The Ghost of Hollow House (Mina Scarletti Mystery Book 4)

by Linda Stratmann

  ‘Oh, do take that off, Mr Malling!’ snapped Mina. ‘Really, I am disgusted with the pair of you!’

  He removed the hood with a sigh and a slump of his shoulders. Both looked suitably crestfallen.

  ‘We didn’t mean any harm,’ said Mrs Malling, sulkily.

  ‘It was just a game,’ said Mr Malling.

  Mrs Malling nodded and took up the theme. ‘That’s right. We knew that Mr Honeyacre hoped to see a ghost — all those books he has on hauntings and spirits — so we thought we’d give him what he wanted.’

  If Mrs Malling thought Mina would swallow that explanation she was to be disappointed. ‘If you knew anything of the matter and I know you do,’ said Mina, sternly, ‘you would be well aware that your employer is not happy to be living in a haunted house, his poor wife is being made ill with terror, and the maids are frightened out of their wits!’

  At this the Mallings glanced at each other and Mina sensed that there was more to discover. ‘Whatever you are doing, this is no game, no joke,’ she said. ‘You are still lying to me even now.’

  They were silent.

  ‘Now take off those ridiculous costumes and go back to your own rooms. I will talk to both of you in the morning.’

  ‘Will you tell Mr Honeyacre?’ asked Mrs Malling.

  ‘I certainly have no intention of concealing it from him. Now go. It’s too late an hour for me to make any decisions. But make sure that tomorrow you tell me all the truth.’

  Once Mrs Malling had divested herself of the white draperies and Mr Malling had doffed the black cloak with its skeletal painting it was a shamefaced pair who descended the stairs.

  Nellie picked up the cloak and hood. ‘Such an old illusionists’ trick,’ she said, ‘black fabric with paint on the front and none on the back. If you turn around you can vanish in an instant. I wonder, did they think it up for themselves or did someone teach it to them?’ She raised the garments cautiously to her nose. ‘Phosphorus; probably obtained from soaking match heads.’

  Mr Beckler edged forward and hovered over Mina. ‘You are very pretty when you are angry, Miss Scarletti,’ he said. She brandished the candlestick at him and he flinched.

  At that moment screams of terror rang out from the corridor below. Mina and her party descended the attic stairs to be greeted by the sight of the Mallings cringing in revulsion from what appeared to be an enormous spider-like creature with a shiny black body. It was rearing over the unfortunate Mr Stevenson, who was lying on the floor, curled into a ball and sobbing. Dr Hamid and Richard had just emerged from Mr Hope’s room and were trying to understand what it was they were seeing.

  Before anyone had an opportunity to react the spider abruptly unfolded itself and rose up with a tinkling laugh, proving to be none other than Kitty Honeyacre, formerly Princess Kirabampu the oriental contortionist, in a black silk fringed robe and face paint. ‘I hope I didn’t frighten you all,’ said Kitty, ‘but it was far too good an opportunity to miss.’

  At that moment, Mr Honeyacre emerged from the storeroom bringing with him Susan, who was wearing a red coat and the shreds of a painted mask. The girl had a surly look and was struggling to escape but was being clasped firmly by the arm. ‘What is happening here?’ he demanded and then he saw Kitty. ‘My dear! You should be resting in your room!’

  Kitty took his hand. ‘Oh, have no fear, Benjamin, I am well. As for Mr Stevenson, he has taken fright at a shadow. But what has Susan done?’

  ‘This miscreant,’ said Mr Honeyacre, giving the girl an angry shake, ‘has been carrying out the most foolish escapade. I was taking a walk, hoping the white lady might appear to me, when I heard the sound of the rocking horse in the storeroom. When I went to confront the spirit I found the girl riding the horse and pretending to be a ghost. What can she have been thinking of? I hardly know what to do with her!’

  ‘I suggest,’ said Kitty, gently, ‘that a decision can be made in the morning.’

  ‘Whatever you think best,’ said Mr Honeyacre, gazing into the eyes of his smiling wife. ‘Mrs Malling, take the girl away and guard her well.’

