Ghostly Proposal Page 4

  “All of this excitement has rather unnerved me.” Delilah gave a shaky laugh. “We should investigate what’s going on, make sure there are no negative energies causing us problems.”

  Rose groaned and threw her napkin on the table. “I’m not in the mood for one of your investigations. I’ve got paperwork to finish before bed.”

  “It could be interesting,” said Delilah. “We can show Lorna more of what we do. Throw you in at the deep end, so to speak.”

  “I’d like that. What would the investigation involve?”

  Delilah pressed the palms of her hands together. “Then it’s settled. We can take our dessert in the parlor and have a seance at the same time.”

  Chapter 4

  My jaw dropped. “A seance! You do those?”

  “Of course, she does.” Rose glowered at me. “They’re popular with the clients. Everyone’s seen one on the TV, where things move on their own and messages of doom get spelt out. I never understand why ghosts can’t pass on positive messages when they’re being filmed.”

  “You’re talking about a Ouija board session,” said Delilah. “I’m not using one of those tonight, although I have several. A seance is much more sedate. It’s a way of encouraging the ghosts to feed off our energy and manifest. It makes it easier for them to pass on messages.”

  Having recently tried a seance in my home, I knew all about them and wasn’t convinced they worked.

  “You don’t have to take part,” said Fred quietly. “It’s not for everyone. If you’re not attuned to the energies, they can be rather startling to witness.”

  “Do you take part?”

  “All the time,” said Fred. “I seem to have an affinity with the dead.”

  “So you should, since you’re an undertaker.” Rose glanced at me. “He spends more time with the dead than the living.”

  Fred nodded sagely. “That is very true.”

  Looking at Fred again, he did fit the look of an undertaker perfectly, a kind of creepy undertaker you’d find in a scary movie, with his cold skin and lack of appetite.

  His cool hand patted the back of mine. “Delilah won’t mind if you make your excuses.”

  “No. I want to be involved.” I was interested to see if Delilah could manifest the ghost who’d been rattling the table. Maybe that was what the ghost needed, extra energy to get things moving and manifest so everyone could see her.

  “You might find it fun.” Delilah stood and smiled at me. “I’ll get set up. Rose, you organize coffee and dessert for everyone. It’ll be an entertaining evening.”

  Rose frowned as she slammed her chair back. “I spend all day with your spooks. You’d think we could have an evening off.”

  “You can never have an evening off when you work with the dearly departed,” said Delilah. “They expect us to be here to help them.”

  “And, as I regularly inform them,” said Rose, “we have office hours. They won’t have lost the ability to read just because they’re dead. Why is it the dead have such bad manners?” She skulked out of the room.

  Delilah gave me an apologetic shrug. “Don’t hold it against her. Poor Rose has always played second fiddle to the ghosts. I’ve been able to see them ever since I was a child. Sometimes, I used to like to play with the ghosts more than her. I don’t think she’s ever forgiven me for that.”

  “It must be tricky getting the balance right,” I said. “If you see all these ghosts and she doesn’t, she will feel left out.”

  “I think you’re right.” Delilah led the way out of the dining room. I followed along with Flipper, Fred walking behind us. “I make it up to her when I can. The ghosts are always around, though. They always need me. I find it impossible to say no to them.”

  I knew how that felt.

  Delilah opened her parlor door and paused. “This is a most sacred space for me. I bless it every day with ancient prayers and rituals. It ensures it remains a positive, safe sanctuary for me and anyone who enters.” She rested her hand on some carved runes in the doorjamb.

  As I entered, I noticed the room had a snug feel to it. It also housed a dozen ghost animals, along with the angry, dark-haired ghost who’d been causing trouble at dinner. This would be interesting.

  “Please, take a seat at the table,” said Delilah. “I’ll make the preparations while Rose sorts out dessert. It’s apple strudel and custard tonight.”

  “My favorite.” Fred sat at the table and smoothed down his navy shirt.

  I watched Delilah as she lit candles and incense. She was muttering under her breath. I strained to hear the words but couldn’t make sense of them.

