Read Online The Phantom Lover by Elizabeth Mansfield - Free Book Online Page B

Tomorrow !”
    â€œYou’re quite upset, dearest. Let’s not talk about this now. Tomorrow the sun may shine. You’ll feel quite differently then. In the meantime, let’s try to get a little sleep. Here, take the candle with you, and keep it lit beside your bed. That should frighten any ghost away.”
    Amelia drew herself erect. “Are you suggesting,” she demanded angrily, “that I return … to … that room?”
    â€œDon’t you wish to—?”
    â€œ Wish to! I’ll never set foot in there again!”
    â€œVery well, then, I’ll go,” Nell said firmly, climbing out of bed. “You sleep here.”
    â€œNo!” Amelia screamed, grasping her arm. “You can’t go in there!”
    â€œI’ll take the candle. Ghosts don’t like the light,” Nell improvised, trying to placate her.
    â€œThis one does. He carried his own candle, I tell you! Besides, I don’t want to be alone. Please, Nell, stay here with me!”
    Nell hesitated. But Amelia, sitting stiffly erect, the bedclothes clutched against her breast with one shaking hand while the other held on to Nell’s arm with a grasp made firm by sheer terror, looked so pathetic that Nell weakened. “Very well, dear, we’ll share the bed tonight,” she said with a soothing smile. And gently loosening Amelia’s hold on her arm, she climbed back into the bed again.
    After a while, Amelia became calm enough to permit Nell to blow out the candle. But even in the darkness, neither was able to fall asleep, Amelia because she was watching and listening for the ghost to make another appearance, and Nell because she could feel the tension in Amelia’s body as she lay rigidly beside her. “Can’t you relax, Amelia?” Nell asked gently. “Do try to forget about the ghost. I’ m here with you. The ghost won’t dare to make an appearance while we’re together.”
    Amelia sighed. “You don’t believe me, do you?” she accused. “I can tell. Do you think I’ve gone mad?”
    â€œOf course not! But eyes and ears can play tricks on one, especially in the night, when one is weary to the bone, as you are.”
    â€œHummmph!” the old woman grunted in annoyance. “You’re trying to find excuses for me. But I don’t want ’em. I know what I saw. I almost wish the ghost would reappear, so that you’d see him too!” With that, she drew the coverlet up to her neck and turned her back on Nell.
    The two women lay silently beside each other and wished for sleep to come. But it was not until the light of dawn at last crept through the break in the draperies, and she realized that the ghost was not going to reappear, that Amelia finally drifted into sleep. And Nell, hearing the gentle snore from the lady beside her, at last permitted herself to do the same.

Chapter Five
    T HE RAIN HAD ceased during the night, and the morning brought a pale promise of sunshine. Mrs. Penloe waited tensely for some word from the new arrivals, but none came. Finally, well past nine o’clock, she went upstairs to peep into their bedrooms. Discovering the corner room deserted, she was not surprised to see the two ladies sharing the bed in the other room. What surprised her was the soundness of their sleep. Although the “ghost” had succeeded in frightening Lady Amelia from her bed, it had not managed to keep her, nor Miss Belden, from enjoying a deep and peaceful slumber.
    Realizing that they were not likely to rouse themselves very soon, she prepared a breakfast tray for Lord Thorne and climbed the back stairs to his rooms. She found him awake, dressed and peering frowningly out the window. “Good mornin’, Master Harry,” she greeted him. “Lookin’ for somethin’ out there?”
    â€œI was hoping to see signs of activity in the stables. Aren’t the ladies leaving?”
    Mrs.