The Ghost of Kathleen Murphy

by Vickie Carroll

  “Now it all seems like a weird dream. She disappeared into the night. I got soaking wet, and the water was all over the floor from the blowing rain, and I about froze myself to death. I still don’t know any more than I did before.”

  They ran downstairs as they talked and managed to make it before the last bells sounded. The dining room was full today. All the employees were there in addition to the ladies in her workshop, and others who were there for the other workshops. The room was humming with soft voices and creative energy. They were able to slip in without much notice and hurried to find a seat.

  Rose entered the room at her usual brisk pace, her short legs lost under a long black maxi skirt. Her face was flushed as if she ran there. Cassie noticed Rose scanned the room as if looking for someone.

  Emily came in behind her and stood in the center of the room and held a cordless microphone a little too close to her lips. “Welcome to our guests and I hope you will enjoy your time with Miss Malone, those here for her workshop. Also, welcome to those who have arrived for the artist and meditation retreats starting tomorrow. Please enjoy our grounds but there are some areas off limits and those are noted in your information packets. However, some things need explaining, and I will cover some of those things now for you. We ask that you stay out of the Sisters’ cemetery. As most of you may know, this was a monastery and girls school for a long time. The cemetery is a place we respect and we see it as private. We also ask that you stay out of the older part of the building, the former monastery. There is still work going on there and some areas are not safe. Also, Miss Malone and a few of the employees will be at work there in the library and archives from time to time. In addition to your writing classes with Miss Malone, we have arranged other things for you to do. Tomorrow we will take you into Dublin for a service at the cathedral, and then we will go to a wonderful program afterward to hear a remarkable choir and some other talented musicians. Now I’ll be quiet and let you enjoy your breakfast. I trust you will have a pleasant stay with us.”

  As the buzz of conversation resumed April tapped Cassie on the arm and pointed toward the door. Bernadette was just arriving and she looked tired and unkempt as if she slept in her clothes. She headed their way.

  “Hi Bernadette, please sit down and join us.”

  “Good morning, Miss Malone, and to you, April. I hope you have a good class today. If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know.”

  “Thank you, and we certainly will,” Cassie said.

  Cassie hoped she could get some information from her about Jacob and Lydia somehow, but there were too many people around for conversation.

  When the meal ended, Cassie and April left to survey their classroom. Though they had set up everything the day before, they were both anxious and wanted things to go well.

  Cassie leaned over to April and whispered. “Let’s try not to let our personal issues dampen our spirits and put a cloud over this workshop. I want all the participants to have the best workshop possible. It’s only fair.”

  The day went by in a flurry of activity, though she found her mind wandering from time to time. It went first to the ghost child and then to Jacob when the room got quiet during the group’s writing exercise, but she managed to get through the class and enjoy it.

  Cassie and April ended the class for the day and agreed to meet later to conference about the ghost situation. Thinking there was such a problem called the ghost situation made her laugh a little. In the meantime, there was another meal to get through with all the students and the others. She went to her room and reviewed her notes for the next class and looked at her schedule for the week. She was assigned to the archives all day tomorrow, and then off on Friday after morning class. She hoped to get some writing done and to prepare for her date with Jacob on Saturday.

  Cassie tried to put her personal life out of her mind, but it was difficult as the same worries kept running through her head. She must process the breakup with Jed. The sting of his betrayal remained, and she questioned her part in it. What was she lacking that made him look elsewhere? Was it her ongoing insecurity, her bouts with depression following the death of each parent? Or was it more personal, and Jed found her lacking as a woman? She knew her limited time in Ireland was an issue for a relationship with Jacob. What if her poor judgment was leading her to see Jacob as she wanted him to be and not as he was? She questioned her ability to see the reality of anything at times, and now, here with all that was happening, how was she to know what was real? How was she to cope? She felt her thoughts get on a dangerous non-stop loop. Stop thinking about it, Cassie.

  Cassie wondered if calling her therapist was in order. She knew she was jumping way ahead of the reality of her situation, but this was just what she did. Her therapist told her, after the death of her mother, and again after the death of her father, to stop projecting into the future about everything. She was advised to live in the moment. This was a skill not yet acquired.

  Cassie walked out onto the balcony and forced herself to come back to the moment at hand. She did some deep breathing and looked out at the shades of green, the peaceful landscape and she felt better. She distracted herself by pondering the other situation now taking up more and more of her thoughts. She wanted to get into the room across the hall where Jacob’s wife died but wasn’t convinced it was a good idea. She wanted to see the quarters of the priest and the infamous Edwin. What Cassie wanted now, and above all else, was to find out more about Kathleen, their ghost child in residence. She was convinced there were records in the archives, even if it was just a record of her coming to the monastery school. There must be a record of her death somewhere, and more about Maeve too. A check of the official documents either in the church or local village official records was the logical next step. Cassie was determined to put Maeve and Kathleen to rest, one way or the other.

