Arabella looked at Lady Louisa curiously. “Are you never frightened at night?”
“I have an intrepid mind and a balanced constitution. I know no fear.” She sniffed.
Lucy’sand Arabella’s eyes met.Lucy’s brimmed with mischief, and Arabella laughed, turning it into a cough.
The white woman would walk on the roof of Ashmore Hall tonight.
From having listenedto Lady Louisa’s chatter the entire afternoon, Lucy knew she suffered from insomnia and didn’t retire to bed until after midnight. To make sure Louisa was awake, Arabella would knock on her door under a pretense.
“I’ll say I can’t sleep and that I came to pick up my volume on Shakespeare’s sonnets that I lent her earlier. Not that she reads it; we both know she doesn’t read. I’m certain she only asked to borrow it because Ash stood nearby and said he liked Shakespeare.”
Ashmore Hall was built in an E-shape with three wings, with Lady Louisa’s roomconveniently placedat the tip of the first leg of the E, her windows facing the front and the middle court. If Lucy walked on the roof of the middle wing, Louisa could see her, if she went to the window facing the inner court.
“You’llhave to get her to look out of the window just at midnight.” Lucy said as she powdered her face white.
Arabella nodded. “I’ll think of something. I’ll try to get her to open the window. I can’t wait to see her face. Oh, Lucy, I haven’t had this much fun since we left the Seminary.” She returned to her room to wait for her cue.
Shortly before midnight, Meg scratched on Lucy’s door. They’d told her about the plan and she’d show Lucy the way up to the roof.
Meg almost dropped the lamp. “Oh Miss, you look terrifying!”
Lucy had painted dark circles around her eyes. With a long, white gown and her tangled hair flowing open down her back, she frightened even herself.
“Hush, Meg, no one’s to see me. Let’s go.”
They darted to the servants’ quarters, up the narrow, winding stairs. At the end of the corridor, they entered a cluttered little tower room filled with stacked old chairs and tables.
Meg opened a small window that led out to the roof. “You can get out here, Miss. Butbe careful!”
Lucy climbed out of the window and stood on a flat foot-wide platform leading to the chimneys. Cool night air blew into her face. The full moon and twinkling stars lit up the sky. It couldn’t get any better. They’d see a white figure from the distance, but not who it was. A low parapet at the edge would prevent her from toppling off. Having reached the chimney, she walked to the end of the wing and back.
Her long hair streamed in the wind, and she hoped that her face was sufficiently pale. A feeling of freedom rushed through her. She lifted her arms and pretended to float.
“Behold, the white lady walks.” This was even more fun than when she pretended to be a ghost back at the Seminary in Bath.
A shrill shriek pierced through the night.
Lady Louisa. Lucy grinned. So much for an intrepid mind and balanced constitution. Lucy nearly laughed as she imagined Louisa faint with fright. Satisfied that her mission was accomplished, she lingered for a moment longer, lifted her ghostly face up, allowing the moonlight to shine on it, then turned slowly, and drifted to the tower room, where Meg waited for her. Throwing a look back over her shoulder, Lucy froze. There was a tall, male figure standing in the window of the opposite wing, watching her.
Something quivered in her stomach.
“Botheration,” Lucy muttered.
For on that other side were the duke’s apartments.
Chapter 15
Someone knocked on the door. Lucy expected Arabella, and was surprised to see Mrs Bates.
“Miss Bell. The duke requests you to come down to the blue salon.” The housekeeper gave her a meaningful look.
“Now?”
“Immediately.”
“It’s past midnight.”
“I know.”
