Mallory’s pulse thundered in her ears.
How?Bastien Saphir may have been charming, but not even he could trick a mortal girl into falling in love with him,marryinghim. Not when his violent crimes were so well-known.
“I wish to speak with the staff individually,” she said. “No one is to communicate with each other until I do.”
“Whatever for?” asked Claude.
“To determine who has an alibi, and who might have had a reason to kill her.”
Yvette let out a frustrated wheeze. “We all know who did this, Miss Fontaine. It was that monster, Monsieur Le Bleu!”
“That is an easy assumption to make,” said Mallory, “but I do not know of any ghost who is capable of this.”
“He is not a normal ghost,” snapped the housekeeper. “He hashurt people before. Now this poor girl has become one more of his victims.”
Mallory thought of mirror shards lodged into eyeballs. She thought of an invisible force shoving a victim down the stairs. She thought of how easily Bastien had lifted the burning incense. How he had pressed his thumb to her throat, sending a bolt of pain through her chest.
Yes, Le Bleu was capable of a lot. He had shown signs of being corporeal, of having strength unlike any spirit she’d seen.
Butthis? To not only impale Julie on a sword, but then to position her body in such a way? It would have been difficult for anyone to accomplish. She doubted any ghost could have done as much, not even Monsieur Le Bleu.
“Perhaps you’re right,” she said. “But I think it’s best we know for sure, don’t you?”
Yvette rounded on her. “You dare to accuse someone in this household of such a heinous act?”
“I’m merely pointing out that most ghosts are not capable of such strength, no matter how depraved they are.”
“Well, then,” said the housekeeper, “I shall point out that of all the people in this house, only two of them are relative strangers.” Her sharp gaze bored into Mallory, her insinuation clear. But it didn’t bother Mallory. She was used to being mistrusted, and she would sooner suspect Anaïs of being a finger-eating croque-mitaine than a murderer.
“My sister,” said Anaïs, with unusual severity, “knows more about death and dark magic and the occult than everyone else in this room put together. I would urge you not to doubt her instincts in this matter.”
Mallory’s insides warmed at the vote of confidence, but it was short-lived when Yvette laughed dryly. “Forgive me if I do not find her knowledge ofthe occultto be a comfort in such a situation. For if this was not the work of Le Bleu, then who else but a witch would be suited for such a vile act?”
Anaïs tensed. “Julie did have a beau.”
“She what?” snapped the housekeeper.
“She was in love,” Anaïs continued. “She asked to have her fortune told, after she… after they eloped. Secretly, and quite suddenly. She wanted to know if she… if she made the right decision…” Anaïs trailed off.
“If that is true, then no doubt your magical predictions informed her of her impending doom.” Yvette gestured at the body. “Surely your impressive abilities indicated what was about to happen? Perhaps even suggested who the murderer would be?”
Anaïs shied away, but Mallory snapped, “Ofcoursethe cards predicted this—a disastrous end to the romance.I was there for the whole thing, and those were her exact words. But clearly, she was too late.”
Anaïs pressed her lips together and said nothing.
“For all we know, Julie planned to dissolve the marriage after hearing her fortune,” continued Mallory, “and it led to a quarrel that got out of hand. It wouldn’t be the first time. Plus—her ring is missing.” She swallowed painfully. “Along with the finger that wore it.”
“The finger?” Yvette shrieked. “It could only be Le Bleu, and Julie has said nothing to me of a wedding. Not even a courtship.”
“What about the stable hand?” asked Mallory.
“Gideon?” barked Claude, one arm still holding Yvette. “You cannot be serious.”
“I haven’t met him,” Mallory confessed.
“If you had,” Claude went on, “you would know that he is as harmless as a dove. He could not have done something like this. And for him to be making promises to our Julie? Bah!” He threw his other hand dismissively toward Mallory.
“That may be, but I would like to speak to him.”
