Page 10 of Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall (Ghosts of Rowan Vale #1)

10

We’d said our goodbyes to Violet and her family and had exchanged cards and gifts – a thank you from Immi and me and a good luck present from them. Immi had promised Violet she’d keep in touch via Snapchat, they’d solemnly sworn to stay friends forever, and it had been agreed that Violet would spend two weeks with us during the summer holidays when, hopefully, we’d have settled in.

Mia had booked a removal van for us, and on the last Friday in May, we watched as all our worldly goods were loaded onto it. Sir Lawrence had assured me there was plenty of space for our own furniture, which he hoped would make us feel more at home, even though the furniture at the Hall was apparently part of the sale and now belonged to me.

A man called Jack arrived just as the removal men were setting off. Probably in his early forties, he had dark hair and a cheery smile. He was driving a roomy, pale-blue hatchback that looked almost new, and informed me that this would be my car in future, but for today, he was acting as my chauffeur on Sir Lawrence’s orders, and he was here to take Immi and me to our new home.

‘It’s a pleasure to meet you,’ he told me, shaking my hand. ‘I live in the village with my wife Clara and our boys. You’ll love it there. Lawrie made a big announcement in church last week about you taking over, and it’s all people have been talking about. Everyone’s dying to meet you.’ He laughed. ‘Well, some of our residents have already had that experience, but you know what I mean.’

So, Sir Lawrence had told everyone about me? I hoped they were all as friendly and welcoming as Jack.

‘Do all the villagers know about the ghosts?’ I asked, curious at his casual mention of them.

He looked surprised that I’d even asked.

‘Of course!’

‘And it doesn’t bother you?’

He laughed. ‘Bother us? Why would it? They were here long before us, and they don’t cause us any trouble. Anyway, most of us can’t see them. Unless you’re special, like you and Lawrie, only the people who are related to a ghost can see them, and even then, only that particular ghost. Luckily for me and Clara, we’ve never bumped into any ancestors so it’s very peaceful at our place.’

A whole village full of people who didn’t find the idea of ghosts freaky! I couldn’t even imagine what it must be like to grow up somewhere like that.

I swallowed down the lump in my throat as I locked up the flat for the last time. It may not have been up to much, but it had been home, although you’d never know it from Immi, who barely gave it a backward glance before jumping into the back seat of the car.

Resigned to our fate, I got into the passenger seat. Jack drove us to the rental agency for the flat, where I dropped off the keys, then we set off to the Cotswolds.

Before I knew it, we were heading down the drive to Harling Hall, where I could see the removal van had already arrived.

This was really happening. It had all moved so fast that I’d barely had time to catch my breath. I glanced over my shoulder at Immi, and the delight and excitement on her face was almost enough to chase away my nerves. Almost.

Look, I told myself, it’s still May – just – and May is my favourite month. The hawthorn and the cherry trees are in bloom, and the rowan trees we passed on the way in are flowering. There are still patches of yellow rapeseed in the fields, and Immi and I are starting a whole new life.

I allowed myself a smile. It was going to be all right. I could feel it.

I glanced up at the house as a movement caught my eye. On the first floor, a woman’s face stared down at me. Lips pursed. Arms folded. I could feel the disapproval radiating from her.

Agnes was obviously still not happy that I was about to move into her home, and if I was expecting a warm welcome from her, I was going to be disappointed.

‘Okay,’ I murmured as the car pulled up outside the front door and Jack jumped out. ‘You can sulk all you like, Agnes Ashcroft, but I’m here now, and you and I are going to have to learn to get along. Whether we like it or not.’

At least I couldn’t fault Sir Lawrence’s behaviour towards us. He was in the sitting room when we arrived and greeted us with undisguised joy when we popped in to say hello, telling us to make ourselves right at home, and that Mia had already brewed up for the removal men and had them eating out of her hand.

I’d expected that Immi and I would have a bedroom each and maybe a bathroom, too, but you could have knocked me down with a feather when he informed us that we had an entire wing to ourselves.

It meant we had a home for all our furniture and belongings, which I was sure would make us feel less intimidated and might help Immi settle in better. Not that she needed any help really. She was clearly in her element, so maybe it was me who needed the help.

It still all seemed like a dream to me. How had I gone from a tiny, two-bedroomed flat in Leicestershire to a stately home in the Cotswolds?

And how had I gone from being a carer on little more than minimum wage to the owner of an entire country estate? It was completely bonkers, and I couldn’t help but think that the bubble was about to burst at any moment, and I’d be told it was all some cruel joke, and I’d actually donated that tenner to a home for the terminally gullible.

Mia was brilliant. She was quite happy to roll up her sleeves and help me shift the furniture around. She made mugs of tea and bacon sandwiches for us, as well as the removal men, who’d clearly taken a shine to her as Sir Lawrence had observed, and cheerfully helped Immi make up her bed and set out her belongings the way she wanted them.

When the removal men finally left, Mia and I sat on the sofa, drinking tea and eating chocolate biscuits, while Immi headed to her bedroom to set her books out on the white Ikea bookcase she’d brought with her.

‘So, you’re here then,’ Mia said with a grin. ‘How does it feel to be the new lady of the manor?’

‘Crazy,’ I admitted. ‘It’s all happened so fast, I haven’t had time to take it all in.’

‘I’m really glad you changed your mind,’ she said, cradling her mug of tea. ‘I was worried for a while, you know. And I know Lawrie was too. You’ve made him so happy.’

