Ghosts in the Garden

by Judith Silverthorne

  “That may be one mystery solved,” Sam said. “But I wonder what Lily wants us to know about it?”

  “We may never know the answer to that one,” Mrs. Goudy said.

  “Have you seen Lily again?” J.J. asked, peering around the room.

  “Not once,” Mrs. Goudy said. “Though I feel more of her presence around me.”

  “Too bad she isn’t here right now, so we could ask her what she wants us to know about the watch,” Sam added.

  Mrs. Goudy flashed them a grin. “Wouldn’t that be a perfect world?”

  “I wonder where the watch came from originally,” J.J. said.

  Sam jumped in. “I think it might have been a gift to the gardener before he left Scotland to come to Canada.”

  J.J. looked at her in astonishment.

  Sam’s eyes slid towards J.J. “Remember, we overheard the host or someone mention something about a Scottish duchess giving it to him?”

  J.J. shook her head.

  Sam hinted. “We heard about it the first time we, uh, explored the basement.” On the sly, she mouthed ‘seeing the mushrooms’ to J.J.

  J.J.’s face cleared. “Oh, right. I do remember hearing that.”

  Sam turned back to Mrs. Goudy. “Do you recall what the watch that Lily gave to Bert looked like?”

  “The cover had some kind of Celtic design on it, leaves intertwined or something, but I really couldn’t describe it for sure.” She snapped her fingers. “But I do remember the motto engraved on the back. ‘Tout Prest’ – ‘Quite Ready.’”

  “We should be able to find something about it on the internet,” J.J. said.

  “Probably,” Sam said. “But I’m not sure it will help us figure out what Lily wants us to know or do.”

  “Whatever happened to the watch?” J.J. asked. “Didn’t you say Lily and Bert broke up after she gave it to him? Did he keep it?”

  “Yes, they did break up shortly after that,” Mrs. Goudy said. “And he went off to fight in the war. World War II, that would have been. And then he died on a muddy battlefield.”

  “How sad,” Sam said. “Lily and Bert never had a chance to get back together.”

  “No, she was married to someone else by then anyway, so it wouldn’t have ever come about.” Mrs. Goudy shifted in her chair.

  “At least we have a good idea that the watch the gardener lost is probably the same one that Lily found.” J.J. looked pleased.

  “We don’t know they’re the same for sure,” Sam said. She glanced at J.J. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could prove it?”

  “I doubt you ever could without seeing both watches,” Mrs. Goudy said.

  Sam raised a knowing eyebrow at J.J.

  With lips clenched tight, J.J. scowled at Sam.

  Sam looked at the determined expression on J.J.’s face. She knew J.J. would refuse to go, and she sure wasn’t going to the past on her own. She wasn’t even sure she wanted to go back again, even with J.J. beside her. But how else could they find out?

  They sat in silence for a few minutes.

  “Didn’t you say the museum and interpretive centre had displays and information about the staff who worked here?” Mrs. Goudy asked. “Especially about the gardener, George…”

  “Yes,” J.J. and Sam chorused, before she could finish his full name.

  “Maybe there’d be a clue there about at least one of them,” Mrs. Goudy sighed. “But that’s a long shot, and fairly useless unless you had information on the other one too.”

  “They have photographs and artifacts,” J.J. agreed. “We might get lucky.”

  “At least it’s a place to start.” Sam looked at the clock. Almost 4:15 p.m. She jumped up. “If we hurry, we could get there before they close.”

  “Certainly. You go right ahead. I have to get ready to go out too.” Mrs. Goudy waved them off. “Let me know how you make out.”

  “We will,” Sam said, with J.J. trailing behind her out the door.

  As they scampered down the hall, Sam kept a look out for Lily, but she didn’t appear. At the entrance, Sam turned to J.J. “Your face is all red and blotchy. Are you feeling all right? Do you want to go home, or go to Government House with me?”

  “Just tired. Do you think we’ll find anything?”

  “I want to look at the photograph of Geo…of you know who,” Sam said. “Maybe we can see details of his watch. Or maybe one of the hosts might know somewhere else to look that could help us.”

