R. Chetwynd-Hayes Fontana Ghost 19

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R. Chetwynd-Hayes (ed.) - The 19th Fontana Book Of Great Ghost Stories (1983)

Introduction - R. Chetwynd-Hayes

Meg Buxton - Situation Vacant
Rick Kennett - Drake's Drum
Mary E. Penn - In The Dark
Richard Davis - A Day Out
Tina Rath - The Fetch
Steve Rasnic Tem - Shadows On The Grass
Washington Irving - Guests From Gibbet Island
Alan W. Lear - Safety Zone
James Turner - The Way Shadows Fall
Gary Kilworth - The Tryst
Guy De Maupassant - An Apparition
Heather Vineham - Lost Eden
Daphne Froome - Still Life
Mary Williams - They Walk At Evening
R. Chetwynd-Hayes - Tomorrow's Ghost

Thought we'd looked at all the Fontana Ghost stories by now but this one seems to have escaped attention both on here and Vault Mk I. Can't really say much about it without re-reading the thing, except that it contains one of R. Chetwynd-Hayes' better Clavering Grange stories and, seem to remember, Tina Rath's The Fetch has its moments. How weird that so much of the rest is a blank.

R. Chetwynd-Hayes – Tomorrow’s Ghost: In the present day, young Roland Sinclair has inherited Clavering Grange though it’s a shadow of its former glory, long unattended and a favourite doss for tramps. Against the advice of solicitor Mr. Fortesque, Roland decides against selling up, moves in and begins tentative renovations. Almost at once, he’s made aware of the ghost of a young woman in period dress who seems as stunned by his presence in the old house as he is by hers.

Back in 1812, seventeen year old Cynthia is being forced to marry the odious Lord Cavendish, her father standing to gain financially from the union. Via the kitchen maid she’s heard the stories of a family ghost, and when she sees the spectre with her own eyes, she realises that he’s the man she’s been waiting for.

This decides her: However much Sir Danvers beats her, there’s no way she’ll wed that fat, sweaty lecher.

As the bizarre romance between Roland and the long-dead Cynthia blossoms, Mr. Fortesque learns that Cynthia blew her brains out on the eve of her arranged marriage, for the love of a man she couldn’t have. Fortesque realises this must refer to Roland. Can they prevent the tragedy from being re-enacted?

Richard Davis – A Day Out: A family so look forward to spending the day at the seaside home of their daughter’s intended, they come back from the grave to do so. A spectral seduction ensues.

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Mary Williams - They Walk At Evening: Jessica Hardy, convalescent, moves with her ageing, unsympathetic parents to Rozzan, a Victorian house near Braggas on the Cornish moors. For some unspecified reason, nobody wants to live there, so the Hardy's get a two storey house for a ridiculously low price. The ghosts, most notably an ever-smiling, guitar-strumming young hippy chick named Penelope, waste no time in making themselves known to the desperately miserable Jessica, who is faced with a stark choice; . live out her days in boredom and subservience or join their commune.

Heather Vineham - Lost Eden: Inquisitive Emily Varley gets talking to a woman whose accomplished painting of a garden bears little discernible resemblance to the one before them. Stella Rochord explains that she's trying to capture the scene as it was thirty years ago when Stephen, the love of her life, walked through the arch and straight into her world. Stephen had no recollection of his previous life and all attempts to identify him failed. After eight years, a psychiatrist suggested a walk back through the arch may trigger his memory. Stephen reluctantly agreed, and he and Stella took the journey hand in hand. He vanished into thin air.

Emily suggests she bring her husband and infant son along to meet Stella at the spot for a picnic. All is well until little Barry leaves his pushchair and toddles toward the arch ....

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Meg Buxton - Situation Vacant: Aged spinsters Judith and Louise leave behind the tranquillity of Cornwall to come back to the bleak, bomb damaged family home in Plymouth, now theirs to care for. Their return surprises Fred Lobb, house-breaker, who is slowly stripping the house of valuables. He improvises a story that a neighbour requested he move in temporarily to guard the place against vandals and thieves. Judith, who has her wits about her, realises this can't be so as the neighbour in question, the man she longed to marry, died some time ago. Turns out he's not the only one.

Rick Kennett - Drake's Drum: The Antipodean equivalent. The ghost of HMAS Australia returns in times of national peril to rescue ships under fire from enemy vessels.

