Page 10

Lavender

Tatum picked me up dead on six, looking handsome in his jeans and tee, and I was glad I hadn’t dressed up too much. Tatum handed me a small bag.

I laughed when I pulled out the gift.

“Thought you had enough dolls, but I couldn’t resist,” Tatum said with a chuckle. It had to be one of the creepiest things I’d ever seen, but I loved it. It was a doll’s head, flattened at the back with spider legs coming out of it. The doll was on a chain with a hoop so I could hang it somewhere.

“I got the perfect place. Thank you, that is the most disturbing gift I have received,” I said, still laughing.

“When I saw it, I just knew it belonged at the Manor. It fits in beautifully with the haunted house atmosphere,” Tatum replied, grinning.

“Where’s this shop? I love quirky stuff.”

“Oh, you’d love this place.” Tatum moved his hand out in front of him, and we walked down the steps together and headed for his car.

Tatum opened my door, and I got in and smiled as he walked around to the driver’s side.

“The film starts at half seven, but I thought we’d get something to eat. There’s some stalls and vendors we can look at,” Tatum said.

“And plus, we need to grab a good spot,” I agreed.

“That too!”

It was only a short drive to the field the movie was being played in, and he hadn’t been wrong. Although it was only twenty past six, there were a lot of people here already, and the food stalls had large queues.

“What do you fancy?” Tatum asked as we checked the vendors out. We were spoiled for choice: Mexican, hot dogs, jacket potatoes, burger, doughnuts, pizza and a hog roast.

“All of it!” I laughed.

“How much can you eat?” Tatum chuckled.

“Anything you don’t like?”

“I’m good, Lavender, what do you want?”

“A hotdog, but I like them halfway through the movie. How about… urgh. Burgers… no! Tacos, wait, they’re messy, let’s stick with burgers and fries,” I said.

Tatum began laughing at my indecisiveness. “Let’s get in the queue before you change your mind again!”

“I’m hungry, and that makes me… oh! Waffles!” I cried, spotting them.

“Not a problem. Doughnuts and waffles after burgers and fries, and there’s also a popcorn stand, and I’ll fetch you a dog halfway through the movie,” Tatum agreed.

A blush started. “I’m being greedy.”

“Nope. Actually, I love a girl who eats and isn’t whining about their figure. Food is meant to be enjoyed. I hate eating with someone and I’m tucking into a juicy steak while they’re picking at a salad,” Tatum stated.

“Words to the wise, my friend!” a man said from behind us, and we glanced behind us and saw a guy about our age with a smiling woman.

“Never a truer word spoken,” Tatum agreed. With a nod, we turned back around and swapped a grin.

“So, not going to lie, Lavender, apart from the movie and a date, I have an ulterior motive. The group wondered if you’d given anymore consideration to joining us?”

“Not really. Could you explain a bit more about it? I have questions like, am I working for the group? Because that’s a no for me. I’ve been independent and built my reputation on my own. I won’t bow tow to someone. How does it work? How do we get recommendations, etcetera?”

“I can explain all that, but first thing, we work as a group, but we’re self-employed, Lavender. Nobody makes you do anything or tries to boss you about. You retain the same status quo as you do now. The only difference is that you have the support of a team around you and one that will recommend you to high-value clients,” Tatum replied.

“Let’s grab the food and discuss it further,” I agreed.

Naturally, I was curious. As I ate my burger and listened to Tatum answer my questions, I had to admit I was tempted. They appeared a good group, and Tatum explained a little history about each member.

“There is someone local. She and her brother recently joined us. Sinclair Montgomery, although her married name is Cutter. Sinclair’s brother is Reid Hershley. Sinclair was the one that discovered the papers on the Hellfire Club and its members. Reid also found some Tudor documents that confirmed several scandals. They’re both well-known in their field. And they live in Rapid City,” Tatum said.

“Yes, I’ve heard of them, but I didn’t realise they were local,” I replied, surprised.

In our field, Sinclair Montgomery was a celebrity near enough. And Reid wasn’t far behind her. They’d had some real finds over the years and were highly respected and sought-after experts. If one of them gave you a valuation, you could take that to the bank.

“I wouldn’t mind meeting them, even if to fangirl over them for a bit,” I admitted, and Tatum chuckled.

“Yeah, Sinclair certainly made waves in the community with the Hellfire Club discovery. But they are two of our members. I could call them tomorrow and see if they’d meet with you?”