  J.J. gave Sam a reassuring smile. “That shouldn’t take long, and it is right next door. We might as well go now. I’ll be fine.”

  Inside Government House, they waved at the commissionaire inside the reception area and hurried to the conservatory. A display with a photo of George stood in the foyer. Although they could see the chain of his watch hanging out of his vest pocket, the timepiece wasn’t visible. The write-up with the photo didn’t mention anything about him coming from Scotland, but the gardener himself had mentioned it.

  Though disappointed, they moved from room to room through the grand mansion, stopping at each display board to read about the staff who had worked in the area. Sam half-expected to see Jocko, the ghost monkey that belonged to Forget, swinging from the chandelier, or Cheun Lee shuffling about upstairs. She kept an eye out for the other ghosts they’d met before as well, but all seemed normal.

  “I don’t think we’re going to find what we want here,” J.J. said. She strayed into the billiards room, and then wandered back out to the ballroom to look at the ceremonial sword.

  “I guess not,” Sam said, ascending the carpeted staircase. “Let’s head to the interpretive centre.”

  On the second floor, they took time to look at the artifacts in the bedrooms and read the display signs, searching for anything that might help. Then they crossed the hall quickly to the nurseries and governess’ room.

  “Wait a minute,” Sam said, stopping in front of a display board near the balustrade. It showed a photo with several staff members. “Isn’t that Alice as a housemaid, here in this picture?”

  J.J. jostled in next to her. “I think that’s Lily in the background too. Yes, both Lily and Alice are in this photograph.”

  The scene wobbled. Sam reached for J.J. as the display board disappeared.

  •••

  In front of them, green leafy garlands with red ribbons and bows decorated the banisters. Along the walls of the upper main hall, baskets of poinsettias and tiny Christmas figurines sat on the bookcase and chiffonier. The upper part of a Christmas tree poked through the centre well from the ballroom below. On its top perched a porcelain angel in a long white gown.

  “Thanks for giving me a hand with the bedding,” a female voice said from a guest bedroom across the hall. “We only got word that they would be arriving later tomorrow, but I didn’t want to do the work on Christmas morning.”

  J.J. gaped at Sam, and then looked for a place to hide.

  “Not a problem, Alice. That’s what sisters are for. We still have plenty of time before we are to join the others in the ballroom for some fun. If we’re done here, I’ll see you downstairs in a few minutes. I just want to run a comb through my hair.” Lily’s shoes clacked on the hardwood floor as she walked across the room.

  J.J. and Sam ducked into a small room in front of them as Lily emerged from the bedroom across the hall. J.J. jammed herself against the wall and pulled Sam tight beside her, listening to Lily’s muted descent down the carpeted stairs. They could hear Alice humming in the bedroom in time to the swish and shake of a dust mop.

  J.J. looked aghast at Sam. “How did we shift to the past this time?” J.J. felt her skin get clammy.

  “And how did we end up here in the 1940s again? We’re not anywhere near that piece of foundation or the staff’s quarters.”

  “Did we do something different?” J.J. asked.

  “I think we just said their names,” Sam said.

  “Should we try that?” asked J.J.

  J.J. poked her head out of
the room. A tall woman swished by in a three-quarter-length, rose-coloured gown, with a chiffon scarf and a whiff of perfume.

  “All done, Alice?” the woman called out as she passed Alice at the doorway of the guest bedroom.

  “Yes, Mrs. McNab.” She clicked off the light and followed the older lady down the stairs.

  Sam drew back inside the room. “I guess we could try saying their names to get back.” She added a little wistfulness to her voice. “Though I wouldn’t mind taking a closer look, seeing as how we are here.”

  Seeing J.J.’s stunned look, she hastened to add, “But only if you want to, J.J.”

  “I don’t know.” J.J. poked her head around the corner and back again. “There are people everywhere. And they’ll be able to see us.”

  “What if we just take a peek over the railing into the ballroom? I’d like to see the whole Christmas tree and how they decorated down there.”

  J.J. sighed. “Your quick peeks always get us into trouble.”

  “You just say the word, and we’ll leave,” Sam said. “Or attempt to,” she added in a lower voice.

