by Haley Harper
“My companion and I have no desire to harm anyone. Do as we say and everyone will go to bed happy this fine night.” Every guest in the room stood silent. Some were smiling, assuming that the whole thing was a charade put on by the staff for entertainment. Others seemed a little uncertain and anxious. Having read as much history of the mansion as she had, Shannon felt confident enough to play along.
“But we do not carry any possessions of value with us on this tour. Our valuables are safely stowed away in our rooms. What do the two of you say to that?” The two disguised figures turned towards her, as did each of the other guests. After pausing for just a moment, the tall masked man let out a bellowing laugh.
“Well played my fair lady,” he chortled. He reached up and removed his mask.
“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Jonathon Farnsworth. I own the farm across the road there from the mansion. I am a farmer by day, and a highwayman by night. I rob from good folks who travel the country roads, and this is my partner in crime.” He waved an arm towards the other masked man who joined him at his side. “Allow me to introduce the beautiful Lady Caldwell.” The figure stepped forward and removed her mask and her hat to reveal an attractive woman with long black hair. Realizing the ruse, the relieved group broke into a round of applause. The two masked figures bowed, and turned on their heels and left the room. Chatter erupted within the group, those who had some knowledge of the history of the mansion, sharing what they knew with others.
It is Lady Caldwell’s ghost that is said to haunt the mansion to this day,” Shannon told them. “She was killed during a robbery gone wrong and is said to have died trying to find her way back into the mansion. The ghost of Jonathan Farnsworth is also said to roam the countryside. He is always seen riding a large black horse, supposedly searching for his lost lover. There is also a secret passageway somewhere in this room that the lady Caldwell used to sneak out of the mansion.”
A deep voice came from behind her. “Indeed there is,” Frederick announced as he entered the room. “It is here behind this bookshelf. He removed one of the books from the shelf and the entire section of wall turned to reveal a hidden doorway. “The passage has been sealed up,” he explained. “But this is the very doorway that Lady Caldwell used to join her lover in their highway robbery schemes.” Frederick invited the guests to come and have a closer look. When each one had, he then pushed the book back onto the shelf and the wall fell back into its original position.
“That wraps up the tour of the mansion,” Frederick announced. “I hope you have enjoyed it, and I hope our little skit has not frightened you. I wish you all an enjoyable stay here at Buldrew Mansion, and I encourage you to please report any ghostly apparitions that you may encounter while here to the management.” With an exaggerated bow, he turned and left the room.
Melissa grabbed Shannon’s arm in excitement. “Holy cow,” she exclaimed. “I had no idea this place was haunted by highway robbers and scandalous Ladies.” Shannon laughed.
“I’m just hoping I get to see a ghost while I’m here. That’s what I came for!” As they turned to leave the room, Shannon noticed a lone woman in maid’s attire standing quietly off in the corner of the room. She was certain it was the same shy, nervous maid she had seen earlier that morning in the dining room.
Chapter 6
Following the tour Shannon returned to her room to commence work on her book. It was to be a detailed account of the most famous ghosts in the world, inspired by the trip she had taken the previous Christmas to the Black Hills of South Dakota. She had gone to visit a friend and had ended up involved in real live ghost story. The ghost of Lady Caldwell was the third to last ghost in the collection. Later in the summer Shannon would be travelling to a haunted castle in Ireland and after that to a haunted boathouse in Maine. Then she would begin the arduous task of editing the final work. Her book was set to release in early October, and her publisher was adamant that it be on the shelves for Halloween to help boost initial sales.
As she contemplated these next two trips, her mind automatically drifted to Mitch. He really wouldn’t be happy about her going off again she was sure. He was going to want to come with her, but Shannon seriously doubted how much work she would get done with him along. Among other things, Mitch did not believe in ghosts, and his constant sarcasm often rubbed her the wrong way. She was all for letting people have their own beliefs, but she really didn’t appreciate her work being the target of his humor. Shannon felt her temper rising a bit and Mitch wasn’t even there. Shake it off, girl, she mumbled out loud, and get to work.
