and Jenny’s room. As she was about to open the door, she heard Jenny say, “Sing it just the way Mam used to, Nellie.” Then she heard Nellie softly begin an Irish melody. Samantha paused. She remembered that sometimes, when the younger girls were very upset, all they wanted to hear were Nellie’s stories of their parents and the lullabies their mother used to sing. They’ve been sisters all their lives, but I’ve only been their sister less than a year, Samantha told herself. Maybe they want to be alone together. With a heavy heart, she went back to her room and tried to get warm under the covers. Sleep was just stealing over her again when she heard a soft scrabbling behind her head. She bolted upright, her heart pounding. Thoughts raced through her head... the curse 42 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 42 9/9/09 3:40:28 PM  Cursed on Mr. Raven... the worker who had died in the elevator shaft. Could someone—or something—be inside the walls, struggling to get out? 43 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 43 9/9/09 3:40:28 PM  4 A Warning Samantha sat still in the darkness, listening. Then she heard it again—a soft scrabbling that sounded like fingers grasping for a hold. A shiver ran down her back. She felt as if long cold hands were reaching out to grab her from behind. She vaulted out of bed and headed for the door. Then she paused, her hand on the doorknob. She wanted to join Nellie in Bridget and Jenny’s room. But what if the younger girls had finally fallen asleep? She could knock on Aunt Cornelia and Uncle Gard’s door. But she didn’t want to disturb them, either. As she stood wondering what to do, Samantha heard the scrabbling again. Now it sounded farther away—as if it were coming from the ceiling near the fireplace. She gathered 44 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 44 9/9/09 3:40:28 PM  A Warning her courage and switched on the light. For a moment, the sound stopped. Samantha held her breath, hoping that, whatever it was, it had gone away. Then she heard it again. But now that the room was lit, the soft noise didn’t sound nearly as frightening as it had in the dark. It reminded Samantha of the time a squirrel had gnawed its way into the attic of Grandmary’s house in Mount Bedford. A squirrel! Samantha thought with relief. That’s what it must be. Comforted by this thought, Samantha kept the light on but returned to bed. I’ll just lie here and wait for Nellie, she thought. s The next thing she knew, it was morning. It was raining outside, but light filtered through the white curtains. Nellie’s bed was still empty, and Samantha guessed she’d spent the whole night in Bridget and Jenny’s room. Samantha 45 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 45 9/9/09 3:40:28 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt quickly dressed in her school clothes and followed the smell of bacon and coffee to the dining room. There she found Aunt Cornelia and Uncle Gard at the table. Uncle Gard was wearing a business suit and was finishing his last bit of poached eggs. Aunt Cornelia was still in her dressing gown, and she had not yet eaten her eggs and bacon. She looked as if she hadn’t slept well. When Uncle Gard saw Samantha, he smiled. “You’re up bright and early, Sam! I was just about to leave to catch my train.” He pushed away his plate. “Want to come down to the lobby and see me off?” After Uncle Gard kissed Aunt Cornelia good-bye, he and Samantha walked together toward the elevators. When the first elevator arrived, they were the only passengers, and the elevator operator looked half-asleep. “I’m glad to have a chance to talk with you this morning, Sam,” said Uncle Gard as the elevator doors closed. He looked so serious that Samantha wondered if she had done something wrong. 46 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 46 9/9/09 3:40:28 PM  A Warning “It’s about Aunt Cornelia,” Uncle Gard continued in a low tone. “She’s been rather tired lately. We must help her get more rest. If you and the other girls have little problems while I’m gone this week, try to solve them yourselves. Try not to trouble your aunt, all right?” Have we been bothering Aunt Cornelia too much? Samantha worried. “We’ll be on our best behavior,” she promised Uncle Gard. “We won’t trouble her at all.” “Good girl!” Uncle Gard said, patting her on the shoulder. “I knew I could count on you.” It was still raining hard outside, so Uncle Gard hugged Samantha in the lobby, and then she waved good-bye to him from behind the lobby’s glass doors. When Samantha turned to go back upstairs, she noticed that Martin, the redheaded doorman, was on duty again in the lobby. He stepped forward. “Let me get the elevator for you,” he offered. His jacket was damp from the rain and his hair was tousled. As he pushed the