"I hope you'll be happy with us, Jane," the housekeeper said. "Before I let you have a room, I really should ask you if you're afraid of ghosts."
"Ghosts, ma'am?" asked Jane, puzzled. The staid looking housekeeper didn't look the sort of woman who'd even believe in, let alone be afraid, of ghosts.
"Yes, Jane," said Mrs. Simmons. "We currently have two beds available in the maid's quarters. One is in a room that you would have to share with Sally and Agnes, but the other is a small single bedroom. The trouble with the single room, of cause, is the ghost."
"The ghost, ma'am?" asked Jane, suspicion plain in her voice.
"Yes, Jane. The reason the room is empty is because the other maids don't like the way the ghost insists on having everything just so. They say if you move the bed, the ghost moves it back. If you leave things on the dresser, the ghost puts them in a drawer. They don't like it and won't stay in that room. So, do ghosts worry you or not?"
"Ah, no, ma'am. I'm not sure that I even believe in ghosts," said Jane.
"That's the spirit," said Mrs. Simmons cheerfully. "In that case just move your things into this room here, and you'll be fine."
Mrs. Simmons opened the door to a small but neatly presented room.
Looking over the room, Jane was quite pleased with it. She'd have some privacy and probably a lot more room than in a bedroom with two other girls. Looking over the room she was surprised to see a sturdy little bolt on the door.
She mentioned it to Mrs. Simmons, who sniffed disparagingly.
"One maid who had this room insisted someone was sneaking in at night and touching her," she said. "Such goings on don't occur in any house I run, I assure you, but she complained so much that Master had a bolt put on. Didn't help of course. She left soon after. Claimed that the ghost was touching her."
"I see," said Jane faintly. Apparently she was moving in with a neat ghost who like to touch girls. It would be a new experience, but she suspected that she'd survive.
"Just leave your things here for now and you can come and meet the other girls. You can unpack later."
Subsequently, Jane met the other maids and started work. At tea that night, one of the maids turned to her.
"I suppose you've been put in with Sally and me. Just remember, we were there first and we've got the room the way we like it."
"Actually, no," said Jane. "Mrs. Simmons had given me the empty single bedroom."
There were gasps from the other maids.
"She's put you in with the Phantom Fucker?" asked Agnes aghast. "You'd be a lot better off in with Sally and me, you know. You can always ask to change."
"Put me in with who?" asked Jane, surprised at the crude description.
"What did Mrs. Simmons tell you about the room," hedged Agnes.
"She said that's there's supposed to be a ghost who haunts it and insists on a tidy room."