The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor

by Amy Reade

  “It’s a date,” he said.

  The hospital finally called later that evening. Brad was stable, the nurse told me, but he could not yet receive visitors. Someone would call when he was awake and alert. The police called, too, and said they wanted to talk to Brad before they questioned me again.

  CHAPTER 20

  The next morning Graydon called Animal Control to discuss the alligator that was possibly still on the property. They were quite busy, they said, with displaced animals from the storm, so they would get to Peppernell Manor as soon as possible. I took Lucy back to school, where she was thrilled to be reunited with her friends, all of whom chatted excitedly about things other than the hurricane. It was peculiar—the adults talked of nothing else, but the kids seemed to have forgotten it already.

  Another nurse called after I dropped Lucy off and said that Brad was doing better, but he had asked that I not visit him yet. That was fine with me.

  I was excited to begin talking with a few shop owners about my ideas for restoring the slave cabins. I felt a twinge of guilt over not working on the stairs that morning, but I needed to get the prep work done on the cabins so I could work on them as soon as the stairs were completed. I stopped first to talk to the woman who had sold me the dining room wallpaper. She loved the idea of being involved. I had done some research on the subject and consulted with Phyllis, and the shop owner also shared some of her knowledge with me. We eventually decided to cover the walls with a special type of reinforced paper printed with reproduction newsprint from the nineteenth century. The paper would look just like pages from newspapers. Phyllis’s ancestors would have used newspapers to cover their walls and keep out drafts, and I wanted to be true to the cabins’ original interiors.

  I went next to the workshop of a steeplejack. I wanted to make sure that the chimneys in the cabins were safe and in working condition before beginning the restoration of the ceilings, walls, and floors. The man offered to visit Peppernell Manor sometime over the next day or two to have a look at the chimneys and make his recommendations. He was familiar with the slave cabins at Peppernell Manor, he told me, and was thrilled to have the opportunity to help in their restoration.

  I had a delightful early lunch with Heath before returning to the manor to work again on the staircase. We sat outside a café in the bright sunshine, his hand on mine. It was almost easy to forget that we had been in the middle of a hurricane just two days earlier, and that my ex-husband had been seriously injured while trespassing during the storm.

  After lunch we walked leisurely around the block hand in hand, talking of things other than my job, his job, Brad, or Lucy. I told him about winter in Chicago and he told me about winter in South Carolina. I was looking forward to spending winter in the South.

  I left him at his office and went back to work at the manor; I was actually able to get a lot done before I had to pick up Lucy.

  The power was finally restored to the manor that night after Lucy went to bed. Though she was thrilled by the use of candles for light, I had begun to grow tired of it and I was glad when the lights came on again. Evie and I went into the drawing room, each with a glass of wine, and she turned on every lamp.

  “Isn’t that overkill?” I asked.

  She laughed. “Maybe, but I don’t care. Now that the power’s back on, I intend to use it.”

  The morning dawned windy and pleasant. The hospital called and said Brad was ready to receive visitors. I called the police and was told that two officers were going to talk to him and that I could talk to him when they were done. After I ate breakfast with Lucy and sent her upstairs to get ready for school, Vivian came into the kitchen.

  “Carleigh, are you going to the hospital in the morning to see your ex-husband?” she asked.

  “Yes. I’ll stop there as soon as I drop Lucy off at school.”

  “I feel violated,” Vivian exclaimed. “To think that an unwanted visitor was on our property!”

  “I am very sorry about it,” I told her. “If I had had the slightest inkling that he was planning to come here, I would have put a stop to it immediately.”

  “I’m sure you would, dear.”

  “Would what?” asked Evie, coming into the room.

  “I would have stopped Brad if I had known he was coming here.”

  “Are you going to see him in the hospital?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you going to tell Lucy that he’s in South Carolina?”

  “No way. She doesn’t need to see him like that. It would just scare her.”

  “What are you going to say to him?”

  “I don’t know,” I answered grimly, “but he’s got a lot of explaining to do. His leg is going to be the least of his worries.”

  “I think you’d better take Heath with you,” Evie fretted. “I’m not sure it’s safe for you to go by yourself.”

  “There’s nothing Brad can do to me in the hospital. He can’t even walk. But I’ll take Heath if he wants to go. He may not want to be there for my tender reunion with Brad, though.”

  “Maybe he should go to keep you from killing Brad,” Evie said with a wry smile.

  “That might be a good idea,” I agreed.

  As it turned out, Heath didn’t want me to go see Brad alone, so we dropped Lucy off at school and drove over to the hospital together. I located Brad’s room and we went up and stood in the hallway. The police were just leaving. They said they had gotten very little information from Brad and would talk to me later.

  Suddenly I was reluctant to go in. Heath said, “You don’t have to go in there, you know. You can just let the police do their job and do your talking through them.”

  I shook my head. “No, I have to talk to him face to face.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure. I’ll wait for you out here. Just give me a shout if you need me.” I squared my shoulders and pushed Brad’s door open. He lay on the bed with his eyes closed. He had IV tubes stuck in his arms and his leg was heavily bandaged. His face was worn-looking and haggard with several days’ growth of beard. It looked like he had lost weight.