button, Samantha noticed a red mark like a 47 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 47 9/9/09 3:40:28 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt slash across the back of his right hand. “Did you hurt yourself?” she asked. “Oh, no,” Martin said, quickly putting his hand in his pocket. “It’s only a little cut.” While they waited for the elevator, Martin asked how Samantha and her family liked Ravenscourt so far. “It’s very nice,” she said politely. “No problems, I hope?” Martin inquired. Samantha hesitated. “Well, the heat wasn’t working last night,” she told him. “And then there was the squirrel.” “Squirrel?” Martin looked confused. “In the building?” “Yes, last night—” Samantha began, but just then the elevator’s cage-like doors opened and Mr. Winthrop stepped out. He looked immaculate in a carefully pressed black suit, starched shirt, and white gloves. He drew out his pocket watch and glanced at it significantly. “Mr. Ayresworth is waiting for his taxi,” Mr. Winthrop said in his dignified English accent. “Please see to it, Martin.” 48 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 48 9/9/09 3:40:28 PM  A Warning Samantha got into the elevator and asked the operator for the twelfth floor. She enjoyed the giddy feeling of soaring upward. I like being up high, she decided. As long as I don’t have to look down. Smiling, Samantha stepped off the elevator. As the elevator’s doors closed behind her, she turned and saw the brass plaque. Over the engraved 12th Floor, a huge 13 was now scrawled in red. It looked as if blood were dripping down the shiny brass. “Oh!” Samantha exclaimed. She felt her stomach coil with fear. She wanted to run to Aunt Cornelia, but she remembered her promise to Uncle Gard. Maybe I can clean it up myself, Samantha thought reluctantly. She took out her handkerchief and dabbed cautiously at the plaque. She was relieved to find that the red liquid looked and smelled like paint, not blood. Samantha reached up to wipe off a little more. The liquid was sticky, and it smeared her handkerchief. 49 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 49 9/9/09 3:40:29 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt “What are you doing?” a young woman’s voice demanded. Samantha turned and saw Eloise Raven. She was dressed in a dark green coat and hat, and she had a small brown and white terrier on a leash. The dog yipped excitedly at Samantha. Samantha explained that she was trying to clean up the sign. Miss Raven strode up to the plaque and stared at it for a moment. Then she took a deep breath and asked, “How long has this been here?” “Uncle Gard and I didn’t see it when we walked to the elevator a little while ago,” Samantha said. “So someone just did it,” Miss Raven concluded. “Wait here. I’ll take Juno home and get some things from my art supplies.” Miss Raven disappeared into her apartment. She returned without the dog, but with several rags and a jar of strong-smelling paint remover. “Who would do something like this?” Samantha wondered aloud as she helped Miss Raven dampen the rags with paint remover. 50 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 50 9/9/09 3:40:29 PM  A Warning “Someone who wants to hurt my father!” Miss Raven exclaimed angrily. She took a rag and rubbed at the red paint. “But they’re not going to get away with it this time.” “Miss Raven?” Samantha asked hesitantly. “Have there been other...”—she tried to think of the right word—“um, other things happening in the building?” Miss Raven nodded. “You may call me Eloise,” she directed. “And yes, there have been some other incidents.” Samantha wondered what the other “incidents” were, but she was afraid to ask. She kept scrubbing at the paint, and in a few minutes she and Eloise had wiped the brass plaque clean. Eloise gathered up the stained rags and then turned to Samantha. “If you see other mean tricks like this, would you tell me?” “Yes,” Samantha agreed, wondering what other mean tricks she might discover. “I’d appreciate, though, if you wouldn’t mention what you saw here to the residents 51 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 51 9/9/09 3:40:29 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt of other apartments,” Eloise added. “There are enough rumors going around already.” A mean trick, that’s all it was, Samantha told herself as she walked back to her apart- ment. Then it occurred to her that Ravens- court didn’t include the ground floor in its numbering system. The floor above the lobby was numbered One, the floor above that Two, and so on. If the ground floor were counted, this would be the thirteenth floor, she realized. Samantha had often heard that the number thirteen was unlucky. Now worry filled her stomach like a lump of ice swallowed whole. Are we really living on the