The Lady's Second-Chance Suitor, Scott, Regina [e novels to read online .TXT] 📗

recall, an elderly fellow indoublet and hose located us and directed us back to our parents. He bore astrong resemblance to the first Viscount Peverell. We never found him againeither. He’s probably still wandering the halls from the last masquerade.”

Hester swatted his arm with her free hand, and thecandelabra wavered. Their shadows climbed the walls like gnarled vines. Herlaughter stuck in her throat.

“I don’t believe in ghosts,” Rob said, perhaps a littlelouder than was needed. “This is my home, for all it can be a nuisance. Itseems someone saw fit to pillage this room of a large-enough bed for two. Let’stry the next room.”

They tried the next several on that side, then circled backon the other. All were well secured for a long absence—no sheets, no coverlets.Some lacked beds or had ones that were not conducive to sharing. Two whistledso loudly with the wind that no one would have slept a wink.

Rob shook his head as they started back for the main blockof the house to meet her mother and Lord Featherstone. “What did I expect?Father hasn’t visited in years. We probably haven’t hosted a house party in adecade. It seems the Lodge has fallen to ruin.”

He sounded so sad, as if he were guilty of some great dearthof duty. “Not to ruin,” Hester told him. “A few more staff, a good cleaning,and all should be well.”

“I would not be so certain of that, Mrs. Todd,” LordFeatherstone said, materializing out of the darkness with her mother at his side.“I fear we found that the roof has been leaking on this wing, my lord. Many ofthe furnishings and carpets will require replacing.”

Rob’s sigh was audible. “Thank you for the report, my lord.I am dismayed to hear it, but I will do what I can to remedy the matter oncethis storm abates. In the meantime…” He turned and gazed back the way they hadcome. “It appears we must attempt the crooked wing after all.”

~~~

 

Rob hadn’t wanderedthe crooked wing in years. He couldn’t help wrinkling his nose at the musty,unused smell as they all reached the carpeted corridor.

“We’ll take the left if you and Mrs. Denby take the right,”he advised the baron.

“Very good.” Lord Featherstone led Hester’s mother towardthe closest door on that side just as a cracking noise echoed down thecorridor. Rob would have sworn the entire wing canted to the right. Hesterclutched his arm.

Rob put his hand over hers. “Some version of this house hasstood on the promontory for more than a hundred and fifty years. I doubt onestorm will sweep it away.”

She offered him a game smile. “Of course. Please forgiveme.”

“Nothing to forgive. It is an impressive storm. There’ssomething about wind—the speed, the force, the way it spears through the leastcrack. It’s not so noticeable in London, but here? We are witness to the powerof nature.”

“You almost sound as if you enjoy it,” she accused as heopened the door and they peered into the room.

“Perhaps a bit,” he admitted. “You can’t deny there’s anexcitement to the air.”

“Not everyone loves excitement the way you do,” she informedhim. She removed her hand from his arm to step into the room. “This one isn’tso bad. A large enough bed to share. Few Holland covers to remove.”

“Father favored this room,” Rob said, following her. “He’dengage Mother or Thomas in a game of chess on that table there by the hearth.”

The round ebony table was inlaid with ivory to mark thesquares for the game. He could almost see his father rubbing his hands togethergleefully before pronouncing check and mate. Chess had been an active sport forhis father. He’d loved the strategy, but he’d seemed to love knocking over hisopponent’s king far more, as if the clack of ivory meeting ebony gave him apeculiar pleasure.

“Is your mother’s room next door, then?” Hester asked,turning from the big box bed.

“Down the corridor. There are two large dressing rooms inbetween.”

“Could we use those for the staff?” she asked.

Rob stuck out his lower lip. “Possibly. I seem to recallcots that could be brought in when Mother or Father was ailing and needed a servantclose at hand. The question would be where those cots were stored. Ourhousekeeper would be able to put her hands on them, but we left her in Londonthis time.”

She came to join him by the hearth. “How odd not to know yourown home.”

He felt it too, as if the place hadn’t really been homeuntil Hester had come to stand next to him. “You forget,” he told her. “We onlystayed here during the summers, and Mother made all the arrangements. Elizabetheven had to order in coal for this visit. We probably should have stayed inLondon, but the house there and the estate in Wiltshire hold too many memories.I thought it would be easier for me and Elizabeth here for a time. Yet it seemsghosts followed us, for I see Mother, Father, and Thomas everywhere.”

She raised her chin. “Then we should not use this room.Let’s look farther down the corridor.”

In the end, they decided on guest rooms across from eachother just down the wing. Rob left Hester, her mother, and Lord Featherstone tostart setting the rooms to rights and went in search of his sister. Elizabethand Donner were returning from the kitchen, along with several of the maids andBascom, all armed with sheets, blankets, and coal.

It took a while to settle everyone. Elizabeth loaned nightgownsto Hester and her mother and Rob found nightshirts for Donner and LordFeatherstone. His sister returned to her room, but Rob knew he wouldn’t be ableto shut his eyes. The wind moaned down the corridors, and the house shudderedat random moments. Something crashed from the back of the house—a tree goingdown, perhaps? And he couldn’t stop thinking about the rainwater that must bepouring into the east wing.

He’d asked Bascom to keep lamps burning in the corridors andstairwell in case anyone needed to move in the night, so it was easy to see hisway to the stairs. A shadow passed on the landing below. Rob tensed.

“Who’s there?” he demanded.

Bascom climbed to his side. “Only me, my