Page 43 of A Ghost of a Chance

He loved Osanne.

He liked who he was becoming since meeting her.

Ahead lay his family home, his parents, and the Christmas celebration. This year, for the first time in many years, he truly felt like celebrating.

Yet Kitty would be there, expectantly waiting for him. How could he tell her he could never return her regard? He couldn’t exactly tell her he had fallen in love with a ghost.

Letting Kitty down would be another form of failing Benjamin.

Chapter Thirteen

Rafe was clearly up to something. Osanne laughed at his infectious delight, his warm chuckle, the sparkle in his eyes, the spring in his step. As a child, Christmas had been her favorite holiday, but All Hallows’ Eve had become more precious than any other holiday.

He held out a hand and she took it, concentrating on counter-pressure. Again, came that sensation of feeling. How lovely. How right.

He glanced at her with barely concealed excitement. “I have news for you. And a surprise.”

“Ah. I knew you were up to something. What, pray tell, is it?”

“I learned that your brother is still alive, married and living in Ambleside, up in the Lake District.”

She froze. “Henry still lives? He’s well?”

“Very well. Happy, even. I corresponded with him. You have three nieces and a nephew, all grown and married with families of their own.”

She had missed seeing him grow up, meeting his wife, getting to know his children. He would be seventy by now, far from the youth she remembered. So much of life had passed her by.

But he lived still and was happy. A profound relief lifted her soul. She consciously reminded herself to stay near the ground so as to appear to walk and returned her focus on holding his hand.

They rounded the bend in the road. There, crowning the hill with light, lay Ravenswood Manor, just as it always had been. But Rafe had never before been so enthusiastic about going there with her.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked with laughter in her voice.

“Nowhere special—merely to Ravenswood Manor.” He grinned. “My home.”

She may have gaped at him like a fish out of water. “You live in Ravenswood Manor?”

Laughing, Rafe shook his head. “I’m not certain if I’ll ever grow accustomed to seeing you floating in the air.”

“I’ll try to keep that to a minimum. But you can hardly blame me; this is quite a shock.”

He grinned and held a hand up to her. She moved downward into position next to him and wound her fingers through his.

“I still can hardly believe we’re holding hands.” He tightened his fingers around hers.

“Would that I could hold onto you for all time.”

He went very still and gave her such an intensely searching look that she might have burst into tears for the joy and wholeness creeping over her. “I feel the same way.” One corner of his mouth lifted in a quick, sad smile. “If only....”

If only....

To shake off the sorrow settling over them both, she said lightly, “You truly live in Ravenswood Manor?”

“I don’t merely live there—I bought it.” His eyes sparkled.

“What?”

“Honestly, I can hardly believe it myself. I thought for certain it was entailed, but when the family who had been renting it all those years left this past summer, I learned that it could be purchased, and Henry was only too happy to sell it to me.” He tugged on her hand. “Come, the annual masquerade ball is happening tonight as usual. I want you to meet my parents.”