Page 70 of Captivating the Countess
Bell tilted her head to admire the effect and tried not to go faint with desire. She had to survive a séance first. “The trust is the other motivation I mentioned. If that is somehow the reason for the attack, you are in as much danger as I am. And that puts the suspicion squarely on Teddy again and is even more difficult to believe since he already stands to inherit.”
“Lady Dalrymple’s brother in New York is in line after Teddy,” Rain warned. “I checked the family tree. It has to be traced back several dukes, but he’s the eldest son of the next eldest son after my father’s line. So Teddy might be in equal danger.”
“A weak person like Helen trying to kill us all is about as unlikely as one of your family thinking they might control Teddy and the fortune if you are out of the way. And neither have anything to do with me. We may as well believe a ghost pushed me.”
“Which may bring us back to Lady Pamela, simply because she’s not family, ” he said reluctantly. “Teddy claims he wants to marry her. I’ve tried to dissuade him. But like everyone else, she believes the duke is at death’s door. She has to think Teddy will inherit soon. Why would she attack you?”
“Spite?” Bell suggested. “Because she’s afraid you’ll suddenly call in a minister and marry me on the spot? She’s not as stupid as Lady Dalrymple. She has to know you’re not likely to do that, and even if you did, there is still a chance of Teddy gaining the fortune if I don’t produce a son.”
“It’s not stupid to think I’d marry you on the spot. But I’d rather heave her out and Teddy with her to prevent you setting yourself up as a target. The likelihood that you might draw out a confession is about as unlikely as all our theories.” Rain’s jaw muscles set in determination. “I’ll tell everyone the duke is recovered. That should throw a spoke in the culprit’s wheel.”
“And you’d still attempt to crush a confession out of your guests.” She knew she’d hit close to the truth when he growled a protest. “As much as I’d like to see you crush Lady Pamela and her wicked tongue, I don’t want you thinking badly of Teddy if he’s innocent. It’s time I use my gift as it was intended.” Despite all her doubts, she knew this had to be done.
“It doesn’t seem worth the risk. What if your heart stops and doesn’t start again? Let me try healing you first.” Rain crushed her tighter against him.
She was grateful for his physical support and perhaps for his rationality, but she needed his belief that she could do this. “What are the chances I can enhance your abilities while you’re attempting to heal me? You need time to explore what you can do, and we don’t have time. We don’t know anything for certain. My assailant might even attack the duke if they think he’s healing. It would be so simple to put a poisonous herb in his drink—”
Rain shuddered. “I hate thinking like that.”
A knock interrupted.
“It’s time, my lady,” Button called from the other side of the door. Even the maid sounded solemn and worried.
They’d pegged down as many details as was possible. Everyone would be keeping an eye on everyone else. Bell feared the spirits more than she did the human villain, especially if Lady Pamela was the culprit. Lady Pamela was easily defeated, but who could control any spirits she might let loose?
But terror was her only weapon. She prayed it would work.
“Have Mrs. Damon bring Drucilla down to the drawing room, will you, please, Button?” Bell gathered up her shawl, lifted her chin, and waited for Rainford to open the door and let her out.
“Must we include the child? It cannot be safe.” The normally unruffled marquess appeared very ruffled, indeed.
“She’ll be safe in our arms.” Bell hoped that wasn’t a lie. “If anything supernatural occurs, Dru will see and scream. Secondly, she can tell me what she sees the ghost doing, which might be important. Thirdly, she helped your grandmother speak without rendering me comatose. It’s still not pleasant, but I’d rather not end up senseless again.”
“I do not like this,” he warned. “I mean to fling you over my shoulder and flee with you if I perceive any threat.”
She supposed it was comforting to know he cared, but that didn’t assuage her terror of what she was about to unleash.
Rather than gripping the banister as she usually did, Bell took comfort in clinging to Rain’s muscled arm as they descended the entry stairs. The family, guests, and servants had gathered at her request in the large drawing room. She was quite likely to make a quivering ass of herself in front of everyone he knew. And even if she succeeded in speaking to a ghost, she would still create a spectacle—and have people begging to talk to their long-dead family members.
She knew of no other way to protect herself and Rain’s family—unless she retreated to Craigmore. Every ounce of her soul resisted returning to her desolate estate after the life and liveliness of Rain’s active household.
Besides, she could not leave Rain and his family in danger, which seemed to be what his grandmother was saying.
So she held up her chin as she entered the towering hall. Conversation died and every head in the place turned to watch her on Rainford’s arm. She refused to quake, wondering if a killer watched, if someone hated her that much.
Alicia, bless her heart, had set up a table in front of the roaring fire, far away from the crystal chandelier. There was no room large enough to comfortably allow this audience to spread out that didn’t have a chandelier.
Treating her with the respect afforded a royal princess, Rainford set her down in a comfortable chair beside the table. Bell hadn’t coached him in what to say. He knew more about public speaking than she did.
While he addressed his guests, she busied herself with locating all her prime suspects. The family was all here, naturally. Teddy was sketching in one corner. As requested, Salina had set up a tarot reading that held Lady Dalrymple and Lady Pamela ensnared. Estelle hurried in at the last second, apologizing, after seeing to the children in the nursery. The governess and Drucilla took places in a distant corner. Most of the men had drinks in hand. The ladies clustered and gossiped. The servants discreetly took their places as directed, looking uneasy and out of place.
Iona and Gerard sat on a loveseat to her right, acting as guardians. She’d set the stage as best as she knew how.
Bell had utterly no idea how to summon Rain’s grandmother. She didn’t know if the spirit rested in between bouts of speaking or disappeared to some ethereal plane. If she survived this, she would have to start learning more about her dreadful gift.
As Rain spoke to the gathering, the suffocating presence she’d noticed earlier descended. Had that been the ghost trying to protect her when Nevins had treated her so rudely? She’d experienced it again while holding Drucilla.
She prayed the manifestation meant the ghost was present.
