Read Online Moorcroft - the Possession: Book One of the Moorcroft Trilogy by Sandra Callister - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sandra Callister
Ads: Link
and switched on the lights. The horses snorted in greeting. One by one he checked each stall stroking the bobbing heads of each horse until he came to the mare, stepping inside he gentle stroked her neck. She was a beauty. He talked gently in her ear. The lights flickered and the horses became restless and stamped their feet. He turned and looked around. Was there someone in the stables? Again he checked each stall kicking the straw looking for rats or even a fox. There was nothing there, but someone or something had spooked the horses. In the shadows Charlotte watched the way Richard stroked the mare, with such love and attention. One day he would show her the same affection, she would make sure of that. Richard thought the mare would have her foal within the next few days; he would have to keep an eye on her and call the vet in plenty of time. He gently closed the gate to the stall, made a last inspection of all the horses and secured the outside door and looked around the yard. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he shivered. He had the feeling someone was watching him. He checked all the doors again, his horses were very valuable, and he didn’t want anything happening to them. Tomorrow he would get the stable hand to check the perimeter, make sure no foxes could get in. Something had spooked the horses tonight, but he didn’t know what. He crossed the yard and entered the house and closed and bolted the back door and hung up his coat and quietly walked across the hall, a smile crossed his face as he remembered holding Victoria in his arms. Slowly he climbed the stairs, he should be tired, it had been a long day, but he knew that thoughts of Victoria would keep him awake.
By the back door Charlotte took Richard’s coat off the peg and held it to her face, she could feel the warmth and smell the essence of him. Staying in the shadows she moved to the great hall and watched Richard climb the stairs. Alone again she slowly sashayed around the room. Still clinging to Richard’s coat imagining him waltzing with her, but there was no music. She looked at the radio, could she make this thing work. She pressed a button and heard the quiet music of Strauss. A smile crossed her face and once again she was transported back to a time when she danced with her darling Frederick in this very hall. She slowly waltzed around the room holding Richard’s coat closely to her, stretching out the sleeve imagining him holding her. In her world she could see all the smiling faces watching, admiring the happy couple. In just a few days she and Frederick would be married and they would live together forever. She had never been happier.
Upstairs Emily woke with a start. She thought she heard a noise. She looked at the clock, four a.m. surely the children would be in bed. She turned over and closed her eyes but sleep evaded her. It was no good. She decided to make herself a warm milky drink. In her dressing gown and slippers she made her way along the landing. The stairs and the hall were always left in a mellow light in case someone got up in the night, but the glow coming from the hall seemed much brighter than usual. From the top of the stairs Emily could see a misty kind of light and movement. She could hear the faint sound of music. She made her way slowly down the stairs, step by step, holding tight to the banister. She had left her glasses on the bedside cabinet, but she thought she could see a couple dancing, was she seeing things now. Who could be up at this time of the night?
“Sarah, is that you?”
The hall lights flickered and the misty light dimmed. Emily cautiously made her way to the foot of the stairs, but no one was there. In the middle of the floor lay a coat. She picked it up, it was Richard’s, but how had it got there and where were the dancers? She looked around the large hall, nothing. She crossed to the hall table and switched off the radio.
In the shadows Charlotte watched and cursed the woman,
By the back door Charlotte took Richard’s coat off the peg and held it to her face, she could feel the warmth and smell the essence of him. Staying in the shadows she moved to the great hall and watched Richard climb the stairs. Alone again she slowly sashayed around the room. Still clinging to Richard’s coat imagining him waltzing with her, but there was no music. She looked at the radio, could she make this thing work. She pressed a button and heard the quiet music of Strauss. A smile crossed her face and once again she was transported back to a time when she danced with her darling Frederick in this very hall. She slowly waltzed around the room holding Richard’s coat closely to her, stretching out the sleeve imagining him holding her. In her world she could see all the smiling faces watching, admiring the happy couple. In just a few days she and Frederick would be married and they would live together forever. She had never been happier.
Upstairs Emily woke with a start. She thought she heard a noise. She looked at the clock, four a.m. surely the children would be in bed. She turned over and closed her eyes but sleep evaded her. It was no good. She decided to make herself a warm milky drink. In her dressing gown and slippers she made her way along the landing. The stairs and the hall were always left in a mellow light in case someone got up in the night, but the glow coming from the hall seemed much brighter than usual. From the top of the stairs Emily could see a misty kind of light and movement. She could hear the faint sound of music. She made her way slowly down the stairs, step by step, holding tight to the banister. She had left her glasses on the bedside cabinet, but she thought she could see a couple dancing, was she seeing things now. Who could be up at this time of the night?
“Sarah, is that you?”
The hall lights flickered and the misty light dimmed. Emily cautiously made her way to the foot of the stairs, but no one was there. In the middle of the floor lay a coat. She picked it up, it was Richard’s, but how had it got there and where were the dancers? She looked around the large hall, nothing. She crossed to the hall table and switched off the radio.
In the shadows Charlotte watched and cursed the woman,
Similar Books
