Page 46 of Captivating the Countess
Nevins looked as if he’d like to plant him a facer, but Rain strolled away before tension could rise. Heirs to dukedoms did not engage in fisticuffs, more’s the pity. A round in the ring was exactly what he needed. Or a night in Bell’s bed, but the séance put a damper on that hope.
Rain had a good understanding of why many heirs ran wild. It was an utter bore being proper all the time. Fortunately, he had other pursuits to keep him busy, and it was his nature to maintain tight control over his thoughts and thus, his actions.
Estelle caught up with him before he could reach a friendlier group. “If you had a wife, she would have known all about Lady Dalrymple and Drucilla. I had no notion that you hadn’t heard.”
“Only a wife who cared about my family might have such information.” Rain gestured at the elegantly garbed females surreptitiously watching him from every corner. “How many of these would bother?
Estelle grimaced. “I take your point. Even I didn’t tell you about Dru. I foolishly assumed you knew. But I live in Somerset and do not normally see you every day. A wife would...” She glanced at the company. “Be more concerned for her own family,” she admitted with a sigh.
Unlike the countess, Rain realized. Bell noticed every detail brought to her attention, even a stranger’s child. He’d searched the room and not yet found her hiding place. “Where’s Bell?”
“She thought it best not to tempt our resident haunt by being present during Alicia’s theatrical. I assume she’s preparing for the séance instead.”
Bell wasn’t even married to him, but she put his family first. Rather than thinking of herself, she refused him because she might not bear a son in time to save his family fortune. Bell was the kind of mature, intelligent, caring woman he wished to marry.
If only he had his father’s healing ability... he might marry Bell. But even the duke couldn’t heal the Malcolm curse.
Rain patted his sister’s shoulder. Estelle was a strong woman, made for having babies, then bossing them around. “I’m old enough to take care of myself. You have your own family. Will it be safe for you and Salina to attend the séance? We wouldn’t want any harm to come to children not yet born.”
“Unless the hag decides to inhabit the unborn—who can’t speak—I think we’re safe. As I understand it, once a spirit chooses to be reborn, they lose themselves. She won’t want that.”
“Thehag, nice way to speak of your grandmother.” Rain covered his fear with amusement. Thehaghad apparently thought inhabiting Bell’s womb no problem, but then, Bell spoke to spirits. Perhaps she could talk to unborn babes as well. “Just promise me you’ll leave the moment anything feels wrong.”
“Nothing ever happens. None of us are susceptible. We simply want to encourage Bell to try. I know you’ll be a good duke someday, Rain. I’m just not ready.” She hastily wiped at her eye.
“None of us are.” He squeezed her shoulder and continued on his way.
Dinner without Bell would be sawdust.
Bell dearly wishedto watch Alicia’s theatrical, but caution had ruled her life for good reason. Instead of joining everyone in the music room, she finished her dinner in her new suite, then climbed to the nursery floor to check on Drucilla.
Learning the child was fast asleep should have relieved her. Unfortunately, Bell feared that meant the resident ghost was downstairs, haunting Alicia.
She took the corner stairs down to the main family floor. The enclosing walls of this staircase made her feel a little more stable.
The music room was on the public floor below. By following the gallery overlooking the entryway, she found the place where she could hear voices carry the best. Was this how the ghost felt—above and beyond any participation in real life?
Amusing herself by imagining the duke’s mother floating over him ever since her death, Bell listened for any sign of trouble. She could hear the actors emoting, although she didn’t discern the words. The audience laughed politely a time or two. They clapped enthusiastically after a musical interlude.
She should probably go back and prepare her suite for the séance, but she had utterly no idea what one did to prepare.
The actors raised their voices in feigned anger. The audience emitted squeaks of surprise. A female voice shouted. Bell clenched her fingers and prayed that Rain would call a halt if anyone was likely to be hurt.
The chandelier over the stairs began to sway.
The subtle motion did not trigger her startle reaction. Instead, Bell clutched the railing with horror while she watched the crystals rattle. And then she thought she heard more chains creaking in the distance. The marble entryway was an echo chamber that carried sound too well.
Not feeling the anxiety that usually had her toppling over, she swallowed hard and tried to think what to do. Remembering there was no fixture in the music room, she sighed in relief. The company should be safe. Should she alert the servants?
She heard men grumbling down the back hall. The smoking room didn’t have a chandelier, did it? Then she remembered the antlers hanging over the billiard table.
The lady was growing more powerful if she reached the far north wing at the same time as the main residence.
Bell had been rather hoping her remote suite might be too far for the ghost to reach, but it was only a flight up from the billiard room.
There was a small chandelier in the duke’s sitting room.Alarmed, she lifted her skirt, intending to check on him—
Frantic screams erupted in the music room, on top of popping sounds. Caught by surprise, she felt the familiar fog filling her head...
