Sinners on Tour

by Olivia Cunning

  down a few hairs at Malcolm’s insistence. “Your kid hates me.”

  Myrna shook her head. “He adores you, Eric. He just knows Trey is his little bitch, so he gravitates toward him.”

  Brian lifted his head. He rested his elbow on the table and his chin on his knuckles. “Hear anything from the adoption agency?” he asked Eric.

  “We’re still on the waiting list for a baby,” Rebekah said, “but when we get back we’re going to check into fostering some older kids.”

  “Kids?” Brian said, enunciating the S.

  “We figured we’d start with two or three,” Eric said, picking over his food. “They have a hard time placing siblings in the same home. But we’re very open to that.”

  “You sure you want to start that big?” Myrna asked. “This child-rearing stuff is exhausting.”

  “We’re sure,” Rebekah and Eric said in unison.

  Jace glanced at Aggie, who was scowling at her plate. He decided it wasn’t because she was trying to figure out what to try next. He took her hand under the table and whispered, “What’s wrong?”

  “Just wondering if you’ve changed your mind about having kids,” she said.

  The table fell silent as four sets of eyes were suddenly staring directly into their business.

  “Uh,” Jace said. “I’m not good with kids.”

  “It’s different when they’re your own,” Brian said.

  “Or adopted as your own,” Eric said hurriedly. He placed a protective hand on his wife’s back.

  Yeah, then he’d be entirely responsible for screwing them up.

  “Do you want kids?” Jace asked Aggie under his breath. He squirmed in his seat, not sure he wanted the answer.

  “Only if they’re yours,” she said.

  “Aw,” Eric said and reached over to pinch Jace’s cheek. “I think she likes you, Tripod.”

  Jace felt the heat rise up his face to greet Eric’s fingertips. He’d been trying for years to control his blushing, but it was no use. “I should hope so,” he said. “She’s marrying me tomorrow.”

  When they finished their meal, Eric rose to his feet and clanged on his glass with a spoon. The thundering music died, and everyone turned to look at him.

  “A toast!” Eric called and those on the dance floor returned to their tables to find their glasses.

  Aggie took Jace’s hand under the table—probably for moral support. There was no telling what was about to spew from Eric’s lips.

  Jace offered her an encouraging smile and lost his breath as a face not belonging to Aggie smiled back at him. A face he recognized as the likeness of the long-dead Queen Katherine Parr. Heart thundering in his chest, he squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again, releasing a sigh to be staring into the bright blue eyes of his fiancée. Perhaps he should lay off the booze tonight. Not that he’d had any yet.

  “Thanks for taking time out of your jet lag to join us this evening,” Eric called out to the crowd. “I know it’s not customary to throw a Halloween ball in place of the rehearsal dinner or to invite more than the wedding party to the event, but I have a feeling that the happy couple will cut the reception short tomorrow afternoon before I’m drunk enough to spout sentimental drivel in front of all our friends and family. Lucky for you all, I’m on my fourth whiskey sour.” He downed his drink in several gulps and clunked the empty glass on the table. “Make that my fifth whiskey sour.” Laughter chased the downing of his whiskey.

  “Even though these two are doing things out of order…” He lifted an eyebrow at them. “You’re supposed to consummate the marriage after the wedding, you know.”

  The jibe was greeted with shouts of approval, catcalls, and whistles.

  “You can talk,” Jace mumbled.

  “…they’re finally going to make it legal. When they return to the States and get their actual marriage license. Do you have to say your vows again?”

  Aggie nodded.

  “Twice the opportunity to get it wrong.”

  “Or right,” Aggie countered.

  Eric winked at her and then turned his attention back to the crowd. “We all know that even though that piece of paper entitles her to half his shit, what’s important is that we all get to see the groom turn the color of cranberries as he tells this wonderful woman that he’ll never be worthy of her in front of God and everyone.”

  Jace was turning the color of cranberries now.

  “He’s worthy,” Aggie said. She squeezed Jace’s hand beneath the table.

  “Raise your glasses in toast.”

  Glasses were lifted.

  “To the happy couple—Katherine and Thomas. May your love transcend time.”

  Jace froze. Was he hearing things?

  Rebekah slapped her husband’s thigh. “That’s not funny, Eric.”

  “What’s not funny?”

  “Saying their names wrong,” she whispered loudly through clenched teeth.

  “I did?” Eric scrubbed at his mouth with his fingertips. “Maybe I should have stopped at four adult beverages. I meant to say: To Jace and Aggie. May it never come to her taking half his shit.”