‘More than I’ve made Agnes,’ I said with a sigh. ‘I saw her earlier, glaring at me from the window. She’s not happy about me moving here, is she?’

‘Agnes is, from what I can gather, not backwards in coming forwards,’ she acknowledged. ‘But Lawrie’s firmly of the opinion that her bark’s worse than her bite, and seems terribly fond of her, so don’t be too discouraged. Although, whatever you do, don’t let her think she can bully you or she’ll show no mercy.’

I watched her as she sipped her tea, a thoughtful expression on her face. She was an attractive woman with an inner calmness about her that was reassuring. I had a feeling I’d be turning to Mia for support quite a lot in the future.

‘It must be weird for you,’ I said. ‘Living here, working here, and knowing the place is haunted by?—’

‘Don’t!’ she said quickly.

I looked at her in surprise. ‘Don’t what?’

‘Never,’ she whispered, leaning towards me, ‘use that word. We don’t say the H word.’

I frowned. ‘H word? You mean haunted?’

‘Shh!’ She placed her mug on the coffee table and shook her head. ‘It’s considered terribly bad manners. They have as much right to be here as anyone. After all, it’s not their fault they got left behind, is it? The H word implies that they shouldn’t be here, and that they’re unwelcome. They’re not. You must make that very clear to them from the off if you don’t want to stir up trouble or hurt their feelings.’

‘Crikey,’ I said. ‘I never even thought about that. This is going to be a minefield, isn’t it?’ I crunched my biscuit, considering. ‘Why were some of them left behind? Does anyone know?’

‘Not a clue. I know in films and books they go on about the ghosts having unfinished business or something, but according to Lawrie, most of our ghosts were quite contented and ready to go when they died. And even the ones who died unexpectedly don’t feel they have anything to hang around for. It’s all a bit baffling.’

‘And worrying,’ I said with a shiver. ‘It means it could happen to any of us. We could end up living in Rowan Vale for eternity.’

‘Don’t think it hasn’t occurred to us,’ she said. ‘Believe me, we all live with that possibility.’

I really wasn’t sure what to think about that. What was so special about Rowan Vale that this sort of thing happened so often?

‘Do you think it is something to do with ley lines and the Wyrd Stones?’ I asked her.

‘Honestly? I have no idea. There’s no point going down that road, Callie, believe me. We’ve all tied ourselves up in knots coming up with theories, and it’s got us nowhere. Best to just get on with it and deal with things as they are, without worrying why this place is the way it is.’

I leaned back on the sofa and sighed. ‘Such a lot to take in. I noticed Brodie didn’t hang around to greet us. I hope he’s not going to be too grumpy about this, especially with Immi being in the house.’

She hesitated. ‘Don’t be too hard on Brodie, will you? It’s a lot for him to deal with. He genuinely loves this estate. It’s hard for him, knowing he’ll have to leave it all behind.’

I frowned. ‘You know, he doesn’t have to go if he doesn’t want to. I wouldn’t mind.’

‘Oh, he’ll want to stay with Lawrie, and Lawrie will never agree to staying on. I should imagine Brodie has the option to join his parents but I doubt he will. Anyway, wherever they go, it’s going to be a wrench for them both. Rowan Vale means everything to them.’

I wasn’t following. ‘Sorry, maybe I’m being a bit dense here, but why wouldn’t Lawrie agree to stay on? If they both love it here, there’s no reason to leave, is there? The house is certainly big enough and we’re not likely to get in each other’s way.’

And I haven’t a clue what I’m supposed to be doing and there’s no chance I’ll take it all in in a month…

She looked surprised. ‘It’s what happens. When there’s a new owner of the estate, the old one moves away. I suppose it’s to give the incomer free rein to deal with their responsibilities their own way. Find their own way of doing things without interference from the previous owners. It’s always been that way. You won’t find any living descendants of the Harlings, the Ashcrofts, or the Wyndhams here. Once their time is over it’s really over. They leave.’

‘And what happens to them?’ I asked. ‘Where do they go? How do they manage without their home and land?’

She shrugged. ‘No idea. It’s sort of an unspoken thing that they stay away from the estate and no one in the village goes looking for them.’

‘But why?’

‘It’s the way it is,’ she said. ‘Kind of like the ten-pound purchase price. It’s always been that way, so it stays that way.’

‘That’s ridiculous,’ I protested. ‘There’s no need for Sir Lawrence or Brodie to move away. Why should they have to? This house is more than big enough for us all, and I wouldn’t dream of turfing them out of their home.’

‘But it’s not their home any longer, Callie,’ she said gently. ‘It’s yours.’

I gazed around the living room. My living room. At the polished, wooden floorboards and the large rug in the centre of the floor; at the stone fireplace which dominated one end of the room; at the latticed windows and the ancient oak door. My furniture looked ridiculous in here. Lost. Out of place.

Like me.

What on earth was I doing here? And how was I going to learn all that I needed to know in such a short space of time, especially given my dyslexia?

‘Where’s Sir Lawrence now?’ I asked.

She glanced at her watch. ‘Having his afternoon nap, I expect,’ she told me.

‘And Brodie?’

‘Oh, he’ll be out and about on the estate. He’s a very busy man.’

‘Doing what?’

‘Just about everything. You’ll learn more about how the estate works in time. I know Lawrie’s planning to go over some stuff with you tomorrow, and hopefully, things will start to become clearer.’

‘I can’t imagine it,’ I said gloomily. ‘Oh, Mia, what have I done?’

‘Saved Rowan Vale,’ she told me, a warm smile on her face. ‘And we’ll be forever grateful to you for it.’