peppered

'Curious curio.'
'How?'
'Watch. I fill it with salt. There. Now upend it.'
'Pepper! But how?'
'Aw. I do not know. I tried pepper, and it shakes salt.'
'Where did you find this?'
'I swiped it from a cabinet at Willow Manor when she wasn't looking.'
'It is a dark haunt. That groundskeeper. Peter Lorre reincarnated.' Shudders.
'You're telling me. I says, "lovely day." He says, "yes, sir, for the living."'
'Do you see the vision of a covered bridge under the cap?'
'I never noticed. Good eye.' He looks at her. 'Yes, no doubt - it's the covered wooden bridge over the shallow frozen brook leading to the manor.'
Silence, followed by the sound of pebbles hitting the roof like a hail storm. And...silence. She looks at him.
'I believe you better return it,' she whispers.
'I believe you are right.'
'Will you go with me?'
'You are kidding!'