  Mr Stevenson, who had shamed himself beyond redemption in front of several reliable witnesses, would also have to be dealt with later. He was in a disgusting condition, babbling and gibbering incoherently and in urgent need of clean underlinen, and it was felt to be unwise to leave him alone. Dr Hamid took charge, ordering Mr Malling to remove Mr Stevenson to his room and do what was necessary to restore his dignity. Mr Malling was detailed to sit with the patient and alert Dr Hamid at once in case he should show signs of feverishness and incipient frenzy.

  Mina could hardly object to these decisions although she was not sure what stories the Mallings would devise to try and exculpate themselves. She gave them both a warning look before they departed.

  Mr and Mrs Honeyacre decided to return to their room, walking arm in arm in the most affectionate manner.

  Mr Beckler was preparing to creep back to his room unnoticed, but Dr Hamid interrupted him. ‘I think you should know that Mr Hope is unwell,’ he said. ‘Mr Scarletti and I were having a conversation with him in the drawing room and he appears to have imbibed too much brandy. We have brought him back to the room and laid him on the bed and I managed to get him to swallow a glass of water. I should warn you; he will have a sore head in the morning.’

  Mr Beckler looked puzzled. ‘Mr Hope can tolerate a great deal of brandy, far more than most men. How much did he drink?’

  ‘I am not sure,’ said Dr Hamid. ‘Now I come to think about it, I didn’t see him have more than two glasses. Of course, capacities vary but a man of his size ought to have more tolerance for it.’

  Mr Beckler went to see for himself and Mina peered into the room to see Mr Hope lying on the bed, fully dressed, semi-conscious and mumbling.

  Richard crept over to Dr Hamid. ‘I — er — I may know something about that,’ he said with an awkward little laugh.

  Mina, with an all too familiar sense of dread, turned to her brother. ‘Richard, what have you done?’

  He shrugged. ‘I wanted to make sure he was in no position to trouble Mrs Jordan so when I poured out his second glass of brandy for him, I might have added something to it.’

  Dr Hamid stared at him. ‘Might have? What do you mean?’

  ‘Well — I did.’

  ‘What?’ Dr Hamid gave a groan. ‘Oh no, don’t tell me you gave him one of those drops I gave you for toothache. It was just the one, wasn’t it? I said one drop rubbed on the gums or in a teaspoon of brandy.’

  ‘Ah, well, it was more than that, I think.’

  ‘You think?’ exploded Dr Hamid.

  ‘Yes, well, he had a whole glass of brandy to drink and that was quite a lot of teaspoons so I thought I would have needed more drops. I wasn’t expecting it to work that fast, I must admit. But I’m glad it did.’

  Dr Hamid stared at Richard and he did not look friendly. ‘How many drops did you put in, man?’

  Richard backed away defensively. ‘I don’t know. I didn’t count them. About half the bottle. But it will be alright, won’t it? When he wakes up he’ll just think he fell asleep from the drink.’

  ‘When and if he wakes up,’ said Dr Hamid. ‘Mr Scarletti you are a great fool, but I hope you are not a murderer. Now listen to me carefully. I want you to — ’ he paused, ‘no, I need someone sensible.’ He looked around and, as luck would have it, Zillah and Miss Pet arrived at that moment. ‘Ah, good, Zillah, Miss Pet, I want you to go as fast as you can and fetch me fresh towels, a large basin, plenty of warm water, salt and a funnel.’

  The two young women nodded and departed at a run.

  ‘And now I need to keep him awake long enough to be able to swallow. Where are you going, Mr Scarletti?’ he called out, as Richard was trying to slip away.

  ‘I — er — didn’t think I was needed,’ said Richard.

  ‘Oh, you most definitely are! You are going to assist me, and I am warning you now, you will not enjoy it.’
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  Something in Dr Hamid’s expression and manner alerted Richard to the fact that things were very serious indeed. ‘Oh! Right! I’m your man! Yes!’ he exclaimed.

  Dr Hamid rolled up his sleeves and went to attend to the patient. To his surprise, Nellie followed him into the room. ‘Oh, Mrs Jordan, it really won’t be necessary for you to assist.’

  She smiled. ‘I used to be on the stage, Dr Hamid. Drink and soporifics taken to excess were not an uncommon thing to deal with. I have seen far worse than this.’

