Page 25 of The Haunting
“Callie’s my sister,” Clio admitted, and Maggie squealed.
“You’re one of the quints!” she exclaimed.
“Yup, that’s me. My claim to fame is Callie and Polly,” Clio said dryly.
Phoe’s stare remained on me, and I guessed she wasn’t satisfied with Daniel’s explanation. I refrained from squirming, as that would offer a sign of guilt. Phoe finally looked away as I’d held her gaze steadily for a few moments.
“Callie needs to come and investigate this place,” Maggie suggested, and I knew she was doing her best to distract everyone.
“Possibly,” Clio replied, and her stomach growled. “Oh, sorry, I’m starving.”
“When they return, we’ll eat that stew,” Maggie said. “Actually, I need to go check it again. Will someone come with me?”
“We should stick together,” James stated.
“But dinner will burn, and we’ll all go hungry.”
“Emmaline and I will go with Maggie. We all need another drink,” Vladimir said.
Daniel looked hesitant but finally nodded. “Be quick. Lucian will kill me if anything happens to you!”
“Daniel, I’m well aware!” Maggie retorted with a smirk and followed Vladmir and Emmaline out of the room. I wondered if I should accompany her, but Daniel shook his head. He wanted me where he could see me. I belatedly realised that Daniel and I could have taken Maggie, but it was too late now.
Twenty minutes later, we all heard a squeaking noise and sat up straighter. The conversation had been quiet between us; things had almost felt normal.
Daniel restocked the fire, keeping the room warm as he paced around, and then he and Inglorious once more tried the shutters, but they remained glued shut.
The creaking grew louder, and we turned our heads. James pulled a gun from his pocket, startling me as Daniel and Inglorious both stood in a stance by the door. Inglorious hadhis own weapon out, and fear gripped me. Daniel didn’t have anything but a fire poker. Although in Daniel’s hands, that was a dangerous weapon.
The door opened, and Maggie peered in. “Hold the door,” she said to Daniel upon seeing him. Inglorious moved away, and he and James hid their guns again.
Maggie pushed a hostess trolley in, and I smiled. Trust her to find one. On it were the pair of stew pots, and on the shelf below were the loaves of bread with butter. Emmaline followed, pushing another one with the two vats, which I assumed contained tea and coffee. She had milk and sugar too, and mugs.
Vladimir appeared behind with a third, which had bowls, plates and cutlery. “We found a dining room, but believe me, nobody would want to dine there,” he stated. “There’s not enough space for everyone to eat in the kitchen either, and James should rest.”
“That’s considerate of you,” I said, and Vladimir raised an eyebrow.
“Thank you,” he replied, and I realised I might have sounded condescending. I began babbling, rushing to explain I meant no offence, but Vladimir waved my apology off.
“Don’t apologise. I haven’t exactly been the warmest person tonight. Emmaline and I are the odd two out; you’ve got friends amongst yourselves. My worry is my wife,” he explained.
“Naturally,” Inglorious said.
“Here.” Emmaline handed Maggie a rolled-up mat, and I realised it was a heat protector. Maggie headed to the sideboard and unrolled the heat mat. I got up to help her, and together we set up the coffee and food.
“There’s plenty to eat,” I said, turning to Clio and picking a bowl up to pass to her. “Come on.”
Clio looked a little surprised as I handed her a bowl, and I realised it was because of my title. “Before I became a marchioness, I was simply plain Sabine.”
“Somehow I doubt you were ever plain old anything,” Clio retorted.
Maggie produced a ladle, and I filled bowls for people. Then Maggie took over cutting the fresh, crusty bread, and soon we were all eating.
“I might have gone overboard,” Maggie said, looking at the stew pots. Only half of one had disappeared.
“Oh, I’ll have seconds,” James replied with a grin.
“And me, this is fantastic. The dumplings are amazing,” Phoe added.
