Chapter Twelve.
William
“How do you move the barrels up the stairs?” Lyra asked, sitting down on a beanbag. What a ridiculous name. Beanbag, bah. I perched on the sofa somewhat stiffly. It appeared wrong that Lyra lazed on that while I sat here, but she seemed quite comfortable.
“There’s a pulley system,” I replied.
“A what?” Lyra demanded, sitting up.
“Did you not notice that the window in the stockroom is bigger?” I asked.
“I didn’t pay much attention,” Lyra admitted, pulling a face.
“It’s actually a double door. They open inward, and a platform is lowered. A pulley lowers the platform; the barrels are placed on it, and I winch them up. It’s merely a matter of rolling them off, once they’re up,” I stated.
Lyra became a little flushed. “Huh, I had images of you carrying them up the stairs. I figured that explained why you were so…”
“So?” I frowned, bewildered.
“Fit.”
“I was incredibly healthy. When alive, I walked for miles a day and often swam in the sea.”
Lyra’s blush deepened. “Um, that is not what I meant.”
I cocked my head, confused. How do some words now have different meanings today? The language gap between us was huge. “Then what does fit mean?”
“Muscular. You’re in good shape.”
“Thank you. That was due to manual work.”
“Bloody hell, William!” Lyra exclaimed. “Fit and well-built means handsome, gorgeous, great body, huge muscles that women want to lick!”
Lyra was bright red, and I sensed myself slowly turning the same. A Jasper had called me ‘fit’.
“Let’s play Scrabble,” Lyra said and placed the board down. She explained the game, and I grasped the idea. She didn’t say a word when I spelt out fit.
Lyra
Damn him. Agitated, I tossed and turned in bed as I glared at the ceiling.
That had been so embarrassing, and I’m sure William hadn’t misunderstood on purpose.
A creak sounded at my door, and my eyes moved to it.
Was that William? I lay waiting, and the sea shanty whispered through the air. It was our intruder ghost.
William and I had discussed what to do today. If I shouted his name, William would move to trap the rogue spirit. The noise echoed, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. This was terrifying. A hand tugged the duvet, and then I nearly choked as something touched my foot. That did it!
“William!” I cried out. I sat bolt upright, and the shadow reared away. Wait! Was that a…? It took off, and I flung the covers off and chased it. My feet pounded up the stairs as a shriek rose from below.
William roared, followed by a frightened cry.
“William!” I screamed as I skidded into the kitchen, and he kicked the trapdoor shut and stood over it, legs splayed wide and arms folded.
“That’s a child!” we both shouted together as we stared at the thin ghost.
William and I exchanged a look, then turned our gazes back to the spirit.
“Don’t harm me!” the boy yelled.
“Nobody’s going to hurt you!” I exclaimed, holding up my hands.
“The mister might,” the kid shrieked, plastering himself to the wall. He thudded against the plaster as if he were trying to escape.
“That won’t work, lad. Leafpoint has strengthened her walls; she won’t allow you to pass through.”
The boy moaned in sheer terror, and I stopped William from approaching him. He kicked the bolt and locked the trapdoor.
“I didn’t mean it, sir. Don’t beat me!” our captive cried, and I held my hands out.
“Honestly, neither of us will hurt you. Calm down. What’s your name?” I asked.
“Avery Polperro.”
“Avery, I’m Lyra, and this is William. How old are you?”
“Eight, ma’am.”
“Call me Lyra, Avery. How did you get here?”
“I’ve been here a long time.” Avery skittered around the wall to the door and tried to shove through it. Thwarted, he eyed William and me with fear.
“Lad, I’ve never seen you.” William shook his head.
“Because I weren’t allowed up here. He hated me leaving the caves.”
William and I swapped a glance.
“He?” I asked.
“The man.”
“Does the individual have a name, Avery?”
“Master.”
I sighed. We weren’t making progress. “Does Master have another name?”
“Probably, but I don’t know it. Can I go now? He’ll punish me.”
“Avery, take a deep breath. Nobody is about to hurt, yell at, or scare you. Come and talk to William and me. Could you materialise?
“No. Not like him. How do you do that?” Avery looked at William jealously.
“Someone gave me a gift,” William replied for lack of any other explanation.
“Avery, please let’s have a chat. We want more information about the bad man. And we can see how we can help you,” I stated with a smile.
“Take Avery upstairs; I’ll bring you a hot chocolate.” William waved us away, and I beckoned Avery to follow me. Avery gave William a generous berth and floated up the stairs after me.
“Leafpoint, could you help Avery?” William asked several minutes later, carrying three mugs.
There was a snort, followed by a popping noise, and Avery landed with a loud thud. He gazed at William wide-eyed as he patted his chest.
“How did you do that?” Avery exclaimed, staring at William with something akin to hero-worship.
