Masters of Lavender Hill Mansion

"I love this place."

No sooner did she say the words when the lavender smell seemed to surround her. It was stronger than ever and made her take notice and look around. She moved about trying to see where it got stronger, hoping to find the source of it. No matter where she looked, it was never as strong as where she was standing. She looked up and saw nothing and down at the old floor and crouched to see if it was wafting up from there, but nothing.

Her disappointment gnawed at her to find the source of that magical fragrance as she left the kitchen and headed out to her car. It was the strangest sensation when she put her hand on the knob to turn it and it felt like someone's hand was resting on hers. She turned her head to look and saw nothing and shook her head at her silliness and went out and closed the door. Before the door shut tight, the smell of lavender rushed out to her and clung around her for a moment, then disappeared in the breeze.

Olivia got in her car and looked at the place and felt the warmth hit her heart and sighed to herself that she was more than lucky to be given such a treasure. She drove around the circular driveway and looked at the open window in the front parlour and saw a shadow move, or at least she thought she did. She stopped and stared for a moment and then chuckled to herself that the ghost stories were running through her head and playing tricks on her.

She pulled out onto the road and turned the air on. No sooner did the fan blow and lavender was filling her car. It surprised her, but it was a surprise that made her smile and accept it for what it was. To her, it was the smell of home, of comfort, of love. She drove into Markland and stopped at the marketplace. The locals had booths of produce and breads, meats and cheeses and fruits of all kinds. It took twenty minutes of the best shopping she had done and walked back to the car wearing the biggest smile. The whole atmosphere of the town and its people made her feel welcome and some hoped she didn't mind the ghosts that haunted the place.

It made her wonder if there was any truth to it all, but no one had any proof to back it up. She hoped it was to attract tourists to see a haunted mansion and the kids always came back with stories of seeing a ghost about the place. To anyone's knowledge it was the ghost of a young woman who died in the house over a century ago, but no one seemed to know the real story and Olivia never offered the facts and played along for their benefit. She herself didn't know the real story, the truth being buried long ago in hopes it would be forgotten. All she knew was an ancestor of hers had killed herself at the age of eighteen and she could only assume it was over a lover and it somehow went tragic for her, enough she would take her own life over it.

She thought of Romeo and Juliette and their tragic love and other ill-fated affairs of the heart that left one mortally wounded because of it. She felt a connection somehow with what had happened and felt sure that was it. She wondered if the ghost would ever appear to her or do something to show it was there. The thoughts of ghosts vanished as she pulled back into her drive way and up to the front door. She imagined how it must have been back then, with carriages pulling up and stepping down with the aid of a hand.

She began thinking of finding an old carriage that she could ride in and buy a horse. The property was more than big enough to support it and one horse wasn't that hard to take care of. She could offer rides in it as part of her B&B packages and maybe come up with other ideas to make the property more enjoyable for guests. She grabbed all the bags and went to the door, once again opening it to her home and loving the feeling of it.

She actually let out a small laugh in happiness when she smelled the lavender and caught it quickly, when she thought she heard laughter from someone else. She looked around, but not in fear, but of wonder. Could it really be her ghost? Now she was curious, hoping she would get to know her. She went to the kitchen and put the food in the fridge and closed the door. She turned the water on and it was brown and smelly at first, then ran clearer and clearer until it looked drinkable. She smelled it and it seemed okay to her and stuck her tongue out to taste it. She was surprised at how nice it tasted and figured it was sweetened by the earth somehow.

The old stove and oven still worked, albeit not the way her new one did. She found an old kettle and rinsed it out well and filled it for a cup of tea. She opened cupboards and found cups and the teapot complete with cozy. There was a sense of someone there with her and she smelled the air for lavender. The kettle was getting hot enough to start whistling, but just before it did, she thought she heard a soft voice say her name. The shriek whistling stopped her chance of hearing anything else and she took it from the stove and turned off the burner, then poured a small amount in the pot to season it. She swished it about and tossed it down the sink and thought to look and see if that worked and poured the hot water in the pot and dropped a couple bags in. She slipped the cozy over it and sighed happily.

