It rained buckets and had for several days. Grey clouds shrouded the landscape, hanging low over the leaden water of the lake. I stood at the window of the library and imagined how the rivulets running down the slopes filled the basin below fast, obliterating the signs of the drought. Soon, the cottage by the lake would be submerged in its watery grave again.

With a shrug, I returned to my laptop and continued to register the books I'd stacked on the coffee table. The castle's library contained treasure beyond my imagination. Lou had offered to stick to the original contract and allowed me ten days to see where I got with that catalogue.

Now, near the end of that period, I still had to decide if I wanted to ask the boss for an extension, or if I preferred to pack up and head home to Celine and my mundane life of job hunting. With a suppressed sigh, I leaned back against the creaky sofa upholstery and got rewarded with an unreadable stare out of Mister Mortimer's amber eyes. The cat spent most days next to me, either sleeping, his nose buried in his bushy tail, or, like now, on his back, all four paws curled in and his tummy offered for a scrawl.

I took the nonverbal prompt and rubbed the soft belly fur. "What do you say, should I talk to the boss? It would be a pity to interrupt the work, now." A knock announced a visitor and deprived me of the chance to investigate the cat's opinion. "Come in, the door is open."

Matt hadn't changed a bit. His tousled hair and tan slacks were damp from the rain, but his smile brought a bit of sunlight into the rainy afternoon. "Hey, San, Lou suggested I'd find you here."

"Matt, I didn't know you were back." We hadn't seen each other for almost a week. I smiled, recalling the day after Theo's reunion with Lorraine. Matt and I had been enjoying a late breakfast when he got a call from his mother, telling him his father needed heart surgery and asking for his support. "How did it go? Is your dad alright?"

"Yes, everything went well. He is back home, almost good as new but with a reason to boss everyone around and being more annoying than ever." He moved a stack of my books aside to clear an armchair. "I was glad to have a reason to leave. And you? Almost finished with the library?"

"I'd say another week until I'm done. If Lou is happy to keep me as his private bookworm."

"Are you kidding? The guy fell head over heels for you." His grin almost reached his ears. "But I came to ask what your plans are for the mid-term future."

"Hm, don't remind me of that. Back to the apartment and job hunting, I guess, working on a long-term solution for my financial troubles." My mood darkened with the mere thought.

"Well, about that. I had a crazy idea during these endless hours spent twiddling thumbs at the hospital. What do you think about joining forces in a professional paranormal business?"

"Ghost hunting? I don't think it's my thing. Last time, I fell in love with the ghost, remember?"

He chuckled. "So did I, but that's why I wouldn't call it ghost hunting but ghost whispering. We could use your sensitivity and my technology to help ghosts finish their earthly business and keep out of the way of the living."

"Ghost whispering sounds wacky. Is there a market for this stuff?"

He leaned forward, eyes bright, and pulled up a list on his phone. "Of course there is, and I found at least five promising projects we might start on. Let's see. What about a haunted hay barn or a school ghost dripping ink over the pupils' assignments? There are also ghosts ringing door bells in an apartment house and a spectral dog barking in an empty parking lot at five in the morning. And a wailing maiden in a wine cellar. All cases waiting for a team like us, and all less than an hour's drive from here."

I shook my head. "Half of them probably aren't ghosts, but silly pranksters."

"Exactly. And that's why we'll be an unbeatable team. You bring the paranormal empathy, I the technology. Besides, what do we have to lose? It's better than hoping for a miracle on a dry job market."

I lifted my hands. "Stop, I always knew you'd make the perfect sales agent. Give me at least—"

"You should do it, my lady." Sir Guillaume floated through a bookshelf and settled on the second armchair, ignoring the leather-bound tomes piled on its seat. "You have an open spirit and little prejudice. Many a lost soul could profit from your guidance."

"See, I told you." Matt clapped his hands, and Mister Mortimer jumped into my lap, hissing his feline dissent with the disturbance of our quiet afternoon. My prospective partner rubbed his chin. "We might engage Sir Guillaume as our counsellor for matters beyond the grave."

The ghost scratched his ectoplasmic beard, imitating Matt's gesture. "For me to join the endeavour, you would need to work out of Corbières castle."

Right, he was bound to these premises. I closed my laptop, aware that with these visitors, working had become impossible. "I don't know, guys. What if the ghosts don't want to be sped on into oblivion, like Sir Guillaume here?"

