Enjoy an Excerpt | The Unquiet Spirit | A Delicious Paranormal Ghost Romance by Penny Hampson

The Unquiet Spirit
by
Penny Hampson

She wasn’t home alone…
With her love life in tatters, Kate Wilson needs a fresh start, and where could be better than the old Cornish house that had belonged to her godmother?
There’s just one problem – it comes with a ghost as a sitting tenant.
Her grumpy new neighbour, the broodingly handsome Tom Carbis, is another fly in the ointment – he seems to turn up wherever Kate goes. His dog might be friendly, but he’s definitely not.
Then the discovery of a hidden diary points Kate to a romantic mystery with links to both Tom’s family and her house’s past – a mystery that might explain the reason for her spectral lodger.
The downside? Kate needs Tom’s help to solve it and has to convince him that she is not his foe.
But working with Tom to unravel long-buried secrets has unexpected consequences, and Kate discovers far more than she bargained for.

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Please enjoy an excerpt from An Unquiet Spirit:
It was too late to visit the solicitors’ office, so Kate decided to have a quick shower before going for a walk. After most of the day behind the wheel, a walk would blow the cobwebs away. Thanks to the stiff breeze now rattling the blinds, the sickly aroma of lavender had all but disappeared – replaced by ozone-filled air and a faint smell of cooking fat from the café below.
Kate’s chestnut hair was still damp as she changed into a clean pair of jeans and a warm hooded top, but she was in a hurry to get outside. At this time of day it would be chilly out by the water. She set off up Market Street towards Custom House Quay, glad to be stretching her legs at last. It was much quieter now the crowds had dispersed; the shutters were coming down on the souvenir shops while tablecloths and cutlery were being laid in the restaurants preparing for their evening trade. Kate always enjoyed this temporary lull between the noise of the day and the buzz of the evening crowds.
Yachts bobbing in the marina drew Kate like a magnet; she’d never been sailing, but had always wanted to give it a try. She remembered as a child watching a line of the graceful craft leaving Mylor Yacht Harbour and tacking gracefully down the Carrick Roads into the open waters of Falmouth Bay. Win had taken her over to the Roseland Peninsula to visit St Mawes Castle, but the castle ruins had been forgotten that day when Kate had spotted the yachts. One day she might have enough money saved to buy her own boat. Kate chuckled. Some hope…and she’d need someone who knew what they were doing to sail it.
She continued her stroll along the quayside, drinking in the maritime scene. The sleek lines and varnished woodwork of expensive craft contrasted sharply with the workmanlike battered dinghies and rowing boats also moored up. Nets and wicker lobster pots lay in tidy piles, ready for the next morning’s fishing trips, and seagulls squawked and swooped in the rapidly cooling evening air. Kate ignored their cacophony and concentrated on the rhythmic slapping of the water against the walls of the quay, her lungs inhaling the scent of the sea. She’d missed being by the coast. Oxford, lovely as it was, didn’t hold the same attraction for her. The centre of the town smelt of diesel most of the time… That, and books and beer.
Not that there was anything wrong with books and beer. But they were also connected to her bad memories.
Kate gave herself a mental shake. There was no point in dwelling on what was a finished episode.
I need to get my act together. Be more assertive and not take people at face value.
It was a mistake she’d made with Robin, and look where it had got her. He’d turned her into the other woman without her knowing it. Thank goodness she hadn’t moved in with him, despite his pleadings about being lonely. He’d wanted a fallback for when his wife discovered that he was a lying, worthless cheat.
At least she’d moved on to being able to see the funny side. The world hadn’t ended and she would get on with her life – perhaps a little more cautiously, but she would move forward. There were plenty more fish in the sea. And she needed to do a bit of digging about Win – see if she had been having a breakdown. Maybe Win’s friend Ruth could shed some light.
A sudden loud barking disrupted Kate’s thoughts. She looked over to see a lively black-and-tan dog, straining on its lead, tugging its distracted owner straight in her direction.
Kate stiffened.
There’d been the unfortunate incident with a neighbour’s territorial Jack Russell, who’d refused Kate access up the shared drive to her flat; despite the Jack Russell’s diminutive stature, the teeth marks on her ankle had taken a while to disappear. The result was that Kate was now wary of all dogs. They had joined lifts as things to be avoided.
‘Heel, Sal!’
The dog – a King Charles Spaniel – ignored its owner’s growled command and kept moving in Kate’s direction, its tongue lolling and tail wagging. It was getting far too close for comfort. Sweat beaded on Kate’s brow. Perhaps it wouldn’t sense her fear if she stayed stock-still against the railings separating her from the water below. She wavered between getting soaked or dealing with an evilly intentioned dog. Kate shot a nervous glance at the tall, athletically built guy on the other end of the dog’s lead; oblivious to his surroundings, he was preoccupied with his ongoing telephone conversation.
Kate coughed loudly. Why wouldn’t he look up? Her pulse rate increased as the dog inched nearer. She could see the guy more clearly now; with his thick dark hair, high chiselled cheekbones, and saturnine features, he’d have been handsome if it wasn’t for the scowl on his face.
‘Look, I’ll have to go,’ he snapped. ‘Sal’s playing up. Call you back later.’ Angrily, he shoved the phone back in his pocket. ‘For goodness’ sake, Sal!’ The guy, still scowling, swept the dog into his arms just as it got within sniffing distance of Kate’s leg. He barely glanced at Kate, who was gripping the iron barrier behind her for dear life.
She slumped against the railings and recommenced breathing. Her recent fear of dogs was irrational, but she couldn’t help it. Nips on the ankle were painful. The dog’s owner was another matter. What was his problem? He must have seen she was anxious.
No apology, not even an acknowledgement, only a scowl. Arrogant prick.
The light was beginning to fade and it was getting late. Kate shivered; the sea breeze was becoming more of a vicious wind. It was time to get something to eat, then head back to the apartment for an early night.
She was going to be first in the queue at the solicitors’ in the morning.

Penny Hampson writes mysteries and because she has a passion for history, her stories also reflect that. A Gentleman’s Promise, a Regency romance, was Penny’s debut novel and the first of her Gentlemen Series.
Penny also enjoys writing contemporary novels with a hint of the paranormal because where do ghosts come from but the past?
The Unquiet Spirit, a spooky mystery/romance set in Cornwall, the first of the Shades, Shadows, and Spectres Series, was a contender for the Joan Hessayon Award 2021. Penny lives with her family in Oxfordshire, and when she is not writing, she enjoys reading, walking, and the odd gin and tonic (not all at the same time).

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