Page 36 of Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay
Still?
‘Miss Amelia saw a ghost!’ Tiffany pipes up.
Tiffany still insists on calling me ‘Miss Amelia’. It’s better than ‘madam’, I suppose, or ‘your grace’ as she had on one occasion.
‘No, I didn’t,’ I hurriedly insist. ‘I heard something odd, that’s all – in the Blue Bedroom.’
‘What sort of odd?’ Arthur asks.
Reluctantly I tell Arthur what had happened on my way to the office, feeling quite silly and sure he will simply dismiss it as nothing but nonsense. In fact, instead of pale, my face feels quite flushed when I’m finished.
‘Sounds like Percy,’ he says matter-of-factly.
‘Who?’
‘Percy, he was the fourth Earl. He died in that room.’
I stare at Arthur. ‘Arthur, are you telling me what I think you are? Are you saying this Percy is a ghost?’
‘Ghost, spirit, whatever you want to call them.’ He shrugs. ‘Percy is said to have haunted that room for centuries.’
My eyes are wide now. ‘Andyoubelieve that?’ I ask, astonished at Arthur’s calm composed responses.
Arthur shrugs. ‘No reason not to.’
‘Have you seen this Percy, Arthur?’ Tiffany asks, her eyes wide.
‘Nope. I may have heard a few things over the years I’ve worked here, though, and I’ve known a few that claim to have seen him.’
‘And what did they say?’ I ask, still not quite believing we’re having this conversation.
‘Varies. Apparently, the more Percy likes you, the more he’s likely to show himself to you. That’s why not many visitors see him. Percy likes to get to know you before he shows himself.’
‘A picky ghost – nice.’ I have to smile now. This is crazy, and I can’t quite believe Arthur is a part of it. ‘You said this Percy died in the Blue Bedroom? Was it natural causes?’
Arthur looks a little embarrassed and extremely uncomfortable. He fiddles with the green tie he always wears with his tweed suit when he’s ‘on duty’, although, as far as I can see, Arthur never seems to be ‘off duty’, even when he’s at his little cottage with Dorothy.
‘Oh, Arthur has gone all red!’ Tiffany grins. ‘What’s up, Arthur, cat got your tongue?’
‘No.’ Arthur clears his throat. ‘The rumour surrounding this particular Earl’s death is a little . . . how can I put this delicately? A little . . . risqué.’
Tiffany and I exchange looks of amusement.
‘Go on, Arthur,’ I encourage. ‘Please tell us.’
‘It’s claimed – and believe me, I have no proof of this – that he died while . . . ’ Arthur clears his throat again. ‘While in the act of consummating a relationship with a lady.’
My eyes widen and I can feel myself grinning – partly at the cause of the Earl’s death, but mostly at Arthur’s carefully chosen description of it.
‘He died having sex?’ Tiffany states to Arthur’s obvious discomfort. ‘What a way to go!’
‘I believe so . . . ’ Arthur says. He looks awkwardly around the office.
‘Is there more to it, Arthur?’ I ask, sensing this isn’t the full story.
Arthur looks at me in dismay, as though he really doesn’t want to go on with this torment any longer.
‘I bet there is!’ Tiffany says keenly. ‘Let me guess, was it a man in bed with him?’
