"Why exactly are we here? I mean, this isn't exactly up our alley."

"I would consider ghosts up our alley, Valkyrie. Besides, I thought it would be nice to get out and experience the sights and sounds of Mackinac Island."

"Smells is more like it."

The carriage that was carrying Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain tottered up Stonecliffe Road, carrying the duo to Stonecliffe Mansion. Valkyrie sighed and looked out the side of the carriage, deciding to take in the beauty. 'Sure it was be beautiful up here,' Valkyrie thought, 'but she would have much rather been beating up rogue vampires.'

The carriage turned and the smell of apples filled Valkyrie's nose. Apple trees twisted and turned, heavy with apples, grew on each side of the road. Valkyrie smiled. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad.

Then the carriage stopped. Valkyrie turned to see what the reason for their sudden halt was, but saw nothing. The driver clicked for the horses to get up, but they wouldn't budge. In fact, they actually started going backwards. The driver yelled and got is whip out and tapped one of the horses on the rear. This only caused the horses to spook and grunt at the road ahead of them. The driver cursed softly and turned the carriage around. They went back and turned left.

"Sorry about that," the driver called back, "the horses don't like going up that way so we're going to go the back way."

"That's fine," Skulduggery said. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but why don't they?"

The driver chuckled, "Something about a ghost. Supposedly a carriage came up here with a group of tourists and a ghost appeared in front of them and spooked the horses. The horses won't go any further than that spot."

"Any idea who the ghost was?"

"It's supposed to be the ghost of the servant girl that worked here. She committed suicide in the old apple orchard."

"Any reason why she did it?"

"No one knows."

"Hmmm," was all Skulduggery said as he leaned back in his seat.

The carriage turned again and Valkyrie's jaw dropped in awe as the Stonecliffe Mansion came into view.

The carriage pulled around to the front door and Valkyrie jumped off. Skulduggery thanked the driver and tipped him. The driver then went about his way. Valkyrie looked at Skulduggery and smiled. Skulduggery had met with a Necromancer almost a month ago. She apparently was fluent in the area of the undead and offered to him a "realistic illusion". It was an illusion of how Skulduggery looked when he died. Though it may have been an illusion, it was real enough. All his organs and muscles and skin were there, they just didn't work properly. She had told Skulduggery that he would have to "reset", that is, lose the illusion and go back to being a skeleton every so often because his organs would eventually start to decompose from lack of use. Skulduggery had graciously accepted. He didn't tell Valkyrie what she wanted in exchange, but from the way he would divert the topic whenever she brought it up, told her that it was something very unpleasant.

Valkyrie believed, however, that they had got the better end of the deal. After all, thought Valkyrie, he was pretty handsome…

Valkyrie shook her head and followed Skulduggery inside. It was absolutely gorgeous. There was an elaborate staircase that curved around the check out desk and met together at the top. An older looking man came out of one of the doorways and walked over to them.

"Ah, you must be Mr. Pleasant and Miss Cain. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Hello Mr. Bacon," Skulduggery said, reaching out to shake his hand. Valkyrie bit her lip to keep from laughing.

Mr. Bacon smiled. "I am so glad that you were able to come all this way for me."

"My pleasure," Skulduggery said.

Mr. Bacon sighed. "Normally this wouldn't bother me, but it has gotten to a point where it is scaring my customers away."

Valkyrie looked up at him curiously. "I hope you don't mind me asking because my partner here," Valkyrie turned and glared at Skulduggery, "didn't tell me, but what exactly are we doing?"

Mr. Bacon scratched his head nervously.

"Not here," he whispered, "Let's talk in my office." He led Skulduggery and Valkyrie through the way he came in. Valkyrie looked around. A beautiful study stood off to the right. They walked past an unmarked door and walked through one marked "Offices". Mr. Bacon walked over to his desk, talking out a cream-colored handkerchief and dabbed his near-bald head.

"I am sorry for all the hush-hush, but I do not wish to distress my customers any further." He sat down at his desk and looked up at them. "When I bought this place, the previous owner warned me about a ghost that haunted these grounds."

