The Ghosts

The Ghosts is a novel written by Antonia Barber in 1969. It was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. It was filmed in 1972 as The Amazing Mr Blunden with Laurence Naismith as Mr Blunden and Diana Dors as Mrs Wickens.

Mr Blunden, an elderly solicitor, visits Mrs Allen, a widow who lives with her three children Jamie, Lucy and the baby, in Camden Town, London, England. He tells her that his firm are looking for a suitable person to act as a caretaker to an old, abandoned house in the country until such time as the descendants of the original owners can be traced. When Mrs Allen leaves the room to tend to her baby, Mr Blunden mentions to Jamie and Lucy that there are rumours that the old house is haunted but that ghosts can often appear as ordinary people, perhaps children like themselves, and that ghosts are often people in need of help... Jamie and Lucy confirm that they wouldn't be scared of ghosts that appeared in that form and would help, if they could. Before Mrs Allen returns, Mr Blunden leaves, giving Jamie an old, faded card for the firm Blunden, Blunden and Claverton, where Mrs Allen should call the next day to inquire about the post.

The Allens visit the firm, which, surprisingly, is called Blunden, Claverton and Smith. The solicitors are puzzled at Mrs Allen's visit, since the job has not been advertised but are nonetheless delighted to have found someone to take the job, in spite of the rumours of ghosts and soon the family find themselves living in the caretaker's cottage at Langley Park. Lucy explores the house alone. In the attic she thinks she hears voices in the distance - but can't understand what they're saying. The woman who comes in from the village to clean confirms that they're the ghostly voices of children, just children and nothing to worry about.

One morning soon after, Lucy is walking in the garden, gathering flowers. She suddenly becomes aware of a heavy, oppressive feeling and the warning song of a blackbird. Her eyes can't seem to focus but she thinks she sees two transparent figures walking towards her through the mist that hovers over the lawn. She panics, screams and runs to Jamie who returns with her to investigate. Everything appears normal until, suddenly, they both become aware of the oppressive feeling and the repeating, hypnotic blackbird song. The two figures are walking towards them through the mist and as they draw near, the figures solidify into a young girl, about their age and a younger boy. Jamie and Lucy are relieved to meet what appear to be two ordinary children, albeit that their clothes seem a little old-fashioned. Only after talking for some minutes, do they notice that the newcomers cast no shadows on the sunny path....

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