The Ghost Dances the Nutcracker

by Kristine Frost

  Fascinated Tabitha began working on the hennin, the cone shaped hat with flowing fabric coming out of the tip. The bottom on the cone seemed to be made of a velvet material that was about three inches wide. The remainder seemed to be of a silk or satin. It was shiny. The material was banded in some kind of gold with pearls and gems along the banding.

  “Wow.” Tabitha said out loud. “This is gorgeous. I wonder what technique the painter used to get this texture.”

  There was a knock on the door. “It’s Courtney.” Her voice was soft.

  Tabitha hurried over to unlock the door wondering if the door would open. As she opened the door, Courtney stepped into the room carrying a large tray loaded with plates, cups, and food. She was followed by Debbie who carried a large carafe.

  “What’s all this?” Tabitha lifted one of the covers. The smell of bacon, ham, and beans filled the room.

  “Lunch.” Debbie grinned. “There’s more than we’d normally have because Eugenia doesn’t do beans. It’s not refined enough.”

  Tabitha laughed. “What is her problem. She must be truly unhappy.” She led the way to a round table sitting in one of the beau windows.

  After Courtney set the tray on the table, she turned to look at Aimee’s portrait. “What an incredible hat. How in the world did she keep it on her head? It looks like it weighs a ton.”

  Tabitha held up her phone. “I looked them up. How do you think I knew they were called Hennins? Anyway, they are made of wire or soft cardboard. According to what I read, they put all or most of their hair in the hat—I’m assuming in a bun, then wrapped the Cointoise—the floaty material around the bun then fished it up so it came out the top.”

  Debbie pulled her hair back. “Do you think I would look good in a Hennin?”

  Courtney laughed. “Probably not as good as our little ghost.” She looked at Tabitha. “How long before you get the cleaning done?”

  “I’m taking it slow since the portrait is so old. I don’t want to damage it any more than it has already been damaged.”

  “Good idea.” Debbie said. “I just hope all the cracks we can see won’t keep us from seeing our ghost clearly.”

  Tabitha looked down at the painting and then at lunch. “Let’s eat, then I’ll tell you what I’m thinking about this room.”

  Debbie made sure the door was locked, then walked to the pear by the fireplace. She stuck a thin stick between the pear and the paneling. “I’m not sure this will work, but if someone opens it, they’ll have to work for it.”

  Tabitha took a bite of her soup. “I love ham and bean soup and this has bacon in it. You know, I’m thinking of nominating bacon to be another food group.”

  Debbie giggled. “I wish you could have heard what Eugenia said about the soup. I’ll bet Mrs. Mere puts arsenic in her entrée tonight.”

  “Eugenia is an idiot.” Tabitha declared. “Let me tell you about her visit to this room.” Tabitha quickly told what had happened.

  “When she tried to leave I thought I’d die. Aimee floated over and ran her fingers over Eugenia’s face and neck. Eugenia about died. She thought she had run into a big spider web.”

  Everyone laughed. Courtney looked at Tabitha. “I don’t understand why she wants to have a séance. I’m not in favor of it especially since I wasn’t asked about it before hand. I’m getting tired of her tantrums when she doesn’t get what she wants.”

  “Maybe London will see her for what she really is.” Debbie lifted one of the covers to reveal ice cream sundae’s and ghost cookies.

  Tabitha looked over at Courtney. “If you don’t want her to have a séance, then tell her no. You don’t have to bow to her, you know.”

  “I wish you could be down there with me. I thought I’d been around bulldozers before but she really doesn’t take no for an answer.”

  “I have a feeling that everything is coming to a head.” Tabitha looked out the window. “Once that happens, I can tell her to take a hike.”

  When Courtney began looking worried, Debbie pointed at the room. “You were going to tell us what you think we should do with this room.”

  Tabitha got to her feet and walked to the fireplace. “I’m sure that this is the original fireplace. If you look closely, you can see scenes on the tiles. I think they are pictures of this room and the views from the windows.”

  Courtney came over and looked at the tile that Tabitha had cleaned. “That looks like this window.” Courtney pointed to the beau window closest to the fireplace.

