Wanted: Ghost-Busting Bride Read online

  She took a deep breath and ran her finger over her computer keys. How did one answer that question and look like a savvy professional?

  Easy. She was a scientist. There weren’t any silly spirits floating around. “I’ve never seen any proof that ghosts exist. So no, I don’t believe in them.”

  A puff of cold air brushed against her hair, making her shiver. Now she was hallucinating. She glanced out the bramble-covered window. A shadow darkened the centuries-old glass. She closed her eyes for a second. It was just a cloud.

  The scowl on Markham’s face said it all. She’d failed his trick question.

  Before she could vow she’d been kidding and ghosts were everywhere, her cell phone chirped. “Sorry, I thought I’d turned it off.”

  Kailyn snatched the beeping nuisance from her pocket. But when she checked the number, her crazy phone spit out green fire. Stifling a cry, she tossed it toward Markham’s cluttered oak desk and scooted away. The blasted phone bounced once and tumbled to the floor where it sparked and danced like a firecracker, then died.

  Crap, crap, crap. This was not what she needed in the middle of an interview. Some weird power glitch lurked in this castle, and it was out to fry her electronics.

  “Are you sure you don’t believe in ghosts?” A devilish glint lit Markham’s green eyes, and a sexy dimple creased his cheek.

  She wished he’d go back to frowning. His British accent and sexy eyes were making it hard to concentrate, which only annoyed her further. She jumped as her phone popped and crackled again.

  “Why are my electronic devices going crazy in this castle?”

  “A rather interesting problem.” Markham grinned. “Let’s investigate further. Try your computer again.”

  For a minute she simply stared at him. What was going on? Why would a malfunctioning laptop and an electrified cell phone make him happy?

  Gingerly she tapped the power button. Her computer blinked to life once more. This time, green script slowly scrolled down the black background.

  Kailyn Baker, thou must remain at Ryne Castle.

  Squinting, she read the screen again. What a bizarre message. Markham must be toying with her. This had to be a strange test of her engineering skills.

  She swung the machine to face Markham and pointed to the words. “Explain this, please.”

  Markham stood, a large I’ve-gotcha grin spreading over his face. “I’d say it’s an invitation. You’re required to attend Ryne’s weeklong festival. The activities start this afternoon.”

  She opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. Why would he want her to stay for a week at the castle? This was the most outlandish interview she’d had in her entire life. Finally she managed, “But I have a plane ticket for tomorrow morning.”

  “I’ll cancel it. A short chat can’t decide something this important. A week will give us ample time to sort things out and let you get used to the castle.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. What in the devil was Markham talking about? She didn’t intend to live in England. His partner, John Martin, had promised her a job in Dallas.

  “Good heavens. You sound as if the engineering job is here, not in Dallas.”

  “Wouldn’t you like a chance to work with me to renovate Ryne Castle?”

  She swallowed. It had never crossed her mind the job would be in England.

  “Yes,” she answered after a slight hesitation. It could be interesting, but it would be awfully difficult to move so far away from her friends and family. “I’ve always loved old buildings. I can’t think of anything I’d like better.”

  “Then stay for the week’s festival.” He moved closer as if ready to escort her to the festivities. “The activities will give you a flavor of the castle’s history and the roles the earl and countess are expected to play. And give us an opportunity to discuss Ryne’s future and develop our working relationship.”

  The intensity of his gaze left Kailyn with the distinct feeling he had other things besides engineering on his mind. He might not object to mixing business with pleasure, but as a woman in a man’s field she had to be very careful about her professional image on the job.

  With her looks, she’d never completely leave behind the petite-blonde-desperately-seeking-Mr. Right false impression. Inwardly she sighed. How should she respond to Markham? He was the earl, and this was his home. If she accepted the invitation to his house party, would she give him the wrong idea?

  Markham hadn’t done more than give her résumé a cursory glance. He sounded as if he wanted her to stay so he could get to know her on a personal level.

