“Finally! Home sweet home. Feels good to be inside huh?”
I didn’t want to display my disappointment to Dad so I just nodded enthusiastically and said,
“Definitely.” McClaire Manor. It didn’t even sound real. Yet here I was, standing in the threshold of our new home.542Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiem3iGL2mP
“Now, if I remember correctly, this is the old servants entrance. That way,” Dad pointed towards a closed door ahead of us, “leads to the main hall and that door in the corner leads up to the servants gallery, and this,“ Dad opened a door next to where we stood revealing a dark and twisting staircase, “goes…somewhere I can’t remember.” He closed the door with a small laugh. “Probably the basements, or maybe the wine cellar.”
“You should have asked for a map,” I deadpanned.542Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGHGb5Cilv
“We’ll soon find our way around.” Dad said cheerfully.
I grabbed hold of my suitcase handle.
“Well, for now, I vote for the main hall.” I headed towards the door that Dad had indicated. I heard him following behind me. “This is quite nice,” I conceded, motioning towards the room we were now in with my head. “Considering it’s the servants entrance.” The room was bright and airy with a high ceiling and a pretty glass lampshade hanging from the ceiling. The walls were painted in a rich cream with a boarder of black swirls running along the molding. The floor was a lined with alternating black and white square tiles.542Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWE7bTLbMwj
“Wait till you see the rest of the house. You’ll be very impressed.”
The door swung open on its hinges, letting out a long groan as it did. Wow, Dad wasn’t kidding.
The main hall, as Dad had called it, was larger than our previous house had been. It swept out in front of us, an endless expanse of smooth, wooden floor. The ceiling was even higher in here than in the servant’s entrance, perhaps even two floors in height. The walls were papered with a pale-green wallpaper decorated with gold diamonds, though it was now peeling and torn in places. A staircase dominated the center the hall, with a thick red, carpet running up the stairs. The balustrade was a rich mahogany, flowing gracefully along the stairs as they run up to the first floor. The banisters were carved into intricate bunches of grapes growing up tightly wound vines, the occasional flower popping out. An ornate chandelier that would have looked tacky in any other setting hung from the ceiling, its crystals casting rainbow patterns onto the floor. There was no furniture anywhere, but a few painting still hung on the walls-large, dark paintings in elaborate gilt frames.542Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQzjAA0cTg
“You’re right Dad. This really is impressive. How can we afford it again?” I dumped my backpack onto the floor and stretched out my arms.
“You don’t need to worry about that. Besides, by the time we get this place up and running, it will pay for itself soon enough. And with the money from your Mum…” Dad’s voice trailed off. Fortunately his mobile starting ringing, filling the sudden silence. He dug it out of his pocket and answered with a cheery hello.
“Yes, Maxine, we’ve just arrived. Yep-everything seems to be fine, the key you gave me worked. Yeah…yeah-she loves it!” Dad threw me a quick smile. “Great-yep, that works for us. We’ll see you then. Bye.” Dad hung up and turned to me. “That was the estate agent. She’ll be coming by in the morning tomorrow to drop off some more keys and some paperwork.”
I nodded, not paying much attention. I walked over to one of the walls and ran my hand across the rough wallpaper. I felt as if I was in an Agatha Christie novel, recently arrived at a remote country house for a friendly weekend that would inevitably end up in murder and denouncements in parlours. So this was home now? I decided it was time to start being positive. This change would be good for Dad, and for me. There were too many memories back home, and at least turning this place into a themed hotel would provide Dad with something to keep him occupied. Who knows, it might turn into a good money-spinner. Dad might not be great at the practical aspects of life but he sure was good at the creative. I could even get used to being the lady of the manor, it certainly had a nice ring to it. Yes, positivity was the name of the game now.
“You really think people will pay to stay here?” I asked.
“Sure they will, especially when we start our,” Dad lowered his voice dramatically, “murder mystery weekends. Muwhaha!”
Great, I really will be living in an Agatha Christie novel.
“OK honey, time to unpack. Take the first room on the left when you go upstairs for now. You can decide where you want to go permanently tomorrow when the movers come.”542Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ogl6IGegc
I headed up the stairs but instead of going straight to my room I decided to take the opportunity to do some exploring. Chandeliers seemed to be the theme for the hallway, with twelve of them hanging down from the ceiling, all in different sizes and styles. I headed further down the corridor, opening each door as I passed. They all revealed rooms that were pretty similar-large and spacious with high ceilings. Some had wooden floors, some had fading carpets, some were completely empty, some had the odd random piece of furniture. By the time I reached the end of the hall my curiosity was beginning to fade. The house was turning out to be pretty ordinary, notwithstanding the current lack of modern day conveniences. I figured it was time to head to my room. I located the one Dad had told me would be mine for tonight and swung the door open, mentally calculating how much sleep I could squeeze in before dinner.542Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAphzWbxisr
“Arghh!”