She went out the back door and stood on the porch to survey her property. No where could she see a lavender plant growing and wondered why it was so present in the house. She left it open when she went in and let the fresh air begin taking the staleness out. She poured herself a cup of tea and took it upstairs to her room. She sat on the settee and sipped it slowly, just enjoying the character of it all.

There was a faint smell of lavender and she looked about for a sign and decided to call out to her.

"Hello, are you here with me? I think you are whenever I smell lavender, is that true? I do love the fragrance of it and love to smell it like I do now."

Now sooner did she say it and the smell intensified greatly. Olivia smiled to herself, feeling she had made a connection with her.

"Oooh, that's so pretty, thank you."

Olivia felt as though she was sitting next to her on the settee with her now and faced that way.

"I want you to know I'm not frightened and want to be your friend. Can we be friends?"

There was a sudden feeling of being touched on her arm and she almost jumped and spilled her tea.

"Sorry, you took me by surprise, I wasn't expecting to feel you touch me."

Olivia set her cup down and held her hands out to the other side from her and waited. She smiled at who might be there and felt the same feelings on her arms again and knew she was being touched by a ghost. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and tingled at the sensation. It was so sensual a feeling, slow and intimately done as a caress. It travelled up her arms and back, then it was gone.

"Oh, that was so nice, thank you. I loved the way you touched me like that. Does that mean we can be friends?"

Olivia waited to feel her hands or arms touched again, then felt the softest of caresses go over her cheek and stay a moment before fading away again.

"I'm so happy. I do want to be happy here and hope you want to be happy with me here. I wish we could talk somehow so you could tell me all about yourself. My name is Olivia Masters and I wish I knew your name."

The sound seemed to travel about the room, but she was sure she heard Olivia said to her. It was so softly spoken and she wasn't sure and asked.

"Is your name Olivia, too?"

A soft touch to her cheek came and she knew she was right.

"Hi Olivia, that's so cool we both have the same name. I wonder if I was named after you, do you think so?"

A softly whispered yes floated past her ear and that had Olivia thrilled to no end at what was happening.

"I have to ask you Olivia, are you the girl that died here?"

Again the yes floated by her ear and she became immediately sad for her.

"I'm so sorry, Olivia. It must have been something terrible that happened to have made you do that. I was thinking it was about someone you loved and something happened to them."

A yes with a firmer feeling of touch came and Olivia felt more of a connection happening.

"Something happened to someone you loved and it made you not want to live any longer?"

The feeling of her hand being held came and Olivia tried to hold onto it as well as she continued.

"Did your person die and that's why?"

The feeling became firmer and Olivia knew it was a tragic death that had occurred. It left her unable to say anything and normally she would want to hold the person to express her feelings.

"I wish I could just hold you right now. I know how sad that must have been for you to lose him."

It was if the spirit formed itself to her in a hug and Olivia tried hugging it and felt nothing of substance to touch, but comforted her as she would anyone. It was a bonding moment between this world and the next that Olivia felt, one that brought the past and the present together. The moment was leaving Olivia feeling a warmth of love come over her.

"I really like you, Olivia. I want to be best of friends with you. I have my best friend coming to help clean the place and let some light and air in again. I want to make it a beautiful home again and hope you like what I do."

It was the feeling of a soft kiss she felt on her cheek, as she knew that feeling well. She made the motion back and for a fleeting moment, thought she made contact with her. The peaceful quiet was broken by the sound of Lisa's car coming up the gravel driveway. In an instant, Olivia's spiritual presence was gone and Olivia felt it go, leaving her saddened by it.

"Please don't go, I want you to meet her, I think you'll like her too."

Nothing came as a sign and she got up to go meet Lisa. She went out and greeted her with a big hug and shared a kiss on the cheek. Lisa pulled away instantly and looked at Olivia .with a bit of surprise.

"I smell lavender. Right now, can you smell it?"

"Yes. I told you it all of a sudden just comes out of no where."

"Wow, it is nice smelling, isn't it? Does it happen often?"

"I don't know, I've smelled it quite a few times already. One second there's nothing and then there it is. I wish the whole house smelled like that."