  Fred touched the back of my hand with an icy-cold finger. “She is an expert at this. Delilah studied for years to refine her natural ability. You have nothing to worry about.”

  “Actually, I’m quite excited,” I said. “I’d like to see how a seance is done and how the ghosts manifest.”

  “Have you ever been to a seance before?”

  “I’ve never been to one.” Well, it was the truth. I’d had one in my own home, and that hadn’t involved going anywhere.

  “We have a seance at least once a week,” said Fred. “The ghosts enjoy it. It strengthens the energy of the whole house. Tomorrow, you’ll feel this place re-energized. It brings the ghosts to life, as it were.”

  “Do the ghosts take your energy? Isn’t that how they get stronger?”

  Fred’s white eyebrows rose. “You know a lot about seances.”

  I smiled innocently. “I’ve seen a few on the TV, that’s all. I’m no expert.”

  Fred nodded. “Well, you’re correct. That is a side effect. I get exhausted after a seance.”

  No wonder he felt so tired if he was constantly having ghosts sucking out his energy. It would also explain why he looked so drawn and pale.

  Delilah rested her hands on Fred’s shoulders. “You’re such a dear. You’re so good to these ghosts. I know they appreciate what you do.”

  “It’s always a pleasure.” Fred gently touched one of Delilah’s hands.

  Delilah moved to an empty seat and sat down. “Now, Lorna, this will be straightforward. We’ll join hands, and I’ll say a few words of protection. Then we can see if the ghost who was bothering us at dinner makes an appearance.”

  “Will she have a choice?”

  “What makes you think it’s a she?” Delilah smiled at me.

  “Oh! No reason. Maybe I sensed a female energy.”

  She patted my arm. “I knew you were the right woman for this job. I also think she’s female. And, she will have a choice. She doesn’t have to show herself if she doesn’t want to.”

  Rose bumped the door open, coming in backward. In her arms was a tray with bowls of steaming apple strudel, covered in custard. There was also a cafetiere and mugs for coffee.

  “Place the tray on the side table,” said Delilah. “I have already blessed the space.”

  Rose huffed under her breath as she placed the tea tray on the table. She dumped each bowl in front of us along with a mug of black coffee. “We’d better eat this quickly, so your blessed space doesn’t get contaminated by custard.”

  “I don’t think the ghosts will mind a little dessert.” Delilah smiled benignly at her sister. “I expect, even in death, we want a little sweetness.”

  “Whatever you say.” Rose sat at the table. “You’re the expert.”

  A flash of annoyance crossed Delilah’s face before it was replaced with a smile. “Let’s enjoy our dessert while we let the energy flow mature.”

  The ghost animals had moved closer to the table as we sat at it. The dark-haired ghost remained a few steps away, her gaze on me.

  I tried to ignore her as I ate the delicious apple strudel. “Is this homemade?”

  “Of course,” said Rose.

  “It’s delicious.”

  “It would be,” said Rose. “I made it.”

  “I made the custard,” said Delilah.

  “It’s all lovely,” I said.

  The dark-haired ghost moved closer and gestured for me to hurry.

  I scooped up my last mouthful of strudel and made a show of eating it.

  The ghost shook her head and folded her arms across her chest again.

  “Rose, if you’d be so good as to clear the bowls,” said Delilah. “We’re ready to begin.”

  Rose grudgingly stood and grabbed the bowls, dumping them on the tray before sitting back down.

  “Everybody, join hands with your neighbors. Keep a light grip on each other. When the circle has been created, don’t break it unless in an emergency. It will disrupt the flow of energy and might harm the ghost we are contacting.”

  I glanced at the dark-haired ghost, who shook her head again. It seemed she didn’t agree with Delilah’s comments.

  Fred’s cold hand clutched mine. It really did feel like I was holding hands with a ghost. Delilah’s fingers were soft and warm, and I felt the press of metal from some of her rings on my fingers.

