Renovation, Renovation, Renovation

by Nell Dixon

  * * *

  The pains last for what feels like hours. Mother mops my brow and outside the door of my chamber my father is pacing up and down, the tread of his boots heavy on the boards. I know it is him by the sound of his feet. Dorcas fetches and carries whilst the woman from the village feels my stomach and mutters to herself.

  I am feverish and wracked with pains so strong my abdomen becomes hard like rock and I cry out. Please God let my child be born soon and safely that my ordeal might end.

  * * *

  Chloe’s face paled and she clutched at Steve’s arm. Mike looked worried while Brian appeared ecstatic. After a moment the footsteps stopped and everyone began to talk excitedly.

  “Ugh, that fair gave me the willies. I’m putting the light on.” Lou gave a little shudder and rose from her chair to snap on the kitchen light. I glanced at Steve to see how he’d taken the sounds from upstairs. It was hard to tell what his thoughts were, although his mouth was set in a line and his expression was serious.

  Beaner appeared put out by Lou turning the light on judging by the glare he sent her way when she resumed her seat. He raised his hand and a hush descended.

  “Brian, perhaps you might venture upstairs and set up some audio and infra-red equipment? I think we’d all agree that we heard unusual sounds on the landing.”

  “I’ll just nip to the car and bring in the gear.” Brian trotted off down the hall with Mike following behind to give him a hand.

  The colour had returned to Chloe’s face since Lou had switched on the lights and she had released Steve’s arm. Perhaps Steve had suggested to her that I might be upset if they acted all lovey-dovey under my nose.

  While Brian and Mike were setting up the equipment upstairs I press-ganged Lou into helping me refill the crisp bowls. Steve stalked off to watch Brian and Mike and Mand and Sarah began a debate about the footsteps. Chloe took one of the empty seats next to Beaner.

  “It’s ever so exciting meeting you, Mr Beaner. Me mum says you’re the business when it comes to psychic stuff. You did a reading for her a few years ago when me gran died. I wish I were psychic.”

  Beaner favoured her with one of his smiles. “It’s both a blessing and a curse, my dear. There are many sceptics who dismiss the idea that those who have gone before are still able to communicate with us.”

  He wasn’t wrong there, one of them was upstairs helping set up the recording equipment.

  “Have you always been psychic?” Lou plonked herself back down and started nibbling at the fresh bowl of crisps.

  “Since I was a child when I first saw the spirit of my dear departed grandmother in my wardrobe. Later that year I encountered Leofric, my spirit guide.”

  I tried to imagine Beaner as a child and failed. The overhead lights gave a small flicker and I hoped the bulb wasn’t about to go again. The men rejoined us.

  “All set.” Brian rubbed his hands together. “Let’s hope we can capture some good stuff. You said you’d seen orbs here, Kate?”

  “Yes, lots of times.” I wondered what would happen next.

  “I think in a little while we will attempt to communicate with the spirit of the lady residing here. First, however, I promised I would share with you all my connection with this house and my reasons for joining you this evening.” Beaner stood and felt inside the inner pocket of his jacket. He eventually produced a rolled-up sheet of paper.

  Everyone moved nearer to the table as he placed the paper down, and using glasses and crisp bowls to weight the edges, he unrolled the sheet.

  “This is the Bean family tree. We are an old family and have lived in this area for centuries. I was moved to begin investigating the history of the family some five or six years ago after a near death experience.” He paused at this point to look around the table.

  Chloe rose to the bait. “Ooh, what happened?”

  He acknowledged her with a slight inclination of his head. “During a routine operation I died on the table for several minutes and had an out of body experience. I met with several of my ancestors and I vowed that if I were to be returned to life I would ensure their story was told.”

  Steve turned a snort into a cough. I glanced around the table. The rest of the party, including Lou, all appeared engrossed.

  “It has taken a great deal of my time to trace some of my forebears. As Kate said earlier, after a certain time period the records become patchy. However I had additional help from two sources. One is Leofric, my spirit guide, who has been with me since childhood.”

