The Ghost House - Helen Phifer

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that your brother?’

      Jake had laughed. ‘Oh how I wish he was because then I could just punch him when he gets on my nerves. Come on, I’m starving. Get in here quick so I can order before he comes back.’

      ‘He’s coming back? Does he live here then?’

      ‘Actually it’s his house but we both pay the mortgage.’

      She began to imagine how nice it would be to live in this lovely old house, which was decorated with a vintage shabby chic feel to it. It would be even better sharing it with two gorgeous men; she looked at Jake who was genuinely confused.

      ‘Erm, I hope you’re not fantasizing about what you would like to do with my boyfriend?’

      Annie had wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. Doing her best to look indifferent, she brushed it off. ‘Well, it did include the two of you; I wouldn’t leave you out, Jake.’

      If Jake had been insulted he never let on.

      Half an hour later the Greek God had turned up with two bottles of wine and a bunch of flowers. ‘These are for you. I’m Alex. I was so rude earlier and I’m very sorry but Jake can be such a tosser.’

      Annie had accepted the flowers and smiled. ‘You know him as well as I do then.’ They had both laughed and Jake had tried to look insulted but failed miserably and joined in. That had been the start of a beautiful friendship.

      When she was lying in casualty like a broken rag doll Jake had begged her to move in with them, but her pride had got the better of her and she had refused point blank. Although, if she didn’t have something sorted out by the time Ben and his family arrived back in the country, she might have to take him up on his offer.

      Ben was visiting their mother, who had moved to France six years ago. Annie had been out twice to see her and it was twice too much: they just didn’t get on. Annie had never forgiven her for leaving her dad when they were young.

      Annie had loved her dad so much. He had always been the one to tuck her in and read her bedtime stories and then one day she had come home from school and her mum and Ben had been waiting in the hall for her with two large suitcases and three black bin bags of toys. Annie had begged her mum to let her stay with her dad but she wouldn’t, insisting that Annie had to go with her. A black car had pulled up with a man driving she had never seen before, and her mum had loaded the cases, bags and then her children into a car with her and the mystery man and driven away.

      Annie had never forgotten the look of hurt on her dad’s face. He died not long after that and Annie blamed her mum for breaking his heart. Ben on the other hand was the golden child, or so she had nicknamed him. He would laugh it off but Annie knew he was their mother’s favourite and it didn’t bother her, well, not now she was an adult. It had when she was a kid because Ben could just about do whatever he wanted yet whenever Annie asked it was always ‘no’.

      She had been so desperate to escape her family home that when Mike had asked her to move in with him she didn’t even think about it. She packed her bags and that was it. And now look at how that had ended. She sat back down at the kitchen table to read some more of the diary, anything to take her mind off Jake and Will.

       6th April 1887

      Edward is coming home for the Easter holidays. The house has been so happy these last few months without him that I feel my stomach filling with butterflies at the thought of it. I have been able to practise my reading and writing in the schoolroom in solitude.

      Lady Hannah came in one day when I was writing and told me that I was creating memories for the days when I am older and my memory may not serve me as well as it does now. I try to write every day but there is so much to do around this big house that I sometimes forget.

      Today I feel as if a black cloud is descending upon me. I am so scared of Edward and what he may have been dreaming of to do to me whilst in London that I am finding it hard to concentrate on anything. I know that I am being foolish thinking this way and that Lady Hannah would not stand back and let him treat me so cruelly but she is not always around and his Lordship is far too busy with work to notice what goes on in this house. I will just have to do my best to keep out of his way and hope for the best. I would tell Alfie how I feel but I fear he would step in to defend me and then he would lose his position in the house and also his home and I do not want anyone to suffer because of me. I know that Alfie likes me a lot, more than just as a friend, because he stole a kiss from me two days ago out in the woodshed, when he was helping me carry wood in for the fire. I pretended to be angry and pushed him away but I was not really and I think he knows this because he grinned at me and winked.

       8th April 1887

      So far Edward has been very polite and courteous towards me. He has not hidden in any dark corners to jump out and scare me yet. I think that London is changing him for the best. There must be lots of young ladies he can be mean to in the city. He has taken to wearing smart suits with a clean pressed handkerchief tucked into his pocket. Alfie told me that Edward insists on a clean one every day and he had to go into town to purchase some more to make sure Edward did not run out on his visit home.

      Today I had to clean out all the fire grates. His Lordship took Edward to the town hall to a meeting today leaving Alfie at a loose end. Harold told him he could help me. Alfie entertained me with tales of his family, which is huge: he has three sisters and two brothers. How I laughed when he told me of the mischief they all got into. He is very lucky, although he thought not and said he was so glad to escape from them when he got his job working here.

      There was just mother and me until she died and she was always so busy we never got to spend much time together. I miss her so much and I often wonder what it would have been like not to have been an only child. I like Alfie very much. He is such a good friend to me. He has the palest blue eyes, which crinkle when he laughs, and a head full of wavy, blonde hair.

      By the time we had cleaned the last grate we looked like a pair of chimney sweeps and Cook ordered us to get washed and changed before her Ladyship caught sight of the pair of us and screamed with fright. Alfie nudged me in the side and we dashed up the servants stairs up to our quarters. Edward must have come back early because he was stood loitering at the top of the stairs and he glared at Alfie who put his head down and excused himself. I continued walking up the stairs afraid that he would follow me but he didn’t. I have no idea why he would be waiting around on our cramped staircase when he has the grand staircase at the front of the house to go up and down on. I have a horrible feeling that he was spying on me but maybe I am just being foolish.

       12th April 1887

      The house was empty this evening. Lord and Lady Heaton have gone to a party and we have all been given the night off. Cook and Millie have gone to visit old Mrs Blackley, who is very poorly. She used to work here before her retirement. Harold has taken them in the horse and trap and then he is going to meet Alfie at the tavern for a while before picking them back up again.

      Alfie asked me if I wanted to go but the tavern is not the most suitable place for a young lady. I would be frowned upon by all within if I set foot in there. Cook wanted me to go with her and Millie but I could not face another dying person so soon after my own mother. I told her I felt ill and wanted to retire early. I ran up the grand staircase to turn her Ladyship’s bed down and passed Edward on the first floor landing. He looked so dashing and handsome dressed in his best to go to the dance. He stared at me with his cold, black eyes but he carried on walking and I lowered my head. He ran along to the stairs and I found myself watching him through the balustrade, he looked up to where I was standing and fixed his cold eyes on me. My heart missed a beat and I was so scared because I remembered there was only me and him left in the house. He then lifted his hand to his lips and blew me a kiss. I was so horrified that I ran straight up to my room and shut the door, my cheeks burning bright with shame and, as much as I hate to admit it, I think I

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