  First, her courage buoyed now, Cassie decided to indulge her curiosity. She crossed the hall to the door of Lydia’s room and turned the handle. There was a loud click, reminding her of gun shot in the quiet of the hallway, and making her jump backward. She took a breath and put her hand on the door handle again. The sound from above made her pause. Someone was on the stairs above. She stepped back into her room and listened. She ran through the possibilities. Perhaps it was a workman or the cleaner. The footsteps faded down the hallway above her head as if someone walked up or down the hall. But no one came down the stairs and she was afraid to go up and look.

  Cassie stood in her bedroom doorway and looked at the door across the hall. She forced one foot in front of the other and put her hand on the door handle again. An overwhelming sense of dread and then sadness settled upon her. It was as if she could feel Lydia’s pain. Shaking now, she stepped back inside her own room and closed the door. She listened for any sounds above her, but heard nothing but the sound of her own breathing. As she turned away, there was a sharp rap on her door that made her cry out. She bit her bottom lip and made herself open the door. One of the employees, whose name she could not recall, stood there like a statue with an all-business expression fixed on her face.

  “Oh, hello, won’t you come in?”

  “No thank you Miss Malone. I brought you a telephone message.”

  Cassie reached for the note. “Thank you very much.”

  The woman turned and walked down the stairs without a backward glance. There was something a bit chilling and a little creepy about her look. They all wore those quiet sensible shoes and no one made a sound as they skittered about. Creepy.

  The note was short: Call Jacob Sullivan. There was no phone number. “Good grief,” she said out loud.

  Cassie searched in vain for a phone book in her room. The archive room was one floor down and she was sure she’d find a telephone book in there. If not, she could access their computer.

  The archive room was dark and cool but there was a light on in the back. She made her way back to the office area and found a light switch. After a short search she turned u
p a phone book and found the bookstore number. Jacob answered the phone himself.

  “Hello Jacob, this is Cassie.”

  “Thank you for calling me back. I’d like to stop by and see you this evening. I’m supposed to have dinner with Aunt Bernie and I thought you might like to have a walk around the property beforehand. If I get there by five we will have an hour before dinner.”

  “Well, of course, Jacob. I’d like to see more of the property. There is something I want to talk to you about anyway.”

  “I will see you at five then.”

  Cassie looked at her watch. Two hours to prepare.

  The day was turning out better than she expected. She washed her face and reapplied her makeup. She stood in front of her limited wardrobe for a good ten minutes trying to decide what to wear. In the end she changed into her favorite dress. She had been told it was the same color as her ever-changing eye color. This dress brought out the green.

  April’s tap on her door brought her back to reality. “I can’t find Shamus!”

  “Oh no, how did he get away from you?”

  “I took him out for a walk, and he just took off into the woods. I called and called, and he still has not come back.”

  “Oh April, I am sorry, but he will turn up. He was likely on the trail of a rabbit or squirrel.”

  April looked worried. “Maybe. You look like a movie star, are we supposed to dress fancy for dinner tonight?”

  “No, this is not fancy, just a regular summer dress. And well, Jacob is coming by to see me, and to have supper with his aunt, of course.”

  “Brilliant. He fancies you, how exciting. He just can’t stay away,” April said.

  “You are a romantic soul, April.” Cassie stopped to look at herself in the mirror again.

  “Yes, it’s true, I am. Mama says I walk around with my head in the clouds. But I don’t, you know I don’t. I just want everyone to find their soul mate.”

  “Like I said, you are a true romantic. Remind me to give you a book of poetry. You will love it. Right now, it is time for Jacob, and I rather meet him out front than have all the world witness our meeting inside.”

  April held out her hand. “Let’s walk around from the outside so we can see if Shamus has come back.”

  They went down the back stairs and out their usual entrance but there was no sign of Shamus. They walked around the old wing and through the garden and around to the front where the old section was connected to the new part. Cassie noticed they had done a good job matching the stones. It was difficult to tell the old from the new.

  April gave her a nudge and pointed toward the road. Cassie saw Jacob’s car coming around the drive.

  April gave her a wave as she walked away. “I’ll go around the grounds again and maybe down to the cemetery to look for Shamus.”

  “See you at dinner April and don’t worry too much about Shamus. He’ll turn up.”

  April attempted a smile and crossed herself as she started off on her hunt.

  Jacob got out of the car and stood as still as stone. He stared at her for so long it made her uncomfortable so she walked toward him.

  “You are a vision, I must say.”

  “Thank you, Jacob.”

  “I’m glad you could make the time to see me today.”

  “I’m not that busy. I wanted to pick your brain anyway.”

  “I’m at your service though picking through my brain may not give you much. Shall we walk down to the lake?” Jacob put his hand on her back.

  “There’s a lake?”

  “Yes, a small one, more like a large creek. It becomes more lake-like with all our rain sometimes, but the path is not made for those shoes; can you change?”

  Cassie looked down at her expensive shoes. “Hum, yes, maybe not a good idea, I can change.”

  “Do you mind if I come up with you, I haven’t been in the old section since they finished the repairs?”

  “Of course, let’s walk around and go in the back entrance. It’s much quicker.”

