GhostlyPersuasion

by Dena Garson

  “If we wait a day or two, how are you going to get away from Seamus or distract him?”

  Katie tapped her cheekbone as she debated ideas. “I could tell him that we’re going to do a girl spa day. Most guys run in the opposite direction when they hear that.”

  “True.” Riona pointed at Katie with her teacup. “But we should do a spa day before you go back to the States.”

  “I’d like that,” Katie said.

  “Oh. I meant to tell you. I talked with Ma the other night. She’s on her way home from Italy but it’ll be the middle of next week before she gets here. She’s dying to meet you and said you better not leave before she arrives.”

  Katie smiled. “Good. I’m glad she’ll be here before I leave. I just hope she didn’t change her travel plans because of me.”

  Riona waved her concern away. “Ever since I started running the family business, she has been running off with those friends of hers. Every couple of months she takes off for someplace new.”

  “That sounds wonderful.”

  “Have you done much traveling, then?”

  “No. Not yet. I started working before I graduated college and have never stopped to take the time.” Katie shrugged. “I have a list of places I’d like to see someday though.”

  “Your company doesn’t give you vacation time?”

  “They did. And unfortunately, now I have all the vacation time I could want.”

  Riona’s expression conveyed her question.

  “They sold the business and closed right before I came to Ireland.”

  “So you’re out of work now?”

  Katie nodded.

  “Does that mean you don’t have to go back to the States right away then?”

  Katie blinked as the thought settled into her brain. “Well… I…”

  “Because Ma and I would love to have you stay with us for a wee bit,” Riona pushed, not giving Katie a chance to think about it overly much. “The cottage is small, but we’ll manage. Ma would love to have the chance to catch up on your and Aunt Deirdre’s life.”

  “I don’t know. I mean, I suppose I could stay longer. The only thing I really need to get back for is Jenny. But, really, even that isn’t a rush. And a little more time would help them.”

  “Help who?”

  “Jenny. My best friend. She and I have been roommates since college but she recently got married so she and her husband are looking for a new place to live.”

  “Will you have to find a new place also?”

  “No. Jenny and I are living in the house that Mother left me. It’s a cozy little place on the south side of town. Just right for two people. But if Paul were to move in, we’d be bursting at the seams.” Katie wrinkled her nose. “Besides, even though Paul is a great guy, I don’t want to live with a pair of newlyweds.”

  “Don’t blame you,” Riona mumbled then finished her tea. “Well, think about it. We’d love to have you.”

  “I will think about it.”

  They ate in silence for a moment then Katie asked, “What about Etain?”

  Riona got a distant look in her eye. Once more Katie was reminded of her mother. She was sure that whenever her mother made that expression, she was “seeing” things in her mind’s eye. Things that would be.

  Someday she’d ask Riona more about her gifts.

  “I think Thursday would be best.” Riona smiled. “I assume you’ll take care of distracting Seamus?”

  The image of a very naked and sexually satisfied Seamus who was too tired to move flashed through Katie’s mind. That would be one way of distracting him. Unfortunately the odds of getting him back into the elevator were slim. The story of the spa day would have to suffice. “I will.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  A few days later, Katie and Riona climbed the stone stairs to the top of the castle wall.

  “What did you tell Seamus that we were doing?” Riona asked.

  “That we were doing a girly thing and going to the spa.”

  “It won’t be a lie if we really do go to the spa after.”

  Katie turned her head and grinned. “Very true. Think we can get in?”

  “I know the manager. I bet she’ll work us in. Besides, this isn’t one of their busier days.”

  “Excellent.”

  When they reached the top, they were both a little winded and Katie’s thighs were screaming for mercy. They took a moment to catch their breaths and let their eyes adjust to the light before stepping out onto the battlement walkway.

  “There she is.” Katie pointed out the shadowy figure hovering near the wall. “Can you see her?”

  “I think so.” Riona squinted.

  “Come on. Let’s see if she’ll talk to us.”

  They slowly made their way to where Etain floated. Unsure of their reception, Katie never took her eye off the figure.

  Etain turned to face them as they neared her. “I remember you,” Etain said to Katie. She tilted her head to one side. “Why do you seek me out again?”

  “Lady Etain, we wondered if we might speak with you about something,” Katie said, making sure her voice remained steady and calm.

  Etain turned her gaze to Riona. “And who might you be?”

  “My apologies, Lady Etain,” Katie said. “This is my cousin Riona. She has been helping me with some research.”

  Riona tipped her head to Etain.

  Etain studied Riona. “You look familiar. Do you work down there?” Etain asked with a jerk of her chin in the direction of the main part of the castle.

  “Occasionally,” Riona said.

  Etain’s eyes narrowed.

  “I sell soaps and lotions to the gift shop. Perhaps that is where you’ve seen me.”

  “Perhaps,” Etain agreed then turned to Katie. “What is it that you want to know this time?”

  “I have been reading through the history of the castle to learn more about its, um…” Katie scrambled for a word that wouldn’t set Etain off. “Inhabitants. You see, my mother told me just before she died that she had met my father here at Tullamore. I hope to find out more about him through some of the books in the library. But yesterday I stumbled across something that made me think of you and what you told me.”

