Banshee Song
Book Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

"So I was at the Countess's Ball - the one she gives for ladies who are coming out, well, the poorer ones anyway, I had my own coming out ball and everyone was there - even the duke - he said I was quite fetching, but Daddy says he's too old and besides, I heard he was going to marry the Countess's daughter - she has freckles - ugh - so, where was I? Oh yes, the Countess's Ball. I wore a gown designed by the Parisian designer Jean Paul Frenche. I was the belle of the ball and even Jean Luc, who is notoriously critical said I had that certain 'je na sais quoi.' I'm not sure what it means but I know a compliment when I hear one.

So anyway, we're all gathered and the Countess makes her grand appearance down the staircase and I could not believe my eyes! She was wearing mauve - Mauve! I could have died from trying to hold in my laughter. Really, she should know better. Mauve went out of fashion a month ago! I felt bad for her - really. Everyone was talking about it."

Sean noticed a rare moment of silence and realized that Miriam had stopped talking. He smiled blandly at his breakfast guest. "That was.fascinating."

"Well, I've been told many times that I'm a great conversationalist," she replied with a coy fluttering of her eyelashes.

"I can believe that," Sean said with a saccharin smile. {Your social circle must be dull indeed.}

"Well, I have many more 'fascinating' stories. Like, one time Daddy threw me a Christmas ball."

She didn't even finish the sentence before Sean tuned her out. It had been two days since Miriam's arrival and he had been forced to listen to many of these conversations. They weren't bad actually. He would plaster a kind smile on his face, nod occasionally and then his mind was free to think about other things. For example, this year's crop placement, prioritizing needed repairs, and pondering the rising cost of flour. Then, when the conversation was especially "stimulating" he would mull over the ancient mystery of why cats meow but lions roar. If lions are cats, shouldn't they meow too, only with a bigger meow? Or, why don't cats roar in a little, tiny, high-pitched "roar"? And occasionally, against his will, his mind would wander over to her.

Elizabeth. He saw very little of her now, not since she moved in with her brother. He now only saw her in passing, as she was dusting or mopping or doing some other chore. And of course he saw her at mealtimes, when she brought their meals, enduring with infinite patience Miriam's condescending remarks and snotty looks. Many times Sean thought of saying something, standing up for Elizabeth. But he held his tongue. He couldn't afford to offend Miriam - he needed her money more than she needed his title. And they both knew it. For that reason he endured her inane prattle. He stifled a yawn. She was still babbling about who wore what to what party and who was caught under the mistletoe with whom.

Sean sighed. If it was this hard now, how would it be when he was married to her? He couldn't fathom loving her, sharing a bed with her, raising children with her. {There has to be a better way. Except there isn't.}

He looked up when he realized that Miriam had stopped talking. She was looking at him expectantly. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I was asking what the plans were for today."

{Plans?} Sean thought dismally. He couldn't take another day of her dull company. His mind raced, searching for an escape. "I'm sorry, Miriam, but you'll have to be on your own today, for a while at least. I have estate business that simply cannot be put off any longer. But there's plenty for ye to do. We have a large, fully stocked library."

"Yawn."

"Or ye could go exploring over the estate grounds. Perhaps walk into town and do a bit of shopping?"

Miriam's pout faded slightly. "Okay."

Miriam looked out the window at the steady, heavy rain. "Oh, why does it have to be raining?" she moaned. "I'm dreadfully bored."

Elizabeth looked up from the stone floor she'd been furiously scrubbing. "I wish I could get a chance to be bored," she mumbled.

"I wanted to go into town and see what passes for entertainment around here," Miriam continued on, taking no notice of Elizabeth. "Instead, I'm stuck inside this dreary old castle with nothing to do." She stuck her lower lip out in a pout.

Elizabeth shook her head and tried her best to ignore the other girl. {I can't believe Sean's going to marry this girl. He must really love her to be able to put up with her.} Her mind drifted back to the other morning. Sean had been on the verge of telling her he loved her but was interrupted by Miriam's arrival. {I don't understand. How could Sean tell me he cared for me when he loves her? I guess Sheamus was right,} she thought coldly. {Sean was just playing games with me. He was just looking for a "quick dalliance with a mere servant." And I fell for it.}

Elizabeth welcomed the hot anger that filled her heart. It was a better companion than the heartbreak she had known for the last few days. She scrubbed the floor viciously. {I fell for his gentle words and soft touch.} She brought him to mind and willed herself to hate him. Maybe if she hated him, it wouldn't hurt so much. It wouldn't hurt so much to bump into him in the hall. It wouldn't hurt so much to wait on him and Miriam at dinner. It wouldn't hurt so much to see them together, to watch them kiss. Maybe if she hated him, it would be easier to stop loving him.

