by K E O'Connor
I poked my head inside the room and saw a large double bed covered in a baby-pink colored bedspread. There were a dozen pillows on the bed and a warm looking blanket. There was also a dark wooden closet and a chest of drawers.
“All looks great,” I said.
“Helen’s room is right next to yours.” Daphne unlocked the next door and gave Helen her own key. After a quick inspection of Helen’s room, which was similar to mine, and putting our bags away, we followed Daphne back up the stairs and into an open plan kitchen. Several other staff hurried to and fro, opening and closing wooden cabinets and checking the stove. There was a large well used table in the center of the kitchen that must seat twenty people.
Daphne shooed a stripy tabby cat out the back door, before shutting it. “You’ll get used to the cats. They turn up everywhere. They’re lovely, but I can’t risk getting cat hair in the food.”
“The owner must be a fan of cats,” I said, as I sat at the kitchen table next to Helen.
“Lady Cordelia isn’t a big fan,” said Daphne. “But her late husband, Leopold, was. Everyone called him Leo, and it suited him. He absolutely adored cats and picked up every stray he could. And they all seemed to know to come here when they wanted a good feed and a cuddle. There’s a cat sanctuary on the grounds and we have staff looking after the cats full time.”
“How did Leo die?” I asked.
“Suffocated in his sleep by a cat,” said Daphne.
“That’s awful,” I said, resisting the urge to check over my shoulder, expecting to see Leo's ghost lurking behind me.
“Exactly how many cats have you got here?” Helen stood and rolled up her sleeves, before tying the apron Daphne gave her around her trim waist.
“I’ve lost count,” said Daphne. “But there must be at least fifty cats.”
“Fifty!” I looked down at Flipper who sat patiently by my feet, taking in his new surroundings. “Looks like you’re going to have lots of furry new friends to play with. I hope Jessie doesn’t get jealous when she comes for a visit.”
“Is your dog good with cats?” asked Daphne. “He’ll need to be if he’s going to stay here. They run the place.”
“He won’t be a problem,” I said. “Flipper stays by my side most of the time. He’s my assistance dog, you see.”
“What does he assist you with?” asked Daphne, as she pulled out flour and sugar from the cupboard.
“Lorna sometimes faints,” said Helen.
“Oh dear, I hope it’s nothing serious.” Daphne gave me a concerned look.
“It’s nothing to worry about,” I said. “And Flipper always tips me off before I get dizzy.” That was my story, and I was sticking to it.
“I’m sure you’ll fit right in,” said Daphne. “And I bet Flipper likes treats as well. I do enjoy baking, and he’d be welcome to a little cake or two if he gets hungry.”
“We all like treats.” I grinned at Daphne.
Daphne placed cups on the table and then handed me an empty teapot. “You make the tea while we do the cooking.”
“No! Let me.” Helen grabbed the teapot out of my hand. She knew better than to let me loose on something as simple as making tea.
Daphne raised her eyebrows. “Make sure to warm the pot first.”
“I always do,” said Helen. “I warm the pot, rinse it out, warm it again, and then empty it and make the tea.”
“That’s just how I do it.” Daphne smiled at Helen. “The two of us are going to get along.”
I was just enjoying my first sip of tea when the kitchen door opened, and a willowy, ash blonde-haired woman with blue eyes walked in. She exuded good taste and refinement, and I knew instantly it must be our new employer.
“We have guests?” The woman’s gaze shifted from me to Helen, who was dusted in flour and had a blob of strawberry jam on her hand.
“Your Ladyship. I should have brought Helen and Lorna to meet you.” Daphne rinsed off her hands and dried them on a dishcloth. “I got a bit carried away making scones and treats for Master Julius.”
“That would have been nice.” Lady Cordelia stepped forward. “I see Daphne has been getting you to work straight away. She’s good at doing that. She keeps this place running.”
I stood and shook hands with Lady Cordelia, and Helen held up her flour-covered hands and simply nodded.
