I sat back, taking in what he’d just said. “But if Uncle Gregory knew I was an orphan, why didn’t he reach out to me after my dad died? Whatever it was that made them stop talking, it didn’t have to stop him contacting me.”
“I don’t know, Libby. Sorry.” Matthew shrugged. “It’s possible Ma knows more, so maybe you should ask her? She and Gregory were really close, so he might have told her things she hasn’t told me.”
“Okay. I’ll do that.”
At that moment, the waiter came over with our starters, ruining the moment. I wanted to ask Matthew more about my uncle and what he’d been like, but it seemed rude when Matthew was so clearly desperate to see me enjoy my food, so instead I started eating.
“Ooooh.” I couldn’t help the groan that escaped my lips when I took a bite of my starter. “That’s incredible! What is it?”
“It’s Ma’s famous baked figs with blue cheese and balsamic vinegar,” Matthew replied, unable to keep the pride out of his voice. “It is incredible, isn’t it?”
“Your mum is amazing. If this is the way I’m going to be eating while I’m here, I can definitely see myself staying in Lashire Bluff, at least for the next few years.”
“You mean you’re thinking about leaving us?” Matthew frowned.
“I haven’t decided anything yet,” I said. “I mean, the house is like something out of a fairy tale and Rose is lovely, but at the same time I always had dreams of travelling the world, you know, working in bars across Europe, getting a feel for the various cultures while I’m still young. I guess I didn’t see myself settling down just yet, you know? And it’s not like the town is filled with attractions. You said it yourself – there isn’t even a cinema here, let alone a night club. I don’t really feel like having to take a 50-mile round trip every time I fancy having some fun.”
“I see. So there’s nothing which would make it worth staying in a backwater like this.”
Matthew let his fork clatter to his plate and shook his head, leaning back in his chair. I felt awful for upsetting him.
“I don’t mean it like that,” I said. “Your mum is a sweetheart and I’m enjoying getting to know you. But you’ve got to see it from my perspective. I didn’t even know I had an uncle until a few days ago and now all of a sudden I’ve got more money than I can ever possibly spend, a huge mansion, a ton of expensive cars and all I have to do is live in a town which is a world apart from anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s a lot to take in. You must see that, surely?”
Matthew thought for a moment, then sighed. “You’re right.” He leaned forward and took one of my hands in his. “I’m sorry. Of course you should make the decision which is right for you. You don’t owe this town anything. All I can say is that I hope as you get to know the place, you’ll realize that just because this town seems sleepy on the surface, doesn’t mean that there isn’t a lot going on underneath. Could you at least say you’ll stay for a couple of months, give us a chance?”
The look he gave me was full of pleading and made me wonder whether the ‘us’ he was talking about was more me and him than the town in general.
“Okay,” I said at last. “I’ll stay for a couple of months. Although if I see any more ghosts, then I’m out of here. Deal?”
“Deal,” grinned Matthew.
***
The next day was Rose’s day off, but she’d left food in the fridge for me with a note on how to prepare it so I still didn’t have to worry about feeding myself.
I could certainly get used to having someone look after me. It was a real novelty after all those years fending for myself.
But now Rose wasn’t around, I didn’t have any more excuses. I was going to have to be brave and explore the house. Who knew? Maybe I’d find a colony of mice which would explain all the strange noises I’d been hearing. Large mice, big enough to scare Shelley.
Yeah, right, Libby. Large mice. That would be a huge step up from having a haunted house. Not.
Rose had given me a whirlwind tour of the downstairs when I first arrived, but my head was in such a mess I barely remembered a thing, so I decided to start from the beginning.
Heading out to the reception room, I opened the door to the left of the entrance. An enormous sitting room greeted me. Clustered around an open fireplace surrounded by a beautifully carved mantel were a number of sofas. I wasn’t sure why Uncle Gregory would want a room so obviously set up for entertaining when everything I’d heard about him suggested he was a recluse, but it would be perfect for a housewarming party. I could just imagine curling up with a nice glass of wine, my friends all gathered round to hear about my eccentric uncle. Over on the other side of the room, a large grand piano stood in front of windows with beautiful views over the grounds. Walking over, I tapped at a few of the keys, picking out a simple melody.
As the notes faded away, I could have sworn I heard someone whistling the same tune back at me.
Either I was going crazy or there really was someone in the house with me.
“That’s it.” I stormed out into the reception room and yelled into the mansion. “Who’s here? Show yourself!”
Someone laughed, the sound right by my ear. I whirled round, but there was no one there.
My blood ran ice cold, but I wasn’t going to let whoever it was know they were getting to me. Clearly this was some elaborate hoax and as soon