"Speaking of which, let's go see the new digs and what you just inherited. It sure looks impressive from out here. I love all the woodwork and detail in it all. It's in pretty good shape for over a century old."

"They told me it was maintained by someone so it didn't fall into disrepair and need tearing down. It's sort of a landmark to everyone and most of the people I talked to said they hope I open the place up again and bring it back to how it used to look in the old days."

"How did it look back them? Got any pictures of it?"

"No. I wonder if the townsfolk, or a local newspaper, or library might have something. I bet somebody took some pictures of the place at some point in the past."

"Yeah, that might be an idea. No doubt it has some history to it. So give me the ten cent tour already and lets check it out."

Olivia took Lisa's hand and walked her into the grand entrance. Lisa was awed by it and stared open mouthed at everything.

"This place is incredible. Get it cleaned and painted fresh and it'll be so amazing. I can't believe no one in your family wanted it. I mean, yeah, it is a bit far off the beaten path to commute to the city, but honestly, who'd want to leave here if it was all fixed up."

"I know. I was thinking of turning it into a B&B and buying an old carriage and a horse to take them around for tours. I really want the property to be used for enjoyment and not go to waste. I can have gardens to grow my own veggies and herbs for food. Have some chickens and have fresh eggs. I can learn to preserve stuff and store it downstairs in the cellar like they used to."

"Wow, you're little brain has been working overtime on ideas. It is big enough to be a B&B and you certainly have the land for it too. How much do you have?"

"Ten acres. There's a stream at the far end that runs through my land, so I have access to it. Maybe make a swimming hole back there."

"That would so cool. I'm liking this idea. Got a job I can do?"

"I'd love to have you work the place with me if you were serious about it."

"I'm not handcuffed to the desk I work at now and as long as the money is good enough to get me by like I'm used to, I have no problems saying adios to them."

"Well, you'd have your own room here, so there's no rent anymore. Food is free more or less, so no more cost there. No travel costs, because you're already there, so, how much do you need?"

"Damn, when you put it like that, not muckin' fuch. I wouldn't have much to spend on anything but myself really. Okay, I'm in, where do I sign up?"

Olivia laughed and hugged her as she led her around the main floor showing her each room and some interesting details. They headed to the staircase and Lisa stopped and looked up.

"You know, I swear there was something at the top of the stairs in that pic you sent. It's there, just not sure what it was. Have you seen it again since then?"

"No, not at all. Maybe it was a trick of the light coming in from the door behind me that did it."

"Yeah, maybe. Okay, let's see upstairs and your room."

"Okay, but we'll save mine till last."

"Doing the big reveal are we?"

They reached the top and Olivia opened the doors to each room and told Lisa her ideas for them.

"Something like that. Okay, the first door is a storage closet for linens and stuff, check the size of this thing out."

"Holy fuck, my room is almost this size, if you took out all the shelves and everything."

"I know, so it'll hold tons of sheets and pillows and everything for the upstairs rooms. Come on, the bathroom is next."

Olivia led the way and turned the light on. The ornate globes of pewter silver and frosted glass were the height of elegance when they were made and the taps were made of brass and porcelain. A claw-foot tub with a circular shower curtain ring was still there, but the curtain had long since disappeared from it.

"Wow, now this is a Victorian style bathroom. This ain't Home Depot, Baby. This will look amazing when it's all cleaned up. Good thing I brought a fresh bottle of the good stuff for this."

"Vodka or wine?"

"Duh. Mr. Clean, eh. Come on, what's better at getting through this gunk. I just hope the drains can handle all this stuff."

"I know, I was wondering that myself. Oh, hey, I have a pot of tea downstairs."

"No way? Did you buy water?"

"No, I turned the tap on and let it run for a while until it was clear and I smelled it first and it was okay smelling and then tasted it with my tongue and it was really sweet tasting. I figure it has to be because of the well and what the water is in."

"Yeah, I heard it can do that. Lucky you. Okay let's have a cup and see what it's like, then we can try and get some light in through these windows and really get a good look at everything. First things first, those spider webs have to go, they creep me out big time."