"The servant girl," Valkyrie said. Mr. Bacon nodded.

"Naturally I shook it off as a hoax to scare me, but then I noticed that weird things had been happening. Doors were opening and closing by themselves, furniture moving around blocking doorways, and guests reportedly seeing a ghostly image of a girl dressed in old servant clothes."

He sighed and dabbed his head again with his handkerchief. "Lately though, these…hauntings have been getting worse, to the point where it's scarring my customers away. That's where you come in," he pointed at Valkyrie, "I need you to find what is making this "ghost" act up and to take care of the matter before it runs me out of business."

Skulduggery took off his hat and ran his fingers through his dark, black hair. "Don't worry sir, you can count on us."

Mr. Bacon nodded, "That's good. Well, I will have someone show you to your room. You will be staying in the servant girl's old room."

Valkyrie shivered. She didn't like the idea of sleeping in the room of a dead person. Mr. Bacon pressed a button on his desk.

"Jack, I need someone to come up and show a couple of guests to their room." He let go of the button and then waited. There was a crackling noise and then a man's voice came on, "Clarabelle's down here, do you want her?"

"Yeah that's fine. Send her to my office please."

He looked up at Skulduggery and Valkyrie. "Your bags should already be in your room." Skulduggery nodded.

The door opened behind them and a young woman walked in. Valkyrie observed her. She was wearing a white blouse with a black vest and a red tie and a short, black skirt and white knee socks with black Mary Jane shoes. She looked like she was the same age as Valkyrie and had blonde hair that came down past her shoulders, but what surprised Valkyrie the most was her eyes. They were a pale blue, almost identical to China's and Mr. Bliss's eyes.

She smiled at them, showing off perfect, pearl white teeth. Valkyrie ran her tongue over her teeth. Even though the cap on her tooth had worn down to fit, it still felt foreign in her mouth.

"Ahh, Clarabelle," Mr. Bacon explained as he got up from his desk, "I need you to escort our guests here to their room. Maplewood, it is." He turned to Skulduggery. "Again, thank you for coming and if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

Skulduggery shook his hand, "Don't worry, we'll be in touch."

He turned and followed Clarabelle out of the room. Valkyire followed after him. They went back through the hallway. Clarabelle stopped at the information desk and picked up two keys. They walked up the staircase and turned to the right.

The hallway was beautiful. There were huge, wooden doors on either side of the hallway, the walls were crimson red and golden candelabras hung on the wall, pearl white candles placed in each holder and chandeliers hung from the ceiling, illuminating the hallway.

They stopped at a door marked: Maplewood. Clarabelle took out a key and opened the door. Valkyrie gasped in amazement.

There was a huge four-poster bed on the west side of the room. Two huge windows on the north wall let the sun rays illuminate the cream-colored carpet. A beautiful wooden desk and chair were up against the east wall, along with a door, leading to the bathroom. A dresser stood tall against the south wall complete with mirror and chair, right next to the door leading to the closet.

Candelabras like the ones in the hallway hung from the cream colored walls and a chandelier hung from the cream colored ceiling.

"I hope you find the room to your liking," Clarabelle said, giving them her perfect smile. Valkyrie sniffed the air.

"It smells like apples in here," Valkyrie exclaimed.

"Ahh yes…Abigail," Clarabelle sighed.

"Abigail?" asked Skulduggery.

"The servant girl," Clarabelle went on, "This used to be her quarters. The smell of apples is just one of the many reports visitors have made about this room. Many have said they have seen furniture move by itself, sometimes blocking the doorway. Others have even claimed to see Abigail herself." Valkyrie shivered. She was liking this trip less and less.

Clarabelle shook her head and smiled at them again.

"I'm sorry for keeping you from getting settled." She walked over to Skulduggery.

"If you should need assistance in any way possible," looked up at Skulduggery, "Please don't hesitate to ask." She smiled and handed him the keys and walked out of the room. Valkyrie scrunched up her nose.

"I don't like her." Skulduggery looked at her and laughed.