  Cassie was all too aware of Jacob’s eyes on her as they walked back to the entrance.

  Jacob followed her inside.

  “Just give me a minute to dig out better shoes. Have a seat if you like.”

  Jacob walked over to the balcony doors. “Nice view.”

  “Jacob, would you mind very much if we just sat and talked a minute instead of the walk?”

  “Of course not. Want to sit on the balcony?”

  “No, let’s sit here at the table. I want to share some notes with you.”

  “Notes about what?”

  “I had a dream, well an experience, well a few experiences, and I wrote them in the journal here. I’m getting a little ahead of myself now. Mainly, I wanted to talk to you about the history of the old castle and the monastery. Do you know much about the school for girls located here back in the early 1900s?”

  “I know there was one and they closed in down in the late 1950s or early 1960s.”

  “Oh, some tea, Jacob? I’m being a bad hostess.”

  “No thanks, but you go ahead. Have you decided about your new book?”

  “I have a few ideas but nothing is calling my name if you know what I mean.”

  “Can I look at your notes?”

  “Sure, they are in the blue folder there on table.”

  Cassie busied herself with the tea kettle while Jacob reviewed some of her ideas for her book. She could feel his energy in the room and it did nothing to calm her already jumpy nerves. She put the tea cup on the table and reached out to turn on her laptop. Jacob stood then, and she was sure he was going to kiss her, but he dropped his hands and sat back down.

  “Don’t worry, Cassie, something will come to you. You have good ideas here.”

  “I hope so.” She could feel the electricity between them. Well, I’ll get those shoes and maybe we will go for a walk after all. He stood up and took her hands and held them for a long moment without speaking. She waited for him to say something—anything.

  Staggering a little, he stepped back, pushing her away from him, but still holding on to her arms as if he thought she might escape. His fingers traveled up and down her arms and then he stepped in closer and tilted her face upward so she was forced to look him in the eyes. She searched his face trying to understand the emotions she saw there. Still saying nothing, he pulled her toward him again, first kissing her neck, and then, working his way to her lips.

  Cassie felt herself respond in a way that surprised her. It all felt so natural, so right.

  Jacob dropped his arms and stepped back from her. “Cassie, I don’t know what to say. I may have over stepped a little.”

  “Jacob, if you couldn’t tell I liked what you were doing then you don’t know women very well.”

  “I am a bit rusty on the signals but I thought I had it right.”

  “You seemed to have recalled it well.”

  Jacob cleared his throat. “I suppose we better be getting down to dinner.”

  “Yes, the bells will be calling us but we still have time. Let’s walk around to the main doors.” Cassie was reluctant to surrender her time with him.

  “We will start a little gossip when we enter together,” Jacob said.

  “We can go out the side door and around to the front entrance and enter separately if it bothers you.”

  “No, not bothered, just making sure you know this is still a small community with little to divert them, even here in this progressive place.”

  Cassie laughed. “Okay, noted. Let’s go in and face the music.”

  They did notice a few heads turned when they entered the room together. Cassie tried her best to look calm and normal but she was sure her face was flushed. She dared not look at Jacob. She still felt guilty but couldn’t decide why.

  April was already sitting with Bernadette, and Cassie and Jacob joined them. Jacob offered to get tea for everyone and April went to help him.

  “Miss Malone, I feel I must mention, Jacob lost his
wife some time back, and it has taken him a long time to recover. And you, Miss Malone, don’t live in Ireland. Though I am sure you are a wonderful person, those are the facts and I don’t want Jacob hurt.”

  Before she had time to respond, Jacob and April came back to the table, and she could tell from the look on his face, and on April’s, they both knew Jacob’s aunt had said something to her.

  Jacob carried the conversation for the rest of the meal. He asked about the writing class, plans for the other activities, and even asked about his aunt’s poetry writing. It was pleasant enough considering the circumstances. Cassie noticed April kept stealing quick glances, first at her and then at Jacob.

  As the meal was ending, Bernadette didn’t hesitate to remind Cassie she was scheduled to work all day in the archives the following day. She caught Jacob smiling at the remark. He said his goodbyes to everyone, hugged his aunt and waved goodbye as Cassie slipped out with April.

  They walked through the building to their wing since it was dark out. The new lighting was not yet installed in every area. It was still dark in some areas away from the main entrance. This added to the gloom and shadows as part of the castle and monastery mystique. There were just a few lights here and there on the outside wings of the building. The Haven owners tried to stay true to the historical look of the building, Emily had mentioned.

  Cassie yawned as they walked toward their rooms. “I am beat, April. I have to be in the archives early so I am going to bed. See you tomorrow at breakfast.”

  “Goodnight Cassie. I’m going to do another quick look around for Shamus.”

  Cassie took a shower and put on her most comfortable pajamas. She went out onto the balcony to see if April was still there looking for Shamus and she couldn’t believe her eyes. There was Jacob standing there looking up at her.

  “What are you doing down there?”

  “What do you think, come down and let me in.”

  “Jacob, not a great idea.”

  “I don’t care, do you?”

  “I’m coming down.”

  Chapter 6