  Steve’s gaze met mine at this point, a mixture of disbelief and laughter showing in his eyes. I forced myself to ignore him to concentrate on Beaner’s tale. I hoped it would be based on a more credible source than a spirit guide or Mike would begin to question him too.

  “The other is a family story that has been passed down through the generations and was recorded in this book by my own grandfather before he passed.” Beaner delved in his pocket again and laid a small, battered, red notebook down next to the family tree.

  “This book and this chart may hold the key to the identity of the woman I believe is trapped in this house: my ancestor, Mary Ann Bean.”

  As if on cue, the lights flickered and went out.

  * * *

  They tell me I have a baby boy. I name him for his father. I hear my name being called as if from far away. I pray it is Joshua calling me.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Someone, I think it might have been Chloe, gave a little scream.

  “I’ll go and shove the breaker back in,” Steve said and I heard the door into the hallway creak as he passed by.

  “Sorry, the lights do this every now and then.” I tried to remember if we had any candles in case he couldn’t get the lights to come back on.

  A few seconds later however, light streamed into the kitchen through the open door leading from the hall. The kitchen however remained in darkness; both bulbs, the one over our heads and the one at the end near the Aga, had obviously blown again.

  Lou tugged open the kitchen drawer and pulled out the torch.

  “I think we’re out of spare bulbs.” Steve came back into the kitchen.

  “It matters not. When we move into the lounge for the next stage of our investigation it will be better to do so in darkness.” Beaner appeared like an apparition in the weak light from the torch, his pale skin gleaming in the semi-darkness. Steve moved to stand next to me. Perhaps he sensed my nervousness. Across the table I noticed that Mike had moved closer to Chloe and I wondered how Steve would feel about that.

  “Mary Ann Bean resided in this house during the Civil War period. You can see from this chart that she is my direct ancestor.” He touched the end of the torch that Lou was holding so the beam picked up the portion of the family tree with Mary Ann Bean.

  * * *

  If my father made the connection between my son’s name and that of my lover, he gave no sign. It pleased me much though that he clearly loved my little one. I see Joshua in my child’s eyes and it gives me comfort.

  I have lost much blood during the birth and my fever continues. The woman from the village and my mother talk of a wet nurse for my baby. I am too weak to offer him suckle and they worry over my fever. I must get well ready for Joshua’s return.

  He will come back for me soon, I know it.

  * * *

  My skin prickled as my brain made the connection, Mary Bean must be the MB carved on the trunk of the walnut tree.

  There was a blank in the space next to her name for a husband. However, under Mary Ann’s name was that of a baby, Joshua Oliver Bean, Beaner’s ancestor.

  “Who was the baby’s father?” Lou asked.

  “It’s not known. It may be that the child was named for the father but Mary Ann was an unmarried mother. My spirit guide tells me that why is Mary Ann lingers here, waiting for her lover to return. If you look at the dates on the chart you can see she died when the baby was born. The family legend says her lover was a soldier, fighting f
or the Roundhead cause. He went off to battle and never returned. Mary Ann is reported to have died from a broken heart.”

  As Beaner spoke the temperature of the air in the room dropped by several degrees and I sensed the ghostly inhabitant of the cottage listening intently.

  “Oh, that’s terrible, the poor girl!” Chloe exclaimed.

  “Many women died shortly after childbirth back then due to poor hygiene,”

  Mike explained. It rather took the romance out of the story. I preferred Beaner’s explanation.

  * * *

  I have been abed since my son’s birth. I continue to toss and turn with fever.

  Dorcas and Mother take turns to sit with me pressing water to my lips and sponging my head with damp cloths. In my delirium I hear strange voices talking but I can no longer tell if they are those of the spirit people or those I love in this world.

  * * *

  “Outside in the garden there’s a big walnut tree. When I was clearing the brambles and weeds the other day I found a heart with initials carved on the trunk.