  “Oh?” Etain’s lady-of-the-manor attitude grated on Katie’s nerves but she forced her irritation aside.

  “The book had a passage about a woman who was found guilty of a murder but also said that the body of the man she supposedly killed was never found. The passage was dated around the time period I thought you were, um… Well, that you were accused.” Katie was proud of herself for being so diplomatic when she really wanted to rip Etain’s hair out.

  “I never killed anyone. Yet I was treated like the most horrendous criminal. My own husband didn’t believe me!”

  If Katie didn’t already know Etain was crazy, she might be tempted to buy into her “I was a victim” act.

  “We were thinking you should be given a chance to tell your side of the story. After all, the passage said nothing about a trial or witnesses,” Riona stated. “Doesn’t seem fair, does it?”

  Etain’s gaze became unfocused and her hands fisted at her sides. “No, it wasn’t fair at all.”

  Katie instinctively stepped back, taking Riona with her.

  “They called me a murderer.” Etain floated toward them.

  “But you didn’t kill him, did you?” Katie forced herself to remain where she was.

  “No,” Etain wailed. “I would never do that.” She added in a whisper, “I loved him.”

  Something twisted painfully in Katie’s chest but once again she forced her emotions aside. She couldn’t reveal her feeling for Seamus.

  “Of course you did. You went to a lot of trouble to win him over, didn’t you?” Katie suggested.

  “I did,” Etain said tearfully.

  “But he didn’t understand,” Katie said simply.

  Etain shook her head.

  Riona stepped forward. “I understand the spel
ls you used didn’t work?”

  The look Etain shot Riona was borderline hateful.

  “Perhaps something was left out?” Riona suggested.

  “I suppose it’s possible.” Etain sniffed. “The woman helping me was not experienced in that sort of thing. She might have failed to do something.”

  Katie mentally rolled her eyes. Of course Etain would blame someone else.

  “I have studied the practices of local witches. Why don’t you tell me what you did and maybe I can help you figure out what went wrong,” Riona suggested.

  Etain studied Riona. “I should have thought of this before.” She stepped closer. “You know enough to do as you say?”

  Riona shrugged. “I can’t say for sure until you tell me the details.”

  “Very well.” Etain gestured for them to follow her. She led them to her place next to the battlement wall.

  “Katie said you used a love spell. Was it one you created or one you received from someone else?”

  Etain looked down her nose at them. “I didn’t need anyone to make it for me. I can read.”

  “So you made the love spell. You said something about a summoning spell too. Did I remember that right?” Katie asked, trying to deflect the tension that simmered between Riona and Etain.

  “Did you use all of the herbs the spell called for to make the base?” Riona asked.

  “Of course,” Etain snapped.

  “What about the moon phases and the time of day?” Riona pushed.

  “Moon phases? What does that have to do with anything?” Etain asked. Her tone indicated she thought Riona was the simpleton.

  Katie put her hand on Riona’s arm just as Riona drew a breath to respond. It was clear Riona needed a reminder that she shouldn’t rile the crazy woman, because they needed information from her.

  Riona cleared her throat. “Okay, so what about the herbs? Did you use fresh or dried?”

  “Fresh.” Etain frowned. “No, wait, dried.” She rubbed her forehead. “A couple were dried. Most were fresh.”

  “Which ones?” Riona pushed.

  “I don’t know,” Etain exclaimed. “Mary gathered the herbs for me. I just mixed them together. What does it matter?”

  Riona took another cleansing breath. “Did you offer any blessings as you prepared your base?”

  “Don’t be silly,” Etain said.

  “What about words of power or chants when the mixture was delivered? Or immediately after?” Riona asked.

  “I did not see the need for them.” She added, “But I did try to tell my love what he needed to do whenever he woke up.”

  Katie had to swallow her revulsion as she imagined what Seamus must have gone through at Etain’s hands.

  “What did he need to do?” Riona prompted.

  “I told you,” Etain said to Katie then looked at both of them. “He had to tell me he loved me and then make love to me.”

  A growl rumbled in Katie’s chest. Riona put her hand on Katie’s back.

  “That’s it? Just make love to you?” Riona asked.

  “But not just anywhere. He had to do it in front of his hearth,” Etain said.

  “Why his hearth?” Katie asked.

  “Back then, the hearth was usually located at the center of the home. It provided heat and represented family and solidarity.” Riona squinted at Etain. “You wanted more from him than just sex. You wanted his devotion and a commitment.”

  “But you were a married woman,” Katie exclaimed. “You couldn’t give that in return. Why would you demand it of him?”

  Etain crossed her arms over her chest. “I didn’t plan on staying married for much longer.”

  Katie and Riona both took a step back. “What?” Katie asked. “Did they do divorces back then?” she whispered to Riona.

  Riona shook her head.

  “I thought once he had fallen in love with me, we could run away.” Etain looked out over the battlement wall. “Husband or no. We could be together.”

  Katie’s mouth fell open. Riona’s grip on her forearm was the only thing that kept her from calling Etain a delusional fool. Seamus wouldn’t have run away with a married woman even if he had been stupid enough to fall in love with her.