  “I think it is.”

  After Debbie had looked at the tile, Tabitha walked to the window. “I’d like to return this garden area to what it looked like in the 1400’s.”

  Debbie and Courtney joined Tabitha at the window. Debbie squinted looking out on the snow covered bushes. “I think I can see a little of what is shown in the tile. Do you think it would be expensive to reproduce this view?”

  “I don’t know. We’d probably have to get bids or find a gardener to guide us.” Tabitha turned to look back into the room. “I’d like to make this room like it was back when Aimee lived here. I want to paint a portrait of her portrait—one that will fit over the fireplace without all the cracks.”

  She looked at Courtney and Debbie, “If that’s okay with you. It will be like stepping back in time—not so much a ghostly gallery, but more like a step into the 1400’s. Maybe even clean these other portraits and stuff like that. What do you think?”

  Courtney tilted her head from side to side. “I don’t know. Everything about Ghost Haven is ghostly. I mean even the names of the food items reflect that. What you’re talking about wouldn’t be ghostly at all.”

  Tabitha felt her heart sink. She had been so sure that it was the right thing to do. A room dedicated to their little ghost. Now Courtney didn’t like the idea.

  Debbie turned from the window. “I love the idea of the garden. We could call it the Ghost’s Garden. It could be seen from all the rooms on the back side of the house. And what a contrast with the ruins. It would set off the ruins and the ruins would set off the garden.”

  Courtney walked to the window, trying to imagine what Debbie was seeing. She kind of liked the way the gardens were right now.

  Debbie looked at the dirty, dusty picture hanging over the mantel. “And I hate the dead deer. I like the gazebo in the background, but the deer—ugh!”

  Courtney walked over to look at the painting. “I agree with you. I wonder if that’s the gazebo that used to be in the garden. If it is, it’s a much better picture than the one we have.”

  Tabitha shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t remember the gazebo that was in the picture from downstairs. I could probably tell if we put the two pictures side by side.” She was having a hard time keeping the disappointment out of her voice.

  Debbie tilted her head, listening. “I think someone is in the passageway.”

  Before anyone had time to move, Tabitha sprinted across the room, grabbed her canvas and the easel and shoved them into the secret room. In a moment, she was back to grab her palette and brushes. Then she closed the door as she slipped inside. She looked through the peepholes watching who entered the room.

  Recovering from her shock at seeing another secret room, one they hadn’t known about, Debbie hurriedly removed the matchstick from under the pear.

  She stepped back. The panel slid open. Eugenia walked into the room. She was wearing a pair of evergreen leggings, an ice green velvet tunic, and her perpetual Manolo Blahnik three-inch heels. Her incessant sneer was in place on her face.

  “What are you doing in here?” She demanded.

  Courtney’s mouth dropped open. “What do mean what am I doing here. I own this place and I can be where I want to be.”

  “You said this room wasn’t open.” Eugenia’s words were dagger thrusts.

  Courtney’s face flamed red. Her anger was obvious even to Tabitha. Debbie grabbed Courtney’s arm.

  Courtney walked to the main hall door. “Get out.” Her v
oice was a snarl. “I told you this room was off limits.”

  Eugenia hands balled into fists. “I need to plan my séance.”

  “Too bad, so sad. I haven’t given permission for a séance in my home. Now please leave.”

  “You will be sorry for this.” Eugenia looked like she was going to cry, but no tears flowed.

  As she left the room, Courtney slammed the door, nearly banging Eugenia’s heels. She turned to Debbie. “Please go through the passage and lock the passageway doors on the rooms Eugenia, her parents, and London are in.”

  Debbie pulled a small, LED flashlight from her pocket. She had learned never to be in the house without it. “I’ll be right back. What about the other rooms on the passage? London knows where most of them are.”

  “Leave them for now. If she gets him to show her those entrances, I’ll kick all of them out. In fact, I’m tempted to kick them all out right now. Then Tabitha wouldn’t have to hide out.”

  Tabitha opened the door. “You are the best friend I ever had.” She gave Courtney a hug. “But I don’t want you to lose business because of me.”

