Chapter 3

The captain could hear Amy’s unnecessary toe-tapping outside his door. He could feel her rising fury without the annoying sound, and it only served to fuel his own anger. He shook his head and closed his eyes. For whatever reason, he just assumed Norman Lamont referred to a man when he made his previous visit. The very idea of this particular woman living underneath his roof sent him reeling. He wasn’t about to let her stay, although he couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason for the resolve.

Despite his wishes, the other residents seemed completely at ease with this unexpected development. The notion of having another female about the premises filled Amy with obvious anticipation. Chauncey and Beau grinned stupidly in her direction once they understood the situation, and even Timothy seemed happy about the turn of events. No. He couldn’t have her here. She needed to leave, and the sooner the better for all concerned. He couldn’t conceive of any reason for the residents of Starling to attach themselves to someone, who even if allowed to stay, wouldn’t be here very long.

“Don’t you dare ignore me, Captain,” Amy seethed. “How could you? Just how could you do such a hateful thing to that lovely girl?”

At once, he came through the door in an irritated huff. “I don’t want her here.”

She glared up at him. “I don’t understand what the big deal is. They have settled her downstairs. She is only going to be with us for a very short while, and you don’t even have to interact with her if you don’t want to. You know, you can be such a bully at times. Why, you should see that poor little thing down there, picking up the things you scattered all over the place. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, sir.” She placed her hands on her hips and stamped her foot in a fit of temper.

He sighed as she disappeared without waiting for the reply he didn’t have. For he did see the girl, and he did feel terrible about his actions. Really he did. But he just couldn’t deal with her being here. Didn’t anybody understand that? He didn’t know if he possessed the strength to stay away from her, and therein lay the problem.

****

After dragging all her suitcases in from outside, Shae spent the next few hours unpacking all of her things. Her empty stomach growled and gnawed in complaint throughout the entire process. However, once she put the last article of clothing away inside the bureau drawer, she recalled Norman mentioning several dinner entrées inside the freezer.

As she entered the kitchen, she could smell the strong scent of lilacs. She looked around expecting to find a bouquet of them somewhere nearby. However, she didn’t find one. Perhaps a potpourri bowl sat amongst the canisters on the countertops. Shrugging it off, she pulled a country-fried steak dinner out of the freezer and popped it into the microwave. She leaned against the counter, and waited for the meal to cook. The steak, smothered in country gravy with mashed potatoes, smelled delicious.

As she sat at the large oak table and ate her dinner, she pondered over the ghosts of Starling. Aulric, her ancient Viking friend, made her life very difficult at first. He didn’t want anyone touching his ship, even to preserve it. The vessel served as his tomb and as he told her often enough, he held very fond memories of the many places the ship had taken him. He didn’t want it trifled with. Therefore, it took them quite awhile to reach an understanding and become friends.

However, during that particular experience she faced just one spirit, not a whole houseful. That meant she would need to make peace with each entity residing here. The task could take some time, depending on the number of ghosts and the temperament of each one. She only hoped that in the meantime, they wouldn’t interfere with her work and the schedule she needed to keep.

She got up from the table and cleaned up the remnants of her dinner before she ventured out of the kitchen. An eerie silence had settled upon the house. The only discernable sound she could hear came from the soft tapping of her own footsteps as they echoed on the hardwood floors. That unnerving silence made her aware the pacing of the spiritual entity upstairs had ceased.

She stepped through the hallway and into the drawing room. The rhythmic ticks of the stately clock greeted her as she approached the piece for a better look. For several moments, she followed the swaying of the brass pendulum. Followed that is, until all of a sudden, the pendulum ceased to swing. The heavy brass arm impossibly positioned itself all the way to the right of the glass case, defying gravity. The clock grew silent and the lights from the wall sconces dimmed of their own accord. Any hint of moisture fled her mouth, and she found it difficult to swallow past the knot in her throat.

Nonetheless, she refused to show the spirit or spirits her fear. She continued her thorough unhurried inspection of the room. The small porcelain pieces, she picked up and examined. Her fingers swept over the softness of the furniture fabrics. She even took a moment to gaze out the window and appreciate the nighttime view. All the while, her thoughts centered on the ghostly inhabitants of this house. Once she turned away from the window, the clock resumed its normal function and the lights returned to their customary brightness. Did it surprise them that she didn’t scream and go running from the house after their display? Better yet, would her actions make a difference on how they perceived her?

