Colton Manor Read Online Free PDF Page A

for them. Do you know how many thoughts run through your mind every single minute of the day? According to the laws of probability it’s only to be expected that every now and then you’ll think of someone or dream about something that actually happens. In reality it’s just coincidence, and there’s nothing mystical about it.”
                  “What about haunted houses where dozens of people have seen the same ghost? I’ve been to one of these houses and you can just sense there’s something there, it’s in the air.” She sounded like she was grasping at straws even to her own ears. The wine had numbed her brain and she couldn’t put her words together very well. She just wanted to wipe the smug expression off Damien Knight’s face, but if anything she was confirming everything he thought about people who believe in ghosts.
                  “Seriously, Ursula, you need to grow up and stop being so gullible.” Her eyes widened in shock at his words. Even though he was smiling she couldn’t help taking offence at being called gullible by someone she barely knew. She stood up abruptly, knocking her empty wine glass over and nearly sending it flying off the table.
                  “Maybe you’re the one who should grow up and stop being so judgemental of people who don’t think exactly like you. I’m going to bed now.”
                  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you,” he called after her, but she didn’t bother to reply. “Goodnight then, watch out for the ghosts.” She could hear him laughing to himself as she made her way up the stairs in the darkness. It was only when she was halfway up that she realised the significance of what he had told her. One of the women who was rumoured to haunt the house had died when she fell from a cliff, and just that afternoon she had drawn a picture of a woman who seemed to be falling. Behind her a dark figure had loomed.
    Ursula quickened her pace, trying not to let her imagination get the better of her or she knew she wouldn’t get any sleep that night. Once in her room she distracted herself by listening to music as she got ready for bed. It took a while for her to calm down, and she was very glad when she heard Damien pass her door a short time later and go into his own room.
    He’d chosen the bedroom right next to hers because it had the best view, and despite his very annoying know-it-all attitude, she w as very glad he was so close by that night. His scepticism also helped to put things into perspective. Maybe she really was reading too much into things and being gullible. It wasn’t the first time she’d been accused of this.
    As she closed her eyes she couldn’t help thinking about how sexy he was, even when he was talking down to her. He hadn’t mentioned anything about a girlfriend, and she wondered if he found her attractive too. When she realised where her thoughts were going she rolled over and tried to think of something else besides his blue eyes and killer smile, but she didn’t have much luck. He was still in her thoughts as she fell asleep.
    ****
                  It seemed she’d just drifted off when Ursula was woken by a loud crashing sound from downstairs. She sat up with a start. When she heard nothing more she got out of bed and opened the door slowly to peer out. There was nothing in the hall and after listening intently for a couple of seconds she made her way to Damien’s room to find out if he’d been woken up by it too. His door was wide open, and Ursula laughed out loud with relief. He was probably just fixing himself a midnight snack and had knocked something over in the unfamiliar kitchen, she told herself. She decided to go downstairs to check on him anyway.
    When she got to the bottom of the stairs the whole ground floor was in darkness, and there was no strip of light showing under the kitchen door as she’d expected. She pushed it open and turned on