thirteenth floor of a cursed building? she wondered as she entered her apartment. Inside, Samantha found that Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny were all dressed and ready for school. Cornelia, still in her dressing gown, smiled and said she hoped they would have a good day. Gertrude sourly told the girls to hurry up, as she was going to escort them to school. On the way down to the lobby, Nellie, 52 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 52 9/9/09 3:40:29 PM  A Warning Bridget, and Jenny giggled as the elevator stopped at various floors to pick up passengers. “This is fun!” Bridget whispered as the elevator started again after picking up a man on the fourth floor. Gertrude, however, shook her head dolefully. “You can’t trust these modern inventions!” she muttered under her breath. She clutched the handrail until the elevator lurched to a halt on the main floor. When they reached the lobby doors, Martin held an umbrella over their heads and walked them to a tall, black horse-drawn carriage. Since Ravenscourt was far from the girls’ schools, Uncle Gard had arranged for the hired carriage to drive them every day. Samantha’s school was closest, and the driver would drop her off first. He would stop at Bridget and Jenny’s school next, and then take Nellie to her school. In the afternoon, the order would be reversed. On this chilly morning, the taxi driver steered his horses carefully through the busy traffic as rain lashed at the roof of the carriage. The streets 53 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 53 9/9/09 3:40:29 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt were so crowded that it took almost an hour for the carriage to reach Samantha’s school. “Mind you look for the carriage at the end of the day!” Gertrude said curtly as Samantha stepped down from the passenger compartment. “Good-bye!” called Nellie, Bridget, and Jenny. The school day passed slowly for Samantha. When she tried to do her multiplication problems, all she could think about was the dripping red 13. And when the class was reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Samantha shivered as she read, “Certain it is, the place still continues under the sway of some witching power.” Can a place really be cursed? she wondered. By the end of the day, the rain had stopped but the sky was still gray. While other children hurried home, Samantha waited anxiously in the schoolyard for the hired carriage. When it finally arrived, only Nellie was sitting inside it. “Where are the others?” Samantha asked as she climbed in. With a solemn face, Nellie told her that 54 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 54 9/9/09 3:40:29 PM  A Warning they’d gone to drop off Bridget and Jenny in the morning, but the doors to the younger girls’ school had been locked. A sign outside the school had announced that there was an outbreak of chicken pox among the students. By order of the health officials, the school had been temporarily closed until further notice. “The first thing Gertrude wanted to know was whether my sisters and I had already had chicken pox,” Nellie said. “I know I had it when I was little—Mam told me I called it ‘chicken box.’ But I don’t know about Bridget and Jenny. I’m not sure they were even born then.” “I had it when I was six years old,” Samantha recalled. “I remember Grandmary giving me rice pudding because there were pox inside my throat and I couldn’t eat anything else.” “Oh, Samantha, what if Bridget and Jenny catch chicken pox?” said Nellie. She nervously twisted her handkerchief in her hands. “What if we’re all under the Ravenscourt curse?” Samantha remembered how Nellie’s parents had both died of the flu. She tried to comfort 55 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 55 9/9/09 3:40:29 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt her friend. “Don’t worry,” she said kindly. “Bridget and Jenny aren’t sick yet, are they?” “No,” said Nellie. “They seemed fine this morning.” “And even if they do catch chicken pox, they’ll surely get better soon,” Samantha reassured her. “You and I had it, and we’re fine.” “Maybe you’re right,” said Nellie. She looked out the carriage window and watched the city traffic pass by. “I only hope nothing else happens at Ravenscourt.” Samantha bit her lip. Nellie, noticing her silence, turned back to her. “Something else has happened, hasn’t it?” Reluctantly, Samantha told her about the number thirteen on the sign. “When Eloise and I wiped it off, it was paint—not blood or any- thing like that,” Samantha concluded. “Eloise said someone was just playing a mean trick.” “Who would want to do that?” Nellie asked. “And how would they do it? It would be hard for someone to sneak inside the 56 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 56 9/9/09 