  “I’m sensing a strong spirit here,” said Delilah. “It’s an elderly woman. Come closer. We are here to assist you.”

  I looked around the room. I couldn’t see any ghost other than the woman, and she was only middle-aged.

  I noticed Delilah looking at a ghost rabbit hovering near the fireplace. Surely, she couldn’t think that was the elderly woman.

  “She’s growing stronger,” said Delilah. “Everybody relax. Let her feed off your energy. If she grows strong enough, you might all be able to see her.”

  “It’s never happened before,” muttered Rose.

  The air in the room grew cold as the ghost animals and the dark-haired ghost crept even closer to the table. There was a sense of anticipation as if they were waiting for Delilah to notice them.

  “Can you see the ghost?” I asked Delilah. “What does she look like?”

  “She is here. She has returned in rabbit form.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “Rabbit form? This old woman looks like a rabbit to you?”

  “That’s right,” said Delilah.

  “Ask her what she wants so we can get on with this,” said Rose. “My paperwork will not magically complete itself.”

  “You should never hurry a spirit,” said Delilah. “This might be an unsettling experience for her. We need to earn her trust before she tells us what she needs.”

  The ghost rabbit looked unfazed as it continued to hover by the fireplace.

  “I’m getting the name Roger,” said Delilah.

  “That’s a strange name for a woman,” said Rose.

  I pressed my lips together. Roger the rabbit? Delilah couldn’t be serious. She was talking to an actual rabbit as if it was a person.

  “It’s no good.” Delilah shook her head. “I am sorry. I can’t connect with your thoughts this evening. Please try again. You are most welcome here.”

  The rabbit didn’t seem to care either way as it continued its inspection of the fireplace.

  “Is there anyone else with us?” I looked pointedly at the ghost standing behind Delilah.

  “There’s another woman,” said Delilah. “I’m picking up a sense of unhappiness.”

  This sounded more promising. “Is she also in animal form?”

  “She is. She looks like a scruffy, beige terrier.”

  I suppressed a sigh. I was pretty sure that the terrier Delilah referred to sat a few feet away from Flipper, with a stubborn, grumpy look on his face.

  “What does this woman want?” I asked.

  “We’re about to find out,” said Delilah. “If the spirits will it, she will make a connection, and we can assist her.”

  The dark-haired ghost standing behind Delilah made a rude gesture behind her back. She slammed into the table and rattled it.

  “That must be her,” said Rose. “Tell her to be more careful. I don’t want coffee stains on this tablecloth.”

  Delilah shot a worried look at the terrier, who hadn’t moved. “Yes, of course. We must all respect each other’s boundaries.”

  Delilah must know the terrier hadn’t touched the table, yet she hadn’t seen the ghost do it. She really could only see animal ghosts.

  Flipper hopped up from his seated position next to me. He trotted over to where the dark-haired ghost floated and stared straight at her.

  “Your dog is sensing something,” said Delilah. “Animals are always sensitive when there are spirits around. Have you ever noticed him behaving in this fashion before?”

  “Now and again,” I said. I hoped my face looked innocent.

  “He can most likely smell the leftover apple strudel,” said Rose. “Fred’s barely touched his.”

  “What I ate was delicious,” said Fred. “Please, let’s focus on Delilah’s work.”

  “Thank you, my love.” Delilah’s forehead creased. “I’m getting the message now. The woman wants me to tell her husband he was wrong.”

  “About what?” I asked.

  “Most likely about everything,” muttered Rose. “Isn’t that always the way with men?”

  “He was wrong about... the business? The last part isn’t coming through so clearly. Sometimes, the whisperings of the spirits are so quiet I can barely hear them.”

  I looked at the terrier. He glared back at me. He wasn’t passing any message on to Delilah.

  Delilah tried again. “Were you worried about his business? Did you have financial concerns about what he was doing?”

  The terrier tilted his head to one side.

  “It’s not going so well this evening.” Delilah gave me an apologetic smile. “Some evenings they come through so clearly it’s as if they’re shouting in my ear. Not tonight.”