  He looked terrible.

  I shook his free arm gently and his eyelids fluttered open slowly.

  “Carleigh.” The word came out of his mouth dry and sticky.

  “Yes. How are you feeling this morning?”

  He groaned. “Miserable. The gator got my leg.”

  “I know. What on earth were you doing out there? And during a hurricane?”

  He turned his head slowly away from me and didn’t answer. I was about to repeat myself when he turned back toward me. He closed his eyes and spoke in a low voice.

  “Checking up on you and Lucy. I was holed up in the outhouse—”

  “It’s called a privy,” I interrupted.

  “I was waiting out the storm in there and didn’t think the hurricane would be as strong as it was. I just wanted to make sure she was safe, but I couldn’t see in the windows of the manor. I thought I would be able to get back to Charleston.”

  “Why? What’s wrong with a phone call? And what do you mean, ‘back to Charleston’?”

  “I wanted to see everything for myself. And I’ve been staying in Charleston.”

  “For how long?”

  “About a week.”

  “A week?! And you wanted to see what for yourself?”

  “I wanted to see where you and Lucy are living. I wanted to see what your life is like down here. I wanted to see . . . everything.”

  “I trust you satisfied your curiosity?”

  His form seemed to shrink under his thin sheet. He winced, whether from pain or from shame, I don’t know.

  “Well, did you?” I asked.

  “I guess.”

  “How long were you at the manor?”

  “Several nights in a row.”

  “What?!” I yelled. I could see Heath’s head out of the corner of my eye, checking on me through the window.

  “Several nights. I wanted to know who that guy is and
what you’re doing with him.”

  “What guy?” I knew perfectly well which guy he was talking about.

  “That really tall guy who lives next to the mansion.”

  “Why do you care who he is?”

  “I just do,” he said petulantly.

  “His name is Heath Peppernell.”

  “He’s your boyfriend?”

  “Yes, though that’s none of your business.”

  He turned away again.

  “It is my business because of Lucy.”

  “I don’t get it.”

  “You can’t see him if he’s not good to Lucy.”

  “First of all, you can’t tell me what I can and can’t do. Second, do you think I’d date someone who isn’t good to her? Honestly, Brad, do you think I’m stupid? Heath adores her, and she adores him, too.”

  “You should have told me that you’re dating him.”

  “It’s none of your business.”

  “Are you going to marry him?”

  “That’s also none of your business.”

  “I expect you to tell me what your plans are.”

  “The same way you did when you fell for that stripper?” I jeered. “How is Jiggly—I mean Jilly, anyways?”

  “Don’t call her that.” He turned to face the wall again. “Anyway, she and I are through.”

  “I’d love to stay here and chat about it, but I don’t have time. I’ve got to get back to work. Listen to me, Brad. The police aren’t done with you yet. They’re wondering why you were trespassing on my employer’s property during a hurricane. They’re going to love it when you tell them you were there to stalk your ex-wife and daughter. The family court judge back in Chicago ought to enjoy the story, too. Good luck with that, and don’t come near me or Lucy again without telling me first.”

  I turned on my heel and went out to where Heath was standing in the hallway.

  “How’d it go?” he asked.

  “He’s a jerk,” I answered. “He’s been spying on me! He’s been at Peppernell Manor for several nights!” I paused suddenly, thinking. “I’ll be right back,” I told Heath.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I have to ask him something.”

  I went back into Brad’s room. His eyes were closed again, but he opened them when I walked in. “Brad, when did you and Jiggly break up?”

  “Around the time you left Chicago. Why?”

  “Did you call me at the manor and threaten me?”

  He looked away.

  “Brad?”

  “Yes,” he mumbled.

  “Why?”

  “I wanted you to bring Lucy back to Chicago. Jilly and I had broken up and suddenly I was alone.”

  “You’re unbelievable,” I said with a scowl. He didn’t answer and I left.

  “Everything all right?” Heath asked when I joined him in the hallway again.

  “Yes. Brad was the one who called me that night and threatened me. So that’s solved.”

  “He called and threatened you?”

  “Yes.” I had forgotten that Heath didn’t know about the phone call.

  “He is a jerk.”

  Heath looked pensive as we walked to the elevator together and he finally said, “I’ll bet that’s why Addie has been barking so much at night. She knew someone was there.”

  “Of course! That has to be the reason! Poor thing, she was trying to warn everyone and nobody would listen to her.”

  “We’ll have to give her a treat.” He smiled and put his arm around my shoulders, then became serious. “Was it upsetting to see Brad?”

  “A little, but I surprised myself. It was easier than I thought to stand up to him. Of course, he was in a hospital bed. I don’t know that I would have been as brave if he hadn’t been an invalid.”

  “Why was he spying on you?”

  I grimaced. “He wanted to know who you are.”

  “Me? Why?”

  “He wants to make sure that you’re good to Lucy.”

  “Does he think you would tolerate anyone who wasn’t good to Lucy?”

  “That’s what I said. He’s a stalker, plain and simple. He just wants to keep tabs on me, that’s all. He’s always been like that—you can ask Evie.”

  “She doesn’t like him?”

