The Lady's Ghost by Colleen Ladd

Author:Colleen Ladd [Ladd, Colleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Romance
Publisher: Ravensgate Books
Published: 2014-06-26T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Portia sighed and stretched her aching back.

All the books were now back on the bookcases, excepting those that went on the top shelf. She’d stacked them neatly next to the cases they went in, in readiness should she ever get anyone to put them away. Courtland was tall enough, but one could hardly ask a visiting lord to mount a ladder and help out. The lamp guttered on the table—heaven only knew when last it was filled—and her eyes burned.

She needn’t have whiled afternoon into evening setting the library to rights. There was no one to notice or care if she left things as they were. But Courtland left without materially adding to her small store of knowledge about Lady Amelia’s murder, and Portia could either put herself to work reshelving the books or she could spend the time brooding over the task she’d set herself.

Little had she known when she opened her mouth to the Duke of Ransley what kind of mess she was getting herself into. And yet... What else was there to do but prove Lord Ashburne’s innocence?

Pray heaven he was innocent!

If he wasn’t, Portia might as well pack herself up bag and baggage, and throw herself on James Ashburne’s mercy, for the Hall would never become livable on her tiny income and only in London could she spout enough of the plate to effect any appreciable change. If it came to that, the quality of James’ mercy being strained indeed, Portia might as well throw herself on Ransley’s mercy, though she was more than half convinced he had none at all.

He must though, mustn’t he? The locals, after all, looked to him to solve disputes fairly. Portia snorted—fair-mindedness was hardly the impression he’d made on her. Still, she had to believe that, if she could only get him to speak with her, he could be brought to see how much good she could do Lady Clarissa. But how could she make the man see reason when she couldn’t even get him to listen civilly? Pray heaven proving Ashburne’s innocence would somehow sweeten the duke’s disposition. Assuming he was innocent—

“Oh for God’s sake,” Portia said aloud and blew out the tarnished lantern that sat in such high state on the huge library table. She wished she could snuff out her thoughts as easily.

Carrying the stub of a candle she’d lit from the lantern, her tired eyes watering at the stench of the tallow, Portia nudged the cat out the door with her foot, locked the library, and headed up the stairs. She hesitated at the landing, empty without Ashburne’s portrait glaring down upon it, and thought briefly of going up to check on Mr. McFerran. But Ellie was sitting with him now and the surgeon had said he was on the mend before leaving another outrageous bill.

Portia turned down the hall to the family apartments. Time to see if Giles Ashburne was still her guest.

The portrait was not leaning against the chair by her bed. Portia let out a careful breath, surprised to feel a touch of loss in her relief.

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