Part 21 (1/2)
”It says not to stir them too much.” She looked at the bowl and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. ”I think maybe we should add... um...”
”A wee bit more flour.”
Megan squeaked and whirled around. The red-haired, kilted ghost from upstairs was standing directly behind her. He took off his bonnet with the feather stuck under the badge and clutched it in his hands. He made her a small bow and then straightened and smiled shyly.
”Hugh McKinnon, at yer service,” he said, with another bow.
Megan backed into Gideon, hard.
”Megan?” he asked, putting his arm around her waist.
Megan shook her head with a jerk. ”I'm okay.”
Hugh scrunched his cap all the more. ”I was quite the cook in me day,” he offered.
Megan gulped a nodded, then turned and looked at Gideon. ”A little more flour,” she said.
Gideon added more, then stirred. ”Well,” he said, looking astonished, ”that did the trick.” He looked at her and smiled. ”I'd say that time at McDonald's wasn't wasted at all.”
”If you only knew,” Megan said, under her breath.
”Well, now all we have to do is cook them,” Gideon said, firing up the stove.
”Heaven help us,” Megan said. She stole a look at Hugh, who had moved to stand behind Gideon. He leaned up on his toes to peer over Gideon's shoulder.
Gideon s.h.i.+vered and brushed off his right shoulder, as if trying to rid himself of an annoying fly. Hugh didn't seem to notice; he only peered more intently.
”Och, but he'll burn 'em with the fire up so high,” Hugh said, casting Megan a look of concern.
”Maybe you should turn the heat down,” Megan suggested quickly.
Gideon did so, then poured some of the batter into the pan. He waited, studying it intently. Then he eased his spatula under the flat cake and flipped it. The cooked side was a beautiful, golden brown. Megan peeked over Gideon's left shoulder. She exchanged a quick look with Hugh, who was leaning over Gideon's right shoulder, and received a nod of encouragement.
”I think it's done,” she announced.
Gideon flipped it onto a plate.
”Perfect,” Hugh said, beaming his approval on her. ”I always ate them with a wee bit o' b.u.t.ter and a smackerel o' jam.” He smiled crookedly. ”Always had a sweet tooth, did I-”
”HUGH!”.
Hugh gulped, plopped his cap on his head, made her a very quick bow and then turned and fled through the pantry door. Megan didn't even bother to go after him to see if he was lurking inside with the tins of vegetables. She had the feeling he wasn't.
She took a deep breath and smiled up at Gideon.
”I hear b.u.t.ter and jam are good with these.”
”Sounds delightful,” Gideon said, holding out the plate. ”Shall we share the first fruits of our labors?”
The bannock was very tasty and Megan put her newfound kitchen skill to good use by overseeing Gideon while he cooked more. Megan stole looks around the kitchen as she did so, but saw nothing else out of the ordinary. Hugh must have been able to escape the watchful eye of that distinguished ghost for only a few minutes.
”Megan, what are you looking at?”
She looked at Gideon and put on her most innocent smile. ”Nothing.”
”You're supposed to say,” he said, plopping another bannock on her plate, ”that you can't tear your eyes
from me. You aren't thinking business thoughts, are you?” He looked at her closely.
”Not a one.”
”A day or two's holiday won't hurt you.”
”My, how the leopard has changed his spots.”
Gideon smiled ruefully as he sat down with her at the table. ”I like to believe I'm intelligent enough to
recognize a better course when it comes along.”
”And that better course would be?”
”The holidays spent with you, of course.”
Megan rested her elbows on the table and propped her chin on her fists. ”So,” she said, ”what do you
have in mind, since we're stranded together in this haunted inn in the middle of nowhere?”
He smiled dryly. ”I don't believe in ghosts.”
A pot lid went sailing across the room and landed at the back door.