Annabelle Leigh

A story of an undying love and lover.

Annabelle Leigh is a story of undying love, and an undead lover. See if you can spot the references in this homage to one of my favorite writers. The story was inspired by this abandoned home in a little seaport off the James River in Surry County, Virginia whose history goes back to 1607.

Her mother told her, “Annabelle Leigh, don’t you ever go and fall in love with a man who makes his living on the water. You’ll always have a mistress to contend with – the river.” But Annabelle never listened to her momma, and when she did, she often would do whatever momma told her not to do, just for spite. And so she fell in love with Captain Edgar, the dashing river man who shipped hogsheads of tobacco up the James River to Richmond for the American Tobacco Company.

It was a good job and he made good money, so he built her a fine house which she referred to as her kingdom by the river. The local folk liked the name and always referred to Captain Edgar’s home as “The Kingdom by the River.” The Captain lovingly and laughingly referred to her as a child, even though he was only two years older than she, but he loved her, and she loved him with a love that was so much more. Some commented that it was an obsession, but Annabelle dismissed them by saying their love was the love of youth, and far stronger than that of their older critics.

One night, it was in the winter and the season of nor’easters, Captain Edgar had a cargo to carry from the port of Norfolk, to what used to be the Falling Creek Ironworks in the lost town of Warwick. Annabelle begged him to wait until the weather calmed, but Captain Edgar laughed and said there was no nor’easter he could not handle, and that he would return to her. He would always return to her.

Townsfolk later would comment that it was the only promise he ever made to Annabelle that he didn’t keep. That nor’easter took Captain Edgar, his crew, and his cargo to the depths of the Chesapeake Bay. All that was ever recovered from the water's sepulcher were a few hogsheads and the stern nameplate, “My Annie.”

Annabelle took it hard at first. She stayed at home and wore the widow’s veil. Captain Edgar had left her a nice pension, so she could live comfortably. Which she did as a recluse. An account was set up with the local merchants, and goods were delivered weekly to her doorstep. The few times anyone saw her, she was simply a mysterious figure dressed in black. In the few conversations people remembered she said she was never lonely. When nor’easters and storms would come tearing up the river, sending people into shuttered homes, a few brave souls who ventured out would comment that they’d seen Annabelle Leigh standing by an open front door as if she were expecting company. It was true that on those nights her house was awash in candlelight, like a beacon.

The “Widow’s Veil” of the 19th century.

Samuel Poe even swore that in the curtained windows he saw two silhouetted figures dancing. But townsfolk dismissed him as he was known to have a weakness for rum and laudanum. However, it should be noted that after his experience Samuel said he would swear off the laudanum, “I give myself over to that demon, nevermore." He did though have a continued weakness for rum.   

One week the boy making the deliveries saw that the previous week’s deliveries were still at the door. He ran back to the store, and a delegation of townsfolk made their way to The Kingdom by the River, and discovered Annabelle Leigh, still wearing the widow’s dress and veil, lying in her bed as if asleep.

What puzzled them was that she was holding the hand of a corpse, drenched and covered in silt, wearing the decaying uniform of a river boat captain.