by K E O'Connor
“There was nothing like that here.” I decided not to tell Marjorie it was just a case of good old-fashioned murder.
“It’s almost time for the dogs,” she whispered. “Are they ready to go?”
I double-checked the velvet harnesses they wore. Sitting on the top of each harness was a small ring box. Inside the boxes were Helen and Gunner’s wedding rings.
“They’re good to go.” I knelt down and gave Flipper and Jessie a stroke. “It’s your turn now. Don’t run. Take your time and don’t be nervous. I’ll be right behind you.”
They wagged their tails.
Marjorie nodded at me. “Off you go.”
I let go of Jessie and Flipper and watched them as they padded slowly along the aisle like the perfect ring bearing dogs they’d been trained to be.
The guests turned and ooed and aahed at our adorable dogs bringing the rings. I followed them a few paces behind, just in case one of them took fright.
Flipper looked back over his shoulder, saw I was there, and carried on walking. I knew he wouldn’t let me down.
Jessie sped up when she saw Zach at the front. Flipper matched her stride. When they reached the end of the aisle, they both stood there wagging their tails and presenting the rings.
I took my seat at the front and kept an eye on Flipper and Jessie as the ceremony continued.
After Gunner had kissed his new bride, he pumped his fist in the air and danced on the spot.
Helen shook her head at me as she took her flowers back. “Have I really just married this guy?” Her huge smile showed she didn’t mean it. She was as crazy in love with Gunner as he was her.
After a few pictures were taken in the great hall, everyone followed the happy couple outside, where the photographer was waiting.
Zach walked over and wrapped an arm around my waist. “That went well.”
“It did. No doggy mishaps.”
“As if they’d misbehave on Helen and Gunner’s big day.” He grinned at me. “You look gorgeous.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself.”
Zach adjusted the collar of his shirt. “I can’t wait to undo this thing. I might look good, but I feel like I’m suffocating.”
I carefully undid the top button on his collar. “That will help, and no one will notice.”
He kissed my cheek. “You’re a life saver. Any update on your ghosts?”
I’d given Zach a summary of everything that had happened, including Ralph’s arrest, our ghost knight and his obsession with the sword, and Johnny’s demise. “They’re still here. They wanted to see Helen tie the knot.”
“And they’re happy?” asked Zach.
“Johnny can move on now he knows what happened to him. As for the other one, Jacob, I’m not sure he wants to go anywhere. He’s been haunting the castle for such a long time.”
“Didn’t you say he wanted his sword back?”
I nodded. “I can’t steal a sword from the family.”
“Maybe you could if it wasn’t an expensive one, and no one noticed it missing.”
“Are you suggesting I break the law?” I grinned up at him.
“Not if it gets you in trouble,” said Zach. “It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve bent the rules to accommodate your ghosts.”
“Zach, Lorna, you’re needed in these photos,” shouted Helen.
“We’re on our way,” I said. Whatever I decided to do to help Jacob, I couldn’t do it now. I needed to stand and pose like a good little maid of honor.
We spent the next half an hour being photographed. The guests mingled, drinking champagne and enjoying the garden.
“My face aches,” said Helen.
“You’re the one who wanted all of these pictures.” I stood next to Helen, my cheeks also aching from all the grinning.
“And I’m starving. Did you bring anything out with you?”
I looked down at my fitted dress and tiny purse. “Where am I going to hide a cookie in this?”
“I wish you did have a cookie,” said Helen. “I was too nervous to eat this morning. I’ll faint if I don’t get something inside me soon.”
“It’s almost time for lunch. Hold out for another few minutes.”
“I feel like I’ve got a small, angry creature stamping around inside my stomach, demanding to be fed.”
“Can we have the bride and groom for the next few photos?” asked the photographer.
“Good luck,” I said.
Helen groaned before forcing another smile on her face.
I wandered back toward the castle where Johnny and Jacob floated.
“Are you enjoying the wedding?”
They nodded. Johnny looked at the turret.
“You don’t have to stay any longer,” I said to him. “Now that you know it was Ralph who pushed you, you might feel ready to go.”
