by K E O'Connor
“Maybe we can tempt the escapees back with carrots?” I took his elbow and let him lead me into the stable yard.
“It might work.” Will looked at the field. “It’s strange; they don’t usually behave so erratically. Sometimes, they get spooked when we have a thunderstorm or fireworks go off. I’ve never seen them act up this much.”
“This is the worst they’ve been?” I looked pointedly at Johnny to try to get him to stop floating around before he upset even more horses.
His eyebrows rose, and he slowed down.
“Actually, no. It’s a bit odd. They’ve done it a few times in the last few months. I can be all alone, and suddenly, they start slamming against their doors as if they have to escape a threat.”
“Animals can be sensitive to all sorts of things.” Like ghosts who enjoyed hanging out with their old friends.
“You’re telling me. It’s one of the reasons I like them so much. You have to show strong beasts like this respect and learn their ways. It’s the only way to work with them. Kindness and time, that’s how you get an animal to behave.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“How about you? Have you got your dangerous animal under control?” Will looked down at Flipper and winked.
“Flipper is well-behaved, especially when there’s a food treat involved. He does have a soft spot for chasing pheasants or, well, anything really. He loves a good chase but never hurts what he finds. I think he’s just curious and wants someone to play with.”
“He sounds like the perfect dog.” Will petted Flipper’s head. “He’s okay with horses?”
“He’s fine with them.” Since Will seemed in a chatty mood, I decided to risk a few questions. “Was that Johnny’s girlfriend I saw you talking to a moment ago?”
“I didn’t know you knew Emma.”
“I met her last night,” I said. “She was in the back garden, looking for you, actually.”
Will grimaced. “She’s obsessed.”
“With you?”
Will chuckled. “Well, I do have a few lovely ladies who have an unhealthy interest in me but not Emma. She was totally smitten by Johnny.”
“What is she obsessed about?”
Will scratched his chin. “It’s tricky. I understand she misses Johnny, but she’s causing problems here for me and the family.”
“They don’t like her coming around?”
“No. They didn’t even when Johnny was alive. This will sound snobbish, but she’s in a different class. Emma doesn’t fit in.”
“Johnny was okay with her coming here, though?”
“Johnny liked her well enough,” said Will. “Here, take a look at this lovely mare. She’s a dapple gray. We only got her last month. She’s got a calm temperament if you like to ride.”
I poked my head into the stable and saw a beautiful mare eating hay. “She’s lovely.”
“Offer her a carrot.”
I extracted a carrot from the bag. The horse trotted over and helped herself to the treat.
“There you go, a friend for life. I used to take Johnny out riding sometimes. I wouldn’t say he was a natural, but he certainly tried. We both enjoyed being outdoors. Being on horseback is a great way to see the countryside.”
“Did Emma ever come with you?”
He shook his head. “No. She wasn’t keen on that sort of thing. In fact, she wasn’t all that keen on Johnny working here. She kept saying he had ideas above his station and was fooling himself if he thought the family accepted him.”
“They don’t strike me as that sort of family,” I said. “They’ve all been good to me.”
“They’ll continue to be good to you, so long as you work hard,” said Will. “Emma didn’t like it because Johnny often worked long hours. He liked it here; he enjoyed helping. And he loved the castle. He was an absolute history nut. If you got him on some topic about medieval battles or family coats of arms, you wouldn’t be able to shut him up. Johnny had that in common with Ralph. They often talked about historical events.”
“It sounds like Emma might have been jealous because the family included him in their lives.”
“She was. Actually, I think she wouldn’t have minded working here. She knew a good thing when she saw it and was angry when they didn’t want her.”
“There wasn’t an opening for Emma?” We moved to the next stable, and I fed another carrot to a large, black horse.
“No. And she wouldn’t have been suitable for doing what either you or Helen do. You need a good eye for detail and the ability not to get stressed when working here.”
“How about Johnny? Did he thrive under the pressure?”
“He did. He hated being idle. Emma used to want to snuggle up on the couch and watch movies all night. It drove Johnny mad. He liked being outside and exploring things or making things. We used to work together on an old car. Neither of us had a clue what we were doing, but it was fun and kept us busy. Emma would complain about him coming in smelling of grease. She had a different idea of how she wanted their life together to be. It caused all sorts of problems.”
“They weren’t happy?”
“Johnny didn’t mind Emma. She was fun, sometimes. But he had his eye on a bigger prize.”
I looked up at Will. “Johnny was seeing someone else?”
Will chuckled. “I shouldn’t say. But he was a good-looking guy and popular with the ladies. If a better option came along, what’s the harm in him taking it?”
“A better option? You met this mystery woman?”
Will’s eyes sparkled. “I never said there was another woman. You assumed that.”
I offered him a carrot. “Will you tell me if I give you one of these?”
He laughed. “It will take more than a carrot to get me to talk. Maybe a bottle of expensive brandy and a three-course meal.”
“That could be arranged.” I glanced at Johnny, who shook his head and smiled at Will.