“That would be amazing. Thank you.”

“It’s a shame you don’t have any documents for them, amongst everything else,” Tatum laughed, and I blanched.

“What?” he asked curiously.

“There is an office full of papers. Damn, I’d not even considered that,” I said.

“Wow. Anything the manor doesn’t have?” Tatum questioned, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

“How much do you know?” I inquired.

“You have numerous collections at Ravenberry, and they’re stuffed into near enough every room. I’m aware you’ve phoned experts as you’ve told me about them. Ironically, the lady you contacted for the clothing belongs to my circle, too. Val is amazing, and you’ll love her. And I know that there’s a fortune at the Manor. But I signed an NDA. I won’t discuss anything with anyone, and not for fear of being sued.

“Far too many times, Lavender, I’ve seen word of a collection get out and up pop the professional thieves. Not this time. Whether it means something to you or not, you’ve secured the manor and done everything right. If you’d like me to check the names of the other experts you contacted, I wouldn’t mind,” Tatum offered.

Funnily enough, I didn’t hesitate. I explained that Fabergé was sending a pro, and Tatum nodded. He’d already said Val, the clothing expert, was credible. When I told him the names of the others, Tatum winced at some.

“Miles Caven for the alcohol has a great reputation. Nothing dodgy about him. He’s hitting sixty and is as sharp as ever. Naturally, you will be doing the Barbie and Sindy collection. Tasmin Walker for the perfume bottles and pill boxes is one of ours! And I can’t say this for sure, but Roy Denton for the Star Wars collection is sticky. Lavender, reports are Roy undervalues, buys and then sells for the real value.

“Jake Mann, with the toy cars and train sets, would be a great pick. However, for the last two years, something strange has happened around him. Jake does an appraisal, and within six months, the owner is broken into. I can’t say outright that’s Jake’s fault, but it doesn’t appear good. Don’t use Rose Bloom for the Steiff bears, she’s lost her touch. She massively overvalued one bear and valued what turned out to be six fakes for an exorbitant amount for an auction. And the Astolat Dollhouse Castle expert can only be Henry Tumbler.”

“Who do you recommend in place of Roy, Jake, and Rose?”

“I’d suggest Mei Ling Wu for the cars. Mei Ling’s young but has so much experience. Her father designed and made toy cars. You won’t get better than Mei Ling. For the Star Wars collection,” Tatum blew his cheeks out as he considered his answer, “Niklaus Fredrickson. He’s fanatical about them, he has autism, and there isn’t anything he doesn’t know about the merchandise. Niklaus just may seem rude, but he’s not.

“One person springs to mind for the Steiff bears. She is part of the group and is Richard Steiff’s great-great-granddaughter. She’s named for the founder, Margarete Steiff. Margarete knows everything about Steiff Bears. And she’s happy to fly and access any collection,” Tatum explained.

“I’ll take your recommendations and look into them,” I said thoughtfully. I’d not picked the names of the people out of a hat, but had done research. Clearly, Tatum knew things I hadn’t discovered.

A murmur rose, and we glanced up from where we sat on a blanket and watched the opening credits to the movie. With a smile, I settled in to watch.

◆◆◆

Tatum had got up halfway through the film and brought drinks, more popcorn, and hot dogs. I squealed at the right moments, and Tatum laughed and leant me his shoulder. Despite his attractiveness, we lacked chemistry. I wasn’t feeling it, and I was saddened by that. We both shared similar interests, and on paper, we were perfect, but my lady parts merely went ‘meh’ instead of ‘hell yeah, baby’!

“Don’t worry, Lavender, tonight was great, but you’re not feeling it, are you?” Tatum said.

“Are you?” I asked cautiously.

“No,” he answered with a laugh, and my shoulders relaxed. “Honestly, I was hopeful, but it’s not there. But we can be good friends, I hope!”

“That’s definite.” I smiled.

We walked to the car and for a brief moment, I thought I saw someone watching us. Before I could be certain, the figure darted back behind a tree. Tatum and I laughed about the film and discussed some of the plot on the drive home. As we headed up the lane, I frowned, and Tatum hit the brakes.

“Did you see that?” he questioned.

“The light in the trees? Yes, nobody should be out here,” I replied, peering into the darkness. My spine began to crawl, and I shuddered. “Tatum, get us back to the Manor.”

“Yeah, I’m sensing that threat, too,” Tatum murmured and drove off.

