Chapter 7
OCTOBER
‘It’s arrived,’ Melissa said, waving a piece of paper at me in triumph as she walked into the kitchen where I was preparing our lunch.
‘The contract’s here. Diccon’s very scathing about the whole thing, but he’ll soon see that I was right.
Besides, I don’t see him coming up with any bright ideas, do you?
He’s lucky I’m cutting him in, especially after he managed to negotiate my payment down instead of up.
We’re going to put on a show that will be talked about for years. ’
I can’t deny I’d felt a flutter of excitement at the prospect of returning to Rowan Vale, where there was every chance that I’d bump into Mia again. Even so, I was worried that Melissa had taken on far more than she could cope with.
‘What exactly is it that you plan to do on Halloween night?’ I asked her worriedly.
Melissa reached over and helped herself to a slice of the broccoli and cheese quiche that I’d not long taken out of the oven.
‘A séance, of course!’ she said, giving me a defiant look. ‘What else? I shall contact the dead and prove to all those doubters that there is life after death. The mists between our worlds will roll away, and I shall guide the spirits to me.’
I gave an impatient sigh. She was talking like she was quoting advertising copy. This was me, and she wasn’t fooling me for an instant.
‘You mean, I’m going to guide the spirits for you. Because they won’t come through for you, will they, Mel?’
There, I’d said it. I’d barely touched on the subject before, even though she and I both knew what was going on.
Now, though, with her professional career in tatters, I felt it was time to stop being so careful with her ego.
We had to get real. There would be no television crew talking things up, no recordings of so-called orbs, no atmospheric music to build the tension.
It would just be Melissa – Madam Mariska – trying desperately to converse with spirits who’d long since abandoned her.
She and I both knew who was going to be doing the ghost whispering.
Melissa had eased herself onto a stool at the island where she was now staring at me intently. ‘So,’ she said slowly, ‘the worm has turned, has it?’
I swallowed. She’d never once, in all the time I’d worked for her, ever thanked me for what I was doing for her, or given me any credit.
Was she really going to play the injured party now?
It was me who’d talked to the spirits before filming It’s Haunted!
and me who’d passed on their stories and messages to her before the recording started.
The least she could have done was ask me if I was okay about doing this before committing to it.
‘What do you mean by that?’ I asked.
‘I’ve lost my job. My agent’s hardly snowed under with offers. My so-called friends have abandoned me. And you choose this moment to twist the knife in my side. After everything I’ve done for you!’
‘I’m doing no such thing,’ I said hotly.
‘But don’t you think that you could at least have asked me if I wanted to do this Halloween event?
Have you any idea how exposed and vulnerable I’ll feel?
It will be live on the local TV news, Melissa!
What if I don’t see any ghosts? What if they won’t talk to me?
’ I thought of the sour-faced woman at Harling Hall and mentally shuddered.
There was no way she’d give me her life story.
‘You didn’t even bother to ask if it was okay with me. ’
‘You didn’t say it wasn’t, and you had plenty of opportunity to do so,’ she said. ‘It’s hardly my fault if you didn’t tell me how you felt. Now you’re playing this little game when you know I’ve already committed to it and can’t back out. Thanks a lot, Verity.’
I opened my mouth to protest. It was about time that she gave me some respect.
‘Close your mouth. You’ll catch flies,’ she said coldly.
I closed my mouth and said nothing. The moment had passed. Besides, she was right. I had had plenty of time to tell her I didn’t want to do the Halloween event. I’d just been too cowardly and hadn’t wanted to let her down. Same old story.
‘We need to go to the village for a couple of days before the event,’ she said, evidently satisfied that the subject was closed.
‘We’ll need to book accommodation. Luckily, they’ve anticipated our request, but they’ve invited us to stay at Harling Hall, which is the last thing we want.
We need privacy, so can you get in touch with them and ask for details of alternative accommodation? ’
She handed me the paperwork with the contact details for the estate office. ‘And make sure you negotiate a hefty discount,’ she added. ‘They’ve already negotiated my fee down. I’m not giving away any more of the profits.’
Sighing, I went into the snug where our desk and computer were. Honey, who had just settled down after a good gambol around the garden, raised her head to see what I was up to.
‘Just me about to embarrass myself again,’ I told her as I took my seat behind the desk. ‘How am I supposed to ask for a discount? Honestly!’
I logged on to the computer as ‘Mariska’ – the account we jointly used for anything to do with her professional life – and scanned the paper for the email address. There was a phone number, but I was too shy to call and ask for favours. Easier to do it all by email.
I began to type.
To the Harling Estate Trust
Hello, you probably won’t remember me…
Idiot! Of course they’d remember me. They’d just sent a contract to Mel, hadn’t they?