  Courtney rolled her eyes. “Lose business. She has offended two of my other customers. I’m afraid they are going to leave. I want her gone.”

  Debbie shook her head. “That might cause problems with London. He is our friend.”

  Tabitha looked like she was going to cry. “I’m not so sure. Once he’s married to her, he won’t be able to have anything to do with us.”

  Courtney looked past Tabitha at the secret room. “When did you find that room?”

  Tabitha turned. “Our ghost showed it to me this afternoon. London and Eugenia tried the main door. Of course, it didn’t open since I’d locked it. They came in through the panel after that. I had time to hide everything.”

  She walked to the entrance. “Come look. It even has peepholes.”

  She led the way to the room. “I haven’t had time to explore, but it’s pretty roomy.”

  Debbie looked at the flashlight. “I’ll go lock those rooms. It’s a good thing our ghost showed this to you.”

  When Debbie had left, Courtney looked around the little room. “This is bigger than the priest hole downstairs.”

  Tabitha shown her flashlight around the room. There were two small windows, like eyes in the far wall. There was also a twin bed with what looked like a rotted comforter or duvet. A moth-eaten rug covered the floor in front of the bed. There was a dresser with a large heavy candle holder, the remains of the candle eaten away by mice.

  “If we cleared up the rotten stuff and put a decent mattress on the bed, I could stay in here.” Tabitha said, her voice soft.

  “I wonder if this is where they kept the family priest?” Courtney opened the dresser drawers. “Empty.”

  “In the 1400’s I’ll bet they hid either messengers from the king or messengers from the other side—it was the time of the War of the Roses. From what I read in Mark’s book the Payne’s managed to come out on top no matter which side won. And Ghost Haven or Payne Manor as it was then was in a very volatile area.” Tabitha carefully moved Liu’s portrait from the bed, setting it on the easel in the corner.

  “Courtney, you’d better come downstairs.” Debbie’s face was white, her eyes scared. “Eugenia’s dad is on the warpath.”

  Courtney cracked her knuckles, her eyes looking both angry and wicked. “I’m in the mood for a good fight.”

  “And Georgette just arrived.”

  “Georgette?” Courtney looked confused. “I didn’t know she was coming.”

  “Neither did she.” Debbie turned and hurried from the room.

  Courtney looked at Tabitha. “Should I send her up? I’d think she needs to talk to you.”

  Tabitha bit her bottom lip. “Ask her what she needs. Then make the call. It probably has something to do with Parker.” She paused. “Better yet, I’ll come down through the passageway. Take her into the library. I can hear what’s going on from there.”

  Courtney nodded. As she opened the door to the main hall, Tabitha said, “And Courtney, good luck.”

  There was a glint in Courtney’s eyes that Tabitha had never seen before. It was obvious that her friend was no longer the timid, shy girl Tabitha had defended all her life. It looked like she was ready to take on the world, including Edward Windsor.

  Chapter 37—Ghost Haven Library

  Courtney paused at the top of the stairs. She could hear Edward Windsor ranting, Eugenia whining and her mother sniffing. Debbie must have put them in the red reception room.

  She could see Georgette standing near the reception desk. She ran down the stairs. “Georgette, I wasn’t expecting you.”

  Georgette put her finger to her lips. “I don’t want London to know I’m here. I need to talk to Tabitha, now.”

  “Okay. She was going to meet us in the library. What’s wrong?” Courtney took her arm, leading her to the library.

  “Who’s yelling?” Georgette asked as they walked past the red reception room.

  “London’s snotty fiancée’s father.” Courtney shook her head as she opened the door. “How he could fall for her instead of Tabitha makes me doubt his sanity.”

  London stood just inside the room. “It’s making me doubt my sanity, too.”

  Courtney blushed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, but I’ve had my fill of Eugenia and her family.”

  “I’ll go see if I can calm her down. What did you say to her?”

  Courtney quickly explained what happened. “I don’t understand this séance business. She says she doesn’t believe in ghosts but she’s arranged to have this medium come down.”

