Alice moved slowly toward him. She must be dreaming or perhaps the present Duke was playing some mad joke. But as she neared him she saw his eyes were a very dark vivid blue, so this could not be her master. “I’m dreaming,” thought Alice, “so there is nothing to be afraid of.” And certainly the whole thing seemed unreal. The staring figures on the frieze on the wall, the elegant gentleman in his antique clothes who was watching her with indulgent amusement.

Alice slowly replaced the candelabra on the table and stood next to him. “Who are you?” asked the Duke.

“Scullery maid an please Your Grace,” whispered Alice.

“I’ faith, but you are extremely dirty and ragged even for a scullery maid.”

Alice blushed. “T’ain’t my fault,” she said and then, rallying, “At least I’m alive.”

“Meaning I am not,” said the Duke, pinching himself again. “I feel alive. Hold my hand!”

Alice stared down at the white hand with its weight of glittering rings. Perhaps he would pull her down into hell. Her own grubby little hand trembling, she put it into the Duke’s. His hand was warm and alive.

“What was it like… in the grave?” she whispered.

“I don’t know,” he said testily. “All I can remember is that cursed horse balking at a stone wall. Up and over I went and hit a great rock. I seem to remember floating out of my body and looking down at myself and thinking I looked cursed ridiculous. That’s all.”

“You can’t be a ghost,” said Alice. “Them’s transparent and carries chains.”

“And moan and walk through walls,” he said cheerfully. “I wonder if I can walk through a wall?”

He got to his feet and tittupped on his high heels across the floor—and walked slap bang into the wall and rebounded.

“Dear me,” he said rubbing his forehead. “I really am alive. I’ll tell you another thing. I’m cursed hungry. Go get me some food.”

“I durst not,” said Alice. “What if they ketch un and I says I’m fetching for a ghost, they’ll send me to the madhouse.”

“You’re whimpering,” said the ghost callously. “Never could abide whimperers. Sit down and don’t stand there with your mouth open.”

Alice did as she was bid, staring in fascination at his white face and sparkling eyes. He had a small black patch near his mouth and his jewels winked wickedly in the light.

“Did you… er… summon me?” he asked.

“I s’pose I did,” said Alice. “I mean, Duke’s that hard and I had a beating from Cook and folks have said as how you was kind to your servants, so I wished you were back.”

“And here I am,” he said cheerfully, “in the ghostly flesh so to speak.”

“Folks do say,” said Alice cautiously, “that you’ve been seen around afore.”