Betrayed Read Online Free PDF Page B

her cup and saucer down. “I am
sorry, Mrs. Brockville, I have imposed on your good nature long enough. I ought
not to have allowed Captain Strachan to bring me here. My trunks are packed and
waiting for me at Windemere. Branson will have returned from the village by now
and be looking for me. This is my trouble; it was wrong to burden you and
Captain Strachan with it. Thank you for the tea.”
    “Sit down,” commanded the older woman. “You
are not going back if you do not wish to go back. No, you most certainly are
not. Mr. Hamilton has used you shamefully as a pawn in his scheme of revenge.
Your best hope to make him see sense is to stay here. He must give up his
resentment against your father, and in short order. I shall speak for you
myself if your mother is indisposed. Colonel Brockville will instruct the young
rogue to cease this game he is playing.” Mrs. Brockville spoke decisively. “You
leave it to me.”
    Clara laughed even as her eyes filled with
tears. “You make it sound so simple. I said Branson was being dishonest—I
believe he has a secret. There is a dark purpose in his plan to ruin my father;
one he will not tell me about. I’ve heard rumours there was a young lady he was
in love with.”
    “Nonsense. I am sure you are quite wrong,
or at least, grossly misinformed.”
    “I am not so sure.” She ran her tongue over
her lips. “I met a young woman today who claimed to be his wife.”
    Mrs. Brockville’s mouth pulled down. “ Humph . Some women will claim anything if
it means extorting a pound or two out of a gentleman. If Branson Hamilton has a
wife, I’ve never seen her. What was this young woman’s name?”
    “Grace Leeds.” Clara watched Mrs.
Brockville’s reaction carefully.
    “I’ve never heard of Grace Leeds. Is she
from Somerset?”
    “I met her at Windemere seven years ago. I
was a child at the time. She was visiting from Oxford. Branson admitted that they
were engaged once but Grace claimed they were married.”
    “Men. They do enjoy their secrets, don’t
they? Let me see, seven years ago Leonard Hamilton was still alive but after
his wife passed we rarely saw him. Where did you meet this woman?”
    “I was walking this morning and I came
across her at Windemere Chapel. She said she was Grace Leeds.” Clara assessed
the older woman with trepidation before continuing. “The disturbing thing about
the encounter is that Branson told me Grace Leeds died seven years ago at her
own hand.”
    Mrs. Brockville’s eyes widened. She was not
at all troubled by the information. If anything, she was greatly excited. “ The ghost of Windemere Hall! You have
met her! How delicious! It is clear to me now, my dear. Branson Hamilton cannot
bring a mistress to Windemere Hall until the ghost is laid to rest, or whatever
it is ghosts must do. There’s a rumour in the village that women are not
welcome at the Hall. A malevolent spirit haunts the place driving all females
off the grounds—from scullery maid to paramour—she does not play favourites.
Some say she is jealous of the master’s affection and will not tolerate a
rival. It appears she has struck again and succeeded in driving you away.”
    Clara shook her head. “Grace Leeds was not
a ghost. She was quite real.”
    “Are you quite sure?” The lady sounded
disappointed. “The ghost of a dead fiancée is far less tedious than the
appearance of a living wife. But Mr. Hamilton said Grace Leeds was dead, so
there can be only one explanation. The woman you met was her spirit communing
with you from beyond the grave.” Mrs. Brockville pursed her lips, lost in
thought. “I suppose you might have met an impostor, a con artist who had heard
the rumour about a ghost and was trying to extort money. But that is unlikely.
What could this Grace Leeds want? We ought to arrange a séance at Windemere
Hall to find out, don’t you agree?”
    Colonel Brockville entered the sitting room
at that moment with Strachan and Trudy Delisle in tow.