Will caught hold of my hand and tucked it through his elbow again. “Not a chance. Johnny was a good guy. I’m not talking badly about him. Now, how about you give me a hand to round up these horses? I’ve got a quad bike in the back. We’ll ride across the fields, track them down, and you can tempt them back with those carrots.”
“That sounds like fun.” It would also give me extra time with Will, so I could get more information out of him.
“Right this way.”
We walked around the stables to a large shed. Will opened the door. Inside was an assortment of farm machinery, including a quad bike.
“You’d better wear this.” Will handed me a helmet.
“Are you planning on going fast?” I buckled it around my chin as Will wheeled the bike out.
“No. I don’t want to scare the horses. But I can’t risk the safety of such a lovely lady.” He winked at me.
I smiled as I climbed on the quad bike and settled behind Will. It looked like it wasn’t only Johnny who liked to charm the ladies.
My trip to the stables had been worth it. It sounded like Emma and Johnny had been having problems, and Johnny had somebody else he was interested in. Somebody like Tilly? Johnny would have landed on his feet with a rich girl like that.
And if Emma had found out and realized her boyfriend was after somebody else, she could have taken revenge.
“Hold on tight,” said Will as he started the quad bike. “Get those carrots ready. We’re going horse rustling.”
I gripped the handle on the back of the seat as we rode out of the stable yard. The carrots were in my lap, and Flipper ran alongside the bike, looking excited to be on an adventure.
Once we’d rounded up the horses, I’d need to find a way to speak with Emma again. How happy had she been with Johnny, and what did she know about his other woman?
Helen always said a woman scorned was a lethal one. In this murder, she might be right.
Chapter 7
We hadn’t taken long to find the flighty horses. Johnny had wisely stayed behind i
n the stable yard, so as not to panic them again. And with Will’s expert driving, and my tempting carrots, the horses were back in their stables within the hour, flicking their tails and enjoying their treats.
Will had been good company, but true to his word, he hadn’t said a single bad word against Johnny.
As I waved goodbye to Will and made my way back to the castle, I considered my potential suspects. First, I wanted to find Emma. She’d been so angry and seemed convinced something bad had happened to Johnny. But was she the one to do it?
I walked around the garden a few times with Flipper to see if Emma had returned and was lurking around anywhere. There was no sign of her.
Maybe she’d given up. If she couldn’t get help from Will, and the police wouldn’t assist, there was not much else she could do.
“Come on, Flipper. We’d better get back inside. We’ve got more silver to deal with.”
I grabbed a quick bite to eat from the kitchen for both of us before heading back to the great hall.
I’d only just settled myself in front of a new pile of antiques when Tilly wandered in, dressed in a long black gown covered in tiny silver tassels. She giggled when she saw me and raised a glass she held.
“Hard at work, I see.”
I nodded. “There’s so much to do.”
“Don’t mind me. I’m having a little pre-dinner cocktail.”
I discreetly checked my watch. It wasn’t yet three o’clock in the afternoon. “Have you got something fun planned tonight?”
“The usual family get-together,” said Tilly. “You can join us if you like. In fact, why don’t I get you a cocktail to get things going?”
“I’d better not. I don’t want to make a mistake while I’m working.”
“No one will notice if you catalog the wrong piece of silver,” said Tilly. “There’s so much in here.”
“Still, I like to be careful with my work.”
Tilly leaned against the cabinet and placed her glass down. “Did I see you coming back from the stables earlier?”
“That’s right. I went to spend some time with the horses.”
“Or maybe with Will?” Tilly waggled her eyebrows. “He’s a good-looking guy.”
I placed down the silver bowl I held. “He is. But I’m very much in love with my boyfriend.”
“You’re taken! Who is he? Is he terribly good-looking?”
Her enthusiasm made me smile. “I am. His name’s Zach. I happen to think he’s very good-looking.”
Tilly giggled again. “That’s a shame. I mean, not that you’ve got a handsome guy waiting for you back home, but I’m looking for a partner in crime. Us single ladies need to stick together. What about Helen? Didn’t she say something about getting hitched soon?”
“Very soon. She’s so excited.”
“How dull. Not the wedding, that’s lovely for Helen. But not so lovely for me.” Tilly tugged at her bottom lip.
“You must have girlfriends you can spend time with. You could arrange to go out with them.”
“They’re all getting married, as well. It’s so boring. It’s all they talk about, wedding dresses, venues, music, and party food. I don’t mind listening for a little while, but there’s not much I can add to the conversation. And because I’m the only single one, they all think I’ll plan their hen nights. I don’t know the first thing about a hen night.”
“I’m in charge of Helen’s hen night. I can give you some pointers.” I’d ordered a pamper party, a fancy cake, lots of food, and champagne.
“Where are you taking her?”
“We’re keeping it small. I need to find a local room to hire, something cozy in a cute pub where they don’t mind us wearing robes and face packs.”
“Have it here. We’ve got loads of rooms going spare.”
“That would be great. Are you sure no one will mind?”
“Not a chance. They probably won’t even know what’s going on. Ralph will be sleeping, and Charlotte will be tucked up in her parlor. You can give me some good ideas for what to do with all my friends when they have their parties. The girls always want something unique for their hen nights. It ends up costing a fortune, and everyone is too drunk to remember what happened.”
