the upstairs music room. Dana had not had occasion to go into this room yet. Despite the Hollywood stereotype that would have audiences believe that all castles had a grand ballroom where lavish parties were held, Dana had learned that grand ballrooms were rare. However, most did boast a formal music room, where recitals and smaller dances and balls could be held.
Rose was leading her towards just such a room. She could now see that Grace was waiting for them, hovering just outside the door.
"Wait until you get a load of this," Rose whispered in her ear.
Grace's eyes were wide and fearful and her face seemed much paler than it should have been even in the moonlight. She was wringing her hands in agitation. As Dana came closer, she clutched her arm frantically. The strength of her grip and the trembling in her hand surprised her. In a tone that raised goose bumps on her arms, Grace whispered a single word. "Voodoo." She then pointed a shaky finger into the music room.
On the left side of the room was a marble fireplace mounted by a handsomely carved mantel made out of some kind of bone-colored wood. But it wasn't the fireplace that had grabbed their attention, but the figure in front of it glowing in a ghostly light. It was a very large, very purple chicken wearing a top hat and doing some kind of a dance.
Dana couldn't help herself. Peels of laughter filled the hallway, causing doors to open and lights to click on. The apparition at the fireplace flickered and winked out. Jack had once said that full-bodied laughter from Dana was a force of nature that could wake the dead. Or in this case make it disappear.
Grace was clearly terrified. "Oh, don't laugh!" Grace said. Jack came running down the hall with Noah on his heels. "Jack, make her stop."
"What's going on, what happened?" Jack asked.
"It's voodoo," Grace whispered.
Dana wiped tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry,”she began, trying to stop her giggling, "but what makes you say it's voodoo?"
"We learned all about it in New Orleans. At the museum they said that voodoo poltergeists appear as purple roosters in top hats. Or sometimes it could be a snake in a polka-dotted bow tie." Fresh laughter erupted from Dana and she fell against the wall.
"Yeah,”Rose added dryly, who clearly had not taken this whole scenario as seriously as her companion, "they even told us that Dr. John the famous New Orleans voodoo practitioner from the last century comes back from time to time as an alligator dressed in black wearing a ruffled shirt."
Dana leaned up against the wall. "Please stop,”she gasped, her whole body shaking from with mirth. "Stop I can't breathe."
By this time Oscar has joined them, looked very peeved and disgruntled. "What is all this racket? What's going on out here?"
Dana leaning weakly against the wall looked back into the music room. With tears streaming down her face she replied, "I think it was an Irish jig. Or maybe even the Electric Boogaloo." More shouts of glee exploded around them and she began beating her heels against the floor.
With a shake of his head, Jack scooped her up off the floor and held her in his arms. She buried her face in his neck and giggled helplessly. Everyone looked at Jack who simply smiled and said nothing. Then they all looked at Noah. He shrugged. "Sometimes things strike her as funny."
Since Dana was clearly unable to and Grace was practically in a panic regarding this insult against the spirit world, Rose explained the past several minutes, eliciting fresh bursts of muffled giggles.
Rose looked at Oscar speculatively. "I know you advertised this castle as being haunted-"
"I did not arrange this." He was outraged at the very suggestion. "I tell stories and let the guests make up their own minds. I do not fake ghosts just so I can advertise my castle as haunted."
"I believe you." Dana seemed to have herself more or less under control although the twinkling in her eyes told them it was near thing. However, she seemed disinclined to give up her place in Jack's arms. He seemed disinclined to let her. "I don't think dancing chickens…”she paused to bite her lip before continuing, "…is exactly your style. Besides, you've never said a word about voodoo."
"And nor would I. Voodoo has a sinister connotation to most people. While some tourists may think it is thrilling to shop at a voodoo supply store, those same