Chapter 6 #3
“Okay!” Remy said, addressing the group as she walked backward for a few paces.
“We’re almost at the haunted grove. Now you’ll want to keep your eye out for anything unusual during the tour.
You just might see, hear, or even smell something otherworldly while we’re out here.
If you do, be sure to speak up! Spirits have been known to touch tourists, and we have quite a few soldiers who seem to be particularly fond of women. ”
Remy directed that comment to a group of girls in their twenties who seemed excited to be on the tour and were probably hopeful for a ghost encounter.
“Some people have noticed strange smells as they walk through the streets of Gettysburg at night—the scent of pipe or campfire smoke or even the smell of gunpowder.”
Remy leaned in toward Avery and added, “Some people have also claimed to smell blood and even rotting bodies, but that tidbit is for the scarier tour.”
Avery nodded, smiling.
Remy stopped walking and stood under a huge tree near the middle school. Avery stepped off to the side so she could address her group.
“This area here, known as the Grove, was the site of deadly hand-to-hand combat. There’s no telling how many men died right here on this spot. You may want to take some pictures around here, because a lot of guests have reported eerie images in their photos they couldn’t see with their naked eyes.”
Many guests pulled out their cellphones and took pictures in the dark, wooded area.
“There were lots of quick and violent deaths right on this spot and many bodies were hurriedly buried here. It’s no surprise that this is a heavily haunted area. Feel free to wander around and take a few more photos before we move on.”
Some of the hardier souls wandered into the dark, taking photos and looking for spirits. The poor lady in the back clung to her boyfriend. He seemed to be having a good time even if she wasn’t.
“You know,” Remy said softly to Avery as she looked around at the wooded area. “It’s still sad, no matter how much time has passed. So many lives lost.”
“Indeed,” Avery nodded somberly. He brightened a little and asked, “So do you think they’ll catch any ghosties on their cameras?”
Remy laughed, then said, “I highly doubt it. People do get weird images here all the time though. Orbs and whatnot. It’s a trick of light, dust on the lens, whatever. I hope people do get something, though, because they really love that kind of thing.”
Avery regarded her with amusement. “You really don’t believe any of this stuff, do ye?”
“Of course not,” Remy said with a laugh.
“You’re a good liar, then.”
“Oh, I hate to think of it as lying. The idea of ghosts gets people intrigued, excited, and that makes me happy, too.” Remy looked at the amateur ghost hunters in her group with fondness.
“If they think they see or feel something, it gives them a thrill and a fun story to tell for the rest of their lives. I like that I’m a part of that. ”
Avery smiled at her with such tenderness and affection that her heart flipped inside her chest. Maybe he does like me after all.
Remy spent so much of her time alone, and it felt good to have someone there with her tonight.
Someone who wasn’t paying for entertainment, but who was actually there to visit her.
And she was in her element when she was leading a tour.
She was confident in her knowledge, both of Gettysburg history and ghost tales, and in her ability to interact well with her group.
Remy was proud of her work as a tour guide, and it felt good to have the man she adored here to watch her do what she did best.
“Okay guys, let’s move on to our next stop—the Jennie Wade House!” Remy led her group back out onto the main streets of Gettysburg.
“Ahh, your home,” Avery said with a twinkle in his eye. “At least durin’ the day.”
“Well, technically, it wasn’t Jennie’s home. It belonged to—”
“Jennie’s sister, Georgia McClellan,'” Avery finished for her with a grin.
Remy laughed heartily again. “Of course! Sometimes I forget you’re a tour guide, too. You probably know as much as I do, if not more.”
“Nonsense. I’m learning a lot tonight about ghosts.”
Remy smiled and looked into those handsome gray eyes of his for as long as she could before tearing her gaze away.
She loved talking with him, being with him.
And she couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to touch him.
Avery had an impressive build, tall and broad-shouldered.
He must be so strong. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to fantasize about Avery gathering her into those strong arms and carrying her to bed.
She let out an audible sigh just thinking about it.
“You all right?” Avery asked.
Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just having sexual fantasies about you, you gorgeous Irishman.
“Yes. Just a little tired,” Remy said, forcing herself back to reality.
She faced her group and told the Jennie Wade story pretty much the same way she told it during the daytime tour; at least the first part.
She could feel Avery watching her as she led the group inside the house, though he kept a careful distance from her.
She figured he didn’t want to get her in trouble for talking too much to a personal friend while she was working.
Remy led her group down to the basement, which was a rather creepy place even in the daytime.
It was dingy and dark, with cool yet humid air.
Jennie’s family had carried her corpse down here while they hid from bullets still flying as the battle raged just outside their door.
There was a fake dead body lying on a table in the corner of the small basement room, an arm hanging out from under the blanket.
Most tour guests found it creepy and cool.
She checked on the scared blonde lady, who looked tense and a little pale.
Remy smiled warmly at her, and the woman smiled gratefully back.
Remy hated scaring sensitive people who were genuinely upset, but she owed it to her group to give them a spooky tour. She waited until all was quiet before she spoke.
“It’s not uncommon to hear strange noises down here, especially late at night. Jennie herself has been spotted on many occasions, just drifting aimlessly through the house.”
Her audience was captivated. Several guests looked nervously around, as if expecting to see the ghost of Jennie Wade at any moment.
Avery looked fascinated as he watched Remy speak, and a tingly thrill went up her spine.
He’s so damned cute, she thought. She found herself longing to be alone with him.
To stare into those kind, gray eyes of his and listen to that masculine, accented voice as he told her everything she wanted to know about him.
Remy imagined how it would feel to have his hand holding hers, or what it would be like to have his strong arm wrapped around her waist. She thought about how Avery would look as he dipped his head down to kiss her.
His lips gently touching hers as he ran his fingers through her hair. It all seemed too much to hope for.
Remy fell silent for a moment. She was lost in her fantasies about Avery, but the moment of silence worked well on the ghost tour as it gave people a chance to revel in the eerie quiet.
“Okay,” Remy said in a quiet, spooky voice. “Now we head to our final stop. The haunted orphanage.”
Remy led her group out the door and headed across the street.
“Great job in there,” Avery said. “I’m good and scared!”
She laughed. “Don’t worry, Avery. I’ll protect you from the ghosts.”
Avery laughed harder than she would have expected at that. He had a deep, sexy laugh, which made her wish she were funnier so she could hear it again.
“What is now a Civil War museum was once the site of a children’s orphanage,” Remy explained.
“Late at night, you can still hear the sounds of children laughing and playing. Some of the little ones have even been spotted across the street over at the Jennie Wade house. Like at the Farnsworth House with Jeremy, guests sometimes leave toys inside for the children to play with. There have even been reports of a rubber ball moving by itself inside.”
Remy paused for a moment, allowing her guests the chance to peer inside the windows of the museum and mill around a bit.
Avery leaned in close to her and said gently, “I see you left out the part about how the owners used to keep the orphans locked up in the cellar.”
Remy looked into Avery’s sweet, sad eyes, and her heart melted. It didn’t matter that the tragedy happened over 150 years ago. Avery clearly found the story as sorrowful as she still did.
“Yeah, I leave that part out when I have little ones on my tour.”
Avery nodded and smiled at her.
“Okay!” Remy announced cheerfully. “Time to head back to where we started. I hope you all enjoyed the tour, and please feel free to ask me any questions you might have.”
A few of the tourists walked toward her to take her up on her offer.
“Well, I better go and let you finish up your tour,” Avery said.
Remy’s heart sank. She hated to see him go, and she berated herself for not asking him to go out for a drink or something. Never mind the fact that she didn’t drink.
“Oh, okay. Maybe I’ll see you on tour at Little Round Top?” she asked hopefully.
Avery smiled fondly at her. “I certainly hope so.”
Remy smiled as he walked away.
“He’s cute,” said an older lady, who smiled knowingly at Remy. “I think he likes you.”
Remy giggled. “Maybe.”
I hope so.