Dinah sat in the chair of the library. The meal in front of her on the small table went untouched. The maid had brought it promptly at eight, as she did every morning, so Dinah had made sure to meet her at the door connecting the two wings of the manor.
She’d brought the tray up here to this room. Her intention had been to eat, but as soon as she lifted the fork of eggs to her mouth, she realized she didn’t have an appetite. She’d set the fork down on her plate and brought her knees up to her chin. She missed the comfort that her long hair had provided her. She used to wrap it around herself like a blanket when she was scared. Now it was so short that it barely touched the middle of her back.
She let out a shaky breath and turned her gaze to the doorway. The sunlight filtering in through the large windows in the hall told her it was almost noon. The maid would soon return to take this tray. Then she’d give Dinah a tray with light refreshments on it.
Dinah had once asked Donald how the servants could be safe on the other side of the manner, and he’d told her they were old enough to know how to defend themselves.
Her stomach rumbled. She glanced at the plate. No. She just couldn’t do it. She had no desire to eat. All she wanted to do was go back to bed and wrap herself in the blankets while she held the knife. Without her long hair, it was the only real source of comfort she had.
But Baldwin was due to arrive at some point today, and she was determined to be close enough to the door connecting the wings of the manor so she would be ready when he came.
She set her forehead on her knees and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. For the most part, days seemed to blend into one another, but last night and this morning had been unbearably long. If she had the courage, she’d return to the bedchamber Baldwin would be sleeping in and finish cleaning it. She shivered. No. She couldn’t bring herself to go back into that room. What if there was another tooth from one of the creatures in there?
But there’s no proving it’s a tooth.
It was impossible. It couldn’t be a tooth. This wing was secure. No creature could get in.
Maybe you just think it’s secure.
Donald had checked everything and said everything was secure.
Maybe he lied.
She lifted her head and scanned the room, just to make sure she really was alone.
No, Donald didn’t lie. He was her brother. He loved her. Ever since she could remember, he had taken care of her. He had been attentive to her every need. He had even arranged for her to marry so that she didn’t have to be alone anymore. London wasn’t safe for ladies. Being outside at this estate wasn’t safe for ladies. He’d had no choice but to make this wing of the manor her home, and he’d done everything possible to make sure nothing bad would get in here.
Then how did that tooth get in here?
She shook the question off. She’d rather not think about it.
She leapt out of the chair. She needed something to do. She had to occupy her mind. She paced the room a few times while winding her hair around her fingers. When that did little to soothe her anxiety, she went to the doorway and checked for anything that was out of place.
Everything was as it should be. All was silent, too. She would hear something if a creature was moving around in another room. As her brother said, they weren’t known for being quiet, and the one that had been in her bedchamber late that night had been noisy enough to wake her.
She exhaled and stepped into the hallway. She saw the warm sunlight pouring in through the windows and made her way over to her favorite one. There was a slight chill in the air. The hallway was always cooler than the library and her bedchamber this time of year. The sunlight provided instant warmth, and she immediately felt some of her anxiety subside.
This was where she married Baldwin yesterday. She wondered how things would change now that she had a husband. Would he stay here all the time with her, or would he be like Donald and pop in from time to time?
A series of familiar knocks echoed from downstairs.
Relieved, she rushed down the hall. By the time she made it to the top of the stairs, she saw Donald, Baldwin, and two servants with trunks coming through the doorway. Already, she felt much better. She was no longer alone. Others were here. Nothing would hurt her now.
She started to head down the stairs, but Donald called out, “There’s no need to come to us. We’ll come to you.”
Her skin warmed in embarrassment. She’d just revealed how eager she was to have Baldwin here. If she wasn’t careful, he would find her behavior unappealing. She needed to remember what Donald told her. She should let Baldwin initiate things. She went back up to the top and waited for them.
Donald was the first to reach her. “Is the bedchamber ready?”
She should have known he’d inquire about that since he’d had the servants bringing in large trunks. In a low voice, she said, “I couldn’t clean it all.”
“Do you need more time?” he asked.
“I can do it today while Baldwin’s here,” she replied. “There’s not much more to do.”
Eyebrows furrowed, he studied her as if trying to figure out if he could believe her or not.
She glanced at Baldwin and the others then turned her attention back to Donald. “Can I talk to you alone?” The others would never understand, but she knew he would.
Donald nodded. “Of course, we can.” He looked at the others. “Will you wait here while I have a word with my sister in private?”
They indicated they would, and Donald took her by the arm and escorted her down the hall. He began to turn her aside to the library, but she stopped him and gestured to Baldwin’s bedchamber.
