The Haunting of Highdown Hall Read online

  The Haunting of Highdown Hall

  Psychic Surveys Book One

  Shani Struthers

  Copyright © 2014 by Shani Struthers

  Design: Jane Dixon-Smith, Crooked Cat

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or Crooked Cat Publishing except for brief quotations used for promotion or in reviews. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  First Black Line Edition, Crooked Cat Publishing Ltd. 2014

  Discover us online:

  www.crookedcatpublishing.com

  Join us on facebook:

  www.facebook.com/crookedcatpublishing

  Tweet a photo of yourself holding

  this book to @crookedcatbooks

  and something nice will happen.

  To grounded spirits everywhere –

  don’t be afraid, there are more adventures waiting.

  About the Author

  Born and bred in the sunny seaside town of Brighton, one of the first literary conundrums Shani had to deal with was her own name - Shani can be pronounced in a variety of ways but in this instance it's Shay-nee not Shar-ney or Shan-ni - although she does indeed know a Shanni - just to confuse matters further!

  Hobbies include reading, writing, eating and drinking - all four of which keep her busy enough. After graduating from Sussex University with a degree in English and American Literature, Shani became a freelance copywriter. Twenty years later, the day job includes crafting novels too.

  Psychic Surveys Book One: The Haunting of Highdown Hall is her second novel and the first in the series. All events depicted are fictitious – almost.

  Acknowledgments

  There are a huge many to thank during the writing of this book but first thanks goes to my husband, Rob Struthers, the whole concept of Psychic Surveys was your idea – I just took it and ran – here’s to many more nights in The Rights of Man pub in Lewes (Ruby’s favourite) discussing ideas.

  And then there are the people I cringingly gave the first draft to to tear apart – in no particular order – Patrice Brown (Mum), Louisa Taylor, Lesley Hughes, Vanessa Patterson, Julie Tugwell, Gail Keen, Sarah Savery, Alicen Haire and Rachel Bell – you all saw something special in it and no tearing apart ensued. Jane Tyrrell, thank you for working so patiently with me on edits to get the book fit for submission – your input was invaluable and led to some crucial changes. Jill Blair – thanks for the proofread too.

  Jane Dixon-Smith – thanks for creating a cover that makes everyone go ‘Wow! You nailed it in record time’.

  Thanks also to Laurence and Steph Patterson of Crooked Cat Publishing. It is an honour to be part of the team, alongside some of my favourite authors. And thanks to the Cats too for such a warm welcome.

  Finally, to my children, Izzie, Jack and Misty – thanks for putting up with all the burnt dinners because I just couldn’t tear myself away from writing the next sentence! Love you guys.

  Shani Struthers

  April 2014

  The Haunting of Highdown Hall

  Psychic Surveys Book One

  Prologue

  Christmas Eve, 1958

  “Pour me a glass of water, would you?”

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  The polished floorboards creaked as Sally walked across the bedroom to a small sideboard, on which stood an elegant silver and cut glass decanter. Emptying its cool, clear contents into an equally elegant tumbler, she returned to the dressing table and handed it to Cynthia Hart.

  “Look at the headlines...” Cynthia breathed, taking the water almost absent-mindedly. “‘The Most Beautiful Woman in the World’, that’s what they’re calling me.”

  “Because you are,” agreed Sally, continuing to fuss over her.

  Placing the tumbler on her dressing table untouched, Cynthia leaned forward to check her reflection for the umpteenth time in the teak framed mirror in front of her. Sally was right, they were right – she was exquisite. Her sapphire eyes so much brighter than the violet of Taylor’s, her mouth a perfect cupid’s bow and her abundant Titian curls the envy of all.

  As ever, she would be the belle of the ball tonight, a ball thrown to celebrate not only Christmas Eve, but also her birthday. Thirty-one today and not a line marred her face.

  “Sally, my diamonds.”

  “Of course, Ma’am.”

  As Sally hurried from the bedroom, Cynthia stood up to appraise her hour-glass figure in the full mirror to the side of her dressing table. She swished her floor-length fuchsia dress from side to side; made exclusively for her by Dior it set off her colouring perfectly. As she continued to admire the glamorous vision in front of her, something caught her eye, something glinting in the dying light. Leaning forward, she had to squint slightly.

  No, it can’t be, surely not!

  Cynthia felt rage boil up from nowhere and engulf her.

  In amongst the red lay a single strand of steel, mocking her, marring her.

  “No!” she screamed. “Not yet!”

  Perfectly manicured fingertips flew upwards, desperate to locate it. Managing at last, she tore it from her scalp and threw it from her as though it were contagion itself.

  How can I be the most beautiful woman in the world with grey in my hair?

  Her breathing, previously calm and even, became erratic – as she gasped for breath her heart pounded violently against the walls of her fragile chest like some maddened wild animal seeking escape. Lytton had promised her, had said this wouldn’t happen. But deep down she’d always known there were limits to that promise; that she would only be given so much, and for so long.

