Haunted Hearts

6

"That's a relief... and according to her list, I believe the feeling is mutual," Roderick chuckled.

Rufus laughed.

Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he turned to find one of the two ghosts approaching, a fearful expression on his face. Biting back a groan at the man's poor timing, Rufus relaxed in his chair and folded his arms across his chest as he motioned the ghost to a stop.

He held the ghost's gaze just long enough to let him know he wasn't pushing him off and would talk with him later, then turned to find Roderick watching with a thoughtful expression on his face.

Desperate to change the conversation before Roderick started asking questions Rufus didn't want to answer, Rufus said the first thing that came to mind, "Your sister mentioned she attends four séances a month."

Roderick snickered, "It's as though she knew precisely what to say to make you want nothing to do with her as a possible future bride."

"You mean," Rufus smiled, though it felt hollow, "you didn't supply her with a list of everything I detest in life?"

"Ha," Roderick laughed, "I didn't even tell her you'd be there."

"Why not?"

Roderick shrugged and shook his head as he dismissively waved his right hand. "Because if Elphi had known, she would have been on her best behavior."

"I see," Rufus murmured as he studied his friend, understanding all too well what Roderick didn't say. "Is she really so tempting when well-behaved that I wouldn't have been able to resist her allure?"

"Three. Engagements."

A bark of laughter escaped Rufus, surprising both men. Rufus quickly turned it into a coughing chuckle, murmured an apology, and then said, "You needn't fear on my account. I can assure you, my heart is well-guarded against all women after the little fiasco with Edwina."

Roderick paled and studied him for a quiet moment, then stood and said, "You, my friend, may have just thrown down the gauntlet to my sister's curse."

The following week, Elphi glanced at Roderick out of the corner of her eye for the twentieth time in the space of ten minutes as their carriage rumbled down the cobblestone road, sporadically illuminated by gas street lights along the way to their destination.

"Your face is going to freeze that way, Melphia Georgiana," he murmured with a pointed look. "If you have something to say, please do so. I'm on tenterhooks."

Elphi bit back a growl at him using her middle name and turned at the waist to meet his gaze. "I seem to recall you swore never to attend another séance after the fiasco at Lord Suthmeer's in November."

"You are correct; I did."

"And yet here you are."

Roderick's lips curled in a lopsided grin, "Observant as always, Elphi dear. Remind me to cancel the order I placed for your new spectacles on the morrow."

"Why have you decided to join me?"

He pushed the curtain aside to look out the window, deciding then and there not to admit Rufus had all but strong-armed him into attending. It would open an avenue of questions he didn't want to stroll down just yet. "I'm curious."

Elphi studied him as they came to a momentary stop within the glow of a street lamp, then said, "You're hoping it will be like last week."

"There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"No, there isn't," Elphi quietly agreed, "but it would be nice to finally be the one receiving answers for a change."

Roderick grunted in reply and allowed the curtain to swing into place, plunging the interior back into gloomy darkness only broken by an occasional sliver of lamplight.