“Where do we go, Mouse? Through the kitchens, I suppose, since we are staff.” Why did she agree to this? Dinner alone in the cottage, where she could scatter books about the table, was far preferable.
Mouse answered her question by heading toward a set of French doors that opened out onto a red brick patio. He turned once as if to ensure she followed. Just as she reached the house, the doors swung open to a grinning Hector.
“Evening, Miss Uxbridge. How are you getting along with Mouse?” He gestured for her to enter.
“Hello, Hector. Mouse has been a most valuable companion.” She stepped into a private drawing room decorated in muted greens and browns. The warm natural colours reminded her of the garden. An open book lay on a side table as though someone had recently stood up from their reading. It was a quiet, cosy space within the large manor.
Hector crossed the patterned rug and opened the door beyond. They emerged underneath a staircase in the main entranceway. Enormous double-height front doors were closed against the world. Tiles in shades of green and brown were laid on the floor in a herringbone pattern. A sweeping staircase curved around one side of the space and rose to meet on a landing that looked down on tiled floor. Smaller staircases disappeared on either side, swallowed by the enclosing walls as they ran sideways to the house’s wings.
One side of the entranceway was dominated by an enormous fireplace, easily large enough for a man to stand inside. A knotted silk rug in the same soothing colours was laid in front of the hearth, and two worn leather armchairs sat on the rug. Dawn wondered if it was where a lord would sit waiting for his lady to descend the stairs.
Dark panelled double doors on either side of the fireplace were closed, keeping the secret of what lay beyond to themselves. Above their heads, a large glass dome allowed moonlight to spill down below. Vines played over the glass and ravens hid among the leaves.
“Oh,” Dawn murmured as the moon cast raven shadows about her feet to play among the earthy tiles.
The quiet was torn apart by a high-pitched scream, much like the one that disturbed Dawn’s sleep. She jumped and nearly grabbed for Hector’s hand. Mouse let out a single woof and then sat down.
On and on the scream sounded, moving closer and increasing in pitch. The hairs rose along the back of Dawn’s neck and she cast a worried look at Hector. He muttered something under his breath but held his spot by the right-hand staircase.
A spectre rushed down the stairs from the west tower wing. The woman screamed as she ran, her hands pulling at her hair. “Get her out! Get her out!”
Dawn took a step closer to Hector, partially hiding behind him as a finger was pointed at her form. She dropped a hand and sought the reassuring presence of Mouse’s large head.
The hysterical woman had long, dark hair tangled around her face, made worse by the frantic hands tearing at the strands. A white nightgown brushed around her ankles and flared out on its own. The figure stopped on the landing and dropped her hands to clasp the railing. Her head swept from side to side as long hair hung over her eyes.
“OUT! OUT! OUT!”
Chaos erupted in the house with doors slamming from different directions and feet pounding tile and carpet. One of the double doors by the fireplace burst open, and the earl shot across the tiles and bounded up the stairs two at a time. Then a short, stout older woman wearing a pale grey dress with a white apron and the stark cap of a nurse ran down the smaller stairway and onto the landing. She took the screaming woman by the arms, hushing her and trying to pull her back toward the tower.
“No!” the younger woman sobbed. She wrenched free to point a finger at Dawn. “Get her away from here!”
The earl wrapped his strong arms around the distraught figure and pressed her face to his chest as the nurse extracted a vial and syringe from her pocket.
The earl’s clothing against her lips muffled the sound. Chills washed over Dawn’s skin as the young woman continued to howl and command her to leave the house.
Lord Seton turned so his back faced the watchers below. The nurse administered to her charge and the screams turned into whimpers, which made her sobs all the more pitiful.
“No, Jasper. Please, no. Take her away,” the woman whispered, but the sound fell to the ground below like stones thrown in a well.
Elijah appeared from a dim hallway, worry deep in his young face as he came to stand by Hector.
A murmured conversation took place above and then the nurse escorted the woozy patient back to the stairs. Much subdued, the younger woman slumped against the older. The earl watched them leave.
Dawn fought an urge to turn tail and run as the woman commanded. Instead she turned to Hector and mouthed, who are they? She desperately wanted to know, but at the same time didn’t want the earl or his nephew to hear her plying Hector for the family gossip.
He leaned close to whisper in her ear. “That’s Lady Letitia, the earl’s sister, and Nurse Hatton. Fine figure of a woman, that nurse. She’s been looking after wee Lettie for years now.”
Once the odd pair had disappeared, the earl descended the stairs, one hand on the balustrade. When he reached the last step he stayed there, his palm curled around the newel post. Someone had carved the wood to resemble one of the hideous creatures that guarded the front gates. On either side of the stairs sat gargoyles with bared fangs but the wings folded against their backs.
Lord Seton’s grey gaze met Dawn’s and the frown returned to his forehead. “I’m sorry about that, Miss Uxbridge. My sister is…troubled, but she does not mean anything by it.”
“Is Aunt Lettie all right? She seemed awfully upset.” Elijah glanced to the earl and then to Dawn and then back again.
Lord Seton patted the gargoyle’s head, much like Dawn did to Mouse. “She’ll be fine. We have calmed her down, and Hatton will see her tucked up in bed. Dr Day can check her in the morning.”
Elijah turned to Dawn. “I’m sorry you had to explore the estate on your own today. I wanted to join you, but Uncle Jasper insisted my studies came first.”
“What are you studying?” Dawn grasped at the change of topic from the frightening sight of the shrieking woman. She had been schooled with a tutor and was well acquainted with the boredom of staring out a window while life drifted past. She had always itched to escape to the garden, and she imagined young boys found sitting still and quiet even more difficult.
“Greek, mathematics, and world politics.” He screwed up his face.
Dawn sympathised with him. What a miserable way to spend a beautiful day. Apart from her horrid experience with the forest walk, she couldn’t think of anywhere she would rather be than by the lake.
“Shall we go through to the dining room?” The earl regained control of the situation as he walked to Dawn’s side and held out his arm.
She couldn’t refuse – that would be impolite – but she wasn’t sure she could touch him again. Instead, she rested her fingertips on his forearm as though she expected the fabric of his jacket to form a mouth and bite her fingers. Elijah fell in behind them. They made an oddly formal grouping. Apart from the sister who ran around in her nightgown and screamed. Dawn glanced back up the curved stairway, but no more ghostly sights appeared.
Lord Seton guided Dawn through a double set of doors along from the drawing room. Hector held the doors open and winked at Dawn as she passed within. The dining room was fit to host the lavish entertainments of a country noble. Two chandeliers hung above, the myriad of small lights joining together to cast a glow on those beneath. The walls were deep red and made the large room seem more intimate.
The long, polished table would have easily held twenty people, but tonight one end was set for just three. The earl walked to the far end, with his back to the large windows, and held out a chair to the right of the head. Dawn took his subtle cue, and he guided the chair in behind her.