The mention of Sylvie made knots wind in her stomach. She felt short of breath. She wanted to remember Sylvie, but whenever they did mention her, she felt as if the life was being sucked right out of her. Despair threatened to tear her apart and make her collapse into a fit of tears.
“Sophie!” Sylvie’s desperate voice reached out to her.
Her legs wobbled, and she nearly fell.
“Steady on there, Sophie,” Redding said, giving her his arm to cling to. She sank against his side, suddenly aware of his reassuring masculine scent. He smelled of sandalwood soap, and the comforting scent made tears well in her eyes.
Why did she feel as if she was always forgetting something whenever he was around?
She felt so at ease with him that it quite terrified her. She felt like she belonged by his side as if the two of them were meant to be together and it made no bloody sense! They hardly knew each other! And yet…
“You forget, Papa,” she said, her voice raspy with emotion, “Sylvie always knew how to find me. Nothing could separate us—nothing but…” A catch entered her throat. She couldn’t continue.
Her father’s eyes lost their dancing mischief and sobered. “Aye, that she did, my dear. That she did. She was such a darling girl,” he cleared his throat. “Anyway, Sophie has always loved a good book, so that was why I fancied she would be in the Library, but I never thought she’d be with a man like you, Lord Redding. This can’t be what I think it is, can it?” her father asked, looking between them. “Are you a book lover as well, Lord Redding?” he asked it with the faintest trace of amusement on his face.
Her father’s eyes were twinkling merrily, he wasn’t angered by the sight of the two of them alone in the library. He was entertained by it! She didn’t know whether to be shocked or terrified by that revelation!
“I must confess, I do like an amusing tale from time to time,” Redding admitted, “but I much prefer the company of a certain lovely young lady.”
Sophie’s ears and cheeks blazed hot with mortification. How could he say that? Did he want to ruin her completely?
Her father chuckled. “My Sophie is a lovely little thing. She has such an otherworldly beauty to her. I shall grant you that one, Lord Redding. However, in the future, if you would like a private audience with her, I would rather you do it with her mother and me around. Too many things could be misconstrued in a public setting like this, and I would hate for anyone to believe that Sophie is a woman of low regard.”
“Papa, isn’t what you think! Lord Redding was not here admiring me for my womanly graces. Rather, he was here attempting to help me with a ghostly affair, so you needn’t worry that we were doing anything improper. Besides, I daresay that Lord Redding much prefers the company of Simone over me.” At her announcement, Redding made a weird choking noise. “You know how the ghosts are always enlisting my help, Papa. That is how I came to be here. I did not come here for an illicit assignation with Redding.”
“I understand. I gather this would explain the reason for you conjuring a door without thinking? I expect that dastardly fellow swept right through the wall in his non-corporeal form and you followed. I gather you compensated when you had to, by unconsciously summoning your magic.
“This still does not make up for the potentially scandalous behavior you and Lord Redding displayed by remaining alone in a room together. If you had been caught, the tongues of the ton would never cease to wag!”
“I did walk through the wall,” Lord Huntingdon admitted. “I am sorry, Sophie. You must put the blame squarely on shoulders. But you can tell Jolly Robby that I know about a few terribly wicked things he did in his youth, and that you have not been alone with Lord Redding. I still make a fine chaperone, even if I am without a body.”
Her father stepped forward, and looked around the vast room. “I assume this presence is still with us?”
“Yes. He apologized to me and said to tell you that he knows about a few terribly wicked things you did in your youth, and that I was not alone with Lord Redding. He also says that he still makes a fine chaperone, despite his absence of a body. And he called you, Jolly Robby. Whatever does he mean of it, Papa?”
Her father’s face went ashen at her last remark. His eyes went a little desperate.
“Don’t believe anything Old Reggie tells you. I pray that of you, Sophie. I was a reckless lad in my youth, and I did some things I shouldn’t have. For that reason alone, I know you are above reproach. A scandal could never touch your angelic feet. You are more like your mother than you are like me, and for that I thank the heavens above.
“I trust you explicitly, Sophie. It is only what the rest of the ton thinks that causes me to worry. I shan’t have you being thought of as anything but a refined and dignified young lady with your reputation fully intact and untarnished. Do you understand?”
She nodded her head. “I do, Papa. Please disregard any thought you might have for Lord Redding. He is not the burning issue right now. Our mutual friend won’t leave until he has his vengeance against the new earl.”
“He is a rather ornery old bugger in death by the sound of it,” Lord Redding said, startling both her father and she, as his language was not seemly for mixed company. Unfortunately, she had a penchant for using the same kind of salty language and sadly it seemed that it was something they both had in common.
Lord Huntingdon’s shocking words haunted her. How wicked had her father been in his youth? Was there some truth to the vicious rumors surrounding Simone’s birth?
Her stomach lurched. She could not bear actually having to regard Simone as her sister even if she were only her sister through her father. As for her father being with any other woman but her mother, the thought was unbearable!
Her parents were a match made in heaven. The two of them were so very much in love. He was absolutely devoted to her mother. How in the world could he have ever given his affections to another woman?
