But if she saw this through, it would pale in comparison to the final payment.
Three. Thousand. Lourdes.That would certainly put some butter in their spinach.
“May I ask a question?” squeaked Anaïs, raising a finger. “There have been rumors of the House Saphir being haunted for the past century. But you said the ghost returned seven years ago. What happened?”
Armand shook his head. “I’m not sure. You’re right. Ever since the… the murders… there has been evidence of the house being haunted. Mostly by the wives—Lucienne and Béatrice. Once a year, the fountain turned red with blood, but that was all. Until one Mourning Moon, seven years ago… when things changed.”
Anaïs inhaled sharply, and Mallory sent her a warning glare.
“The house grew cold. Shadows would play tricks on your eyes. Doors slammed. There was laughter, this cruel, terrible laughter. Sometimes there was a… smell. Like oranges and blood mixed together. So overwhelming it would make a person dizzy.”
Anaïs pressed a hand to her throat. “Mallory, is it possible that—”
“We can help? Yes. Yes, indeed, I think we can.” Mallory beamed. “When shall we begin? We will need to stay at the house, for… uh… maximum infusion of the… magic… to be most effective.”
“Of course,” said Armand, relief swelling through his tone. “We already have a room prepared. Can you come today?”
“Today?” said Mallory. “Well—yes. Best to get started as soon as possible.”
Armand nodded effusively. “Wonderful. I can—”
“Sister, might I have a word?” Anaïs took Mallory’s elbow and dragged her from the room. As soon as they were in the hall, she spun to face her. “What are you doing?”
“This is perfect!” said Mallory. “Three thousand lourdes, plus free room and board for… well, at least a month or two. How long do you suppose it takes to exorcise an evil spirit?”
“I haven’t the faintest idea, and neither do you, because we arenot actual witches.”
Mallory shushed her. “He doesn’t need to know that.”
“Yes, he does! You cannot do what he is asking you to do, and this sounds serious. Plus, the timing of it.” She lowered her voice to barely above a whisper. “Do you think it’s possible that the return of Le Bleu has anything to do with… you know—”
“Don’t be ridiculous. That would suggest that we successfully summoned a spirit back from the dead, and as you pointed out, we are not actual witches.”
“That wasbefore.” Anaïs cringed and bit the edge of her pinkie nail. “If it’s our fault that this spirit returned…”
“Pure coincidence, Anaïs. And now this count wants to pay us to deal with his spirit problem. Three thousand lourdes! Wecan get to Verene on that much money, traveling in the fanciest carriage we can find, and when we get there, I will buy you that dress shop you’ve wanted. No one will know who we are, no one will care—”
Anaïs gestured wildly. “He’s never going to give us that money, because, as per usual, you don’t know what you’re doing!”
“As per usual, I’ll figure something out. I can talk to ghosts, remember? Maybe I can… you know. Ask Monsieur Le Bleu to leave.”
Anaïs gasped. “Yes.Fabulous. Positively brilliant. Do you even hear yourself right now?”
“Do you have any other ideas?” She grabbed Anaïs’s hand and lifted it up, so that the ring on Anaïs’s finger glinted in the dim stairwell. A gold band with a single square-cut emerald. “Would you rather we sell the family heirloom?”
Anaïs yanked her hand away. “Don’t be rash.”
“That’s what I thought. All we need to do is act the part, get the payment, and we’ll be gone before he knows it.”
Anaïs scowled. “Fooling tour groups is one thing, but this ghost sounds dangerous.”
“And when we’re long gone, I will summon some actual experts to go help him,” said Mallory, thinking of the card for Fitcher’s Troupe. “Everyone wins. And best of all…” She grabbed her sister’s shoulders. “No more Madame Cellier.”
“But, Mally… at some point, he’s going to realize that you don’t have any magic. He will throw us out. Or worse, have us arrested!”
“We’re already going to be arrested.”
“What are you talking about?”
