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Authors: Elizabeth Marshall

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BOOK: Haunting Grace
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Again her mind filled with swirling dreams of contorted reality. She could smell the sweet perfume of the lavender and the earthy tones of the straw. A fire crackled and popped as the burning heat caused moisture to bubble out of the wood. A fierce wind howled and rain pounded against the thick glass of the windows. A man moved to close the shutters against the storm. She could see the wide expanse of his shoulders silhouetted in the dim light of the room. A single candle stood on a small wooden table beside her bed, its flame casting a gentle glow on the whitewashed wall behind it. Grace hadn’t needed light to know every taught and toned muscle on this man’s body. He wore a loose cotton shirt, but she knew intimately what lay beneath. She rested her hand on her chest and sighed as tiny butterflies danced in her stomach. Her heart raced and her body ached for his touch but she was happy, happier than she had ever been.

As the hours passed and night became day, Grace’s mind fought to cling on to the dream, but as the dawn broke the magic died and she awoke alone in the empty room.

 

********

 

“There’s a karaoke night on at the pub off Stonegate tonight. You wanna come?”

“Kate, I would love to but I’m not much of a pub goer to be honest. It’s never really been my scene.”

“Don’t be such a bore; you’ll love it, besides it will give you a chance to talk to old Harry about his ghost.”

“Ok, I’ll come but I’m not talking to any guy about ghosts. If you want me to believe in this ghost, then fine, I believe you, but please can we just leave it at that.”

“What’s got you so edgy? Yesterday you were all ears when I was talking about it, now you’re as tight as a clam?”

“It’s nothing, Kate, really. I’m just not a big ghost fan. I was curious yesterday, that was all.”

“Ok, hun, consider the subject closed. But you will come with us tonight, won’t you?”

“Yes, I’ll come with you but be warned, I don’t sing.”

“You’ll love it, let your hair down, and have a good laugh. Just don’t pay too much attention to Lisa, she’s having a bit of a tough time with her husband and she moans a lot, but the rest of them are usually good for a laugh.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Grace lied.

Just at that moment, Grace couldn’t really think of anything worse than spending an evening in a pub with a load of drunken woman and a karaoke machine. Jack had never allowed her out on her own. He considered woman that drank without their husbands to be the scourge of society, the root cause of all social problems and second only to the devil in their intentions. Grace’s stomach churned at the thought of what she was about to do but reasoned that to decline Kate’s offer would be rude and ungracious. Besides which, she couldn’t help but feel some empathy for this girl, Lisa and looked forward to meeting her.

“Kate, tell me about Lisa?”

“Why do you ask?”

“No reason really, only you mentioned her name earlier and I’d like to know something about your friends before I meet them.”

“Well there’s not much to tell. We went to school together, she married a druggie and he knocks her around. She’s got a teenager and a small kiddie and won’t leave the brute because she doesn’t think she can cope on her own.”

“That is sad. Hasn’t she got any family that could help her?”

“God no! Her mother kicked her out when she fell pregnant. Old fashioned Catholic family- you know the type. She hasn’t spoken to them since they found out she was pregnant with her eldest.”

“Can’t one of her friends help her?”

“We’ve tried, Grace, honest we have but she just won’t listen. She’s been with him since she was fifteen. If she hasn’t left by now, she’s never going to.”

Kate shut up shop early and the two women parted company, agreeing to meet up again at seven o’clock on Stonegate. Grace had two things she needed to do before then. One was to find something appropriate to wear and the other was to buy a book. 

Just short of a year ago, Grace had stumbled upon a book called ‘Caring For Eleanor’. It told the most difficult of all stories – the desperate struggle of a young woman to take control of her world after a lifetime of abuse. It was Sonia’s words that had given Grace the courage and strength to leave Jack. She hoped that if Kate’s friend could read this book, she may find some comfort in its words.

With purpose, Grace headed off towards the nearest bookshop. It didn’t take her long to locate a copy of the story she was looking for and having asked the shop assistant to gift wrap the book, she set off in search of an outfit for the evening. Having never been to a karaoke evening, Grace had no idea what would be considered suitable and eventually settled on a plain black dress, a new pair of tights, some court shoes, a pair of plain gold loop earrings and some makeup. It had been years since she had bothered to wear makeup. Jack had disapproved of its use, complaining that woman who wore it were little more than prostitutes. Grace hadn’t agreed with her husband but it had been easier to just stop wearing it. At first she had struggled, aching inside to feel beautiful but life had worn her down and eventually it hadn’t mattered anymore. She was a Vicar’s wife, nobody was ever going to look at her and consider her pretty. But tonight, if she could remember how, she was going to feel beautiful.

A bubble of excitement rose in her stomach as she planned how she would do her hair and make-up and what the new dress would look like on her. Suddenly she realised that she was no longer dreading the evening and admitted, if only to herself, that she was actually quite looking forward to it. Passing an off-licence, Grace ducked in and picked up a bottle of white wine. It was Friday evening after all.

