“Bloody hell, mate,” Cassandra whispered.
“What?” Belle asked in a breathy voice.
Cassandra opened her mouth, her eyes dropped to Belle’s stomach then she closed it. Her gaze swung to Angus and Belle could tell she was trying to communicate something but Belle didn’t know what.
“Is something wrong?” Lila was now close and watching Cassandra.
“Nothing, just that, I think there’s a complication,” Cassandra answered, backing up and away from Belle.
Angus, however, stayed close.
“What complication?” Yasmin asked. She, as well as Belle’s Mom and Joy had also closed ranks.
“I can’t say for certain, right now. I need to…” she stopped abruptly, her head jerked then her face went pale.
Belle felt the blood run from her own face and she glanced at her Mom when Rachel snapped, “What is it now?”
Cassandra came back into the room swiftly and announced, “I need to stay here. In the castle. So does Angus.”
Belle felt Angus grow still beside her but it was Joy who spoke. “Why? Is something –?”
Cassandra cut her off, “I need to do some readings.”
“What kind of readings?” Joy asked hesitantly.
Cassandra started moving toward the door. “I’ll explain later. I need to get set up now.” She stopped at the door, turned and asked suddenly and bizarrely, “Do you have a cat?”
Joy shook her head but said, “We have dogs. German Shepherds, two of them.”
Cassandra wrinkled her nose in disgust and dropped her eyes to the floor mumbling, “Dogs. Bloody useless.” Her gaze went to The McPherson and she declared, “Angus, we need to chat.”
Angus ambled to the door saying, “You got it, lass.”
Lila followed them determinedly insisting, “Wait just one damned minute.”
Both Cassandra and Angus halted their exit and looked at Belle’s grandmother.
“What, exactly, is going on?” Lila demanded to know.
As Belle, with her mother on one side, Jack’s mother on her other side and Yasmin close, stared at the three at the door, Cassandra’s gaze levelled on Gram.
“I can’t be certain and I don’t want to alarm you but I think there aren’t two ghosts in this house.”
“There are,” Joy blurted. “I’ve been seeing them for forty years!”
“I saw them too!” Rachel added. “And so did Belle.”
Cassandra shook her head but stated, “There aren’t two ghosts.” Her gaze took in everyone in the room. “I think there might be three.”
Joy gasped.
Lila’s head whipped around to look at Belle.
“Bloody hell,” Yasmin whispered.
“Oh lordy,” Rachel breathed.
Belle talked around her heart which was lodged squarely in her throat.