The Haunting of Highdown Hall (32 page)

“Come in, come in,” she muttered, not bothering to remove the cigarette.

All the curtains in the house were drawn, something Ruby hated to see during the daytime, believing it imperative to let the light in whenever you can, particularly in a house that was suffering spiritual upheaval. There was also an unpleasant smell in the air, reminiscent of laundry left for too long in the washing machine, its sweet freshness quickly turning sour.

Ruby glanced at the stairs as Angela Lawrence directed them into the living room, where a Christmas tree, haphazardly decorated, stood rather forlornly in one corner – the only nod to the annual celebration that she could see.

“My husband’s out,” the woman explained quickly. “I haven’t told him you’re coming. He’ll hit the roof if he finds out. You’ll have to be quick.”

“Why will he hit the roof?” Theo asked, concerned.

“Because he doesn’t believe, you see. He thinks I’m round the bend, so do my boys, they can’t feel, hear nor see nothing at all. But I can, all the bloody time.”

“Just here at home, or elsewhere as well?” Ruby was intrigued.

“It has happened before,” Mrs Lawrence admitted – reluctantly, as though confiding a dirty secret. Then with a little more gusto, she declared, “I’m haunted I am, continually haunted and I don’t know why. I’ve done nothing to deserve it.”

Another psychic then,
thought Ruby,
but one reluctant to acknowledge it.

“It would help if we opened these curtains,” said Ness, gentle understanding in her voice. Clearly she was thinking the same as Ruby. “Do you mind?”

“No,” replied Mrs Lawrence, “not at all. I don’t know why they’re still closed.” She did indeed look genuinely perplexed. “I just haven’t got round to opening them yet I suppose.”

“Not a problem, we’ll do it,” said Ness, motioning to Cash to help.

Although not a particularly bright day outside, the house felt distinctly better with the curtains open. It was amazing what the light could do, no matter how faint.

“And a window too?” Ness asked. “Can we open a window? It can represent a physical exit to the spirit.”

“The locks are a bit stiff on the windows; I keep meaning to get my husband to see to them. I think he painted over them when we first moved in, although he won’t admit it, sealed the bloody things shut. A door would be easier.”

“The door it is then,” replied Ness. “I’m sorry to have to do so; it’s rather cold outside.”

“It’s alright, I understand,” said Mrs Lawrence, and Ruby was sure that, on some level at least, she did.

After checking that the woman’s two sons were out too, Ruby ran through with her their typical procedure. First, she explained, they would try to connect psychically with the spirit in a bid to persuade him to move on. Then they would cleanse every room with smudge sticks and essential oils to remove any residual energy. Afterwards, she would advise her on the use of suitable crystals. Brown tiger eye was good for protection against unwanted spirits as were calcopyrite and carnelian. Noting a slight frown cross Mrs Lawrence’s face, Ruby assured her that stones were relatively inexpensive and could be purchased from a number of places – Ruby’s favourite was a crystal shop set beside a tea room in the picturesque village of Litlington, but she reassured Mrs Lawrence that she wouldn’t need to go that far. Before Psychic Surveys left, she continued, they would place citrine around her home, a highly effective crystal for soaking up negativity.

As Mrs Lawrence nodded, Ruby asked, “Was it on the stairs that you last saw him?”

“Yes,” Mrs Lawrence shuddered. “Leering, like he always does.”

“I get that impression too,” chimed in Theo. “But I also sense that’s all he ever did, leer I mean. He liked the ladies did Cyril, but he wasn’t very successful with them.”

There came a bang from upstairs, as though a vase or something had been knocked off a table and thrown to the floor.

Mrs Lawrence immediately stepped closer to Ruby.

“That’s him,” she whispered, clutching at her dressing gown. “You’ve upset him.”

“Don’t worry.” Ness reached out an arm to comfort her. “We’re not in the business of goading spirits to get a reaction. We’re here to help them move on, that’s all.” She looked pointedly at Theo. “Aren’t we?”

Theo ignored her and went to stand at the foot of the stairs.

“Can you sense him right now, Mrs Lawrence?”

“I sense him all the time,” was the terrified reply.

“Ruby, Ness, shall we try and connect? Cash, perhaps you could stay with Mrs Lawrence in the living room?”

“Sure,” replied Cash dutifully.

Standing in the cramped space at the bottom of the stairs, trying to ignore the multitude of coats hanging on a rail beside them and the impressive collection of trainers and shoes scattered at their feet, the trio joined hands.

Before they tuned in, Ness whispered, “You know she’s a psychic too, don’t you?”

Ruby nodded her head whilst Theo said, “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt, huh?”

“Theo,” hushed Ruby, noticing another disapproving glare from Ness.

“I just meant perhaps we can help her, you know, afterwards, to deal with her gift.”

“We can try,” replied Ruby, not convinced they’d be able to do so.

A clear image of the man Angela Lawrence was complaining about popped into Ruby’s mind. He was in his late fifties, with a face full of bristle, an impressive gut and ill-fitting clothes. It was fair to say he hadn’t been one of life’s beauties. And yes, Theo was right; he did have an appetite for the ladies, very much so. Sadly his feelings had rarely been reciprocated, the few relationships he’d had ending on a less than happy note. He wasn’t a violent man, Ruby sensed, but a very frustrated one – the lack of female appreciation forcing him to become something of a voyeur instead. And although he had created a catalogue of sexual fantasies in his mind, as far as she could tell, they had remained just that – fantasies.

The man, Cyril, was leering at her now, his tongue flicking out between his lips, clenching both hands at her as though he wanted to grope her breasts.

“Cyril, stop it!” said Ruby firmly. “That sort of behaviour does
not
impress me.”

