Edna St. Vincent Millay's poetry was nurtured by her deep knowledge of the natural world

The staircase looks innocent enough, three narrow steps up to a landing, turn left, 11 more steps up to the second floor of this sprawling white clapboard farmhouse called Steepletop. But this is a house full of dark memories, and none more spooky than on these stairs.

"I must warn you not to use the spindles for support," says Peter Bergman, leading a visitor on a tour. "And mind your left shoulder on the overhang at the top."

"Are these the stairs, where . . . ?" asks the visitor.

"There's only one set of stairs in this house," he replies.