He looked around the outside of the castle before nodding. He took hold of my hand and kissed the back of it before blinking out of sight.
One down, one to go. “What about you?” I asked Jacob.
He shook his head and pointed at the castle door.
“You still want your sword?”
He pressed his hands together in a prayer position.
“I’ll think about it. There are lots of people here. If anyone catches me with a stolen sword in hand, I could get in trouble.”
He smiled at me and bowed.
“If I do get it, where do you want this sword to go?”
He pointed to the tree line not far from the castle.
“You’re buried in that bit of woodland in front of the helipad?” That would be easy to get to.
Jacob nodded.
“No promises. I’ll see what I can do. It’s definitely the sword in the hallway you want?”
He nodded again before glancing over my shoulder and blinking out of sight.
Zach appeared by my side a moment later. “I thought you might like company. It looked like you were talking to yourself.”
I sometimes forgot nobody else could see my ghosts. “Thanks. Johnny’s gone. I still have a mission to help Jacob, but it’s in hand.”
“They’ve finished the photos. We can finally eat,” said Zach.
“Excellent.” Helen wasn’t the only one who was starving.
An hour later, everyone was full of delicious main course. The guests were distracted by Helen’s delicious desserts arriving on trays, giving me a chance to slip out.
I leaned over to Helen, whom I sat next to on the top table. “I’ll be back soon. I’ve got an old friend who needs my help.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Do you need me to come along?”
“Don’t you dare. I’ll be back before you know it.”
The hallway was empty when I walked out of the dining room. Jacob appeared instantly and gestured at the sword.
“Give me a minute. I can’t go running about in a woodland wearing this.” I pointed to my dress.
Jacob gestured for me to follow him. He floated to a cupboard under the stairs. I opened the door and discovered several sets of wellies and boiler suits.
“Ugly but practical.” I grabbed a boiler suit and wellies. “You wait out here. Keep an eye out for anyone while I get changed.”
Jacob nodded and turned his back as I scrambled into the cupboard and did a super quick change. I noticed a set of garden tools in there and grabbed a trowel. I’d need something to make a hole to put the sword in.
I peeked out and then ducked back into the cupboard as two laughing wedding guests ran up the stairs. Once the coast was clear, I hurried over to the suit of armor where Jacob’s sword rested.
I pulled the sword out and gasped. “This is heavy. How can you even use it to fight with?”
Jacob shrugged and made a show of tensing his muscles.
“I’m impressed.” I inspected the sword. It was bashed and dented. There were no precious stones or expensive insets of metal on the handle.
Jacob prodded me and pointed to the door.
“I’m checking I’m not stealing the family fortune.”
He shook his head.
“Okay, we can do this. Come on. Let’s get out of here before someone sees me.”
I ran out of the castle, the too big wellies slapping against my calves as I hurried away. Although there were lots of cars parked outside, I didn’t spot anyone. I kept my head down as I continued toward the tree line, Jacob by my side.
“Once I’ve done this, do you think you’ll be able to move on?”
He nodded.
“You must love this sword if you’ve been waiting around to have it buried under these trees all this time.”
His fingers caressed the sword.
I shrugged. “We all have our passions.” I checked over my shoulder as we reached the treeline before hurrying inside.
It was cool and damp under the trees. I followed Jacob as he floated along in front of me.
He stopped beside an enormous gnarled oak tree.
“This is the place you want the sword buried?”
Jacob patted the tree trunk.
“You were buried under this tree? Not in a graveyard?”
He mimed fighting with his sword before grabbing his head and collapsing.
“Oh! I get it. You died in battle here. You never got buried?”
He nodded.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I hope now you have your sword, it will give you comfort.”
He smiled and gestured to the ground. I knelt and made short work of digging a long narrow trench to place the sword in.
“I guess this is goodbye once the sword is in the ground.” I smiled up at Jacob. I would miss him. He’d been great company and was my first ghost knight.
He bowed low, watching as I covered the sword with soil. I patted everything down and covered the site with stones.
“There you go. Your sword is safe and back with you, just as it should be.”
