by Maggie Way
She felt his hands slide around her waist, and she was about to push him back when she heard the click. They were engulfed by dim running lights around the edge of where the walls met the ground.
“Donae worry, luv. I willnae let the boogie man get you.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “Do I look like I scare easily?”
Rowan grinned and gestured down the tunnel for them to start walking. They’d come upon the first curve when Rowan slid to a stop. An apparition floated in the middle of the hallway, blocking their path.
Rowan’s eyes widened, and color drained from his face. He stood momentarily frozen and speechless.
Alice chuckled. “You might be able to save me from a boogie man, but I take it you’ve never seen a ghost.”
“Not since….”
The apparition was dressed in a long white robe. Her brunette curls were styled and stacked on top of her head. Poor thing looked just as startled to see them in the passageway as Rowan was upon seeing her.
Who are you? Alice asked in her mind.
Elizabeth, the ghost answered back before slowly disappearing.
“That was apparently Elizabeth.”
“I know,” Rowan said while frowning.
“Are you okay?” Alice asked, genuinely concerned.
“Of course.” Rowan’s brows dipped. “Let’s get you to your room. I’ve got to go find my brother.”
Rowan’s playful tone vanished, just like the spirit, as he guided Alice by the elbow around another corner until they reached a narrow staircase. He followed up behind her, coming to a place on the wall where a hook hung. He gestured to the handle. “Pull it down, and it should open.”
She pulled the lever as he instructed, and the concrete wall slid open. She walked into her room and glanced around. The door was hidden behind tapestries. Rowan stepped inside and gestured to a hook. “Pull this down if you ever want to sneak out and come see me. I’ll close it from the other side when I leave.”
They both shared a look upon hearing the unmistakable sound of someone talking outside her door. Seemed the castle wasn’t as asleep as Alice had thought. Alice had headed toward the door to see who it was when Rowan’s palm landed on her arm.
“The maids are gossips. If they catch me in here, it will ruin your reputation.”
“Don’t you mean yours? I think I can handle the scandal.” Alice rolled her eyes and slipped her arm free. Yanking the door open, she glanced up and down the hall to find it empty. “There’s on one here.”
She shut the door and turned to find Rowan gone and the secret passageway door sliding back into place. It was probably best that way. She didn’t have the desire or the energy to entertain anyone else, much less answer questions on where she’d been. The bed was calling her name, and she didn’t waste any time turning off the light and sliding beneath the warm sheets. If Cassie would let her, Alice would sleep right up until the ceremony.
Alice snuggled beneath the comforter and closed her eyes. The room turned instantly chilly, and goosebumps rose on her arms. Alice knew the sign. She knew exactly what it meant. She wasn’t alone, but damn, she was too tired to open her eyes. Just as darkness was about to pull her under, she mumbled, “Go away.”
Chapter Four
Alice could feel eyes on her when she woke, only now her skin wasn’t covered in goosebumps, and the person or people in her room weren’t as silent as the ghost. Feet shuffled across the room as shhs were whispered from one person to another. So much for sleeping the day away.
Alice sighed and rolled over in the bed, opening her eyes. Two maids were in her room. One had black hair with strands of gray and a scowl on her face. The other was the blonde that Rowan had been groping last night. The maid’s cheeks burned a bright red when she met Alice’s gaze. Bingo, she had been Rowan’s date or conquest for the night. A blush like that never lied.
“Can I help you two?”
“I told you we’d wake her up,” the young one mumbled beneath her breath.
“Well, ladies shouldnae sleep in this long. It’s time for her to rise and eat with the others.”
Alice wiped the sleep from her eyes and sat up in the bed. “What time is it?”
“Noon, ma’am,” the young one said while curtseying.
Alice had pushed the haze from her mind to make their words register when Duncan, the bartender, walked in through the open door to her room.
“That will be all, Mrs. Smythe. Alice has jet lag due to her travels from the States.”