 

Seven o’clock prompt, Grace stood on Stonegate, surveying the street for signs of Kate. She wasn’t surprised to find that her boss was nowhere to be seen. One thing she had come to learn over the past few days was that accurate timekeeping wasn’t her strongest trait.

The air was cold and Grace wished she had brought a coat. The night sky weighed heavily with a mass of clouds and she wondered how dark the city must have appeared before street lights were introduced.

She found herself staring at the orange glow of the light beside her. Her eyes blurred and she looked away, towards a shop window. It was filled with trinkets, obviously aimed at gullible tourists. She felt the brush of a coat as someone passed her and she instinctively turned towards them. Only his back was visible but he had the appearance of a costumed guide. Her eyes followed him as he made his way purposefully down the street, his long black coat flowing behind. There was something familiar about him but she couldn’t quite decide what. Suddenly he stopped, rigid in his tracks. He turned abruptly, his coat swirling around him. She gasped as their eyes locked in shocked silence. The soft curve of his mouth quirked in a gentle smile and she raised her hand towards him. He took a long measured step towards her, his eyes never leaving hers. Her heart pounded fiercely as he drew nearer and nearer. The city dimmed around them. She could almost touch him. His hand was raised towards hers. He was going to touch her, take her hand in his. He was so close she could feel the warmth of him in front of her. His lips smiled and whispered “I love you,” as she stretched her fingers to meet his hand.

 

“There you are Grace, what on earth are you doing? You look like a street artist performing a love scene. Come on hun, the girls are waiting.”

 

The sounds of the karaoke machine bellowed from the pub into the street as Grace and Kate approached their destination.

“It’s very noisy.”

“It’s meant to be, just relax Grace and enjoy it.”

She followed her boss into the main section of the pub, standing self-consciously next to Kate as introductions were made.

“Ladies, this is Grace. She is new to the city, so let’s get her a drink, although judging by her behaviour in the street I think she may already have had a glass or two too many.”

The woman laughed and Grace felt her face flush red. She had already finished a glass of wine and perhaps what she saw on Stonegate was alcohol induced. Either way, she wasn’t planning on discussing the matter with anyone.

“What you drinking then?”

“I’ll get these,” Grace offered.

“Right, well I’ll come and give you a hand,” offered Kate.

“I take it you know what everyone is drinking?”

“It’s vodka and cokes all round, and whatever you’re drinking,” replied her boss.

“I’ll have a white wine.”

“Hey, Harry, come and say hello to my new friend.”

A greying stout man turned towards Kate.

“Hello, Kate. You and your mates here for the karaoke?”

 “We are. How are you, Harry?”

“Getting older but no wiser. Still here and ready to serve you though,” he said with a cheery smile.

Grace liked this man. There was a soft welcoming air about him and she felt as though he were the sort of person she could bare her soul to and not feel judged. By all accounts he seemed the perfect barman. She smiled at him as he held his hand out to shake hers.

“Nice to know you, Kate’s new friend.”

Kate laughed, “Sorry you two. Grace, this is Harry. Harry, this is Grace.”

“Hi Harry, great to meet you. This is a nice place you have here.”

“It does me.”

“Harry, Grace wants to know about Robert Hamilton.”

“Kate, I told you not to do that,” Grace chastised her friend.

“Well you might as well listen to what Harry has to say. He’s an expert, nothing he can’t put you straight on.”

“I’m sorry, Harry. Kate seems to think I have an interest in this ghost. But I don’t. I just happen to be staying in the Cavalier Hotel.”

“You missed out the best bit, Grace. Go on tell him which room you’re in.”

“Oh Kate you are being silly. This ghost doesn’t exist.”

“You weren’t saying that a few days ago when you couldn’t get any sleep in there.”

“No but that was because I was in a foreign city and a new bed. It always takes time to adjust to new places and I’ve never been one to stray far from home.”

“Ladies, I hate to interrupt you but can I get your order, please? There’s a bit a queue building up behind you.”

“Oh, I am so sorry,” apologised Grace as she felt her face flush scarlet again.

“Danny, come and take over from me here,” called Harry turning to face a younger man at the far end of the bar. “Grace what are you drinking?”

“May I have six vodka and cokes and a white wine please?”

“I take it the white wine is yours?”

“It is, but how did you know that?”

“Because Kate’s lot always drink vodka and coke.”

“I’m flattered, Harry. Had no idea you had noticed,” Kate said with a big beam on her face.

Harry laughed, picking up a linen towel off the bar and threw it playfully at Kate.

“Less of your cheek young lady or you’ll not be getting these drinks tonight.”

“You’d never dare, Harry. I’m too good a customer.”

“I dare say you are, Kate my dear,” he said, handing Grace a large glass of wine. “Danny will get your drinks, Grace and I are going out front to have a little chat. There’s too much noise in here. I can’t hear myself think.”

“But, I’m with Kate and her friends. It would be awfully rude to just leave them... ” Grace protested.

BOOK: Haunting Grace
9.03Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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