Chapter 9 The ghost of Marine Hall

"What?!" two girls exclaimed. "By a ghost?!" "Yes, your grandfather's ghost comes here every night." "Interesting... Now I am in the old castle with everything included," Rosie said. "I do speak the truth. Your grandfather died here by heart attack. He was not very old at all. The news about his soon death turned into misery for all people living here. Each night he goes along that corridor by which we came to this room and walks around here. His heavy paces are heard throughout the entire house. Yesterday was a terrible storm so you could not hear them. "A real ghost..." Rosie said... "The real your grandfather's ghost. Honestly, Miss Vernon, at first I too didn't believe in it so one night I came here and hid to destroy this myth. I was waiting for so long that slumbered. I was awakened by very frightening loud footsteps. When I looked into the darkness I could distinguish a man's figure that was entering the library. I followed... Though I was holding a candle in my hand, it still was very dark. I couldn't see anything but I felt someone's presence. I began looking for that someone and yet everything seemed dead-quiet. Suddenly I heard something like howling. I looked around and right at that moment an ancient shield, that hung over the door, fell from the wall. And then a loud man's cry, which could leave all of you with white hair, was heard. Immediately I left that room and come back here only to dust your grandfather's books at daytime," Tilly said. "If Patricia Fitzroy knew about it, she would envy me." "Who is it?" the housekeeper asked. "One London lady." "With her nose she can cut wood," Jenny added. "Now may I be free for today, Miss Rosamund?" "Yes, Tilly. And please, I like to be called Miss Rosie much better." "As you please, my lady. And also I would like to advice not to trouble the dead man." "We see, Tilly." They all went out of the library. The housekeeper went on her business and two girls stood for a while near the corridor window, following her with their eyes. "Jenny, what do you think about it all?" Rosie asked. "People told stories about strange things. Only I would never think that such things we would meet here ourselves." "As for me all this is too classically gothic." They paced on slowly. "Everything is too common," she continued. "The old castle with a ghost, ancient family curse..." "There are some things that must be over humans and nature in general. Besides Tilly is rather worldly-wise and believes in ghosts too. Besides, what's about the thing she told us?" "At night and in the darkness imagination is especially vivid. That paranormal man could have been just Tilly's vision and loud steps and the fall of the shield can happen without any powers of the beyond." "When you analyse and use different terms you become so unbearably nasty." "You too sometimes not a gift, Jenny. Just think, haunted library, ghost walking along the corridor, heavy paces..." She stopped abruptly and stiffened. "Miss Rosie?" Jenny asked. The lady didn't speak. Her eyes were directed forward but didn't actually look and her mouth was slightly opened. She was deep in thought. Jenny waved her hand in front of her face but got no reaction. They were at the very end of the corridor to the haunted library, which cornered to another one. Rosie looked around. There on the wall hang a large tapestry. She came up to it ignoring all Jenny's questions and looked behind it. There was a very narrow slit. The young lady started pushing the wall in different areas and trying to turn everything that could be turned, which caused a new lot of maid's inquiries. Nothing happened but there should have been something... Again Rosie looked around her. The opposite wall was decorated with a large coat of arms of Vernon family. She decided also to probe it with her delicate fingers. Funnily but after pressing one heraldic animal the thing opened and revealed a lever. Two girls looked at each other. "What's going to happen if we try this?" Jenny asked. "There is only one way to know it," Rosie answered and pushed the lever. For some seconds there was silence but then very suddenly there was a loud stony sound. Out of such unexpectedness the girls screamed. Rosie returned to the tapestry and Jenny examined attentively the lever. "It is used frequently. Quite recently it was oiled so even you could push it," she concluded. "And here we are unghosting the ghost!" Rosie declared and with a theatrical jest raised the tapestry curtain. "The secret tunnel! Miss Rosie, you are so witty!" Jenny exclaimed seeing the passageway. "Perhaps our ghost will be a bit disappointed and upset." The girls laughed and looked inside. "It is pitch-dark. Jenny, go and bring a candle. No, better a lantern." * The girls started their journey in the hidden part of the castle... This tunnel looked just as pretty as any secret old tunnel with little puddles, filth, cobwebs, mice and other similar accessories. Also there were draughts and it was rather chilly. But our heroines didn't mind that, they were full with an idea of adventure. Then there were stairs that led down. They hold each other by their hands and stepped as carefully as they could. Below they went along another corridor, in which was a stop. Rosie found peepholes