Chapter Two

Spilling The Ghost

Jonathan furtively checked what Martha was doing before he leaned closer to his sister. "I got a secret," he whispered. "A really, really big secret."

"What secret?" Candy asked around her mouthful of breakfast toast and jam.

"Shhhh!" her brother waved an agitated hand. "Martha doesn't know. Only me and Mum know. And we both promised we wouldn't say anything."

Candy glanced at Martha's back view, where she stood at the stove making the coffee. "Then why are you saying something to me now?" she whispered back.

Her brother shrugged. "Because I said it wasn't fair that you don't know. I asked if I could tell." He glanced at Martha again. "But only you."

"Well, maybe I don't want to know your secret," Candy replied in a miffed tone. "Your last one was pretty lame. I knew you had that frog in your pocket all along. You can't scare me that easily."

"Yeah, well, this is different," Jonathan replied quickly. "This is something real big."

"Ah ha…" Candy nodded in disbelief as Martha returned to the table and sat down.

"What are you two looking so furtive about all of a sudden?" the housekeeper asked as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Nothing." Jonathan blinked at her.

"Yeah, nothing," Candy added with a wide-eyed look of innocence.

"Well, you kids better not be planning on making any new messes around here," Martha replied crisply. "We've still got over a hundred years of dust and cobwebs that need sweeping up. We can't be idle. It'll be all hands-on deck and no complaining."

She raised her shoulders. "Since your mother's suddenly decided that we're now staying here, she wants it all done by the end of the week. She's got a new deadline for her next article that can't wait."

"All right, Martha," Candy replied. "We won't. We promise."

"Yeah, we'll make sure it's all shipshape and Bristol fashion!" Jonathan declared with a wide grin.

Martha stared at him. "I swear there must be something in the air around here that makes you want to go on talking like some old sea salt."

"May we be excused?" Jonathan asked as he slid sideways off his chair.

"All right…" Martha nodded. "But don't go too far. As soon as your mother comes down and has her breakfast, we're right back into the things we still have to do."

"We'll be up in our room," Jonathan replied as both children left the kitchen.

Scruffy got up from his station beneath the table and stretched. He walked toward the front door and stood looking back over his shoulder in mute appeal.

Martha's eyebrows rose. "You two don't want to take your dog and go outside to play. It's such a lovely morning. You'll be cooped up inside for the rest of the day doing work."

"No, thanks," Candy replied as she followed her brother's lead. "Call us when you need us."

"Yeah, when you need us." Jonathan nodded as he led the way to the stairs.

Scruffy stared at the front door. Then he sneezed and followed them.

"Why are we going up here?" Candy asked as soon as they reached the bend in the stairs.

"Because what I've got to show you is up here," her brother replied with a brusque sigh. "Now stop asking silly girl questions and come on. We don't have a lot of time. Mum will be down soon."

"It's not a silly girl question," Candy shot back. "And how long does it take for you to show me some dumb secret?"

"He's not dumb!" Jonathan hissed as he wrenched open the door that gave access to the attic. "He's neat!"

"He?" Candy's eyebrows rose.

Scruffy pushed past them and ran up the stairs. He barked as he arrived in the attic above.

"Come on…" Jonathan led the way again, and his sister followed.

They entered the shrouded world of cobwebs and dust. The attic was cluttered and stuffy. A large cannon dominated the middle of the floor, surrounded by all kinds of naval instruments and accessories hanging from the walls and the ceiling. There was an old desk along with ancient rump-sprung armchairs and a red velvet love seat that had been placed under one of the two tiny windows set beneath the eaves of the house.

"Spooky. Real spooky…" Candy commented with relish as she looked around. "We better not tell Martha about this place, or she'll want to clean it all up and throw everything out."

"Don't worry. He won't let that happen," her brother told her as he played with a small ship's wheel.

Candy sighed. "There you go again with the 'he' again." She looked around. "I don't see anyone up here but us and Scruffy. I certainly don't see any big secret."

At the mention of his name, the dog froze and raised one front paw. He pointed toward the red velvet love seat and growled.

"Are you scared yet?" Jonathan smirked at his sister, suddenly looking very superior. "You can't see him because he won't let you. He only shows himself to the people he likes."

His grin widened. "And to scare off that silly old Claymore Gregg."

He raised his hand and snapped a smart salute. "Good morning, Captain. How are you today?"

He nudged his sister sharply in the ribs. "Say 'good morning'. He wants you to. He said he likes polite children. Then he'll show himself to you."

"Good morning…" Candy said automatically, looking completely confused. "Um, who am I supposed to be talking to?"

Before her brother could reply, a seated male figure began to take shape in front of her startled eyes. She frowned at him and peered closer. He looked like the grumpy old sea captain in the painting down in the living room. She continued to stare as the figure coalesced into a seemingly solid form.

The Captain placed one arm along the back of the seat as he inclined his head gravelly. "Good morning, Candy. It is my pleasure to meet you at last."

"Spooky…" Candy breathed again with awe. "And a neat trick," she added doubtfully.

She turned to glare at her brother. "How'd you do that? You got a hidden camera or something?"

"It's no trick and it really is Captain Gregg," Jonathan announced with relish. "You know, like the guy in the painting downstairs. He's been here all the time. This was his house and he still lives here."

He puffed out his chest. "I told you I had a really big secret. The Captain's it."

He nodded at the ghostly apparition. "He said I could tell you. Kinda like spilling the ghost along with the beans. But you gotta swear to keep it a secret. Only Mum, me and Claymore know he's here. We can't tell anyone else. They wouldn't understand."

"If that's what you want…" Candy edged closer. "I must be dreaming. But you do look kinda real..."

The Captain nodded. "We shall become better acquainted with time. But, for now, what you can see before you is only an illusion. Now you see me – now you…" He clicked his fingers, and he vanished.

"Where'd he go?" Candy asked, looking all around.

"It's one of his tricks. He does that all the time," Jonathan reassured her. "He'll come back when he wants to. But we can talk to him any time and he'll hear us. If we see him or not. He's kinda the house and the house is kinda him."

Candy frowned. "I'm not sure I like the idea of that. Being watched all the time. How will I get anything done?"

"Candy…" Their mother called from the hallway below. "Jonathan? Where are you two? We've got a lot of work to do."

"Coming, Mother!" Jonathan shouted back. "Come on, Sis. We'd better get going. We can come back later and talk with the Captain some more. He says he's got all the time in the world." He called to Scruffy, and the two of them went clattering back down the narrow staircase.

Candy paused in the doorway and looked back. There was nothing to see but dust and cobwebs that moved slightly with her passing.

"See you later, Captain…" she whispered, still not truly believing what she'd just seen.

She shrugged and followed her brother out of the room. She shut the door behind her and clattered back down the narrow stairs.

※※※※※