The Hidden Duval Attic Where the Seam Split in Silence

The attic still holds the warm press of cloth, though the cold has crept into every uncovered fold. Faint hints of lavender sachet mingle with something metallic, as if needles were heated too quickly and left to cool alone. Against the rafters, chalk marks drift like unfinished decisions.

Nothing screams of disaster; instead, an interrupted rhythm broods quietly, as though a patient hand paused for breath and never resumed.

A Maker of Gowns and Careful Expectations

Élise Margot Duval, born 1879 in Lyon, served as a stage costumer for touring operettas. A lacquered fan from her mother Renée rests near a stack of pattern books in French script. Élise preferred dawn work, smoothing muslin over the table before rehearsals, then spending evenings mending cuffs. Her modest upbringing shows in saved trimmings: offcuts tucked neatly, thread ends wound tightly, each gesture hinting at disciplined training and private pride.

Craft That Reached Beyond the Room

Travel cases marked with provincial stamps line the eaves. One holds sketches for a shimmering gown intended for a rising singer; another, invoices for silk that arrived late. Folded correspondence—refusing to name its sender—carries praise for Élise’s meticulous beadwork, yet notes tense deadlines that pulled her between theatre demands and her own ambition.

Friction Behind the Costumes

Hints of strain gather in small dissonances: a returned payment envelope, sealed but empty; a torn theatre contract wedged under a trunk; traces of soot on the dummy’s torso, implying a candle set too close during hurried adjustments. The scattered pearl buttons near the cot suggest clumsy fatigue—rare for Élise’s deft hands. A lace collar, ripped then half-mended, lies across a shawl as if reconsidered.

Back in the attic, one final sign waits: a single glass bead embedded in the floorboard groove, far from its gown. It gleams faintly, holding the quiet weight of a choice Élise never declared, a step she never finished.

The house remains abandoned.