Ghosts and Lovers

by A. J. Matthews

  * * * *

  Alex and Paul drove separately to the hall, not wishing to raise Julia’s suspicions. When they pulled up in the drive only one light showed in the windows, a strange flickering light that alternated between gold and blue-white. Alex got out of her car and walked over to stand beside Paul, as they gazed at the sitting room window.

  “What the fuck is that?” he asked.

  “No idea,” she replied.

  “Could Julia be trying a new lighting device for the stage?”

  She shook her head. “No. She’d have said.”

  He shrugged and walked up to the door. It opened of its own accord before he reached for the doorknob. “Come in!” a raspy male voice said.

  Paul recoiled a step. “Shit!”

  “What is it?” Alex asked, hesitating at the foot of the steps.

  “Some fucker’s been following me. I’ve heard that voice before.”

  “And if you want what you desire, you whippersnapper, you’ll enter the house and do as I say!” the voice snarled.

  Paul glanced at Alex. His jaw clenched. “We’ll see,” he said, pushing the door wide and striding in as if he owned the place.

  Alex followed, wondering what the hell was going on. As she passed the hall mirror a movement out the corner of her eye attracted her attention. The face of Charlotte Vickery looked out at her, her expression desperate. Alex made a soothing motion and followed Paul to the sitting room.

  The sight which met her eyes took her aback. “Boss!” she cried, as Julia spun helplessly in the air.

  Paul took one look and burst out laughing. His nasty cackle was met and matched by one just as bad from the spectral image of the old man dressed in Victorian regalia standing near the fireplace. “Ah, my ally!” the apparition said, waving Paul forward. “This fellow’s been most useful in helping me.” He cocked an eye up at Julia. “Perhaps I should let the lovers be reunited, eh? That way the pestiferous Charlotte will never gain ascendancy here.”

  Paul stepped forward, his expression eager. How much his own feelings came into the matter Alex couldn’t speculate. She knew she had to do something. Snatching up a heavy vase she brought it down at Paul’s head, missed, but hit the junction of his neck and shoulder. Something crunched under her blow. He screamed and fell.

  The apparition roared with anger. Alex felt herself being lifted off the floor and drawn through the air to join Julia. “Treacherous woman!” the apparition shouted. “You played your mistress like a cuckold, and now you turn again?”

  * * * *

  “Damn!” Martin muttered. “Time for a change of tactics.”

  “I have an idea.” Claudia rose and called out, “General? Are you there? We could use some help here!”

  Sir George bellowed with laughter. “You call on that old fool?” He sneered. His image seemed to solidify. “He’s hung around here forever, keeping out of my way as any sensible man should. Don’t count on him helping you!”

  “I’ll not be called a coward by any man or spirit,” a firm voice said from the air, and suddenly the general stood in the room. The atmosphere seemed to brighten so much Claudia could only make out people and objects as blurs. “You are insubordinate, sir!”

  “What do I care, you old snatch-pastry?” Sir George said. “You’re as dead as me, and nowhere near as powerful.”

  The general glowered at him. His expression turned fierce. “I think I am more powerful than you by far. I was a soldier sir and well-versed in the art of war—and cognizant of the need for allies to the cause.”

  “Allies?” For the first time since he’d appeared Claudia sensed uncertainty in Sir George’s tone.

  “Allies, sir.” So saying, the general gestured to the air.

  Dark shapes began to form around him, shapes that took on the appearance of cowled and hooded monks. A plainchant began to sound.

  “Kyrie elision…”

  “What?” Sir George cried, recoiling, his arm flung up as if to protect his face.

  “Christie elision…”

  “These gentlemen have been here since their priory was destroyed, and they were all killed by a renegade baron during the Anarchy,” the general said. “That was long before my time, of course. The poor fellows have been looking for release ever since, but could never find it. By helping me, they’re taking their chance.”

  The plainchant rose in volume to rival the wind, which began to drop. Martin joined in with his own chant, one Claudia knew well. “Deep peace of the rolling wave to you…”

  She added her voice to his. “Deep peace of the flowing air to you.”