  “Okay, but don’t let go of my hand.” J.J. grabbed Sam’s fingers.

  They tiptoed to the edge of the railing, knelt down and eased their faces between the posts. The Christmas tree in the ballroom below sparkled with gold ribbons, shiny silver balls, and tiny, white, lace-crocheted shapes. Red velvet poinsettia flowers were strategically placed all over the tree and were set off with loops of shimmering pearls. Warmth spread through J.J. as she surveyed the scene below.

  They ducked back a little when Kate came in carrying a huge bowl of red punch. She set it in the middle of the table beside the staircase. Lily followed with a tray of glass cups that she arranged on hooks around the bowl. Alice brought in two large steaming teapots. Kate returned with a tray of teacups, a creamer and a sugar bowl.

  One of the men came in and inserted a roll of music into the player piano and began pumping the pedals. Soon a Christmas song drifted across the ballroom.

  “How beautiful,” J.J. said. She wished she could sing along.

  After a couple of songs, the man turned some kind of switch, and the piano continued to play, even though he’d quit pumping and walked away. J.J. and Sam watched as the perforated paper of the song rolls fed into the piano.

  J.J. strained to see the various people as they entered the ballroom. Lieutenant Governor McNab and his wife greeted each of their staff members with a handshake, hug, or quick kiss on the cheek. Sam recognized some of the people as those they had met when they’d time-shifted, and some from photographs at Mrs. Goudy’s. Bert was missing, though, so he must have quit by then.

  Those remaining were dressed in what must have been their finest, bedecked with jewelry. The men had their hair tidy and slicked back, and the women had theirs done in curls, waves and fashionable rolls. When they were seated, Mr. McNab spoke a few words of thanks and wished them a joyous season.

  Mrs. McNab helped her husband hand small, gaily-wrapped presents to each one.

  “You may begin,” he said, making sure everyone had a gift. “Open your gifts.” Excitement shone in his eyes.

  “Not before we give you yours, Your Honours – Archie, Edith,” said Ruby. She rose and carried two brightly decorated boxes to the McNabs. “This is from all of us.” Everyone clapped and wished them a wonderful Christmas.

  Laughter and chiding rang out, as the McNabs took their time unwrapping their gifts.

  “Don’t wait for us,” he said with a mischievous smile. “We might decide to take all night.”

  Soon everyone set about unwrapping their gifts, revealing jewelry, trinkets, hair barrettes, handkerchiefs, woolen gloves, and tie clips for the men. Lily and Alice showed each other the delicate hair combs they’d received: an ivory-coloured one to show off Lily’s dark curls and a copper-coloured one to flatter Alice’s blonde hair. Oohs and aahs and thank yous were called out across the room.

  The McNabs had at last opened their gifts and held them up high for all to see.

  “What a beautiful shawl. Thank you everyone,” Mrs. McNab wrapped a gold-threaded white shawl around her shoulders and sashayed for them.

  Lieutenant Governor McNab tugged on his new fur-lined leather gloves. “Now we can have a proper snowball fight,” he said with a hoot of laughter.

  The women challenged the men to one the next day.

  Watching the scene, J.J. felt a warm glow. Beside her, Sam gave a contented sigh.

  “How about some punch?” Mrs. McNab rose and headed to the refreshment table.

  “Let me serve, Mrs. McNab,” said Kate, arriving with a tray of dainties, followed by Lily with another tray.

  “Nonsense, it’s our party for you.” She shooed Kate away. “Go enjoy yourself.”

  J.J. gaped at the table laden with sweets. She spied flower-shaped shortbread cookies with shiny, silver, candy centres and lacy brandy snaps like her great-grandmother used to make.

  “Look, there are the gingerbread cookies,” Sam said. “Just like Mrs. Goudy said.”

  J.J. stared at them hungrily. Nestled beside them was a stack of dark fruit cake with white icing. There were little sandwiches too, with baby gherkins. Her stomach gurgled. She clutched it and swallowed hard.

  “We’ve got to get going. It’s our supper time,” J.J. said, crawling back from the railing.

