Mr. Black had climbed up on a stool to check the hiding place and turned to shake his head at his wife.
Mrs. Black summoned up a smile and opened the champagne. The maid appeared with a tray of truffles and everyone decided to get on with the party, though there were several odd looks sent my way.
Alex was seething with impatience though he managed to hide the worst of his edginess. Fortunately, no one seemed inclined to make a late night of it and one by one they wandered off to bed until it was just the Blacks, Alex, and I standing by the dying fire.
“I’m betting you didn’t know that you had a secret passage running all through the house and out into the garden,” I said, going to the panel and pressing in the same place that I had used in my bedroom. My fingertips felt the slight stickiness of the wood and I knew I had the right spot. It would have ruined the reveal if I couldn’t get the panel open on the first try.
Though I had told them what to expect, there were still gasps as the door swung open. I knelt down and handed them the box which held the keys to a snowmobile.
“It begins up in our room in the tower and comes all the way down to the old wine cellar.”
“I’ll get a flashlight!” Mr. Black said excitedly.
I was tired of stairs and exploring, but I could see that Alex was fascinated so resigned myself to one more trip into the grubby corridor.
The creepiness was dispelled by the company and the bright flashlight. Mr. and Mrs. Black were delighted and almost at once started making plans for how they could use this passage for their various haunted tours and mystery weekends. I was too tired to sound really enthused but no one minded.
Eventually Alex saw me shivering and took off his smoking jacket.
“Sorry, sweetie,” he said, wrapping it around me. “I was getting carried away.”
“Mrs. Lincoln, I can’t thank you enough. This will be absolutely perfect for the Halloween retreat we are planning,” Mrs. Black said as we started back for the library.
I didn’t correct her about the name.
“My pleasure. I enjoyed myself very much.” That wasn’t even too much of a lie. “But now I really need a bath. I’m filthy.”
“I’ll show you the best one. It has a giant claw-footed tub and its own heater so there is plenty of hot water!”
That sounded like heaven to me.
“And I’ll go up and get your robe and nightgown,” Alex said, noticing that I was moving slowly on the stairs.
Later that night as we cuddled in bed, I asked Alex if he minded winning the snowmobile by slightly unscrupulous means. In answer he pulled me close and kissed me.
About the Author
Melanie Jackson is the author of over 70 novels. If you enjoyed this story, please visit Melanie’s author web site at www.melaniejackson.com.
eBooks by Melanie Jackson:
The Chloe Boston Mystery Series:
Moving Violation
The Pumpkin Thief
Death in a Turkey Town
Murder on Parade
Cupid’s Revenge
Viva Lost Vegas
Death of a Dumb Bunny
Red, White and a Dog Named Blue
Haunted
The Great Pumpkin Caper
Beast of a Feast
Snow Angel
Lucky Thirteen
The Sham
Murder by the Book
Cornucopia
Primary Suspect (Coming Soon)
The Butterscotch Jones Mystery Series
Due North
Gone South
Home Fires
Points West
The Wedding
Wild East
The Wendover House Mystery Series
The Secret Staircase
Twelfth Night
On Deadly Tides
Pieces of Hate
Miss Henry Mystery Series
Portrait of a Gossip
Landscape in Scarlet
Requiem at Christmas
Impression of Bones (Coming Soon)
Murder in a High Place
Wildside Series
Outsiders
Courier
Still Life
The Book of Dreams Series:
The First Book of Dreams: Metropolis
The Second Book of Dreams: Meridian
The Third Book of Dreams: Destiny
Medicine Trilogy
Bad Medicine
Medicine Man
Knave of Hearts
Club Valhalla
Devil of Bodmin Moor
Devil of the Highlands
Devil in a Red Coat
Halloween
The Curiosity Shoppe (Sequel to A Curious Affair)
Timeless (Sequel to Club Valhalla)
Nevermore: The Last Divine Book