Maggie plinked out a tune with one finger on the piano that sat on the stage of Shanachie Theater. She sang, "Old MacDonald had a farm, E I E I O." She giggled softly before sitting down on the bench to play something more difficult. She closed her eyes and let her fingers move over the keys and play Beethoven's 'F"r Elise.' When she was near the end, she had the the sensation of being watched. Her fingers lifted from the keys and she called out, "Hello?" Long dark pigtails swayed as she looked over her shoulder. "Who's there?" When no one answered, she went back to playing the last few bars of the song. She heard the noise again and called out, "Doran' 's at you?" When Doran didn't answer, Maggie rose from the bench and closed the lid of the piano.
There was a sound like the clearing of a throat before Maggie heard a woman's voice saying, "Hello."
Mairead Harker found herself face to face, more or less, with what the players at the Shanachie called The Grey Lady. The child's eyes widened as she took the full measure of the ghostly figure. Maggie had encountered far less friendly spirits than this one seemed to be. "Hi, I'm Maggie!" She smiled as she offered her greeting.
"You play beautifully for one so young, Maggie."
"Thanks, I practice a lot! My Gran says you gotta practice if you want to be really good at something."
"I'll be watching for you next time you're in a show." The Grey Lady smiled and turned to walk away.
"I'll be watching for you, too!" Maggie grinned. She'd heard a story or two about the ghost of Hortense Docquey, but this was the first time she'd actually seen her. She made a mental note to learn a bit more about the theater's history and its resident ghost. Maybe there was a play the lady might like to see or a song she favored. She should have sat back at the piano again to finish her practice session for the day. However, she was too excited and ran off in search of her partner-in-crime, who had been helping with some touch ups on the scenery for the current production. "Doran, guess what! I met the Grey Lady!!"
There was a sound like the clearing of a throat before Maggie heard a woman's voice saying, "Hello."
Mairead Harker found herself face to face, more or less, with what the players at the Shanachie called The Grey Lady. The child's eyes widened as she took the full measure of the ghostly figure. Maggie had encountered far less friendly spirits than this one seemed to be. "Hi, I'm Maggie!" She smiled as she offered her greeting.
"You play beautifully for one so young, Maggie."
"Thanks, I practice a lot! My Gran says you gotta practice if you want to be really good at something."
"I'll be watching for you next time you're in a show." The Grey Lady smiled and turned to walk away.
"I'll be watching for you, too!" Maggie grinned. She'd heard a story or two about the ghost of Hortense Docquey, but this was the first time she'd actually seen her. She made a mental note to learn a bit more about the theater's history and its resident ghost. Maybe there was a play the lady might like to see or a song she favored. She should have sat back at the piano again to finish her practice session for the day. However, she was too excited and ran off in search of her partner-in-crime, who had been helping with some touch ups on the scenery for the current production. "Doran, guess what! I met the Grey Lady!!"