Shannon worked nonstop for the rest of the day pausing only briefly for a light lunch in her room. She wrote detailed descriptions of the mansion and its ghosts, adding historical facts to provide background for the story. She was pleased with the progression of the book so far, and Lady Caldwell’s ghost and the intrigue of the highwayman legend was a fantastic addition. A soft tapping at her door pulled her attention from the keyboard and she glanced at her watch. It was already six o’clock and, as Mrs. Chadwick had informed them, dinner was served promptly at 6:15. Shannon rushed to the door, pleased to see Melissa standing there. “Ready for dinner?” her new friend beamed.
Shannon nodded as she scooped papers into a pile and stuck them into a manila folder. She quickly saved her work and shut down her laptop. “Ok, she said finally, let’s go.”
Dinner was no less extravagant than breakfast. Clearly the staff at Buldrew mansion spared no cost where food was concerned, and they had also taken care to hire great chefs. They dined on a feast of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, steak and kidney pie, mashed potatoes and assorted vegetables. There was also an assortment of desserts that set everyone’s sweet tooth to watering in spite of their already full stomachs. The chefs were wise to create bite sized portions of each dish so the guests could sample a taste of everything if they wished, instead of having to choose. There was a decadent sticky toffee pudding served with warm vanilla custard, a creamy fruit trifle and something Shannon had never heard of before called a Bakewell tart. This favorite dessert of the locals consisted of a buttery shortcake crust topped with a layer of jam and sponge cake with a delicious almond flavor. Shannon and Melissa sat for quite a while after dinner over cups of earl gray tea, trying to let their supper settle. Shannon was surprised and pleased that Melissa started to open up about her past, her husband and their troubled relationship. It wasn’t something she found easy to talk about, and Shannon didn’t try to rush her.
“It hasn’t been easy,” she said softly. “In the beginning Tom really made an effort to get help with his drinking but he just kept falling back into old habits. I grew tired of giving him second chances. Eventually the abuse became so bad, I really believed my life was in danger. Then one night while he was out I just packed up my things and headed for the women’s shelter in the next town. They helped connect me with the police and social assistance programs that I needed to file for divorce and get started on a new life. For a while Tom called and called and begged me to take him back but I finally felt strong enough and safe enough to say no. Some of his calls were pretty threatening, but thanks to the restraining order, he has kept his distance. I haven’t seen him since the night I left. Taking this trip is the first independent step I’ve taken in a long time, and it’s been a big one for me.”
Shannon raised her tea cup in a toast. ‘Then here’s to you, and your independence.” The women both laughed and finally pushed themselves away from the table.
“Let’s take a walk of the grounds,” Melissa suggested. “I want to see the farm where the highwayman lived and a few of the other parts of the mansion.”
They wandered about, chatting away until the sun started to slip behind the hills and both women drifted quietly into their own thoughts. Just as they were about to head back, Shannon spied the impressive brick turret that had been added onto the western corner of the mansion. Her guidebooks had mentioned the turret, describing it as a special addition bui
lt for Lady Caldwell by her husband as a place where she could look over the countryside while she painted. It was several stories high and contained an open winding staircase that led to the little room at the top. There were several small windows on one side that allowed natural light into the stairwell. At the top a small door opened to a narrow walkway enclosed by a wrought iron railing. The walkway encircled the entire turret so one could enjoy a 360 ⁰ view of the countryside. Shannon couldn’t wait to experience it for herself. The door to the staircase was unlocked and a small sign was posted on a stand next to the door inviting those who were energetic enough to climb the steep flight of stairs and enjoy the view. The stairs had been kept in good repair and didn’t intimidate Shannon one bit. “Let’s have a look,” she exclaimed tugging on Melissa’s arm.
“Uh, no thanks,” came the definite reply. “I am so afraid of heights I wouldn’t get by the first story. You go, and I’ll wait here.”
