Page 44 of Captivating the Countess
Then her mother wasn’t a complete simpleton, thank heavens. “So we can help each other with our ghosts. I’d like that. I have to go back to work now, but I’ll talk to Miss Damon. I’m Lady Craigmore. Promise you’ll have Miss Damon send for me when you’re scared?” Bell stood and set the child back in the chair so she could read her little face.
A serious child with a long blond braid, Drucilla frowned in thought. “All right. Can I just call you Lady? I don’t remember all that rest so well.”
“Lady C. You know your alphabet, don’t you? Just ask for Lady C, and she’ll know who I am.” Leaving the child with the picture book, Bell went in search of Miss Damon.
With a graying braid wrapped around her head, in the somber clothes of a governess, Miss Damon approached the instant Bell entered the schoolroom.
“Drucillaseesghosts.” Bell spoke brusquely, not allowing anyone to question her or the child’s ability. “Ihearthem. The next time she cries, ask if the ghost is bothering her and if you should send for me, and then do, please. I want to help, if I can.”
“Ghosts, of course, my lady. She’s a very sensitive child.” Miss Damon clasped her hands. “Should I talk to Lady Dalrymple?”
“I will, immediately.” Bell swept out, hiding her anger at a mother who would ignore her child’s fears. A Malcolm shouldn’t do that.
Of course, a Malcolm shouldn’t hide from herownfears as Bell had all these years.
Sixteen
“You haveto attend my play, Rain. Youhaveto,” Alicia cried. “I know the ghost is telling us something important!”
Rain rubbed his temple and wished his title and his responsibilities to Hades. “I’d prefer the old besom just speak her peace and be done.” He’d rather the haunt speak through Alicia’s play than inside Bell’s head, but he thought it unlikely.
“Maybe she will tonight. She communicated with Teddy, didn’t she?” Eager to be helpful, Alicia practically bounced up and down.
“I don’t think a shadow haunting a painting counts as communication.” Rain reached for one of his barbells and lifted it up and down beside his chair in vague hope that would speed Alicia from the room.
“Well, if the play doesn’t work any better, we’ll have the séance. Shall we hold it in Father’s rooms?”
“It will be late.” But the ducal suite would be the safest place for keeping out wandering guests and servants.
“We can be quiet. His sitting room is large, with plenty of chairs. Should I bring the spirit board?”
“Ask Lady Craigmore. I cannot imagine she’ll approve. She dislikes contrivance.” Or he thought she did. When it came right down to it, he knew more about how he felt than what she thought. He damned well needed more time...
Which had always been the problem. He liked to have thorough knowledge of a subject before making any decision. It wasn’t possible to have thorough knowledge of a woman—and he preferred them mysterious anyway. Probably because he wasn’t interested in marrying them. Forcing his jaw to unclench, he changed the weight to his other hand.
Alicia bounced a delighted curtsy and fled, leaving Rain as angry with himself as he was with thespiritsinhabiting his damned house.
He had hoped to hold the séance while Alicia and Teddy entertained the guests with their theatrics. His married sisters occasionally managed to be sensible. Alicia—not in a thousand years. But he couldn’t reject her plea for him to watch her play. What if she actually had found a way to communicate with the ghost?
He was about to go up to his father when he sensed Bell’s presence outside the door Alicia had not fully closed. It was as if Bell’s perfumes were meant to soothe, or perhaps just knowing that it was her calmed him. Quiet, competent Bell wouldn’t demand drama. He quit grinding his teeth, set down the weight, and came out from behind his desk.
“Come in,” he called before she could knock.
She entered hesitantly, with a puzzled frown between her eyes. “I thought I should speak with you before I speak with Lady Dalrymple. Do you know much of her?”
As if he paid attention... But Bell wouldn’t be here unless it was important. “Helen? Distant cousin on my father’s side?” And then he winced, vaguely recalling her place on the family tree. “Her brother is probably in line to the title, but I’d have to look to be certain in what order. We’re kin, but her family is from Dorset. We only see each other on rare occasions when we’re both in London. I’m not sure why she accepted our invitation.” Rain gestured for her to have a seat, but she shook her head.
“Tragically widowed, with one child?”
Rain nodded. “He was in India, gouging for gold like the rest of the East India Company. Elephant trampled him, I believe. Why? Is there something wrong?”
“Her daughter is about five and apparently sees ghosts. I believe she may be seeing your grandmother, but I couldn’t pry too much out of her. She says the ghost is slamming doors, hence my surmise.”
Rain leaned his hip against his desk and studied the countess’s worried expression. He was gradually learning her moods. “You’re concerned, why?”
“Well, for one, Drucilla is terrified and spends all her time weeping. And secondly, Lady Dalrymple apparently refuses to believe her, so the child has no one to whom she can turn.” Bell twisted her hands in her skirt.
Rain wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her, but she hadn’t given him that right. His primitive nature seldom warred with his intense discipline, but Bell... presented a challenge. She considered herself anemployee. To keep her here, he needed to respect that designation, for a while.