Miriam watched Elizabeth grind her brush into the floor with narrowed eyes. She had a sharper mind than she let on. She had picked up on the undercurrent of tension between Sean and Elizabeth, and had easily discerned the cause. Elizabeth had been easy to read. The sad longing that appeared in the maid's large blue eyes when she gazed upon her employer had given her away. As did the blush on her cheeks, the shaky timbre to her voice. Sean on the other hand, was harder to read. His expressions and voice were tightly controlled, his eyes shuttered.

{So the maid has a crush on the Lord of the castle,} Miriam mused with a thin, cold smile. {I wonder how Sean feels. Well - no matter, he's mine now anyway.} She stared at Elizabeth as a wicked plan formed in her mind. There was no better way to fight boredom than a little fun at someone else's expense.

"Oh, Eliza," she called gaily.

"My name's Elizabeth," came the mumbled reply.

"I have a marvelous idea. Let's go exploring! This castle is enormous and I've only seen a bit of it."

Elizabeth looked up and swallowed the nasty response that had sprung to mind. "I'm sorry, Miss Lockeheart, but I'm busy at the moment. Perhaps some other time?" she asked with saccharin sweetness.

"Yes, but I'm bored now. Please go with me, Elise. I don't want to go exploring by myself."

"It's Elizabeth, and why don't ye ask Kara to go with ye?"

"Kara's busy preparing my dress for tonight. Besides, I want you to come with me. We should get to know each other."

"But."

"We could search the east wing. I hear the rooms are beautiful! But I really want to check out the old tower."

"We're not supposed to go near the tower," Elizabeth protested. "It needs repairs and could be dangerous. We're only supposed to stay in this one wing of the castle."

"Oh, that's ridiculous," Miriam scoffed.

"Nothing's going to happen to us. Besides, the castle will be mine shortly. I have a right to see me future house." Miriam smirked at the pain that flashed briefly in Elizabeth's eyes. {Poor little maid. Did you think you would marry Sean and be Lady of the castle?}

"Well, I'm going with or without you. I just hope nothing happens to me because I'm by myself and I don't know where I'm going."

Elizabeth remained quiet as she fought a war with herself.

"Suit yourself." Miriam walked out of the room.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. While Miriam's safety was of no concern to her, she knew that Sean would be upset if anything happened to his prospective bride. In the end she knew she didn't really have a choice.

"Hold on while I get a lamp."

"My goodness! This castle just goes on and on forever!" Miriam exclaimed.

"Aye. Don't ye think we've done enough exploring?" Elizabeth asked anxiously. They had been wandering for hours and were now in a dark, deserted part of the castle. If something happened to them, it would be days before anyone found them.

"Oh, come on, we haven't even been up to the tower yet."

Elizabeth stifled an annoyed sigh. She looked around her at the corridor they stood in. Despite the castle's age and worn condition, it was still very lovely. The rooms they had been in were large and airy connected by graceful, sweeping arches. She could imagine how it must have looked with it was first built, how beautiful it must have been. She ran her fingers along the wall lovingly. {No wonder Sean loves this castle.} She loved it too.

Miriam looked at the quiet girl beside her and an amused grin played on her lips. "So, Lisa, how long have you worked here?"

"A couple of months."

"That's not very long. How do you like it here?"

"Oh, I like it a great deal. Sean - Lord Cassidy is a wonderful employer - very kind and generous."

"Well, I'm glad you like it here. I hope you will stay on after Sean and I are married. Of course you'll be taking orders from me, but I can be just as kind and generous as Sean."

Elizabeth paused. She hadn't thought of that. What would she do when Sean got married? She didn't think she would be able to handle working for Sean, living in the same house with him, while he was married to someone else. And she certainly didn't think she could work for Miss Miriam Lockeheart. She'd only know her for a few days and already couldn't stand her. {There's no way in hot, fiery hell I'm taking orders from her. There's plenty of other jobs to be had.}

She put a bright smile on her face and answered. "I'm not yet sure what I will do. Working here was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement."

"Well, give it some thought. Sean tells me you're wonderful with children. You could stay on as our nanny. I'm sure Sean's going to want to start having children right away. Every lord needs an heir." Miriam chuckled inwardly as her arrows hit their mark.

"I think we're almost there," Elizabeth said to change the painful subject. She noticed that the floors and walls seemed to be less sturdy there. In many places, mortar was missing and cold drafts blew in through the crumbling stone bricks. Elizabeth warily eyed the spider web cracks on the floor. "Be careful," she warned.

But Miriam just laughed and tossed her dirty blond ringlets. She boldly stepped onto the cracks. Her smile though vanished when, with a rumble like thunder, the floor gave out beneath her.

Elizabeth leapt forward to grab her only to have the remaining floor crumble beneath her. A strangled cry of fear escaped her lips as they fell and fell into suffocating darkness.