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So this was the room Lord Fernall slept in before he died

Isabella had given hiic dictated that he re in barns, stables, a blanket laid out on the forest floor And so he was grateful to have a bed Sentiment played no part in his decision

Stripping down to his breeches and shirt, he climbed onto the bed and lay back

against the mound of pillows He crossed his ar captured his attention Everything was exactly as one would expect There was a washstand, his shaving implements laid out in an orderly fashion on top of the marble surface, an armoire which he assuht with hi The tall bookcase opposite the bed was crammed with a collection of dusty old tomes

Well, at least if he struggled to sleep he would have so to read

Reaching for his pocket watch, which he had placed on the side table next to the bed, he noted it was only eleven o’clock Most ghosts and spectres chose to wait until aftertheir devilish tricks There was so for a haunting Perhaps it had soly dark atmosphere or the eerie sound of silence

Knowing sleep would elude him, he closed his eyes and attempted to clear his mind

An hour passed

The distant chimes of the clock in the hallway downstairs indicated the witching hour was upon them

There was a chance his presence would prevent the perpetrator fro a witness to corroborate the terrifying events would only help to strengthen their cause

While he tried to piece together what little he knew, he found his thoughts wandering back and forth Whimsical dreams of Isabella pushed to the fore Lost in the war such visions evoked, he le chime to indicate it was one o’clock

However, it was not the chimes for two that captured his attention The sound of approaching footsteps forced hi quietly off the bed, he crept to the door, pressed his ear against it and tried to distinguish any obvious characteristics

The steps were not the heavy tread of ht patter The short strides indicated a woman of small stature They stopped outside his door The hard lump in Tristan’s throat h his veins Only a fool would open the door

Turning the handle slowly, he used his other hand to ease the door away frohost on the other side, he did not wish to alert the person of his intention

But there was no one lurking outside his door