  They looked really old and they were MB and JT.” I could have sworn someone sighed right by my ear but there was no one standing on that side of me.

  An excited buzz of speculative chatter broke out.

  “You never mentioned that before?” Steve murmured in my ear, his breath warm against my cheek unlike the chilly sigh I’d felt on the other side of my body.

  “I couldn’t link it to anything. That’s one of the things I was trying to find out in the library.”

  Brian rapped his knuckles on the table to get us all to hush so Beaner could carry on talking to us all.

  “Leofric, my guide, has indicated that Mary Ann is present here tonight and wishes to communicate. I suggest, if you all are willing, that we adjourn into the lounge, where Kate has said she feels Mary Ann’s presence is strongest, and we attempt to make contact.” Beaner’s tone indicated that he didn’t expect any opposition to his suggestion.

  Conversation immediately broke out again with Mand, Sarah and Brian all talking at once.

  “Are you okay with this?” Steve murmured again in my ear.

  “I think so. I need to know what’s happening in this cottage.” I wasn’t sure if I was okay. My inner scaredy-cat was screaming at me to run away very quickly if things got properly scary. I hoped Beaner, Sarah and Mand knew what they were doing.

  Under Beaner's directions we carried the kitchen chairs through into the lounge so we could sit, holding hands, in a circle. Steve rigged up seats for everyone so we could all sit around the table. Steve sat on one side of me and Mand sat on the other. Lou was in between Brian and Sarah while Mike was on one side of Chloe and Beaner was on her other side. I couldn’t help feeling relieved that Steve was near me and that Beaner wasn’t.

  The paranormal team didn’t want the main lights on so Lou rigged up some of my tea lights from upstairs to give us a small amount of light. The flickering shadows on the wall and the darkness made the room even spookier than normal especially with the weather still doing its worst outside the window. The warm pressure of Steve’s hand holding mine was all that stopped me from shaking.

  “Shouldn’t you be sitting next to Chloe?” I whispered to Steve while everyone got settled. Something about the teenager's pale face and huge scared eyes seemed to have woken a latent motherly instinct in me.

  “No. She’s fine, I think your friend Mike is looking after her. I’m right where I want to be.”

  I glanced at him in surprise but Brian signalled we were all to pay attention as Mand was about to start the proceedings.

  Mand cleared her throat and looked at Beaner, who nodded his head to indicate she should carry on.

  “We are about to attempt to communicate with the spirit of Mary Ann Bean.

  We will only communicate with positive influences, negative influences are not welcome here. She looked meaningfully at us. “There are a lot of us here tonight so only myself, Sarah, Beaner and Kate will attempt to communicate with the spirit. My pulse speeded. Beads of sweat formed on my brow and I felt a little light-headed, although I suspected that was more from fear than from any paranormal influence.

  The rest of the group were instructed to remain quiet and to focus their energies on helping us to try to communicate.

  I could barely hear the wind gusting over the chimney pots above the racing of my heart as the room grew quiet and the tealights flickered, casting their orange-yellow glow over the table.

  “Mary Ann Bean, are you here with us tonight?” Mand’s clear voice cut into the silence.

  * * *

  My name is being called once more, summoning me through the mists. I know that I have to answer the call, yet if I do I know I might not be able to return unto myself.

  * * *

  We all waited. I wasn’t certain what was supposed to happen next if Mary Ann didn’t respond.

  Mand repeated her question. I saw Mike holding Chloe’s hand while Lou appeared to be unimpressed by the whole thing. Then suddenly Sarah’s eyes took on a glassy expression and her breathing became harsh and laboured.

  “Yes,” she said, in a voice that wasn’t quite her own.

  The expression on everyone’s faces altered. Lou stopped looking bored, Beaner and Brian appeared triumphant while Steve continued to remain impassive.

  “Are you the person that has been appearing to Kate?” Mand asked.

  “Yes.” Sarah spoke again.