“Tell that young pup that he is due for a licking, and I would give it to him if I could. He knows not of the misery I have suffered since my death. He knows not how I have yearned to comfort my darling widow. She weeps for me every night. She cries herself to sleep and yet, I am able to easily travel between where she is and this blasted mansion but I cannot do what she needs most. I cannot make it right!”
Her heart broke at his impassioned plea. She could not in good conscience do anything but help him. She had to see it through to the bitter end. She had to stand by him, and be his voice in the living world.
“I beg of you not to speak so ill of him, Lord Redding. Lord Huntingdon is acting out of love and no other motivation. We must help him. I am quite determined to see him get exactly what he wants. I owe him that much.”
“From where I am standing, Lady Sophie, you owe him nothing,” Lord Redding murmured.
Her father cleared his throat loudly. “You are correct, Lord Redding. Sophie, dearest, you don’t owe Old Reggie anything—but I do.” His eyes blazed with compassion, as he met her gaze. “Reggie, my old friend, we shall not speak of it here, but I recall all that you did for me when we were young and terribly stupid.
“You always had a level head on your shoulders and I was far too big for my britches, I am loath to admit. The fact that we fell out of favour with each other is something I’ve always regretted.
“I blame this in part for the magic in my blood. I had an awful habit of believing that I was superior to those who could not weave a spell, and now I am dreadfully sorry for it. If I ever mistreated you because of my terrible pride, take my apologies now and rest easy in the knowledge that I will use all of the power at my disposal to ruin the new Lord Huntingdon. I only wish we could have made amends before you passed. Now I just need to know what the despicable cad did.”
“He has robbed his widow of the fabulous wealth she brought to the marriage and taken from his daughters their rightful inheritance. These are the real documents concerning the rights of inheritance, Papa,” she said, handing him th
e dusty papers. “They say explicitly that the former Lord Huntingdon’s fortune was not entailed to the title and estate, Denham Abbey, for Lord Huntingdon had to marry an heiress to keep it all going and he fell madly deeply in love with said heiress and the love of his life is trapped into relying on the charity of her cousin who has been shackled with a most horrible wife.
“I fear the new Lord Huntingdon is one of those men who disdains women, Papa, and believes they are not worthy to have control over their wealth or property. He most likely feels that as soon as Old Reggie married his wife that all of her worldly goods belonged to him and only him, and upon his death were rightfully the property of Reggie’s entailed heir. You see, he values women in a very dim light, Papa. Why I bet he even disdains the Queen for not being a King.” She knew this last remark would drive straight into her father’s heart and get his passions up to a dangerous degree.
Her father never treated his daughters differently from his sons, and in magical circles, women had found their independence long ago. For the gift of magic did not pick favourites when it came to falling upon male or females. Their line was descended from a most powerful witch, and Sophie’s father nor the men before him had ever forgotten how independent and powerful Princess Sophie of Dragonwyck had been.
Fire blazed in her father’s eyes, as they skimmed over the legal documents. “So, that little bastard thought he could bury the truth, did he? I think we should show him that living a life of lies and deceit can take their toll. What do you think of that, Sophie?”
“I think we should give him a grand performance. I do believe we should act now. Putting it off seems so merciful to me, Papa.”
“Indeed,” her father agreed. “Since Old Reggie has tried to haunt him to no avail, I say we give him the fright of his life by making every female at the Ball look like Reggie, and only he will see them as Reggie.
“It is enough to drive the most stalwart souls insane, and since Laurence isn’t so stalwart, I imagine he shall fall like a house of cards. When he starts acting in a crazed manner with the lords’ wives, mothers, daughters and sisters, the lords will be out for his blood. We won’t have to worry about ruining him, Sophie, the other lords and gentlemen at the ball will do it for us.”
“I have always excelled at the magical art of illusion,” Lord Redding’s smooth voice startled Sophie. “If it has your approval, Your Grace, I could weave the incantation for it.”
“At your pleasure,” her father said, bowing to him graciously.
She rolled her eyes, and sighed. She had heard of Lord Redding’s immense talents in magical circles the Percy-Lennoxes were at the top of the pecking order. The FitzCharleses were just as talented. However, they no longer held the power they used to in this Realm.
Several tragedies had weakened their family, and those tragedies always involved a certain enchanted Ruby.
“Laurence Smyth-Jones heed my call, your dark deeds will plunge you into a free-fall. From the dazzling lights of this enchanted ball, you will meet again the man you believed trapped beneath a pall, but death is not final. Life is everlasting, and tonight you stole it all. Return his legacy to his wife and daughters, or prepare for your eventual downfall.” His not so poetic words condemned the new earl to a life of hell until he repented of his wicked ways and made amends to Reggie’s family.
Thunder clapped through the house like a death knell, and it was a sound that only Larry and any other magically inclined attendee would hear. The new earl would feel as if someone just walked over his grave and in a few minutes, sheer madness would take hold of him, and his actions would disgrace him in front of everyone at the ball. It was a fitting punishment for a man of such devious cunning.
“Cheers on a well-crafted spell, Lord Redding. I think we should all return to the Ballroom in order to witness Larry’s undoing, I wouldn’t want the show to start without us.” Her father’s eyes were lit with glorious expectation.