“Leafpoint has special powers,” William said.
“Can she keep me like this?
“Not for long. Perhaps with time, your strength could increase. You said you’re eight. When did you die, what year?” William asked.
“I’m not really certain, sir.”
“Were you a local?” I wondered.
“No, ma—Lyra. I was a cabin boy on the Princesses Star,” Avery replied.
I stiffened. “A cabin boy? You’re too young!”
“Don’t know about that, Lyra. But I lived on the ship since I was six,” Avery replied.
I hissed in displeasure as William frowned. “The Princess Star sank in seventeen-ninety.”
“I survived and washed ashore, I did. Darkness covered the deck, and the captain was unaware that he was so close to shore. I was thrown overboard when we hit the rocks. Something went wrong because the ship keeled over real fast. Some men were arguing on the beach nearby and discovered me hiding behind a rock. The Master didn’t like that I’d seen him.
He hurt me, and then I was dead,” Avery said.
I bit my bottom lip, so I didn’t let loose. How disgusting. A boy sold into basically slavery and then murdered because he saw the wreckers. William reached out and squeezed my hand.
“What happened then?” I asked.
“Can’t say I’m entirely sure. The Master turned up dead and began telling me what to do. He’s mean.”
“Avery, I’m so sorry that nasty man hurt you. You’re welcome to remain here as long as you want,” I offered.
“Can I?” Avery lit up with hope.
“Finish your hot chocolate,” William replied, sending me a stern look.
Bugger that, I wasn’t allowing Avery to return to the caves. “Yes, you may stay. But no more frightening me.”
“Sorry, Master made me do it. He can’t come up here. Master ordered me to scare you so you’d leave. He fears you,” Avery told us.
“Does he?”
“Master claims Lyra has cursed blood.”
“What the hell?” I exclaimed.
William turned his head. “The Jasper bloodline. You might have been onto something. What else does Master say?”
“Says Miss Lyra has to go. That she’s dangerous, so are you. Master said that if Miss Lyra leaves, then you can’t win, and he will.”
Both William and I sat up straight. “William needs me to keep Master locked down?”
“Yes. He likes it when I tattle that you’ve been fighting, and Mr William wants you to leave. Master laughs and finds it fun.”
“If I’d chased you away…” William murmured slowly, holding my eyes.
“Master, whoever he was, would have escaped.”
“Damnation. Thank God you’re so stubborn!” William exclaimed.
“Master says things are in motion and he’ll be free soon. He said the sooner you make Miss Lyra leave, the stronger he becomes. With two of you, you’re making him weak, and that makes Master angry. When he’s mad, he hurts me.”
“Do you have to return, Avery?” I asked.
Avery looked shocked at the question. “What do you mean?”
“Can’t you keep yourself here where Master is unable to get you?” I forced out the word master.
“He’s here,” Avery pointed to William.
“And?” I pressed.
“He won’t want to share with someone like me,” Avery hissed.
“An abused child?” I challenged.
“Avery, I would never send you back to the Master. You are welcome to stay up here indefinitely,” William said, his expression horrified.
“But it’s your lighthouse,” Avery replied, confused.
“Yes, but I will share it,” William added.
“Are you able to read and write?” I asked.
Oh, they were magic words. Avery’s head shot around, and I became the target of his laser focus.
“Miss?” he murmured, forgetting to call me Lyra.
“If you stay with us, I can teach you,” I cajoled.
Avery’s eyes gleamed. “I get stories?”
“Yes, and I’ll show you how to read them. And I’ll help with maths.”
“Maths?”
“Adding numbers.”
Avery’s eyes grew even bigger. “Do you understand addition?”
“Yes. Would you like to learn?”
Avery’s expression showed he really wanted lessons.
“Sir?” He turned to William.
William kept his face calm. “The master can’t come above the trapdoor. How can he get you if you stay here?”
Avery slumped as he considered William’s words. “That would make me very lucky.”
“Yes. I can teach you how to operate Leafpoint, too. And I’ll teach you the stars,” William wheedled.
A smile crossed my lips. Like me, William had no intention of letting Avery go back to the Master.
“Come live with us,” I urged.
“Be a family?” Avery demanded, looking excited. “You’d be my mum?”
I paused at that. I was a bit young to be a parent to an eight-year-old ghost. Avery’s face fell.
“Sorry! Mum’s read stories and teach things. They care for children,” he began babbling, but I held up a hand. William stared intently, and I knew he was wondering where I’d go with this.
“Avery, I would be honoured to be your mum. But you have to obey me,” I replied.
Avery froze in place. His form flickered, and he looked shocked.
“Never had a mum.”
“You have one now. And my first rule is: avoid the trapdoor. The kitchen’s off-limits permanently, even with William or myself present,” I ordered.
Avery turned to William, eyes wide. “You’ll be my dad?”