fell.
Gabeâs scowl deepened.
âYour key,â he said, and set it down on the mantel.
âThanks,â Allison Morgan replied, her voice muffled by the heavy wool.
Gabeâs gaze lingered for a moment; then he left and shut the door.
He didnât make it to the end of the corridor before abruptly pulling up short. âTwas either that or walk through the bloody spirit blocking his path.
Gabe met the sea captainâs stare but didnât say a word.
Captain Justin Catesby lifted one brow. âFetching lass, that Ms. Morgan.â He leaned in, his brows pulled close and making a fierce crinkle in the space between his eyes. âAye?â
Gabe said nothing.
The captain stroked his chin. âIâd watch me steps, were I you, boy. âTisnât becoming to take advantage of an unsuspecting maid.â
Gabe stared and almost didnât give the cocky ghost the satisfaction of a reply. âTwas a sight to behold, for certain, but he hadnât meant to. Quite the opposite, actually. The girl should have locked the bloody door.
The very last thing he wanted or needed to do was engage in anything other than what heâd hired Allison Morgan for. A business transaction. Nothing more.
âSo sheâs who ye hired to oust us, aye?â
Gabe looked Justin in the eye. âUnless youâve decided since an hour ago to stop chasinâ away the buyers?â
The captain gave a crooked smile.
With a glare and a nod, Gabe stepped round the captain and started down the stairs. Heâd screwed up enough of his lifeâand Jakeâs. No more. His decision was made.
He really had no other choice.
âYe canna run away from yer problems, lad,â Catesby called behind him. âTheyâll just catch up with you.â
Gabe ignored him.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Gabe made his way to the kitchen. The usual patrons would be in soon for supperâincluding the not-so-new one unpacking upstairs. Not only did he have to help prepare the cod and chips, but he had to prepare himself. For her .
No doubt the American would talk his bloody ears off.
As long as she does her job . . .
Â
Allie dropped to her knees and pushed the empty suitcase under the bed.
âI take it you had a satisfactory flight?â
âWhoa!â Allie said, jumping hard enough to bonk her head on the wooden bed rail. She sat back on her heels and rubbed the back of her head, glaring at her unexpected friend. âDauber, how on earth did you get here?â
Dauber scratched a place under his cap and shrugged. âDifficult to say, actually.â He gave her a crooked grin. âGhosts do what they do for no good reason. I suppose I must have desired it powerfully bad, aye?â
Allie stood. âYeah, you must have just wished yourself here.â She sat on the bed. âIâm not so sure youâll be well received, though. The owner is quite determined to get rid of his own mischievous spirits, although I havenât gotten to the bottom of why, exactly. I doubt heâll want another addition.â
Dauber perched upon the chest of drawers. âSo youâve met them, then? The others?â
âBriefly. And in that short amount of time I can tell at least one of them is some kind of naughty.â
Crossing one bony leg over his knee, Dauber met her gaze. âMischievous spirits you can handle. But what of him ?â
Allie rose and walked to the tallboy chest sheâd placed her clothes in and pulled out a black turtleneck and a clean pair of jeans. â Him who?â
âThe mortal, love. How difficult will he be to manage?â
With a sigh, Allie laid her clean clothes on the bed. âIâm not sure, Daubs. He isnât the friendliest of guys. Grumpy, really, and about the only expression Iâve seen on his face is a frown.â
Frown or no frown, she purposely left out how dead sexy the proprietor of Odinâs Thumb