The scream came from the pit of my stomach. The young man who was stood in the middle of my room slowly turned around, not seeming at all perturbed by my dramatic entrance. I backed up against the wall, my heart thumping painfully against my chest. I quickly glanced around the room in search of something that could be pressed into service as a weapon but came up a blank. The young man, however, made no attempt to move and simply stared at me calmly, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans.542Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfD8qNaEyHd
“Hello,” he said at last. I noticed he had a strong, American accent.542Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV26OxaDKPF
“Who are you? What the hell are you doing in my room!?” I surprised myself with how steady my voice was. “Don’t come any closer! I’ll scream. My Dad is just down the hall.” That wasn’t strictly true but he didn’t need to know that.542Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjohW8IDfeX
“You can see me?” He said it almost like a question. My fear was now starting to be replaced with annoyance.
“Of course I can see you. You still haven’t told me who you are. Are, are you with the estate agents?” My mind tried to find some rational explanation. The young man shook his head.
“No.”
“Well, what…”
The door to my room burst open and Dad came rushing in, his face tense. He looked at me still pressed up against the wall.
“Lacey? Are you OK? I heard a scream.”
I continued to stare at the young man and he continued to stare right back at me. I couldn’t make my lips move so I simply raised my hand and pointed towards him. My Dad’s gaze followed the direction of my arm but he only look confused.
“What is it dear?”
Now it was my turn to look confused. I watched as my Dad moved further into the room, looking around at the floor and ceiling. I continued to watch as Dad walked towards the young man-and then proceed to walk straight through him. I felt the colour drain from my face as the young man raised his eyebrows at me, a smug look coming over his face.
“Sweetie, what’s wrong?”
I watched, unable to move or speak, as my Dad once again took a shortcut through the young man’s body, not showing any sign that he sensed anyone was there.
“Noth…nothing,” I managed to stammer as the young man went and sat down on the bed so that we could once again see each other. “I, saw a…mouse.” I tried to laugh but it came out as a harsh croak.
“Oh, well, its to be expected I suppose. I’ll pick up some traps tomorrow.”
Momentarily forgetting the situation I looked at my Dad in horror.
“You can’t do that Dad, its cruel”
“Don’t be silly, we can’t have mice running around a hotel. Besides, you can get humane ones now.”
“But Dad, its horrible! The poor mice.”
“You do know there’s not actually a mouse right?” The young man spoke up, stretching his long legs out across the tatty rug at the foot of the bed.
“Let me deal with it.” Dad came over and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead. “Come on down for dinner when you’re ready.”
“I’ll…be down soon.”
I heard Dad’s feet padding down the hall and then the creak of the stairs. My eyes were still firmly fixed on the young man casually sat on the bed, his eyes boring straight into mine.
“I’m a ghost-in case you haven’t figure it out yet,” he said suddenly.
Finally I was able to force my brain into gear and I pushed myself away from the wall.
“No, no, that’s impossible,” I shook my head repeatedly, “that’s impossible. Ghosts aren’t real, they don’t exist.”
The young man clutched his heart dramatically and feigned a look of extreme relief.
“Really! Well, thank God you told me.”
“This is not happening,” I closed my eyes and refused to look at my companion. “This cannot be happening. It’s a dream, that’s it. I’m actually tucked up in my bed, having a crazy dream. Or maybe we had an accident in the car on the way here and I’m stuck in some weird coma fantasy? Yes, any minute now I’ll wake up in a hospital bed surrounded by loved ones. Why am I not waking up?”542Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oILhafrAG
“You don’t seem to be taking this very well.”
“That’s because, clearly, I’ve lost my mind. I’m talking to someone who isn’t even here.” I walked over to the other side of the room and flung the window open, sticking my head into the cool, evening air. I took several deep gulps. “It must be stress,” I said, “the stress of the move and everything that’s been happening lately. I just need a good night’s sleep, and I’ll be fine.”
“Look, I was freaked out as well at first, but I really think you need to calm down.” His voice was right behind me and I jumped. Spinning around, I found myself inches away from him. I had to admit, despite the circumstances, he was rather cute. He stood a head taller than me, with a lean figure and broad shoulders. His jet-black hair fell messily around his forehead. A pair of dark, green eyes were set in an olive-skinned face. I couldn’t pin down his age but he didn’t look to be much older than myself. As I realised that I was staring, I dropped my eyes quickly.
“Who are you?” I decided it was time, for now at least, to take my predicament at face value. “What are you doing here? Why can I see you and my Dad can’t?”
“My name is Salem.”
“Salem?” I tried hard to suppress a laugh.
“Yes, Salem, it’s a very common name,” he retorted.
“It’s a cat’s name,” I muttered.
“As to why you can see me,” he continued, ignoring my comment, “I have no idea. Who are you anyway?”
“I’m Lacey Whitmore. We just moved here.”
Now it was his turn to look amused. He raised his eyebrows.
“Lacey? And you did the whole thing with my name?”
I swiftly made my way over to the bed and turned to face my new companion.
“Look, Salem, whoever, whatever, you are please leave. We don’t want or need any ghosts here, so…” I waved my arms around, “be gone! Move on, go into the light etc. But leave and don’t come back.”
Salem looked amused by my performance and a grin spread across his face. He leaned back against the window.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” He said simply.
‘Why not?”
“Because, Lacey,” I noticed the emphasis he put on my name, “I don’t know how to leave. I also have no idea why I’m here or how I ended up here, so until I figure that out, I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”542Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpKm8F8X8a
