“You too, Battle.”
We hung up.
I didn’t grab my laptop at once to dig into my outline.
I held my phone to my chest and cast my gaze to three cats, all of whom had claimed their own papers to lie on.
“He’s so dreamy,” I told them.
Only Baby Blue lifted her head.
She looked at me and blinked.
She did not lie.
And she knew what she was talking about.
He was.
So dreamy.
CHAPTER 21
THE RETURN
I was sitting cross-legged outside the threshold to the ballroom, staring into it.
I was terrified of going in after what happened the first, and frankly, only time I ever wanted to walk in that room, so I stayed out.
I should be upstairs, freshening up, because my man was going to be home any minute, but even if not, it was almost time for cocktails, one of my favorite parts of the day at The Downs.
I’d showered after my riding lesson with Scotty that morning, and because Battle was going to be home, I took special care with my makeup and hair, so it wasn’t like I was gross.
But still.
My man was coming home.
However, for some reason, the ballroom called me.
No, I knew the reason.
Scotty and Harry had helped Prue drag a bunch of stuff out of the attics to line the upper hall so she could get around better in the space, and even if she’d unearthed an ancient filing cabinet that could prove useful in authenticating some of the pieces up there, still no letters.
I had the book totally outlined. I’d been through all papers, journals, letters, ledgers, notes, and nothing more on Harmony and Charlie, or Marie’s cryptic journal entry.
I was raring to dive in.
But it stunk that it seemed that mystery was to go unsolved, and I was going to have to make it up, augmenting what I had only from Harmony.
I felt movement at my side, startled, and looked up to see Chastity folding down beside me.
“Hey,” I greeted.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Trying to get the dead to speak to me.”
She started and looked at me. “What?”