  Many of the onlookers laughed, but Jace didn’t and neither did Aggie. Saying their names wrong in jest wouldn’t have been a big deal, but why those particular names? Had Eric done it on purpose knowing how it would affect Jace after all the weird tricks his mind kept playing on him? What other explanation was there?

  Jace downed his glass of champagne with everyone else, but inside he was rattled.

  “Eric’s the one playing tricks on us,” Aggie said in his ear. “I’d bet my dungeon on it.”

  It did seem like something he’d do, but the pieces didn’t quite fit.

  Trey’s voice came over the sound system. “I think it’s time for the soon-to-be-Seymours to take a turn on the dance floor. What do you all think?”

  Enthusiastic applause drew Jace to his feet. He hated dancing, but he loved being in Aggie’s arms, and this would fulfill his need to be close to her. Maybe he’d stop shaking with her to hold on to. He offered a hand to Aggie, but didn’t look her in the face. Part of him was afraid he’d see another woman in her place. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to handle it a third time. He felt like a complete coward—a feeling that did not sit well with him—but he had no experience with the weird and the creepy. He hadn’t figured out how to steel his emotions against all the strange things he experienced in and around this castle. But Aggie always gave him strength. He hoped she could lend him a little now.

  Aggie took his hand and followed him onto the dance floor amid more applause.

  “I dedicate this song to you two,” Trey said. “And my dog, Sparky. May he rest in peace.”

  Sinners’ most famous ballad, “Goodbye Is Not Forever,” began to play. Jace drew Aggie into his arms and so he wouldn’t be reminded that everyone was watching them, he focused on the feel of her body against his. His hand rested against her lower back, and her breasts brushed his chest, but her skirt was too wide to allow him to hold her as close as he’d like.

  As they swayed to the music, a different song began to play in his head, competing for his attention. A song he was pretty sure he’d never heard. A waltz played on the strings of a talented quartet.

  I waited, a voice whispered to him.

  “What?” Jace whispered aloud, his body suddenly cold. He shuddered, but kept his eyes closed. He knew he was hearing things. If Aggie found out he’d lost his mind, would she leave him? He tugged her closer.

  “What what?” Aggie asked.

  “Nothing,” he said, burying his face in her neck and inhaling her scent. It was familiar and calming.

  I waited and waited and you never came, the voice said. Were your words a lie, Thomas? Did you never love me? Why did you reject our daughter? Why did you break your promises?

  Jace answered her aloud, but wasn’t sure where the words were coming from.

  “My world ended the day you died, Katherine. I could not bear
to love anyone again. Not even our daughter.”

  Aggie stopped suddenly. “Who is Katherine?” she asked, her voice hard and cold. “And what daughter? What the fuck are you talking about, Jace?”

  “Actually, I didn’t say that,” he admitted. He almost wished he had said it. It would have been less weird than having to tell her that he was being haunted.

  “You did say it,” she said. “Explain to me what exactly is going on with you.”

  He pulled her against him, hoping that somehow her proximity would put an end to the strangeness surrounding him. At least the only music he heard now was the aching melody of “Goodbye Is Not Forever.” Maybe it was just the stress of the wedding making him certifiably crazy. And when it was over, he’d stop hearing voices and seeing the ghost of Katherine Parr.

  “Just dance with me,” he pleaded. “Just dance.”

  Her arms tightened around him as she swayed with him.

  “Jace, I know something strange is happening to you,” she whispered in his ear. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. You can trust me.”

  He did trust her, but he wasn’t going to tell her. What could he say? Hey, baby, I’ve completely lost my mind. I hope you don’t mind participating in conjugal visits in a padded cell.

  “Jace? Please don’t shut me out again.”

  He couldn’t bring himself to put her fears to rest with words, so he kissed her, hoping that the press of his lips to hers would soothe her. A chill raced up his spine, and the chandelier overhead rattled. Jace deepened his kiss, hoping it would center his attention on Aggie enough so he could ignore the weird things going on around him. When he’d been fixated on her in the cottage earlier, he hadn’t heard a single voice, felt any cold chills, or witnessed any object move on its own accord. Aggie had chased away the figurative ghosts of his past, so a few literal ghosts shouldn’t be a problem for her.

  Apparently Aggie wasn’t too keen on his methods of avoidance. She pulled her lips from his and caught his face between her palms.

  “We don’t do this anymore, remember?” she said.

  “What?” he said gruffly. “Kiss?”

  “No, we will do that plenty,” she said with a smile. “But we don’t hide things from each other.”

  “You hid Starr from me,” he reminded her.

  She ducked her head and stared at his chest. “That was a mistake,” she said. “I hope you won’t make the same one I did. Whoever this Katherine is, you should tell me about her.”