  “How did you plan on getting him back to his home where his hearth was?” Riona asked.

  “That was why I added the summoning spell. So I could make him go where I wanted him to go and do what he was supposed to do.” Etain always sounded as if she were talking to a simpleton.

  “Was his home very far away?” Riona asked.

  “It was,” Etain said.

  “It isn’t anymore?” Katie asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

  “Of course not. We weren’t going to need it so I had the mantel removed and the house burned.”

  Katie’s breath seized in her chest.

  “What did you do with the mantel?” Riona asked.

  Etain narrowed her eyes at the two of them. Suspicion clouded her face. “I hid it.”

  Katie and Riona exchanged glances. Etain was obviously on the defensive now. Katie knew she would not reveal where she had hidden the mantel. But it gave her hope there really was a chance to break the curse.

  Riona took a step forward. “I worry that the combination of the two spells is the problem.”

  “Why do you say that?” Etain was still leery.

  “Based on what little I do know of these types of spells, some of the ingredients may counteract each other. Similar to the way an acid and an alkaline work together.”

  “A what?” Etain asked.

  “An acid and an alkaline.” Riona shrugged. “They are scientific terms.”

  “I know nothing of these things,” Etain said haughtily.

  “Sweet and salty,” Katie offered.

  Etain sniffed in disdain.

  “Let me look into the ingredients commonly used in these types of spells and see if I’m right. We can come back and let you know what we’ve found out some other time.”

  Etain’s gaze fell on each of them. “Very well,” she finally said.

  Riona pulled Katie by the elbow to the stairway. “It was nice talking with you.”

  Katie was still too overwhelmed to say anything. She waved a quick farewell then both girls started their descent.

  Remembering her last visit to the battlements, Katie whispered, “Better keep a grip on the banister.”

  “Why?” Riona whispered back.

  “Trust me.”

  When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Katie breathed a sigh of relief.

  “What was the banister comment all about?” Riona asked.

  “Last time I came to visit Etain, she flew past me on the stairs and nearly knocked me down to the landing.”

  “She isn’t stable,” Riona said, shaking her head.

  “No, she isn’t,” Katie agreed.

  “Let’s go in through that one.” Riona pointed to a different door across the courtyard.

  When they entered the castle, Katie could see they were not far from the dining hall.

  “So what do you think we should—” Katie’s question was cut off.

  “What kind of trickery is this?” Etain’s voice rose to a shrill pitch.

  “Trickery? What—?” Katie turned and saw Seamus standing behind them. Oh boy.

  “Katie, Riona, move away from her.” The lethal calm of Seamus’ voice brooked no argument.

  Katie and Riona exchanged matching “oh shit” looks.

  “How did you come to be here? They said you were dead!” Etain cried. “They killed me because of you!”

  “I didn’t die,” Seamus answered. “Despite your efforts.”

  If he’d had physical teeth, Katie was sure he would have been grinding them based on the way the muscle in his cheek flexed.

  Etain turned to Katie and Riona. “You asked about the spells.” She paused. “You’re trying to help him break my spell, aren’t you?” She backed away from where they were standing in the
hallway. “That’s why you sought me out.” She floated higher in the air and the crazed look Katie had seen on her face more than once returned. “It won’t work! Only I can release him!”

  She charged at Katie and Riona. Paintings flew off the walls as Etain passed. Tapestries rippled in the wind. A small table and all the decorative items that had been sitting on it crashed to the floor. It looked like a wild storm blowing about Etain.

  “Run!” Seamus roared as he put himself directly in Etain’s path.

  “No, Seamus!” Katie screamed as Riona pulled her into the nearby dining hall then slammed the door behind them. “Wait! We have to help him.” Katie struggled against Riona’s grip.

  “She can’t do anything to him. But she can hurt us.” Riona quickly scanned the room. “Under here.” Riona pointed to the thick wooden dining table.

  Riona pushed two chairs apart so they could crawl beneath.

  Katie hesitated, fighting her need to go help Seamus, even though she knew Riona was right.

  When something slammed into the doors with a loud thud, Katie was prompted into action. She scurried under the table and pulled the chairs together.

  Suddenly the doors to the dining room crashed open and debris and wreckage from the hallway blew in. The heavy chairs rocked back and forth. The movement started at the end closest to the doors and ran the length of the table.

  The drapes hanging over the windows whipped wildly in the wind.

  “Etain! Stop this tantrum immediately!” Seamus shouted.

  “Tantrum? You think this is a tantrum? How dare you!” Etain yelled. “You know nothing about how I’ve suffered through these years!”

  “You think not?” Seamus yelled back. “You think I enjoyed being made into a spirit?”

  Someone really needed to kick Etain’s selfish ass, Katie thought. But how do you kick a ghost’s ass?

  “Do something!” Katie said to Riona.

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know! Don’t you have a spell or a wand or something?”

  Riona glared at Katie. “This isn’t Hogwarts. I can’t just whip out a wand and make things disappear.”

  “I know, but damn. We have to do something to stop that psycho.”

  A chair crashed against the wall next to where they hid.