Eager to escape being so close to Lord Redding, Sophie made haste to leave the library.
The sooner she got away from him for good, the happier she would be.
*****
Lord Redding watched Sophie scurry to escape his side. She looked so damn delectable in the silkiness of her ball gown. The creamy skin of her arms and neck were well exposed, and the dress showed off the ample charm of her bosom.
The ebony of the gown accented her pale skin and with the way it sparkled, it made her look as if she wore starlight. In the ballroom, the lights from the beautiful crystal chandeliers had haloed Sophie like a dark angel, glinting off the almost violet highlights in her raven black hair.
Her beauty was unmatched by no other in the ton, for she had an unearthly beauty none could compete with. She was ethereal, and one could tell that she descended from the great Princess Sophie of Dragonwyck, for she had been created in her image.
He longed to once again have her as his own.
Unfortunately, every step he took in trying to get her to soften up to him, only succeeded in having her put more distance between them. She didn’t seem to want him, and that pained him greatly. To have had her love, to have had her wanting to be his wife, and now…now, she wanted no part of him.
He deeply regretted the night he had decided to erase her memories of him so she would not hold herself responsible for Sylvie’s death. Every minute they were apart, only increased his anguish. Thoughts of her haunted his every waking hour. He would not be complete until she was his again.
“I want to court your daughter, Your Grace,” Redding said solemnly. “I want Sophie as my wife.”
Robert FitzCharles, the 5th Duke of Dragonwyck looked at him sternly. “I am not totally confident that she wants you to court her. Alas, it would be all for naught, unless the two of you are a match made in heaven.
“If you are the wrong man for her, tragedy will befall the both of you, and I will not see my daughter go through that unspeakable grief. You will come to my townhouse when you are brave enough to do so, and if you truly want to be with Sophie, you must seek out the Dragonwyck Ruby and gain its enchanted wisdom.
“If it judges you and Sophie as being meant for each other then you may marry her at the earliest opportunity, as long as you have both Sophie and my wife’s blessing. I am quite certain, given the family from which you hail, that you have heard of the legend surrounding my family’s enchanted amulet.”
“Yes, I have, sir.” Of course he had. He had already been judged by that infernal gemstone, and he often wondered why its magical pull hadn’t brought him and Sophie back together again. “My parents have the utmost respect for your family and are already aware of my wishes to make Sophie my wife. I was warned by my father about the Dragonwyck Ruby, he told me that I could not have Sophie unless the Ruby judged us as being meant for each other.”
Legend stated that the Dragonwyck Ruby had once been just an ordinary ruby given to Princess Sophie by her true love, King Charles II. Princess Sophie of Dragonwyck’s bitterly wept tears had enchanted it long ago.
Her true love had been King Charles II, and for a time she had been the center of his world, giving him three children out of wedlock. He had officially recognized their children, but alas, poor Charles could not stay faithful to one woman for long, and his love affairs had been the talk of the Royal Court.
When Sophie had learned of his indiscretions, she had been heartbroken, but try as she might, she could not stop loving him, and had loved him true until her dying day.
The power of her love had bewitched the ruby and cast a spell over future generations, making it so the Ruby would portend who her descendants could marry by showing them their true love match. As a result, she believed she was saving them the heartache she had endured, and yet it caused more grief than it prevented.
This love match would be bonded to them for the rest of their lives, and by doing so she had ensured that none of her children or grandchildren would have to experience her heartbreak. If only she had been able to look into
the future…if only…
She hadn’t taken into consideration what would happen if her descendants could not find their love match. Marry the wrong person, or worse—if they had lost their love match to the mortal coil of death. He would not take that chance, he would not risk losing Sophie to another man.
He already knew she was his to have, he already knew how the Ruby would judge their love match, and every day they were apart, his heart continued breaking.
“Sir, I am brave enough now,” he said.
It was true, he had loved Sophie since he had first set eyes on her, and wanted her in his life once again so badly he would do anything to make it happen. Night after night, he sat despondent over his spirit of choice wondering if he had erred when making the judgement call that had cost him her love.
Rupert constantly wondered if he should risk traveling back through time so he could erase all of the harms he had done that continued to keep them apart.
“In that case, Lord Redding, I invite you to come to my house tomorrow night as the witching hour chimes. I will make sure that our protective enchantments on the house are down for a while so you can breach it and steal into our home. Once you are inside, you will find the jewel in my downstairs office, in the safe, which I will leave unlocked. Do you understand?”
He understood more than he could possibly say. He had gone through those steps once before, and wished he didn’t have to take them again. All he had to do was keep his patience just a little longer, and Sophie would be in his arms again, and this time, this time, he would never ever let her go. If he had to break the laws of magic to keep her, he would do that. He would risk anything to have her back in his life again.
“Yes, sir, I do. Thank you.” Emotion welled into his speech, and he didn’t care if he looked weak to Sophie’s father. Many things he used to care about no longer mattered to him.
The only thing that mattered to him was Sophie.
The Haunting of Lady Sophie Page 5