“I showed them to their rooms and they said they were only too happy to help,” said Daphne. “What with Alfred being off sick, I’m running around like a headless chicken here.”
Lady Cordelia raised her hands. “That’s fine, Daphne. You’re welcome to make use of them, so long as neither of you mind.”
“We don’t,” I said. “And it’s been a nice introduction to the castle.”
“I suppose it must be,” said Lady Cordelia, looking at the empty cup in my hand.
There was a scratching sound on the kitchen door, and Daphne opened it to reveal three identical looking black cats. They charged into the kitchen and ran around, their tails up, eyeing the countertops.
“Don’t you dare let them up near the food, Daphne,” said Lady Cordelia. She grabbed a cloth and flapped it at the cats, who scattered in all directions. “Those cats get everywhere. I even found one on my bed the other day, and I always keep my bedroom door shut. Sometimes I think they have magical powers and are able to sneak through walls.”
“You don’t like having the cats around?” I asked.
“They were my late husband’s obsession not mine,” said Lady Cordelia. “They leave fur everywhere.”
“Why did your husband like cats so much?” I asked. “Daphne was saying there are fifty living here.”
Lady Cordelia flapped out the cloth she’d grabbed and set it over the back of a chair. “Honestly, what Leo used to do was a mystery to me. Now, perhaps we can meet over dinner and discuss your real work duties in more detail. We dine at seven.”
“That sounds fine,” I said. “We’re both ready to start work whenever you want us to.”
Lady Cordelia eyed the mound of warm scones that appeared from the oven. “It looks like you’ve both already started.”
“Would you like one?” asked Daphne, a twinkle in her dark eyes. “They are for Julius and his friends, but I always make extra.”
Lady Cordelia smiled and swiped a scone. “Just the one. I can never resist your cooking.”
Daphne blushed and smiled. “I’m only doing my job.”
“I’ll see you ladies at dinner.” Lady Cordelia sashayed out of the kitchen, pulling apart the scone and popping a piece into her mouth as she did so.
Daphne walked over to the table and leaned her knuckles on it. “She’s not a bad employer. Can be a bit scary at times, but if you work hard, she likes you. I’ve been here five years and never thought about leaving. She pays well and offers good accommodation. Once you get past her airs and graces she can be quite a laugh. Especially since she’s found herself a toy boy. He’s brought a certain sparkle to her eyes.”
“Lady Cordelia has a toy boy?” Helen chose her own scone and sat back at the table.
“Oh yes, he’s a good-looking one as well,” said Daphne. “I expect you’ll meet Sebastien over dinner. She gets all soppy when she’s around him. He’s so different from the late Lord Babington. He doesn’t come from a wealthy family, but moves in the right social circles, and he caught Lady Cordelia's eye. They’ve been together ever since. There’s even a rumor she might marry him. Although, I'm not sure what the children will think about that.”
“Lady Cordelia has more than one son?” I asked.
“A daughter as well,” said Daphne. “Tabitha. She is a strange one. I try to keep out of the way whenever I can. She never eats cake, and that’s not natural in my eyes. Who doesn’t like cake?”
“That is odd.” I smiled as I looked at the scones. “What else is weird about her?”
“I can’t put my finger on it,” said Daphne. “She seems lovely on the surface, but there’s something not rig
ht about her. Maybe it’s me being daft. It’s probably my hormones making me think something strange.”
“I think hormones are a reliable source of information,” said Helen.
“Me too,” I said, giving Helen a smile.
Daphne joined us and passed around the scones and topped up our cups. “We deserve some of these.”
I smiled as I bit into my warm sweet scone. Gillan Castle was definitely being good to me.
Half an hour later, we were stuffed full of delicious scones and it was time to leave and discover more about the castle.
We said our goodbyes to Daphne and headed out of the kitchen.
Helen had her gaze focused on her phone as she read out more information about the castle and missed the sleek grey cat who crossed her path. She tumbled to the ground with a surprised yelp, her phone flying out of her hand.