“I’m keeping it low key. But there will be plenty to drink.”
“Are you thinking strippergram?”
“No! Is that what your friends like?” I hadn’t thought about getting a stripper for Helen. Would she like that? She did like muscly guys, but one dancing around in nothing more than a leopard print thong and coated in baby oil might be a step too far.
“Probably not, but it would be funny,” said Tilly. “Maybe I will treat Helen to a stripper as my gift to her.”
“Maybe not. Let’s stick to lots of food and drink. We’ll get our nails done and have pedicures and face packs.”
Tilly wrinkled her nose. “That sounds a bit dull.”
“I need to get Helen to relax,” I said. “She’s pretty tense about the wedding.”
“What bride isn’t? It puts me right off of marriage. I thought it was supposed to be one of the best days of your life. Instead, all brides-to-be do is complain and get stress wrinkles. No thanks.”
“I think getting married is up there along with buying a house and getting divorced when it comes to how stressful it is.”
“Count me out then,” said Tilly. “Besides, I love the single life. No one telling me what to do, or what to wear.”
“If your boyfriend is telling you what to do and what to wear, then he’s not the right one for you.”
“Here’s to that.” Tilly raised her glass and took a sip. “Are you sure I can’t get you a cocktail?”
“Perhaps later.”
“It’s a date. So, you’re telling me you’re not the tiniest bit in love with our gorgeous groom? Will is almost as good-looking as Johnny was. Tell you what. I could ask him if he’d be the stripper at Helen’s hen party.”
“That might count as sexual harassment if you ask Will to don a thong and dance around for Helen.”
“He’d love it. Will is always up for a laugh.”
I grinned. “Will is fun, and he’s charming. And he loves animals. All good things as far as I’m concerned. He was talking about Johnny when I went to the stables. Actually, Johnny’s girlfriend was in the stable yard when I arrived. She wasn’t too happy.”
Tilly shook her head. “She’s a nightmare. Emma was always hanging around when Johnny was working and getting in his way. She didn’t like him working here. She kept applying for jobs on his behalf. None of them paid as well as we do, and they’d end up fighting about it.”
“I thought Emma wanted to work here,” I said. “That’s what Will said.”
“Of course she does. Who doesn’t want to work in our lovely castle? Johnny was an outgoing, friendly guy. He deserved better than that whining shrew.”
“Emma was upset,” I said. “She made mention of Johnny’s death. She’s not sure it was an accident.”
“Did she now?” Tilly drained her cocktail and set the glass down. She sashayed to the stone fireplace, over which sat two swords and a battered-looking wooden shield. After a couple of tugs, Tilly released a sword from its mounting. It clunked to the ground.
I watched Tilly cautiously. “What are you doing?”
“Sword fighting with the ghastly Emma.” Tilly tried to swing the sword in the air. “Phew! This thing is heavier than it looks.”
“And probably blunt,” I said. “You won’t have much luck fighting anybody with that.”
“How about you? Do you fancy a sword fight?”
“Definitely not.” How strong was the cocktail she’d just drunk?
“I know what will be fun. Let’s put on suits of armor and fight.” Emma tried to swing the sword around her head but staggered forward and dropped it.
“Do you even have armor for women?” I pointed to my chest. “I don’t think they make them in our style.”
“You’ll
fit in that one.” Emma pointed to the suit of armor in the hallway. “I’ll find another for me.”
“These things are antiques. We’ll get in trouble if we damage them.” There was no way I would play sword fights with Tilly. She might accidentally chop off an arm. I liked my arms just where they were.
“No, we won’t. Charlotte thinks these suits of armor are creepy as if she expects them to come to life and chase her along the corridor. She’ll be glad if we get rid of a couple.” Tilly finally succeeded in swinging the sword through the air.
A cold blast of air shot through me. I gasped and staggered forward. In front of me, the ghost knight hovered.
I stifled a groan as my bones ached with coldness. It looked like he was protecting me. But Tilly was no threat. She was just drunk and bored.
“Everything okay over there?” asked Tilly. “Don’t pretend you’re too sick to fight. I challenge you to a duel.”
“I’m fine.” That comment was meant more for the ghost than Tilly. I didn’t want him attacking her. He wouldn’t do Tilly any harm, but she might not feel too good for a day or two after a close encounter with a powerful spirit.
The ghost turned and bowed to me before advancing toward Tilly.
“No! Really, there’s nothing wrong with me.” I hurried after the ghost.
“I know. I heard you the first time. And since there’s nothing wrong, let’s fight.” Tilly raised her sword, giggling as she approached.
“What about our armor?” I backed away, watching both Tilly and the ghost to see who would strike first.
“We’ll get some practise shots in first,” said Tilly. “I’ll go easy on you. I was a champion fencer at boarding school.”
“That’s good to know.” I knew nothing about fencing, unless you counted the kind in my back garden.
The ghost closed the gap between him and Tilly, seeming determined to protect my innocence from the crazy drunk lady waving around the sword.
To my surprise, he walked straight past Tilly and headed to the suit of armor. It started rattling around, the arms and legs clanking together.