In the Duke of Time by Tamara Gill

Author:Tamara Gill [Gill, Tamara & Gill, Tamara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tamara Gill
Published: 2023-12-21T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter

Fifteen

They were going to be killed by the ghostly man who haunted the dungeons, was Evie's first thought as darkness swallowed them in the pits of the castle. Followed by the unmistakable sound of laughter from the duke, whom she could not see but only feel as his body vibrated with amusement.

"Harvey, this is not funny. Stop laughing," she ordered, unable to hide the wobble of fear in her tone.

"Come, I know my way out and will lead you to safety," he said, his tone one of confidence.

Evie closed her eyes, not wanting to see any ghoul, and allowed him to guide her from the dungeons. Several feet along the passage, a glow bathed the lids of her eyes, and she opened them, relieved to see the upstairs light guiding them out of there.

"Perhaps you could show me the parts of the castle that are not below ground level. I'm not too proud to admit that I thought we would be attacked by the ghostly figure your cook is scared of."

"No one has had anything occur to them in the dungeons for hundreds of years, and I assure you that you will not be the first to break that history."

A shiver ran down her spine, and Evie was glad to be back in the great hall and moving toward a staircase that went upward instead of down.

"I will show you to your room. It should be ready by now, and after dinner this evening, I will show you the rest of the castle. You must be tired and need rest after our journey."

Evie was unable to disagree, no matter how much she wished to take a tour. But she wanted to freshen up and inspect her room, even if she was fortunate enough to only sleep in it for a night.

The winding stone staircase brought them up to the first floor. A large landing divided the castle into two, leading off in separate directions. His Grace led her left and down a passageway, the long Aubusson rug attempting to give the impression of warmth. Yet, no matter how much the duke tried to modernize and seal the ancient walls from the wind and rain, a chilling draft blew through the corridors.

He stopped before a dark oak door with a metal handle and, opening it, swung it wide. "This is your room. You have windows on the east and south of the space, so there is much light throughout the day. We're high on the mountain, so trees will not impede your view."

Evie took in the space, the dark wooden furniture, the roaring fire, and the thick rugs underfoot. The windows gave a view of the valley below, and she could make out the river she had seen earlier winding through the woods. "The weather is atrocious. Do you think it will stop raining before I leave? I would so love to see the gardens."

He joined her at the window and took in his land. "I do not know. The weather is so changeable here in Scotland, and this storm looks settled.

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