“I’d rather talk in there,” she said.
He looked at the room, which was further down the hall, and frowned. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He turned to the others. “Timothy and Edward, set the trunks down. Go on and bring the rest of His Grace’s things to this wing.” He waited until the servants headed back down the stairs before he told Baldwin, “Have a seat in the library. I’m sure whatever my sister wishes to tell me won’t take long.”
Since Baldwin glanced in her direction, she hurried to say, “It won’t.”
“All right,” Baldwin said and headed for the library.
Donald cupped her elbow with his hand and led her to the bedchamber. At once, she began to feel the strain from last night slipping away.
She shut the door of the bedchamber and led him over to the side of the bed where she’d found the unfamiliar object. The broom, dustpan, and other cleaning items were nearby. She had abandoned all of them in her hurry to get out of the room, and she hadn’t even thought of them until now.
Ignoring them, she pointed to the area of the floor just under the bed. “I saw something like a large tooth right here yesterday while I was cleaning this room.”
Donald’s eyebrows furrowed. “Something like a large tooth?”
“I know how it sounds, but I don’t know how else to describe it. It was hard and curved like the tooth I saw on that creature that managed to get in here when I was fourteen. And it had something dry and red on it. It could have been blood.”
He scanned the room. “Where is this tooth?”
“Well, it’s not here. I…I threw it into the basket for the maid to dispose of. I was so scared that I didn’t keep it.”
“The stable boy burned trash last night,” he said. “I’d go through the trash if I could.”
She should have kept it. Even if it terrified her, she should have at least kept it in this room to show him.
“There’s no way any creatures can get into this part of the manor unless you leave the door connecting the two wings open or unless you open a window on the first floor to let them in.”
“I didn’t do any of that. I always make sure the door is locked before I go to bed at night, and I don’t even go to any of the rooms downstairs.”
“You don’t?” he asked in surprise.
She shook her head. “I stay up here all day. I only set out the empty trays, dirty laundry, and trash by the door downstairs. Then before the sun sets, I make sure the door is locked. I never venture down the halls or rooms down there.”
“Did you used to go down to those rooms?”
“Yes, but I’m too scared to do that anymore. It’s terrible being here all alone, day and night. The only thing that makes me feel safe is staying on this floor, and even then, I mostly stay in the library or my bedchamber. I haven’t been in this bedchamber in a long time. Nothing else has been here, either. I can’t think of anything that left that…that…” She shrugged. “It looked so much like a tooth, Donald. It was large enough to belong to a creature.”
“But no creature’s been in here since you were fourteen. I’ve been able to keep you safe, and you’ve been diligent about avoiding any activities that would attract them.”
She glanced at the spot on the floor where she’d found the object and then studied the room. Everything looked normal. She had no reason to think a creature had actually been in here. She hugged herself. “It looked so much like a tooth. I can’t imagine what else it could have been.”
He knelt by the bed and peered under it. “I don’t see anything.” Then he stood up and gave a careful look around the room. “I don’t see anything that shouldn’t be here. Most of the dust is gone. You cleaned most of this room before you found the object.”
“I started on the other side of the room.”
“So it won’t take you long to finish. I’m sure you’d like to finish. That way Baldwin can stay here with you tonight.”
She suppressed the urge to panic. “I can finish cleaning this room in an hour. There’s no need for him to stay in the other wing.” If she had to go through another night alone after what happened yesterday, she didn’t know what she’d do.
He smiled. “He would rather be here tonight as well. He’s very happy to be married to you. Just remember not to mention anything about the creatures.” He paused and glanced at the floor. “I’m sure whatever you found wasn’t an actual tooth. It was probably something that’s been under the bed for years, and when you were sweeping or making the bed, it was brought out into the open where you could see it. It’s probably a fragment from something like a cane.”
Yes, she supposed that was possible. Canes were made of hard material, but she was certain it hadn’t come from a cane.
“Unfortunately, you got rid of it, so I have no way of telling what it is.” He put his hands on her arms and offered her a gentle squeeze. “It doesn’t matter. As long as we know this wing is secure, you and Baldwin are safe, and as long as you keep this thing about the creatures to yourself, then Baldwin will want to stay at this estate. You want that, don’t you?”
“Yes, I want him to stay here.”
“I want that, too. That’s why I’ve been careful not to scare him. You’ll be careful, too?”
She nodded. “I won’t say anything about the creatures or what I found yesterday.”
