She rushed up the stairs to the second-floor landing, but stopped there, a strange feeling sweeping over her. Later, she wouldn’t be able to say if she’d simply sensed something was amiss, or if she’d heard something, nor would she recall making her way down the corridor to Cassandra’s bedchamber.
But shewouldremember the sickening drop of her stomach when she opened the door.
The White Lady was hovering in the archway that led to Cassandra’s dressing room, the candle in her hand casting a pool of light around her, lending an unearthly glow to her painted face. She wore the white gown the villagers had described, her dark hair hidden beneath a silvery-white wig.
But it wasn’t her gown or her wig or even her ghostly white face that caught Cecilia’s attention. It was her blue eyes, as cold as ice, and glittering with madness.
A blinding diamond, so bright it hurtto look at her—
“Good evening, Cecilia. It’s kind of you to come, rather than making me search for you.” Lady Leanora’s scarlet lips split into an arrogant smile. “Then again, you are aservant, after all.”
Cecilia couldn’t have said why, but instinct urged her to drop into a respectful curtsy. “Good evening,Lady Leanora.”
Lady Leanora’s blue eyes flashed. “I’m the sixth Marchioness of Darlington, and mother to the future heir, whileyou…you’re nothing but Gideon’s whore.”
Cecilia’s head snapped back at the ugly words. Lady LeanoraknewGideon had taken Cecilia to his bed? Oh God, had she seen them together? Had shewatched?
“Did you think I didn’t know?” Lady Leanora’s red lips curled in a sneer. “I confess I was fooled at first. I didn’t realize Gideon wasn’t in love with that foolish Honeywell creature until after I chased her off. It’s been you all along, hasn’t it?”
Cecilia opened her mouth to reply, but nowords came out.
“The trouble with you, Cecilia, is you won’tleave,” Leanora went on, edging closer to Cassandra’s bed as she spoke. “I thought a night spent freezing in the kitchen garden would do it, but you’re cleverer than that Honeywell chit, and you found a way out. You understand, then, that I have to find another way to get rid of you.”
With that, Leanora lowered her arm, and casually, as if she were buckling her shoes, she touched the candle flame to Cassandra’s coverlet.
“No!” Cecilia screamed, but before she could move, before she even had a chance to draw a breath, the heavy silk coverlet caught fire.
“Oh, yes, I’m afraid so.” Leanora turned to the windows, and brought the candle within inchesof the drapes.
“Wait!” Cecilia thrust her hands out in front of her. “I’ll leave Darlington Castle, just as you want.”
“No, I don’t think so. I don’t believe you will, and in any case, it’s too late for—” Lady Leanora broke off, her gaze darting to the door.
Cecilia dimly registered the sound of feet pounding in the hallway. The lock on Cassandra’s door rattled, and in the next moment someone threw the door open. “Cecilia! Whatin the world—”
“Don’t come any closer, Amy.” Cecilia never took her eyes off Lady Leanora, but she held out her hand behind her, a warning to Amy to stay back. “Fetch Isabella and Mrs. Briggs, and leave the castle.”
“No! I can’t…I won’t leave you—”
“Listen to me, Amy.” Cecilia heard the thread of hysteria in Amy’s voice, and struggled to keep her own voice calm. “You and Mrs. Briggs must take Isabella out of the castleat once. Do you understand me? I’ll be right behind you.”
Amy was sobbing now, but after a pause in which Cecilia prayed harder than she’d ever prayed before, she heard Amy’s retreating footsteps, and a door being thrown open at the other endof the hallway.
“See? Clever, just as I said.” Lady Leanora’s smile was strangely benevolent, but her eyes were pure, blue ice as she hovered the lit end of the taper inches away from the silk drapes. “I think it’s best if we keep this business between us.”
Chapter Twenty-four
“What will you do with yourself, once we’ve caught your ghost, Darlington?” Haslemere blew on his gloved hands to warm them, releasing a cloud of frosty breath. “Kent will be dull enough without a haunting tokeep you busy.”
They’d ridden out early to the northernmost edge of the grounds in search of the ghost. Gideon didn’t expect they’d find her so far from the castle, but this morning they’d sent Haslemere’s men out in pairs to search the western, eastern, and southern borders of the property nonetheless, with orders to reconvene at the edge of the forestthis afternoon.
By the time the sun set this evening, not a single acre of Darlington earth would remain unturned. If the White Lady was on his grounds, they’d find her. Gideon released a breath, some of the tension in his shoulders easing as they neared the tree line leading to the formal grounds. The closer he remained to the castle and its inhabitants, theeasier he was.
He turned to Haslemere with a shrug. “I’ve had enough excitement these past few months.” A ghost, a haunted castle, a broken engagement, and a heart full of love, beating once again. “The duller Kent is, the better.”
“Oh, I imagine you’ll findsomeway to pass the time.” Haslemere darted a sly glance at Gideon. “Tell me, how does Cecilia do this morning, Darlington? She’s recovered from last night’s ordeal, I hope?”
More than recovered, judging by her, ah…enthusiasm this morning. Gideon’s cock ached every time he thought of her soft lips and the brush of her hair against his skin. So he did his best not to think of her, as he didn’t choose to spend a day in the saddle battling a persistent erection. “She seemed well enough. I only saw herfor a moment.”
