Assets
All characters belong to Fox and R.A. Dick. Thank you to Mary for being my beta, to the readers, and to God most of all.
"Mr. Gregg--" Carolyn Muir began, taking a deep breath as she watched the twitchy little man standing across his desk from her get even more nervous than was his natural wont. "You didn't tell us that--" she went on, hardly believing what she was about to say, but having no choice, "What I mean to say is that, I met Captain Gregg last night."
She was the one who'd seen the ghost, but her landlord looked like he was the one about to faint. Alarmed, she mentally reviewed emergency first aid procedures in her mind, just in case he did.
Recovering his composure, Claymore drew himself up; there was nothing like the potential loss of income to make him brave, and very firmly stated, "Mrs. Muir, if you will recall, I DID try to warn you and offer you a refund, a full refund at that, before you moved in. I would have even considered m-moving - you to an alternate SUPERIOR location, for the same price, at least for the first few months' of rent, but YOU refused to heed my words. Whatever he did is on your own head. I will not be responsible for damaged property, injuries, or nightmares you suffered as a result of bearding Old Spook-face."
Although the Captain had annoyed her, irritated her, and been somewhat impossible, Carolyn found herself wanting to defend him. "He did not hurt us, mentally or physically. In fact, we seem to have worked out our – differences."
Amazed, Claymore stared at her. "You did? Really? Does that mean you're staying? That he's letting you stay?"
"There's no letting me; I DO have a lease," she reminded a Gregg man for the second time in twenty-four hours.
"Well, yes, but ghosts aren't known for abiding by those." Mr. Gregg blinked myopically at her, frowning as he tried to sort out the reason for this visit. "So, what are you here for? I won't lower the rent just because there's a ghost. In fact, in Europe, that would raise the price and the value of the property. Every castle who's any castle has at least one ghost. I hear Anne Boleyn haunts at least half a dozen of them, so it must be a valuable claim to make. Wonder if they pay her? Hmm."
"You're babbling," she cut in blandly.
"Well, it's the truth! And I won't!"
"I'm not asking you to," Carolyn replied after counting to ten mentally. "I just thought you should know that I know."
"Oh. Er -- how did your family take the news?"
"Martha and Candy don't know about him, and Captain Gregg says they won't until they are ready to."
"Ha, I've never been ready to, but that doesn't stop me from knowing. How I wish it did," Claymore muttered, half to himself.
She ignored this. "Jonathan does. I can't speak for Scruffy, but given how antsy he got, I'd guess he does, too."
"The boy is handling it all right? No childhood trauma or anything you might sue me for?" Claymore checked with a gulp. "I do know a bit of law … and there are not any about you-know-what."
"Jonathan thinks it's neat to have a ghost," Carolyn replied patiently. "As I said, I just wanted us all to understand each other."
"Then, you are staying?"
"Yes."
"And not demanding lower rent?"
"Not today."
Claymore stood in silence for a minute, trying to decide what to say and how to not appear weak. "That's good, because I wouldn't have let your renege or given a discount," he finally said.
"I might want to discuss repairs or something later?"
"Mrs. Muir, I already said what was covered and what wasn't in the terms of-–"
"I said later. It does not need to be today. Good afternoon, Mr. Gregg," Carolyn smiled and turned to leave.
So, ghosts were considered an asset, huh?
She found herself agreeing silently.