Page 24 of The Right to Remain Single

“I shall do my best,” James said, meaning it.

“Your best?” The ghost struck his spear on the wall, making a faint echo of a thud. “You will win her. There is no choice.”

James bridled. Another obnoxious male trying to exert his authority over a female who was perfectly competent to decide for herself! “The choice is hers.”

“Fool!” cried the ghost, stomping on the wall and poising his spectral spear.

“Stop it, Max!” Thomasina pointed at James and said “Amicus!” again.

“Coward!” roared Max.

She grasped James’s arm. “He sounds dreadfully hostile. Why doesn’t he believe you’re my friend?”

“He does, but we’re having problems communicating. It’s hardly surprising, given the fourteen hundred years between us.” He shouldn’t expect rational views, with which many men even now disagreed, from a man born in a barbarous age—but nor could he agree. He gritted his teeth and switched to Latin. “Times have changed since you were alive, Decimus Maximus. As I said, the choice is hers.”

“Evil has not changed,” Max bellowed. “Danger lurks. Deadly peril abounds. Win her, craven barbarian, or—”

He broke off mid-sentence, his spectral eyes deepening to black pits, and leapt off the wall with a howl of rage. Instinctively, James put his arms around Thomasina and held her close—but Max thudded past them.

“The Evil One!” he cried.

They turned, still clasped together. At the edge of the orchard stood Samuel Furbelow and Brother Antoine. The ghost lunged toward them, aiming his spear. “Die, accursed one! Die!”

The monk cowered, crossing himself again and again, and fell backwards under an apple tree. Snow slid from its branches and landed on his bare pate.

Samuel Furbelow threw back his head and laughed. Max hurled his spear straight at Sam. It passed right through him, and then the ghost was gone.

* * *

James loosened his arms from about Thomasina, so she had perforce to step away. What a pity, for she felt safe in his embrace.

She shuddered. Sam’s laughter curdled her blood in a way no ghostly wail could ever do. He’d been unnerved by the ghost in the past—as most people who couldn’t see him were—but not anymore. He hadn’t even flinched, while as for the poor monk—

She got ahold of herself and hurried over to him. “Are you all right, Brother Antoine?”

“He’s a sniveling idiot,” Sam said with a last snort of laughter. “But if he had any doubt that the ghost is evil, he doesn’t anymore.”

“Shut your horrid mouth, Samuel Furbelow,” Thomasina said. The monk stood, brushed himself off, and crossed himself again with trembling hands.

“Come now, Tommie-love. You were as scared as he was, clinging to Blakely as if your life depended on it.” Sam chuckled. “Fun for Blakely, no doubt.”

“I wasn’t afraid. I was surprised. Max would never harm me.”

Sam giggled, a dreadful, lunatic sound. “You don’t have any Latin, do you? I didn’t pay much attention in school, but I recognize curses when I hear them. Frightfully entertaining but completely useless. He can threaten Brother Antoine all he likes, but when it comes down to it, he’s nothing but a ghost.” He giggled again, and a shiver ran down her spine. “Was he shaking his fist and grimacing? A pity I can’t see him. I’d like to laugh in his face.”

Brother Antoine looked at Sam as if he were mad. “You must not, monsieur. This ghost is dangerous. He is capable of any infamy.”

Sam swung round to the unhappy monk. “He’s nothing but bluster. Start praying your heart out. Tomorrow night you’ll do the exorcism.”

“No, he will not,” Thomasina said. “Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. And he mayn’t do it on Christmas Day, either.”

The monk nodded. “Oui, mademoiselle. It would not be right.”

Sam rolled his eyes, but conceded. “Oh, very well. You’ll just have to put up with me for longer, won’t you?” He leered. “I don’t mind being stuck in a house with a tantalizingly lovely female.”

She reddened. “You’re disgusting, Sam.”

“It’s my life’s work.” He sneered at poor Brother Antoine. “Maybe if you pray all through Christmas, you’ll have the stomach to deal with the ghost.”