“Looked without eyes?” Bram said in a jocular tone that fell flat.
“Yes. A gaze without eyes,” Jessamine said with terrible simplicity. “It stared at me, and reached out—towards me—and I felt so dreadfully cold and dark andalone, and then it was gone. And—and I ran to find Wynn because I was afraid, and he told me I had imagined it, but I had not. So I spoke to Mr. Grey. And he went looking in the corridors, and the next morning he looked as though he had not slept, and he will not speak of it at all. He refuses.” The words were tumbling out now. “And that was when I told Wynn I wanted to know, and I would not be put off. And he said there had been a monastery here once, and told me a little of the house’s history, and he asked me not to mention it again, but I must. Imust.”
Zeb contemplated her: tense face, knotted fingers, quick breath. He glanced at his brother and cousin.
“Well,” Bram said, nonplussed.
“That is a remarkable story,” Hawley put in. “Quite remarkable. I should very much like to know more. Where is it that you saw this apparition?”
“In the corridors of the west wing, on the first floor.”
Zeb’s room was in that area, not greatly to his surprise. Hawley said, “I shall keep my eyes open. Is there a particular time—”
“Stop this,” Bram said. “At once. Stop encouraging her when you know perfectly well this is nonsense.”
“It is not!” Jessamine flared.
“I don’t doubt you think you saw something,” Bram assured her. “My dear child, there are no such things as ghosts. You heard some old tale, and fancy did the rest.”
“I told you, I had not heard anything at all about monks, so how should I have imagined one?”
“And Grey should know better than to play on a sensitive young person’s fears,” Bram said, ignoring her. “I think extremely poorly of that, and I shall speak severely to him.”
“On what authority?” Zeb demanded.
Bram ignored him too. “You have distressed yourself in a foolish and unnecessary manner, Jessamine. You need not be ashamed,” he added kindly, as she made a strangled noise that sounded to Zeb a lot more like fury, “but you must learn to regulate your imagination better. We need not tell Wynn we discussed this. I should not wish such a tale to be attached to my property.”
“But it will not be your property,” Hawley said with a smile. “It will go to Jessamine’s husband, and that won’t be you. Will it?”
“I meant any property I owned,” Bram said, reddening. “Andyoushould behave with a little more humility, rather than taking your victory for granted.”
“Victory?” Jessamine said.
“I take nothing for granted,” Hawley said. “I would not be such a fool as to presume myself acceptable to the loveliest and most intriguing young lady I have seen in an age. She may prefer Dash, if she likes the military mind and doesn’t object to atouchof rheumatism. Or even Zeb here.” He glanced at Zeb and raisedhis eyebrows, indicating that there was no accounting for taste. “But you, dear Bram, are married, so she will not be choosing you under any circumstances. Will she?”
“Oh, I cannot—no!” Jessamine exclaimed, and was off before anyone could react, sprinting away. She had a remarkable turn of speed, given her frock. Hawley gave a hunting cry, snatched off his hat, and set off in her wake.
“For God’s sake, Zebedee,” Bram said. “Why aren’t you going after her?”
“Are you joking? Look at her go. She could try out for the thousand-yard dash at the next Olympics, whereas if Hawley’s run for anything more than an omnibus in the last decade I’ll be amazed. In the unlikely event he catches her, he’ll be too busy coughing up a lung to woo her.”
“True,” Bram admitted. “But you need to put yourself forward more instead of being so lumpish. The girl is romantic: she wants to be courted. Why are you not making more effort? I must say, your habit of expecting everything to fall into your lap without bestirring yourself—”
“Excuse me?” Zeb said. “First, I didn’t ask for marital advice, and second, if I wanted marital advice I wouldn’t ask you for it, and third, I’m not going to marry her, so—”
“Of course you will not, if you are so defeatist.”
“Imean, I don’t want to. I told Wynn as much this morning. This whole business is absurd.”
Bram was examining his face. “You agree his course of action is incorrect? That he should return to his previous intention?”
“I don’t care. It’s none of my business.”
“For God’s sake, will you exert yourself for once in your life!” Bram snapped. “Do you mean to let Hawley have it all? To let that lecher marry a mere child, an innocent, because you cannot bestir yourself to pluck a fortune that is dangled before you?”
“I am not obliged to marry the girl to protect her from other people’s damn fool decisions.”
“You are the damned fool here. You could be rich!”
