Her eyes grew wide. “What? Oh, no Betsy, I couldn’t. What about the Smith family?”
“I was unsuccessful in my attempt to find them.” Betsy took Emma’s hands in hers. “My dear, you have done so much for that house. You returned it to its former beauty. You found and freed the ghost of a good woman. And you saved my life from evil unimagined.”
Emma shook her head, overwhelmed by it all. “But I didn’t do it for a reward.”
“I know that, dear. None of those things behind the mirror will ever mean as much to me as they do to you.”
“I really can’t.”
“I will be very hurt if you don’t accept.”
The last thing she wanted to do was hurt this dear woman. “Thank you.”
“Good. Now tell me what you’re hiding from me.”
She glanced over at Ryan, who looked as curious as Betsy. “What makes you think I’m hiding something?”
Betsy simply sat forward and raised her eyebrows.
Emma studied the letters in her lap. “I’ve spoken to Ruby. I’ve touched her. In fact, she took me into a memory and I saw how she died.”
“You didn’t tell me that,” Ryan said in surprise.
“I didn’t have the chance until now.”
“Why would you hide that from me?” Betsy asked.
“Because I didn’t want you to wonder why she chose to reach out to me instead of you.”
“She will come to me. Now that she knows it’s safe.”
“How did you know I was hiding something from you?”
Betsy sat back and grinned secretively. “Ruby was my aunt.”
“And?”
“She was an intuitive. She knew things about people they didn’t even know. Some say she could read minds. She especially liked finding soul mates and getting them together. Those kinds of things run in families.”
“You have gifts, too?”
“We all do. Some are just stronger than others.” She studied her. “We shouldn’t be afraid of them. We should embrace and use them to do God’s will.”
She nodded.
Betsy stayed with them for about an hour before her family came to collect her. Emma walked her to the door. Ryan had long since passed out on the sofa.
“I’m going to be at the brownstone tomorrow,” Betsy said. “I want you and Ryan to be there when I say goodbye to Ruby.”
Emma glanced back at the man she loved, snoring and catching flies. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
***
Any fears Emma had about entering the brownstone were put to rest as soon as she stepped over the threshold. The house felt warm, as if it hugged her as soon as she entered. There was no red mist, no smell of musk, and no feeling of impending doom.
It no longer felt angry.
With most of the work completed, it looked almost the way it had back in 1888, but with the modern conveniences of the twenty-first century. Soon, Betsy would be moving in and her vision of living out her final years facing the Brooklyn Bridge would come true.
Emma was going to miss this place terribly.
“Would you please join me in the master bedroom?” Betsy said as she greeted them in the parlor.
Together, Ryan with his left arm in a sling and right hand clasped firmly in hers, they mounted the steps to the third floor. When they entered the room, Emma stopped short and gasped.
Ryan stopped also. “What? What’s wrong?”
By the fireplace, Ruby stood with a welcoming smile. Hilary was at the window, glaring and looking as though she wanted to commit several more murders.
“It is all right, my dear.” Ruby waved her forward. “Now that her sins are known to the world, she is no longer a danger to you or anyone else. That is to be her own private hell for all eternity.”
Emma stepped forward and looked to Betsy for reassurance.
“Ryan, give me your right hand. Emma, touch his arm,” Betsy instructed.
Emma did as she was told, but with a frown of confusion. “Why?”
“Because Aunt Ruby wants Ryan to be able to hear what she has to say.”
Emma didn’t question further. She wasn’t sure she was ready to hear the answer.
With all three of them linked, the room filled with a lovely sky-blue haze. Ruby and Hilary came more into focus, seeming more solid.
Ryan stiffened beside her. “Oh, God, this is weird.”
“Ryan, Emma, my dear Betsy, I am so pleased you were able to join me before I go.”
Ruby drifted closer, her smile beaming as she spoke to Ryan. “I want you to take care of my special girl here.” She nodded toward Emma.
He looked at Emma and grinned. “You bet.”
“I do hope to be at your wedding, but I can’t promise anything.”
Ryan looked as if he she’d just ordered him to kiss a man. “I—well—we’re not—”
Ruby sighed. “Please don’t act like you weren’t going to ask her.”
“Well, yeah, I was, but I wanted it to be a surprise.”
Ruby reached out and touched his cheek. He shuddered, but his smile was warm. “My dear boy, I was murdered and holed up in a fireplace for over a hundred years. When I was set free, I declined an invitation from God to go to heaven simply so I could stay here and help you and Emma get together. I think I, at least, deserve to hear the proposal.”
Ryan turned to Emma. “She has a point.”
She nodded, holding her breath.
“So, uh…” He shifted from foot to foot and rolled his head. “Will you marry me?”
She choked back a sob. “I have a feeling if I even think about saying no, I’ll be the next one walled up in a fireplace.”
“Is—is that a yes?”
