“So that’s her?”
Coop jumped, startled from his reverie. He hadn’t heard his mother’s approach.
“Is that the girl?” she repeated, nodding toward the citadel.
“That’s the girl.” He didn’t try to deny it. After so many mentions of Lia last summer, he’d had to explain who she was. “What did you think of Mrs. Savage?” he asked. “Do you think she’ll be hard to work with?”
“She’s a go-getter, that one.” His mother shot him a little frown at his deflection, but she went along. “She and her husband, both. I like their children. Those twin boys must be a handful for her. So much energy.”
“Last summer Ez used to talk a lot about their antics,” Coop said. “When I said they sounded like troublemakers, he insisted they’re good kids, just really curious and creative.”
“Well, curious and creative can be a problem when you’re running a hotel,” his mother said. “Since you know them, do you really think we have a better chance of being retained?”
“I only knew Lia and Ezra,” Coop said. “We’ll just have to make a good impression for our own sake.”
“Um, about that ….” She pulled a face.
“Mum,” Coop turned to face her, “what did you do?”
“I told Mrs. Savage about the ghost.” At his expression, she hurried on, “I had to. I couldn’t let that family move in there and not be warned.”
“And she didn’t take it well, did she?” He might have to apply for that job in Sacramento after all. How ironic.
“No, she didn’t.” His mother crossed her arms. “I think she was quite rude about it.”
“Aw, Deb. You didn’t,” His father groaned. “Now they don’t just think I’m incompetent, they think you’re a crackpot.”
“Crackpot, my foot!” She spun to face Pop. “I had to say something. I just saw all those children … that dear little girl. What if he kicked something ather?” His mother’s eyes brightened with tears. “Ihadto.”
“How about this?” Coop put an arm across her shoulders and looked at his father. “Act like nothing’s happened. No mention of rope tricks. No ghost warnings. No ghost sightings at all.” He raised his hand to stop their protests. “It shouldn’t be hard. He’s not that active. We need to give them time to know us better. Mum, you did your duty by them; they’ve been warned. It’s in their hands now.”
“He might be right, Deb.” His father waved her over.
“I need to get back and help them unpack,” Coop said. “I’ll put the riding lawnmower back later.”
He whistled as he returned to the citadel. What a gift he’d been handed. Lia, here. He wouldn’t let the opportunity pass him by a second time.
As long as her father didn’t let them go.
***
Lia
I’m not sure what I expected. Surprisingly, the Internet had few photos of the citadel and most of them were from the outside. Ezra and I had spent a lot of time online checking out pictures of restored modern-day castles. Most of them functioned as hotels and had lavish decorations.
The distant relative who’d owned the place before us hadn’t gone to those extremes. It struck me as odd that our Savage ancestor who’d bothered to take this place apart and ship it here hadn’t brought more furniture with him. I glanced at my mother, whose smile grew as she took in the large entry.
“Do you like it, Mom?” I asked.
“Oh, honey. This isperfect. Don’t you love those suits of armor? This entry hall can double as the check-in desk and a sitting room.” She’d let go of Mellie’s hand and was pulling a notepad from her purse.
“Sweetheart, check this out,” Dad said.
“Lia,” Mom said as Dad pulled her toward the east tower, “don’t let Mellie out of your sight.”
“I won’t.”
Ezra winked at Mellie and followed the boys, who had run off toward the west tower, the opposite direction from our parents. I took my sister’s hand, and we followed our brothers.
