The clock struck midnight, casting eerie shadows across the grand mansion's empty, cavernous halls and creaking wooden floors ominously. Deep crimson drapes billowed slightly from the half-opened windows, whispering secrets to the chilled, faltering night air outside. In the dim-lit library, a solitary candle flickered, revealing rows of dusty, leather-bound books and forgotten relics. An ornate grandfather clock chimed persistently, resonating through the silence like a somber, unwelcome announcement of impending doom. The butler entered, gloved hands trembling as he discovered Lady Evelyn's lifeless body slumped over the polished mahogany desk.