Wanted: Ghost-Busting Bride Read online

  She twisted the handle with no luck. The heavy oak remained locked, leaving her stranded in the hallway with only the bouncing green speck of light as a companion.

  Now what? Wake someone to let her in or sleep on the cold stone floor? Irritated, she swatted the flitting green light as it dashed back and forth in front of her face. Contact with the strange energy sent an icy chill through her fingers.

  The dot spun wildly then bumped into her as if urging her forward. She sighed and shuffled down the stone steps after it.

  Every time she stopped the green speck poked her with quick jabs of cold air until she moved. It definitely didn’t want her looking at the ceiling, but no poking light would stop her.

  A slow grin spread over her face. Markham couldn’t fool her. The medallions on the crown molding were spaced every ten feet, just the right distance apart for projecting an image of movement. But how in the world could a light poke anyone? What made it feel so cold?

  The bossy dot jabbed her again. Giving it a dirty glace, she decided to figure out the mechanics of Markham’s trick later. Following the green speck into the library, she walked past the empty shelves to a set of French doors. The moment she turned the handle to open the door, the light disappeared.

  She blinked as a blast of chill air swept across her cheek. The figure still sat on the stone bench in the middle of the garden. It shimmered in the moonlight.

  Squinting, she crossed the overgrown lawn. What a remarkable hologram. It was the life-size figure of the countess from the book cover.

  Markham had reproduced every little detail. He’d even captured the sparkle in the countess’s eyes. No matter what he claimed, this wasn’t a ghost.

  She circled the illusion twice. Where had the rascal placed his projector? Where was the telltale stream of light? Nothing she did disrupted the eerie figure. Even when she wiggled her fingers back and forth through the colored light, no part of it wavered.

  The cool air surrounding her hand suddenly tightened into a manacle that refused to release her. She tugged against the invisible grip.

  “Welcome, my dear.” A satiny voice hummed through Kailyn head, stopping her struggle. “Do not be frightened. This rose is for thee, a token of Ryne’s favor. Return to thy apartments with thy gift. I shall guard thee. Sleep well, my darling child.” A velvety-soft white rose dropped into Kailyn’s hand, and the pressure around her wrist disappeared.

  She tumbled backwards, landing on the gravel path with a grating clunk. Still clutching the rose, she grumbled under her breath and watched the vision sparkle green before it faded away.

  Markham had done it now. The green dot of light, the hologram and the voice had explanations, even if she hadn’t discovered them yet. However, a beam of light presenting her with a real flower defied the laws of nature. How had the scoundrel pulled it off? Twirling the flower in her hand, she frowned. Even if she had to stay a month, she’d expose Markham’s ghost as a fraud.

  Chapter 5

  Six days left. Kailyn stared into the mirror. Simply attend the activities, ignore those impish green eyes and win the dream job. Piece of cake if she stayed focused.

  She inhaled deeply and squared her shoulders. Despite the way Markham’s attention rattled her, she wouldn’t let him get the best of her. She stalked into the breakfast room. Good. Only Spencer and his aunt were in the room. She could end this ghostly garbage now.

  One glimpse of him dressed in a snug green coat, starched ascot and tan, formfitting riding pants, and her heart skipped a beat.

  “Do—” She swallowed. “Do all of your guests receive the green light, cold air and holographic ghost treatment, or-or am I special?” She stumbled over the rehearsed words as he stood to greet her.

  The scoundrel knew he flustered her. With a devastating wink, he stepped forward and lifted her hand to his lips. Sparks of energy swirled from her fingertips to her core.

  “Indeed, you are special.” For a moment, he looked puzzled as if his declaration surprised even him. “In fact, the rose you received last night is the first of Lady Anne’s signs confirming you as my fiancée.”

  She was worried for a moment that he might actually mean what he said. The possessive look in his eyes definitely made her pulse race. Giving herself an internal shake, she quickly sidestepped out of his grasp. His words were simply part of his act to encourage her to find the Ryne treasure.