The old maid tisked and gestured for the young maid to go to the door. She stopped in front of Duncan and raised her brow. “Is jet lag what you young people are calling it when you spend the night drinking in the pub and return at unladylike hours?”
“Excuse me!” Alice exclaimed, getting out of the bed. This maid reminded Alice of the Barracuda. She was probably her spy.
They both turned their heads to look at Alice. Both of their gazes traveled down her body and back up.
Mrs. Smythe harrumphed and walked out of the room.
Alice glanced down at the McGregor plaid shirt that hung down to her knees. The obnoxious words scrolled across the chest read, I came and conquered. Vague memories of last night’s debacle flooded her mind. “It’s not what it looks like.”
Rowan walked into the room at that exact minute, her clothes nicely folded in one hand and her clean, dry shoes in his other hand. “Here are the clothes you left at my place.”
“It’s no’, huh?” Duncan asked. A sudden chill clung on the edge of his words as he walked out of the room.
She glared as anger coiled in her veins. This man didn’t know her. He had no right to judge. Asshat. “What is he even doing here?”
“He’s the best man,” Rowan answered.
“Of course, he is, because that’s just my luck.” Alice jogged after Duncan and grabbed his arm, stopping him at the top of the landing before he made it to the stairs. He turned to her with a tight, condescending, icy glare.
“You don’t get to do that. You don’t know me well enough to make me feel like I’ve done something wrong when I haven’t.” Her accusing voice rose in pitch, as did her hostility.
“I think I know enough.” He stood there tall and angry as if his opinion was all that mattered. His gaze traveled down to Rowan’s shirt and back up. “You left my bed to get into his.”
“Screw you.” Alice pressed her lips together, spun around to leave, and noticed everyone standing in the foyer below staring up at them. Heat crept up into her cheeks when she met Cassie’s gaze. Her hand might have been covering her mouth, but her eyes were smiling. Cassie’s mom was standing beside her, the look on her face disapproving. No surprise there. The man standing next to Cassie, holding her hand, was tall, dark, and handsome, and looked perplexed.
Cass called after her. “Lunch is in ten minutes.”
Alice waved her acknowledgment without turning around when her best friend’s laughter bounced off the walls.
Rowan was standing in her room. “I’m sorry….”
Alice waved off his apology. “Let him think what he wants. He’s just one less complication that I’d have to deal with later.”
“Ouch,” Rowan said, laying her clothes on the bed and dropping her shoes on the floor. “You know, Duncan isnae a bad guy.”
“I don’t care.” Alice started digging through her suitcase for her toiletries and a change of clothes. “Besides, I’m not going to be here long enough to get to know him, and I could never date anyone I beat at darts.” She shrugged and hurried into the bathroom to get ready for the day.
Duncan jogged down the stairs and headed toward the front door. He’d come hoping to see Alice again, but now…he couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
A small, delicate hand landed on his arm, stopping him before he opened the door.
“If she said she didn’t do anything wrong, then she didn’t,” Cassie said, her look determined. “Please stay.”
Daniel,
the groom, had been Duncan’s best friend for years. He walked over to them, gently wrapped his arms around Cassie’s shoulders, and raised his brow. That one look told Duncan the answer to Cassie’s request. It wasn’t a question if Duncan would stay, but for how long he’d be hanging around. “Duncan would never upset my bride. Of course, he’ll stay.”
Duncan cleared his throat and tried for a polite smile. “Of course.”
“Excellent.” Cassie beamed, and her eyes sparkled. “I’m going to go rush Alice along.”
They both watched her jog up the stairs and out of sight as Cassie’s mom headed toward the kitchen.
“Your bed, huh?” Daniel asked. “You move fast. The lassie had just arrived.”
“She had jet lag and passed out in my office.”
Rowan jogged down the steps and followed them into the library. “Then she interrupted my date, and thanks to Princess, she fell into the mud.”
Rowan gave Duncan a pointed stare. “You owe her an apology.”
