Is the ghost still here, somewhere out of sight? Are there others like her? There must be at least four hundred graves here… Surely she can’t be the only spirit that lingered after death.
An unnatural silence filled the space, as though stepping through the graveyard’s gate moved her into another realm—somewhere she wasn’t sure she was welcome. Trees elsewhere in Blighty thrived. In this space, most had either lost their leaves early in the season or long since died.
The most direct route to the cottage involved following the ragged, age-formed pathways that wound through the stones. The only alternative would involve walking through the forest, and even there, she wouldn’t be able to avoid the graves. The stones spilled beyond the bounds of the clearing. She couldn’t tell how far. Either the cemetery had long since run out of room, or it had once been larger and trees had gradually encroached on the space, consuming grass and graves alike.
Keira kept her eyes focused on the little stone cottage against the forest edge and only started breathing properly again once she was inside, with the door firmly bolted behind her. Not that she expected wood and stone to do much to stop a ghost…but it felt good to be somewhere familiar. Like coming home.
Keira opened the cupboard and stacked her rice on one shelf and the potatoes on the other, then put the toothbrush and soap in the bathroom. Eating the muffin Zoe had forced into her pocket, she returned to the living room and looked around the space. The room still held a lot of the warmth from that morning’s fire, even though the grate contained nothing but dull embers. She turned in a circle on the rug, searching for something that might distract her for an hour or two while she waited for Adage. The cottage didn’t have any television or books that she could see, and most of the cupboards held nothing but dust.
This place needs cleaning. Keira rubbed at the back of her neck and made a face. Not the sort of distraction I was hoping for, but it beats sitting by the window at least.
She found gloves and old cloths under the sink, opened the windows, and set about chasing out some of the dust. On one hand, it felt silly to clean a house that would return to being abandoned within a day or two. But it was one of the few things she could do to repay Adage, and even though it in no way matched his kindness, she wanted to show him that at least she was trying.
She’d flipped the bed’s mattress over and was in the process of putting on fresh sheets when a brisk knock at the door startled her. “Keira? It’s Adage. I hope you got my note.”
“Ah!” Keira jogged to let the pastor in. “I did, thanks. Not that it’s my business to tell you what to do or anything, but is it wise to invite strangers into your home while you’re out?”
Adage’s face was still flushed from his walk, likely because of the bundle of cloths he carried in his arms, but he beamed at her as he stomped his boots on the mat. “Don’t worry so much. I told you last night that I know everyone in town, and I’m proud to say I trust most of them a little farther than I could throw them.” He extended his burden and exhaled when Keira took it from him. “Thank you, child. They’re heavier than I thought they’d be.”
Keira shifted the bundle a little. She could see cotton, denim, and even some lace. “What are they?”
“Clothes from our donation bin. You won’t be a fashion icon, but they’re clean and respectable. I guessed your size. I hope they fit.”
“Seriously?” Keira lowered the clothes onto the round table. “I mean, thank you…but I don’t feel right taking these.”
“You’re welcome to wear trash bags, if you prefer.” Adage slid into the comfy lounge by the fire and exhaled a satisfied sigh as he relaxed against the pillows. “But those clothes were intended for people who couldn’t easily afford their own. I don’t think anyone would begrudge them going to you.”
Keira swallowed as she flipped through the first few items. She hated feeling as if she was taking and taking without giving back, but it would be nice to wear something clean and soft, and the offering included a T-shirt featuring a bug-eyed cat face that she found absolutely hilarious. “Thank you.”
The pastor was watching her through one eye. “You’ve got a little more color today. Did you have enough stew?”
“Oh, I’m good actually! I walked to town and bought some food, so I won’t have to keep taking yours.” Saying it gave her a little buzz of pride. “Would you like something to drink?”
“That would be lovely.” The pastor’s eyes had closed, and he looked as though he could happily fall asleep where he was. “Black tea with plenty of sugar, thank you. I’ve had the most exhausting day. Both Miss Millbury and Mrs. House wanted to see me, and I swear neither of them have any comprehension of the concept of peace, let alone know what it sounds like.”
Keira had left the cups from that morning to dry on the sink, so she put a tea bag in each while the kettle boiled. “It seems like a really…interesting town. Do you know Zoe Turner? I met her when I was shopping, and she somehow got me to confess everything.”
“Charming soul, that one. Accused me of being a part of a conspiracy involving highly intelligent sea mammals and Scientology.” He chuckled. “She had dossiers and everything. I was quite impressed.”
“Is she…uh…” The kettle finished boiling, and Keira used the interruption as an excuse to chew over how to phrase herself. “Is she an okay sort of person?”
“Oh yes, definitely. Like I said, she’s a charming soul.”
Keira realized, with surprise, the pastor’s comment hadn’t been facetious. “Really?”
“Certainly.” He took the cup she passed him. “She’s a little abrasive, but there are plenty of worse sins a person could indulge in. Cruelty, duplicity, small-mindedness. I’ve known her for her entire life, and she’s never exhibited any of those. You could have a much worse friend.”
That was a relief. She’d wanted to share her puzzle with Zoe, but it had still felt like a risk, and Adage’s reassurance helped to erase some of her uneasiness. Keira took the wooden chair beside the pastor and blew on her cup of tea.
“There’s not exactly an easy way to transition to this,” Adage said, “but I made some inquiries, as promised. I’m friends with the constable, and he was able to search a database of missing persons. No one matching your description has been reported as missing within the last two weeks, but he’s promised to watch it in case a new report comes through.”
“Right.” The news didn’t come as a surprise to Keira. Everything she’d learned about herself pointed toward a nontraditional lifestyle. If anyone was missing her, they wouldn’t be the sort of person to contact the police.
“I hope you’ll do me the honor of staying here until we can find you a more permanent home.”
Keira smiled into her tea. It was an incredibly elegant way of phrasing the offer. “You don’t know how grateful I am. I’ll find a way to repay you.”
“Nonsense. My good deeds won’t be worth half as much in the next life if I take payment for them.” He winked to let her know he was joking. “Would you like me to ask around for a job and a rental place? It would probably need to be in one of the larger towns, I’m afraid. Blighty’s career options aren’t exactly abundant, but I’m sure I could find something suitable in Glendale or McKenzie.”