Again.
Made sense.
Crazy sense, but sense.
“But the Regency ball?” I pushed. “That one scene came out the strongest.”
She lifted her shoulders. “Who knows why ghost do what they do? Maybe it’s because you’re a student of history and the house showed you what it thought you wanted to see. Maybe there’s some link to Harmony, or even Charlie, from that period we don’t know.” She grinned. “Maybe they just wanted to come out and play.” Her grin died. “Probably, they were just what the house conjured up to communicate with you. Happy times. Dancing and friends. Girls hoping to make a match and fall in love.” She wagged her brows. “Men hoping for other things. Pretty gowns and sparkling jewels and dapper suits. I know I wouldn’t mind seeing that. Much better, more friendly and welcoming than injured men back from the front who would never be the same again.”
That made sense too.
Kind of.
“And the cats won’t interfere anymore?” I pressed.
“If there was ever a creature at one with the veil, it’s the feline. If the veil is at peace, they will be.”
Good.
I wasn’t a big fan of hitting the deck yet another time.
That done, I asked the million-dollar question.
“How do you know all of this?”
“Blood is blood, luv. Aileen Flannery was my great-grandmother.”
Holy shit!
I burst out laughing.
Ravenna did it with me.
It wasn’t until we had a long chat about ghosts, familiars and fate, and I was at the door, ready to leave, that she dropped the bomb.
“Would you like to know where the bones are buried?”
I looked down at her in shock. “You know?”
“I have some chops, Vivienne, but even I’m not that good. Great-Gran lived to be ninety-seven. And she liked to tell stories.”
Oh boy.
Although I was curious to know where Hughes-Davies was buried, I wasn’t sure it was good she knew.
She shook her head. “There are some bones that deserve to go undisturbed. And Great-Gran sensed my abilities, so she didn’t tell anyone but me. I’m quite happy that man is dead and buried, a mysterious footnote in history that anyone who took an interest would learn only that he was an ass and not missed by anyone but his mother. So I won’t be saying anything.”
That was good too.
I thought about her question and made a decision.
“The estate is so beautiful, I don’t want to know where he is. I don’t want knowing that to mess up my perception of even an inch of that place.”
Or Battle’s, since I’d obviously have to tell him.
“Saint, Bishop and Flint agreed,” Ravenna said. “This is why he wasn’t buried on The Downs. Close, but not on duchy property.”
“But Harmony said?—”
