that I’d put there not long ago were still in the room, but nothing else. I’d cleared out all of my great-aunt’s stuff a while back. The place had been full of all kinds of eccentric things, the Book of Mystics being the strangest. But now the bat was nowhere in sight.
Chapter 16
“Are you sure you saw a bat up here?” Arthur asked.
I eased over closer to the spot where I’d seen the creature. “I’m sure. It was hanging right here.” I pointed.
Arthur moved one of the boxes to see if it was hiding back there. “It’s not back here. Maybe there’s a spot in the window and it got out.”
“There are no cracks in the windows and they’re closed,” I said as I stood beside the window.
I peered down at the lawn. Darkness covered the space. I couldn’t make out anything.
“Maybe you were just imagining things,” he said.
I’d known he would say that. I turned to face him. “I really don’t think that’s the case.”
“Have you ever seen a bat in here before?” He moved a couple boxes and looked under them.
I blew the hair out of my eyes. “No, thank goodness. What if it somehow got out and now it’s out in the main part of the house?” I was sure he could sense the panic in my voice. I couldn’t help it. I didn’t like those things.
“I’m sure if it’s hiding anywhere it won’t bother you. I can take care of it for you in the morning.”
“That would be great. Thank you,”I said .
Arthur followed me out of the attic. I pulled the door closed behind us. I peered around, looking for the bat.
He touched my arm. “Don’t worry, it won’t get you.”
I attempted a smile. “I guess you’re right.”
I could handle a lot of scary stuff, but I wasn’t sure a bat was on that list. Arthur walked with me down the hallway to the stairs.
“Well, goodnight,” I said. “Thanks again.”
“Think nothing of it.” He studied my face, which made me a little uncomfortable.
I turned and went down to the second floor. I’d forgotten to apologize if I had woken him with my overreacting to the bat. Once back in my bedroom, I crawled back under the covers and tried to forget about what had happened.
How had he known to find me down that hallway? I hadn’t thought anyone knew about that area of the house. Maybe he had been snooping around. I supposed that was natural in a house like this. I would do the same .
For the longest time, I stared at the ceiling. There were only a few hours left before breakfast time. Guests would expect me to have it prepared at a reasonable hour. I tossed and turned, but still couldn’t drift off. I closed my eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come.
I was still wide awake when I heard a noise again. This sounded different. It was like footsteps. Someone must be walking in the hall. Normally that wouldn’t be odd, but after everything that had happened I was a little concerned.
I was too curious and had to know what was going on out there. I slipped out of bed and over to my door. I eased the door open and peeked out, but didn’t see anyone. Now the footsteps sounded as if they were going down the stairs. I decided to go down and be snoopy. If it was Cora up to her potion-making, I would find out. Once over at the stairs, I peered down, but didn’t see anyone .
It looked like whoever it was had already made it to the bottom. I eased down the stairs, trying to not make any noise. I didn’t want to let whoever was down there know that I was coming too. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I thought I heard whispers coming from downstairs. Either I had another ghost or someone was down there talking. So maybe it was more than one person. But where were they? I moved through the foyer and into the parlor.
No one was in the parlor or the library. But I heard voices and was almost sure they were coming from the kitchen. Arthur and Ben were in the kitchen—I recognized the voices. Maybe they were just getting a snack. Since it was five o’clock in the
Chapter 16
“Are you sure you saw a bat up here?” Arthur asked.
I eased over closer to the spot where I’d seen the creature. “I’m sure. It was hanging right here.” I pointed.
Arthur moved one of the boxes to see if it was hiding back there. “It’s not back here. Maybe there’s a spot in the window and it got out.”
“There are no cracks in the windows and they’re closed,” I said as I stood beside the window.
I peered down at the lawn. Darkness covered the space. I couldn’t make out anything.
“Maybe you were just imagining things,” he said.
I’d known he would say that. I turned to face him. “I really don’t think that’s the case.”
“Have you ever seen a bat in here before?” He moved a couple boxes and looked under them.
I blew the hair out of my eyes. “No, thank goodness. What if it somehow got out and now it’s out in the main part of the house?” I was sure he could sense the panic in my voice. I couldn’t help it. I didn’t like those things.
“I’m sure if it’s hiding anywhere it won’t bother you. I can take care of it for you in the morning.”
“That would be great. Thank you,”I said .
Arthur followed me out of the attic. I pulled the door closed behind us. I peered around, looking for the bat.
He touched my arm. “Don’t worry, it won’t get you.”
I attempted a smile. “I guess you’re right.”
I could handle a lot of scary stuff, but I wasn’t sure a bat was on that list. Arthur walked with me down the hallway to the stairs.
“Well, goodnight,” I said. “Thanks again.”
“Think nothing of it.” He studied my face, which made me a little uncomfortable.
I turned and went down to the second floor. I’d forgotten to apologize if I had woken him with my overreacting to the bat. Once back in my bedroom, I crawled back under the covers and tried to forget about what had happened.
How had he known to find me down that hallway? I hadn’t thought anyone knew about that area of the house. Maybe he had been snooping around. I supposed that was natural in a house like this. I would do the same .
For the longest time, I stared at the ceiling. There were only a few hours left before breakfast time. Guests would expect me to have it prepared at a reasonable hour. I tossed and turned, but still couldn’t drift off. I closed my eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come.
I was still wide awake when I heard a noise again. This sounded different. It was like footsteps. Someone must be walking in the hall. Normally that wouldn’t be odd, but after everything that had happened I was a little concerned.
I was too curious and had to know what was going on out there. I slipped out of bed and over to my door. I eased the door open and peeked out, but didn’t see anyone. Now the footsteps sounded as if they were going down the stairs. I decided to go down and be snoopy. If it was Cora up to her potion-making, I would find out. Once over at the stairs, I peered down, but didn’t see anyone .
It looked like whoever it was had already made it to the bottom. I eased down the stairs, trying to not make any noise. I didn’t want to let whoever was down there know that I was coming too. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I thought I heard whispers coming from downstairs. Either I had another ghost or someone was down there talking. So maybe it was more than one person. But where were they? I moved through the foyer and into the parlor.
No one was in the parlor or the library. But I heard voices and was almost sure they were coming from the kitchen. Arthur and Ben were in the kitchen—I recognized the voices. Maybe they were just getting a snack. Since it was five o’clock in the
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