  “No!” Sir George fell back. Julia screamed again as his hold on her slipped and she dipped dangerously.

  “Deep peace of the quiet earth to you, now and forever!” Claudia and Martin cried in unison.

  Sir George vanished. The lights came on. Julia and Alex dropped from the air, to be caught by some unseen force and deposited gently side by side on the sofa.

  The general laid a ghostly hand on Martin’s shoulder. “We’ll stand guard, my boy, whilst you see to making the wretch’s crime known.”

  “I’ll do so, sir.” Martin crossed over to the two women. Julia groaned, turned her head and retched. He placed a wastepaper basket besides her just in time. “Oh dear.” He sighed. “She hates being sick.”

  “Will she be okay?” Claudia asked anxiously.

  “I think so.”

  Alex hadn’t been spun in the air and recovered quickly. “Oh, man, that was something else!” She gasped, fanning herself. “Are you all right, boss?”

  “I’ll be okay,” Julia mumbled. “I’m so dizzy!”

  “Rest up,” Claudia said. “I’ll gather up the papers.” She picked up the last paper and held it up. “Got it!”

  “Now,” Martin said with a grin, reaching for his tablet computer, “let’s publish, and be damned to Sir George!”

  It took a few moments to take photographs of the documents in enough detail for them to be read. Martin put the whole on his blog, and hit enter. “That’s it.”

  Claudia sensed a change in the atmosphere. “Something happened just now.”

  “We have control of the situation.” Martin replied. “We must use it to our advantage.”

  “My fellows here can help,” the general said. As one the monks bowed their heads. “Sir George?” the general said in the tone of command. “Come forth, if you please.” A moment passed then the spirit of the old man appeared. He looked much paler than before, and his bluster had gone. The general looked at him with a certain degree of compassion. “You really are a wretch, sir, but that can be alleviated. These gentlemen will take you to a better place. Go with them.”

  The ghostly monks surrounded him, not entirely unlike a prisoner surrounded by jailers. The strange party gradually faded from sight, their passing sounding like a whisper on the breeze. The general turned to the room’s living occupants. “I’ll trot along too, good people.” The tricorn hat appeared on his head. He bowed and touched the brim. “Good-bye, one and all.”

  “Good-bye, general, and thanks for your help.” Martin returned his bow.

  The ghost departed, leaving the room strangely empty.

  “Well,” Claudia said brightly, “what do we do now?”

  “Where’s Paul?” Martin asked, looking around.

  “He’s escaped,” Alex said.

  Julia looked at her. “What did that bloody spook mean when he said you’d cuckolded me?”

  Alex stared at her. “It’s a long story, boss, and I’ll have to tell you later. For now, we’d better find Paul.”

  They quickly searched the house and grounds, but he and his car had gone. “I think I broke his shoulder or something when I hit him with the vase,” Alex said to Claudia and Martin, staring down the drive. “God knows how he’s able to drive.”

  Julia emerged from the house. “The safe’s open and my credit cards are gone!” She glared at Alex. “Did you open it for that bastard?”
>
  “No, I didn’t!” Alex protested.

  Julia didn’t look convinced. “Indeed, she did not,” a voice said from the air. “It was Sir George. He opened your safe for that rascal to take your things.”

  “Who’s there?” Julia demanded, looking around wildly.

  “You should know by now,” the voice replied, and Charlotte appeared in a hazy form. “I am weak, but I grow stronger, now Sir George has been banished. Your servant played you false with your man for months, but at the least she was true to you.”

  Julia looked from the spirit to Alex and back again. “Well, I’ll deal with you later, Alex. You can go home. Right now, I think I’ll call the police then stop my credit cards.”

  * * * *

  Paul steered one-handed, grimacing in pain every time he inadvertently moved his right shoulder. He didn’t think Alex’s blow had broken any bones, but the pain felt excruciating. He stopped briefly in a wide spot lay-by to roll a joint, and he smoked it as he drove to ease the pain. It worked, but his coordination suffered.

