by Cat Knight
GHOSTS AND HAUNTINGS COLLECTION
(The British Haunting Series )
CAT KNIGHT
Sixteen Great Ghost Stories
©Copyright 2017 Cat Knight
All Rights Reserved
License Notes
This Book is licensed for personal enjoyment only. It may not be resold. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.
Disclaimer
This story is a work of fiction any resemblance to people is purely coincidence. All places, names, events, businesses, etc. are used in a fictional manner. All characters are from the imagination of the author.
Table of Contents
GHOSTS AND HAUNTINGS COLLECTION
(The British Haunting Series
Disclaimer
Table of Contents
THE HAUNTING OF ELLERIC LODGE
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
THE HAUNTING OF GRAYSON HOUSE
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
EPILOGUE
THE HAUNTING OF FAIRVIEW HOUSE
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
THE HAUNTING OF WEAVER HOUSE
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Epilogue
THE HAUNTING OF SEAVIEW CRAG
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Epilogue
THE HAUNTING OF KEIRA O’CONNELL
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
THE HAUNTING OF FERNCOOMBE MANOR
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six.
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
THE HAUNTING OF HIGHCLIFF HALL
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
THE HAUNTING OF STONE STREET CEMETERY
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
THE HAUNTING OF KNOLL HOUSE
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine -
Chapter Ten
THE HAUNTING OF HELLFLEET POINT LIGHTHOUSE
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight-
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
THE HAUNTING OF HARROW HOUSE
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
THE HAUNTING OF ROCHFORD HOUSE
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
THE HAUNTING OF THE GREY LADY
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Ni
ne
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
THE HAUNTING OF BLAKELY MANOR
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
THE GYPSY HAUNTING
PROLOGUE
ALBERT JONES
ELIZA JONES
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Epilogue
About the Author
THE HAUNTING OF ELLERIC LODGE
CAT KNIGHT
©Copyright 2017
All Rights Reserved
Prologue
20th October 1819
Elleric Lodge
Argyll
Scotland
United Kingdom
The scent of ripe apples drifted on the wind causing deep rumbling in the boy’s stomach. Hunger burned in his belly and he swallowed the well of saliva that pooled in his mouth. No fallen apples remained, he would need to climb the tree. Looking warily around he searched the grounds for danger. Nothing moved, just the horses in the field beyond, shiny and sleek.
The horses would not want for food tonight, he thought resentfully. Grabbing the first branch, he hoisted himself up into the tree ignoring the stings and scrapings of twigs on his bare skin. Quick now. He told himself.
Whooshing noises drummed in his head while the beating of his heart thumped through his bony frame. But he had to be brave. Ma had told him.
“Yer a young man now. Do what the Master bids, work hard and take care of yer sister.” Hot tears stung at his eyes, but he met Ma’s gaze and didn’t look away. “Yer’ll have a good life Lachlan; yer’ll grow to be a big strong man like your Da. It’s the best for ye.”
Wrapping his fingers around the first piece of fruit, he searched for a secure place in the shirt tied around his waist and tucked it in. Soon, he would get Fiona away, Ma would want that. Every day she grew thinner, her eyes were hollow, and she barely spoke. He jumped lightly from the tree. A man’s shadow fell over him; the voice was cruel, taunting.
“So, ye’d steal from the very one who puts food in yer belly? Ye ungrateful shite.” Lachlan’s blood ran cold and he lunged forward, spilling the apples from his shirt. Dust flew under his feet as he covered the ground toward the house. He must get to Fiona, to warn her. The Laird grabbed at his shoulders and Lachlan fell sprawling on the ground.
Curling his fingers around a sharp rock, he grabbed a hold, aimed, and flung hard. A howling scream rang out and the Laird clutched at his brow. Lachlan grappled his way to his feet and ran, ignoring the wheezing of his breath and the pain in his chest. The house was in sight now.
“Fiona, Fiona.” Strong hands grabbed him and swung his body like a feather before flinging him to the ground. A dull thud reverberated through his head.
Chapter One
6th February 2017
Elleric Lodge
Argyll
Scotland
United Kingdom
The wind badgered the scarf wound around Blair’s neck pulling it loose, so that ice cold needles nipped at her flesh. Grabbing the ends, she wrapped the wool around her neck again and tucked it into a large knotted ball against her chest. Strands of strawberry blonde hair bothered her eyes and stuck in the corners of her mouth, pushing them back behind her ears, and wished she had worn a beanie to protect her from the cold.
Her nose, a little bit large for her face, was stinging with the cold until she was forced to run the back of her hand over it to stop it running.
Despite the bitter chill of the air exhaustion pulled at her, begging her to sleep, but it was far too early in the day for that. It had been two days since she had arrived from Detroit and her internal clock still needed to adjust. The time lag wasn’t bad, but everything leading up to the move had been exhausting. And to be fair she did have a lot on her plate.
Renovating an entire estate was no small task.