The cat hissed at Helen and fled away along the corridor.
“I’m going off cats.” Helen rubbed her knee and looked up at me as she grabbed her phone off the ground.
I wasn’t paying Helen any attention. Flipper was whining and pawing at my feet, and my bones chilled and my flesh goose bumped. I swallowed the irrational fear I felt every time I stumbled across a ghost.
“Hello! Your best friend has fallen over,” said Helen. “I could do with some sympathy. And any chance you can give me a hand up?”
I nodded and held out my hand to her, but my gaze remained fixed to the end of the corridor, where the ghost of an old man stood watching us.
Chapter 4
Helen grumbled as she got to her feet and brushed down her tan dress. “What’s got you so interested?”
Flipper dashed towards the ghost and stared at it for a few seconds, before running back to me and checking I was doing okay.
“We’ve got company,” I said.
“Our first ghost?” asked Helen. “I’m surprised you haven’t seen one already, since this is supposed to be the most haunted place in the country. What’s the ghost doing? Is it a creepy one, an ancient knight, or a grizzled warrior?”
“Nothing like that. He’s just looking at us, and he’s not scary,” I said.
“Is he an old looking ghost?”
“He’s got a white beard,” I said. “He looks a bit like Richard Attenborough.”
“That’s not what I meant,” said Helen. “Is he from centuries ago, wearing chainmail like an old-fashioned knight?”
“No, he looks like a modern sort of ghost,” I said. “He’s got a suit on. And you’ll be pleased to know he’s wearing a cravat.”
“He sounds like my sort of ghost,” said Helen. “Is he paying you any attention?”
“He is,” I said. “And prepare to feel cold, because he’s coming this way.”
The ghost drifted along the corridor, slowing as a cat darted out in front of him. He bent and attempted to stroke the cat, but it spat at him and dashed away. The ghost frowned and shook his head, before continuing to draw closer.
“He’s here,” I said, feeling my skin goose bump as the temperature lowered.
“Is he giving you any clue as to who he is?” asked Helen.
The ghost turned his attention to Helen and he bowed before turning and doing the same to me.
“I think you’d like him,” I said. He’s got old-fashioned manners.”
“That’s a good start,” said Helen. “Anything else?”
“He’s pointing up the stairs, so I guess he wants us to follow him somewhere,” I said.
The ghost nodded and drifted past us, causing us both to shudder. We turned and followed the ghost up the stairs into the main hallway of the castle. This area appeared to be out of bounds to visitors because no one was around, and it was full of antique furniture and dozens of oil paintings.
The ghost drifted halfway along the hallway, before stopping by a painting and pointing at it.
I hurried over and read the small gold-colored plaque on the painting. “This must be our ghost. Leopold Babington.” I looked up at the stately figure in the painting, which showed a white-bearded, white-haired man in a smart pale suit. He had a small pot belly and a walking cane in one hand. His expression in the painting was firm and his blue eyes looked bright and warm.
“That’s Lady Cordelia’s late husband,” said Helen. “What’s he doing still hanging around the castle?”
I looked at Leo. “You want to tell us why you're here?”
Leo nodded and then turned as a white cat strolled into the hallway. He moved towards the cat and it instantly bristled and narrowed its eyes before darting away, its fur bushed up around it.
“You’re scaring the cats,” I said to Leo. “They might not know what to make of a ghost. When you get near to me, I feel cold, so you could have that same effect on them. And you know how much cats like to be warm.”
Leo shook his head sadly and his gaze followed the cat as it hurried along the corridor and out through the flap in the door.
“Guess you love animals as much as I do,” I said to him, looking down at Flipper and stroking his head.
Leo nodded and smiled at Flipper, before holding his hand out to him.
Flipper sniffed the air where Leo’s hand was and gave a gentle whine before looking back at me.
“Flipper likes you,” I said. “That’s always a good sign. So, how can we help you? Did you leave something behind when you died? Any last requests you want us to pass onto family members?”
