‘Tell you what,’ she said a few minutes later, as the song ended, ‘I’ll put the video on for you this time and you can all watch it. That might help.’
They all crowded round her and watched in silence.
She was right. Something about seeing the singers and the scenery touched them all.
‘It’s such a long time since I saw the sea,’ Percy said with a sigh.
‘Well, they’re not exactly Paul and John,’ Millie said, ‘but I love their voices. That was actually really nice.’
‘Beautiful,’ Agnes said with an emotional sniff, ‘really beautiful.’
‘Everyone seems to have liked it,’ Immi told Lucy, who beamed in response.
‘Great! So, are we going to have a go at singing it then? Did you ask Lawrie if he’ll join us, Immi?’
Immi nodded. ‘He said he’d be delighted. He should be here any moment. Mia’s going to drop him off because he can’t manage to get to the bus stop on his own any more.’
There was some sadness about that. Lawrie had been an excellent owner of the Harling Estate, and had shown nothing but kindness to the ghosts. The fact that he was growing increasingly infirm and dependent on his former personal assistant was worrying.
‘I wonder if he’ll end up staying with us?’ Ronnie mused. ‘You know, after he’s snuffed it. Will he become one of us, or will he move on?’
It was difficult to think about such things, and Agnes looked quite distraught, so Polly quickly changed the subject.
‘Well, while we’re waiting for Lawrie to arrive, why don’t we all have a bash at singing this song together?’
Immi told Lucy what Polly had suggested and Lucy nodded.
‘I was hoping you’d say that.’ She did something on her laptop and the song lyrics appeared on the screen. ‘Here you go. I’ll have the song playing on another tab and you can read the lyrics as it plays.’
There were some mutterings and awkward shuffling.
‘Er, some of the ghosts might have difficulty reading the lyrics,’ Immi explained hastily. ‘Not everyone was taught to read during their lifetime.’
‘Me and Robert are learnin’ though!’ John said. ‘I’m gettin’ quite good at my letters, aren’t I, Master Tasker?’
‘Indeed you are, thanks to my expert tuition,’ Walter told him, nodding approvingly. ‘You too, Robert.’
‘Sorry,’ Lucy said, looking embarrassed. ‘That was stupid of me. I never thought. I didn’t mean to offend anyone.’
Everyone rushed to assure her that they weren’t offended, even though she couldn’t hear them. Millie passed on their responses and Lucy nodded.
‘Well, those of you whocanfollow the lyrics do so, and those of you who perhaps would struggle, just try to sing along with the others. It’s probably the best way to learn anyway. The more you hear it the more the words will sink in. Please don’t worry. Are you all ready?’
Immi assured her that they were, although there were a few nervous looks exchanged as the ghosts prepared to sing in public for the first time.
It quickly became clear who could actually hold a tune and who definitely couldn’t. Immi and Florrie exchanged amused glances as Isaac bellowed in their ear, and Danny and Harmony winced at poor Brooke’s tone-deaf rendition.
‘My goodness, that sounds splendid!’
They all turned and Lucy stopped the music as Lawrie arrived, rather breathless and leaning heavily on a stick, but looking remarkably cheerful.
‘Isn’t this wonderful?’ he asked no one in particular. ‘What a fantastic idea! And how thoughtful you all are to do such a lovely thing for Brodie and Callie.’
He settled himself in a seat on the front row and gazed up at them, a wide smile on his face.
‘Lawrie! Thanks so much for coming,’ Lucy said, as the ghosts all called a welcome. ‘We’re just about to start auditions. What did you think to the song?’
‘Oh, I love it. “Sunshine on Leith”, right?’