  Damn that man! How she wished she had never met him. How she hated the still vivid memory of his face, how it haunted her dreams. But without him, what would she be, where would she be? Still on the scrapheap of life, being offered only the most meagre of parts? Just one chance, that’s all she’d needed, one chance to show the world what she could do. And for that chance she would have done anything, anything, as he’d known only too well.

  After Lytton had come the turning point, after Lytton had come The Phoenix, a Rank Organisation production all actresses had vied for, famous and struggling alike. Although she was offered a much coveted part – she had lines to say at least – Cynthia had refused it, insisting from the start that the main role was hers, that she was Gayle Andrews, a woman of determination born into a life of grit, destined to make her mark in a harsh world. That the lead actress had suffered an accident just before taking up the role, that someone had then noticed her still waiting in the wings, were far from coincidence.

  An award for ‘Best British Actress in a Leading Role’ had followed – her performance hailed by the critics as ‘groundbreaking’. All manner of roles had poured in after that; intense, dramatic, whimsical roles, everything she had ever wanted, had ever desired. Two years later she’d picked up another award for Hitchcock’s Intruders, and this March she’d finally secured her place as a screen legend with the ultimate: an Oscar for The Elitists. In the new year she’d be moving to Hollywood – not permanently, of course (no fancy Bel Air residence could compare to Highdown Hall, her first real home, her first real love), just long enough to star in Atlantic, which was set to surpass Ben-Hur as the most lavish film in cinematic history.

  Sally’s continued absence eventually drew Cynthia back to the present.

  Where is she? What’s taking her so long?

  Walking over to the windows, two sets of them, floor to c
eiling, Cynthia struggled to relax. These moods of hers, they were getting worse. One minute she was bursting with happiness, the next she had gone to pieces – and often with no warning. She knew all around her were growing increasingly nervous of her moods. But she also knew they would suffer them. Her entourage lived a dream life because of her, exalted from mere existence to a charmed existence. They would not rock the boat. They too had sold their souls – not to darkness, but to her, the irony of which she refused to dwell on.

  How she loved the view from her window. In the west, the sun was beginning to set, casting an almost ethereal glow over the landscape. Her eyes rested on the lake in front of her, dark and secretive in the dusk and shrouded by weeping willows. Ripples blew across the surface, but gently so – for December it was a clement night. Pride swelled up in her. This was her land, her house and hers alone. And to think she had come from nothing; a bleak, fatherless childhood spent sharing two rooms with her lowly drudge of a mother and a constantly whining brother. Neither of them had bothered to contact her since she’d left at fourteen. And neither of them had approached her in stardom, either. Although this suited her fine, she couldn’t help but feel abandoned, despite having abandoned them.

  Highdown Hall was regarded as one of the most beautiful houses in the south of England. She loved its almost regal approach down the private gravel drive, twisting and turning in a teasing manner before revealing a Gothic sandstone creation with imposing gables, stone mullioned windows and even a turret, the location of her bedroom. Ivy clung stubbornly to its ancient walls, creeping further and further upwards, but furtively so. Entering through weathered oak doors, suitably baronial in size, visitors were greeted by the Grand Hall, fully oak-panelled and adorned with a life-sized portrait of Cynthia, leaving no one in doubt as to whom this estate belonged to. As well as a drawing room, a sitting room, a dining room and a library on the ground floor, there was a ballroom too, blatantly opulent with its vintage chandeliers, its French windows leading onto a paved terrace and its sprung hard-wood floor. It was the scene of many an extravagant party – and tonight would be no exception.

  She listened for sounds below. They were faint, but they were there, bringing the house to life. John Sterling, her American co-star in The Elitists, was one of the many famous names who’d crossed land and sea to attend. She had long been dazzled by his performances on the silver screen. On meeting, she had dazzled him. Their affair had begun quickly – she had never known such wildness in the bedroom, such imagination. But there was a surprising degree of tenderness too, something she was unused to. And, despite his serious public persona, his sense of humour was acute, delighting her with his behind-the-scenes wickedness. But she wouldn’t fall too hard. It could lead nowhere. Frivolities such as marriage and babies were for others, mere mortals, not for her. Deliberately, she kept him at arm’s length, allowing him only the occasional private audience; something she knew riled him terribly. In between, she ensured a constant flow of lovers, something else that incensed him. But she hated to sleep alone, hated the dark, even more so recently.

  The view from her window had done the trick; Cynthia was breathing more easily again. Despite her earlier irritation with her maid, she was thankful now that Sally was taking her time, that she hadn’t witnessed her momentary breakdown. It occurred to her sometimes that Sally cared for her as a mother should, despite being only two years older. She couldn’t bear to see her mistress upset.

  Banishing Lytton from her mind, Cynthia began to imagine the impact she was soon to make. All eyes would be on her as she swept down the oak staircase, she would hear sharp intakes of breath and then, as always, the vying would begin. Guests would elbow each other out of the way to reach her, some surreptitiously, others arrogantly, each and every one of them desperate to have her bestow on them even a cursory glance. Amusing really, considering how many years she had spent craving attention. And now it was her attention they craved; the film star, the diva, the most beautiful woman in the world.

