Grayson said to the still air, “Thank you, Jane, really, thank you.”
Vicar Gordon, forgotten until this moment, jerked awake, blinked furiously, and turned bright red with embarrassment. “Oh dear, I fell asleep, how very rude of me, my lady, my lord. Was I sleeping a long time?”
“We let you enjoy your nap, Vicar,” Colin said, giving him his hand to pull him up. “Perhaps you would care for a cup of tea to revive yourself?”
“Oh yes, that would be excellent, my lord. And perhaps a piece of that cake? I seemed to smell something extraordinary in my dreams, and I knew it was a cake, a special cake.”
“Alas, we consumed every single slice,” Grayson said. “I will have Mrs. Keith send your cook the recipe. It’s called French sweet breid.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Day Four
The next day, Grayson returned from Kinross village to tell his aunt and uncle about the endless gossip and consternation at the sudden disappearance of beneficent Lady Blackthorn, her glorious daughter, Millicent, the stately butler, Beaufort, and all the staff. It appeared everyone had simply left during the previous night, leaving all their fine clothing behind, all the beautiful furnishings. All that was found was one empty champagne bottle in the huge drawing room. But how could that be possible? It was soon whispered that they’d been borne away by the curse of the MacKellers. Soon, Grayson knew the story would be repeated so many times that in the years to come it would be accepted as one of the strange truths in the neighborhood.
It was a day for surprises. Within the hour, Philip Kinross, eldest son of Colin, the Earl of Ashburnham, arrived with his wife and two children, Colin and Tessa, ages seven and four, a surprise visit, only Grayson knew it wasn’t. He knew Pearlin’ Jane had brought them, and he knew what he had to do, what she hoped he could do.
There was laughter in the house again, the sounds of children racing about, enjoying themselves immensely.
All the staff had searched for Pearlin’ Jane’s pearls and found one hundred and seven. One pearl was missing. And so was Pearlin’ Jane. She was too embarrassed to be seen without all of her pearls. Grayson smiled as he fingered that last pearl he’d slipped into his pocket.
The morning after Philip’s and his family’s arrival, Grayson was eating his porridge, alone for the moment, and he felt her behind his chair.
I canna find my missing pearl!
“I know, Jane. I fear one of the demons swallowed it. And they’re long gone now.”
A huffing silence, a begrudging, Miserable demon bitch, eating one of me pearls! Maybe she spit it out, left it somewhere. I’ll ask Barrie.
“Don’t worry about it. Trust me, Jane, all right? I wish to thank you again. That was a brilliant idea, throwing your pearls at them. Did you ask Barrie why it hurt them?”
I tell you, Grayson, the first pearl simply leapt out of my hand, hurled itself at Belzaria. And how would a pearl know how to hurt a demon? The young one was stronger than her mither, that wicked Belzaria. It was hard to stuff my pearls down that one’s throat. Och, but both demons were old, so very old, from ancient times, and we kilt them, Grayson, we kilt them! An’ my pearls!
“Yes, we did. About your missing pearl—”
“Who are you talking to, Grayson?”
Grayson turned to see Elise, Philip’s wife, coming into the dining room, smiling at him. She was small and plump and quite pretty, only a year older than he was. He rose, said matter-of-factly, “I was speaking to Pearlin’ Jane. She was very helpful to me, eliminating a very big problem.”
A perfectly arched dark eyebrow went up. “Ah, you are jesting, Grayson. Pearlin’ Jane? The ghost my mama-in-law swears to me has lived here at Vere Castle for more than a hundred years now, her friend and confidant? Come, sir, really. I have told Tessa and Colin how you make up ghost stories, and they are clamoring to have you scare them. But I do not need them, particularly before my breakfast.”
Grayson looked at the patent disbelief on her lovely face, the indulgent smile, so like Colin’s. “Elise, if I were to tell you Pearlin’ Jane and I were discussing the events of the past week, what would you say?”
“I would say you have imbibed a very strong beverage with your porridge.”
“Did you see the pile of perfect white pearls in Aunt Sinjun’s basket?” He wouldn’t tell her about the demons—she’d doubtless petition to commit him to Bedlam.
“They are magnificent. She didn’t say where they’d come from, just that they needed to be restrung. Why?” She paused. “Ah, you’re going to tell me they belong to this ghost, this Pearlin’ Jane, and that’s how she got her name? They are real pearls, Grayson, not ghostly pearls that don’t really exist.”
He only smiled, pulled back her chair, and waited for her to settle herself. He handed her a cup of tea. “Will you perform an experiment for me, Elise?”
She gave him a suspicious look as she picked up a piece of toast.
“If I give you a pearl, will you take it to the tower room, by yourself, sit in front of the window, remain silent, and simply wait?”
