But the horror? The horror was for love.

CRIMSON PEAK (2015) dir. Guillermo del Torro

Crimson Peak (2015) dir. Guillermo del Toro

A now-familiar sadness crossed his features, followed by a masculine hunger. “You're so different,” he murmured, still touching her. Studying her as if memorizing her.

🎃👻🎃 31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN 🎃👻🎃 

22/31: Crimson Peak (2015) dir. Guillermo del Toro

A/N: Requests from three anons. Sir Thomas Sharpe is back in time for Halloween! And he will be back for more after too. Enjoy, everyone! ;-)

Words: 2277 Warnings: fluff and smut, mentions of ghosts

“Are you quite mad? Do not look at him like that, you are a maid! Not a potential wife…” The chef shook her head. She had a habit of chiding you but how else were you supposed to look at him? Sir Thomas Sharpe was everything a woman could ask for in a man.

He was an attractive and kind gentleman, wealthy, gentle and intelligent. He never raised his voice in an argument during all those balls you had secretly watched him at all the while serving drinks in an unflattering gown.

“Sorry…” You whispered, accepting the plate filled with little appetisers she was handing you. Another night for you to keep your head down and feign respect for all those rich bastards. Sir Thomas was different—you knew he was. He said Please and Thank you and he would always make eye contact when you served him. And quite recently, his tender blue gaze would linger just a little longer. Not long enough for anyone in the room, let alone his harsh sister Lucille to notice but long enough for your heart to flutter in your chest whenever you were in his presence.

Sir Thomas Sharpe owned Allerdale Hall. You knew he lived there with his sister, working day and night to build a clay mining business to restore the old mansion. They said it was haunted and it had hence captured your attention ever since.

There wasn’t much to do as a maid. You rarely got days off and even when you did, you did not have the money to head out and experience society the way the wealthy did. Your wages sufficed for a pie at the local pub every other month or so, if anything. And so, your hobbies were of a more affordable nature—such as your fascination for ghosts.

He recognised you now. He recognised you from when you travelled all the way to Allerdale Hall by foot to explore the landscape and see for yourself if you could spot any kind of paranormal activity. He’d seen you, probably thinking you were spying or begging for food and money, prompting you to flee before he could stop you or utter a single word.

Tonight was going to be different. It was All Hallow’s Eve and the highest members of society had dressed up in fancy costumes—most of them were even wearing masks.

You were not only flustered to look him in the eye now but also scared that he would call you out. The reputation of this house would sink massively if a maid was caught spying somewhere, even if that wasn’t what you had been doing.

-

Avoiding him went surprisingly well for the first half of the evening. Thomas Sharpe was charming—everyone wanted to speak to him—not so much to his sister though, her cold eyes glaring down every woman who came near him. Perhaps she was just protective? Wanting the best possible choice for her brother when it came to marriage? You sighed, turning away before you could get caught staring again.

“Excuse me? Would you mind bringing me and my sister another glass of champagne, dear?” You froze. It was his voice. Oh no…

Stammering, you spun around, tempted to just flee. It wasn’t just recognition you saw in his warm blue eyes though. It was kindness, along with… affection?

Surely, you were hallucinating now. You had fallen head over heels for this man despite never actually having spoken to him. So how was this possible? This was your imagination. Your mind playing a trick on you, it must have been!

And the fact that he did not utter a single word about spotting you on his property made you fall for him all the more.

“O-of course… I’ll bring it to you straight away!” Hurrying away to heed his request, you took a deep breath once you were out of sight. His voice… like smooth honey and his warm and charming gaze… oh, stop! You were just a maid! There was no way this man would ever take an interest in you…

When you returned with the requested drinks, Thomas was speaking with the owner of the house.

“It’s been quite busy tonight, has it not?” He was just saying. “Surely, your maids deserve a break after all the hard work.” Thomas gave you a warm smile, making your heart skip a beat.

“They’re used to it.”

“I’m sure they are.” He turned to you. “Allow me to escort you.”

Your heart skipped a beat and while your lips parted, Lucille’s face distorted with utter dismay.

“Thomas?”

“I will be right back, Lucille.”

