Chapter Text
It wasn't usual for Bianca Pellegrini to show up at parties, but when she did, she brought all the gossip with her. And it was always, always true. The Italian woman and her husband, Stefano Russo, liked visiting from time to time their house in Paris, and everyone knew not to miss any party they were going to.
Miss Pellegrini was a beautiful tall brunette woman, always the best dressed in the room. About to enter her 40s, many men regretted not making a move before her now-husband did. Most people agreed they were a strange couple. Stefano only shared with his wife their gorgeousness, for they were complete opposites. Where his wife was a loud, sociable woman, he liked staying on the side at events, never talking much.
Both of them attended the weekly gathering at the Dupont house, of course. Miss Charlotte Dupont, an English lady, had chosen to take her husband's name. She was proud of the Dupont name, of the Dupont house, and of the Dupont parties. And she loved talking about everything her husband did, of course.
"You see my dear Bianca," she said, as both women chatted surrounded by some family friends of the Duponts "you and your husband should sell your house here in Paris. You barely use it, and I'm sure many families would love to enjoy it! And, whenever you come, you can rent one of my Louis' apartments. Dupont quality, I assure you! Isn't it a good offer?"
"Oh, Lotte... It would be a good offer, but not at the current conditions!" Miss Pellegrini laughed softly, one of those laughs that could make any man faint (or woman, or in between, would joke Stefano on one of his good days). This alone would have made the people close make attention, but along with the comment, it made everyone listen to what the ladies were saying.
"Oh my! What are the current conditions?"
"The curse, of course! Haven't you heard? Apparently, a woman died in one of the apartments, didn't she?"
"Oh dear, many people die Miss Pellegrini." Said Louis Dupont, sitting next to his wife with a champagne glass "That's hardly our fault, is it? We do our best to provide gas, water, and all the like. Our job as landlords is not to keep our tenants alive."
"Unless you kill them yourself, of course"
Stefano was standing on the other side of the room, against the wall. He made that comment with absolute seriousness, drinking a bit of wine after saying it. It was rumored that he had connections with the Rossi family, but her wife quickly denied it every time. She was the only person to laugh at that, as the others paled.
"He's just like that, my Stefano and his dark jokes." Clarified Bianca, as she always did "Forgive him, forgive him. He's very sweet. But I wasn't talking about any of that, no. I was talking about the ghost."
"A ghost? Oh, I love ghost stories! Tell us immediately Bianca, I'm begging you!"
"Lady Dupont, please-"
"Oh shut up Monsieur Garnier. Please, Bianca, tell." Miss Pellegrini laughed again
"Well... They say this woman was buried on the garden of one of your apartments. Ever since, she's trapped at the building, and she roams around, hunting the place..."
("Are you aware you don't have to talk all the time Daz?"
"I like talking. And everyone loves hearing Miss Pellegrini."
"I don't."
"Well, my dear Theodore, I'll get a better husband next time.")