3:40:29 PM  A Warning building. The doormen would stop anyone they didn’t know.” “That’s true,” said Samantha, and then she had a terrible thought. “What if it’s someone who lives in the building? Or works there?” For a few minutes the girls rode along in silence. Samantha stared down at her hands. There was red paint under one of her nails, left from when she had cleaned the sign. She remembered the slash of red on Martin’s hand that morning, and she told Nellie about it. “He said it was a cut,” Samantha added. “But it could have been paint. Do you think he could be the one who’s trying to scare us?” “He seems nice,” Nellie said hesitantly. “Yes,” Samantha agreed. “But if we’re going to be detectives, we should keep an eye on him. We should watch anyone at Ravenscourt who acts suspiciously.” “What if the ‘13’ wasn’t painted by a person?” asked Nellie as the carriage pulled up in front of Ravenscourt. “What if the building really is cursed?” 57 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 57 9/9/09 3:40:29 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt Samantha looked up at the massive building. Outlined against the gray sky, the carved ravens stared down at her from the rooftop. “It can’t be cursed,” she told Nellie, trying to sound brave. But inside, she felt a shiver of fear. 58 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 58 9/9/09 3:40:29 PM  5 Sudden Departure As Samantha and Nellie dressed for school the next morning, they could hear laughter coming from Bridget and Jenny’s room. Samantha was glad the younger girls weren’t sick, but she felt a little envious that they could stay home from school. I wish I could play all day today! she thought as she buttoned up her high boots. When Samantha and Nellie were ready to leave, Gertrude told them they would be allowed to travel in the hired carriage by themselves. “You are both big girls,” she said. “I know you can be trusted.” Privately, Samantha wondered whether Gertrude really trusted them—or if the house- keeper just wanted to avoid the elevator. Either 59 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 59 9/9/09 3:40:30 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt way, though, she and Nellie were happy to be on their own. They were swinging their arms cheerfully as they walked down the hall together—until they reached the brass sign by the elevator. Samantha looked at Nellie. Yesterday afternoon, Nellie had avoided even glancing at the plaque, as if she were afraid that the curse might somehow rub off on her. Now Nellie was studying it, but she was careful to keep about five feet away. Samantha walked up to the plaque. It still smelled of paint remover. “It seems all right now,” she said. “There are just a few traces of paint left, here on the side. Eloise and I must have missed them.” Nellie gestured at the wood floor under the plaque. “Was there paint on the floor yesterday?” “No, at least none that I saw.” Samantha looked down. “I don’t see any now, either.” “Neither do I,” Nellie said slowly. “But if somebody stood here and painted a big red 60 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 60 9/9/09 3:40:30 PM  Sudden Departure ‘13’ on the sign, don’t you think some paint would have dripped, especially if the person was working fast?” Samantha ran her hand over the smooth brass. It was hard and shiny—not the kind of surface that would easily absorb paint. “I guess you’re right. It probably would’ve dripped.” “But it didn’t,” said Nellie, looking around anxiously. She took a step backward. “Samantha, this must be a sign of the curse. Thirteen always means bad luck.” Samantha moved away from the plaque, too. She jumped when she heard the elevator doors open just a few feet away. The redheaded doorman, Martin, stepped off the elevator carrying a package wrapped in brown paper. He seemed surprised to see the girls, but he tipped his cap and said good morning. Then he headed down the hall toward the Ravens’ apartment. He turned the corner. The girls heard him knock on the door and call out, “Delivery for Miss Raven!” Samantha and Nellie looked at each other. 