Wanted: Ghost-Busting Bride

by Donna Helmedag

  As he lurched closer, she tugged on the emerald ring. “Lady Anne, now would be a perfect time for you to appear in the kitchen.”

  Grabbing the skillet, she held the iron utensil in front of her like a shield, prepared to swat the knife out of Markham’s hand.

  “Fear not my child, I am here, and thou are right to be alarmed. Desdemona still clings to thy Earl.”

  Kailyn glanced down to see a tiny Lady Anne hovering above the ring. She bobbled the skillet. Not quite the display of power she expected, but any help was better than none.

  “Thou didst well to sunder Desdemona’s power with the slop. Thy next task is to release the Earl from Desdemona’s evil.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding. He’s got a butcher knife in his hand.”

  “Block the knife and kiss thy Earl.”

  Right. Why hadn’t she taken karate lessons?

  Markham swayed closer, and she had no choice. She swung the frying pan. It landed with a horrible thunk against his hand. The knife clattered to the floor.

  Markham lunged forward and grabbed her shoulders, fingers digging deeply into her skin. The damn man was shoving her away.

  Unable to reach his lips, she turned her head and kissed his wrist. The moment her mouth made contact, he slumped forward, his arms sliding down her back. Her feet slipped in the slime, and she staggered to hold him upright. The droopy man weighed a ton.

  Widening her stance, she fought to keep him out of Desdemona’s goo until he snapped out of his fog, but he sprawled limply on her shoulder. In desperation, she planted a long smooch on his neck.

  Finally he stirred.

  “Your kiss saved the day,” he mumbled, straightening. “How did you know to do that?”

  “I summoned Lady Anne.” She blinked back tears of relief and stepped away from Markham’s sticky grasp. “But I still don’t know how to get rid of Desdemona.”

  Green sparks danced to their right, and a full-sized Lady Anne materialized. “Desdemona haunts Ryne, seeking power. Only appointing her queen would satisfy her avarice.”

  Under their feet, the red gunk started to roil and gurgle.

  “Thou hast weakened Desdemona. I shall confine her and the slop thou used. Thou must return to the earl’s chambers, and I shall protect thee.”

  Before Kailyn could ask any more questions, a green tornado encased them, sucking the slime from their faces, hair and clothes. After spinning the reddish glob from the floor into a ball, Lady Anne’s green glow poofed out of the room.

  Spencer grabbed the butcher knife and stabbed it into its slot in the wooden block. Why was Kailyn sidling away from him? She cast wary glances in his direction every blasted step of her way to return the skillet to its hook. It wasn’t his bloody fault Desdemona had possessed him. If Kailyn hadn’t acted, he’d have smashed his hand against the table rather than let the knife strike her. “I’m not going to hurt you. Desdemona’s gone.”

  “Why is it so easy for Desdemona to control you?”

  She circled around to the opposite side of the table. Proof she still didn’t trust him.

  “I don’t know,” he confided. “That’s what we need to talk about once we’re safely in my apartment.”

  “It’s not a good idea for me to be alone with you.”

  How did one argue with a brick wall? Blowing out his breath, he counted to ten. “Kailyn, Desdemona is dangerous. Our only hope is to work together to figure out how to neutralize her powers.”

  “What do you suggest? We’ve used every idea the experts on the Web suggested, and it almost got me killed.”

  Bloody hell. “I’m sorry. All I know is that Lady Anne said you have the tools to defeat Desdemona. Be creative. Which of your electronic gadgets will stop the bloody ghost?”

  A calculating gleam lit Kailyn’s eyes before she rushed toward the back stairs. “Let’s examine the cell phones. They slowed Desdemona down. Maybe we can increase their effect.”

  Relieved, he stood there grinning like a fool as she charged up the stairs. His little warrior wasn’t going to desert him. Slowly he followed.

  He found Kailyn sitting on the step next to the shredded cardboard box and the melted silver jar. She held both mobiles. “They’ve been fried, but they’re not melted like the jar or shredded like the box. The plastic hasn’t been deformed.”

  “How does that help us?”

  “I don’t know. If I take them apart, I might find a clue.”

  A clap of thunder echoed through the castle.