  “Watching this made me totally forget everything,” Sam said as she slid back towards the wall next to J.J. “How wonderful it is to see how things actually were back then.”

  J.J. agreed. “Too bad we can’t stay longer.”

  Sam glanced at J.J. “Your face is all flushed and blotchy. We have to get you home to bed.”

  “If we’re lucky enough to get back,” J.J. said, standing up and grabbing Sam’s hand.

  She gave Sam a quick glance, and without waiting for a response, said, “Alice and Lily.”

  Nothing happened.

  J.J. gave Sam a shocked look. “Oh no.”

  J.J. felt a quiver of fear run up her back to the top of her neck. She had no idea how to get home. Were they going to be trapped in the past after all? What were they going to do?

  Chapter Nine

  “Quick! Someone’s coming.” Sam pulled J.J. back into the small room.

  Light footsteps rushed up the staircase and paused just outside the room where they were hiding.

  Sam held her breath. The footsteps moved into the next room. She heard a drawer slide open, then the sound of paper rustling.

  While they waited for the person to leave, Sam glanced at the lacy hoar frost designs on the windows. She’d forgotten it must be winter outside. She felt a sudden chill.

  At last, footsteps crept past them again and down the stairs. J.J. peeked out.

  Sam breathed a sigh of relief. “Did you see who it was?”

  “Ruby, I think,” J.J. said.

  “She must live in the house to be close to Mrs. McNab, if she’s her companion,” Sam said.

  “Makes sense,” J.J. said. “So what do we do now? We can’t stay stuck back here.”

  “Let’s think about the other times we shifted in time.”

  “Well, we were either touching some part of a building or foundation, or we said people’s names,” J.J. said.

  “Obviously saying their names doesn’t work, and there’s no part of a building or foundation to touch here, so that can’t happen.” Sam tapped her finger on her mouth and looked around.

  “Not unless we go outside in the snow and try,” J.J. said.

  “For some reason, I don’t think that’s going to work this time.” Sam sucked in her lip, trying to think.

  “So what was different this time?” J.J. asked.

  Sam reviewed the steps they’d taken. “Maybe if we stood exactly where we were before?”

  They crept over beside the balustrade.

  Sam took J.J.’s hand. She closed her eyes.

  “Alice and Lily,” she said.


  She opened her eyes – they were still in the past.

  “Lily and Alice,” J.J. said their names in the opposite order.

  Nothing.

  Sam clenched her teeth. “There’s something different. What is it?”

  “Alice and Lily were up here too,” J.J. said, “not far away from us.”

  “That could be it,” Sam said hopefully. Then she slumped again. “How will we ever get the two of them up here together? They don’t live in any of these upstairs rooms.”

  J.J. took a peek over the balustrade. “Maybe we have to go down to them,” she said in a small voice.

  “With all those people? How will we explain ourselves? They’ll think we’re thieves, or worse.” Sam looked aghast at J.J.

  J.J. squirmed under her glare. “Maybe we could get outside somehow and knock on the door. We could ask for them then.”

  Sam frowned. “How are we going to get past them and outside? The staircase leads right to them.”

  “There has to be another way out. What would they do in case of fire on the staircase?”

  Sam thought for a minute, and then began tiptoeing into each of the rooms with J.J. on her heels. As quietly as they could, they examined the windows for possible routes of escape. The morning room windows opened onto a balcony, but there was no way down the two-storey drop.

  “We’re lucky that player piano is still going strong to cover the sound of our footsteps,” Sam said when they’d made the full round of the second floor. They stood in the hallway outside the small room again.

  All of a sudden, Sam pointed to a door in the upper hallway, just past the top of the grand staircase. In their own time the door was usually locked and had a keypad – it was a private entrance to the offices. But there was nothing locking it now.

  “I wonder where that goes?” she asked, sidling over to it.

  “Didn’t it lead past Cheun Lee’s room when he lived here?” J.J. recalled.

  “You’re right. Maybe it’s Kate’s room, now that she’s the cook.”

  Sam edged over to the door. She peeked down the main staircase to make sure no one could see her. She tried the knob. It turned. J.J. patted her on the back, and they slipped through the doorway, closing it softly behind them.