  Uh, no. He should not. Not entirely. But he didn’t want to worry Aggie, so he settled for half-truths.

  “This isn’t what you think it is. I don’t love Katherine, Aggie. I never did.”

  There was a loud creak overhead. Jace caught the downward movement of the chandelier in his peripheral vision. He shoved Aggie as hard as he could, and she stumbled backward, falling unceremoniously on her ass as the chandelier smashed to the floor between them.

  Aggie stared at him in wide-eyed shock for a heartbeat and then scrambled to her feet before dashing from the room among the startled gasps and whispers of the guests who’d witnessed the near accident.

  Jace raced after her, his heart thudding in his chest.

  “Is she okay?” he heard Eric call after him, but Jace didn’t stop long enough to answer.

  I can’t lose her. Not again. I’ve been searching so long, unable to find my way back to her.

  Jace stopped in the long corridor, looking in either direction for a sign of his lady, and spotted the hem of an elegant green ball gown disappear around a corner down the hall.

  A cool breeze blew over the back of Jace’s neck, propelling him forward.

  I have to explain. Have to see her again, have to hold her. I’ve been wandering alone for far too long. I need her in death even more than I needed her in life. Don’t let her get away.

  Jace drew to a sudden halt. Where were those thoughts coming from? He pressed his hands to his skull and tried to force them out.

  “Shut up,” he growled.

  Thomas! The name echoed through his mind.

  His legs started to move again, carrying him down the passageway he’d seen her take, out a side door, into a garden. Flurries of snowflakes fell from the dark sky, melting as soon as they landed. His breath billowed like a cloud before him as he panted to catch his breath.

  “Katherine?” he called.

  Stay away! He heard her wrath within himself. Felt it even.

  He caught a motion up ahead and his heart stuttered. Aggie stood in the garden with both arms wrapped around her body as she tried to hold in wracking sobs.

  “Aggie?” He stepped closer. “You okay?”

  She shook her head and headed farther into the garden. Running from him. Aggie was never supposed to run from him.

  “Aggie, don’t run. I need…” He swallowed and started after her. “I need to tell you something.” He gained on her rapidly, chasing her through the garden and toward the chapel. Toward the tomb of Katherine Parr. He wasn’t sure why she was headed in that direction, but he had to stop her before she reached the building. After her near miss with the chandelier, he was starting to believe that ghosts could harm a person. And he could not let that happen.

  When she was finally within reach, he grabbed her from behind and encircled her body, wrapping his arms around her waist, pressing her back securely to his chest. He tried to inhale her, pull her inside him where she’d be safe. Protected. Warm.

  She didn’t struggle, just sagged against him.

  “Why did you run from me?” he asked.

  “I wasn’t running from you,” she said. “After the chandelier fell, I saw someone—someone who wasn’t you—standing there looking at me.”

  “Thomas,” Jace guessed.

  “You don’t sound surprised,” she said. “Why don’t you sound surprised?”

  “I don’t think it’s Thomas you need to worry about.” He was pretty sure it was Katherine slamming doors and ripping light fixtures from ceilings.

  “He scared the shit out of me. Do you know what’s going on? Am I losing my mind?”

  “If you are, we both are,” he said, pressing his forehead to her shoulder. “Aggie, I think I’m being haunted.”

  “Well, that makes two of us,” Aggie said. “Any idea what we should do about it?”

  “Not a clue.”

  Chapter Ten

  Aggie rubbed the stiffness from her icy fingertips. She’d almost shit a brick when she’d seen some stranger standing in Jace’s place on the dance floor. Almost being beaned on the head with a chandelier had been nothing compared to that.

  “Do you think we should leave?” she asked. She hated to cancel their wedding, but this was some freaky shit they were dealing with, and she was not keen on being the mark of some crazy, dead Queen of England.

  Jace sighed and his arms tightened around her. He felt so good behind her. So solid and real and… and un-ghost-like. She shuddered at the thought of what she’d seen back in the castle.

  “Maybe we need to help them reconcile. That should make them leave us alone. I think I’m the one who brought Thomas here from the Tower of London, and she’s been here waiting for him all this time.”

  Aggie shook her head, glad her senses were returning. She’d completely freaked out in the ballroom, but now she was half-convinced that she hadn’t actually seen Thomas Seymour’s likeness. It made a heck of a lot more sense to think she’d just imagined it.

  But Jace was talking about both of them—two ghosts—as if they were real.

  “Okay, this is just too bizarre,” she said. “I don’t believe in this kind of thing at all.”

  “Me neither, but it’s kind of hard to deny it’s happening when