Don’t cry, don’t cry. It’s only gonna hurt. Despite her inner chanting, tears slid down her bruised face. “Yes!”
Happiness shone in Ryan’s eyes. He kissed her gently.
Emma’s heart exploded with love. She cupped his face in her hands and deepened the kiss, the pain of her swollen lip be damned.
Betsy cleared her throat. “Now, now, there’s time enough for that later.”
Ruby took Betsy’s free hand. “I’m so glad I was able to meet you. I trust you will make sure my story is told in our family for generations to come?”
“I promise.”
Ruby released her niece’s hand and turned to Emma, who said, “I think I’ll miss you most of all, scarecrow.”
The ghost looked at her in confusion. “I beg your pardon?”
She offered a sheepish grin. “It was after your time.”
“Emma. My heroine. You have questions for me.”
Damn, these intuitives can be annoying. Well, no sense in denying it, so she might as well ask away. “Why is it I can talk to ghosts? Why am I suddenly getting visions?”
Ruby placed her finger on her chin, an odd thing for a ghost to do, Emma thought. “I could not become a ghost until my remains were removed from the house. So when you broke though the fireplace wall, my essence escaped and it passed through you. You must have felt it.”
“I did. So you think you gave me some of your gifts when you passed though me?”
“No, I believe you always had those abilities, but they lay dormant. When I passed through you, I awakened them. If I had to guess, those headaches you suffer are not due to chocolate but to suppressing your abilities.”
“I’m not sure I want to thank you for that just yet.”
Ruby chuckled. “You will, in good time.” Her brow furrowed, her eyes shifting between Ryan and Emma. “Who is the child?”
Emma glanced at Betsy and Ryan before turning back to the ghost. “Child?”
Ruby’s eyes became intense as she studied them. “Your ribbon is in a bow. There must be a child.”
Emma had no idea what ribbon Ruby was referring to, but she answered anyway. “Well, I have a daughter, Nicole.”
Ruby’s eyes moved to Ryan. “You love her like your own.”
&nb
sp; He nodded.
“It’s because of this child that you were able to defeat Hilary.”
“I thought it was the seashell and the salt.” Goodness, she was confused.
“That helped you save Betsy, yes, but by the time Ryan arrived the sun had already begun to sink toward the horizon, and on Halloween, no less. Hilary’s hatred had grown much stronger. Only the bond that forms from the shared love of a child would’ve been strong enough to fight her and win.”
“Nicole saved us,” Emma whispered.
“Yes, and you must thank her for me.” Ruby stepped back.
As if on cue, a flicker of light appeared in the center of the room, growing larger and larger until it lit up the space with a dancing golden glow.
“I believe that’s my sign, but before I go…”
She turned to Hilary, now just a dull, dark shape. The evil spirit glared back. “I have never been one to seek revenge in life. It is a hateful emotion that wastes energy best used for more positive things. Because of your sins against me, you are to live in this house with my descendants to whom you owe an eternity of servitude. I find no joy in this, only sorrow that you could not overcome your cowardice and hatred, even in death. I leave now, knowing Hilary Smith will never again cause another human being an ounce of pain.”
The brilliant white light burst, and then Ruby was gone.
Emma stared at the spot where her Lady in the Shawl once stood. The lilacs were gone. The blue mist was gone. The mystery was gone.
Only the memories remained, along with the man by her side.
She smiled sadly. “I’ll miss her.”
Betsy put a comforting arm around her shoulder. “No, you won’t. I have a feeling Ruby will find ways to make sure she’s remembered.”
“You think so?”
“I do. Especially any time you use your gifts.”
Emma chuckled nervously. “But I don’t know how to use them.”
“Let’s start with a simple exercise. Look at your fiancé and think of your future together. Concentrate hard, now.”
Feeling rather silly, Emma looked into Ryan’s eyes, the eyes she loved so much, and concentrated. Then she gasped and blinked several times.
“What?” he asked, startled.
Emma’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. After only a few heartbeats she found her voice. “Oh, nothing, I was just surprised when it actually worked.”
He smiled eagerly. “So, what did you see?”
“I saw that we’re very happy.”
He hugged her. Emma laid her chin on his shoulder, chewing on her lip. She did see them as happy. She just wasn’t sure how Ryan would react to one day being the father of four kids.
Some things were better left as a surprise.
Epilogue
THE CATERING HALL was decorated in beautiful Christmas displays, with thousands of white lights hanging on the indoor and outdoor trees. Shiny silver snowflakes hung from the high ceiling, along with white lights woven throughout the white beams.
Snow covered the grass, but thankfully the roads were still clear. Emma was sure, even if there had been a blizzard, she could still count on several of their guests to show up. It wasn’t every day that Emma Isabella DeVuono Hopkins and Ryan Liam Atkinson celebrated their marriage.
Ryan came up from behind to wrap his arms around her waist. “Hey, gorgeous, did you meet Betsy’s gentleman friend?”