  He sped through the low flat terrain of the Fenlands, heading down a country road running along the top of a dyke which the GPS said would lead him to Peterborough. He had a plan of sorts, which involved reaching the M1 and then London where some friends would help. The marijuana made him feel mellow, and he snorted with laughter at the thought of revenge on Julia and her crowd. He glanced in the rearview mirror, thinking how pleasant it was to put more distance between him and the stinking hall with every turn of his wheels.

  The sight of the angry young woman in early Victorian garb scowling at him from the backseat made him swerve violently. His BMW shot off the road into one of the many Fenland ditches and landed with a huge splash.

  Luckily the weather had been dry for several days and the water level was low. Paul struggled out of the half-submerged car and wrenched open the back passenger door, intending to drag the woman out and hit her. The back seat began to flood. It was totally empty with no sign of the woman.

  * * * *

  Julia put the phone down. “That was the police. They’ve got Paul. The silly bugger drove his car off the road and into a ditch about ten miles from here. I’ll have to go to the local police station tomorrow to give a statement. I won’t mention Alex’s part in this unless asked. Even so, I won’t press charges against Alex if her name is brought into it.”

  “That’s good of you,” Claudia said. “I think she was more sinned against than sinning.”

  “So do I,” Martin put in. “If nothing else, the way she hit Paul with that ornament showed where her loyalties lie.”

  Julia sighed. “I suppose so. Maybe I’ll give her a second chance.”

  “I would,” Martin said and stretched. “I don’t know about you ladies, but I feel the need for a rest after all the excitement.”

  Julia gave him and Claudia a shy look. “Now the haunting is at an end, we can go to my bedroom.”

  “Okay,” he said. Claudia looked a question at Martin and he looked back. His eyelid fluttered in a brief wink.

  Julia’s eyes sparkled as she led the way upstairs. Claudia clasped Martin’s hand tight. “I hope you know what you’re doing!” she whispered.

  “Have a little faith, dear,” he replied, brushing her cheek with his lips. “You’ll see.”

  As they came to her door Julia looked back at them. “I kind of pine for the old days, Martin. Seeing you again after all this time made me realize that.”

  “I’m happy with Claudia, Jules.” Martin reached out and patted his ex-girlfriend’s hand. “But I’ll always have room for you in my life.”

  “I can settle for that—along with a few other things.” She smiled as she entered the room. Walking over to a corner she picked a guitar up off a rest. “I keep an instrument here in case I have an idea for a song. Paul didn’t like me playing up here, especially in the small hours when he wanted to sleep. Now I can do what I like, so how about a song or two…”

  She perched on her dresser chair and played them songs from her upcoming album. Claudia liked the melody. She felt her mood altering as the drama of the day faded. Julia seemed lost in her music. Claudia studied her, the way her long blonde hair fell about her face as she bent over the guitar, the clean curve of her neck and graceful long fingers. She imagined what Julia could do with those same fingers and felt herself grow warm between her thighs. After a few moments she realized Martin had been giving her and Julia both the same considering look. She smiled at him and winked. He smiled back and caressed the back of her hand with this thumb.

  Julia finished her song, and a warm silence fell upon the room. Julia looked up with a smile, her eyes warm and inviting.

  “Do you feel better now, Jules?” Claudia put an arm around her.

  “Much better.” Julia looked at Martin. “How do you feel, love?”

  “It only hurts when I laugh,” he said with a smile.

  Claudia looked around. The bedroom appeared bigger and nicer than the guest room they’d occupied, with pretty pink floral wallpaper and elegant light walnut furniture. The bed, a modern Californian king-size looked huge and quite high. She imagined the three of them on that bed and stirred, caught between desire and repulsion.

  “Penny for your thoughts?”

  Claudia looked up to see her husband watching her with a quizzical smile. “Oh, I’ll tell you for free. After all the hints and outright invitations I’m really not sure about this.” She looked at Julia. “I’ve really come to like you, Jules, but I don’t think I can ever share Marty.”

  Julia looked disappointed and even frustrated, but before she could reply Martin intervened. “Hmm!” He rubbed his jaw, looked at the bed and frowned. Then he glanced at Claudia and the twinkle in his eye made a surge of electricity thrill through her body. “I have an option to satisfy us all,” he said, “but it’ll need to be tested.”

