Oh, she told me right away, when she came. “What’s wrong?” She was out of breath.
I didn’t say anything until she came closer. “With me? I must have made a strange face. Do I show it?”
“You’re as white as a sheet. You look terrible.”
I thought about it; I could tell her the truth. I held her hand tightly for a moment, enjoying the feeling of her being close to me. There was comfort in the surprise on her shy face. “You came to get me for church, of course, but I can’t go.”
“Did something happen?”
“Yes. You need to know now. Did I look very strange?”
“Through this window? Terrible!”
“Well,” I said, “I’ve been scared. What you saw from the dining room a minute ago was similar to what I saw. But what I saw was much worse.”
Her hand tightened. “What was it?”
“A strange man. Looking in.”
“What strange man?”
“I don’t know at all.”
Mrs. Grose looked around but couldn’t find him. “Then where did he go?”
“I have no idea.”
“Have you seen him before?”
“Yes, once. On the old tower.”
“Do you mean he’s a stranger?”
“Oh, very much!”
“Yet you didn’t tell me?”
“No, for reasons. But now that you’ve guessed—”
“Ah, I didn’t guess!” she said simply. “You’ve only seen him on the tower?”
“And on this spot just now.”
Mrs. Grose looked around again. “What was he doing on the tower?”
“Just standing there and looking down at me.”
She thought for a moment. “Was he a gentleman?”
I realized I didn’t need to think. “No.” She looked in deeper wonder.
“No.”
“Then nobody around? Nobody from the village?”
“Nobody—nobody. I didn’t tell you, but I was sure.”
“But if he’s not a gentleman—”
“What is he? He’s a horror.”
“A horror?”
“He’s—God help me, I have no idea!”
Mrs. Grose looked around again, then she turned to me and suddenly said, “It’s time for us to go to church.”
“Oh, I can’t go to church!”
“Won’t it be good for you?”
“It won’t be good for them!” I nodded[25] toward the house.
“The children?”
“I can’t leave them now.”
“You’re afraid—?”
“I’m afraid of him.”
“When was it—on the tower?”
“About in the middle of the month. Around this time.”
“Almost in the dark?” asked Mrs. Grose.
“Oh, no, not nearly. I saw him as clearly as I see you.”
“So how did he get in?”
“And how did he get out?” I laughed. “I didn’t have a chance to ask him! Tonight, you see,” I continued, “he hasn’t been able to get in.”