The Ghost Garden by Emma Carroll

Author:Emma Carroll
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781800900288
Publisher: Barrington Stoke Ltd

Fran gnawed her lip, uneasy all over again. Just when they were about to give up the search, she’d found the one thing that might help them. It was yet another strange coincidence, she was certain of it. Longbarrow was still playing tricks on her.

But it was too late to explain the earlier coincidences to Leo now, when Mrs Walker was calling them for tea.

Chapter 5

Fran wanted to see the burial chamber as much as Leo did, despite her sense of dread. So, when the rain eased, they agreed to meet later that evening. By the time Fran had washed up the supper things, her parents were already dozing in their chairs. The clock on the kitchen mantelpiece showed quarter past seven. Fran put a hand on her stomach to calm herself – ten minutes until she had to leave.

She felt nervous. Excited. Nervous again.

Unable to sit still, Fran pulled on her shoes and tidied her hair. As she opened the door, her mother called out drowsily, “Don’t go too far, love, it’s a bit dimpsy out there.”

“I won’t,” Fran replied. “Just need a bit of fresh air.”

“Meeting a sweetheart are you, eh?” her mother teased.

Fran felt her face turn beetroot red.

“I’ve got a headache, that’s all!” Fran cried, and hurried from the house.

Outside the light was already fading. Rain was forecast again for tomorrow, and the sky was so heavy it almost seemed to press down on the world.

Fran was still bristling at her mother’s comment as she ran down the path that led to the back of Longbarrow House and the kitchens. It was here that she’d meet Leo – with Millie’s assistance.

“I’m glad you two are getting along,” Millie had said when Fran asked for her help. Millie wasn’t sure why they had to hide their plan from Mrs Walker, but relented, saying, “If it’ll keep Leo’s nose out of the evening papers, then why not?”

At the kitchens, Leo was already waiting in the doorway. Millie stood behind him, her arms folded across her chest.

“You’ve got an hour before Mrs Walker notices you’re gone,” Millie warned before slipping back inside.

Fran rubbed her hands together. “Are you ready?” she asked Leo.

“You’re late,” Leo said.

Fran glanced at his wristwatch. “By a minute.”

“That’s still late,” Leo answered.

She was learning that Leo spoke sharply when he was nervous. He didn’t intend to be as rude as he sounded.

“Well, I’m here now,” Fran told him.

Leo shook out the map, spreading it across his knees. Fran tried to read the lines and squiggles, the names written sideways, but she couldn’t get her bearings.

“Show me where the big house is,” Fran demanded.

Leo pointed to Longbarrow House, drawn as a T shape. The long stalk part was the rear of the house, which backed onto the courtyard in front of them.

“And the burial site?” Fran asked.

Leo’s finger landed higher up the paper. “Here.”

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