“What the hell was that?” I asked as the Manor appeared. I spotted a couple of lights on. Harriet and Dan’s bedrooms.

“I’m not sure, but it didn’t appear friendly. Are you certain this place isn’t haunted?”

“As far as I know, no. The last time I was here, I was just a child, so who can say for sure?”

“Maybe you need to research Ravenberry’s history,” Tatum said.

“I’m starting to lean that way. Thanks for a good evening, Tatum. I enjoyed it,” I replied.

“Same here, despite the zero chemistry.” Tatum chuckled as I exited the vehicle. He walked me to the door, and I let myself in after pecking his cheek.

Tatum waited until I’d shut the door and then left.

Four hours later.

Heavy footsteps banged above me. It sounded like somebody walking about in boots. But they couldn’t be. I knew for a fact that room hadn’t been cleared, and it was rammed full of items. Nobody could possibly be up there, and yet they were. Someone knocked on my door, and Jinx let himself in.

“Lavender?”

“Tell me you’re hearing this,” I whispered.

“Yeah. It’s echoing in the entrance hall. Somebody can’t be in there,” Jinx said.

“I know. And I’m starting to feel scared,” I replied.

“Tomorrow, I’ll check that room properly. See if I can spot any signs of disturbance. I don’t believe in ghosts, but—”

“I’m going to do some research,” I cut him off.

“Good. Do you want me to stay?” he asked. The footsteps stopped, and we both glanced up.

“No. Try to get some sleep,” I murmured and settled back down. Something weird was happening at Ravenberry Manor, and I needed to understand what.

◆◆◆

“I didn’t hear anything,” Emory stated a day later.

“No, but we’re at the other end of the house,” Harriet pointed out.

“Are you sure there’s no ghosts?” Heidi asked.

“Right now, I don’t know if my name is Lavender for certain,” I replied.

“Fair enough.” Harriet laughed. Greedily, I was on my third mug of coffee and was starting to become more human.

The kitchen door opened, and Chatter and Tatum entered.

It was funny, but four days had passed since my bike ride with Chatter and two since my date with Tatum. Throughout both nights, noises and footsteps had been heard. My sleep had been disturbed five times last night, and I barely felt functional.

“You okay?” Tatum asked, looking at me concerned.

“No, she’s not,” Emory said.

“What is wrong?” Chatter demanded curtly.

“Lavender keeps hearing footsteps and sounds above her bedroom,” Dan answered for me.

“Okay?” Chatter drawled.

“Except the room above her is rammed full of stuff, and nobody could swing a cat in it,” Emory added.

“So, what’s making the noises?” Tatum asked.

“Good question. I’d think I was going mad, but Jinx has heard them too, and when the students were downstairs, so did they,” I said.

“Jinx checked the bedroom out?” Chatter inquired.

“Yup, and it is jammed. You can’t move in it. Nothing makes sense. There’re definite footsteps but no sign of the dust being disturbed.” I shook my head.

“And the lights outside,” Kelly spoke up.

“What?” Tatum exclaimed.

“Dan and I saw lights in the trees at night. That’s rather spooky,” Harriet replied.

Tatum and I swapped glances but didn’t mention the light we’d seen.

“Okay, let’s get to work. I’ll do some research on Ravenberry being haunted later,” I said as I saw the look Chatter and Jinx exchanged.

Something weird was happening, but I’d not got answers for it. I didn’t sense a threat from inside Ravenberry. Instead, it felt like home. But there was something wrong, no doubt.

While the students had the weekend off, I had gone into the library yesterday and continued clearing the dolls. I’d finally reached the bookshelves I wanted. I’d not been able to access the Bloodsworth Journal, but I would today. The kids could work at the other end of the room, and I’d be able to examine my family history.

While everyone was finishing breakfast, I headed for the library. I moved to the standalone bookshelf at the far end and walked around it. The end panels of the bookshelves were intricately carved, and my finger’s memory traced the etchings and pushed the correct depressions. A section sprang open, and I reached inside and hauled out a package wrapped in an oil-skin cloth.

I carried the heavy tome over to a table where a book stand sat. Carefully, I laid it, easily two feet high and one foot wide, down and unwrapped it.

A brown leather cover was revealed with gold scrollwork and intricate writing. It simply read, ‘Bloodsworth Journal’. I pulled on some protective gloves and reverently traced the writing.