Daniel led the way into the library, and each of the brothers took a seat. They both looked to be holding back stupid grins, as if the situation was funny. It wasn’t. Duncan moved to the window that overlooked the fields. The sun sparkled down and bounced off the mud puddles still left behind from the rain yesterday morning. He crossed his arms over his chest and turned back to his friends. “I knew who she was the minute she walked into the pub.”
“And I bet you dinnae tell her who you were.”
He met Daniel’s gaze. “No.”
“She beat him at darts,” Rowan said, smacking his brother in the arm.
Daniel’s laughter carried throughout the room. “Cassie warned me no’ to play her. She’s a hustler. That’s how she paid her way through college. She’s no’ like you, Duncan. She disnae have a family with title.”
“I like her already,” Daniel’s younger brother, Riley McGregor announced, sauntering into the room and plopping down on one of the couches. “She stood up to you. I’m sure that’s the first time any woman has called you out for being rude.”
Duncan shrugged. “Seems she had a right.”
“Indeed,” Daniel agreed.
“Where have you been?” Rowan asked Riley. “I need to talk to you about what happened when I showed Alice the secret passages into the tunnels.”
“Excuse me, my lairds.” The young, pretty maid blushed as she interrupted their conversation. Her hands were clasped, and she looked on the verge of crying for having to interrupt. “Lunch is served.”
“Thank you,” Daniel answered, and they all headed for the dining room, where they found Alice and Cassie already seated and talking in hushed tones. Alice snapped her mouth closed and narrowed her eyes as she watched Duncan take a seat directly across from her.
“You donae have any darts, do you, lass?”
She raised a brow. “Afraid I’ll aim for your ego or your—”
Cassie laid her hand on Alice’s arm, effectively cutting off Alice’s sharp retort.
“I deserve that.’”
“Yes, you did,” Alice said, sliding a napkin onto her lap.
“What happened in the tunnels?” Riley asked Rowan.
“We met Elizabeth,” Alice answered, and the room went silent. “Brunette, curly hair, white nightgown-dress looking thing.” She glanced around the silent room. She couldn’t have known the importance of what she was saying. Duncan couldn’t help her. She’d opened a can of worms she knew nothing about.
“What? What did I say?” She glanced to Cassie, who had her head down looking at her entwined fingers.
“This isn’t happening.” Cassie looked up to meet Daniel’s gaze. Even the strong laird had worry etched on his face.
“I willnae let anything happen to you,” Daniel announced and reached for her hand, covering it with his.
Riley shook his head as he looked at Daniel. “I said the same thing, brother.”
The look of grief on Riley’s face was still fresh, as if Elizabeth’s death had just happened. The tone in the room was nothing like it should have been for a bride and groom who should be celebrating their upcoming nuptials. Just saying Elizabeth’s name created a tension that overshadowed and engulfed everyone in the room, everyone except Alice.
“Elizabeth was Riley’s fiancé.” Duncan answered Alice’s unanswered question. “She died before the wedding.”
Alice’s hand flew to cover her mouth, her eyes as big as saucers. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“It’s a family curse,” Rowan announced. “If the bride is found to be unworthy, she’ll die before her wedding day.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Alice glanced at Cassie. “We don’t believe in curses. How did Elizabeth die?”
“A ghost pushed her from the tower. She fell to her death,” Duncan answered. The words were still too raw for the others to acknowledge.
“It’s believed that when the last bride who died shows up, it’s an omen that it’s going to happen again.”
Alice rested her palm on Cassie’s arm. “You don’t believe this, do you?”
Cassie looked up. “I’ve read it in their books. I’ve seen the pictures of the women before me. It’s hard not to believe.”
Alice’s fierce determination was written all over her face. She looked as though she were ready to grab a sword and go fight things she couldn’t see. It was cute. She was cute, and Duncan had royally screwed up.
“We won’t let anything happen to you. When Violet and Gwen show up, we’ll go hunting and get you some answers, and we’ll sage the hell out of this place to get rid of any unwanted, unseen guests.”
Cassie frowned. “Vi and Gwen are snowed in. We’ll be lucky if they make it before the wedding.”