His smile was genuine too when he offered you his arm and led you through the crowd, through one of the side entrances into the dark garden that was eerily quiet at this time of the day.

“Sir… I appreciate the gesture but I don’t think it’s appropriate for a man of your status to be seen with a simple maid on his arm.”

“Is a maid not a beautiful woman as well? A woman who does not fear hard work?” Your lips parted once more. Had he just called you beautiful?

“Will you tell me your name?” He asked gently once you reached the calming darkness of the garden, away from curious ears and disapproving looks.

You told him, too timid to look him in the eye even if you could barely see him away from the many candles lighting up the house.

“A beautiful name. I take it you know who I am but still, allow me to introduce myself to you. I am Thomas.”

“Sir, I can’t possibly call you by your first name.”

“Please. I insist. It’s alright.” He spoke your name then, sending pleasant shivers through you. The pause that followed was peaceful—not at all uncomfortable.

“You… I saw you. What were you doing at Allerdale Hall the other day? Did you need something? Help?” Oh. Oh no. So he had wanted to wait until you were in private to confront you?

“I… I am so sorry, Sir.”

“Thomas, please.”

“T-Thomas… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to… I wasn’t spying, I promise, I just… there aren’t a great many pleasures for a maid. I cannot afford expensive hobbies but I take… I take a huge interest in paranormal occurrences.” You confessed. “I heard Allerdale Hall is haunted and I… I wanted to see for myself.”

“Ghosts…” Thomas smiled. “There have indeed been incidents my sister and I have been unable to explain.” Another pause, your heart in your mouth when he smiled at you… almost timidly this time.

You shivered when he said your name yet again. “The truth is, I am smitten by you. I have been for quite a while. With every celebration, I would always look forward to seeing you rush around the ballroom to offer drinks and appetisers.”

Your lips parted. Were you dreaming? You had known Sir Thomas Sharpe for several months now. There was no way he would desire a maid he had never spoken to before. Well, until tonight.

“Forgive me my straightforwardness. But am I correct when I say you too stole glances at me?”

He stepped closer, noticing how the cold was beginning to take a toll on you. The darkness of the night had wrapped itself around you both like a blanket and yet, it was bitterly cold.

His gentle gaze asked for permission before he took a hold of both your upper arms and pulled you closer towards him, his face remaining only mere inches from yours.

“I want you to be mine with every fibre of my being.” He whispered. Tears were burning in your eyes upon hearing his words. You were touched, honoured and… hopelessly in love. “Come with me to Allerdale Hall.”

“No… I… Thomas… I want this. I want you, more than anything! But this isn’t right… a maid and a baronet… they will come for me. Society will banish me. What about your sister?”

“My sister… Lucille does not know. I am aware of the risks and I know that I am asking way too much of you. But if you came to Allerdale Hall as a maid… to serve us… then sooner or later we would find a way. And I would get to marry you.”

It was much. It was too much. His confession, his offer to live in a haunted place, a rich mansion of all places and to be his maid while you secretly shared a bond made of unconditional love? It was insane and yet… you found yourself nodding, allowing him to seal your plan with a tender kiss.

-

“I am going to the post office. There are letters that are in need of my signature. By the time I am back, I expect the kitchen to be all clean.”

Lucille hated you. A few weeks had gone by since Thomas had “bought” you from your previous boss and you had moved in with the Sharpes. Perhaps she suspected something. The secret glances, the coy smiles, the subtle touches.

Thomas had let you in on his most sacred and most terrifying secret—that he and Lucille had been romantically involved, that they had shared intimacy despite being related this closely. And that Lucille had been planning on using his charm to get him to marry women from wealthy families and poison them to return Allerdale Hall to its former glory.

Now thanks to you, it was as good as new. Anything you had been able to clean and tidy up, you had taken care of—and Thomas trusting you with the darkness that lay heavily over his family’s legacy made you love him all the more.

You loved visiting him in his workshop in the attic, too. It was usually late at night when Lucille would head to bed that you would sneak out of your small room and join him up there to steal kisses, touches and the most heavenly sex you could ever have imagined having.