My ancestor Richard had created this tome. Anything of significance that happened to the family inhabiting the Manor it was written inside. Births, deaths, stories, celebrations, heartbreak, birthday parties were all recorded here. The book was four hundred years old and still used today.

There was a special ink we used that was virtually unfadable. The recipe was in the front of the book, and Aunt Aggie had ensured I understood I only wrote in this with that ink. I opened the cover and read Richard’s words, welcoming his descendants to their history and legacy. Rochard explained he wanted us to understand our heritage and what our blood had been worth.

In this huge tome was the secret of how we made our money, who had squandered it, and who’d grown it. All the deaths, births, hope, and dreams. Going back four hundred years, everything was recorded here. Excitedly, I was about to start reading when Dan appeared.

“Have you moved my gear?” he asked.

“No?”

“I left it with the others, but it’s gone. Harriet just found it placed in the cellar,” Dan complained.

“Sorry, that wasn’t me,” I replied, and he nodded.

Dan sent a glance at the book in front of me before moving away.

Yet another mystery, but I shoved it from my mind and focused on what I was doing.

I began turning the thick pages, seeing no sign of damage whatsoever. Richard’s own writing was as clear today as it was four hundred years ago. I scrolled down and scanned the pages as I sought any information of a haunting.

Absorbed by the family history, I fell off my chair when Chatter spoke. Chatter’s hands shot out and caught me.

“Shit! Sorry. Are you okay, Lavender?”

“Yes. Damn. You surprised me.” I gasped as I straightened and pulled away from his warm grasp.

Chatter’s eyes searched my face, and he stepped back and motioned to a beautiful woman by his side. She had her head tilted, and her gaze flicked back and forth between Chatter and me.

“This is Phoenix. She’s the Hellfire sister. You remember telling me you wished you could talk to someone who’d experienced what you had? Phoe did. She won the lottery in the UK and became mega-rich, all the while being a normal person,” Chatter said.

Phoe’s eyebrows rose as she regarded Chatter with surprise. “Well, now, buddy, look who’s discovered his voice.”

“Shut it,” Chatter responded rudely, but Phoe snorted.

“Go away. I want to talk to Lavender,” she ordered and waved him off as she grabbed a chair.

“Phoe!” Chatter growled.

“Scram. Don’t make me find—”

“I’m off!” Chatter declared and disappeared immediately.

“That threat always works,” Phoe said smugly. She leaned forward and peered at the tome. “What’s this?”

“A family journal. It was started four hundred years ago by the man who created my bloodline,” I replied.

“So cool! Tell me about it,” Phoe demanded, and I laughed. She seemed quite excited by the idea.

Funnily enough, we talked for a good couple of hours. Phoe was pretty down to earth, and she told me how she had used her wealth to start the charities named the Trusts. I’d heard of them and applauded her efforts and made a note to make a significant donation to them.

Phoe explained how hard it had been to keep her feet on the ground as she struggled with the millions she’d won. It had been a shocking experience for her, and she laughed as she recalled when she made her first billion.

It helped listening to Phoe describe how she found it overwhelming to become so rich. From struggling to feed her five children to being able to dine out every night and not blink at the cost. Phoe helped me see that I was feeling unworthy of it and that I was the person I was always meant to be.

Like me, Phoe believed things happened for a reason, and I was really glad to have spoken to her. Several hours passed as I got the lingering negativity out of me—along with the self-doubt—and relaxed into my wealth. Slowly, I began realising that it hadn’t changed me. Sure, it had affected my family, but not me. Their greed was not on me, and it was their problem. Not mine.

“Um, I know somebody who’d love to look at this,” Phoe announced, indicating to the journal.

“Oh?

“Sinclair Cutter, she is one of the Rage’s old ladies. She’s fascinated by shit like this and is an expert,” Phoe said proudly.

“Sinclair Montgomery? Funnily enough, someone else mentioned her recently,” I replied.

“Really? I have a direct line to her. Should I arrange for Sin to come and visit?” Phoe asked.

“The Journal is a private family book. It won’t be going anywhere and isn’t for sale,” I stated.

“That’s fine. But Sin does this thing where she can scan documents, and instead of you having to keep getting them out, you can read them on a laptop,” Phoe said.

I perked up at that. If Sin could scan the journal, I could use a search to find any mention of ghosts. It would be easier than me searching page by page.

“Could you give her a call?” I asked, and Phoe grinned.

“Such as hell can!”