Page 9 of The Dare Before Christmas

Torie nodded. “Mama told me Sefton insisted she invite him. Can you imagine the audacity of asking that of Mama in the first place? But she said he only did it hoping to humiliate the poor man by forcing him to endure a formal dinner.”

Emmeline’s face darkened. “I didn’t know that. What a vile man to do that to his own son! But why? Why would he want to humiliate his heir in public like that?”

Torie shrugged. “I don’t know, but Mama says they despise each other. I’m so glad we weren’t born into such awful families, Em. I mean, Harry can be a bit of a trial and I could cheerfully murder Jules on occasion, but I love them dearly and would never want them to be the least bit unhappy.”

“We are lucky indeed,” Emmeline agreed thoughtfully and then exclaimed, as the sound of her stomach rumbling became perfectly audible.

Torie snorted. “Come along. We had best feed you before you swoon.”

“Very best of cousins,” Emmeline said happily, and the two of them ran together back to the house.

“Well,” Evie said, staring outside as the wind howled past the window later that afternoon. Though the skies remained clear, the temperature had dropped further, and the wind picked up, making staying outside an uncomfortable idea. “I was going to suggest we gather greenery and choose a Christmas tree for the entrance hall today, but I think I’d rather stay indoors.”

“I second that,” Lady Balderston said, giving a little shiver at the thought of leaving her comfortable seat by the fire.

“A third from me,” Florence added. She looked rather weary but happy, sitting with her baby daughter, Mabel, sleeping in her arms whilst Emmeline entertained her nephew, Oscar, with a wooden Noah’s ark laid out on the floor in front of the fire.

“It doesn’t look like a day for tramping about in woodland,” Mr Godwin agreed sympathetically.

“What would you like to do instead, then? How about a tour of the house?” Evie suggested.

“Oh, yes, please!” Torie exclaimed at once, earning a grin from Evie.

“Well, I knew you’d say that,” she said with a snort. “And I’ll get Louis to tell you about the ghosts. I won’t listen to his stories, they’re too disturbing.”

Torie widened her eyes in delight. “Ghosts? As in, more than one?”

“Well, you needn’t look so delighted,” Mr Godwin said. “I know you enjoy all that Gothic drama, but it gives me the creeps.”

“Oh, but don’t tell me you’re afraid of ghosts, Mr Godwin, for I shan’t believe it of you,” Torie said, a little wickedly.

He sent her a look that suggested he knew her game before he replied. “Not afraid,” he said with dignity. “But I’m in no hurry to meet with one either, and I don’t reckon you would be if you thought about it for above a minute.”

“Oh, don’t bank on it, Barnaby, old man,” Jules said, not taking his nose from out of the book he was reading. “Show her a dingy cellar or a secret chamber and she’s in alt, unnatural creature that she is. I’d bet a walk in a graveyard on All Hallows’ Eve would be her idea of a fine time.”

Torie glowered at her brother and reached over, plucking the book from his hands. “The Vampyre, by John William Polidori,” she read aloud. “Well, there’s the pot calling the kettle black.”

“Give that back,” Jules grumbled, snatching it from her. “I was just getting to the good bit.”

“There’s no such thing as ghosts, nor vampires,” Lady Balderston said firmly. “Stuff and nonsense.”

“Quite right, Hester,” the Duke of Axton said, nodding his approval. “Glad to see you’ve gained a bit of sense over the years.”

“Oh, more than a bit, Axton,” the lady shot back, glaring at him.

Axton just grinned and settled himself in the chair more comfortably, apparently satisfied at having riled her.

“Well, who is coming, then?” Evie asked, giving her husband a nudge. “Louis, you’ll give them some of the history, won’t you?”

“If it would please our guests,” he replied easily, setting the book he’d been reading aside. “If you want to gather everyone who is interested, I shall be in the entrance hall in twenty minutes. Does that suit?”

“Perfect,” Evie beamed. “Torie, come and help me see who else wants to come.”

Twenty minutes later, Louis led Torie, Barnaby and his Aunt Hester, Axton, Jules, Aggie and Fred on a tour of the house. Torie listened in fascination as he showed them around the magnificent building, explaining about the work that had been done, which was extensive. It was a splendid home, grand and yet welcoming, with plenty of cosy places to curl up and be comfortable with a good book, as well as opulent public rooms, meant to impress. But she was most captivated of all when they came to the west wing, which had yet to be renovated. Louis told them all sternly that they were not to come here unescorted, for parts of the building were unsafe and best avoided. It was gloomy with no lamps lit, which only added to the sombre atmosphere. Holland covers draped the remaining furniture, giving the rooms a ghostly aspect that made the hairs on the back of Torie’s neck prickle.

“Are there any secret tunnels or priest holes?” she demanded of Louis, who smiled.

“Certainly, though I suspect we’ve not found them all yet. There is a priest hole hidden in the library, and a tunnel that goes from the dining room to the site of the original kitchens. According to local lore, there are more, though. There is said to be a ghost that guards the entrance to one tunnel, that of a loyal servant. There are stories about the courageous chatelaine, Mrs Payne, too. She still watches over the house she loved so much, and can be seen standing on the front step at dusk… not that we’ve seen her ourselves. Not yet, anyway. Mrs Payne’s husband was fighting for the Royalist cause, and she was left alone here with her daughters. One day, soldiers arrived to take the house. She, her children, and all her staff, armed themselves and defended Heart’s Folly against the Parliamentarians, who did their utmost to take the property and destroy it. Her courage in the face of such opposition is quite staggering, for they were only sixty in all against three hundred men, but she kept the property safe from Cromwell’s forces for many months, until her husband and his men came and relieved them. It is said she hid her most precious possessions to keep them from Cromwell during the civil wars. The story goes that the lady promised God she would never retrieve them if he kept her people safe, and she never did. So, if the legend is true, there is a treasure hidden somewhere on the property, but no one knows where.”