  * * *

  I am unafraid, if this be death. Only sadness weighs in my heart that I must leave my precious child. I see a group of strangers huddled around a table. I sense kin there and good will. The maid who has been haunting my home is amongst them, there is a strong link between her and the man sitting close at her side, as Joshua and I were also linked. Suddenly my purpose is made clear.

  * * *

  “Did you want to scare Kate?”

  The prickling sensation at the nape of my neck reappeared and my heartbeat was as fast as if I’d run a sprint race.

  “No,” Sarah said slowly.

  Tension eased from my shoulders and I blew out a breath of relief.

  Mand continued with her questions. “Did you want to harm Kate?”

  “No.”

  * * *

  Kate must be the spirit maid. Why would I wish her harm? She had not sought to hurt me.

  * * *

  My body sagged a little in my seat and Steve’s thigh touched against mine, warm, solid and comforting.

  “Did you want to talk to Kate?” Mand’s attention was fixed on Sarah.

  “Yes.”

  * * *

  I can see she is troubled and the cause of her distress. If I can prevent another from suffering as I have done then I must try to speak, even though it takes such effort and my strength is waning.

  * * *

  Oh fabulous. Why would someone who died in the early seventeen hundreds want to talk to me? She’d had three hundred years to find someone to talk to, why pick on me?

  “Is it about something important?” Mand asked.

  “Yes.” Sarah appeared oblivious to everyone around her.

  * * *

  What can be more important than love?

  * * *

  Everyone looked at me.

  “What do you want to talk to Kate about?” Mand gave me a reassuring smile.

  For a few long seconds nothing happened. Then Sarah spoke again.

  “Love.”

  Oh great, now I was about to get advice on my disastrous love life from beyond the grave. Lou’s eyes were huge in the darkness and a worried crease had formed on her forehead. Steve’s body tensed. I could feel it in his thigh where he was touching against me.

  Mand moistened her lips slightly with the tip of her tongue. “What did you want to tell her?”

  * * *

  The window open to me is small but I know I must make this strange spirit maid understand. I must try to stop her from making the same mistake th
at I have made. I let Joshua go without telling him about his child. I should have gone with him or made a better attempt to stay as he had asked me. My price has been heavy indeed.

  This girl who lives in my house is in love with the man next to her but they are estranged. Time is too short and although I feel her fear I know I must try to give her the courage to speak to him.

  * * *

  My spine stiffened as everyone’s attention returned to Sarah.

  “It is a mistake to lose love.”

  Beaner however nodded his head as if Mary Ann had confirmed his suspicions. My face heated and I couldn’t bring myself to look at Steve or Chloe.

  “Why do you need to tell Kate this?” Mand asked.

  “I lost my love and I regret it forever.” Sarah’s head lolled a little as she spoke.

  Someone sighed, a soft, sad sound, loud in the silence.

  “Is there anything else you want to tell Kate?” Mand asked.

  “Tell him. Marry him.”

  Everyone’s attention was now focused on Steve. I couldn’t bring myself to look in his direction. The ghost of Mary Ann Bean hadn’t taken into account that Steve didn’t want to marry me.

  * * *

  The scene in front of me fades and all begins to grow dark. I can no longer hear or see the strangers. Now there is only the hungry plaintive wails of my baby and my poor mother’s sobs as I allow the darkness to start to swallow me.

  * * *

  Mand had an embarrassed expression as she thanked Mary Ann for talking to us.

  “Goodbye.” Sarah’s voice broke and she sagged forward on her chair.

  Beaner nodded to Mand.

  “Oh, look!” Chloe pointed toward the fireplace and we all watched as a bright yellow orb flickered and danced towards the hearth before disappearing.

  “You can keep this for a game of soldiers, I’m putting the lights on.” Lou rose and snapped on the wall lights, dispelling the atmospheric gloom created by the tealights.

  We all blinked owlishly at one another. I noticed Mike still held Chloe’s hand.