Olivia laughed, but Lisa could hear other laughter like it was an echo, but different than Olivia's laugh.

"Did you hear that?"

"What? What did you hear?"

"Laughing."

"I was laughing."

"No, I know you were, but it sounded like someone else was, but farther away. I thought it was an echo, but it wasn't your laugh."

"You're just imagining things."

"I don't know. Maybe there are ghosts that live here. When you have so many stories of people seeing them and shit, at least some of them have to have some truth to them, don't ya think?"

Olivia just shrugged it off as she poured Lisa a cup of tea. She tasted it and instantly hummed a response with a nod.

"It is good water, this is lovely.":

"What if there was? Would you be scared and run, or want to try and talk to them?"

"Damn, girl. I don't know. I guess it would depend on what kind of ghost it was."

"What do you mean, what kind of ghost?"

Olivia looked at Lisa and tried not latting on what she knew. They walked back to the stairs and started climbing them.

"You know, like there's the real scary kind that want to fuck you up or something and then there's the nice kind, like Caspar, the friendly ghost, you know? Like that kind."

"Okay, I see what you mean. Okay, let's say it's the friendly kind, would you want to get to know it?"

"Wow, that would be so out there on any level. I mean, talking to a real dead person who's a ghost now. How do you talk to a ghost anyway? Can they like hear you and talk to you? Or do you have to have all that expensive shit like you see on TV when they go ghost hunting?"

"I think it all depends on the ghost and if it wants to talk or be known. They went to lots of places and saw and heard nothing, so who knows?"

"Yeah. So would you talk to one?"

"Definitely. I'd want to be friends with it and get to know it. I mean, it's going to live here whether I like it or not, so if there's a ghost, I think I'd like to get to be friends, instead of it chasing me away like in the movies."

"Yeah, all that blood and gore shit gives me the creeps. Turn on the taps and blood is coming out and chairs and beds bouncing around, no thanks, I'm out of there the first sign of something bizarre going on."

"I would be too, but I think if there's a ghost here, it would have let me know it didn't want me here. If we keep smelling that lovely lavender all the time its around, I can live with that."

"Yeah, so could I. It is really calming and soothing to smell. Makes you feel all, I don't know, kind of like..."

"In a loving home."

"Yeah, sort of like that. Like you feel comfortable and relaxed smelling it."

"Yes, that's how I feel. I looked out back even and saw no sigh of lavender anywhere, so it has to be in here somewhere."

"Yeah, but where?"

"I think it's our ghost and what she used to smell like when she was alive and that's why we smell it here and there around the house. I think she's with us when we can smell it."

"No way? You think that's how you can tell she's near us? Sort of makes sense, like why did I smell it outside when none is out there like you said and nothing in here could ever possibly smell nice with so many years of gook on them, so maybe you're right."

"Maybe. All I know is, I really feel great being here and if my ghost has anything to do with it, all the better, right?"

"Got a point there. Where's your tea?"

"Oh, I left it upstairs in my room when you arrived. Come on, let's go up and sit on the settee by the bed, it's really comfortable."

"Alright, a room big enough for furniture as well."

"Oh Lisa, it's gorgeous, or at least it will be again."

Olivia led her in and let her take in the spacious splendour of the room. She went over to the settee and patted the seat beside her.

"Come. Sit here and just look at this room with me."

\

Lisa sat and looked at everything from her left, going around the room, taking in as much as she could and finished when she was looking at Olivia again.

"I don't think I can say it enough, Ollie. You are one lucky girl. This room is fantastic. You're right, it's no where near as dirty as the rest of the place and I don't smell that musty smell either. You called it a sad smell didn't you?"

"Yeah, it smelled like sadness to me. Anyway, I can't wait to get the boards off the windows and let some light..."

"Hello, anyone about in here?"

The male voice startled them and they carefully made their way to the railing and looked down. An older man in his late fifties wearing overalls was standing in the hall looking about.

"Hello, can I help you?"

"I'm Joe, I take care of the place and heard you were out here. Wanted to take the boards down for you and see if I can get you some hot water. Oil tank might be empty, have to check."