“You think the ghost, Pearlin’ Jane, will come to me?”
“She might. She would want to know what you are doing with one of her precious pearls.”
Grayson reached into his pocket and pulled out the last pearl he’d kept and handed it to her.
He could swear he heard a low laugh.
* * * * *
That evening, before everyone met in the drawing room before dinner, Grayson walked in to see Elise standing by the window. She looked at him when he stepped beside her. For a moment both of them stared out toward Loch Leven.
She said, “This is a magnificent view, but I find that now I prefer the view from my papa-in-law’s tower room. When I went up there, Andrew the cat was sleeping on the small settee that faced the window. He and I sat there together, I petting him with one hand and holding the single pearl tightly in my other hand.”
She turned to face Grayson. “She didn’t speak to me, yet I heard her say clearly, What are you doing with my pearl?
“Andrew looked up and began purring loudly, then he ducked his head and I would swear to you a hand was petting him.
“I was so shocked I was mute. I held out my hand, and then the pearl was gone and her voice was again clear in my head. Thank you. I am Pearlin’ Jane, but you may call me Jane. Welcome to my house.
EPILOGUE
When Grayson mounted Astor the following Monday morning, he knew he would arrive back at Belhaven with Pip on the morrow. He knew there would be no strange carriages stopping him, whisking him to Border. No, all was right with the world again, at least his small part of the world. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a single white pearl.
Take it, Grayson, it’s my gift to you. It’s now your talisman—it will keep you safe.
He felt the soft summer air, filled with the scent of heather and jasmine, and he felt a whisper of good-bye against his face.
About the Author
Catherine Coulter is the author of nearly 80 novels, including 68 New York Times bestsellers, finally hitting #1 after exhaustive prayers. She earned her reputation writing historical romances to pass the time while aboard the ark. She’s written over ten different historical romance series, including the hugely popular Sherbrooke series. Over a decade ago she added suspense thrillers to her repertoire-- with great success. The Cove, the first book in her bestselling "FBI Suspense Thriller Series" spent nine weeks on the New York Times list and has to date sold over 2 million copies. Since then, she has written 20 more bestselling thrillers in her FBI series, including The Maze, The Target, The Edge, Riptide, Hemlock Bay, Eleventh Hour, Blindside, Blowout, Point Blank, Double Take, Tailspin, Knockout, Whiplash, Split Second, Backfire, Bombshell, Power Play, Nemesis, and Insidious. She has also launched a bestselling new series, co-written with JT Ellison, titled “A Brit in the FBI,” including The Final Cut, The Lost Key, and The End Game. Critics describe the Brit series as “unput
downable” and full of “heart-stopping action”.
For more information on Catherine Coulter and her books go to her website, sign up for her newsletter.
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OTHER BOOKS BY CATHERINE COULTER
An FBI Thriller Book
The Cove
The Maze
The Target
The Edge
Riptide
Hemlock Bay
Eleventh Hour
Blind Side
Blow Out
Point Blank
Double Take
Tail Spin
Knock Out
Whiplash
Split Second
Backfire
Bombshell
Power Play
Nemesis
Insidious
A Brit in the FBI Thriller Book
The Lost Key
The Final Cut
The End Game
Contemporary Romantic Thrillers
False Pretenses
Impulse
Beyond Eden
Born to be Wild
Contemporary Romances
Aftershocks
Afterglow
The Aristocrat
Historical Romances
Georgian
Devil’s Embrace
Devil’s Duaghter
Regency
Night Fire
Night Shadow
Night Storm
The Countess
The Rebel Bride
The Heir
The Duke
Lord Harry
Midsummer Magic
Calypso Magic
Moonspun Magic
The Wild Baron
The Offer
The Deception
Sherbrooke Series
The Sherbrooke Bride
The Hellion Bride
The Heiress Bride
The Courtship
The Scottish Bride
Pendragon
The Sherbrooke Twins
Lyon’s Gate
Wizard’s Daughter
The Prince of Ravenscar
Legacy Series
The Wyndham Legacy
The Nightingale Legacy
The Valentine Legacy
Medieval
Warrior’s Song
Fire Song
Earth Song
Secret Song
Rosenhaven
The Penwyth Curse
The Valcourt Heiress
Victorian / Early San Francisco
Evening Star
Midnight Star
Wild Star
Jade Star
Viking Era
Season of the Sun
Lord of Hawkfell Island
Lord of Raven’s Peak
Lord of Falcon Ridge
Grayson Sherbrooke’s Otherworldly Adventures
A Strange Visitation at Wolffe Hall
And meet Sinjun, Colin, and Pearlin’ Jane in The Heiress Bride
The Resident Evil at Blackthorn Manor (Kindle Single) (Grayson Sherbrooke's Otherworldly Adventures Book 2) Page 8
