The Lady in Yellow: A Victorian Gothic Paranormal Romance

Forty-Five

Veronica paced up and down in front of the fire. Her thoughts whirled around one painful issue: Rafe was dangerous. He had a split personality, one side caring and warm, the other----violent. Cruel. Perverse. Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

And the twins? Little monsters!

She must find a way to leave Belden House without being noticed.

The clock gonged six times. Veronica stepped out onto her balcony in time to see the twins walking, one behind the other, with a long branch balanced between their shoulders, and tied to that branch by its hooves, was the dead deer. Their white clothes were spattered with blood.

They'd been wolves.

It was horrible.

Enough!

With stately, ceremonial strides, the twins disappeared under the rim of her balcony, and entered the house.

Afraid she would fly apart, her fear of Rafe clashing with her need to get out, Veronica circled her room, then hurried to her door and turned the knob.

It was locked.

She put her ear to the door and listened to the twins coming up the stairs. She imagined them passing her door, blind as automatons, unaware that their father had locked her in. She heard Wolfgang panting along behind them; his tail thumped against her door.

He'd found his pack all right.

A key was turning in the lock. Veronica backed away warily as the door swung open.

The glare of candlelight preceded Mrs. Twig into the room. Flaring candle branch held aloft, she gaze was level, her posture commanding.

"Miss Everly." A very old looking key dangled from her hand.

Veronica narrowed her eyes at the housekeeper. "Yes?"

"The children are changing their clothes. When they are finished, I want you to come with us to the safe rooms upstairs."

"The room with no windows."

"Yes."

Veronica backed away. "I'll not be locked in. Not up there."

"You won't be. It's Jack who must go in. I need your help tonight." Mrs. Twig gave her a look that suggested the reason should be understood without saying.

"But I can't, Mrs. Twig. Mr. Rafe expressly forbids me to leave my rooms."

Mrs. Twig scowled. "He must have been in a tizzy. He knows we need your help tonight." She went around the corner to Jacqueline's closed door and called. "Jack, are you ready yet?"

A muffled shout of almost came back. Scowling, Mrs. Twig returned to Veronica.

"What do you need me for, Mrs. Twig?"

"To see to the children."

"To see to what? Why?"

Mrs. Twig's breath stuttered. She looked down as if her stomach were upset.

Veronica pressed on. She was tired of her questions being evaded. "First you must tell me something. Those coffins... who died?"

Mrs. Twig bit her lip. "No one, Miss Everly."

Veronica checked her temper. "Are you telling me that Mr. Rafe has invested in two silver coffins for no reason?"

"No, I'm not telling you that." Mrs. Twig's breath hitched. "Are you ready, Jack?" she called through the wall of Jacqueline's room.