  There was nothing more for Mina to do, especially as both the gentlemen who might have caused Nellie harm were currently incapacitated, but she decided to wait a little to see what transpired. Zillah and Miss Pet returned quickly with the articles required and took them to Dr Hamid, who assured them that he needed no further help and closed the bedroom door firmly. The noises that emerged were resoundingly unpleasant. Mina was considering a return to her room when Zillah and Miss Pet came to address her.

  ‘Miss Scarletti,’ said Zillah, ‘I think you ought to know that we made a discovery in the appartments of Mr and Mrs Malling and we feel that you ought to see what we found.’ Zillah took a ribbon-wrapped packet of letters from her apron pocket.

  ‘Are these personal and private papers?’ asked Mina.

  Miss Pet lowered her gaze. ‘Yes, they are. We went out ghost-hunting and saw the Mallings creeping about. They were behaving very strangely.’

  ‘So you took the opportunity of searching their rooms?’ said Mina. ‘I won’t ask how you got in.’

  ‘I am the one to blame,’ said Zillah. ‘If it was wrong to abstract papers of that nature, even in the cause of truth, I will return them at once.’ Miss Pet said nothing but gave Zillah’s hand a gentle squeeze.

  ‘That won’t be necessary,’ said Mina, taking the packet and glancing through the collection of letters, ‘sometimes, needs must.’

  Chapter Fourteen

  Mina awoke the following morning to a quiet house. Nellie was soundly asleep and Zillah was pulling back the curtains to reveal a cloudless sky and the first blushes of sunrise.

  ‘It might be best to leave Mrs Jordan to sleep a little longer,’ said Mina. ‘She did not retire until very late.’

  ‘I think the only people who had a good night’s sleep last night were Mrs Blunt and Mr Gillespie,’ said Zillah as she helped Mina out of bed. ‘They are both about but hardly anyone else is apart from myself and Dr Hamid. He has just had two cups of strong coffee and gone to see his patients.’

  ‘What about Mary Ann? I saw nothing of her last night.’

  ‘I think Susan plied her with sherry so she could creep away to perform her mischief. At least, she looks a little the worse for something this morning and Mrs Blunt has been complaining that there is nothing left for the tipsy cake and has ordered her to light all the fires as punishment. Oh, and I returned those letters to Mr and Mrs Malling’s room as you asked. They won’t suspect anything.’

  Mina took her time to dress and went down to breakfast which she began alone, but eventually Dr Hamid, looking strained and tired, joined her at the table, after piling a plate with hot food and pouring more coffee.

  ‘You have been rather busier than you expected when you came here,’ Mina observed. ‘I am sorry that this was not the amusing visit that was promised. How is everyone faring?’

  Dr Hamid rubbed his eyes. ‘I am relieved to say that Mr Hope is out of danger and fortunately has little memory of what occurred, otherwise your brother would now be facing a charge of attempted murder. Hope thinks that he simply took too much brandy, or it was a bad bottle. I have not enlightened him and have advised bed rest. I can also report that after assisting me, your brother, if he ever had any ambitions to enter the medical profession no longer considers that a possibility. There were moments last night when he was in a worse state than Mr Hope.’

  ‘And Mrs Honeyacre? I must say she appeared extremely well after her little joke at Mr Stevenson’s expense. In fact, she was quite back to her old self — if that is,’ Mina added with a smile, ‘she ever left it.’

  His expression showed that he understood her meaning. ‘Yes, I wish more people were as well as Mrs Honeyacre. I saw her this morning and found her in perfect health and good spirits. She has explained some facts to me concerning her behaviour during the last few days and will want to speak to you in due course. As to Mr Stevenson, I was obliged to give him a sedative or he might have injured himself. Zillah is sitting with him now and will alert me if I am needed.’ He paused. ‘But I have yet to enquire about my most important patient. I hope you have not overtired yourself. You really should take more care.’

  ‘I promise I will rest when I am home, but today it is my intention to finally expose all the secrets of what has been happening at Hollow House. Some of them I already know, some I can guess and there are others that will be revealed when I ask the right questions. For once I am quite pleased that the house is cut off from the outside world or certain of its inhabitants might have been tempted to abscond.’

  Dr Hamid was about to comment on this when there was a loud knocking at the front door.