‘Gobsmacked’ was the word she used to describe her reaction when she had received the letter. It came from Banford, Starke, and Mosley, Estate Lawyers Inc. Scotland, informing her she was the owner of an estate in the Scottish Highlands, bequeathed to the nearest relative of Malcolm Wallace which, surprisingly, Blair was. She recalled her father had mentioned that she had a distant relative living in Scotland. Apparently, her great great grandfathers, brother’s great great grandson, was next to the last of this branch of the Wallace line. And the last one was Blair.
“So...” she said to a handful of friends over Friday night drinks. “What’s a girl to do when she is bored with her life, has not even the hint of a boyfriend and finds that she...”
Blair paused for effect. “Just inherited an estate in SCOTLAND.” For the briefest of moments chatter stopped, then everything erupted into raucous shouting.
“What? You’re not serious?”
“No Way?”
“C’mon. You’re playing with us.”
“No, it’s true.”. Five pairs of eyes followed the documents Blair waved around in front of them.
Marie, Blair’s bestie, took a hold of the photos
“OH MY GOD. This place is phenomenal!”
“Yes. It is. I’m leaving next week on a short trip to help make up my mind what to do with… MY ESTATE!”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It was still a bit of a shock that she had actually decided to keep it. On that first visit, she had walked the interior in dismay, a contractor beside her, taking notes and making drawings. Portions of the roof were in ruins from rain and wind, interior walls were crumbling from water damage, whatever power and plumbing there had once been was now defunct. And the grounds were a total jungle feeding stags and feral sheep.
Callum Fraser, the contractor, told her to expect upwards of £600,000 in costs depending on exactly what she wanted to do. The amount of money and work needed almost convinced her to put it on the market and unload the lot. But the wilds of Scotland drew Blair in and intrusive thoughts began to niggle away at her.
Chances like this only come once. What if... instead of unloading Elleric Estate, I keep it and move to stunning historic Scotland. What if... I change my career and renovate the lodge for tourist accommodation. What if... I change my life.
The notions played on her mind until she calculated the sums – just to see. Once she knew that it was actually within her reach the desire grew. Within a few days of returning to Detroit, the decision was made. It was out of character and out of her comfort zone, but Blair would take the chance.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Uncle Roland’s voice was seeded with worry and his forehead crinkled into a maze of wrinkles.
“You’d be taking a huge financial risk. Everything you have, assets, investments, would be spent. The insurance money was meant to protect you, provide for you, I really don’t—”
“But it wouldn’t be truly spent if it were an investment. If I hated it, once it was up and running I could sell it as an established business.” He hadn’t looked convinced and Blair, not wishing to hurt him, persisted.
“If ever I was going to do something like this – here is my chance. I’m young enough, and
I’ve nothing to hold me. If it doesn’t go to plan, and I need money, I can set up an accounting business to help subsidise.”
“Alright, if this is what you really want.” Roland finally conceded and Blair breathed a sigh of relief.
Since the boating accident nine years ago, he acted like a surrogate parent, stepping in for his sister and brother in law. She had been at college when her parents died, and Roland took care of everything for her. She had emerged from a happy teenager full of life and all the usual big plans to become a risk averse adult, always fearing the worst would happen.
And Roland protected her. When she graduated, he had given her a job in his own law firm as one of their accountants, encouraging her to return to get her law degree. Uncle Roland had been hinting at a partnership for her, but she hadn’t been ready for the commitment it required.
Now, recently turned twenty-eight Blair had a nice life, but she had to admit that it had become stagnant. Mondays and Wednesdays were hot yoga, Tuesdays were trivia night at the pub
Thursdays she stayed in for telly, Fridays were drinks after work, and Saturdays she shopped at the markets and went to the movies or a play with friends.
If they felt like it they would go clubbing and then always back home alone to her gated cookie cutter condo.
As far as dating went her last serious boyfriend, Michael, had been over a year ago. Strangely, given her predilection for the predictable, she had outgrown him. When she looked into the future she could see a company wife who attended endless dinner parties and catered them too. Blair suspected she would wind up working on his office accounts at home, well into the night and taking care of the two or three children he wanted – an unofficial employee and a career on his tailcoats.
If she couldn’t tolerate the thought of that now she knew she wouldn’t later and had abruptly ended the relationship, leaving both them a bit shocked and socially stranded. Being single again had been a steeper learning curve than she had imagined, but now she had successfully accomplished it.
Unfortunately, she remained stuck in a rut and even contemplated settling down with a couple of cats. She’d laughed at that. Every girls dream, to become an old cat lady! Basically, she was treading water waiting for something exciting to happen for her, too afraid to find out what that might be for herself.
Yet by some mystical magic the stars aligned and an exciting thing had happened. And so, for the second time within a few months, Blair stood on the river banks sweeping through Elleric Estate her petite frame match for the screaming winds. Her memory had not let her down. The beauty of majestic highlands took her breath way again. The Highlands were a spectacular montage of carpeted mountainous hills and gleaming silver lochs. The drive in brought her along roads that dipped and curved into small historic towns where the hustle of life seemed to have remained in a warp of a few centuries ago and Blair stopped every so often, just to walk around and breath it in.