She tugged on her bottom lip as she glanced upward at the ceiling. Perhaps she shouldn’t put off the inevitable. Should she try to engage the pacing spirit first? After taking a deep breath, she made her way out of the drawing room and over to the staircase. Yet, even as she approached the first step, she paused. She wondered if she should attempt to offer her friendship so soon, considering the welcome she received earlier.

No matter. The task needed doing. Shae ignored the thumping of her heart, took hold of the hand-carved banister, and ascended the stairs. As she stepped onto the landing, she could smell the rich scent of lilacs once again. The pleasant odor wafted off to the left. She decided to follow it.

The scent led her to a set of white double doors on the left side of the hallway. She gave them a gentle knock before she dropped her hand on the knob, turned the brass antique handle, and opened the door. After peeking inside and finding nothing out of the ordinary, she entered the room. She explored along the wall for the light switch and once she found it, she flipped it upward. An exquisite crystal chandelier, hanging center of the ceiling, filled the room with light.

As her eyes swept over the room, her gaze settled on a small table holding an impressive chess set off to the left. Two wooden chairs sat on opposite sides of the game board. She strolled over for a better look. The elegant red and ivory pieces were carved in the distinctive barleycorn style and placed in such a manner that it looked as if a game were in progress. An overstuffed, comfortable looking sofa and two matching chairs sat opposite the game table. She could see plenty of room for a TV in front of the furniture if she decided to put one in this room. If nothing else, a television would serve to add a bit of noise to the otherwise silent house. Perhaps she ought to consider a stereo as well.

She turned her attention to an intricately carved music stand, which stood in front of the tall center window. The stand held either a fife or pennywhistle on its shelf. Curiosity getting the better of her, she stepped over and picked the instrument up. She began tracing the smooth wooden tube with her fingertips. One played the piece from the side instead of the front, and that made it a fife. She returned it to the shelf and made her way to the piano.

The magnificent mahogany baby grand took up most of the space on the right side of the room. She brushed against the ivory keys with a backward stroke of her hand. Her lips curved into a smile. Notwithstanding the spiritual activity at Starling, and the ghosts’ distaste for the living, someone dutifully kept the piano in tune. She eased herself down on the bench and placed her hands on the keyboard. Even though she hadn’t touched a piano in quite awhile, she couldn’t resist her first opportunity to play a baby grand.

She tried to recall something she could play without benefit of sheet music. After thinking for a moment, she began to play Mozart’s Concerto No 21 in C Major, her father’s favorite. Her fingers remembered each note to perfection. While playing the song, the first inkling of unseen company filtered into the room. The slight chill and heaviness in the air told her that at least one spirit stood in her presence, and in all likelihood, several spirits surrounded the piano. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest. She took a deep gulping breath, put something she hoped resembled a smile on her face, and stood up from the bench. Her gaze swept across the room in its entirety before she walked into the center of the room.

“Good evening.” She peered all around her, not knowing exactly where the spirits stood. Nothing like speaking to an empty wall. Nevertheless, she filled her lungs with a bit of needed air and said, “If you don’t mind, I would like to introduce myself to everyone. Perhaps I could tell you a little bit about me and why I’m here.”

No one responded to her friendly overture. Shae knew very well that spirits could speak audibly if they chose to do so. In fact, they could appear as solid as any person still living if they wanted to. Or at least, Aulric could.

“My name is Shae Lynn Montgomery. I am the daughter of Bret and Amanda Montgomery, and I have three siblings. My twin sisters, Jennifer and Candice, are two years older than I am. The baby of our family is Nicole and she just turned twenty-four. We were all born and raised in the state of Washington. Just in case you don’t know where that is, it’s on the northwest coast along the Pacific. The last several years I have studied and worked in Norway, though.”

Rambling on about nothing, to what appeared a room devoid of people, made her feel a little silly. But since she could still feel their presence, she persevered.

“My love for the Norse culture fueled my desire to seek a degree in the ancient history of that particular civilization and its mythology. Along the way, I became fluent in both the Norwegian and Danish languages. This in turn, led me here.

“You see, someone discovered some old military records, journals, and letters inside a home very near this one. I believe they found them in an old trunk, hidden away in an attic. Anyway, they found the bulk of these records written in the Norwegian language, and most all of them deal with the Wisconsin Fifteenth Regiment. This Regiment gained the reputation of fighting valiantly during the Civil War on behalf of the Union army. They played a big part in some of the major battles that took place in both Georgia and here in Tennessee. I’m told most of the men in this unit were either Norwegian or Danish by birth or heritage.”

Shae stopped short as she heard the sound of a loud reverberating thump coming from the bottom of the door as if someone had kicked it. Once again, her heart accelerated as she waited for something or someone to come through the door or wall. But nothing more manifested itself. She furrowed her brow as she wondered if what she said provoked or offended the spirits in some way.

