Whispers at Midnight by Andrea Parnell

her
aunt who are in need of accommodations, and it only just occurred
to me that the three of you might find such an arrangement mutually
advantageous. They could pay you a small sum for room and board and
I am certain would be willing to do their share of work.” He rolled
his head sympathetically from side to side. “The poor lass arrived
in Richmond recently expecting to live with her relatives, only to
find her uncle had died and her aunt in dire straits.”
    “I’d like to meet them,” Amanda said. What a
stroke of luck that would be! “Please do bring them to
Wicklow.”
    “Very well,” he responded. “You need not
make your decision until you have met them.” He sounded pleased, so
Amanda was puzzled by the sudden look of concern in his eyes.
“Amanda,” he said hesitantly. “You may count me foolish for telling
you of such things, but I feel I must if you are to live in that
house. There are reports of strange happenings at Wicklow.” Beside
her chair now he took her small hand and squeezed it between both
of his. “Some have talked of sights and sounds for which there is
no explanation. Inventive talk, most certainly. But I would not
forgive my lassitude if you should hear it from other quarters or
be frightened by some occurrence.” Cecil raised her hand to his
mouth and bent to kiss it. “You will be careful.” His voice was
heavy and serious.
    Amanda withdrew her hand from his. What
unusual eyes he had, round and soft but surprisingly deep with
concern. And she appreciated his candor, whether his words were
meant to reassure or to warn. But she could not suppress a smile as
she thought of the irony of a shrewd, successful agent and
solicitor being such a sensitive man.
    A moment later her gay laughter challenged
his grave expression. Certainly he looked as if he took the stories
far more seriously than she did. Even the strange sounds at Wicklow
and the perplexing dream of last night would not make her believe
in ghosts. “I’ve heard the tales, Cecil. If Gussie will stay on and
if I agree to take the boarders, I’ll not be alone and I am not
easily frightened.”
    Two dimples appeared in his round cheeks
before he joined her laughter. “You’d be hard put to get rid of
Gussie. Gardner had the devil of a time getting her to tend his
kitchen while his own cook is ill.”
    Amanda stiffened momentarily. “Then Gussie
isn’t at Wicklow now?”
    “No, not for the last few days. She’s been
at Gardner’s house here in town. But I’ll send word to him that
you’ve arrived. She’ll be glad to get back to Wicklow and to meet
her new mistress.”
    Now she had caught a touch of alarm, but she
wouldn’t let him see it. She had thought that Gussie’s being in the
house would somehow account reasonably for all the odd things that
had happened or seemed to have happened. But the housekeeper hadn’t
been there at all.
    Amanda rose from the chair. “I thank you,
Cecil,” she said with a deliberate bright smile. “You’ve been kind
to see me when I wasn’t expected, but I am sure I’ve kept you from
your business long enough. I bid you good day and shall look
forward to seeing you again soon.”
    Cecil frowned. “To my regret, I do have an
appointment shortly, Amanda. But in a few days I’ll have all the
papers ready concerning the estate.” His round head nodded
woodenly. “I have my carriage. I’ll arrange for my driver to take
you back to Wicklow.”
    “That is kind, but no,” she responded. “I’ve
some shopping to do and I’ve arranged for a carriage.”
    The lines gone from his face, the merriment
back in his eyes, Cecil Baldwin linked her arm through his and
escorted her to the front office. Amanda’s eyes met his once more
as she said another good-bye. It would be good to have an ally in
Williamsburg. She knew instinctively she could count on Cecil
Baldwin to befriend her. How welcome that friendship would be.
    Cecil’s eyes twinkled at her. “You have
brought an