She slowly turned and faced him, and for the first time since they had left Scotland, her smile didn’t reach her eyes. It was a mere shadow of its usual brightness and somehow sad. “I understand,” she said softly, “and I thank ye.”
The way she said it made it sound as if she felt he was the lord of the manor, she the servant, and he had tossed her a choice crumb from the high table. And he had no idea how to repair the damage he and society had done to make her feel that way. Damn and blast it all. When he had met her at the inn, the thought of marrying her had immediately sprung to mind. Well, a great deal had sprung to mind, but marriage was the most honorable. Something about her made him need her in his life. Somehow, no matter how confusing or complicated it might be, he would win her heart and make her happy that she had agreed tothe braw adventure, as she had put it, of becoming the Duchess of Ramthwaite.
Chapter Three
“Nettie!” Edgar saidin a hissing whisper. “You and Leopold come away from that window this instant. What if the new duchess sees you? You and that cat will scare off the poor lady who might finally bring our Ross some much deserved happiness.”
“We are not visible,” Nettie said while still peering out the attic window. She cradled the fluffy white cat in her arms and scratched it behind its ears. Pausing in her study of the carriage path, she frowned down at the cat. “You are not visible, are you, Leopold? You know Edgar and I cannot really tell unless one of the living reacts.”
The huge cat flipped its tail and purred louder.
“That is most unhelpful,” she told him.
“Any sign of them?” Edgar asked, joining her at the window.
She chuckled. “I knew you wanted to see them as badly as I did.”
“I just hope she is a better choice than that Lady Lotilda.” Edgar shuddered, and the cat hissed.
“Agreed,” Nettie said. “That one was a poor choice, indeed.”
“At least we had nothing to do with her death.” Edgar angled closer to the window. “We must do our best not to bring about any ill tidings to this one, either—at least until we see if she suits our Ross and makes him happy.”
“Edgar! We are not malevolent. All the others were accidents, and you know it.” Nettie gave an indignant huff, then kissed the cat on top of its head. “My Leopold did not intend to trip Ross’s Aunt Clara on the stairway. I mean, good heavens. It not only broke her neck but broke his too. Why would he purposely harm himself?” Another haughty snort escaped her. “And how were you to know that an attack of apoplexy would strike the gamekeeper and cause him to accidentally shoot Ross’s Uncle Arthur?”
“Yes, but the apoplexy hit the gamekeeper because he saw me.” Edgar groaned.
“Do not groan. The living hear us when we do that, remember?”
“Ah, yes. Forgive me.” He tried to wipe the layer of dusty grime from the gable window, but his hand passed through it. “Drat it all. I cannot see a thing, and if I solidify enough to clean a patch, they might see me.”
Nettie sadly shook her head, still caught up in tragic memories. “And our poor Forbes taking his own life after Arthur’s accident was not our fault, either. I am filled with regret about Ross’s mother, though.” She snuggled closer to her ghostly husband and sighed. “I did not mean to frighten the horses pulling her carriage. Poor Lady Pearl. Drowning in that creek when the carriage overturned—and our dearest Ross just a shy lad of six years old.”
Edgar hugged her close and kissed the top of her head. “There, there, my sweet Nettie. It was not your fault. Just an untimely accident. So many of the mishaps were that way. We meant no one any harm. Even Ross’s father understood we were merely trying to help before the laudanum took him to the other side.”
“I am so tired, my dearest,” she whispered. “Until one of our dukes finds true happiness and peace in this world, I cannotrest. But it appears the harder we try to make it happen for them, the worse their lives become. The villagers say it is the curse. Thatweare the curse, Edgar. I cannot bear it. All we ever wished for was happiness for our Ramthwaites—pure and simple happiness.”
Edgar gave another heavy sigh. “At least our Forbes went on to be with his beloved Maggie. Arthur joined his Clara, and Ross’s parents are together in the hereafter.”
“Yes—but they all charged us with poor Ross’s happiness,” Nettie said. “He is their last hope, and that has not gone well at all.” She shifted and peered up at her beloved husband, her champion who had joined her in death while trying to save her. “At least we are together, my darling man.”
With a smile, Edgar nodded. “And we always will be, my love. Even if we are here forever guiding the Ramthwaites on this side of the veil rather than the other.”
“There.” Nettie perked and pointed at the golden glow of carriage lanterns swinging up the drive. “They are here.”
“Listen to the bustle,” Edgar said with a chuckle. “Our great-nephew has sounded the alarm to come and greet the master and the new mistress of the house. What a fine steward he has become.”
“Samuel always was such a sharp lad.” Nettie materialized for the briefest flicker and wiped the attic window clean. “There. No harm done. No one saw me.”
“Mr. Briggs’s suit is in dire need of a good brushing,” Edgar noted with displeasure.
Nettie patted him on the chest. “Now, now, he is a fine butler. You even said so yourself.” She pointed at a tall, thin woman dressed in drab colors. “But that Mrs. Camersol…” She snorted. “Terrible housekeeper. Dust is everywhere, and I have never seen the silver looking so dingy. Where on earth did our Ross find that one?”
“He swears the woman is adequate,” Edgar replied in a tone that said he clearly disagreed. “Look. There is our new lady of the house—our duchess.”
“What a lovely young thing she is,” Nettie said with excited breathlessness. “Her smile. Look at her smile, Edgar.” She bobbed her head. “I am most hopeful about this one. See how she carries herself? With certainty, but tempered with kindness.”
“According to the scullery maids, our new duchess is a commoner from Scotland,” Edgar said while leaning closer to the window. “But I agree. She is a lovely thing. There is something about her. Is that a golden glow around her or am I imagining it?”