61 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 61 9/9/09 3:40:30 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt “Remember the red mark on his hand yesterday?” Samantha whispered. Nellie nodded. Then, as if they could read each other’s thoughts, both girls ran down the corridor. They ducked into the short hall that led to their apartment, hiding behind the corner so Martin wouldn’t see them. A moment later, they heard a door close and footsteps coming down the wide corridor. Suddenly the footsteps came to a halt. “What do you think he’s doing?” Nellie whispered. Samantha felt her heart pounding. “I don’t know.” Ever so carefully, the girls ventured to look around the corner. Samantha saw Martin standing halfway down the corridor. His back was to them, and he was examining the brass plaque. Samantha quickly ducked back behind the corner. Nellie drew back in, too. They heard more footsteps, and then the sound of an elevator arriving. Martin said something to 62 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 62 9/9/09 3:40:30 PM  Sudden Departure the operator. Only after they heard the elevator doors close again did the girls venture out from their hiding place. “Did you see how he was looking at the sign?” Samantha asked Nellie as they walked back toward the elevator alcove. “He must know about the ‘13’—but how?” “Maybe Miss Raven told him about it,” Nellie suggested. “Maybe,” Samantha agreed. Her heart was still thudding in her chest. “But she asked me to keep it a secret. Why would she tell the doorman?” Samantha shook her head. “Some- thing strange is going on.” She paused, took a deep breath, and then stepped up to examine the plaque more closely. “Look,” she said to Nellie, who still stayed several feet away. “It’s hanging from hooks— like a picture. Someone could have taken it off the wall and painted it, then put it up again later. That would explain why there’s no paint on the floor here.” Nellie bit her lip. “I guess so,” she agreed. 63 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 63 9/9/09 3:40:30 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt “But whoever painted it must have been right here in the building yesterday morning,” Samantha continued. She and Nellie looked at each other. One name was on their minds: Martin. “We don’t know anything for sure,” Nellie reminded her. “Yes,” Samantha agreed. “But seeing Martin here could be our first real clue. We know he was in the building yesterday—I saw him in the lobby. And he had the red mark on his hand.” Samantha pressed the Down button by the elevators, and when the first car arrived, they took it to the ground floor. Martin had returned to the lobby, and Samantha noticed that he was tall—over six feet—and looked athletic. She guessed that he easily could have carried the large brass plaque. She tried to see whether there was still a red mark on his right hand, but this morning he was wearing white gloves. It was drizzling outside, and Martin again held an umbrella for the girls as he helped them into their carriage. “Have a good day 64 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 64 9/9/09 3:40:30 PM  Sudden Departure at school!” he said, smiling. Samantha felt suddenly ashamed of her suspicions. Martin wouldn’t have done such a mean thing, she told herself. But if he didn’t, who did? s At school, Samantha told herself not to think about the mysterious events at Ravenscourt. There’s no such thing as the curse of Ravenscourt— and no other bad things will happen, she tried to convince herself. When she and Nellie returned to the apart- ment, however, Gertrude met them at the door. Her mouth was set in a tight frown. “Bridget and Jenny have both come down with chicken pox,” the housekeeper said grimly as she took the girls’ coats. The color drained from Nellie’s face. “Oh, no! Can we get a doctor?” Aunt Cornelia came into the foyer. “Dr. Brickfield was here a few hours ago, Nellie dear,” she reassured her. “He said we shouldn’t 65 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 65 9/9/09 3:40:30 PM  The Curse of R avenscourt be too concerned—chicken pox is usually not a serious illness in children.” Samantha thought she saw a flicker of worry pass over Aunt Cornelia’s face, but a moment later it was gone. “What they need most is rest, and they’re in their beds right now,” Aunt Cornelia added. She smiled at Nellie and Samantha. “Since you girls have already had chicken pox, you may go visit them.” Samantha and Nellie hurried to the younger girls’ room. Samantha saw that Bridget had red blotchy spots scattered over her face, and her brown curls lay in damp ringlets. Jenny had only a few spots, but her blue eyes looked dull and tired. “How are you?” Nellie asked anxiously. “Have you been eating at all?” “Oh, yes,” said Bridget, smiling weakly. “Gertrude has been bringing us soups and jellies and puddings—anything we wanted. She’s been so nice.” “Gertrude?” Samantha echoed. “Aye,” said Mary, who came into the room 66 AS_F2248_Pages.indd 66 9/9/09 3:40:30 PM  Sudden Departure carrying two bowls of rice pudding. “She’s been fussin’ over the girls all day. Says she can’t stand to see a sick child suffer.” Samantha shook her head in amazement. It was hard to imagine grumpy old Gertrude being nice. Samantha tried to think of some- thing to entertain the sick girls. “Do you want to play cards?” she asked them. “Or dominoes?” Nellie offered. Both the younger girls said they were too tired to play a game. “Will you sing me one of