  Somehow she had to burst his delusions. “Why me? Is this some huge joke Crystal thought up or a hoax to test my engineering skills? No one wants to marry someone they’ve known only one day.”

  Spencer picked up his coffee cup and deliberately took a sip before answering. “Everything you’ve seen and heard here is real. I wouldn’t insult your keen intelligence with a trivial trick.”

  Although his softly-spoken words were meant to calm and flatter her, she wanted to conk some sense into his stubborn British head.

  “Yeah, right,” she growled. “And I’m the Queen of England.”

  “No, you will be the Countess of Ryne.”

  “Arrgh.” She turned her back on her tormentor, balled her fingers into a fist and stormed over to the breakfast buffet. Scooping dabs of scrambled eggs, bacon and a disgusting fish onto her plate, she planned her next move.

  This breakfast wasn’t about food. It was a strategic battle to survive the next six days.

  Marching back to the table, she clunked the plate down and glared at Markham. Thank goodness only he and his aunt were in the room.

  “Since nothing’s on the schedule,” Kailyn began before either of them could speak, “I’m going ghost-hunting this morning. Don’t bother with any more green lights, holograms or roses.”

  Markham merely smiled. “While you eat, describe last night’s adventure to Lady Sedgewick. Nothing Lady Anne does remains a secret in this castle.” He nodded toward Chadwick as the butler entered the room. “Everyone knows there is a white rose sitting on your desk.”

  Stunned, she sank down onto the seat next to him. Her wily opponent obviously had a huge ego. He wanted an audience to appreciate his masterly illusion.

  “First, I’d like to know how a hologram handed me a real flower.” Her pointed glare at the Earl misfired. Amusement spread across his face. “On second thought, forget I asked.”

  She dropped her gaze to her plate and pushed some eggs around with her fork. “Besides, I’ve figured out the source of the bouncing green light. You used a computer program and lasers hidden in the moldings.” For her own benefit she infused her next words with all the determination she possessed. “Today I’ll expose the projector that created the hologram, and solve the deal with the rose.”

  “My dear, we possess no such equipment,” Lady Sedgewick murmured from across the table. “It was the ghost.”

  Markham’s sexy lips twitched. “Regardless, Miss Baker, of what theories your clever little mind creates to explain away Lady Anne, the visions and the gifts come from a ghost.”

  Kailyn crossed her arms and glared at Markham and his aunt. “I’m not buying your ghost story.”

  “His lordship will help you explore the entire castle if you give me the details of Lady Anne’s appearance,” Lady Sedgewick added as if offering a special treat, while Markham adopted the most artificial look of innocence she’d ever seen.

  The last thing Kailyn needed was for Markham to poke his nose into her ghost hunt. He’d steer her away from any damning evidence. “I’d rather explore on my own. I’m sure his lordship has more important things to do with his time.”

  “For this week, you’re my top priority.” The far-too-eligible bachelor slipped his hand over hers and squeezed lightly. “Besides, you’ll never find all the castle’s nooks and crannies without a guide. I want your pleasant investigation of my home to be thorough.”

  She looked at Lady Sedgewick and pretended Markham’s touch hadn’t flustered her. Right now, satisfying her hostess’s curiosity was the quickest way to escape the Earl’s clutches. She’d smash
his ridiculous claim later.

  “I followed a green light through the castle and slipped out of the library into the garden.”

  Before she could continue Chadwick, who had poured coffee in her cup, chimed in. “Both Miss Baker and Lady Ginnette walked through locked doors into the garden last night.”

  “Are you positive both women passed the first of Lady Anne’s tests?” Markham’s brisk tone startled her.

  His fingers squeezed her hand. She felt certain the butler’s claim worried him, but why?

  “Yes, my lord.” Chadwick deftly rounded the table to fill Lady Sedgewick’s cup. “I personally verified the doors were latched tightly before either of them went out. I checked them again after each stepped back in.”

  Then the butler filled Markham’s cup. “Miss Baker didn’t stop to unlock the doors on her way out, nor did she pause to lock them when she returned. Lady Ginnette took longer, but the lock still appeared intact. Both women completed the first test.”