Heather Vineham - Lost Eden: Rachel Varley is miffed to find the best seat in the rose garden already taken by a dotty old woman. As this person is engrossed in painting, looks like she could be staying till closing time. Rachel takes a look over her shoulder. The painting, surprisingly accomplished, is a landscape, the archway suggesting it is a depiction of this park, not today, but as it once was. They get talking. Stella Rochford explains that, thirty years ago, an amnesiac staggered through that archway. It was a case of love at first sight. They married, but her husband never discovered his true identity. Three years later, they both walked through the archway, hand in hand. He vanished into thin air. Stella returns often to paint the park as she remembers it, convinced one day he'll return. How preposterous! Rachel resolves that tomorrow she'll come back with husband Barry, a psychiatrist, to have a word with the poor old girl. Might even bring their toddler in the pushchair, too, make a family outing of it ....

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Nov 21, 2011 18:37:27 GMT dem said:

Tina Rath's The Fetch has its moments.

Read this one recently in her collection Talking to Strangers and Other Warnings (The Alchemy Press, 2020), one of those "how to kill someone supernaturally without using voodoo dolls" tales. Really quite good.

[dem]

Quite!

Tina Rath - The Fetch: Emily, a timid, physically unattractive, and phenomenally wealthy woman married to an abusive husband, is adamant there is a ghost at the bottom of the garden, a sad woman in Victorian dress with a red chord tied around her neck. The char, Mrs. Beecham, who has also seen her, comments that it looks a whole lot like Emily. Emily explains all this to Felicity, an old schoolfriend (of sorts) and former flatmate. Felicity is envious of Emily. Envious of her wealth, her luxury home, even her boorish, unstable husband, Ambrose. How to get rid of her and have the lot for herself? When a tame paranormal researcher assures her the entity is a fetch, and her friend would be best advised to sell up and move away - preferably sans appalling spouse - Felicity hits on the brilliant idea of persuading Ambrose and Emily to host a Halloween fancy dress party with her as costumier....

Gary Kilworth - The Tryst: Rebecca, a virgin, agrees to spend the weekend with Steve at a 300 year old country cottage belonging to one of his mates. Legend has it the woodsman who built it, Druit, butchered his wife and her fancy man therein before hanging himself ...

Mary E. Penn - In The Dark: (Argosy, June 1885). Recently bereaved John Drysart and daughter Ethel move to a house situated somewhere between Richmond and Kew. Ethel hears a child's cry in the night and dreams of a terrified little boy locked inside her bedroom closet. Dr. Cameron recalls the case of Captain Vandeleur, who got rich off the back of an orphan nephew's inheritance, having taken the child into his "care." The boy, who had a weak heart, was petrified of the dark ...

Three good 'un's, the Tina Rath offering especially so (must add Emily to the Fashion Victims: Also qualifies for Party Games).

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Daphne Froome - Still Life: Three years dead Eleanor Standhurst, genius, infant prodigy, returns to claim the prestigious Carsborough award denied her by a premature demise. She also gains a boyfriend. Max Foster, hot favourite to scoop the honour and land a post-graduate place at a leading London art college, will never forgive her.

Guy de Maupassant - An Apparition: (Le Gaulois, 4 April 1883). The Marquis de la Tour Samuel is asked by a bereaved friend to retrieve sensitive letters and documents from the château he shared with his late bride, as he cannot bear to revisit the scene of his former happiness. As the Marquis searches the bedside drawer, the dead woman's ghost materialises sat before the dresser and requests he perform her "a great service."

Steve Rasnic Tem - Shadows On The Grass: "It was simply that Mark Simms was an unhappy man, but with no tragic memories of his own to account for his unhappiness." So he muscles in on those of the heartbroken and bereaved. Misery-ghoul creepiness, later revived by Dziemianowicz, Weinberg & Greenberg in 100 Ghastly Little Ghost Stories.

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Washington Irving - Guests From Gibbet Island: (Knickerbocker, October 1839: Peter Haining [ed.], Murder on the Menu, 1991, & various). The rotting remains of a pirate trio accept a dinner invitation made in ghastly mockery.

James Turner - The Way Shadows Fall: (The Way Shadows Fall, 1975). Isabel Bryant, 30, London lit. mag. ed., holidaying alone at home in Stanhurst village, Kent. Lonelier, perhaps, than she cares to admit, she embarks on a love affair with a ghost in the summer house, and, thinking it will make him jealous, cheats with Tom the gardener. Death's release brings true bliss.

Alan W. Lear - Safety Zone: At seven years of age, Keiron Winterton encountered a ghost in his bedroom at Amblemaine Manor house. So traumatic was the experience that his hair whitened. The Doctor informed his parents that, should the experience be repeated, Keiran's weak heart will fail him. His advice; "Keep him away from haunted houses."

A millionaire at forty, Winterton buys the island of Pallos, and, staffed by robot servants, sets to living out his days a hermit untroubled by the threat of spectral visitors. Or so he thinks.