Haunted Hearts

9

She gave him a funny look. "Are you unwell?"

"No, you merely caught me unaware," he said, forcing his gaze to focus on Roderick and Rosalind.

Clearing his throat, Rufus motioned to Rosalind, "Allow me to introduce my sister Lady Keating. She and her husband just returned to town this morning."

"Yes, it's lovely to see you again, Rosalind," Elphi murmured, sounding as though she genuinely meant it.

"You as well, Elphi," Rosalind said with a trembling attempt at a smile.

Rufus looked at Elphi in surprise. "I didn't realize you were acquainted with one another."

"It was ages ago," Elphi softly admitted with a dismissive wave of her hand. "We attended Sanrow Academy for girls together."

Rosalind inclined her head in a slight nod as she opened her mouth to respond but snapped it closed without making a sound and swallowed before casting one last glance at Roderick, who remained mute and frozen in place.

Turning to Rufus, she smiled, though it fell short of reaching her eyes. "I should be going, Rufus dear. Don't forget tonight."

"I won't," Rufus nodded, already dreading the evening ahead. But she'd all but begged for him to join them, so he didn't have much choice on the matter. At least it wasn't a séance.

Pressing a kiss to her cheek, he watched Rosalind mumble her goodbyes to the others and leave, momentarily grateful for the distraction and opportunity it afforded to help him collect his scattered wits.

"What's tonight?" Elphi asked from behind.

Rufus clenched his eyes shut, took a deep breath, and slowly let it out before turning to face her.

It didn't help.

In actuality, it made everything worse because now he was out of oxygen, and the instant his eyes collided with hers, he forgot how to breathe. His heart increased its pounding rhythm tenfold, his hands began sweating, and his stomach flipped a series of disconcerting somersaults.

"Lord Treadway?" Elphi said, her brow puckering in a frown as she removed her gloves.

His brows slammed together as he gulped in a lungful of air and struggled to recall what she'd asked. Something about tonight? "Dinner with my sister and her husband," he said, the air whooshing out of him in one big exhale.

"You didn't mention they were back in town," Roderick stated, staring at the door for a moment before turning an accusing scowl Rufus's way.

Rufus leveled a scowl back at Roderick and settled his hands on his hips. "Perhaps you'll recall me saying mere seconds ago that she only just arrived—without warning—much as you tend to do."

Roderick grumbled under his breath as he lifted his shoulders in an unapologetic shrug and walked to one of the leather sitting chairs across from Rufus's desk. "I had no choice in the matter. Elphi wanted to return to Terreworth Hall to speak to Mrs. Lynch."

"Why?" Rufus said, refusing to give in to the desire to look at Elphi. "The woman is a fraud."

He marched to his desk and sat, hoping the physical barrier would help him strengthen his weakening inner fortifications.

"Because," Roderick began, setting his hat on his knee and smoothing his hair into place. "Elphi has questions—"

"What makes you so certain she's a fraud?" Elphi interrupted, folding her arms across her chest.

Rufus looked to Roderick, wondering how much of the situation he wished for him to divulge.

"I know he hired you," Elphi said.