Leo scratched his beard and then pointed in the direction the cat had gone.
“Is it something outside?” I asked.
Before Leo could attempt to communicate any more, the door at the end of the hallway was pushed open and a younger taller version of Leo strolled through. He was followed by a dark-haired, slim, classically handsome man in a checked waistcoat and dark blue suit.
“And I said to her, if she’d just wear her skirt two inches shorter, I was sure she’d get the promotion she wanted.” The younger version of Leo laughed loudly and took a sip from a silver hip flask he held. “I couldn’t understand it when she slapped me across the face. I was complimenting her great legs, that was all.”
The man in the checked waistcoat nodded but a grimace passed across his face. “I have an idea why she might have slapped you.”
“Women these days are too sensitive.” The man looked over in our direction and smiled. “Looks like we’ve got company.”
Leo vanished through the wall, leaving me and Helen none the wiser as to why he was still in the castle. I walked towards the two men and held my hand out. “I’m Lady Cordelia’s new personal assistant, Lorna Shadow.”
“Charmed. I’m Montgomery Babington, Leo’s younger brother.” He pumped my hand firmly, his fingers caressing my palm as he did so. His confident gaze ran over me before turning to Helen.
I introduced Helen and then looked at the man in the checked waistcoat.
“I’m not a Babington,” he said, as he waved away Montgomery’s offer of the hip flask.
“You're definitely not,” said Montgomery. “But I expect you will be soon enough. Cordelia is not going to change her name once the two of you get married.”
The man shook his head at Montgomery. “I’m Sebastien Arden.”
“Cordelia’s bit of stuff,” said Montgomery. He laughed as Sebastien scowled at him. “Oh, come on, everyone knows it’s true. You’re half her age and twice as attractive. I wonder what you see in her sometimes.”
“Cordelia is a very attractive older woman. Her maturity is appealing,” said Sebastien stiffly. “It’s not all about looks, anyway.”
“Don’t know what else it could be about,” said Montgomery. He looked over at us. “My friends call me Monty, and I insist you ladies be my friends at once. It gets so boring around here, it will be good to have some more company to liven things up.”
“We’re here to work, not entertain you,” said Helen tartly.
“Just looking at you is entertainment enough.” Montgomery gri
nned broadly at Helen.
Helen crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.
Sebastien smiled at Helen. “I like your dress. It makes your hair look really bright.”
Helen’s glare softened and she stroked her hands over her dress. “Thanks. It’s one of my favorites.”
“Stop flirting you old hound. Looks like Helen’s a feisty one, so make sure you don’t get on the wrong side of her.” Montgomery’s grin only widened as Helen huffed at him.
“Best not to annoy them.” Sebastien shot me and Helen an apologetic look. “Cordelia won’t like you pestering her new staff.”
“And she won’t like you thinking you’re going to have some fun with one of them,” said Montgomery. “Besides, everything I do annoys Cordelia. She’d ban me from this place if she could. Lucky for me Leo insisted I could stay for as long as I like. She couldn’t kick me out if she wanted to. Leo was always good at getting the lawyers involved and making things watertight. If he hadn’t done so, Cordelia would have turned this place into an amusement park to make a bit of extra money.”
“How much of the castle is open to the public?” I asked him.
“About half of it,” said Montgomery. “Have you had the grand tour yet?”
“We’ve seen the downstairs staff area,” I said. “But that’s about it.”
“Well then, we’ve got time for a tour before dinner.” Montgomery grabbed my arm and tucked my hand through his elbow. “Let’s show you around and welcome you to your new home.”
Despite Montgomery being a little on the sleazy side, I got the impression it was the drink talking more than anything else. I accepted his offer, and the four of us walked along the hallway and into an enormous room full of glass cabinets, Flipper following closely behind, his nose glued to the carpet.
“This is the Witch Room,” said Montgomery.
“Why’s it called that?” I asked.