Ghostlight (The Reflected City Book 1) by Rabia Gale

Author:Rabia Gale [Gale, Rabia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Reflected City, Fantasy
Publisher: Rabia Gale
Published: 2018-05-29T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

The inner rooms of Merrimack’s were even more crowded than the foyer had been. And, of course, no one made space for a ghost. Arabella found herself pushed into pillars and tangled with draperies. At one point, a rotund red-faced gentleman swung his arm, hand holding a glass of wine, right through her.

“S-sorry!” squeaked Arabella, eyes wide as she stared at the blue-clad limb in her torso.

Of course, he didn’t hear her. The gentleman completed his gesture and moved on, leaving Arabella feeling rather shaken. It was decidedly odd, being impaled by an arm and a goblet.

She skittered onto the dance floor. The musicians played a stately quadrille, the strings straining to be heard above the ocean-murmur of so many voices.

Arabella wove among the dancers, walking on tip toes, trying to spot someone she knew. A statuesque brunette in grey silk clipped Arabella’s ankle with a swirl of her skirt. The touch was slight and cool and mildly ticklish. Arabella could only be grateful that voluminous hooped skirts and towering wigs had gone out of fashion.

She had fancied she had a decent-sized acquaintance in Lumen. Now, looking at the indifferent, unseeing faces of the ton, she realized just how few she knew. So these were all the people who had spent the last months at house parties and on lavish estates. Now they were back in town for the Vernal Rites. And the Season wasn’t even in full swing yet!

Arabella sidestepped a youth clearly concentrating on his steps and scanned the faces at the far wall. She didn’t expect to see dear Aunt Cecilia or her cousin Harry among them. Guilt throbbed in her chest—her own impetuous foolishness had given her kind relatives such grief and robbed them of their peace of mind.

Oh, but Charlotte and Viola were both here. Buoyed again, Arabella hastened towards her friends and stood beaming down at them. “Here you are!” she said merrily. “I know you can’t see me at all, but I’m with you in spirit. Despite what happened, I truly wish you would enjoy yourselves…” She faltered as she looked at their faces.

Charlotte’s expression was decidedly brooding, her usually laughing rosebud mouth thin and compressed. Her gloved hands were clenched in the pink skirts of the beaded gown she had coaxed out of her fond parents. Viola beside her looked more composed, but was paler than normal in blue satin edged with gold. She sat straight with her hands folded on her lap, but her lines were stiff.

Powder could not quite hide the shadows under their eyes.

“Oh, but you mustn’t distress yourselves so!” cried Arabella, distressed herself. “I’ll be back to myself tomorrow, and we shall all have a good cry and a good laugh over pastries and ice cream at Hunter’s.”

Neither girl’s expression changed, though Charlotte twitched a shoulder impatiently. Her brown ringlets brushed against her smooth, caramel-kissed skin.

“Do get up and dance! Charlotte, weren’t you looking forward to flirting with Lord Ellington?” Both of their dance cards were empty.

Charlotte’s eyes narrowed.

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