  She smiled at the thought, her face brightening further as she relaxed into a laugh. Returning to her dressing table, Cynthia picked up a silver compact – a gift from Chanel, her name engraved in swirling letters upon it, and reapplied blusher to the hollows of her cheeks. From a crystal bottle she dabbed Phoenix onto her wrists and cleavage; created in her honour by the House of Balmain, it was appropriately sensual with base notes of sandalwood, amber, patchouli and musk. Inhaling the heady scent, she listened again as excited chatter rose up from the floor below, electrifying the air in her bedroom.

  Sally returned at last.

  “I’m sorry, Ma’am,” she rushed to explain. “The lock to the safe needed greasing; I had to call the butler to help me.”

  “No matter,” Cynthia replied, indicating for her to fasten the jewels around her neck.

  After she had done so, Sally took a step back.

  “Oh, Ma’am,” she said, pure devotion in her doe-like eyes. “No diamond could shine as bright as you.”

  Cynthia ignored the compliment. “Has everybody on the guest list arrived?”

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  “Including John?”

  “Including Mr Sterling,” Sally confirmed.

  Checking herself one last time, Cynthia stepped forward, ready, yet again, to enthral.

  Chapter One

  “Good morning, Psychic Surveys. How can I help?”

  As the caller started explaining, Ruby couldn’t help but groan.

  “Sorry?” said the caller, immediately picking up on it.

  “Er, nothing,” Ruby attempted to gloss over, “bad vibes you were saying? Cold spots? Yes, that’s certainly something I can help you with. I’ll need to do a survey first and then we can decide on a course of action. Are you in tomorrow morning? Say ten o’clock?”

  Pencilling the appointment in her diary, Ruby wondered (not for the first time) why it was that such inviting house prices at the new housing estate in Horam, a nearby East Sussex village, never rang alarm bells with the buyers. It was well known that Brookbridge had been built on land that was steeped in an unsavoury past. Ever since it was finished residents had been calling her complaining of ‘unusual activity’, as they called it – in their living rooms, their bedrooms, heck, even their bathrooms at times! After performing a survey, followed by a cleansing, on one of the houses eighteen months ago, word of her services had spread. Since then, Psychic Surveys had visited several houses on the estate as family after family reported being spooked by “strange goings on”. She replaced the receiver, testily. What do they expect? It’s the site of one of Britain’s most notorious mental asylums; countless books and websites have been devoted to the horrendous practices that were carried out there. Of course there are going to be bad vibes and cold spots. It’s only a matter of time before there’s an actual manifestation with troubled souls galore unable to move on. Knocking down walls, putting up new ones and giving the whole place a fancy new name isn’t going to change that fact.

  No, it wouldn’t. But she, Ruby Davis, the latest in a long line of psychic females, could. She had a gift. A ‘gift’ her grandmother had taught her to utilise fully. As soon as she had been old enough to understand, Gran had drummed into her how important it was not to waste it; this precious gift had been bestowed on her, on them, for a reason. It was nothing less than her duty to help restless, earthbound souls to move on.

  And Ruby took that duty seriously – as did her freelance team: Theo, Ness and Corinna. All psychically aware to varying degrees, she could call upon them at any time. Knowing that she didn’t have to cope alone when her workload got too much, when a spirit became more challenging than normal, or she simply needed a bit of company on a job (living and breathing that is), made her life that much easier. Cool and level-headed all three of them, they were absolutely indispensable.

  Assessing her diary; tomorrow looked set to be a busy day. After Brookbridge, she had a house in Hove to visit. Belonging to a young couple, it
had become the scene of repeated nightmares for their young son, who kept dreaming that another little boy was attacking him. His parents couldn’t understand it – he wasn’t being bullied at school or anything – and were at breaking point, not having had a decent night’s sleep since they moved in several months ago. She was their last hope, the mother had tearfully confided on the phone yesterday, they desperately needed her help.

  “How did you hear about Psychic Surveys?” Ruby had asked, trying to calm Mrs Carter down.

  “Word of mouth.”

  Ruby smiled to herself. This mysterious ‘word of mouth’ kept her very busy indeed. But at least it meant people were pleased with what she and her team were doing, that they could rest in peace again – a right that didn’t belong solely to the spirit world. Although personal recommendations were great, she couldn’t avoid the fact that in this day and age she needed a website, especially if she wanted to build up her business. To date, Psychic Surveys had mainly worked on cases in the South East, including London. But spirits didn’t just confine themselves to one geographical area. The net needed to be cast wider and a website would help do that considerably.

  Ruby knew there were other psychics doing what she was doing, but often in a more furtive manner, not out there, loud and proud as she was, as a bona fide high street business. In that, Psychic Surveys was unique. She wanted to unite as many psychic freelancers as possible under one umbrella, their aim to ease the minds of the living and convince the dearly departed it was time to move on. Not that they didn’t do long distance healings, Theo specialised in them, from the comfort of her fireside armchair, and often with great success. But it would be good to have a physical presence too, perhaps more offices up and down the country one day, where people could pop in with their concerns, chat about them over a cup of tea, ‘normalise’ the paranormal, remove the taboo.