Page 40 of A Ghost of a Chance

Smiling, Rafe glanced at her before returning his attention to Mrs. Grainger. “And Osanne?”

Mrs. Grainger shook her head. “They found the poor dear’s body later. She had fallen to her death.”

“The family was devastated of a surety.”

Mrs. Grainger answered, “Oh, they were beside themselves with grief. Henry blamed himself. He and his mother were inconsolable. The following Spring, Mr. Jewell took them away. He had hoped that a change of scenery would help them. They never came back.”

Poor Henry. Osanne had lived with the guilt of not keeping watch over her brother all these years, fearing that something had happened to him. Much worse, Henry had probably lived with the heart-wrenching guilt of knowing that if he had remained at the ball, his sister would not have died searching for him. If only Osanne could assure him that she bore him no ill will. Boys his age could hardly be expected to attend a ball and dance with wallflowers when his friends awaited him to engage in more enjoyable pursuits.

Rafe gave a meaningful look to Osanne as if asking if she wanted to know anything else.

Osanne asked, “Does she know if Henry still lives?”

After Rafe repeated the question, Mrs. Grainger said, “I wouldn’t know. No one ever heard from them again.”

After another inquiring look at Osanne, Rafe asked more general questions and made polite conversation. After a few more minutes, he stood and bowed. “Thank you very much for your time, Mrs. Grainger. I wish you a good evening.”

Mrs. Grainger nodded. “Thank you for calling, Mr. Beauchamp. Fanny, see them out.” She lapsed into a coughing fit. As Rafe and Osanne left the tiny parlor, Mrs. Grainger’s voice rasped again, “Mary, have you seen my spectacles? And where is Mr. Grainger?”

As she saw them to the door, Fanny winced. With an apologetic smile, she explained, “Sometimes she thinks her husband is still alive.”

Rafe slipped her a few coins. “You’re a devoted young girl, Fanny.”

“Mary! Lazy girl, where are you?” Mrs. Grainger’s voice rang out.

“Forgive me but I must go.” As Fanny darted inside, her voice carried out to them. “I’m here, ma’am, and here are your spectacles. Mr. Grainger will return shortly.”

Outside, Rafe gave Osanne a brilliant smile that crinkled the edges of his eyes and made a sweeping gesture down the path. “Come, I want to show you my new home.”

“Your new home?”

“Yes, I rented a cottage here a few months ago.”

“Here? In Madding Hallow?”

“It wasn’t easy. I finally found a cottage in desperate need of repairs that the owner refused to make. But with no other options, I took it. I hired Jake and a few other villagers to help me make the necessary repairs and improvements.”

“Jake Wilson? The village drunk?”

“He’s made an effort to stay sober, and has proved himself a decent handyman as well as a skilled blacksmith.”

“Perhaps he needed you as a friend to help him out of his despair.”

Rafe smiled. “Many people benefit from having a friend.”

“What made you decide to rent a cottage here?”

“I think it’s time I stop wandering. And I feel closer to you here.”

Closer to her. Oh, how she loved the man!

They reached a neat, snug cottage. Nearby, the babbling of a brook mingled with the song of insects.

Inside, Rafe led her into a parlor not much bigger than Mrs. Grainger’s. In one corner stood a mahogany-cased square pianoforte.

Rafe motioned at the instrument. “For you, if you wish. Then we don’t have to worry about sneaking into Ravenswood Manor and fear that we’ll be caught.”

Osanne stared at the beautiful gift and consciously kept herself from shooting upward and out of the ceiling. Surprise, delight, awe all combined in some deep part of her soul. “I don’t know what to say.”