  “Let’s get to my room. I don’t think Desdemona is taking too kindly to captivity.” He grabbed her hand and dashed up the stairs.

  After closing and locking the door to his room, Spencer leaned against the thick oak barrier and prayed Lady Anne was strong enough to keep Desdemona out. Before he could stop Kailyn, she scurried into the Countess Suite.

  Another clap of thunder rattled the windows.

  If a kiss freed him, maybe another would quiet the bloody ghost. It was worth a try. He entered the connecting bedroom. “Kailyn, I have an idea.”

  “Give me a minute, I’ve got the case off this phone.” She sat at the vanity, hunched over an array of bits and pieces of fried phone innards.

  The angry thunder blasted twice in a row. There wasn’t any more time. Swiftly he crossed the room and tugged the pliers out of Kailyn’s hand. “Listen. Your kiss sent Desdemona packing. Perhaps another one will silence her.”

  “You think my kiss is more powerful than my science?”

  Her “get-real” look made him chuckle.

  “I think we need to explore all available avenues. Desdemona is vulnerable to our chemistry.”

  With a shake of her head, Kailyn jumped up and pecked him on the cheek.

  He snagged her waist before she could sit back down. “Nice try, but I think we need a stimulating, dazzling, powerful kiss to wipe out evil.”

  She looked at him as if he’d gone bonkers. “Is this kiss for you or Desdemona?”

  “Both.”

  She rolled her eyes. “One kiss, but if I hear any more thunder, the experiment is over.”

  When she lifted her head to glare at him, he kissed the tip of her pert, upturned nose. “It will work. You’ll see.”

  Amazingly she rose on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck and brushed her closed lips over his. Hunger swept through him. Angling his head, he covered her mouth with his. Softly, teasingly, his tongue tickled the crease of her lips until her spark of defiance fired his passion. The heady mix of her tartness and unflinching courage silenced all thought of thunder, danger and Desdemona.

  Just when he wanted to deepen the kiss, Kailyn pulled back and cocked her head.

  “The thunder has stopped. I think Desdemona’s quiet now. It’s time for me to go back to work.”

  Not willing to release her so easily, he nibbled her ear. “You are working. We weakened Desdemona with our kiss.”

  She snuggled in closer and purred, “How long do you think we have to do this?”

  He feathered a kiss on her neck. “All night.”

  Her delicate finger stroked his jaw line. “How about I go back to work, and if we hear thunder again, I’ll kiss you.” Her blue eyes danced with mischief.

  “Well, I suppose you could examine the phones, as long as an occasional kiss won’t distract you.” He managed to look serious.

  “I guess I’ll have to suffer through it.” She patted his chest before planting her cute bottom firmly on the chair and grabbing the pliers.

  It would be fun to see how much suffering it took to lure her away from her electronics. He brushed his lips against her temple. “You know, our marriage would end Desdemona’s assaults.”

  She glanced up at him, all the teasing gone from her expression. “Sure, our marriage might send Desdemona into hiding until the next earl inherited.” Bending back over the charred pieces, she asked quietly, “But wouldn’t it be better to get rid of the ghost all together? Then you’d be free to fall in l
ove and marry your choice.”

  He brushed a quick kiss across her forehead. “I’d be hard pressed to find a woman as intelligent, sassy, challenging and ingenious as you are. Besides, you have the skills and the résumé to restore the castle. I’ll make a deal with you. Let me announce you are my fiancée.”

  She shook her head. “No. That would be falling into the ghosts’ plans. We need a way to keep Desdemona from possessing you.”

  He twirled one of her curls around his fingers. “I know you think Desdemona had total control over me, but she didn’t.”

  She regarded him quizzically. She wasn’t willing to believe him yet.

  He sighed and tried again. “While she filled me with anger and rage, I was still able to divert the knife by throwing myself on the ground. I wouldn’t have let her stab you. I was prepared to run the knife into the table.”

  “What if Desdemona gets stronger?”

  “That’s why I want to announce our engagement. She feeds off jealousy.”

  When she opened her mouth to protest, he put his finger over her lips. “Hear me out. If we are officially engaged, it will lessen the other women’s hopes. It also might give us more power to defeat the blasted ghost.”

