“I don’t know,” said the ghost crossly. “Stop crouching and whimpering in that bed.”

“I’m cold.”

“Then I shall light a fire.”

“I’m hungry.”

“So am I,” he replied with surprise, “although I cannot understand why. I shall attend to the fire first, then the food and then your future. I can leave the Hall, by the way. I paid a very pleasant visit to my graveside. The tombstone is a trifle florid, I admit…”

“You are a ghost,” said Alice, shaken suddenly with superstitious dread.

“Of course I am, you silly chit. Hadn’t we already established that? I am not going to breathe brimstone on you or drag you off to the devil if that is what troubles you.”

Alice climbed slowly from the bed as he lit the fire. “It don’t seem natural,” she ventured.

“No,” he agreed pleasantly. “But you are better off here with me than slaving in that kitchen. You are hungry, which is why you are whining in that vulgar way of yours more than usual. Faugh! Those clothes of yours are going on the fire as soon as I have a blaze going.”

Alice clutched her clothes to her. “Don’t touch me!” she cried. “T’ain’t decent…”

“Oh, I do not have evil designs on you, my kitchen wench. Only on those horrible garments. I shall fetch you something else. Which color of gown, I wonder? Blue, I think.” And then he was gone.

Alice blinked. She was sure he had not opened the door. She crouched in a chair by the fire and waited.

He returned as suddenly as he had disappeared, bearing a heavy tray in one hand and a pile of clothing in the other. “Put these on,” he commanded, throwing the clothes on the bed.

Alice picked them up and cautiously retreated behind the far side of the bed and drew the curtains. The underthings were of fragile India muslin and the gown was of blue silk.

“I hope you do not catch your death of cold,” came the ghost’s voice from the other side of the bed. “What a marvelous age this is! Never have women worn so little. I do not approve, however. I like more left to the imagination. They do not wear what I would call gowns these days, but things more like shifts.”

Alice emerged cautiously in her new clothes. He turned and surveyed her for a long moment. She was very thin but her hair was magnificent and her eyes seemed very wide and dark in her thin face. The blue gown was a trifle large for her and inclined to slip at the shoulders. Alice had never worn such fine, thin material before and felt almost naked.