  “What?” Julia and Claudia demanded simultaneously.

  “Jules, you need to discharge the energies built up in this house if you’re to enjoy a quiet life here. Poor Charlotte and Richard Robinson also need relief they’re ever to move on. Since you’ve all been sexually involved with each other in the course of this event, you all have the perfect means to help one another.”

  Julia opened her mouth then frowned. She tilted her head to one side and considered what Martin had said. “You know, I like the sound of that. How will we do it?”

  “Like this.” Martin closed his eyes and tilted his head back. “I call the spirit of Richard Robinson, late of Her Majesty’s Royal Navy to this place. Come, sir, if you are willing.”

  Nothing happened for long moments. Claudia and Julia looked from Martin to each other, wondering what he had in mind. A pale light began to glow in the air by the window, first taking the form of an orb and then brightening and filling out until a young man stood before them, as solid and human-seeming as any of them. Martin opened his eyes briefly, saw the figure and nodded with satisfaction before closing his eyes again. “Charlotte? Are you there? Come forth, dear lady, and come in peace.”

  Another light appeared almost at once, the glow much brighter and mellower than the first. Charlotte Vickery appeared in the blink of an eye, and smiled warmly at them before turning and taking Richard Robinson’s hand. “My love,” she said.

  “Sweet dearest!” He raised her hand to his lips in both his and kissed it. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  Charlotte gazed fondly at Julia. “We owe you a tremendous debt of gratitude, my dear Julia. How can we ever repay you?”

  “I have an idea,” Martin said. “Julia absorbed much of the sexual power you generated during this case. She really needs release, and there’s only one way to do that.” He touched his heart. “My wife and I would oblige if we could, but our marriage vows prohibit that. However, you and Richard may be able to help.”

  “Ooh sir!” Charlotte chuckled, glancing up at her lover and turning to regard Julia with deep interest.

  “Yes
please!” Julia said. She stood up, crossed to Charlotte and Richard and put her arms around them both.

  Martin stood and went over to lower the lights by the dimmer switch. When he turned back he wore a broad smile. “Now, I think we’d better leave you three to it.”

  Claudia felt a wave of relief, but then grinned. “I’ve got a better idea. We won’t get frisky with you three, but there’s no reason why we can’t party in the same room. We’ll take the chaise-longue.” She shrugged. “Who knows? We may inspire one another.”

  Martin gave her a quizzical look then nodded. “I’m game.”

  “So be it!” cried Charlotte.

  She stepped toward Julia, and as she moved her heavy Victorian dress melted away to nothing, revealing a young woman in the finest flush of youth. Richard’s clothes did the same, his member rising from a thick mass of dark curls to point with intent at Julia. Julia stared at them, licked her lips, and undressed.

  Claudia took Martin by the hand and led him aside. They held each other and kissed deeply. Martin took off her top and reached behind and felt for the clasp of her bra, watching her all the while he unhooked it. She knew Martin really appreciated the moment she slipped the cups off her breasts. She unfastened it now, taking her time, letting him savor the moment. The straps came loose and dangled from her shoulders. She held the cups on and gave a coquettish wriggle of her hips. “Are you sure you’re ready?” Claudia batted her eyelashes.

  “Oh, any time you like, darling,” he said with a lazy smile. The twinkle in his eyes turned into a fiery sparkle. She glanced over to the bed, where the two spirits had taken Julia in their arms to bear her down on the soft covers. She chuckled, her eyes wide and bright with desire.

  Bending forward, Claudia took the cups away, letting her breasts swing free. Martin’s eyes sparkled and his smile showed she’d scored exactly the effect she was hoping for. Not that she expected anything else. Dropping the bra she popped the stud on her jeans and drew down the zipper, the toggle running over the teeth almost one at a time. All fastenings open, she poked her thumbs in the waist, and wriggled as she worked the jeans down over her hips. She stood barefoot, and glad of it as she felt too horny to bother unlacing shoes. Kicking away the jeans she stood with her hands on her hips, letting Martin get a real good eyeful.