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"I’ up at him, her shirt ripped, covered in sawdust, she was still stunning Hair wild and eyes large, body stiff with indignity, she was e, he tried to renified, beautiful, and often re about her manner that cried out to him in a way that he had never known Lust, sure She was supple, sinuous, elegant, and entirely sensual in her every little movement Somewhere under it all, she was also wounded

He could only hurt her worse, he thought And still…

He doubted that could keep him away

"I’ll be back to Melody House as soon as I can," he said

She set her jaw out stubbornly, looked as if she’d protest again, then accepted S him for his care and concern

Penny waited anxiously at the door, having received a call from Mrs O’Hara at the library She raced out the moment she saw Smith’s rescue vehicle pull up by the front door

"You poor, poor dear!" she told Darcy, slipping an ared to exit the car door "Co in a nice hot bath That will ease your muscles Then I’ll make you some tea hiskey--the Irish swear that it’s a cure-all Thank God you weren’t hurt worse! It’s a ht have broken your neck Or every bone in your body My God! How could we have let such a thing happen in Stoneyville?"

Darcy s everyone that I’m absolutely fine, and no one wants to believe ency vehicle and stood in silence, watching the exchange "Would you like some coffee or tea?" Penny asked him "You’re on duty, so I can’t lace yours, of course," she said, disturbed that she sounded so prim She had always liked him Such an incredibly kind man, always so calm and capable Her heart had simply bled for him last year when his wife, just fifty-two, had succu on back I left ot to get hiet back to work"

"Matt is hurt?" Penny said anxiously

"Not a bit We just wanted tothere, her arm around Darcy

"Well, see you both later," Harry said "Miss Tre out of the ordinary--"

"I never hit , honestly," Darcy said

He nodded, waved, walked around and got into the eency van Penny and Darcy watched hi! Up, up Clara Issy even went into the Lee Roo at Darcy wryly, "she was up there yelling at the ghost"

"Yelling at the ghost?" Darcy said

Penny hesitated, then said, "Yes, dear We were both thinking that…well, we’re thinking that the ghost should just be left alone We know that the ghost has violent urges, and we’re afraid, that for soet you"

Darcy shook her head "The ghost is trying to tell us soet you out of all that dirt and sawdust," Penny said She looked Darcy over Mussed, yes, daunted, no

"Honestly," she said softly, leading Darcy into the house "I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but…I think you should leave"

"Penny!"

"Seriously"

"The ghost is supposed to be in the house, not the library!" Darcy said

"But host is so disturbed by you that it followed you"

"And ave"

"Well, go on up Everything will certainly be ht about it a bit," Penny said

Darcy stopped at the foot of the stairs and stared at her "Penny, weren’t you the one anted sohosts, I believe"

"Yes, I was But that was then, and this is now" Penny was exasperated Darcy didn’t seeer

"Penny, honestly, I do believe there is a presence in the Lee Roo very hard to make itself known, and understood I don’t believe it followed , but I’ht have happened to anyone It could have been a child, and Matt e, isn’t it?" Penny ht tie, perhaps, but lucky," Darcy said Penny was startled when Darcy suddenly put her hands on her shoulders, drew her close, and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek "I’host in the Lee Room And I’m very determined I’ll run up and bathe, and be back down That tea you were talking about sounds great But don’t go treatingo She stood in the foyer on the first floor landing for a very long ti after Darcy had disappeared

She shook her head

It would be terrible if so were to happen to Darcy

Just terrible

She really needed to talk her into leaving

Dan Platt was the building inspector called into the library Naturally, and with Matt’s full agree the library until a thorough inspection could be made