Read Online The Ghost and Jacob Moorhead by Jeanne Savery - Free Book Online

her and deserves that the family care for her, but you and I both know that idiot who inherited the title will do nothing.”
    “Greedy old Mud? Not for her or for anyone else.” Mary’s mouth firmed and her eyes went hard. “That young man needs a lesson and I hope each and every one of my father’s young heirs manages to fulfill the will’s demands just so Mud gets not one groat of the estate beyond what is under entail.”
    Jenna tried hard to hide a yawn.
    “Oh dear, I’ve tired you. You must tell me to take myself off when I’ve overstayed my time,” scolded Mary. “So now I will go. Is there anything you need? Here, just let me remove those extra pillows.” She moved toward the bed. “And I’ll—”
    Jenna shook her head, raising a hand to stop Mary. “Leave the pillows. I won’t sleep for a time but I’ll admit to feeling a trifle tired. So much to think about…”
    “No need to think, Jenna. Just accept. Good night.” Mary grinned. And left.
    * * * * *
     
    “This is the most fun time I’ve had since the old geezer I married died,” said Lady Alice. Politely, she covered her mouth with her hand, not quite hiding a wide yawn. “Oh dear, I apologize,” she said when her jaw stopped cracking. “Just how late is it?”
    Lady Merriweather looked over Lady Alice’s shoulder to the clock on the low mantel. “Gone eleven.” She found herself repressing a yawn as well and set down her cards. “I fear I must have gotten out of the habit of staying up to all hours,” she said. “Eleven is the prime of the evening, after all.”
    “We’ve all gotten out of the habit,” murmured Lady Fredericka who was busily adding up scores. “Hm, did I do that correctly?” she muttered and lifted her pencil from the bottom of the column to the top to start over.
    The other three watched her a trifle warily. They’d begun playing at a sensible hour directly after an early dinner, agreeing they’d all leave after an hour or two and make their separate ways home before others among the ton began to leave their homes for evening entertainments. Somehow, without their noticing, the light had faded and, also without disturbing them, a soft-footed servant had entered to light lamps, moving them to satisfy the needs of each player.
    One lamp had sputtered and gone out only moments before, drawing the intent women from their play. Melissa, holding the deck and dealing, had glanced around in sudden fright and dropped the rest of the cards. Flustered, she apologized. It was then Lady Alice had commented on the fun she’d had.
    “I do hope we can do this again soon,” Alice continued. She eyed Lady Fredericka who was adding up the figures still again. “What is the bad news, my lady?”
    “I surely cannot be doing this correctly,” said that lady, frowning at the paper she held up and out, staring at it at arm’s length.
    “Let me,” said Melissa. “I’m very good with figures.”
    Fredericka passed the paper across the table and Alice rose to stand just behind Melissa’s elbow, watching as, once again, the figures were totted up. “Oh my,” she murmured.
    “Oh my, indeed,” said Melissa, frowning. “You did it correctly, Lady Freddy, um, Fredericka .” She looked up and across the table. “I apologize for using the name you dislike but, you see, I do like it, so I’ve difficulty remembering you do not. Lady Merriweather, you have won and won handsomely. Congratulations,” finished Melissa just a trifle acidly. She didn’t owe so much as the other two women but she did wonder just how she’d manage to pay the rather large sum. “I’m forced to write a chit, I fear. What I brought with me, in case I lost, was more the sort of thing one carries to an afternoon playing silver loo.”
    Lady Alice, rather white, also wrote a vowel. Lady Fredericka, however, pulled a bulging purse from her reticule and, rather grimly, counted out a far larger sum than Melissa had ever thought to carry with her