James followed the apparition without question. If his nieces were in danger, he had to save them.
“There is an old wishing well. It’s always been an attraction for the children. Unfortunately, it’s crumbling, and I fear they may fall in.”
“Where is it?” he demanded as she veered off the well-worn path and onto one that hadn’t appeared to be used in quite some time.
“It’s right through there.” She pointed up ahead.
James hurried past the ghost. “Madeline! Lucy! Where are you?”
He pushed bushes and shrubberies out of his way, yelling his nieces’ names until he came to the small clearing with the crumbling well. However, it was Diana he discovered instead. “Where are my nieces?”
She blinked and straightened. “I’ve not seen them, Lord Somerton.”
Her tone was crisp and cool, and so blasted formal.
“Are you certain that they aren’t here?” He rushed forward and braced his hands on the crumbling bricks of the well, then leaned over the edge. “Madeline! Lucy!” he called, but there was no answer.
“There have been no children here, Lord Somerton,” Diana said again.
“Blast it all.” His heart pounded even faster as he did a full turn. “She said they were here and in danger.” He pushed his fingers through his hair before he started to search among the foliage. “Are you certain Madeline and Lucy haven’t been here?” he demanded.
“I’ve been here for a short time, but I’ve not seen the girls or anyone else.”
Of course she wouldn’t have seen Lady Isolda.
“You must calm down.”
“Calm down?” he yelled. “My nieces could be in danger.”
Just as he said the words, a cold hand settled upon his shoulder.
“I’ve found them,” Lady Isolda whispered in his ear. “They wandered in another direction. I apologize for upsetting you, but they are quite safe.”
James blew out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose as his pulse slowed back to normal. Blowing out a breath, he settled against the well. The bricks shifted beneath him, crumbling and in an instant, he was falling backwards.Blast it all.He scrambled to right himself, unable to find purchase.
“James!” Diana cried and grabbed onto his hand, pulling him back and saving him from tumbling into the well.
Once he gained his feet and caught his breath again, James looked down into Diana’s emerald eyes. The very eyes he’d fallen so hard for just a few months ago. They weren’t nearly as hard and cold as they’d been in London. “Thank you.”
Diana jerked her hands away from his. “Lord Somerton, who told you the girls were here?”
“I’ll leave you two to get acquainted,” Lady Isolda whispered before she vanished.
Had Lady Isolda intentionally lied to him to get him here? She had pointed Diana out to him earlier and if she’d used his nieces to get him to do her bidding, Lady Isolda would wish that she was…What? She wasalreadydead so there wasn’t much he could do to her, except refuse to fall in love.
“Lord Somerton?” Diana asked with concern.
James shook his head. “You’ll think me mad.” Though Diana might not be shocked because Jameswasfairly certain that she’d been arguing with a ghost the day before.
“Perhaps. But tell me anyway,” she urged.
“A ghost,” he finally ground out. “Aghosttold me that the girls had come to this wishing well and that they could fall in.”
Diana gasped and put a hand over her heart. “No wonder you are in such a state.”
“Before I nearly fell into the well, she’d told me that she’d been mistaken and that they are quite fine.”
* * *