Not knowing what else to do, she continued her narrative. “Coincidentally, the uh, commander of the Wisconsin Fifteenth is a great-grandfather to one of my professors in Norway. I should probably mention the people of Norway are just as proud of this man, Hans Christian Heg, as are the people here in the United States. After the discovery of the documents, the men in charge of the National Military Park in Chickamauga, Georgia decided to create a new display featuring Heg and his Wisconsin Fifteenth Regiment.

“Once my professor got wind of this display, he wanted to create a similar exhibit at a museum in Lierbyen, Norway. And so, the project grew. The men got together and discussed the various needs of each exhibit. At that meeting, they decided to have all the records written in the Norwegian language translated into English. Records originally written in English concerning the regiment need translation into Norwegian, and perhaps even Danish for the museum in Norway. They have asked me to do this work, and I have accepted. The office they have assembled downstairs is where I will do the translation of all these documents.”

While she spoke, Shae suddenly felt the intense cold she associated with anger or sorrow. She hadn’t given it a thought before this moment, but perhaps Civil War soldiers stood in this room with her now. Some of them might have met their death at the battle of Chickamauga or Chattanooga, either Union or Confederate. The park rested just a little way across the border. Of their own volition, her eyes traveled toward the music room entrance, drawn there by an unseen force.

****

The captain vaulted upright from the door he leaned against, as she revealed her full purpose. He folded his arms against his chest, firmed his jaw, and shook his head in response to her words. Any weakening to his resolve he might have felt earlier instantly evaporated. The woman needed to leave this house, and if he had anything to say about it, she would leave right now.

Shaelynn Montgomery knit her brow and fixed her gaze upon him. She looked confused and uncertain. Did she feel his disapproval? He could only hope she did and that the feeling would be enough to make her voluntarily leave this house.

“Look, I should only be here for a year or so. I can promise you, I do not intend to take over your home. So, while I am here, I am hoping we can be friends,” she said.

The captain sighed inwardly as he looked into each hopeful face of his companions. They wanted the girl to stay, and therefore, would do everything in their power to make that happen. Yet, it stunned him when she spoke of her purpose here. He served with the valiant men of the Wisconsin Fifteenth she so casually mentioned. Most of the men who served in that regiment, he knew personally, especially those under his command.

The last thing he expected or wanted to hear was that someone hired her to translate records from his division. That endeavor would lead her to read, perhaps even translate, what history recorded about him. He knew he could not bear the loathing that would surely fill those expressive green eyes once she did.

Frustration overwhelmed him. The anger over his impossible situation consumed him all over again. He made a step toward her.

“Wait a minute, Captain. Just wait,” Amy begged as she suddenly blocked his path, halting his progress. “Give this some thought before you do anything rash.”

He said nothing in return as he simply moved around her and continued his path across the room. Once he stood just in front of the girl, he came to an abrupt halt. Though difficult to appear brutish, he leaned down toward her face and growled out, “You are not wanted or welcome in this house. Leave now, before you regret coming here at all.”

In response to his dire warning, Shaelynn wrapped her arms around her waist. Her eyes flashed with anger instead of fright, and she lifted her chin a notch in defiance. She placed her focus in the direction of his voice.

“I’m truly sorry you feel that way. Really, I am,” she said between clenched teeth. “But unfortunately for you, I’m not going anywhere, and you are just going to have to find a way to deal with that. Now, you’ll have to excuse me. It’s been a very long day. I’m exhausted, and I’m going to my bed downstairs, in my bedroom.”

Without waiting for a reply, she stomped out of the room. She took one final look over her shoulder before she slammed the door as hard as she could, and in a fit of pique hollered back through the door, “Goodnight! I’ll see you all in the morning!”

He listened to her footsteps descending the stairs before he turned around. He looked into the eyes of his companions before he settled his gaze on Amy. She placed her hands on her hips and glared.

“I don’t want to hear it, Amy!” the captain thundered as he looked at her recriminating expression. “You know I can’t let her stay. Not now. Not after what she just said. We both know that.”

“She might be able to help you,” Amy retorted. “Why don’t you stop being so bull-headed, and just give her a chance?”

“A chance to do what?” he shot back. “Look at me like everyone else did? Judge me without having all of the facts?”

“What if she doesn’t?” She tilted her chin a notch as she presented the argument.

The captain sighed despairingly and closed his eyes. “What if she does?” he whispered. Without waiting for a reply, he retreated to his room to save further argument.