Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 49458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
“Mrs. Ferguson was a lovely soul. I miss her,” Sara said, her hands twisting in her apron.”
“That makes two of us,” Essie told her. Silence fell over them as they thought of the kind woman who died.
“I definitely didn’t expect Mr. Templeton’s assertion that Mrs. Ferguson would have agreed to sell him the estate before she died. Him, I trust. They must have discussed the land where he’s expanded. Perhaps that letter explains that conversation,” Sara said, nodding at the letter Essie held onto with a death grip.
Essie looked down at the now less-than-crisp envelope. “I hate to open the note. It’s my aunt’s last message to me.”
Sara smiled at her approvingly. “She cherished your relationship. She’d felt alone for the first time in her life when she fell and hurt herself. You didn’t think twice before leaving that fancy city job.”
“Of course not. She needed me. I always relied on her.”
“She loved you like our own child.” That deep voice sounded stronger now.
Essie shot to her feet, staring at the figure standing in the library doorway. Her pulse raced as she recognized the translucent man. In the prime of life, he looked like the portrait hanging on the wall with his dark hair and all-seeing eyes. Marmalade appeared by his side, rubbing his long whiskers against the old-fashioned trousers Edmund wore.
“You can see him, hmmm?” Sara asked, following Essie’s gaze.
“You can’t?” Essie’s heart rate slowed at Sara’s easy-going acceptance that a ghost had appeared.
“No. I never could. Mrs. Ferguson, yes. I wondered if he would disappear when she passed away.”
“I’m not done here yet,” Edmund told Essie. “Thank goodness Esther didn’t allow herself to be hoodwinked by that sniveling cousin of yours. Neville, Nasher, Norbert….”
“Nelson,” Essie supplied, smiling faintly.
“Edmund always disliked Nelson. I always wondered if Edmund had anything to do with the water pressure going wacky every time Nelson walked by the outdoor water pump,” Sara said.
Edmund wrinkled his nose as if trying not to laugh. He crossed his arms over his chest before winking and disappearing.
A chuckle escaped Essie as she imagined her cousin’s reaction to that shower. No wonder Esther fell in love with Edmund. “My aunt saw and spoke with him?”
“He talked only to her. Their love was unrivaled. Tragically short. At least in this world.”
“She never stopped loving him,” Essie said confidently.
“Never. I’ve refreshed your room. Would you like some dinner tonight?” Sara asked.
“No, thank you, Sara. Please, go relax. Sleep in. I can get my breakfast tomorrow.”
“I might take you up on that, Miss. See you tomorrow then.”
“Good night, Sara. I appreciate you.”
“It is my pleasure to serve you as I did your aunt. I would never be happy sitting around watching soap operas. Sleep well.” Sara inclined her head before turning toward her room.
Left in the empty foyer, Essie wrapped her arms around herself and walked to the portrait of the happy couple. She didn’t understand why Edmund was here. Sure, he’d waited around for her aunt, but now that Esther had passed…. Essie made a silent vow to help the two lovers. Whatever did Edmund think he needed to do?
How did you reunite a ghost and a departed soul? Time to research on the internet. Surely the answer was out there somewhere.
Chapter Two
Essie woke up with her face smashed against her tablet. Pushing herself up on her elbows, she groaned at the time displayed on the screen. Five a.m. She didn’t miss waking up early to beat the traffic on the way to her downtown office. Today, she’d meet with the lawyer before figuring out what to do with herself.
Her stuffed penguin laid perfectly content on the pillows. Jealous of his ability to snooze, she muttered, “Sleep on, Tux. No one should be up at this hour.”
Rolling out of bed, Essie dragged herself to the attached bathroom. She flipped on the light and heard the distinctive pop of a bulb breaking. The final lightbulb, because she’d ignored the other two that had given up over the last week. In the dark, she used the bathroom and splashed water on her face. She’d have to shower later.
The results of her investigations the previous evening rolled around in her brain. Essie had read a lot of completely intriguing information on the internet. Probably nothing that would help, but the number of reports from people who regularly talked to ghosts astonished her. Reading all those accounts had reassured Essie that if she was losing her mind, at least she had a lot of company.
She dragged on her old, battered robe and stepped into her equally abused slippers before heading for caffeine. The newfangled coffee maker she’d brought with her when she moved here would provide her with delicious caffeine to at least energize her day. Essie opened her bedroom door to find Marmalade staring intently at her and took a step backward.