“Chicken!” Shannon teased as she headed for the door. “I’ll wave when I get to the top.” Melissa just nodded, taking a step back as though she could feel the height even without climbing up. It didn’t take Shannon long to get to the top. She made it a point to stay in shape, worried that her lifestyle as a writer could easily become too sedentary. The inside of the turret was musty and damp and smelled of hundreds of years of exposure to English weather. The concrete walls glistened with moisture and there were spots where green moss had taken hold. To Shannon it felt like stepping back in time. Once she got to the top she stepped through the small doorway and out onto the walkway. She spotted Melissa down below and leaned over and waved. She chuckled at the sight of her friends face. It was almost green from just looking up at the high tower.
“How was the climb?” she managed to squeak.
“It was fantastic, you should try it!”
“No thanks,” came the speedy reply. “Now could you just get back down so I can get away from here?”
“Be down in a second,” Shannon laughed. She quickly walked around the turret not taking the time she would of liked to out of concern for her friend. Obviously just her being up here was doing a number on her friend’s phobia.
As they walked back to the mansion to turn in for the night they heard a rustling in the long grass across the road. Both women stopped and listened. Both women jumped when the sound came again. Straining through the increasing darkness, Shannon was certain she saw a large dark shadow disappear into the field. “Did you see that?” she asked her friend, whose eyes were glued to the road.
“No I didn’t see anything but there was definitely something there. Let’s get out of here.” Melissa was obviously not as curious or as brave as her friend. Shannon resisted at first.
“Let’s wait here a while and see if we see anything. We might get a glimpse of a real ghost.”
“You stay if you want,” Melisa retorted. “But I’m heading back. I’m suddenly not so sure about actually seeing a ghost!” Reluctantly, Shannon agreed to return. She didn’t feel comfortable making Melissa walk back on her own. She would have been quite comfortable, however staying outside all night if it meant she could encounter her very first real ghost. Arm in arm they returned to the mansion. By the time they arrived, full darkness had fallen and the spooky experience in the woods had inspired Shannon to dive right into her work. Melissa on the other hand, opted to sit for a while in the onsite pub and calm her nerves with a good strong pint of ale.
Chapter 7
Before she turned in Shannon decided to call Mitch. She hadn’t spoken to him for a couple days and she had promised to call every day. She wondered why he hadn’t been calling her cell phone, but then she remembered that she had turned it off. When the screen sprang to life, she expected to see a slew of missed calls and new messages. There was nothing. Well that’s weird, she thought to herself. He must still be mad. She scrolled to his number, pressed the button and waited. She was preparing a voicemail message in her head when he finally answered on the last ring.
“Hi,” she said a little more cheerfully than she felt, hoping to dispel a grumpy tirade. “Sorry I’ve been so bad about calling. I’ve been really busy.” She was taken totally aback by his even more cheerful reply.
“Hi yourself. No worries, I’ve been busy too. How are you enjoying the haunted mansion?” For a minute, Shannon couldn’t respond. This was not the reaction she had been expecting. Cautiously she replied.
“It’s great. It’s like being in a game of Clue. There’s a ballroom and a dining room and a library and even huge silver candlesticks.”
Mitch chuckled. “Well maybe there’ll even be a murder.”
“That’s not even funny,” Shannon said. “But it is a fantastic place. And the book is going well.”
“Great, Mitch replied, again being uncharacteristically positive. “Well I’ve gotta go. Have fun and call me again when you get a chance.”
“Ok,” Shannon said slowly. “I miss you.”
“Ya, me too,” came the short reply. “Bye.”
“Bye,” Shannon said as she pushed the end call button. That was totally weird. And for the first time in their relationship she wondered if Mitch Blackburn was a man she could trust.
She crawled into bed and picked up the notepad that she always kept on her night table. She didn’t really feel like starting in on the book, but there were a few notes she wanted to make that would help her remember where she wanted to go with the story in the morning. When that was done she turned off her bedside lamp and pulled up the covers. She fell asleep quickly tucked under the fluffy duvet and slept soundly until a loud rapping on her door woke her in the morning.
