Read Online Ghost Messages by Jacqueline Guest - Free Book Online Page A

if you don’t wake up in forty fathoms of seawater.” He stomped away cursing with some colourful language Ailish had never heard before.
    That had been too close. She clambered out of the byre, brushing as much of the stinky straw as possible off her clothes. A ewe eyed her dubiously, baa-ing her disapproval. Ailish reached back over the railing and patted the animal. “Thanks, old girl.” The ewe must be ready for shearing as she was as round as a stuffed sausage.
    “And thank you, Paddy. I owe you again.” Ailish shook a green gooey mystery gob off her finger.
    Paddy grimaced. “You’d best not let the captain find you like that, O’Connor. He’d have you in the brig for assaulting an officer’s nose!”
    Ailish winced as she caught a whiff of herself. “Ach, you’re right about that. Since the damage is done, I’ll finish my shift cleaning the pens, and then I’ll have a go at myself.”
    “You may want to do us all a favour and have your meals delivered out here!”
    Ailish grinned as she climbed back into the pen.
    Paddy must have thought her truly unfit for human company, because one of the galley crew did deliver her food at the end of the watch – which by then she gratefully accepted, sitting with the fat ewe to eat.
    When it came time to go below and wash, she had no idea how she would accomplish this task. She had a little water left in the jug in her room, but doubted it would be enough to remove the ground-in residue left over after she had scraped the worst off with the straw. And there would still remain the problem of her clothes. She had only what she was wearing and scrubbing them was going to be tough.
    She made it to the safety of her cabin, still wondering what to do about her pungent problem. Once inside the sumptuous state room, she immediately saw a note stuck to the ornate settee. “OPEN ME!”
    It must be from Davy, but what did it mean? She stripped off her soiled breeches and sat down on the couch to re-read the odd note again. “OPEN ME!” Who was me? She looked down at where she was sitting. It was a very beautiful couch…
    Springing to her feet, Ailish pulled up on the seat cushion. It gave on smooth hinges, revealing a large tub hidden beneath. The bath was filled with steaming water and fragrant bubbles. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she laughed. Bless Davy for giving her this fabulous surprise. His timing was perfect – again.
    As she pulled off the rest of her filthy clothes, she noticed a wooden washboard leaning against the end of the tub. Of course. She’d scrub herself first, then her clothes in the same water. They would dry by morning and when next she hunted Rufus Dalton, she’d be as fresh as a daisy.
    She eased down into the bath, relishing the soothing effect of the hot water. Her head was tender where she’d hit it and her muscles ached from wrestling with the massive door, not to mention the hours of mucking out the animal enclosures.
    Grabbing a fistful of the abundant soap suds, she inhaled the lilac scent, leaving a unicorn horn of white froth on her nose. She clapped her hands, squirting bubbles through her fingers then piled more of the fragrant foam on top of her hair in spiralling devil’s horns.
    How had Davy done this magic? She paused. Davy…
    Ailish dove beneath the water, and then peeked over the edge of the tub. “David Jones, you’re not lurking around in here, are you?” she asked the empty room. Silence was her only reply.
    Relieved she was truly alone, she relaxed and lay back in the deep tub thinking of how to find the wonderful horse. Today’s efforts had almost turned into a disaster. She reminded herself to thank Davy for the help in the tunnel and for the much needed bath. As for her prize, she would have to switch tactics to find it.

8
    Discovered!
    -. .- -- . - .-- --- .--. . --- .--. .-.. . .- .. .-.. … .-. ..- -. … .. -. - ---

    When Ailish went below the next morning, she found Davy sitting on his favourite