  She needed to steer this interview in another direction before his charm clouded her judgment and she had to walk away from an engineering job she desperately wanted, even if it ended up being in England. “We’ve gotten off track. Give me five minutes. I’ll get the printed version of my slide show from the car.”

  This plum job was too important for her to throw away. Once Markham gave his okay, she wouldn’t have to work with him. She’d be dealing with contractors. From what she’d read about him, the man was a workaholic. He’d be in London or on projects around the world and she’d never see him. Besides, she could find a flat somewhere close to this community. And if by the end of the week she discovered she couldn’t work with him, she’d return to Dallas.

  She stuffed her useless computer and her flashing phone into her case. “Be right back.”

  Scooping up her bag, she dashed out the door. One more chance. She straightened her shoulders. Samples of her work would turn this interview around, and the short walk to her car would give her time to shake off the unsettling effects Markham had on her.

  Just as she passed the next room, an antique Abbot’s chair swooped out behind her, butting the back of her knees so hard she plopped onto the wooden seat with a loud thud.

  “What the—?” What else could go wrong in this freaking castle?

  The chair began to twirl. She grabbed an armrest with one hand and clutched the computer bag against her chest with the other.

  Walls whirled by with dizzying speed, then just when she thought she’d hurl the wobbly chair shot forward.

  “Help!”

  The runaway carnival seat turned sharply and crashed through Markham’s office door, stopping so quickly it dumped her like a rag doll at his feet.

  The menacing chair spun on one leg, shimmered emerald green, then zoomed out the door, leaving her lightheaded and confused.

  When he lifted her off the floor, her head spun faster—and not from her recent encounter with a possessed chair. His spicy scent revved her racing pulse. She squirmed as his arms tightened around her. How had she landed in this funhouse?

  He sat her down on the chair behind his desk, long fingers brushing her hair back from her eyes.

  “I’m sorry. The ghost is out of control today. Please rest here. I’ll arrange for some refreshments.”

  Thankfully the crazy man left her alone. She drummed her fingers on his desk. Nothing about Spencer Markham or this dysfunctional castle made any sense. Why would he rig a chair to make her believe in ghosts?

  A green flicker of light flitted across the wall and out the door.

  Oh! Now she got it. He planned to renovate the castle and turn it into a haunted mansion and was testing his tricks on her. To get hired, she had to figure out how his phony illusions worked.

  Chapter 2

  What a disaster. Lady Anne’s antics were ruining what little chance he had to charm Kailyn Baker. Spencer hurried to the kitchen for a tray of tea.

  If his ancestor wanted him to save Ryne Castle, the stupid ghost could have picked a woman who wanted to be the countess. But no, his paragon of a bride didn’t believe in ghosts, put her career above marriage and acted like she couldn’t wait to escape England.

  He was doomed.

  He paced the kitchen while Mrs. Chadwick added scones to the tray. Failure wasn’t an option. He didn’t want to die. Perhaps he’d compliment her cute
upturned nose and the sparkle in her blue eyes. The lovely curves her green suit displayed weren’t bad, either. However, he’d keep those thoughts to himself. From her wary reaction to his invitation to join the house party, she’d probably sue him if he commented on her sexy bum.

  As he returned to his office balancing the tea tray, he took a deep breath. He’d apologize for the chair’s antics and negotiate a deal.

  He opened the door and froze.

  The room was in shambles. Bits and pieces of his balsa-wood mockup of the castle cluttered the floor.

  “Good God, woman, what happened?”

  Red-faced, she spun at his bellow. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

  She waved her hand at the remains of his model. “Can we do it again? I’ll help you put it back together. I want to figure out how you rigged it to explode like popcorn.”

  Brilliant. She’d given him the perfect way to convince her to stay. “The ghost did it.”

  “Oh, come on.” She waved a section of roof at him. “I’m onto you.”

  She placed the piece on the windowsill and picked up another. “You’re turning this castle into a haunted mansion to make money. Let me inspect your tricks. If I can’t figure out how you rigged them, it’s certain the guests will be fooled.”