  “Maybe the spirits find Miss Shadow’s presence a distraction.” Rose glared at me. “She might not be a good fit here.”

  “Have patience.” Delilah dropped her hold on my hand. “This is Lorna’s first day. I’m sure she’s excellent at what she does, and the spirits will respect that.”

  “I hope so.” I looked around at the ghost animals in the room. My gaze stopped at the dark-haired ghost. Why hadn’t she made contact with Delilah? Why was she hiding from her?

  “Wait!” Delilah grabbed my hand and squeezed hard. “I’m getting a message from another woman. I think it’s an Emily. No, not Emily. Is it Amelia?”

  The blood drained from my face. Was she being serious? Was Zach’s dead wife really contacting her? I licked my dry lips. “What is she saying?”

  Delilah’s eyes were shut tight as she rocked back in her chair. “She is strong.”

  “Do you know someone called Amelia?” Rose looked at me suspiciously.

  “I might.” I kept my attention on Delilah. “What is she telling you?”

  “Something about a ring.” Sweat bloomed on Delilah’s forehead.

  I leaned closer. “What about the ring?”

  A gasp flew out of Delilah. She arched in her seat, dropping her hold on my hand as she did so.

  “That’s enough for one night.” Fred stood and patted Delilah’s shoulder. “All of this talking to spirits takes it out of her.”

  I wanted to press Delilah more about Amelia and her message. If this wasn’t a lucky guess, then she was on to something, and I needed to know what it was.

  “She was a strong one,” murmured Delilah. She dabbed at the sweat on her forehead. “We need to be careful of her. She didn’t feel happy.”

  The dark-haired ghost lunged at the table. The candles in the room sputtered out, plunging the room into darkness.

  “Everybody stay where they are,” said Rose. “I’ll get the lights on.”

  I heard Rose fumbling around in the dark, looking for the light switch.

  “It’s nothing to worry about,” said Fred. “This happens all the time.”

  “It’s the spirits,” muttered Delilah. “They never leave us alone.”

  I yelped in surprise as the parlor door slammed open.

  Chapter 5

  The overhead light dazzled me as it came on.

  “Crystal!” Delilah was on her feet and heading to the door. “You gave us quite a fright. We were deep in communication with the other side.”

  A short, curly-haired redhead stood in the doorway. “I’m sorry. I knocked at the front door, but there was no answer. I figured you might be having fun in here.” She looked around the room and smiled at everyone. Her gaze settled on me.

  Rose scowled at her. “You should have waited for someone to answer the door.”

  “I waited for a while.” Crystal blinked her brilliant green eyes as they adjusted to the light. “It’s chilly out there, though. And Delilah doesn’t mind me coming in whenever I like.”

  “Of course not.” Delilah touched her arm. “Come and meet Lorna. She started today. She will assist with expanding the business.”

  I stood as Delilah led Crystal over. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” said Crystal. “Has Delilah been introducing you to the world of the spirits?”

  “She has.”

  “Crystal is my protégé,” said Delilah. “I figured it was time I passed on my skills to a younger generation. Not that Crystal doesn’t come with her own enviable ability with the spirits.”

  “I’m not half as good as Delilah.” Crystal smiled broadly. “She’s taught me so much since I’ve been coming here for lessons.”

  “Crystal will join me on my European tour,” said Delilah. “She might even run a couple of the shows herself.”

  “We haven’t agreed on that,” said Rose sharply. “People come to see you, not your understudy.”

  “Crystal is much more than an understudy,” said Delilah. “She’s like a daughter to me.” She wrapped an arm around Crystal’s shoulders and hugged her.

  “You’re too kind.” Crystal smiled and blushed. “Most people think I’m a bit crazy. But the day I met Delilah at one of her shows, I knew she would help me and understand what I could see. She’s been brilliant.”

  I liked Crystal’s enthusiasm. She was young, maybe no more than twenty, and an excited energy bounced off her. I could see why the spirits liked her. “We were just trying to talk to some ghosts.”