Christmas with the Book Lovers

by Victoria Connelly

  Polly came in with a teapot and mugs on a tray. Eleanor poured, giving a mug to Mr Parker first and then passing the others around to the family.

  ‘So, have you had any experience of Gytrash yourself?’ Grandpa Joe asked.

  Mr Parker took a sip of his tea. ‘Well, no.’

  ‘Do you believe in him?’ Lara asked.

  ‘Now here’s an interesting thing,’ Mr Parker said. ‘There was one point in me life when I would’ve said no to that question and answered it so quickly as to suggest there was no room for doubt. But now? Well, things ain’t that simple.’

  ‘How so?’ Josh asked.

  Mr Parker shifted a little on the sofa and took another sip of tea.

  ‘I live in a house about a half mile from the nearest village. It’s a modest-sized house built of the local stone. Lived there all me life. Like me parents and their parents afore ’em. Couldn’t live anywhere else now.’

  His gaze drifted towards the fire where a log crackled and spat fat flames and Callie wondered what he was thinking of and what he was about to tell them. It was, she realised, that delicious moment when you know you’re going to be told a story and you’re just waiting for it to begin.

  ‘I’ve never married, never had children,’ he went on, ‘and yet I’ve never been alone in that house.’

  Callie swallowed hard and glanced across the room at Eleanor who was looking at Mr Parker with an anxious expression on her face.

  ‘Never alone?’ Lara repeated, her face rapt.

  Mr Parker nodded. ‘That’s right. Not with Elizabeth there.’ He paused and then gave a little smile.

  ‘Who’s Elizabeth?’ Grandma Nell asked. Callie looked up. She’d thought Nell had been dozing but, even though she had her eyes closed, it was obvious she hadn’t missed a thing.

  ‘Elizabeth,’ Mr Parker said. ‘She was the sister of my great-grandfather. She only lived to be nine years old before drowning in the river.’

  ‘You mean she’s a ghost?’ Lara asked.

  ‘Oh, aye. I remember the first time I saw ’er. It weren’t until I was in me early twenties. Both my parents had died by then. Perhaps she didn’t want me to be alone. Anyways, she was standing in front the fire one cold November evening and I remember bein’ able to see the flames right through her. And the funny thing was, I wasn’t afraid. I just stood and watched her to see what she’d do.’

  ‘And what did she do?’

  ‘She turned around and looked right at me,’ Mr Parker said. ‘I think she was warming herself up. Her dress looked wet see.’

  ‘And you really weren’t you scared of her?’ Bryony asked.

  ‘Nowt to be scared of,’ Mr Parker insisted. ‘She just sort of roams about a bit and then vanishes. It’s kind of comforting in a way. Sometimes, she can be the only person I see all day.’ He gave a little smile at that. ‘She seems to favour the house, standing by the fire or near radiators as if to keep warm. But I’ve seen ’er in the garden too. I don’t have much of a garden – it’s just a bit o’ rough grass with a potato patch and a raised bed for me greens. But I’ve seen her out there by the old apple tree, her pale hair blowing as she looks down the valley towards the river that took her life.’

  ‘Do you talk to her?’ Eleanor asked.

  ‘Oh, aye. I tell her a bit about me day.’

  ‘And does she ever talk back?’ Lara dared to ask.

  ‘Not with words,’ Mr Parker said, ‘but her eyes seem to speak to me. I do believe she hears me. There was one time a couple of summers ago. I had to have one o’ me best dogs put to sleep. Heartbreaking day that. Had ’im for fifteen years. Picked him out from his litter and he was by me side every day since. Felt like I’d ’ad me heart ripped out that day.’

  ‘Oh, we all know what it’s like to lose a dog,’ Grandpa Joe said. ‘Terrible, terrible pain.’

  ‘Aye, it is. And it was as if Elizabeth knew for she stayed with me that day. She was never far from me and her presence was a comfort, I have to say. Ghost or not. She was there for me.’

  Callie could feel that her eyes were swimming with tears now and she did her best to blink them away, giving a little sniff and hoping she wouldn’t betray herself. She could see that Eleanor and Bryony were equally moved by Mr Parker’s story. Lara, however, was simply rapt.

  ‘And does she always wear that same dress?’ Lara asked him.

  Mr Parker nodded. ‘The dress that looks wet? Aye, she does. She never changes, never ages. She’s the one constant thing in me life. I can always rely on Elizabeth.’