  He shook his head, walking past Georgette as if he didn’t see her.

  Georgette looked at Courtney, a shocked look on her face. “That was weird. Do you think he didn’t see me?”

  Courtney shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t see how he couldn’t have seen you. Maybe he was so focused on Eugenia that he didn’t take it all in.”

  As Courtney closed the door, Tabitha emerged from behind the bookcase. “Georgette, what’s up? I know you didn’t drive all this way just for a visit. You look too worried for that.”

  Georgette ran her tongue over her lips, then blotted them with the back of her hand. “It’s Parker. He conned Judge Taft into issuing a warrant for your arrest. He’s rounded up all his team and is on his way here. Jeff Wilson texted me the news. They will be here in an hour or so.”

  Courtney shuddered. “I hate Parker. He makes me think of slime, snails, and cockroaches, not necessarily in that order.”

  “What’s the warrant for?” Tabitha fought to still the tremble in her voice.

  “Murder, fleeing arrest, leaving jurisdiction and I don’t know what else he made up. It’s too bad it was Judge Taft he got to.”

  “Who is Judge Taft?” Courtney looked confused.

  “He’s about 100 years old and a bit senile. The powers that be have been trying to get him off the bench forever, but he simply won’t retire.”

  Georgette looked at Tabitha. “I’ve got the team here. I wasn’t going to bring them, but they all insisted.”

  There was a loud scream. Courtney gritted her teeth. She looked from Tabitha to Georgette. “I’ve got to go take care of London’s intended.”

  Once Courtney had exited the room, shutting the door behind her, Tabitha said, “Hasn’t anyone figured out who killed Jess.”

  Georgette nodded. “We think we know. We have a witness who can identify the man who was with Duval the night she died. They had dinner at a small diner the night she died.”

  There was a tap on the door, then Hargraves slipped in. “Miss Tabitha, I think Miss Courtney is in over her head. I called Mr. Mark, but I can’t reach him. He told me he was coming tonight but I don’t know if he’ll get here in time to help.”

  Tabitha sighed. “Hargraves, you realize if I step in I will be arrested.”

  “Miss. You know who killed that Duval person.
You just can’t prove it. I’ve been talking to Tolliver in the kitchen. They have the witness. It’s time you put the witness and the murderer together and let it play out.”

  Tabitha’s fists were white knuckled. “Alright. I’ll go see what I can do to help Courtney and Debbie.”

  Her eyes hardened, but her fists relaxed. “I think I’m going to enjoy this.” She looked at Hargraves. “Bring London’s team in here. Maybe get them something to eat. I’ll leave this door open.”

  She turned to Georgette. “If Parker arrives while I am still dealing with Eugenia’s bunch, be prepared to step in. I don’t want to go to jail for taking out a DCI inspector.”

  Taking a deep, fear cleansing breath, she opened the door to the red reception room. Edward Windsor was towering over Courtney, yelling in her face and shaking his fist. He put out his hand to grab her shoulder.

  Charles London was standing, next to Eugenia, his arm around her. She was pretending to cry but Tabitha couldn’t see any tears. Just a malicious amused expression that she was hiding from London.

  As Windsor grabbed Courtney’s shoulder, there were several flashes as Tabitha took pictures with her phone. Then she shoved her way between Windsor and Courtney.

  “Keep your hands off her. You’d better back off. I have both pictures and witnesses that you were assaulting her.” She pointed to Hargraves and several hotel guests who were standing in the doorway.

  London said something that Tabitha didn’t hear, but she could feel a rage surge through her. A rage like she’d never felt before. She turned on him with a snarl. “You keep your mouth shut. How dare you betray Courtney for this witch.”

  Her eyes blazed. “Courtney saved your bacon when you need a place to stay both before your surgery and after. She helped save your sister. It seems like you’ve lost every ounce of common sense and decency since you got engaged to Miss Windsor.” The name sounded more like a swear word.

  She turned back to Windsor. “You will leave the premises immediately. There’s a bed and breakfast in the village that will take you for the night. Your luggage will be delivered to you in the morning.”