Among the Darkness Stirs

Walking downstairs, she was greeted by a maid who directed her to the dining room. On a sideboard were eggs, sausages, bacon, and coffee. On the table was toast with jam.

“Please help yourself, miss,” she told her.

Audrey tried not to be greedy as she placed eggs, sausage, and bacon on her plate. As she was pouring herself a cup of coffee, she heard someone enter and turned to see Henry. She turned back to the coffee pot, her hands shaking.

Henry greeted her politely. “Good morning, Ms. Wakefield.”

“Good morning, Mr. Ryland,” she said, deliberately not making eye contact.

He helped himself to the food and coffee and sat across from her. When she looked up at him, she gasped. His bottom lip was split. She had done that last night.

“Yes?” He looked up to meet her eyes, but she wouldn’t meet his.

“Henry!” Theodocia came into the room and kissed her son on the cheek. “You came home early!”

“Yes, Mother. London is dirty and tiresome, and my business was finished.”

“I’m certainly happy to see you.” Theodocia took a seat next to her son. “Ms. Wakefield is our guest this morning.”

“Indeed.” His eyes were warm upon her, but still, she refused to meet them.

“I invited her to tea to discuss club business and she stayed for supper and then the night. How did you sleep, my dear?” Theodocia asked her.

Audrey blushed lightly. “W—well. Thank you.”

“Excellent.” Theodocia helped herself to the coffee.

“I didn’t sleep well, Mother,” Henry said.

“Why ever not, dear?”

“I think we might have a ghost here,” he said seriously.

Audrey willed herself not to look at him, but she couldn’t help it. She raised her eyes to meet his, and her heart thudded when she noticed him looking directly at her.

Theodocia scoffed. “A ghost? Henry, that’s ridiculous.”

“I think it might be so. A beautiful ghost who floats about the property taunting men.”

“Taunting…?” Theodocia shook her head. “Henry.”

“Why would a ghost taunt you, Mr. Ryland?” Audrey asked him, boldly meeting his eyes.

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Henry shrugged and held her gaze. “Who knows? She likes to tease.”

She finally looked away.

“We have no ghost, beautiful or otherwise,” his mother admonished him. “It’s a new house. Ghosts haunt old houses.”

“Perhaps you’re right, Mother. I merely dreamed her,” he said.

Audrey watched as he licked his bottom lip, and her heart pounded inside her chest. After that, she refused to meet his eyes again.

Audrey returned to the workhouse and learned that Theodocia had written to the Master to tell him that Audrey had been detained at their home and she must be forgiven as it was her fault. Audrey was grateful, but her heart pounded as she remembered the night before. Henry Ryland may be a gentleman during the day, but it seemed at night, when drink was involved, he became a different person entirely.

She had already made the decision to stay away from him, and the night proved it was the best course of action. She pushed thoughts of him away and busied herself with the schoolroom and lesson plans.