  Markham leaned close. His breath tickled her cheek, making it hard to gather her thoughts.

  “Please continue your tale, Kailyn.”

  She wiggled her shoulders and shifted an inch farther away from him. “The library doors weren’t locked. I simply walked out and back in.” Freeing her hand she picked up the coffee cup and held it. “Now the door to my room, that’s another complaint. When I stepped into the hall, the blasted thing slammed shut behind me and locked. Luckily by the time I returned from my little trip to the garden, it was standing wide open.”

  The mere memory of the strange incident had her clenching the coffee cup more tightly. It would do no good to ask for explanations from this group. They’d simply blame the ghost.

  “Anyway, after I left the library, I found the hologram of a lovely woman sitting on the stone bench under the rose arbor.”

  She risked a frown at Markham. Green eyes sparkling wickedly, he simply raised an eyebrow and sipped his coffee.

  Unbelievable. The scoundrel delighted in provoking her. Why couldn’t she find him dull and ugly?

  “Describe what the woman wore,” her hostess prodded.

  She thought of grabbing the book out of her suitcase and handing it to them. Closing her eyes, she replayed the image in her mind.

  “The hologram’s clothes reminded me of an earlier period.”

  Lady Sedgewick practically bounced in her seat. “Can you guess what era?”

  What was the big deal? The woman’s clothing was old-fashioned. “The headdress was like those I’ve seen on Henry the Eighth PBS specials. The material falling off the back of the headpiece was green, hunter green.”

  She noticed a tear in the wallpaper behind Lady Sedgewick. Markham’s recent elevation to Earl hadn’t given him time to implement any improvements to the castle.

  “And her dress?”

  “Green also, with a low, square-cut neckline, long pointed sleeves and a full skirt. She wore a matching cape held together by a gold chain with the letter R on it.”

  “Did she wear any other jewelry?” Lady Sedgewick’s voice now bubbled with excitement.

  Holding her fingers out in front of her, Kailyn studied them. “On the ring finger of her right hand, she wore a large emerald. On the left hand, a diamond surrounded by pearls.”

  Aunt Sophie clapped her hands in delight. “Well, my dear, you’ve definitely seen Lady Anne Markham’s ghost.”

  What a crock. Kailyn gazed up at the ceiling and shook her head. Lady Sedgewick’s enthusiasm wouldn’t make her believe the outlandish fairy tales.

  “There’s no such thing as a ghost. I merely have a good memory for the image Markham created in his hologram.”

  Markham leaned closer, reaching out to brush a strand of blond hair off her cheek. “You might as well give up your delightfully wrongheaded ideas. There is no hologram. Lady Anne has selected you, and I’m sure she’ll present you with your task shortly.”

  A hum of pleasure nearly escaped her throat, and she caught herself leaning into his caress. Task or no task, these six days would be a lot easier to survive if she could prevent her traitorous body from enjoying his tempting touches. She needed a man repellent.

  With a toss of her head, she scooted her chair away from him. “Prepare to have your pride and joy torn apart stone by stone. I’ll prove there is no ghost, so there is no task to perform.”

  “Are you willing to place a wager on the outcome of your investigation?” His steady gaze bore into her in silent expectation.

  Something inside her fluttered and she swallowed hard at the look of desire in his green eyes. Knowing she shouldn’t, but unable to resist his allure, she asked, “What wager do you propose?”

  “You have until dinner to find the fictitious projector. If you fail, you will organize the teams for the competitions at Thursday’s fête.”

  What was the devil up to now? A list of scrambled names took ten minutes on a spreadsheet. Hardly a major sacrifice. She cast a suspicious glance at her opponent. What was the wily rogue not telling her?

  “I’ll accept on one condition. If I find the electronic evidence, you’ll call off this stupid scam. I return to Dallas immediately and start my job with Markham and Martin.”

  “That’s a satisfactory wager, Kailyn.” He extended his hand. “Shall we shake on it?”

  His smile had her grinding her teeth. She’d probably just walked into another of his traps, but she accepted his hand anyway.

