Page 67 of Ghost Walk
“Your idiot brother was the Hero of Yorktown and cost Great Britain the War!”
Jamie’s eyes lit up in triumph. “Itoldyou Ned was a Tory, Grace!” He couldn’t have been more thrilled with the results of their questioning. “Iknewit!” He paused. “Although, that lack-wit Gregory Maxwell was no more a hero than he is a duck.”
“The War is over!” Edward bellowed. “It doesn’t matter which nation I fucking supported.”
Lucinda’s sister fanned herself, looking faint. “Language, gentlemen. There are ladies present.”
Jamie instantly tipped his hat at her. “Apologies, Miss Eugenia.”
She gave a prudish sniff, but inclined her head in ladylike forgiveness. “I should say so, Captain Riordan.” Apparently the rumors of her “fainting when she saw Jamie in the streets” were exaggerated. If Eugenia thought he murdered her sister, she was a master at hiding it under polite censure.
In any case, Grace hopedshedidn’t sound that prissy when she was scolding Jamie about his nonstop cursing. “You never apologize tomefor swearing.” She hissed at him.
“You’re not a pinched-lipped Sunday school teacher, as that girl is.” He edged away from Eugenia as she crossed the street to get a better (disapproving) look at the chaos. “Never did meet a pinch-lipped Sunday school teacher who wasn’t terrifying.”
“I’vetaught Sunday school, Jamie.”
He grinned at her. “But your soft lips are anything but pinched, lass. I can testify to that, firsthand.”
“This is all ridiculous.” Ned sputtered. “Aside from disliking her jackass brother, I have no bad intentions towards Miss Maxwell or any other lady of this town.” His face darkened with sudden and ill-advised hatred. “Except for my bitch of a sister-in-law.”
The residents of Harrisonburg began murmuring amongst themselves.
Jamie’s eyebrows shot up. “Aggie?”
“Me?” A redheaded woman blurted out. “How am I involved in this foolishness?”
“You bought my shop for half of what it was worth!” He roared.
“I paid the priceyouasked, Ned! It’s not my fault that you’re a poor excuse for a businessman.”
“My damnably stupid wife might buy your shit, Agatha, but I know better! I still remember how you wouldn’t dance with me at my wedding.”
“Agatha?” Grace glanced back towards the Crystal Ball a horrible suspicion filling her. Loyal was really, really bad with names… “Ohno.”
“Because you’d just taken my sister as your wife, but you were trying to feel under my skirts, you pig!” The woman, who had to be his sister-in-law Agatha Northhandler, waved a disgusted hand at him. “ItoldSarah not to marry you.”
“Aggie raises the prices at her shop, every time I need muslin.” Someone in the crowd called out. “All she cares about is money!”
“She took my seat in church last Sunday.” Another woman cried. “I had to stand and sheknowsthat my shoes are too small! She’s the one who sold them to me.”
Grace squeezed her eyes shut, knowing it was just as she feared. Loyal had cast the spell using the wrong name. Bad intentions towardsAnabelweren’t being revealed. Instead they were about to hear from everyone with a grudge against Miss Agatha Northhander. It was like watching the Boston Massacre begin all around her.
“Aggie Northhander was mean to my dog.” A man cried, looking close to tears. “Threw a rock at Old Revere back in ’84. She’s a violent witch.”
“Witch!” Clara Vance screeched, pointing a finger at Agatha like she was auditioning for a community theater production ofThe Crucible. “She’s a witch!”
Eugenia staggered against Jamie in a swoon, so maybe therewasa kernel of truth about her tendency towards genteel vapors. Sadly Grace had no choice but to stay conscious and deal with this mess.
Jamie steadied Eugenia’s flailing form and sent Grace a mystified look. “Is this your doing, lass?”
“No!” She paused and made a face. “Well,sort of. Mostly, it’s Loyal’s fault, though. I told him spells never work.”
Agatha did not appreciate the whole town turning against her. “I’m not a witch, Clara Vance!” She yelled, seizing on the last complaint. Aggie was a sturdy woman, with a pugnacious face and large hands. She stalked towards the Reverend’s daughter with an angry frown, clearly deciding to settle the argument with bloodshed rather than thoughtful discussion. “You take it back!”
Yeah… This wasn’t going to end well. Grace moved to intercede, hoping to stop the fight she saw brewing. “Why don’t we all calm down?”
Everyone ignored her.