  ‘That’s the spookiest thing I’ve ever heard,’ Lara said. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever met someone whose house is haunted.’

  ‘Come an’ visit,’ Mr Parker said.

  ‘Would she show herself to me?’ Lara asked.

  ‘Well, I couldn’t make any promises. She’s a bit shy when it comes to strangers.’

  ‘Actually, I think I’d be the shy one,’ Lara said. ‘I’ve always thought I’d like a Wuthering Heights-type experience with the supernatural but it would probably really freak me out!’

  ‘I don’t know how you can live there,’ Eleanor said.

  ‘You get used to it,’ Mr Parker said matter-of-factly. ‘After all, it was ’er home afore it were mine.’

  ‘That’s a very interesting way of looking at it,’ Sam said.

  ‘It’s the only way as far as I’m concerned.’

  There was a pause as everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts and then Mr Parker stood up.

  ‘I’d best be off,’ he said. ‘Thank you for the tea. I’m all warmed up now!’

  ‘Would you like me to give Emily a call and let her know you’re on your way – put her mind at rest,’ Eleanor asked him.

  ‘Aye, very kind of you,’ Mr Parker said. ‘I’m afraid me mobile isn’t working. Mind you, I don’t think it was working when I left home. I’m not very good with these modern gadgets.’

  ‘I know how you feel,’ Grandpa Joe said. ‘I don’t believe in mobiles myself. When I’m out of the house, I’m out of the house and, if anyone wants to talk to me, they can wait until I get back home.’

  Mr Parker nodded in agreement. ‘Well, thanking you again,’ he said, pulling on his coat and bobbly hat. ‘And sorry for disturbing you.’

  ‘Not at all,’ Eleanor said.

  ‘You’ve made Christmas Eve all the more entertaining,’ Frank told him.

  ‘Do you want us to see you back safely to your car?’ Sam asked.

  ‘I can manage,’ Mr Parker said.’ I’m used to the dark where I live.’

  ‘Goodnight, then,’ Frank said.

  They all stood in the hallway, watching Mr Parker as he disappeared into the lane and was swallowed up by the dark night.

  7

  ‘Well, that was unexpected,’ Sam said.

  ‘I don’t think I’m ever going to visit Yorkshire,’ Lara said. ‘Or at least Wensleydale.’

  ‘Ghosts are everywhere,’ Grandpa Joe said. ‘You’d never visit anywhere if you wanted to avoid them.’

  ‘Do you really believe that?’ Lara asked as they returned to the cosy warmth of the living room as Frank redialled the number Eleanor had rung.

  ‘I believe we should keep our eyes and minds open,’ he said, winking at her before returning to his chair.

  ‘I’m not at all sure about our Mr Parker,’ Josh said, scratching his chin and looking thoughtful.

  ‘What do you mean?’ Sam asked.

  ‘I mean, I don’t think we should just accept what he told us.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Why not? Because he’s been talking to an apparition all his life!’ Josh said.

  ‘And you don’t believe him?’ Lara asked.

  ‘I think we should definitely question it.’

  ‘Says the man who reads M R James with such glee,’ Bryony said.

  ‘I know the difference between fact and fiction,’ he told his sister.

  ‘Ah, you see, that’s where I struggle,’
Sam said. ‘I often blur the two.’

  Callie looked at Sam who was wearing a big grin on his face at the joy of sparring with his siblings.

  ‘Me too,’ Callie said.

  ‘Yes, but you’re a fiction writer so you’re pardoned,’ Josh told her.

  ‘Well, thank you!’ Callie said.

  ‘But the rest of us haven’t got that excuse,’ Josh continued. ‘We should have cross-examined him some more.’

  ‘You don’t cross-examine a guest,’ Frank stated. ‘Besides, I was enjoying his story.’

  ‘Story!’ Josh pounced on the word. ‘So you didn’t believe him?’

  ‘I didn’t say that,’ Frank said.

  ‘But you questioned him in your own mind?’

  ‘Perhaps,’ Frank admitted.

  Eleanor shook her head. ‘Boys, boys! Enough arguing.’

  ‘We’re not arguing, Mum,’ Josh said. ‘Just debating. Isn’t that right, Dad? Isn’t that what you always say?’

  Frank nodded. ‘Nothing like a good healthy debate.’