She turned in his arms. “Yes, I did. It’s amazing, isn’t it? She said she met him at a bridge club, only to find out he lives two doors down from her.”
“That lady brings coincidences wherever she goes.”
“Hey, you two, get a room!” Frankie shouted.
Ryan groaned. “Sounds like a great idea to me.”
Emma kissed his cheek and started to whisper in his ear but instead licked his earlobe. “Doesn’t it?”
“You’re killing me, woman.”
Emma nipped at his lobe. “I promise you’ll be saying that again before the night is over.”
“Guys, seriously, there are kids here.”
Emma turned to her brother and swatted his arm. “Don’t you have a wife and kids to sit with?”
Frankie chuckled. “The kids are playing with Nicole, and Doreen is sitting with Mom and Dad.”
“You left her alone with them?” Emma shook her head. “What you don’t do to that poor woman.”
“Show some respect, lady. If it wasn’t for me and my superior selling skills, you and this guy never would’ve met.”
Ryan nodded. “You can’t argue with that logic.”
So many people had come to celebrate with them. Emma couldn’t help but feel moved. There were a few people missing, though. Some couldn’t be there. One, in particular didn’t want to be. She tried not to think about that. This was her day. Only happy thoughts were allowed, because in the end, Emma saw her life with Ryan filled with lots of love, a few challenges, and a lot of kids.
As everyone mingled, Emma fought her way to her seat, hoping she could give her poor feet a few minutes pain-free before she tortured them again.
Ryan sat down next to her and winked. “Tired already? The party has just begun.”
“Give me a minute, and I’ll—”
A rapid clinking caught her attention. She glanced at the table setting next to her and gasped. Hovering in mid-air was a fork, circled in a sparkling gold mist and tapping against the champagne flute. Emma slapped the fork down.
“Everything okay, babe?” Ryan asked.
She smiled at her husband, pretending to stretch. “Oh, yes, everything’s fine.”
Thinking it was safe, she let go of the fork, only to have it float up and start pinging the champagne glass again.
Smiling to a few curious guests, Emma nonchalantly pushed the fork down and out of the corner of her mouth whispered, “Ruby, stop that. It’s not funny.”
Ruby must have thought otherwise, because this time a spoon lifted into the air. Emma used her other hand and held that down as well. Sheesh, at this rate she was going to have her hands, feet, and ass holding down floating utensils.
“Thank you for coming,” she said to a few more confused guests, and then turned toward the seat next to her. “Ruby, get back up to heaven before they realize they’re missing an angel.”
In a whirl of golden vapor, Ruby floated over her. Emma jumped to her feet. “What is it?”
Ruby spiraled in a circle over the heads of their guests. Emma’s eyes followed her around the room until she found what had the spirit in such a tiff.
Her heart warmed.
Ryan looked up at her. “Who are you talking to?”
“Someone to whom we owe a great deal of thanks.”
“What?” He rose and followed her gaze. The he gripped her hand. “Oh, God.”
Emma watched as the man she loved walked to the doorway of the catering hall and extended his hand to their late arrival.
Tag took Ryan’s hand in his and pulled him into a hug. The golden light circled their heads as if dancing for joy.
Reaching for a napkin, Emma dabbed her eyes and whispered, “You, Ruby Van Leer, are truly something else.”
The End
More from Booktrope
Autumn Getaway by Jennifer Gracen (Contemporary Romance) Newly divorced mom meets a chivalrous and handsome man at a destination wedding. Can she overcome her fears for a second chance at love?
Blogger Girl by Meredith Schorr (Contemporary Romance) Kimberly Long has two passions: her successful chick lit blog and Nicholas, her handsome colleague down the hall. But when her high school nemesis pops onto the chick lit scene with a hot new book and eyes for Nicholas, Kim has to make some quick revisions to her own life story.
Caramel and Magnolias by Tess Thompson (Contemporary Romance) A former actress goes undercover to help a Seattle police detective expose an adoption fraud in this story of friendship, mended hearts, and new beginnings.
Grace Unexpected by Gale Martin (Contempo
rary Romance) When her longtime boyfriend dumps her instead of proposing, Grace avows the sexless Shaker ways. She appears to be on the fast track to a marriage proposal… until secrets revealed deliver a death rattle to the Shaker Plan.
Pulled Beneath by Marni Mann (Contemporary Romance) When Drew unexpectedly loses her parents, she inherits a home in Bar Harbor, Maine along with a family she knew nothing about. Will their secrets destroy her or will she be able to embrace their dark past and accept love?
Ties that Bind by Heather Huffman (Contemporary Romance) Kate has moved to San Francisco and gotten herself hired by the man she suspects to be her dad. Soon, she will have to confront the decisions of her past to find out whether she can love the man who gave her up, the man who loves her, and even herself.
Discover more books and learn about our
new approach to publishing at booktrope.com.
Ruby's Letters Page 28