Chapter 7
Victoria watched Gabriel rush from the room as though something chased him. It was truly odd. But she pushed it out of her mind as she entered the room. No candles burned. Nor was there the telltale sign they had just been snuffed. He was in here in the dark? Why?
Again, odd.
But then, the caretaker was odd. Well, more like cold and aloof. She wasn’t sure why she ended up at the study. She was restless after the garden walk and unable to stay in her room.
With her hands clasped behind her back, she perused the room.
The bookshelves were lined with old books that smelled like dust, time, and forgotten things.
The desk was cluttered with yellowed papers that appeared to be from another age.
A quick glance down the parchment on top revealed an invitation to a ball decades ago.
Lifting the creased parchment, she searched for an address, but there was none. She wondered if this was something her parents were invited to and, clearly, did not attend. The date was right before the time they left Ravenfell.
Replacing it, she continued her tour of the room. Here, like the other rooms, there were no personal effects. No decorations. Nothing to indicate someone lived here and collected things.
Unbidden, a memory surfaced of being in this room when it was more cheerful, the fireplace was lit with a warm fire, and her mother was curled on one of the chairs with a book in her hand.
Her father sat at the desk muttering about the state of the world.
While she, Victoria, sat on the floor by the fire playing with her favorite doll in a blue gingham dress with a faded cloth face.
Something in the room shifted. A hint of lilacs and smoke tugged her mind backward until, as a child, she was once again sitting before the hearth.
The girl with blonde, glossy curls took a seat across from her, her legs crossed as she peered at her with wide blue eyes. Her face was pale, her eyes hollow with dark slashes under them. But Victoria was happy to have a playmate.
“Hello,” she said to the girl. “What’s your name?”
“Lily. What’s yours?”
“I’m Victoria. Victoria Marie Ravenwood. I have three names. Do you?”
“No.”
Victoria patted the hair of her doll, then cradled it against her chest while the other girl, Lily, looked on.
“I like your doll’s blue dress. Can I play with it?” Lily asked. “I don’t have any dolls. My father took them all away.”
“That’s mean. Why did he do that?”
Victoria’s mother was suddenly on her feet, standing near her. Her father had stopped shuffling papers at the desk to gape at her.
“Victoria, honey, who are you talking to?” her father asked, his tone gentle.
“Lily,” she replied. “She wants to play with my doll.”
Her mother emitted a strangled gasp. “Abner, do something.”
“Take her out of here,” her father said.
Victoria looked up at her mother, whose face was pinched with worry and a hint of fear. She reached a hand down to her.
“Come, Victoria, darling.”
“But—”
“Do as your mother says,” her father said, his voice sharp.
As Victoria reached for her mother’s hand, she looked back to where Lily was sitting. But the girl was gone.
Victoria’s foot caught on a wrinkle in the rug as she jerked back from the desk. Her pulse hammered in her ears. The chill on her skin wasn’t imagined. It spread across her arms like icy fingers, as if something followed her out of the long-buried memory.
She pressed a hand to her chest. No one else had seen Lily. And yet…she remembered the blue eyes, her ashen face. The way her mother’s voice shook and her father’s stern, worried expression. Could it have been real? Could it still be?
It must have been something because her parents insisted they leave the study at that moment. Her mother took her out, her father following. He closed the door with a snap.
It was hard to shake the feeling coating her skin, though. Did her parents leave Ravenfell because they thought it was…haunted? That seemed absurd.
A coldness seeped into her bones then as she peered around the shadowy room. Her breath plumed. She backed toward the door as her gaze scanned the furniture. She saw nothing and no one. But she had the distinct feeling she was being watched.
Finally, she turned and fled the study.
And ran right into Gabriel. She crashed into his tall form. He reached up, grasped her arms to steady her. His grip on her arms was firm but careful, his gaze scanning her face. A hint of worry was there but something else. Fear? Recognition?
“Miss Ravenwood, are you all right?”
Victoria lifted her gaze to his, her heart a rapid flutter. She put on a smile. “Yes. My apologies. I didn’t see you there.”
“I gathered.” He released her and stepped back. His gaze shifted to the open door behind her. “I was coming to retrieve the ledgers.”
“Good. We can review them in the parlor.”
“Now? I thought this afternoon with tea. Would you rather have luncheon first?”
“Oh. Yes, of course.”
Without another word, she hurried around him and headed to the dining room. But her heart had not stopped racing. When she arrived, her uncle was already there.
“Ah, there you are, my dear. Did you have a nice rest?”
Clasping her shaking hands, she sat in one of the chairs. “Yes. You?”
“Are you certain? You look pale,” he said.
She remained perfectly still, willing her heart to slow. “I’m fine.” She punctuated that with a weak smile. “I’m quite famished.”
Before her uncle could ask another question, Gabriel entered to serve them luncheon.
Later that afternoon, she and her uncle convened in the parlor. Moments later, Gabriel entered carrying a long, leather-bound book. He handed it over to her uncle.
“As you requested, sir.”
Uncle Hubert gave a nod of thanks. Gabriel turned on the heel of his polished shoe and headed out of the parlor. Her uncle watched his departure, then looked her way. He looked as though he wanted to say something, but didn’t as he flipped open the book.
“I hope you don’t mind if I look this over first,” he said.
“Not at all. I trust your judgement, uncle.”
As he scanned the first page, Gabriel returned with the tea cart.
He poured tea and served them both. Her uncle took his cup without looking up.
When Gabriel extended the cup to her, she took it and met his gaze.
His fingers brushed hers as she took the cup.
A jolt skittered up her spine. He looked away too quickly. Why did that feel like guilt?
“I trust everything is in order?” Gabriel asked.
“How far back do these ledgers go?” her uncle asked without looking up.
“Several generations, I should think.”
Her uncle flipped a page, running his finger down the length and making a hmm now and then. Then he took a sip of tea and closed the book.
“Everything appears to be in order,” he announced, extending the book back to Gabriel.
Her uncle sounded almost disappointed by that. As though he were looking for some reason to accuse Gabriel of misappropriating funds or some other nefarious crime.
Gabriel stepped to her uncle and took the ledger from him. His glance slid to her as he held it.
“Would you like to take a look, Miss Ravenwood?”
She shook her head. “If my uncle says everything is in order, then that’s good enough for me.”
He nodded once. “Very well.”
And then he left them alone. Victoria sipped her tea, peering at her uncle over the rim waiting for him to say something. He had a distant, strange look on his face as though he wasn’t sure he was happy with the results of his audit.
“Uncle?”
“The estate hasn’t had a full staff for quite some time,” he said then. “You’ll want to remedy that, I’m sure, now that you’ll be living here full time.”
She placed her cup and saucer on the table. “Uncle, you sound disappointed I’m staying.”
He rose and moved to sit next to her. With his free hand, he took hers.
“I admit, I am sad you’ll be so far from us in the city. However, I’m elated that you have this place and will be able to make a life of your own here.” He squeezed her hand. “If you ever want to visit, please know you’re always welcome.”
“This sounds like goodbye, uncle.”
A smile tipped the corners of his mouth. “For now. I expect to see you at holidays.”
“Of course.” She smiled back. “I’ll miss you.”
“And I will miss you. I’ve no doubt you’ll do well here,” he said.
He released her hand and rose, still holding the teacup. “Now, I suppose I’ll go pack my bag. I’ll be leaving in the morning.”
She nodded. He dropped his cup on the cart as he exited. As she watched him go, she could not help the sense of foreboding that washed over her.