“One second,” she called in a sleepy voice. She grabbed a robe, wondering what on earth could be so important that the guests would be awakened in such a rude fashion. She opened the door just a crack to see a very frazzled Mrs. Pritchard on the other side. Her hair was out of its customary bun and formed a halo of silver frizz around her head. She was in a worn and somewhat tattered looking blue robe and slippers.
“You must hurry, miss,” she stammered. “There’s been a terrible accident and the police are here. They want to see everyone in the dining room straightaway.”
Shannon tried to shake the cobwebs from her head to be sure she heard the frantic woman correctly. “What kind of accident,” she finally managed to blurt.
“Why, one of the guests has been found dead out on the grounds, don’t you know. Folks are all talking like it’s an accident of some sort but I know better. It’s the ghost of Lady Caldwell, I say. Bet my Guinness on it I would. There’ve been accidents here before don’t you know. She was the cause of them too I’d dare say. She’s a nasty ghost that one. But you better hurry on now, the bobby is downstairs and he seems a mite impatient to talk to folks.” Then as quickly as she had arrived, the wild Ms. Pritchard was on her way. Before Shannon could even close her door she heard the woman banging loudly on the door of the next room down the hall.
Shannon dressed quickly, disturbed by the fact that one of the guests she had just met the night before had met their demise on the grounds of the mansion. Melissa was the only guest she had really gotten to know, but it was still quite unpleasant to think that such a terrible fate had befallen someone. She hurried out, taking a detour down the hall to Melissa’s room, hoping that they might go down to the dining room together. There was no answer when she knocked on the door so Shannon assumed she must have gone on ahead. She could hear a jumble of voices coming from the dining room before she even got close. Mrs. Pritchard was in there now, still ranting about the ghost of Lady Caldwell. Frederick was doing his best to calm her down.
Violet Chadwick, the manager was talking to a handsome man in a dark blue suit and tie. He looked familiar and it took Shannon a second to remember where she had seen him before. He was the detective that had given her a lift to the mansion. This time Maureen wasn’t with him. By his serious expression and official posture, Shannon could tell he was here on busin
ess. All of the maids were standing off in a corner huddled together with eyes as wide as saucers watching the proceedings in shocked silence. Shannon’s eyes drifted around the room searching for Melissa. She recognized all of the other guests and noticed as well a rather studious looking man that she hadn’t seen before. But there was no sign of Melissa anywhere. She walked over to the group intending to ask after her friend, when Detective Jake Monroe announced that he needed everyone’s attention.
“Now that everyone is present,” he said slowly, “I would like to ask each of you a few questions.” Shannon interrupted before he could continue.
“Excuse me,” she said, avoiding the use of his name in case he didn’t remember her, “but everyone is not here. There is a guest named Melissa Davenport who is not here yet.” The detective turned towards her and Shannon could see recognition dawn in his eyes.
“Miss Porter, is that correct?” Shannon nodded. “And are you a close friend of the…of Melissa Davenport?” Shannon caught his slip and she realized what he had been about to say. Her hand flew to her mouth and she sank into one of the nearby chairs. The deceased. He was about to say are you a friend of the deceased. How could it be? She had been with Melissa just hours ago. Giving her a concerned glance, Detective Monroe continued his speech.
“Early this morning the body of Melissa Davenport, a guest at the mansion was found at the bottom of the old turret on the west wing of the mansion. It appears as though she had decided to enjoy the view from the walkway at the top but then fell from the turret and died from the injuries sustained in that fall.”
A gasp of astonishment went up throughout the room followed by a silence to rival that of any library in the world. A flustered Mrs. Pritchard was the first to speak. “It was that ghost I tell you! The ghost of the wicked Lady Caldwell. . . That’s who’s done this to be sure! I keep telling folks we need to get a ghost expert in here but does anybody ever listen? No…not to wild old Mrs. Pritchard they don’t. But things keep on happening don’t they?” Frederick put his arm around the woman’s shoulders.