  Mina and Dr Hamid exchanged looks of astonishment and went to the hallway where Miss Pet was admitting the visitor, a young clerical gentleman, looking a little damp and wearing a long cloak and riding boots. A horse, muddied well above its hooves, stood patiently at the head of the carriage drive.

  ‘Reverend Ashbrook,’ said Miss Pet.

  ‘Please excuse this unannounced visit,’ said the young gentleman, disarmingly, ‘but I was most distressed at being unable to take the service at St Mond on Sunday. In view of the dreadful weather I thought I would call and see if everyone was well or in need of anything.’

  While Miss Pet took charge of the Reverend’s cloak and boots and provided him with dry shoes, Mina greeted him and introduced Dr Hamid, explaining that Mr and Mrs Honeyacre were resting. ‘I can assure you we are extremely grateful for your call. If you would come into the parlour I will have refreshments sent and we can talk there. Miss Pet, would you go and ask Mrs Blunt to prepare a tray and also see if Mr Malling is about, so he can take care of the Reverend’s horse.’

  ‘I will advise Mr and Mrs Honeyacre that you are here,’ said Dr Hamid.

  Mina and the young clergyman were soon settled in the parlour before the fire. ‘I am curious to know how you were able to reach us,’ asked Mina, ‘We have had the most dreadful weather, which, as you must have seen, resulted in a landslip and we have not been able to stir from the house for some days.’

  ‘The road from Clayton has been nothing but mud for some time, but it has improved a little and today I risked hiring a horse to see if I was needed here. I am glad to say he was able to keep his feet and we met with no accident.’

  ‘Did you come up the carriage drive? I had understood that it was sunken and below water.’

  The Reverend looked surprised. ‘It was not so this morning. But as we know, even the worst floods will eventually recede.’

  Mary Ann, looking pale and headachy, brought in a tray with tea, toast, butter and preserves. ‘Is Mrs Malling about?’ asked the Reverend. ‘Her son has been most anxious to reach her and insisted that I deliver this letter.’

  ‘Mary Ann, bring Mrs Malling here,’ said Mina.

  Mary Ann gave her a gritty-eyed stare and departed.

  ‘In recent weeks I have heard rumours of curious things happening here,’ said Reverend Ashbrook, ‘and I am not referring to the weather.’

  ‘Oh, we have had a fine little masquerade,’ said Mina, pouring the tea. ‘But before I tell you of that I was hoping that you would be able to enlighten me on a number of things. I have heard something of the village and its history and legends and would appreciate it if you could tell me more.’

  ‘Of course.’ Reverend Ashbrook looked grateful for the hot tea and the offer of toast, which he buttered well, adding large spoonfuls of jam. ‘What would you like to know?’

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nbsp; ‘Do you remember the Lassiter family? They may have been before your time.’

  ‘I do remember them, yes. I was very young when they lived here, but my predecessor, Reverend Tolley, once preached at St Mond’s and he knew them well. He was my great-uncle. Sadly, he passed away last year.’

  ‘So he would have known all about the haunting that took place when they lived here?’ Mina prompted. ‘It is the talk of the village, you know.’

  To her surprise Reverend Ashbrook laughed until he coughed and was obliged to gulp some tea to wash away toast crumbs. He put his plate down. ‘Oh, yes, that was a great to-do. Very amusing in its way. What have you been told?’

  ‘I have been told several different stories, all conflicting.’

  ‘Yes, well the truth is almost certainly more mundane. The Lassiters purchased the estate in order to establish a racing stables here but found it unsuitable for their purpose and removed to Kent, I believe. Later, for reasons of Mrs Lassiter’s health they went to live in Italy, where they still reside, although the son, George, was sent back to England when he was of university age.’

  ‘There were rumours that he had died in childhood.’

  ‘He was very much alive when he paid a visit to my great-uncle two years ago.’

  ‘I see. But what can you tell me about the haunting?’

  ‘At the time there was a considerable upset and my poor uncle, to his eternal regret, did become entangled in it. He even wrote a pamphlet on the subject. Later, he could hardly bear to speak of it, but towards the end of his life when he knew I was to come here to preach he told me the entire story. But I was not to tell it to a soul while he lived.’

  ‘Then am I to be the first to hear it?’ said Mina eagerly.