Jacob waved me goodbye as he faded out of sight.
I stood and brushed the mud off my hands, grimacing as I realized my lovely manicure was now a mess.
“Lorna?”
I turned to see Zach making his way through the trees.
I hurried over to him. “You shouldn’t be out here. You’ll get your lovely suit ruined.”
“I saw you sneak out. I wanted to know what you’re up to.” He looked at the boiler suit and then at the trowel. “Do I want to know?”
“It’s nothing bad. You did suggest it would be okay to steal the sword. It wasn’t valuable. I don’t think it will be missed.”
“You’ve just buried the sword?”
“It’s what Jacob wanted. He’s happy now. He’s finally gone.”
Zach pushed a strand of hair off my face and kissed my cheek. “You are quite something, Miss Shadow. When you’re not stopping your best friend from falling apart because of the stress of her wedding, you’re fixing other people’s problems, whether they’re alive or dead.”
“I aim to please.”
“You please me.”
I blushed. “You don’t mind me being in a boiler suit and covered in mud?”
He kissed me again. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. But we’d better get back to the wedding. I am the best man and you are the maid of honor. If we’re missing for too long, people will talk and think we’re doing something we shouldn’t.”
“Like burying a stolen sword?” I took his hand, knowing he wouldn’t mind the mud on my palm, and we walked back to the castle together. “Would you like to get married in a place like this?”
“It’s a bit fancy for me. What about you?”
“The same here. I was thinking our back garden might be the right size for us.”
He nudged me as we walked. “That sounds perfect.”
As we reached the castle door, Parsons stepped into view. He eyed the boiler suit and trowel. “Are you enjoying the wedding, Miss Shadow?”
I grinned at him. “Thanks, Parsons. We’re having a great time.”
“Might I take that from you?” He extended his hand.
I gave him the trowel. “I was showing Zach the lovely garden.”
“It is magnificent this time of year.” Parsons stepped back and nodded. “Enjoy the rest of the wedding celebrations.”
“We will. You must come in for a piece of cake and a glass of champagne. We’ve not had a chance to thank you properly for saving Helen’s wedding.”
Parsons nodded again. “We all do things above and beyond our call of duty when required.” He looked at my boiler suit again. “Thank you. I shall join you later.” He retreated from the hallway with the trowel.
“Give me two minutes to get changed and wash up,” I said to Zach. I grabbed my gown and shoes from the cupboard, raced to the bathroom, washed off the dirt, and got changed.
When I returned to the hallway, Zach stood there with champagne in hand for us both.
He handed me a glass just as the door to the dining room opened. Helen ran out, Gunner by her side and Jessie and Flipper behind them.
“There you are. I was beginning to think you’d snuck off for some hanky-panky,” said Helen, her cheeks flushed from all the food and champagne.
I grinned at her. “We were busy in the garden.”
“Doing what?” Gunner arched an eyebrow.
“Admiring the roses,” I said. “What’s it feel like to be a married couple?”
“It’s great,” said Helen. “I had no idea why I was worrying. Everything is perfect. The ceremony was a dream, the food was amazing, and even Gunner behaved himself.”
Gunner wrapped an arm around her waist. “As if I’d misbehave.”
“As if you wouldn’t,” said Helen. “Come on you two. We’re having the first dance soon. I want you both alongside us. The dogs too. I want my best friends to join us.”
Helen turned, Gunner right beside her, and they went back into the dining room.
“Do we have to dance?” whispered Zach.
“Just for a minute. Try not to tread on my toes too much.”
“Same goes for you.” Zach grinned at me. “When we get married, we don’t have to have a first dance, do we?”
“Yes! I’m going to make you do the funky chicken in front of all our guests.”
He groaned before hopping in front of me doing a chicken impression.
“That’s it. You’re a natural.” I laughed as we walked back into the dining room with Jessie and Flipper.
The ghosts were happy. Johnny’s killer had been caught, and Helen and Gunner’s wedding had gone off without a hitch.
I looked around the room. It was full of family, friends, and loved ones. Everything was perfect.