Ruby could sense he was taken aback by her admonishment. He quickly recovered though, turning his attentions towards Ness instead and thrusting his crotch at her.

“Charming,” muttered Theo. “Leave me out, why don’t you? The only broad here you might have stood a chance with.”

Humour, Ruby knew, was necessary in dealing with Cyril. He wasn’t a bad soul, just wayward. She actually pitied him his frustration, perhaps if the fairer sex had been kinder to him in life, not succumbed of course, but treated him with compassion rather than such obvious disdain, he might have been more tolerable. Instead, she felt overwhelming waves of loneliness emanating from him, a human emotion so strong it anchored him.

“Cyril,” said Ruby gently. “You know as well as we do that you have passed. But what you may not know is you don’t have to take feelings of loneliness with you into the light, you can just let them go. You don’t have to take your physical body either. Leave it behind.”

Cyril had stopped leering. He looked confused instead.

Ruby continued, her head still bowed, her hands joined to Theo and Ness.

“Inside, Cyril, you are beautiful, you are magnificent – we all are; every single one of us. You belong to the light and waiting in it are people who love you, the
real
you, maybe even a past love, a woman I mean, someone you met in another lifetime.”

Cyril’s interest was piqued. He peered beyond them.

A girlfriend?

“Yes, a girlfriend, maybe even a wife, longing to be reunited with you.”

A pretty girlfriend?

Ruby nodded her head. “Oh yes, very pretty indeed.”

I don’t want no-one like me,
he said, distrustful suddenly.
She has to look nice.

“Everyone looks nice in the light, Cyril,” Ruby assured him.

Tentatively, Cyril descended one stair.

“That’s it, Cyril,” urged Theo, “come forward.”

He was hesitant again.

Are you sure she’s there – this girlfriend?

“You’re never going to find out if you don’t look.” Ruby smiled encouragingly at him.

Another stair descended.

“Open the door wider,” Ruby whispered to Ness, before returning her attention to Cyril. “Come on, Cyril, be brave. You need to leave this house now, and this life, it’s over, it’s done with – just take with you the lessons you’ve learnt, nothing more. Start again, somewhere else, somewhere better, somewhere you’re going to be a lot happier.”

He was on the bottom stair now.

And you’re sure she’ll like me?

Such disbelief in his voice. Had no one
ever
returned his affections?

“She’ll
adore
you,” Ruby was confident.

He was only inches away now, the look on his face a little more trusting. But again he hesitated.

I don’t believe in God.

“You don’t have to.”

Why?

“You’re believed in, that’s what matters.”

Cyril hung his head.

I’m not a Catholic or nothing.

“I’m not sure God is either.”

What is he then?

“Love.”

Cyril hesitated no more. Understanding smoothing his grizzled features, lending him an almost serene quality, he walked right up to Ruby and then through her, continuing on his journey at last. As he did so, Ness squeezed Ruby’s hand; they both found the moment of releasing someone highly poignant.

Turning slightly, all three watched him take his leave. Not long now and Mrs Lawrence would be leered at no more; another success for Psychic Surveys. In the frame of the doorway the silhouette of Cyril’s body was only just visible as the shimmering light started to wrap itself around him.

Moments before he disappeared entirely, he turned to Ruby.

I’d still like to cop a feel of your tits though
, he said, and winked at her before fading entirely.

Stunned at first, she soon burst out laughing, as did Theo and even Ness. Some people, dead or alive, were incorrigible.

“Mrs Lawrence now?” asked Ness.

“I think so,” replied Ruby.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Although clearly relieved that Cyril had departed, Mrs Lawrence did not take kindly to Ruby suggesting that she might be psychic too.

“Rubbish,” she said, anxiety clear in her eyes, “I’ve been unlucky, that’s all.”

The rest of the team had moved upstairs to cleanse the bedrooms, deliberately taking their time whilst Ruby persevered.

Sitting at the kitchen table, a mug of tea in hand, she probed again.

“When did you start sensing spirits?”

“I can’t remember...” Mrs Lawrence refused to look directly at Ruby. “It wasn’t that long ago, I’m sure.”

“As an adult? A child?”

A slight tremor ran through the woman opposite.

“Maybe, as a child, perhaps... I don’t know. Look, I’m not psychic okay, it’s not my fault there are ghosts everywhere I go.”

“It’s nobody’s
fault
,” Ruby reassured her. “You have a gift, that’s all, you can see beyond what most people see.”

“I don’t see beyond anything and I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to live my life in peace.”

Standing abruptly up, she handed Ruby a cheque she had written earlier. “There, thank you very much, I’m very grateful for all you’ve done but you need to leave now.”

“Mrs Lawrence,” appealed Ruby. The woman, however, refused to be drawn.

“No, please, I don’t want to talk about it, just go. My husband would have a fit if he came in and found you here. He’d call in the men in white coats I’m sure.”

“Is your husband due home soon?” asked Ruby, worried that this timid, confused and frightened woman in front of her was actually cowed by her husband.

Mrs Lawrence glanced down quickly at her watch. “Yes, I’m sure he is. Very soon. You have to go. All of you. Please. I feel so much better now. Really.”

Knowing as well as she did that this was a lie, Ruby complied.

“If you do want to talk,” she tried one final time, “you have my number. Call me.”

“I will, I will, now
please
...”

Sensing the desperation in her voice, Ruby called upstairs to the team to let them know their work here was done.

***

Today was turning out to be far from the rest day the team had planned. As they were travelling back to Lewes, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of having ‘the gift’, Ruby’s car started to shudder violently. She quickly steered it into the hard shoulder before it cut out completely, narrowly avoiding other cars travelling at breakneck speed.