fifties entered. Lilly felt a slight pang, for the woman before her was quite lovely and rather exotic in her coloring. It made Jack’s pain all the more real to see what he’d been forced to leave behind. Lilly could only imagine how beautiful she must have been in her youth when Jack married her.
“May I help you?” Ana’s gown was of a fine linen in pale blue, which accentuated the amber of her eyes and her golden complexion. Though the cut was rather conservative, the styling was recent and likely cost a modest sum.
Mason gave her a slight bow of the head. “I’m sorry to disturb you this late into the evening, but I have a few questions I must ask.”
Ana’s eyes glazed over as Mason cast a glamour. “Has your dead husband visited you?”
“Mason.” Lilly was shocked he’d ask such a question, however, Ana nodded.
“Yes. Lately. He often visits me in my dreams. And though he does not look the same, I know without a doubt it is him.” A smile came to her lips as she recalled the memories.
“Can you feel him touch you? As if he is there in the same room with you?” Mason was soft spoken as he pulled the information he wanted from her.
“Yes. His kiss is just as I remembered it, though my husband would be very angry if he found out. They’re only dreams, but he’d not like it one bit.” Her smile faded as did the light in her eyes. It twisted Lilly’s gut to hear the fear in her voice, and could only imagine what it must do to Jack.
“And can you send Jack a message?”
“Yes. He showed me how, though he does not always come to me when I ask. He said it is sometimes difficult.” A frown marred her beautiful face.
“I want you to tell him you had a visit from his dear friends, Mason and Lilly. Can you do that for me as soon as we leave?” When she nodded, he continued. “You will remember nothing else, my dear.”
“As you wish.”
Chapter Eleven
Mason concentrated on gathering the energy he needed to build a mental wall around the home and surrounding area. If Jack passed through it, Mason would know.
“Now we wait.” He gave Lilly a hand into his carriage and then slipped into the seat by her side. His driver took them for a short ride, like he’d been instructed. By the time they returned to their original spot outside the house, the carriage would no longer be detected—not even by Jack.
“Do you think him an idiot? He’ll know it’s a trap, even if he can’t see us waiting for him.” She spoke with such incredulity, he wondered if she was right.
“He may know it’s a trap, but I guarantee he’ll not be able to resist checking in on his wife to make sure she’s still safe.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips, her skin delicate with a lingering scent of lavender. Then in a moment of honesty, he said, “I know I’d not be able to stay away if I thought you threatened.”
By the light of the street lamps, he saw her brows furrow as she pinned him with a questioning stare. “Even if it meant you may not survive? I highly doubt it, Mason. After all, you are chancellor, and I suspect you’d not make any rash and emotional decisions.”
“Believe what you will.” He placed her hand on her lap and let it go, annoyance creeping into his chest until every breath took an effort. Why it should bother him, he knew not. She was nothing more than a distraction in a life lived too long. And yet, he had to fight the urge to shake her until her teeth rattled. The girl must be blind.
But blind to what? Surely nothing he’d willingly admit, even to himself.
He thought of Damon’s revelation about the child, and felt his heart ache. Mason wanted to believe him mistaken, but knew it’d be nothing more than a feeble attempt to deny the truth. He had not been the one to bring her over after her death, but recalled that she had died of fever. No mention was made of
“May I help you?” Ana’s gown was of a fine linen in pale blue, which accentuated the amber of her eyes and her golden complexion. Though the cut was rather conservative, the styling was recent and likely cost a modest sum.
Mason gave her a slight bow of the head. “I’m sorry to disturb you this late into the evening, but I have a few questions I must ask.”
Ana’s eyes glazed over as Mason cast a glamour. “Has your dead husband visited you?”
“Mason.” Lilly was shocked he’d ask such a question, however, Ana nodded.
“Yes. Lately. He often visits me in my dreams. And though he does not look the same, I know without a doubt it is him.” A smile came to her lips as she recalled the memories.
“Can you feel him touch you? As if he is there in the same room with you?” Mason was soft spoken as he pulled the information he wanted from her.
“Yes. His kiss is just as I remembered it, though my husband would be very angry if he found out. They’re only dreams, but he’d not like it one bit.” Her smile faded as did the light in her eyes. It twisted Lilly’s gut to hear the fear in her voice, and could only imagine what it must do to Jack.
“And can you send Jack a message?”
“Yes. He showed me how, though he does not always come to me when I ask. He said it is sometimes difficult.” A frown marred her beautiful face.
“I want you to tell him you had a visit from his dear friends, Mason and Lilly. Can you do that for me as soon as we leave?” When she nodded, he continued. “You will remember nothing else, my dear.”
“As you wish.”
Chapter Eleven
Mason concentrated on gathering the energy he needed to build a mental wall around the home and surrounding area. If Jack passed through it, Mason would know.
“Now we wait.” He gave Lilly a hand into his carriage and then slipped into the seat by her side. His driver took them for a short ride, like he’d been instructed. By the time they returned to their original spot outside the house, the carriage would no longer be detected—not even by Jack.
“Do you think him an idiot? He’ll know it’s a trap, even if he can’t see us waiting for him.” She spoke with such incredulity, he wondered if she was right.
“He may know it’s a trap, but I guarantee he’ll not be able to resist checking in on his wife to make sure she’s still safe.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips, her skin delicate with a lingering scent of lavender. Then in a moment of honesty, he said, “I know I’d not be able to stay away if I thought you threatened.”
By the light of the street lamps, he saw her brows furrow as she pinned him with a questioning stare. “Even if it meant you may not survive? I highly doubt it, Mason. After all, you are chancellor, and I suspect you’d not make any rash and emotional decisions.”
“Believe what you will.” He placed her hand on her lap and let it go, annoyance creeping into his chest until every breath took an effort. Why it should bother him, he knew not. She was nothing more than a distraction in a life lived too long. And yet, he had to fight the urge to shake her until her teeth rattled. The girl must be blind.
But blind to what? Surely nothing he’d willingly admit, even to himself.
He thought of Damon’s revelation about the child, and felt his heart ache. Mason wanted to believe him mistaken, but knew it’d be nothing more than a feeble attempt to deny the truth. He had not been the one to bring her over after her death, but recalled that she had died of fever. No mention was made of
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