  Her eagerness was so infectious he couldn’t wait to see what she’d do next. Placing the tray on the desk, he folded his arms across his chest. “This ought to be interesting. How did I pull off the exploding phone, the moving chair and the pop-apart castle?”

  “I think you used pressurized air for the model.” Giving it one last speculative look, the engineer picked her way through the rubble. “Give me five minutes to crawl under the table. I’ll get the proof I need.”

  No one but his sister, Nell, ever dared wreak havoc in his office. The sparkle in Kailyn’s blue eyes when she audaciously blamed him for the mess intrigued him. “Be my guest.”

  She dove under the table.

  Soon uncharitable muttering accompanied the sway of her hips and an ever-shifting pile of debris. Leaning back on her heels, she frowned up at him. “All right, how did you make it snap apart? I can’t find any wires, hoses or springs.”

  “I didn’t. The ghost did.” He reached out his hand and helped her stand.

  Turning brick red, she jerked out of his grasp as if his touch burned her fingers. “Okay. I’ll have to work on the model. As for the phone, the battery was damaged during the flight from Dallas. Or perhaps the airport screening ruined it.”

  From the jut of her jaw, he didn’t think she’d ever accept the truth. No logic would explain Lady Anne. Perhaps Kailyn should have to disprove her own scientific answers.

  “Would you care to examine the chair? It’s in the library across the hall.”

  The minx cocked her head and studied him suspiciously. “All right. Let’s take a look at that wicked chair.”

  Her spunk delighted him. He couldn’t wait to see how she reacted when her next theory failed.

  The determined beauty stalked out the door ahead of him, storming into the library like a Crusader on a mission. Snatching the fiendish chair, she flipped it upside down.

  Thank goodness the chair didn’t move on its own accord just then. He didn’t need to explain any more of Lady Anne’s pranks.

  After a few seconds, Kailyn clenched her fists at her sides and spun to face him. “Should have been wires underneath this seat.” Her expression grew thoughtful. “Hmmm. Metal disks attached to the bottom of each leg.”

  A slow smile crept across her face and her eyes brightened. “The floor has to be rigged with some sort of magnetic track.”

  A most impressive wrong answer. Biting the inside of his cheeks to keep from laughing out loud, he merely shook his head until he conquered his mirth. “I’ve told you, Ryne Castle is haunted.”

  She tossed him such a pitying glance he knew she had already consigned him to Bedlam. At least she had the decency not to laugh.

  Ignoring her disbelief, he added, “Don’t forget the message on the computer. The first countess of Ryne, Lady Anne, is said to communicate with those she deems worthy. Lady Anne wishes you to stay. She arranged for the chair to delay your departure.”

  “Yeah, right. Don’t try to pull a scam on me.” She waved her hand toward the door. “Let me remind you I’m a skeptical American engineer.”

  Her sassy attitude addled his brain.

  While his mind stuttered, she pressed on. “I’ve studied ways to make large objects move across stages with magnets hidden in the floors. I can guarantee that no ghost moved the chair.”

  “Too bad you can’t tear up the floorboards to prove your theory.” The words fell off his tongue before he thought about it. Twitting her came so naturally.

  Kailyn hooted with laughter. “Oh, I won’t dismantle the floor. It’d destroy the castle’s mystique. Still, it would be fun to uncover all the tricks you’ve used to create a ghost.”

  Splendid, now he had her interest. He nonchalantly leaned against the door jamb. “I think I can arrange for you to explore that side venture. But you’ll need to stay at the castle for the next week.”

  Crossing her arms, she glowered at him.

  Of course the ghost would pick the one woman who wasn’t eager to stay. Spencer hated to resort to bribery, but he was desperate. “If you want this job, stay the week.”

  That got her attention.

  “Okay. Let’s talk specifics.” She planted her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. “You’re very interested in keeping me here. What chance do I have of winning the structural engineering job at Markham and Martin?”

  Whether he wanted to win Kailyn or not, he had to keep her at the castle. If she passed Lady Anne’s test, then he’d fight the battle to convince her to stay as his countess.

