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“Probably just as well. I was always up to no good.”
It was a let off. And she was relieved. She wasn’t quite sure where those words had come from. She could probably blame tiredness, coldness or just being creeped out by this empty house. But it was none of those things and she knew it. Andrew Campbell was getting under her skin.
“I don’t believe that for a second. You were probably the teacher’s pet.” Best to keep it light. High flirtation when there were only two people in the house would be a recipe for disaster – especially when she was supposed to be working.
But Andrew let out a laugh. “I don’t think I would ever be described as that.”
Juliette took another sip of her tea. She had no idea what was going on here. She’d never so much as flirted with a co-worker before, let alone had the current thoughts that were circulating around in her head. It was time to change tack. Andrew had always kept quiet about his private life. But sitting in his ancient, and apparently haunted family house gave her the courage to pry a little. “How did you end up in London anyway? And a cameraman? Weren’t you supposed to stay up here and play Scottish Laird?”
Something flitted across his eyes. Something that told her this was anything but a game.
His eyes were fixed on his cup and it was obvious he was thinking carefully before he answered.
“This house is far too big for one person. I don’t have any brothers and sisters and although the estate has a lot of land, what is doesn’t have is a lot of money. There was some inheritance with the estate – but it won’t last forever.” He looked upwards. “If I need a new roof that will just about finish the inheritance.”
Suddenly her question seemed a whole lot more personal than she’d intended.
“What about the houses? The people that stay here, on the estate? Don’t you own them too?”
He let out a long, slow breath. It was the first time she’d noticed how tired he looked. How it seemed as if he had a huge weight pressing down on him. Family business. That’s why he’d said he needed to come back. But where exactly was Andrew’s family?
“The houses are part of the estate. The tenants pay rent, but for most of the houses, generations of families have stayed there. Most of them work in, or around the estate. It doesn’t generate much income.” He looked around him. “Places like this are a money pit. You wouldn’t believe the quotes I’ve had to get the roof fixed – and that’ll be the third time in three years.”
“Is that why you work in London as a cameraman?”
He sighed. “Partly. It’s a steady income and pay rates are higher in London. That, and I need to cover my mother’s nursing home fees. She had a stroke a few years ago. Because of its architecture, Garnock Hall is a listed building. All repairs have to be approved. Most of them cost a fortune.”
Juliette could see the strain on his face. She had no real idea how much a cameraman in London earned, but Garnock Hall looked like a regular money pit. It must drain every bit of money he made.
“Have you ever thought of doing something else with this place?”
“Like what?”
“Weddings. A hotel. Tours. A party venue.”
“In a listed building?”
“Why not?” She leaned across the table and grabbed his hand. It was surprisingly warm compared to the chill in the air around them. “Andrew, we’ve been asked to make another episode of Haunted Ever After over Christmas. In any episode we do, we always feature the house and its history. I haven’t seen this place in daylight yet, but I imagine it looks pretty dramatic surrounded by snow. Why don’t we lay it on thick? Really, play up to the audience. Other places that we’ve featured have paying guests, why should Garnock Hall be any different?”
His hand moved slightly under hers but didn’t pull away. “It’s nice of you to suggest it. But I don’t think that would work here. We’d need permission for any change in use. And the most important factor doesn’t really apply.”
“What?” She was confused, mainly because his fingers were starting to intertwine with hers. It seemed to be a subconscious rather than a deliberate act, but she liked it all the same.
He leaned across the table towards her and whispered. “I don’t really think Garnock Hall is haunted.” He was smiling at her again with those straight white teeth, revealing little dimples in his cheeks. He must have been such a cute kid.
Right now, there was day-old stubble darkening the outline of his chin. It could scrape away the itch she currently had on her shoulder, and a couple of other places too…
She smiled back. It was infectious. “I’m shocked, Mr Campbell. I was sure that all the crew on Haunted Ever After believed in ghosts.”
His fingers gave a little tug on hers. “But not all the crew know that some of the things that go bump in the night are really special effects.”
He looked down at her almost empty piece of paper. “Where were we? I think I started this list with turkey. It’s your turn.”
He still hadn’t let go her fingers. Even though she wrote with her right hand, there was no way she was pulling her hand away. “If you’re going to get a turkey from a farm, please tell me it won’t be a real, live squawking turkey.”
He shook his head. “Would that freak you out?”
“Absolutely.” She looked at the blank list again. “To be honest, I wasn’t joking when I said I know nothing about Christmas dinner. But I was on this website the other day. The Bramble House Blog. It had Christmas recipes from all over the world, including ones for the UK. I’m sure it showed something about cooking a turkey, Brussels sprouts with bacon and how to make stuffing. Can’t we go online and download the recipes? That would be much simpler.”
He glanced sideways and moved a little in his chair. She could sense the bad news. “What is it?”
“Eh, I don’t exactly have internet reception at Garnock Hall. It’s one of the things I’ve been meaning to do.”
This time she did pull her hand free. Her bag was lying on the floor at her feet. “That’s okay, we can use my phone.” She turned it around to face him. “See?”
He grimaced and she turned the screen back around. No signal. Not even a glimmer of a signal.
“You don’t get a 3G signal around here?”
He shook his head. “I can get a 3G signal if I walk to the top of the hill in the distance. There’s no signal in the village either. We could try tomorrow morning before we go shopping?”
Juliette groaned and put her head on the table. “I should have brought my Christmas-dinner-for-one. At least then we wouldn’t starve.”
Andrew stood up and picked up the cups and toast plates, walking over to the sink. “We won’t starve, Juliette. I’ll think of something.”
Her stomach gave a growl in protest. Even though she’d eaten the toast she was still hungry. “What about decorations? You must have some somewhere. Don’t you think we should try and make this place look a little festive considering the episode will be going out just after Christmas?”
She walked over to the sink where he’d started washing dishes.
“I suppose so. I’m not sure what room they’re in. We’ll have decorations somewhere.” It was a bit noncommittal. Maybe he really was the Christmas Grinch?
She folded her arms across her chest, leaned against the worktop and let her imagination run riot. “This place must have been gorgeous at Christmas. A big tree, in front of a roaring fire. Green and red garlands across the fireplace and winding up the banister on the stairs. Little silver lights strung across the windows. I could just imagine this place being used for a film set, or a TV series like that period drama last year.” Her hand flew up to her mouth. “That’s it, Andrew. That’s what this place would do best for. That’s how you should market it. It’s a perfect film set. Out of the way, lots of land. Undisturbed filming. It could be the answer to all your problems.”
But instead of looking happy, Andrew looked furious. “What problems? Why would I want strangers t
ramping around the place? There are only a few rooms in regular use. The rest would need to be redecorated. I don’t have time to do that. I spend most of my year in London. I’m only here as it is to sort out the repairs.”
She stepped forward and put her hand on his soapy wrists. “No. That’s just it. I’d leave the TV companies to do the decorating themselves. It could be part of your contract. That way, some of the rooms in the house could be done up at their expense not yours.”
But Andrew didn’t look convinced. “I’m not sure I want people in my family home. You’re the first person I’ve ever brought here – and that wasn’t exactly planned.”
Way to make a girl feel welcome.
He must have realised what he said, because he started babbling again. It was kind of nice to watch Andrew get hot and bothered. She’d never noticed at work before, but when it was just the two of them, he definitely seemed to suffer from foot-in-mouth syndrome. “A Christmas tree I can do. I’ve got a whole forest of them. We’ll go tomorrow afternoon and cut one down and drag it back to the house.”
