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The conversation felt somewhat strained She wondered if the tension steret form the basis of his detached tone?
“We should return to our rooms and dress before the servants discover we shared the same chamber” Her confident tone belied the nervous flutter in her stomach
He turned to face her “Have you ever spoken to the servants about the strange things happening here?”
“Only briefly” As mistress of the house, it was not wise to draw attention to one’s e a lady dressed in a white shroud” A chill shivered through her, and she pulled the coverlet up over her shoulders “Mrs Birch believes it is Mary, the ghost of Samuel’s first wife”
Tristan came and sat on the end of the bed The intimate action conveyed a relaxed ease in her company, one so opposed to his dispassionate dee events Even so, she could not help but stare at his mouth
“Has your housekeeper said what makes her think that?”
“No But Mary Fernall never spent a single night in this house” Given the option, Isabella would not have done so either “I was always of the opinion that ghosts haunted familiar places”
“There are no ghosts here,” Tristan reiterated with an amused snort “Just a concerted effort to make you and others believe so”
She stared into his blue eyes, searching for reassurance “I’ht”
“Trust me when I tell you I am determined to solve this mystery”
His confident manner served to enhance his appeal In their youth, it had been his carefree attitude to life that had fed her attraction His bright, cheerful countenance had helped to ease the pain of her , forced her to seek out his co A raw and powerfulfeeling of love and affection she still nurtured was now accoht to steal her breath
She tried to sn her desire, suppressed the urge to say she needed him, needed him in every possible way “What do you intend to do today?” she said, relieved to have asked a si the true nature of her inner thoughts
“My priority will be to search both rooms at the end of the hall I believe the answer to thelies there”
A smile touched her lips “When I asked for your help, I did not realise you would be so thorough, so syste to sound patronising, I’m impressed” It was a compliment, and she hoped he read it so
“I do have experience when it colint in his eye told her that he welcomed her praise