  One step at a time. First, he needed to convince her to remain. “If your week’s visit is successful, the position is yours.”

  “And what do I have to do to be successful?”

  “Show me you’ve fallen in love with Ryne.”

  A few minutes after the strange interview, she drifted slowly through the dark halls. Shadows danced on the wooden arches above her head.

  So Markham wanted her to fall in love with the castle. She chuckled to herself. This would be a breeze. The bramble-covered walls gave the ancient structure such character, and the arches were an engineering marvel. She couldn’t wait to inspect the centuries-old leaded glass windows. Add an investigation where she could prove ghosts don’t exist, and she was in heaven. Markham made it sound like a challenge, but the job was hers.

  The only obstacle was Markham, himself. His rascally dimple wiped out every lick of her common sense, and her fingers itched to muss his wavy, black hair. She clenched her fists. She’d just have to fight his charm or avoid him completely.

  “Miss Baker?” A tall woman in an outdated gown stepped into the hall in front of her. “I’ve waited all day for you to arrive. I’m Lady Sedgewick, your hostess, but you can call me Aunt Sophie.”

  A million questions whirled in Kailyn’s mind. Before she could ask them, her hostess wrapped her in a flower-scented hug.

  “You’re a trifle shorter than I anticipated. Neither John nor Crystal Martin mentioned you were such a tiny thing.”

  Now she was worried. Her best friend Crystal Martin had set her up. Even though Crystal was the personnel director at Markham and Martin, her favorite sideline was matchmaking.

  “Crystal is so devious,” Kailyn blurted out. “She uses her job to marry off her brother’s employees. Please tell me she hasn’t whipped up a romance for me.”

  Her hostess simply laughed. “That Crystal. Always up to some mad folly. But don’t worry.”

  Lady Sedgewick took her arm and steered her toward the main staircase. “You’ll have a splendid time at our festival. The period costumes are quite fetching. The teas and dinners are vastly entertaining, and all the guests enjoy showing off their domestic skills at the country
fête. No one can resist the hunt or the fancy ball. Your week will be quite pleasant.”

  Kailyn was going to strangle Crystal. She stunk at homemaking. All her dinners came in a box marked “Heat Two Minutes.” She’d never ridden a horse and hadn’t danced since kindergarten when her teacher suggested she be in charge of the music instead of participating. The whole freaking list of activities sounded dreadful.

  She stopped at the base of the stone steps. “How do the events test my engineering skills for a job at Markham and Martin?”

  “Crystal’s note might answer your questions.” Her hostess held out an envelope. A mischievous twinkle sparkled in the woman’s eyes.

  Kailyn snatched the card and tore it open.

  Kailyn,

  Don’t panic. I’ve provided everything you need. Costumes to make you stand out. Tools to enable you to investigate. And a few sweet surprises to keep you on your toes. If you finish the week, all your dreams will come true. Trust me.

  Crystal

  She’d been had. This was a lot more than just an interview. Given Crystal’s track record for matchmaking, she should leave immediately. But she really wanted the job.

  For a week she could avoid Crystal’s marriage trap. She was smart and savvy. No one could force her to marry. The joke would be on her scheming friend when Kailyn landed her dream job with no entanglements.

  “How do I begin this lovely week?”

  She knew her voice sounded sarcastic, but it wasn’t her fault. The whole day had been a disaster. The drive through the boonies to Ryne Castle had been nothing compared to the wild ride on the chair. She didn’t even want to think about her exploding phone. Now she had to play dress-up and go to a frivolous tea. What else could go wrong?

  She followed Lady Sedgewick up the grand staircase. Despite the horrid-sounding activities, the friendly woman made her feel at home as she led her to a large bedroom drenched in neon pink.

  The color didn’t bother Kailyn as much as the passel of depraved fairies making up the decor.

  Kissing fairies adorned the wallpaper. Nude fairies paraded across the draperies. Entwined fairies sprawled on the bedspread. Fairy statues even guarded both sides of the fireplace. A week living with all this suggestive art would drive her insane.