Read Online The Haunting of Highdown Hall by Shani Struthers - Free Book Online

she could do so, however, the right half of the double doors swung open. Only half visible in the interior gloom was her client, Mr Kierney. As he stepped forward, Ruby got a better view of him. Not a tall man, he was rather delicate in stature, his dark hair peppered with grey and his brown eyes similarly faded.
    “Thank God you’re here.” Ruby was used to such greetings.
    Beckoning them into the Grand Hall, complete with timber panelling and sweeping staircase, Ruby tried not to gawp. Her entire flat could fit into this space alone, she was sure of it. Returning her attention to Mr Kierney, she noticed him wring his hands together. Clearly he was the nervous type, and even more so now thanks to Cynthia.
    “Upstairs,” he said, bypassing any small talk, “it’s mainly upstairs, in what used to be her bedroom. But the whole top floor is, I don’t know, alive with her presence, ironically. She hates me being here, that bloody woman. And it’s not fair;” his manner was petulant almost, “this is my house now, not hers. God knows how Aunt Sally put up with it.”
    Her eyes travelling the length of the staircase, Ruby was curious.
    “Did your aunt ever report any unusual activity?” she asked.
    “Well, no,” Mr Kierney looked surprised to realise this. “Not that I know of anyway. She just holed herself up here after Cynthia died, inconsolable apparently after the death of her beloved mistress. Probably a bit eccentric, like my other aunt, Esme. My mother was the only sane one amongst them.”
    “And your mother, is she...?”
    “Dead,” replied Mr Kierney.
    That explained why Sally had left Highdown Hall to her nephew then, thought Ruby. If Cynthia’s death turned her into a recluse, that was probably why she’d never married or had children. And if the other sister was ‘eccentric’ perhaps she had no one other than Mr Kierney to leave it to.
    “My colleague said you tend to sleep downstairs now. Do you feel safe down here at least?”
    “I’m not sure ‘safe’ is the word.” He looked almost annoyed that Ruby could even suggest such a thing. “But she can’t seem to get me down here. Stays in that bedroom of hers, or of mine I should say, makes a bloody rumpus sometimes.”
    “And you definitely think it’s Cynthia Hart?”
    “Of course I do. Who else could it be?”
    It could be anyone actually, thought Ruby. A spirit passing through, perhaps, somebody who lived here a century or more ago; it was an old house after all – Victorian definitely, some parts of it perhaps older, she’d have to check. But, like Theo, like Mr Kierney, she had a sense it was indeed Cynthia Hart that they were dealing with.
    “Mr Kierney,’ said Ruby at last. “I will need to survey the whole house, not just the bedroom, to make sure her presence is confined. Is that okay?”
    “Yes, yes, that’s fine,” replied Mr Kierney, “but I’m not going with you, up there I mean.”
    “No, you don’t have to. In fact, it’s best we do this on our own.” Then, appalled that she hadn’t done so before, she introduced the young man standing eagerly beside her. “I’m sorry. This is Cash, Cash Wilkins. He’s my, my... assistant.”
    Mr Kierney looked as if he couldn’t give a damn who Cash was, backing away from them as if they too were fearsome entities. Cash, however, looked very much amused.
    “Your assistant?” he said as soon as Mr Kierney had disappeared. “I like it.”
    “Well I could hardly say that you’re some sort of voyeur could I, just in it for the cheap thrills?”
    Cash pretended offense.
    “Hey, I am not some sort of voyeur, I’m genuinely interested.”
    “Really?” Ruby still wasn’t sure.
    “ Really ,” Cash affirmed, his tone more serious now. Trying to explain further, he added, “I don’t know, it just seems really noble what you do, helping grounded spirits to move on, unusual but noble. Talking of which,” he clapped his hands together, “what’s your theory on why