  “Never did, apparently, in part because he was so controlling. I didn’t recognize it as that when I was in college, but I see it clearly now.”

  “He makes me a little nervous. What’s going to happen when he gets out of the hospital?”

  “I don’t know. I’m going to ask the police how they recommend dealing with him.”

  “Maybe you and Lucy should stay with me,” he said, grinning and waggling his eyebrows.

  I rolled my eyes at him, laughing. “I’d love to, but with Brad in town, I think we’d better stay in the manor house. The last thing I need is to be giving Brad ammunition by living with my boyfriend.”

  “Let’s hope he just goes back to Chicago.”

  CHAPTER 21

  Heath went to his office and I drove back to Peppernell Manor. I had a meeting with the steeplejack to determine what had to be done to restore the fireplaces and chimneys in the slave cabins.

  He was right on time. I showed him the slave cabins and explained what I had in mind for the restoration. His recommendations were encouraging, and he told me he could start the brickwork immediately. We made plans for him to return the next day to begin. I spent the rest of the day working on the staircase in the manor and I had completed it by the time I had to go pick up Lucy at school. The stairs looked magnificent; the family would be very pleased.

  When Lucy and I arrived back at the manor, Graydon was in the kitchen taking a break from his work.

  “Any word on the g-a-t-o-r?” I asked him.

  “Animal Control should be here tomorrow. Apparently we’re not the only property with that problem,” he said, recognizing that I didn’t want Lucy to know there had been an alligator on the property. “We’re the only ones that experienced a casualty, though. How is he?” he asked cryptically.

  “I’ll fill you in later,” I promised him. As we spoke Lucy looked from me to Graydon with a blank look on her face. Graydon tousled her hair and tickled her, making her forget that the adults were having a conversation she didn’t understand.

  Heath joined the rest of the family for dinner that night. Vivian had evidently spoken with someone during the day who had piqued her interest in once again having investors look at the property.

  “Graydon, you have to speak to a man who came into my store today. We got talking about old properties and of course I told him about Peppernell Manor, and he thought his investment group would love to learn more about it,” she told him excitedly.

  Ruby looked at Graydon. Her mouth opened as if she wanted to say something, but she closed it again. Heath glanced at me as if to say, “Uh-oh. Here it comes.”

  Graydon raised his water glass to his lips and took a sip, then slowly folded his napkin on his lap as Vivian looked at him expectantly. He seemed to be gathering his thoughts. Finally he spoke.

  “Vivian, my dear, I don’t want to argue with you at the dinner table, but since you keep bringing up this subject in front of everyone, I feel you’ve left me no choice. You know very well how I feel about investors coming into this house. Mother didn’t want outsiders with a financial interest having a say in how this property is used, and I feel strongly that we should honor her wishes. Not only that, but I happen to agree with her. Now I hope that closes the subject.”

  “It most certainly does not,” Vivian answered in a huffy drawl. “This is my home, too, and I believe I deserve a say in how it is run in the future. I am a businesswoman, Graydon, and I know better than you do how to run a successful venture. And I am telling you that we should go with the smartest way to provide a profitable future for this manor!”

  She turned on Heath. “Heath, honey, you agree with me, don’t you?”

  “Mom, you know that I
don’t like getting involved in these discussions.”

  “What kind of man did I raise, that won’t support his mother?”

  “A smart one.” Heath winked at me.

  “Y’all make me so mad,” Vivian seethed. “You need to learn how to run a business.”

  “This isn’t a business, Vivian! It’s a home!” Graydon exploded.

  “Why you can’t—” Vivian began.

  From the other end of the table came a sharp, piercing scream. All eyes turned on Ruby, who was sitting with her hands over her ears, her eyes squeezed shut. The scream went on, Ruby only stopping once for a long, ragged breath.

  “Stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it!” she screamed, repeating the phrase over and over until, spent, she slumped forward in her chair, sobbing. Lucy started crying and I jumped up and whisked her upstairs. I couldn’t imagine what was going on in the dining room, but I was thankful to have escaped. I gave Lucy a bath and read to her, trying to soothe her, until she finally fell asleep in my arms. Heath came up to our room after a while. We talked in whispers.

  “What happened?”

  “Ruby cried and cried until Evie finally got her to talk. She’s upset about the fighting. She feels that it dishonors Gran when Mother keeps insisting on bringing up the subject of money and how Peppernell Manor will be run in the future. And she finally reminded everyone that she is half-owner of Peppernell Manor, too. I’m afraid we’ve all kind of overlooked that. Dad is such a strong personality, and it’s easy to forget that he’s not the only owner.”

  “I’ve wondered sometimes how Ruby feels when people talk to Graydon as if he’s the only one in charge here. I wonder if she’s upset or if she’s relieved that her brother is the one dealing with the business side of things,” I replied.

  “I’m embarrassed to say I never really thought about it,” he said.

  “How did your mother and father react to what Ruby said?”

  “Mother was indignant and told Ruby that she can’t see beyond the end of her nose. But I think the truth is that Ruby embarrassed her and she was just being defensive. Dad apologized to Ruby and told her that he thought she wanted him to take charge.”