  ‘Yes? Well, keep me out of it,’ Eleanor said. ‘I’m going to give Emily a quick call and let her know her brother’s on his way.’ She left the room, going out into the hallway to use the phone.

  Callie smiled at Sam and he picked her hand up and kissed it.

  ‘What did you make of Mr Parker?’ she whispered to him. ‘I mean, really?’

  ‘I thought he was very interesting,’ Sam said.

  ‘But did you believe him? About Elizabeth, I mean?’

  Sam took a deep breath. ‘He looked earnest enough. I don’t see what reason he’d have to lie. Why? Didn’t you believe him?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ she said honestly. ‘There was a part of me that wanted to. The writer in me, I suppose, who likes a good story. But I’m not sure if I believe in ghosts.’

  They could hear Eleanor’s voice as she spoke on the phone and, a moment later, she came back into the room, her face ashen.

  ‘What is it, darling?’ Frank asked.

  ‘I’ve just spoken to Emily,’ she said.

  ‘Everything okay?’ Bryony asked.

  ‘No, not really,’ Eleanor said, walking towards the sofa and sitting down. ‘She said her brother died four years ago.’

  Silence filled the room for a moment as everybody stared at Eleanor.

  ‘Are you sure, Mum?’ Sam asked.

  ‘That’s what she said.’

  ‘You mean her brother as in Mr Parker?’ Grandpa Joe said. ‘Mr Parker who was sitting in our front room?’

  Eleanor nodded. ‘I – I can’t quite take this in.’

  ‘Is this some kind of hoax?’ Josh asked. ‘Mum, are you having a laugh?’

  Eleanor looked at Josh and Callie saw the distress in her face.

  ‘You think I would joke about something like this?’

  Josh shrugged. ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘I’m not joking,’ Eleanor said.

  ‘So who was Mr Parker?’ Lara asked.

  ‘If Mr Parker – the real Mr Parker – is dead, then who was the man who was sitting in our front room?’ Bryony asked.

  ‘A ghost?’ Lara said, a shocked look on her face.

  ‘The temperature did drop when he was here,’ Grandpa Joe confessed.

  ‘That’s because the front door had been open,’ Josh countered. ‘Blimey, we’ve gone from M R James to J B Priestley this evening.’

  ‘Yes, it is very like An Inspector Calls, isn’t it?’ Sam said. ‘But I’m pretty sure Mr Parker was real.’

  Frank shook his head. ‘There must be an explanation. Mr Parker was flesh and blood. Look – you can see the dent in the cushion from where he was sitting. Ghosts don’t dent cushions.’

  ‘How do you know?’ Grandpa Joe asked.

  Frank rolled his eyes. ‘I just have an innate sense of these things.’

  ‘And he managed to drink a whole mug of tea,’ Josh said. ‘Surely ghosts don’t drink.’

  ‘This is very confusing,’ Eleanor said shaking her head as if that might help her to makes sense of things.

  ‘What exactly was said on the phone?’ Frank asked.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Tell me what you said to her and what she said to you – word for word.’

  ‘Well, I’m not sure I can remember it all.’

  ‘Just try.’

  Eleanor frowned. ‘Emily answered and -’

  Frank held up a hand. ‘How do you know it was Emily?’

  ‘Because I rang her number.’

  ‘Are you sure? Did you say her name when you talked to her?’

  ‘Well – I’m – I’m not sure now you mention it.’

  ‘Okay. What next?’

  ‘I said it was Ellie calling and that her brother was with us.’

  ‘Did you say Mr Parker?’

  ‘No. I don’t think I did.’

  ‘Okay,’ Frank said, standing up. ‘Let me check the number you rang, okay?’

  Eleanor got up and the two of them went out into the hall together while everybody else listened intently from the living room as Frank redialled the number Eleanor had rung.

  ‘Hello?’ Frank’s voice said a moment later. ‘Is that Emily Parker?’ There was a pause. ‘Okay. Sorry to disturb you.’

  ‘Frank?’ Eleanor said as he hung up.

  ‘You didn’t ring Emily,’ they heard Frank say.

  ‘Dad?’ Josh called through. ‘What’s going on?’

  Frank and Eleanor walked back into the living room.

  ‘Your mother didn’t ring Emily. She dialled a wrong number.’