  She’d find the machinery. By tomorrow she’d be able to leave this strange castle and its captivating owner.

  With a tug, she pulled her hand free of his grasp, then glanced at her fingers. The electricity surging through her must be excitement over winning the job. It had nothing to do with the scoundrel’s sex appeal.

  She almost got away with that self-deception until Markham raised her hand to his lips.

  “I’ll meet you at the base of the main staircase in an hour for the ghost hunt.” Mischief danced in his green eyes.

  Uh-oh. What had she just done? Now she’d spend the morning in Markham’s company—alone. His single-minded pursuit of her seemed to be motivated solely by his belief in a ghost. She couldn’t let herself be fooled into thinking he even liked her. Being alone with him was definitely not a good idea if she wanted to avoid falling for him.

  Hoping to discourage his interest, she blurted out, “I won at cards, and I have an even better chance of winning this bet.”

  He laughed, and she rushed out of the room.

  Why didn’t anything she tried break his confidence in defeating her? And why did she feel this compulsive need to be with him? She had to get her thinking under control and remember she wanted a career not a husband.

  Spencer sipped his coffee and stared at Kailyn’s uneaten plate of food. Thanks to his aunt’s questioning and verification of Lady Anne’s first sign, he’d negotiated Kailyn into a guided tour of the castle. That gave him three hours alone with her.

  It was time she realized he wasn’t playing a game. This ghost hunt provided the perfect opportunity to convince her of his sincerity. He intended to marry her. With luck, he could turn her electronics hunt into a passionate interlude and sway her into considering his offer.

  Voices in the doorway interrupted his planning.

  “Nell, the Countess of Ryne announced I’m her chosen one.”

  He shuddered at Ginnette’s shrill voice. Another fake claim. Last month, several ambitious females had brought fake signs to the house party. After the way Ginnette had behaved last night, he wasn’t surprised his greedy neighbor insisted she’d seen Lady Anne. Hastily, he stood as his sister Nell and her friend Ginnette entered.

  Ginnette was extremely overdressed even for a breakfast in costume. Her low-cut red gown proclaimed her an aging bimbo who was trying too hard. The huge ruby at her throat advertised her equally huge bank account.

  Instead of following his sister to the sideboard, the tall brunette marched straight up to him, waving a block of w
ood.

  “My lord, this rose proves I’m the leading contender to become your wife.”

  “Really?” He held out his hand for Ginnette to surrender the square block. “The first sign is not a wooden rose.”

  “This is a genuine piece of the Earl’s Pew, not a white rose that can be plucked from any garden,” Ginnette huffed. “I dare you to prove the Countess of Ryne didn’t shear this carved block off the earl’s seat in the chapel and float it on a beam of light to my hand.”

  The woman was either a drama queen, or she’d really seen something. Either way her brazen claim spelled trouble. Spencer seized the chunk of wood, but before he could study the piece, a jolt of white-hot anger seared his palm.

  The bloody sign was real, but not the right one. His head spun at the possibility of a second ghost handing out fake tokens. Why couldn’t his ancestors have been normal?

  “Describe the ghost,” he growled as he flung the carving onto the table.

  “She looked as a countess ought.” Ginnette lifted her pointy chin. “The vision glowed with rubies. Threads of gold were woven through her burgundy gown. A ruby studded letter D hung on a gold chain around her neck.”

  Definitely not Lady Anne. Spencer let out the breath he’d been holding. His neighbor’s details didn’t match any portrait or written account of his ancestor. He knew for a fact that when Lady Anne appeared, she wore an emerald headdress and a green gown. “Please describe the woman and not her clothes.”

  “Tall, regal in manner, well endowed.” Ginnette straightened her shoulders and puffed out her chest as if assuming the vision’s pose. “Quite a striking presence.”

  “You didn’t see Lady Anne.” Ginnette must have seen his ancestor’s bloody rival.

  Ginnette snatched the block of wood from the table. “This is a sign from the Countess of Ryne. She clearly indicated I’m her choice.”