To the Harling Estate Trust
Hi there!
Hi there? I groaned and deleted the line, chewing my lip as I wondered how I could politely ask about blagging cut-price accommodation.
To the Harling Estate Trust
Good morning,
Thank you for the contract, which we have just received. We’re delighted that terms were agreed to suit us all. Many thanks, also, for your kind offer to accommodate us in Harling Hall. We appreciate the gesture very much.
However…
However, we need to be on our own so I can scout around for ghosts without any of you noticing what’s really going on.
However, due to the sensitive nature of Madam Mariska’s work, we feel it would be more appropriate if we stayed somewhere more private. To that end, could you please recommend any accommodation in or close to Rowan Vale?
And make it dirt cheap because my sister’s a proper skinflint.
How, I wondered, was I going to put that delicately? And why did Melissa always leave this sort of thing to me or Diccon instead of dealing with it herself?
As I pondered how to phrase the question, a new email slid into the inbox. Harling Estates Trust!
I opened and read it quickly.
To Madam Mariska
Good morning. After careful consideration, we realise that our offer of accommodation in Harling Hall might not be the most comfortable or appropriate for you.
We would be happy to find you alternative accommodation if you require it, though naturally, should you be happy to stay at the Hall, we will be delighted to host you.
Please let us know as soon as possible which you would prefer.
Kind regards,
Mia Williams for Harling Estates Trust
Mia!
Smiling broadly, I typed a reply.
To Harling Estates Trust
Hi, Mia!
Thanks for your email. I was just about to ask you if it’s possible to find us somewhere else to stay, so the timing was great!
Preferably somewhere that takes dogs, as I don’t really want to leave Honey behind.
I do realise it’s a big ask, though, so no worries if you can’t find a dog-friendly place.
And Mariska wants to know if there’s anywhere that will give a discount, in the circumstances. (Sorry!)
Looking forward to returning to Rowan Vale very soon.
Love Verity x
What are you doing?
I deleted the sign-off and reconsidered what to put.
Kind regards,
Verity Black
But that looked really formal. After all, we’d met before. We’d drank tea together. We’d practically swapped baking tips.
Verity
Was that it? Surely I could do better than that?
She’d have left the office at this rate! Realising I’d better hurry before I lost her and either Brodie or Callie or another member of staff took over at the computer, I quickly typed another sign-off.
All the best,
Verity
As soon as I’d sent it, I put my head in my hands and groaned. Pathetic! I looked across at Honey who was watching me with what looked suspiciously like sympathy.
‘I know,’ I told her gloomily. ‘I’m a complete numpty, aren’t I? I just hope she can find somewhere that’s dog-friendly, because I need you with me. I definitely don’t want to put you in kennels.’
Though what Melissa would have to say about my unilateral decision was anyone’s guess.
I glanced back at the computer screen and straightened. Another message already!
To Madam Mariska
Hi Verity!
Lovely to hear from you. That’s no problem at all. I’ll make a quick call and get back to you. Give me a minute!
Love Mia xx
I swallowed. Oh. My. Word.
‘Calm down,’ I muttered. ‘It’s probably how she signs off with all her informal contacts. It’s only you who’d read so much into it.’
But she certainly hadn’t signed off like that when she’d thought she was speaking to Mel, had she? And wasn’t I only a business contact?
I was actually shaking when the next message came through.
To Madam Mariska
Me again, Verity! All sorted. I’ve got you booked in at The Quicken Tree Inn. They don’t take dogs in the main building (except for assistance dogs obviously) but they are allowed in the two cottages annexed to the inn.
Actually, between you and me, I think they’re even better than the main rooms because you get so much more freedom, and there’s even a little garden which will be ideal for Honey.
You’re booked in at Stable Cottage, and I’ve attached the details and the invoice. As you can see, I’ve negotiated an excellent deal that I think even Mariska will be pleased with!
Any worries or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
See you soon!
Love Mia xx
My hands flew to my chest as I realised she’d added a PS in which she’d given me her personal mobile number.
In other words, I could contact her personally and directly if I needed to.
Not that I’d abuse that, of course. Only in an emergency would I dream of bothering her, and it would probably never happen.
But she’d given me her private number all the same…
On impulse I sent a text to Mia.
Verity
Thank you!
Love Verity xx
‘There,’ I said aloud. ‘Now she’s got my number, too.’
Honey padded over to me and put her head in my lap.
‘I know,’ I said. ‘I’m just being silly, aren’t I? Getting carried away.’
But it was a nice feeling to be carried away for a change. It might be a fantasy, but if it made me happy, even for a few days, what harm could it do? Mia would never know how I felt anyway. It was just lovely to dream.