and looked. She saw the kitchen. Jenny too wanted to have a look, so the former made way for her. The lady once again began looking around. In this part of the tunnel was damp ground, in which were seen sledges of huge feet. She wanted to call her maid but the latter outstripped her. "Miss Rosie, just look here," the words roared with laughter. "What is there?" "Ruth peeled potatoes and asked Thomas to put them into the bucket. Before it he was working with tar and brought it with him. And, imagine, he confused buckets! Now Tilly and his wife are scolding him." "Very interesting, Jenny," said Rosie. "But I'd rather you looked here. She showed her the sledges. Those feet wore boots, soles of which were nailed. They knew only one man with such feet and boots... "Now let's leave this place. We have already had much enough of it," Rosie suggested. ** They finally came out of that tunnel but there another surprise was awaiting them. In the corridor a black cat with white stomach, paws and muzzle stood in front of them. As if a master of this territory he asked with his round bright green eyes: "Who are you and what are you doing here? I demand explanations and fast!" This must have been Mr Mouth. Jenny wanted to pet him but the cat seeing that this something big and terrifying (well, from his point of view) was approaching him and stretched out its arms understood that with such unknown and dominant rival he wasn't ready to fight yet. So he found no better decision then clever strategic retreat and ran away with the lightning speed. "Perhaps, he didn't like you," Rosie said. "Miss Rosie! The second dress for today!" Indeed! Young lady's hem was very dirty. "I think I need some everyday costume," she said. "All right, let's change quickly and go to tell everything to Tilly." "You know what, let's better do it such way." The maid whispered to her, they laughed and her mistress approved this idea. *** Dinner time passed... How funny, Rosamund almost forgot about Mr Crookin's existence. And she wondered what she was missing for all this time. As she also knew that the coachman went with the carriage to the nearest town in the area. Well, now it did not matter... The cook finished her daily work and left this room at last. All was dark, still and quiet. Nothing seemed to happen but from the wall appeared a big figure in black. It went to the cupboard. From there it took some bottles of ale and began emptying them as lustily as only a hungry baby sucks milk of his mother's breast. There was left some which was diluted with water. But all of a sudden the steps and voices were heard. Those were of Rosie and Tilly. The former said that she had lost her earing so they set off looking for it. The situation became really dangerous. The "ghost" quickly tried to put away his shady business but as it often happens in the unsuitable moment everything didn't obey him. They were very close! He should hurry! He should hide! What would an ordinary man have done in such situation having a secret tunnel by his side? This one started making supposed-spooky sounds like something between groans and cow's mooing. Maybe he just didn't want to fussy with all this kitchen apps now and then? Tilly and Rosie stopped near the kitchen door. "What is this?" the former asked rather astonished. "It must be a wind," the latter said. "These women have become strange." This is the translation of the "ghost's" thoughts. "They fear nothing!" In the door lock a key turned. Our "terror that flaps in the night" quickly threw over himself some dirty table cloth. Two women went in and a huge thing wrapped on the bottom in black, on the top in supposed-white-yellowish-ash-grey-with-brown-spots was presented to their sight. It moved its paws making those sounds. Tilly and Rosie just stared at it without any emotion. Was it terrifying? – Absolutely not. Was it funny? – I'd rather say it was just vulgarly-tastelessly-foolishly-silly-stupid... But all of the sudden the wall opened and from there Jenny darted out with a wooden sword. She set its point to the "ghost's" back and cried out in an inhuman voice: "Hands up!" And that was unexpectedly... Two young girls laughing disrobed the figure and exhibited Thomas to Tilly. Lady Rosie exclaimed theatrically: "Let us introduce to you The Ghost of Marine Hall!" Tilly put her hand on her heart and plopped on the kitchen bench. Rosie rushed to the old woman and ordered Jenny with a jest to bring her some water. When the housekeeper finally had recovered from the shock she asked quietly: "And now, please, explain me in order, what's going on?" Two girls told her everything about the tunnel. After their story Tilly turned her dark scaring protruding eyes to Thomas and started telling him off in such awful way that, oh my, the shooting would have been better. "You have been scaring us all for all these years making our skin creep! Bumped your heavy boots!" "Whi? Ma'n't I fritten anyone fo' a li'le bit," Thomas said in a pitiful voice lowering his head like a boy who has committed an offence. "And stole our ale! God Gracious! And I have said so many such words to Mr Gobletor... Tomorrow I should apologise for everything." Well, there was nothing more left to do for our characters that night, so everyone just went to their beds.