Seen it and seen through it.
A woman, dark hair, beautiful, pale face, her long hair streaming as if caught in a fierce wind and her old-fashioned violet dress floating in tatters around her.
Her expression was filled with blatant, frightening, evil hatred.
Abby had had no time to react when the vision moved toward her so fast it was shocking.
Abby screamed the terror that suddenly gripped her just as she felt a sharp thrust between her shoulder blades. She just got the chance to lift her hand to cushion her fall but the push was so strong, her hand went through the mirror. The mirror shattered around her wrist, the shards cutting her and the sudden pain mixed with some water on the floor and being off kilter made Abby slip. She went down, her forehead, with her weight and momentum behind it, slamming against the basin.
And then everything went black until she was in Cash’s arms.
And at that moment, lying on the sofa, Abby knew she had to get out of there.
Now.
“Cash,” she whispered urgently and his eyes went from her arm to her face.
“Quiet, darling,” he muttered, his gaze lifted to her forehead and narrowed.
Then his hand left her arm and came to her face, his palm resting against her cheekbone as his thumb cautiously tested the bump on her forehead.
At his tentative touch, Abby winced at the pain and jerked her head against the cushion of the sofa. Cash’s hand moved away immediately and his eyes locked on hers.
“Fucking hell,” he swore.
Abby didn’t have time for her possible concussion. There was a haunting afoot and apparently the ghost in residence did not like her.
At all.
“We need to get out of here,” Abby demanded, not caring about appearing rude in front of her audience because she thought it was more important to exit the premises immediately since the place was fucking haunted.
Cash had no time to respond for Honor arrived, announcing, “I’ve got the towels.”
Cash’s head came up. “Get me a bowl of warm water. Gentle soap.” Clearly whoever he was addressing hesitated because he barked, “Now!”
Abby’s eyes moved and she saw Honor scurry from the room as Nicola turned to Fenella.
“Get a flannel, dear. With some ice,” Nicola requested.
Abby’s hand came to Cash’s arm and she tried to lift up.
“Cash, really, we have to go,” she said but Nicola was at the side of the sofa.
The lady leaned in, tucking a pillow under Abby’s head as she pressed on Abby’s shoulder to settle her back.
“Just be still, Abby. Let Cash have a good look at you,” Nicola cajoled softly.
Abby’s eyes went from Nicola to Cash who was wrapping her arm in a towel. On the way there she caught Alistair staring daggers at her from his place behind the couch.
It was then Abby realised that she was going to have to be clever.
This was not good. At the best of times, Abby was far from clever.
However, clever at that moment included not informing them she’d just seen an actual ghost, much less been viciously shoved into a mirror by one.
“I’m sure I’m all right,” she told Alistair.
“You’re not going to sue me are you?” Alistair demanded to know and Nicola gasped.
Then she snapped, “Alistair! What’s the matter with you?”
His eyes moved to his wife. “She’s American. They sue.”
“I’m not going to sue you,” Abby assured him and pushed up on her free elbow. “I’m really all right. I just slipped on some water and fell.”
Cash’s eyes pinned her and he commanded, “Lay back.”
“Really, I’m fine. I just feel a little silly, that’s all,” she told Cash.
“Abby, lay back,” Cash repeated.
“Cash –” Abby started.
“Abby, fucking… lay… back,” Cash clipped, eyes narrowing and since he was using the f-word in that way, Abby felt it prudent to do as he commanded.
She laid back.
“Here’s the water,” Honor arrived with a glass bowl of soapy water and a tea towel, Trevor at her heels. She laid the bowl on the table by the sofa and Cash turned to it immediately.
“Do you need me to call the ambulance, sir?” Trevor asked Alistair.
“No!” Abby cried. An ambulance might take forever and she needed to get out of there before the black-haired phantom came back, dragged her up the nearest steep stairwell only to send her plunging back down to her grisly death. “I’m fine. Honestly.”
“Call the ambulance,” Cash ordered Trevor.
“Cash, I said I’m fine,” Abby butted in as Trevor left the room.
Cash’s eyes came to her. “You lost consciousness.”
“I know but –”
“I want them to look at you,” he went on.
“Well, I understand that, but I can tell you I’m –”
“Abby, this isn’t up for discussion,” he finished and the way he spoke those words said plainly he was finished.
“Oh all right,” she muttered but she didn’t even attempt to do it with good grace.
At that, Cash’s face changed, went soft, his black eyes grew warm and he murmured, “Now I’m beginning to think you’re fine.”
Abby jumped at her chance. “Good, then can we –?”
“No,” he cut her off shortly.
She gave him a glare.
He accepted it calmly then turned back to the water.
“Here’s the ice!” Fenella, for some reason, shrieked upon entry and rushed forward.
Nicola took the ice and sat on the arm of the sofa, holding it lightly to Abby’s forehead while Cash deftly but cautiously cleansed her arm.
Abby rolled her eyes up and looked at Nicola. “I’m so sorry I ruined your lovely evening.”
“Hush, dear. This didn’t ruin anything. Let’s just get you seen to,” Nicola replied kindly and Abby went silent and decided to spend her time not thinking about her imminent death at the hands of a see-through spectre, but instead, contemplating her evening.
Abby liked Nicola, she would be hard not to like; Nicola was lovely.
Abby also thought she might like Fenella and Honor. They were both a little unusual but in entirely different ways. Fenella was kind of cute, in a drama queen, slightly grating way. Honor was harder to read but Abby got the weird sensation that her prickly demeanour was a defence mechanism, against what, Abby didn’t know.
Alistair was a contradiction. Instinctively upon meeting him, Abby didn’t like him. His eyes were strange, definitely calculating and almost cruel. But his manner was welcoming and friendly. Abby didn’t buy it and she had the feeling Cash didn’t either.
On the other hand, Abby disliked Suzanne intensely. The woman was not nice in any way and she was also rude. How Suzanne could be borne of Nicola’s loins was beyond Abby.
And lastly, there was Cash.
And that evening she’d been given yet something else to worry about.
Because, stupidly (as usual) she’d not thought about the time when circumstances would necessitate Cash playing the devoted, adoring boyfriend back to Abby’s devoted, adoring girlfriend. The thought hadn’t cross her mind.
Therefore, she’d been unprepared to experience Cash acting like her loving boyfriend.
Even though she knew it was pretend. Even after what he’d done at her house. Even after she’d insanely almost forgiven him for his callous behaviour in her bedroom when he’d been so sweet to her in the car. Even after all that, she hadn’t been ready.