“Good.” He squeezed her arms again then released her. “All right. I think we’re ready to go to your husband.” He paused. “Unless there’s something else you wish to discuss?”
“No, there’s nothing else.”
He waved her toward the door then followed her out into the hallway.
She saw that the servants hadn’t returned yet, but Baldwin’s trunks were in the hallway. She peered into the library and saw that Baldwin was reading the titles of the books lining one of her bookshelves. He noticed them before either she or Donald could say something.
“I noticed you aren’t hungry this morning,” Baldwin said, gesturing to her untouched plate. “Are you feeling all right?”
“My sister’s fine,” Donald answered for her. “She was just nervous. It’s not every day a bride welcomes the bridegroom to her wing of the manor.”
“I was nervous,” she added, though she opted to keep silent as to exactly why. As her brother had warned her, she should keep the truth to herself.
“I’m sure she’ll eat more later on today,” Donald said.
“I will.” And she could relax enough to do that since Baldwin would stay with her. It was easier to avoid thinking about the creatures when someone else was around.
“She was unable to finish cleaning the entire bedchamber yesterday,” Donald said. “I don’t think it will take any longer than an hour for her to do that today.”
“It won’t,” she assured Baldwin. “I already put on the clean bedding, swept, and dusted most of the room.”
“I can help,” Baldwin offered.
“I’d rather finish it on my own,” she replied. What if she found another strange object that made her think of a creature? Then she’d have to try to explain it away if he happened to be with her. At least with him in this room, she could discard it without him knowing. “I don’t mind. Really, it won’t take long at all.” Before he could suggest going back to the other wing, she gestured to the bookshelf in front of him. “You can read a book while I’m cleaning. There’s plenty of good ones to choose from.”
“All right,” Baldwin agreed.
“I’ll have the servants take your tray so you don’t have to set it out for the maid,” Donald told her. “I’ll explain how meals are handled around here with Baldwin while you clean the room.”
Before Baldwin could change his mind, she nodded and hurried out of the room.
***
Baldwin tried to pick out a book like Dinah wanted him to, but he wasn’t in the mood to read. He gave up sorting through the books on the shelf in front of him and paced the library. The servants had already returned with the rest of his things, and Donald had taken Dinah’s uneaten food away. Baldwin was finally alone with her. And that made it nearly impossible for him to stay in this room.
After pacing a few more times, he ended up leaving the library. He walked down the hall. He tried to distract himself by looking out the windows. The sky was overcast, but it wasn’t raining. The group of trees on the property had already lost their leaves, but there were some evergreens. From this vantage point, he saw no stables or any of the other buildings on the property.
This was ridiculous. What was the harm in helping her clean a room? He didn’t mind wiping down some furniture or sweeping a floor. There was no reason for her to do it all by herself.
With a sense of purpose, he turned on his heel and made a beeline for the bedchamber. His steps slowed as he approached the doorway.
His trunks were along one of the walls just inside the doorway. He turned his attention to the rest of the room. He didn’t see Dinah until she stood up with a broom in one hand and a dustpan in the other. When she saw him, she let out a shriek and dropped the dustpan. Balls of dust scattered through the air, making her cough.
“My apologies.” He hurried over to her and picked up the dustpan. “I didn’t intend to startle you.” He grabbed the broom and swept the mess up. “I got bored. I know the hour isn’t over, but I needed something to do, so I came here to see if I could help you.” When he was finished, he rose to his feet. “Are you upset with me?”
She wiped her hands on the apron around her waist. “No, of course not. I thought you might find a book to your liking. I have so many.”
He offered her a smile. “I’m sure there’s something in the library that I’ll enjoy. I just find you more interesting. I’d like to talk. I want to learn more about you. And, if you want, you can learn more about me.”
“I’d like to learn more about you,” she said. “I’m almost done with your bedchamber.”
He glanced around the room and didn’t see what more she could possibly have to do. “It looks fine the way it is.”
“Well, I haven’t aired out this room. I should open the windows.”
“I can do that.”
“Oh.” She turned to the dresser. “I also need to put candles in here and bring in a washbasin and pitcher of water.”
That was a shame. He had hoped to spend the night in her bedchamber, but he supposed he couldn’t expect her to want to be intimate with him so soon. She was unusually shy. It was probably taking considerable effort for her to talk to him. As time went on, it should get easier for her. And then, she might be comfortable enough to let him into her bed.
“Where do you get water?” he asked.
“There’s a pump my brother had the groundskeeper put into my bedchamber,” she replied. “I prefer to stay on this floor. I haven’t been in any of the rooms downstairs in years.” She cleared her throat and took the dustpan and broom from him. “It’s nice up here. I have no need to go down there unless I want to get something from the maid.”