“Fine. Then you and I—”
“Will do no such thing.” Cassie’s mother, Olivia Townsend, announced as she entered the room. “Alice, I had truly hoped that you’d changed through the years, but I can see that you haven’t.”
Ms. Townsend glanced around the room, as if she were a teacher deciding who to punish. Her gaze landed on Alice.
“Ms. Townsend, it was a purely innocent misunderstanding this morning,” Rowan announced.
“Don’t patronize me, young man. I heard her with my own ears. Now she wants to hunt ghosts when we clearly have more important things to attend to. Cassie and I have to meet the caterer, and she has her final dress fitting, and she has a cake testing. There is no time in her schedule for such childish endeavors.”
Ms. Townsend clearly didn’t understand the importance of what Alice was trying to accomplish. None of Ms. Townsend’s concerns would even matter if Cassie didn’t live to see the wedding.
“You’re right. I’m sorry,” Alice said, clasping her hands together and resting them in her lap. “I’m not here to cause trouble.”
“Nonsense.” Daniel’s voice boomed through the room. “No ghost is going to take my bride, and I’ll do everything in my power to stop it.” Daniel gave Cassie’s mother a pointed, challenging stare before turning his gaze to Alice. “Alice, we would all appreciate you getting to the bottom of our curse and sending away any spirits that might harm Cassie. The McGregors, and all of the generations after, would be forever in your debt.”
Cassie’s mother slid into the chair at the opposite end of the table, unfolded her napkin, and rested it in her lap. “Fine, but Alice is here for maid of honor duties. She has a schedule to abide by. She has her own dress fittings and things to attend to. I will not have her ghost hunting interfering with the preparations for this wedding.”
The tension in the room was choking. Couldn’t the woman see that Daniel truly believed that Cassie was in danger? Daniel’s cheeks were blooming a deep red, his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were turning white, and the taunt muscles in his arms were twitching, like he was on the verge of exploding. He wasn’t just pissed; he looked like he was holding back a declaration of war. Cassie sat in silence as tears welled in her eyes,
and even Alice looked as though she was biting back her words. Duncan was many things but he’d never been scared of a patronizing, overbearing woman. He’d dealt with his own mother in more tense conversations than this. He knew exactly what he needed to do.
Duncan cleared his throat. “I’ll help Alice with her investigation, and I’ll make sure she meets all of her obligations. You have my word that Cassie’s wedding will be beautiful.” He turned to Daniel. “You two will live a long and prosperous life together.”
Alice’s face softened when he met her gaze. A hint of a small smile registered on her lips, and she gave a slight nod.
The table turned silent, as if waiting for Cassie’s mom to explode or grow horns or shapeshift into the demon they all thought her to be. Seconds passed until Rowan was the first to speak.
“Well, that’s settled.” Rowan clasped his hands together. “We all know when a McN—”
Duncan cleared his throat and shook his head.
Rowan’s grin grew wide. “When Duncan makes a promise, it might as well be written into law. Let’s eat.”
Chapter Five
Alice scanned the schedule the Barracuda had given her. Alice had a dress fitting and favors to help put together, for the tables at the reception, not to mention a bachelorette party to plan. That wasn’t awful. She’d expected to do those things and more.
Duncan slid the list from her fingers and glanced it over while Alice paced the room. “You don’t have to help me. I’m sure you probably need to get back to the Broken Spirit.”
“Nonsense.” He folded the itinerary and slid it into his pocket. “I never go back on my word. I promised to help, and I will. Besides, I can help you. Daniel is one of my best friends, and I know all of the castle’s secrets.”
Alice stopped pacing and narrowed her eyes. “Well, maybe I don’t want your help. Have you stopped to consider that?”
Duncan’s lips twisted before he cleared his throat. “I owe you an apology. I knew who you were when you walked into the pub. Cassie has talked about you for months. When I came this afternoon, I was going to tell you the truth, and then the way you were dressed…and Rowan with your clothes…I just….”