Society would frown upon you if only they knew you had lost your virginity to a man you were not yet married to. But you would do it again. Over and over again, you would remember his hands all over your body, his sweet kisses and his lustful thrusts back in that dark garden where he asked you to become his…

You bit your lower lip, breathing out when the entrance door fell shut and you were certain that Lucille had gone. You still had some laundry to do before you could get started with the kitchen, else she would be mad the sheets were wrinkly.

Folding them up neatly, you lost yourself in your memories of Thomas above you, caressing you and worshipping your body until you suddenly heard the door of the storage room open behind you.

A pair of big hands grabbed your waist, pulling you close against a strong body. Thomas buried his face in the crook of your neck, inhaling your scent deeply.

“Thomas…” You whispered, his name leaving your lips like a prayer.

“She should be gone for two hours.” He said, his fingers grabbing fistfuls of the beautiful dress he had bought you and pushing it up until he had revealed your knickers. They came off fast, along with him unbuttoning his trousers and his own underwear.

Thomas leaned against the cupboard, one of his hands wrapping around your waist, the other stroking your breasts, one at a time. His waiting erection pressed against your bare butt cheeks and when he aligned himself with your entrance, finding you wet and wanton for him, a moan escaped your lips.

“Carried away by your fantasies, my love?”

“Always…” You choked out, gasping when he pushed inside and pressed you even further against the counter. You were trapped between him and the hard piece of furniture as he rocked into you all the while whispering sweet nothings into your ear, and when his hand slid down to where your bodies had joined, his fingers finding your clit and caressing it with circular movements that had you melt in his arms, you moaned. Over and over again, with every eager and hungry thrust until the entire storage room smelled of sex and desire.

Thomas knew which buttons to press, so to speak. He was an incredibly skilled and considerate lover and he never found his release without giving you yours first. He knew you were close when you pushed against his hand, your hips moving in unison and when you came, you clenched around him rhythmically, your tight walls gripping his length so tightly the baronet couldn’t help but give in to his orgasm as well. His warm seed filled you up until it came dribbling down your inner thighs.

Thomas jerked inside of you, dragging his climax out for as long as he could before cradling you in his arms.

“Tonight.” He murmured once you had both come down from your high and you could feel him soften inside of you. “We are leaving tonight. Lucille thinks I will take a trip to London for more advanced machinery parts. But you will come with me to assist me. In reality…”

He turned you around gently so you would face him. “In reality, I am going to take you to a church to marry you. No one—not even my sister—will be able to break that bond. I found a cottage just outside of London, in the east. We will find shelter there for the night. For privacy… and our wedding night.”

-

A/N: If you enjoyed this story, I would appreciate it so much if you supported me on Kofi! ♥ ko-fi.com/sserpente Big hug!

Helena Masellis

Mystery, Murders & Manor houses

@marzipanandminutiae I believe you requested this

Looks like the variants all got together

(No idea who made this but it's awesome)

This nightgown arrived today!

It's a temporary outfit until the commissioned one is done, but I love it! ❤

Lucille Sharpe: the epitome of gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss

Portrait Study of Young Edith (Crimson Peak 2015)

Artist note: Been wanting to do more portrait paintings, and I always loved the aesthetic of crimson peak. The funeral scene with young Edith was beautifully heart-wrenching. This movie has such wonderful cinematography.

Diluc, but from Crimson Peak. 

Inktober Day 20 - Sir Thomas Sharpe

you know what? fuck you [un-monstrouses your love]

forbideen knowledge

don’t know what this is about but im game

CRIMSON PEAK 2015, dir. Guillermo del Toro

a story, with ghosts in it 🕯

YELLOW/GOLD in Period Drama Costuming Appreciation

Crimson Peak (2015) costume design by Kate Hawley Black Sails (2014-2017) costume design by Tim Aslam In the Mood for Love (2000) costume design by William Chang Dance of the 41 (2020) costume design by Kika Lopes Poldark (2015-2019) costume design by Marianne Agertoft Fargo (2014- ) costume design by J.R. Hawbaker The Green Knight (2021) costume design by Malgosia Turzanska Dickinson (2019-2021) costume design by Jennifer Moeller