  ‘Oh, thank goodness!’ Eleanor cried, her hands clapped over her mouth. ‘I’m so relieved! I thought we’d had a ghost in the front room. We’d have had to move house!’

  Bryony laughed and Lara joined in. Callie too although it was a sort of nervous laughter because she was still processing everything.

  Josh shook his head. ‘Now can we go back to our stories?’

  ‘I’m sorry, Josh,’ Polly said, standing up, ‘but I’ve got to get going. I’m to pick Archie up.’

  ‘Is it so late already?’ Frank said, glancing at the clock on the mantelpiece. It was nearly eight o’clock.

  ‘Well, we’ll see you both tomorrow, okay?’ Eleanor said. ‘I can’t wait to see my gorgeous grandson.’

  ‘I just hope you’re not going to spoil him,’ Polly said.

  ‘As if!’ Eleanor said, glancing towards the Christmas tree where a myriad presents with Archie’s name on awaited him.

  Everybody got up and hugged Polly in turn.

  ‘It’s certainly been a memorable Christmas Eve,’ Polly said. ‘I hope we haven’t put you off coming again, Callie.’

  ‘Absolutely not!’ Callie said. ‘I’ve loved every minute of it.’

  Polly left a moment later to a chorus of goodbyes and the front door was shut against the cold night once more. Eleanor then took a moment to ring Emily Parker, mightily relieved to get the correct number this time.

  ‘Mr Parker’s arrived safely at his sister’s,’ she announced to everyone.

  ‘Good!’ Grandpa Joe said.

  ‘Glad to hear it,’ Frank said.

  Josh rubbed his hands together. ‘How about another M R James, then?’ he asked. ‘Sam – what about you reading us Canon Alberic’s Scrapbook to round the evening off?’

  ‘You know, I think we’ve had enough spooky goings on tonight,’ Eleanor said. ‘And I’m not sure I ever want to hear another M R James again. Just having that Mr Parker incident tonight has reminded me of those strange things that happened when we were all reading from that haunted first edition.’

  ‘Oh, Mum! It wasn’t haunted,’ Sam assured her. ‘Anyway, I got rid of it.’

  ‘Sam?’ Callie said, resting a hand on his arm.

  ‘What is it?’ he asked, looking at her. ‘Are you okay? I was going to say that you look as if you’ve seen a ghost, but I’d better not in the circumstances!’

  ‘
No, I’m fine, it’s just...’

  ‘What?’

  She could feel that her heart was racing.

  ‘I think you’d better open your Christmas present,’ she told him, getting up and crossing the room towards the Christmas tree, picking his present out from where she’d placed it under the twinkling boughs. She was aware that everybody was watching her as she handed Sam the cream and gold gift a moment later.

  ‘Callie, are you sure you want me to open it now?’ he asked. ‘It’s not yet Christmas Day.’

  ‘I really think you should,’ she said.

  He smiled at her. ‘Well, thank you.’

  ‘You might not be thanking me in a minute,’ she warned him.

  ‘Well, this is all very mysterious,’ he said, leaning forward to kiss her before he opened his present.

  ‘Oh!’ he said as he tore into the paper and unfolded the delicate tissue. ‘I don’t believe it.’

  ‘What is it?’ Lara asked from the carpet, kneeling up to get a better look.

  Bryony got up too and gasped as she saw it. ‘Oh, blimey!’

  ‘What is it?’ Eleanor asked.

  ‘I’m not sure you want to know, Mum,’ Sam said, looking at Callie as he shielded the book against the eyes of his family.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said. ‘I had no idea when I bought it, but I’ve been so worried since you gave that description of the book earlier this evening.’

  ‘Callie – this is – this is amazing!’ he said, glancing down at the gift.

  ‘Let me see!’ Lara said, getting up from the carpet and reaching out to touch the gift. ‘Oh, no!’ she cried a moment later, turning to her mother.

  Eleanor frowned but didn’t get up.

  ‘Who did you sell your book to?’ Callie asked Sam.

  He frowned as he tried to remember and then he nodded. ‘It went to a bookshop owner in Cambridge, I think. Yes.’

  Callie swallowed hard. ‘I bought this in Cambridge – a little shop down an alley near King’s College.’

  Sam nodded again. ‘That’ll be it.’

  ‘Oh, dear!’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ he told her, wrapping her up in a hug. ‘I love it! I never wanted to let it go in the first place.’

  ‘Let what go?’ Josh asked.