  Before she could answer, he walked to the window to give her space to think, stared out at the chapel and waited. She didn’t deserve to be a pawn in the battle between two greedy ghosts.

  “What makes you think a fake engagement will weaken Desdemona further?”

  Praying she’d understand, he watched her reflection in the glass. “Three times today your touch gave me the strength to force Desdemona out of my mind. First when Ginnette touched me, your hand stopped the mind-numbing, awful deadness. When you grabbed the package out of my hand, the brush of your fingers across my arm broke her freezing grip. When you kissed my wrist, the anger and hatred she poured into my soul fled.

  When you touch me, you give me the power to resist and defeat her evil.”

  She dropped her pliers and stared at him. “From what you’ve endured, it seems only a real commitment will protect both of us from Desdemona. Is that what you want?”

  His breath caught in his chest. He didn’t know what he’d done to be worthy of her courage and loyalty, but he’d be a fool to refuse or damage that trust. He slowly turned, walked to the vanity and knelt before her.

  “It would be my honor to present you as my true fiancée. It will take four weeks to arrange our marriage due to the banns the Church of England requires. If in that time we defeat Desdemona, you have the option to renegotiate our future.” He held out his hand, palm up.

  She grasped the swollen fingers she’d smashed with a frying pan and brought them to her lips. A tear dropped on his knuckle. “I accept your offer. But you’d better be right about this, or you’ll face an awfully angry, living, breathing woman.”

  “That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

  Chapter 13

  Mrs. Simms burst into Kailyn’s bedchamber at seven the next morning. Kailyn burrowed deeper under the covers.

  “Now luv, it’s time to dress for the morning gallop. I’ve snipped and clipped the frills from your riding habit.”

  Peeping out from under the pillow, she watched Mrs. Simms bustle around the room. The ever-efficient woman set a pair of gloves and a feathered hat on the vanity. Next she went to the chaise lounge and spread out a dark-green getup with its pile of puffy petticoats. Finally she dropped uncomfortable-looking boots on the floor. Riding was bad enough, but riding in that stupid costume was simply batty.

  Markham should let her skip this useless torture. She’d be better off planning her strategy against Desdemona. Throwing back the covers, she shuffled into the bathroom. No matter what Markham thought, the other women weren’t going to be happy about their engagement. Maybe her lack of skill at riding would wipe out some of the resentment.

  Her mind whirled with questions about ghosts and how to exterminate them as Mrs. Simms helped her dress, then pinned the silly nuisance of a hat on her head. Thanking the ever-efficient maid, Kailyn left for the hunt.

  More concerned with finding out the real scoop on ghosts than riding a horse, she stepped into the stable seeking Allison. Grooms and horses blocked her view. Where in the world did she go to get out of the way of the prancing hooves?

  “Watch out, Miss.”

  She barely dodged a snorting beast.

  Before the line of fidgety animals leaving the stable could trample her, she backed against a stall. A soft whinny followed by a bump to her shoulder flung her heart into her throat. Whirling, she grabbed her hat as the black monster in the stall behind her reached for the feather.

  “Whoa.” Markham’s strong arms caught her. “Don’t let Ryne’s Dream bother you. He wouldn’t hurt a flea.”

  “He tried to eat my hat,” she retorted, trying to catch her breath. “I’m not cut out for riding. It would be safer if I spent the morning hunting for Desdemona.” Despite her words, she sank deeper into Markham’s comforting embrace.

  “I thought everyone from Texas rode horses.” He scooted them to a safe spot by the tack room doorway.

  “Have you ever been to the Dallas office of Markham and Martin? It’s in the middle of a concrete jungle. You have to go out to the boonies to find a stable.” She twisted free and stepped toward the castle.

  “Kailyn, I can’t believe you’d abandon me on the first day of our engagement.”

  The blasted rogue pulled such a pitiful face her heart flip-flopped.

  If she aggravated Markham, Desdemona could mess with his mind again. “All right,” she conceded. “But you’d better see that I have the smallest, gentlest, quietest, oldest horse in the barn.”