She really was a recluse. He bit down on his tongue before he commented on how timid she was. Pointing it out would only make her uncomfortable, and if she was uncomfortable, she might not want him around. His goal was to help her open up to him, and the best way to do that was to show her patience and understanding.
“It is nice up here,” he finally said. “I like it.”
She relaxed, and he was happy to know he’d said the right thing. She went to a basket and emptied the contents of the dustpan into it.
Since he didn’t know what else to do, he went to the first trunk. “I suppose I should put my things away. I’d like to have everything done before dinner.”
“The maid brings the tray at four.”
“That early?”
“Is it early?”
“It’s not even dark out at that time.”
“I like to eat while it’s still light out.” She put the lid on the basket and shrugged. “I leave the tray at the door for the maid when I’m done. I prefer to go down there while there’s plenty of light.”
“I suppose the candles don’t light up a stairwell that much. If I was here all by myself, I’d probably do that, too.”
“Would you?”
Noting the surprise in her voice, he chuckled. “Well, it’s easier to see where you’re going when there’s plenty of light. I’ve tripped on a few things in the past because I couldn’t see what was in front of me. One time, I misjudged where the end of a table was and had a bruise on my leg for a week.”
“That sounds painful.”
“It was. But I didn’t learn my lesson. I’ll still go from one room to another without a candle if I don’t feel like lighting one up.”
“I hope you intend to light candles here. It’s important that you do.”
Not hiding his curiosity, he asked, “Is it?”
She hesitated then said, “You don’t know where everything is. You’re new here.”
Oh. Yes, that made sense.
“I like to go to bed right before the sun sets, and I don’t get up until the sun rises,” she continued. “Sometimes I bring a book to bed if I have trouble sleeping.”
“If you have trouble sleeping, you can always talk to me. That is, of course, once you’re comfortable with the idea. I don’t want to rush you to do anything you’re not ready for. I’m a gentleman. I can wait.”
He stopped himself before he kept rambling on. If he wasn’t careful, he would frighten her, and the last thing he wanted was for her to retreat to another room because he was much too obvious in his excitement to spend time with her.
He cleared his throat. “I’ll let you finish up while I put my clothes and musical instruments away.”
Figuring that would be the end of the conversation, he went to one of his trunks, but she asked, “You have musical instruments?”
“I have three. I have a clarinet, a violin, and a bassoon. Are you familiar with any of them?” He hadn’t seen any on the other side of the manor, and since no one in her family had mentioned playing any instruments, he didn’t think she’d had any exposure to music.
“I’ve read about them in books, but I don’t remember ever hearing music.”
“I’ll play for you. No one should go through life without music. Music is one of life’s purest forms of pleasure.”
“Is it?”
He nodded and opened the trunk. As he hoped, he saw one of his carefully packed instruments. He took the bassoon out and showed it to her. “It’s a woodwind instrument.” He picked up the double reed. “You put this at the end of this bocal.” He slid it into place on the metal crook. “I like it because it has a wide range of pitches. I can go from low to high.”
To demonstrate what he meant since she’d never been exposed to music before, he played a series of random notes, starting with low ones and working his way up to the high ones.
As he hoped, she seemed to like it since her smile widened.
Encouraged, he picked a simple upbeat song he’d learned as a child and played it for her. He hadn’t played it in years, but the time he’d spent playing it over and over enabled him to play it now without missing a single note.
When he was done, he lowered the bassoon and focused on her. “Did you like it?”
“I did. I had no idea such sounds were possible.”
Pleased by her enthusiasm, he offered, “I’ll play more for you. We should be sitting in chairs. That will be more comfortable. I’ll put my clothes away, and then I’ll take my instruments to the library.”
“How long will that take you?”
“I think less than a half-hour. I didn’t bring many things out to this estate. Most of my belongings are at my townhouse in London.” He put the bassoon on the bed. “I’ll try to be done by the time you finish with the rest of the things you need to do.”
She jerked as if he’d startled her. “I forgot all about bringing you some water. Yes, I better hurry. We’ll meet in the library then?”
He nodded, looking forward to it more than she could ever imagine. He had friends while growing up, and he’d met some interesting people when he traveled, but there had been no lady who seemed to genuinely enjoy being in his presence. He sensed that Dinah’s reaction to him was sincere, and for the first time in his life, he didn’t feel so alone anymore.
He watched her as she left the bedchamber, and after a moment, he hurried to put his things away.