She seemed to catch her breath. For a long moment, she regarded him silently. “I was young, not quite eleven. It was winter, and the pond near our house had frozen over. Some of the children were playing on the ice, and I wanted so badly to join them. But Mama forbade me to go outside. She’d already lost one child to fever, and she would not chance losing another.”
He smoothed a tendril of her hair behind her ear. “Are you sure you wish to do this? I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Her head bobbed in a tiny nod. “I’m sure you can guess what happened next. I disobeyed her. For a little while, the freedom was exhilarating. Until the ice cracked and my friend, Daisy, fell in. I tried to rescue her, but the ice gave way beneath my feet. My father heard our screams and rushed to save us. He did…both Daisy and I survived.” She closed her eyes. Her chest rose and fell as she pulled in a breath. “But he did not.”
“Oh, Grace, it wasn’t your fault. You were young.”
“And impetuous. So very foolish,” she said, grief coloring her tone. “I’d always been an obedient child.Strong willed, Papa had called me. But I never wanted to displease them. And then, suddenly, I destroyed everything.”
He searched for the words to comfort her, but settled for holding her to his heart. Nothing he could ever say would erase her pain. Or her sense of guilt. He’d learned that same bitter lesson the night his brother died.
“My mother was expecting a baby. The shock of Papa’s death was too much for her to bear,” Grace went on. “Mama lost the babe. She died a week later.”
Her anguish bubbled up. Hot tears soaked through the fabric of his waistcoat and shirt. He brushed a kiss against her temple and held her close.
“I’m sorry, Grace,” he murmured. He’d never intended to make her relive the pain. He’d only wanted to understand.
She brushed away a tear and lifted her gaze to his. “Did you rummage through my bag for that brooch? I need to know.”
“No. I’d tell you if I did.”
“You found it on the floor? Did you ask Mrs. Carmichael to go through my things?”
“Of course not.
“Then we have a problem, a troubling development—Who searched my belongings? And why?”
He considered her question, settling on the most logical answer. “The reasonable assumption is that we have a thief in our midst. Someone pilfered Lady Sybil’s brooch. And today, they went after your things. It’s likely they were interrupted.”
With a sniffle, she nodded. “That is a possibility. But I’m afraid something else might be afoot, something quite a bit more sinister.”
He brushed away a lingering teardrop with the pad of his thumb. “Sinister? It’s more likely a light-fingered chambermaid.”
“I don’t think so. Mr. Jones was right. These people practice casting spells, of all the ridiculous things. Lady Sybil and Lady Edythe spoke of potions at our tea. I couldn’t bring myself to drink a drop after they brought it up. Lady Edythe went so far as to insinuate that Belle Fairchild employed some sort of potion to ensure Raibert fell in love with her.”
Harrison bit back a smile. “It appears your conversation with the ladies was far more intriguing than mine with Raibert. I’ve been in the company of statues who were more interesting.”
“Have you spoken to Mrs. Carmichael since this morning?” she asked.
“She spent most of the day in the library on the pretense of researching the history of the castle. She did indicate she needed to speak with me. Unfortunately, there was no opportunity for a private discussion.”
Grace swept her fingers through his hair, grazing his scalp, triggering a physical response. He let out a breath and put a bit of distance between their bodies. He needed to focus, and he couldn’t do that while she unwittingly stirred his senses with her gentle touch.
“Harrison, there’s something you need to know. This afternoon, Belle confided in me. It seems she and Raibert have already spoken their vows.”
Bloody hell.“Do you believe her?”
“I’ve no reason to think she’s lying.”
“Blast it, that complicates matters.”
Grace nodded softly. “There’s something else you should know. Mrs. Carmichael has made a most intriguing—and disturbing—discovery.”