  “No problem.” He straightened her hat. “Old Brownie is perfect for a tiny scaredy-cat like you.”

  As grooms continued to help the other women onto their mounts, Markham lifted her up and arranged her on a quiet brown horse. The first step pitched her sideways. She grasped the horse’s mane and held tight. Brownie plodded out of the stable yard next to Markham’s prancing steed.

  Even though she sat a good foot lower than Markham, the hard ground was still a bone-breaking distance away. Whoever heard of sitting sideways on a bouncing piece of leather with nothing to hold on to? No wonder modern women no longer rode sidesaddle. This was plumb crazy.

  “Breathe, and let Brownie do all the work. Nothing is going to happen.”

  The amusement in Markham’s voice irked her. “If you’re going to make fun of me, go away.” She shooed him with her hand. “Why don’t you help Emily? She seems to be having trouble with her horse.”

  “Let Brownie amble down the lane. He knows the way to the stream. I’ll catch up with you in a few minutes.” He wheeled his horse and trotted toward Emily.

  Brownie had better know his way, she thought. She hadn’t a clue how to steer him. Swaying to the horse’s motion, she kept a tight hold on his long mane and prayed there weren’t any obstacles on the way to the stream.

  Hoofbeats thundered behind her. Not loosening her grip, she glanced over her shoulder.

  Holy crap. What’s wrong with Opal?

  The self-proclaimed horse expert angled her charging animal directly at Brownie’s side. Desperately, Kailyn tugged on the reins to stop, or turn—or anything—to get out of the way. Brownie ignored her frantic yanking. Instead, the old horse flipped his head and swung his butt toward the crazy rider.

  Tossed forward, she grabbed Brownie’s neck and hung on. Oh God, oh God! She was going to fall and break every bone in her body. She shut her eyes tightly.

  A cool puff of air enveloped her, steadied her and glued her tush to the saddle.

  “Thank you, Lady Anne,” she breathed.

  Seconds ticked by and nothing happened. She opened her eyes in time to see the white horse—mere feet from Brownie—wheel sharply away. Opal flailed her arms wildly, causing her whip to strike the beast’s head. With a squeal, the animal bucked and twirled in a circle,
unseating his frenzied rider. Opal tumbled to the ground, and the horse raced back toward the stable.

  Awkwardly Kailyn slid off Brownie and ran to the prone woman. “Are you all right?”

  After a faint red glow swooshed out of the dark-haired woman’s body, Opal sat up, face smudged with dirt. Her light blue hat rested at such a wild slant on her head that Kailyn wanted to laugh.

  “What happened?”

  What to say? She didn’t dare admit that Desdemona had possessed the know-it-all rider and used her for an attempted hit and run, horse style. “I guess you couldn’t handle that spirited white beast. It ran wild then dumped you off.”

  “There is no horse I can’t ride. Get out of my way.” Opal scrambled to her feet, grabbed her whip and limped to the side of the lane where Brownie stood, quietly munching grass. Yanking the reins, she scrambled onto the horse’s back and whipped the poor beast into a gallop.

  Kailyn watched Brownie and Opal retreat down the path almost plowing into Markham as he thundered up.

  His black horse skidded to a stop beside her. “Are you hurt? What happened?” He jumped off his mount and pulled her into his arms.

  “Desdemona’s pitiful attempt to use Opal to mow me down failed.”

  The words had barely left her mouth before the rascal kissed her senseless. Before she could recover, he scooped her into his arms, plopped her on his skyscraper of a horse, then swung into the saddle behind her.

  If she didn’t feel so wobbly on top of this prancing deathtrap, she’d poke him in the ribs. His high-handed bossiness had to stop. But not now. His embrace was too comforting.

  “It’s obviously going to take more than announcing our engagement to stop Desdemona,” she muttered.

  Two hours later, Kailyn wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans and plowed through the brambles. Desdemona wasn’t going to mess with her anymore. If the blasted ghost lived in the crumbling west tower, that’s where she’d corner the phantom. Desdemona needed something to be free of Ryne. It was time to pry the story out of her.

  “Are you sure this is allowed?” A few feet behind her, Allison pointed a thermal scanner at the decayed wooden door.