"Then we still can quit and let them lead a happy afterlife. C'mon San, let's at least try." His brown eyes took on that puppy-dog sheen before they widened and he smacked his forehead. "I forgot Lou asked me to fetch you and meet him in the office at six."

I checked my phone. "It's only four minutes past, he'll survive."

"Well, I'll leave you then." Guillaume floated up towards the ceiling, still in a sitting position, legs crossed at the ankles. "I'll enjoy the British ladies' company tonight, before they leave my realm tomorrow."

I grinned. "No reason to droop your moustache like a weeping willow. You know as well as I do they'll be back in a couple of days. They're far too fond of your esteemed company."

"I know they only try to escape the rain for a few days. Still, this calls for a farewell party." His throaty chuckle echoed through the library as Matt, Mister Mortimer, and I headed to the door.

Lou sat behind his desk in the office like he did the first day we met. The key differences were the missing beard and the colour of his T-shirt, navy today. He looked handsome and his smile terrific.

"Ah, here you are. I already feared you didn't want to collect your paychecks after all." The twinkle in his eyes betrayed his mischievous mood as he fetched three beers from the fridge. Another significant change in our relationship, we were well beyond water now.

The cat curled up on the sofa while Lou handed out a bottle and an envelope to each of us. I glanced into mine and gasped. "That's more than we agreed on."

"I split Theo's share amongst you, as I'm sure he'd wanted me to do."

"Thanks, mate." Matt lifted his beer. "To absent friends."

We clinked our bottles, but after a serene moment of contemplation, I couldn't hold back with the news bubbling in my mind. "Matt suggests founding an agency specialising in mysterious hauntings with Guillaume and me. He thinks we would be good at guiding ghosts to their destiny."

"Sounds like a marvellous idea. Count on a five-star review from me as a satisfied customer."

"You approve?" I exchanged a glance with Mister Mortimer. As often, the cat seemed to be the only reasonable entity in the room.

Lou grinned. "Sure, if it means you stick around a while longer? I gather it would be something like a ghost guard."

"Ghost guard it is—I like the name, and we could build—" The buzz of his phone interrupted Matt's exhilaration, and he glanced at the screen with an exhausted groan. "Mum. I'll have to go, Dad is in one of his moods. Can I drop by tomorrow afternoon to clear the details?"

I shook my head, but already felt my denial fading. "Alright, I'll sleep over it. See you tomorrow—and take care on the road."

He left with shining eyes, glowing like a kid at Christmas. Lou's smile looked pleased. "If Guillaume joins this project, he might even come round and entertain the guests, who knows. Besides, I'm sure you'll enjoy the work with ghosts, you're a natural talent."

"So everyone keeps saying. I guess I need some fresh air to process this stuff."

He glanced at his half-empty bottle. "I'll join you if you don't mind. The terrace?"

"Sure, we can finish the drinks outside." I shoved the envelope with my fee into my back pocket.

The rain had softened but still pattered onto the gravel in a never-ending deluge, the droplets painting circular ripples on dark puddles. Under the porch, Lou opened a rainbow-coloured umbrella, and under its protection, we walked down the gravel path. My flip-flops and the seams of my jeans were soaked in no time, but I didn't mind. The brisk air and the company lightened my mood.

We stopped at the parapet, looking down to where tragedy struck so many decades ago. Only the gable of Lorraine's cottage remained visible now, and it would be gone by the morning, swallowed by the floods.

I took a swig of my beer and enjoyed the living warmth of Lou by my side. "They will be forgotten soon, but I hope they found rest at last."

"I'm sure they did, and we will always remember Theo, Lorraine, and their son." He emptied his bottle, set it down on the parapet, and laid an arm around my shoulder. "May they rest in peace, even the ravens. I'm not sorry to be rid of them."

I leaned against him, tempted to tell him I wasn't sure about the birds. But I didn't want to spoil the mood. Instead, I placed my hand on top of his and ran my thumb over the back of his hand. Not a bad feeling at all.

I shivered in a gust of wind, and he pulled me closer. "Let's find something to eat, shall we?"

"Sure, what's on the menu?"

"Hm. What about quiche Lorraine?"

I was about to laugh when his soft lips sealed mine.

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