Chapter 5 #2
‘In Harling Hall?’ Mia tilted her head, as if thinking. ‘Not that I can recall. If there have been any sightings it was before my time. And personally, I haven’t seen anything untoward at all. Have you, Immi?’
‘Noooo,’ Immi said slowly. ‘I mean, there have been rumours in the village, but never about this house. It’s a very old village, you know. If there are ghosts then I expect the Harling estate is the place to find them, what with the Wyrd Stones and everything.’
‘Yes, I wondered about those,’ I said. ‘Surely there have been sightings around there? After all, they’ve been there thousands of years. There’s a barrow, isn’t there? Weren’t twelve complete skeletons removed from it some time ago?’
‘You’re very well informed,’ Mia said.
I could feel my cheeks burning with embarrassment.
‘I read about it a few years ago. I have an interest in history and Mariska has an interest in the supernatural, so when the two things overlap, we tend to discuss it. And Rowan Vale’s only ninety minutes from home, so that makes it even more fascinating to us, which is why we both remembered when we saw the mention of the Halloween event in the Cotswolds Courier. ’
‘Ah.’ Mia nodded. ‘Makes sense. Plus, of course, I expect you have to do a lot of research about the places that Mariska visits. I should imagine that It’s Haunted! had a whole team of researchers working behind the scenes.’
The implications were obvious.
‘Not at all,’ I said stiffly. ‘They were very keen to show what happened at the site for real. There was no research done regarding ghosts, if that’s what you mean. That was all left to Mariska and what she discovered during the visit.’
Well, it had been at first anyway, until she’d stopped being able to contact the ghosts. That’s when I’d stepped in.
There was a disbelieving gasp from the corner of the kitchen and the distraction got to her feet. I turned away from her, although it was very hard to ignore her as she put her hands on her hips and said, ‘I don’t believe a bloomin’ word she says!’
I drained my coffee mug as Mia said, ‘Are you sure you won’t have some shortbread, Verity? Or there’s some coffee cake left if you’d prefer that?’
‘No thanks,’ I said. ‘I’ve got a ton of cupcakes at home that I baked yesterday.’
‘Oh,’ she said in obvious delight, ‘you bake?’
‘I do. It’s my favourite hobby,’ I admitted. ‘I find it very calming.’
‘I love the creativity of it. Although I have to confess I prefer cooking to baking,’ she said. ‘Particularly Italian food. Do you like Italian food?’
I smiled. ‘I do, especially the desserts. My favourite is a cannoli shell filled with creamy ricotta, but Mel – Mariska – likes me to make a crostata.’
‘Oh gosh!’ Mia’s eyes lit up. ‘I love a cannoli, too, especially with chocolate cream and pistachios.’
‘The trick,’ I said, ‘is to only fill it right before serving, so—’
‘—the scorza doesn’t go soggy,’ we chorused, then stared bashfully at each other before dissolving into laughter.
The kitchen door opened and Melissa stood there, flanked by a surprised-looking Callie and Brodie.
Behind them, the two further ghosts that had been hovering in the hallway when Mel and I arrived, and had followed her into the sitting room, were watching me closely.
The man – a rather impressive gentleman with a distinguished beard and twinkling eyes – looked quite amused.
The woman, however, was watching me with definite suspicion, her lips pursed and her arms tightly folded.
‘I’m ready to leave now,’ Melissa said, looking from me to Mia with some puzzlement, as if she couldn’t work out why on earth someone like Mia would find anything to laugh about with someone like me.
I got to my feet, glad that we were leaving this bewildering house with its… distractions behind.
Yet, I couldn’t deny that I was sorry to say goodbye to Mia. I wondered hopefully if Brodie and Callie had agreed to whatever deal Melissa had cooked up in the car on the way here, and if I’d get to visit Rowan Vale again and meet with Mia once more.
After bidding farewell, Melissa and I began to walk down the driveway, and Callie and Brodie closed the heavy oak door. I glanced round and saw the three ghosts were standing on the step watching us leave.
The bearded man shook his head and said, ‘Well, I must say, 60 per cent seems a bit steep.’
‘Disgraceful,’ the haughty woman agreed. ‘I wouldn’t have given her tuppence! Nothing but a charlatan. She didn’t even know we were there. I hope Brodie negotiates a more realistic deal with her representative.’
‘She sent that woman with the big specs to get information from Mia,’ said the little girl, laughing. ‘As if Mia’s daft enough to fall for that! What a blooming lark that was. You’re right, Poppa. That Madam Mariska is a bloomin’ liar. Mind you…’
Her voice faded as we walked further away.
I glanced at Melissa, but she clearly had no idea that we were the subject of such a scathing discussion.
I sighed inwardly. I wasn’t sure what she’d let herself in for here at Rowan Vale, but I had a feeling that, this time, she might well have bitten off more than she could chew.