Aunt Toffy and the Ghost by Linda Lea Castle

Author:Linda Lea Castle [Castle, Linda Lea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical, Ghosts, Psychic, Mystery/Cozy Mystery
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2016-09-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

The house was quiet without the older lodgers. Toffy and Adorna now seemed to be speaking in whispers almost as if there had been a death in the house. It felt like that, like a loss of life and not just livelihood. She had been visiting the cemetery more often—she wasn’t sure if it was because she felt like she was in mourning or if she was trying to escape her house.

The lovely snug house had once been her sanctuary, but now with the curious onlookers turning up unexpectedly and new stories appearing in the paper all the time, her house no longer comforted.

She had found the quiet of the churchyard this day a balm for her soul. When she returned home and found no stranger staring at her house from the street she was almost giddy.

Adorna walked into the front hallway, pulling off her cloak and bonnet. She saw a small envelope on the silver salver. She took it and opened it up to read the single page.

“When did this invitation arrive?” Adorna asked Crosbie as she read the flowing elegant script for the third time.

“Mr. Rawly left it this morning when he came for his and Mr. Basil’s belongings. He rode out on the stallion shortly after.”

“What do you mean when he came for their belongings?” Adorna’s calm fled, and she felt her heart skip a beat.

“When you went to Grayfriars today, Rawly returned. He brought the stable lad round with the carriage they removed all their baggage to Dullinmuth.”

“What does it say, Adorna?” Toffy came in from the parlor. She was too short to read over Adorna’s shoulder but that didn’t prevent her from trying.

“It is an invite to a ball to be held at Dullinmuth. An elite celebration it says. Of course we cannot attend, the cost to travel would be too dear.”

“I wonder if Miss Malone has finally received her proposal from Rawly. Surely that is the reason for the gathering. Mrs. Malone will be so pleased to have Rawly for a son-in-law.” Toffy sat down, tired from the exertion of the moment.

“That is all I can imagine would take both Rawly and Basil back to Dullinmuth on such short notice. Well, Basil will be pleased,” Crosbie said.

“You are right, of course, Basil will be over the moon. I am not so sure Rawly will be but he is a grown man and can certainly do as he likes,” Adorna muttered. “So much for his chivalrous offer to fix our problem. It would appear we are well and truly on our own now.” The specter of a cold and hungry winter loomed before Adorna.

“Mrs. Malone sent word that she will be arriving for tea this afternoon,” Crosbie said with lifted brows. “We are running quite low on tea—and a few other staples.”

Adorna sighed. With no lodgers left, they were going to be running more than low. “It is too late to put her off, so I suppose we must. Do the best you can, Crosbie.

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