Page 50 of Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay
Suddenly there’s a crash from the next room. I look up, wondering if one of the piles I’d made this morning has toppled over.
I put the diary down and hurry back next door, but it appears nothing has moved.That’s very odd, I think, looking around.What made the noise?
I go back to the room I’ve just come from and pick up the diary, but just as I open the cover to begin to read I hear the noise again – it’s like someone is banging something together.
I rush back next door – but again nothing. I look around the corridor outside, pausing for a moment in case I hear the noise again. But all is silent.
Not this again, I think.First it was the stables, then the bedroom. Now here.
‘Hello,’ I call a little hesitantly. ‘If anyone is there you might as well show yourself.’
I brace myself. I’m not quite sure what for – it’s hardly likely that a bunch of ghosts will suddenly appear through the walls and waft their way over my head now, is it?
As I suspected (and secretly hoped) nothing happens.
‘Right, well, if you’re not going to show yourself then I’m going to collect my son from school,’ I say to the empty corridor, suddenly sounding a lot braver than I had a few moments ago.
I walk confidently back into the room I’ve just been clearing to collect the diary for me to read later. But it’s not where I left it, balanced on the edge of the packing case.
‘What the . . . ?’ I say, looking around me. I was sure I’d dumped it here before I’d hurried out of the room. Where had it gone?
I search the box again in case it has fallen back inside. But it’s not there. All the other books, which also appear to be handwritten journals, still remain, but where had that particular diary disappeared to?
‘This is madness!’ I mutter. ‘A book can’t just move on its own.’
But that’s exactly what seems to have happened.
I glance at my watch. ‘Right, you win,’ I say to the room. ‘I have to go. But I’ll be back,’ I warn it. ‘And Iwillfind that diary. This is my castle, andIsay what goes on here, do you understand?’ I waggle my finger in a menacing way, and then I look at my hand in embarrassment. What am I doing threatening an empty room? All this sorting of old junk is driving me insane. I need to find some real people to talk to and fast!
‘Charlie?’ I ask as we walk back from the school. ‘Have you seen much of Ruby lately?’
Charlie looks at me suspiciously, as though I’m asking him a trick question. ‘I thought you didn’t believe in Ruby?’
I shrug. I feel silly even asking my son this. Even more silly than I’d felt after leaving the rooms upstairs and realising I’d been talking to an empty room. ‘It’s just I’ve heard some odd noises around the castle lately.’
‘That might be Bill,’ Charlie says matter-of-factly. ‘He’s using some new power tools in the stables right now.’
‘No, it’s not Bill. These noises are . . . well, they’re not explainable.’
Charlie looks up at me. ‘It might be the other ghosts.’
I swallow. This is so difficult for me. ‘You mentioned someotherghosts before. Do you know how many there are?’
‘No, Ruby never said. All I know is they’re pretty protective of the castle. They don’t really like change.’
‘Oh dear; well, they won’t like me, then. There’s been a lot of change since we arrived.’ Charlie and I walk through the main gates – unlocked today because we’re open to the public – and then along the bridge towards the castle.
‘Yeah . . . Ruby did mention something about that.’
‘She’s talked about me?’ I ask, partly horrified a ghost might be talking about me, but probably more so that I’m actually having this conversation with my son. ‘What did she say?’
Charlie pulls a face. ‘I’m not sure I should tell you.’
‘Charlie Harris, I am your mother – if someone is speaking badly of me I very much think youshouldtell me.’
‘It’s not that they’re saying bad things about you . . . ’ Charlie’s obviously still torn. ‘It’s more like you’re unsettling them.’
‘How so? Everything I’m doing here is to improve this castle and make it more profitable in the long run. I would have thought they’d have been happy I’m trying to save their home.’
