Chapter 25
I was getting worried about Melissa. She’d been subdued since we’d got back from Gloucestershire, despite making both the Cotswolds Courier and Your Cotswolds as she’d hoped.
She’d had a fantastic write-up in the paper, and the presenters of Your Cotswolds had seemed to really enjoy watching the clip of her chatting to her audience at the barrow, as she’d answered their questions.
Melissa, however, wasn’t impressed. ‘All they’ve gone on about is me answering questions and talking about It’s Haunted!
There was nothing at all about the ghosts I’d contacted,’ she grumbled, clearly forgetting that she hadn’t contacted them at all.
‘How is any of that going to help me get a new ghost whispering gig?’
She’d also had a few trolls on her social media, who’d called her a sell-out, and blamed her for the plug being pulled on It’s Haunted!
They seemed to be under the impression that she’d resigned.
Melissa was furious, convinced that a hatchet job had been done on her by HoneyStone Productions and Reggie Pickett – especially when she learned that his girlfriend, Harriet Bladon, was now the presenter of a new primetime show on a mainstream channel.
‘I’m going to write a tell-all book,’ she announced. ‘Behind the scenes at It’s Haunted! The things I could tell them about that woman!’
‘Is that wise?’ I asked doubtfully. Considering Mel had been faking her ghost whispering skills for four years, I thought she’d be venturing into dangerous territory if she tried to write a tell-all book.
‘Probably not,’ she admitted. ‘But what else am I supposed to do?’
‘You know, you’re only fifty. Maybe it’s time you started thinking about doing something completely different.’
‘Like what? What do you suggest?’
‘You could retrain. There are plenty of people your age taking up new careers or going into further education. Why shouldn’t you be one of them?’
‘Oh yes. I can just see myself sitting in a classroom with a load of eighteen-year-olds,’ she said bitterly. ‘Or maybe I should become a plumber, or a joiner. Let’s face it, I’m washed up. It’s finished.’
‘Well, even if you don’t work again, you’ve got enough money to get by on,’ I reminded her.
‘You’re in a privileged position. So long as you’re careful and you don’t go on many long-haul luxury holidays or spend a fortune on clothes you don’t need and rarely wear, you should be fine.
Think how many people would kill to be in your situation. ’
‘Thanks for the pep talk,’ she said miserably. ‘Well, now that my television career is over, I probably won’t need you to deal with fan mail or trolls or emails or anything much really. So what are you going to do with the rest of your life? Or is it only me who needs to reassess?’
It was something I’d been thinking about recently.
After returning from Rowan Vale with a new closeness – however tentative – between Mel and me, I’d changed my mind about moving out of Whitethorn Court.
Still, the question remained. What was I going to do with my life?
I’d spent my entire adulthood so far working for Melissa, but she was right.
If she wasn’t working any more, what did she need me for?
We both felt unsettled and unsure of the future, and although I reminded myself every day that we were lucky, I couldn’t help but feel a bit lost. I kept thinking about Mia, too, which didn’t help.
I’d had a text message from her yesterday.
Mia
Hi, Verity! Hope you’re okay. I thought you’d like to know that Callie and I went to the curiosity shop and spoke to Mrs Brown.
She was shocked when she found out about your experience there while she was away.
She has no idea who the man who served you was.
As far as she’s concerned, the shop was closed.
We returned the brooch and the cup to her and she was so appreciative. The brooch is worth a good few hundred pounds, although she said you could have kept the cup.
Apparently, it came from a tea set given to the Davenports – Lawrie’s mum and dad – when they got married. It mostly got smashed up during one of their many marital rows, and the teacup was pretty much all that was left. She was a bit puzzled because she’s sure she’d thrown it away once.
Anyway, we’ll keep digging and try to find out what’s going on. Hope you’re well and recovered from everything that happened. I was worried about you, you know.
Take care, Verity. Maybe we’ll get the chance to meet up again some time for a coffee?
Love Mia xx
I’d taken about an hour to think up a reply that wouldn’t sound too eager.
Verity
Hi, Mia! Great to hear from you. I’m much better thanks. It’s like it never happened. I’m a bit spooked about who the shopkeeper was, though. How weird that Mrs Brown doesn’t know who he is. I’m glad she got the brooch back. I had a feeling it was worth a bit, but the shopkeeper was so insistent…
Anyway, I won’t keep you. I was happy to get your text. I was just thinking about you. A coffee some time would be great.
Love, Verity xx
After that, my mind strayed back to Rowan Vale all day, as I waited for her to suggest a date and time for us to meet. I wondered what she was doing. I imagined her at Harling Hall, part of that strange and amazing family, or shopping in the village, or maybe going out at night to socialise.
Maybe she was just being friendly when she’d suggested coffee. Perhaps she had a girlfriend. Or a boyfriend. I had no idea who she was, after all. If I let my imagination run away with me, I could get really hurt.
‘I’ve had an email from Diccon,’ Mel announced as she walked into the living room where I was sitting with Honey, working on a recipe for a new dessert I wanted to try.
‘Oh? That’s good.’ Wasn’t it? She didn’t look too happy about it.
‘I’ve been asked to go on Morning Talk on Thursday,’ she told me, flopping down on the sofa. ‘I’m going to be interviewed by Jake and Susie.’
Jake and Susie were two of the biggest television presenters around, and Morning Talk was watched by over a million viewers every weekday. I couldn’t believe that Mel wasn’t more excited by the prospect.
‘That’s fabulous news,’ I said, genuinely pleased for her. ‘You were right after all. The séance obviously caught their attention.’
‘Mm. They must have had a cancellation. Why else would they ask me on at such short notice?’
‘Even if that’s true, they did ask you, which means you’re on their radar.’
‘I was probably the tenth choice or something,’ she said gloomily.
This wasn’t like Mel at all and I was worried. ‘What is it? I thought you’d be over the moon.’
‘What if they want me to contact ghosts while I’m live on air?’ she asked, sounding suddenly very small and uncertain. ‘If my channels are still blocked, how will I get out of that one? I don’t want to outright lie, and I don’t think I have the energy to bluff my way out of it.’
‘Make it very clear to them that you’ll agree to the interview, but that you don’t want to be called upon to talk to ghosts,’ I said.
‘Diccon can contact them on your behalf. Although I shouldn’t think they’ll want you to anyway.
It’s not that kind of programme, is it? They probably just want to chat to you about your past experiences. ’
‘Yeah. I suppose so,’ she said flatly.
I couldn’t work her out. This was what she’d hoped for, and it seemed to mean nothing to her.
‘Do you want a cup of your fruit tea, Mel?’ I asked gently. ‘I’ve got some gorgeous biscuits that I made yesterday. We could try them if you like?’
‘I’d rather have coffee,’ she said, which made me even more concerned about her. She always said coffee blocked her channels.
‘Okay,’ I said uncertainly, ‘I’ll make you a coffee then.’
‘I’ll make it.’ She got up and I could only stare at her when she added, ‘I’ll make you one, too, and I’ll bring those biscuits in. Sod it.’
This was on another level. Mel was offering to make me a drink?
She hovered for a moment, as if wanting to say something but not sure if she should. I waited.
‘I don’t see why Diccon had to email me,’ she said at last. ‘What was wrong with picking up the phone?’
As she flounced out of the living room I sat back in my chair, hit with a sudden realisation. No wonder Melissa was feeling so low. She was missing Diccon! And he clearly hadn’t made any romantic gestures towards her since that fateful night in Rowan Vale.
Poor Mel was lovesick. Oh, I could relate to that all right. What a pair we were!