GhostlyPersuasion Read Free

the stairs. It wasn’t as if they were dragging
luggage. Speaking of which, she hoped it wouldn’t take long for them to deliver
her bags.
    “Your luggage will have been delivered to your room
already.”
    The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened as Katie
gaped at Áine. It took an effort to shake off the notion that Áine was reading
her mind. She hurried out of the elevator to follow Áine to her assigned room.
    Not far away Katie found Áine sliding the keycard through a
lock and opening the door. She held the door open so Katie could pass ahead of
her.
    Katie had assumed she would be moved to a regular hotel
room. She was unprepared for the opulent furnishings and the size of the suite
she had been given.
    “Wow.”
    Áine breezed in behind Katie and headed to the windows on
the far side. She pulled the curtains aside and let in what was left of the
sun.
    If there was some kind of problem with the suite, Katie
couldn’t see it. And thankfully that included ghosts.
    “You’ll be able to observe the main gardens from here,” Áine
said. “And, as I’m sure you noticed, you’ll have ready access to the lobby.”
    “That will be nice,” Katie murmured, still enthralled by her
surroundings. She wondered if it was part of the original castle or a later
addition.
    Áine crossed the room to an open doorway. “I’m afraid
renovations have not been completed in this suite. While the bathroom has been
completely redone,” she flicked on the lights, “the bedroom area has not.”
    “But it’s lovely as it is.”
    “Thank you. We have been preserving as much of the original
structure as possible with our renovations but we also want to ensure our
guests’ comfort. Many of our rooms now have thermostat-controlled fireplaces
that allow our guests to better regulate the room temperature. Wiring is also
being upgraded to incorporate current technology for all the gadgets everyone
carries these days.”
    “I imagine I’ll be perfectly comfortable in here, even
without those things.”
    “I certainly hope so. We do try to exceed our guests’
expectations.”
    Katie, curious to see what the bathroom looked like, crossed
the room to the doorway.
    “Oh wow.” There was sand-colored tile from floor to ceiling.
The sinks were white porcelain and the silver fixtures gleamed as if they had
just been polished. This must be what bathrooms in heaven look like.
    “I believe you will find everything you need in either the
nooks on either side of the mirror or the linen closet at the end of the
counter.” Áine pointed to a small door at the far end of the bathroom.
    “I’m sure,” Katie mumbled, still dumbstruck. The enormous
tub in the center of the room held her attention.
    “Many of our guests have reported that a long soak in a hot
bath using the lavender bath salts helped them unwind after their flights.”
    “That sounds absolutely wonderful.”
    “I will leave you to it then.” Áine headed to the suite
entrance then paused. “Your bags have been left next to the bed. Your room keys
are on the table next to the window. Call the front desk if there’s anything
you need.”
    Kathie dragged her gaze away from the tub to respond. “Thank
you. I will.”
    Áine nodded then slipped out, quietly shutting the door
behind her.
    Katie took one more look at the tub. Oh yeah. That was
definitely getting used tonight.
     

Chapter Two
     
    “Oh my God, Jenny. You should see this place,” Katie
exclaimed into the phone.
    “Is it as wonderful as their website showed?”
    “Even better.” Katie spun herself around in the middle of
her suite. She was still in awe over the furnishings and the ambience and the
fact that she was in a twelfth-century castle. “They must have done a lot of
work to keep this place in such good shape.”
    “I’ll bet. You do have indoor plumbing then, huh?” Jenny
teased.
    “It looks like I have my own spa in here,” Katie said as she
trooped back into the marble-lined bathroom