The Lord and the Banshee (Read by Candlelight #13) - Gillian St. Kevern Page 0,29

had been.”

“The sooner we get you and father home, the better,” Julian said. “Even if the view is nice.” His gaze returned to the gardener.

Cross snorted. “I will leave you to the view.” He stood, continuing to follow the path around the house. He paused, looking up at the great stone bulk of the castle.

The castle stared back, an implacable giant. There was something in its solid defiance that echoed O’Flaherty’s bullish moods. For the first time, Cross felt a hint of doubt. Julian’s nose had got them no further ahead. Were they equal to the challenge of the banshee?

A servant directed him to the Connaught Castle library. Cross stepped into the room, looking around himself with interest. ‘Library’ was much too optimistic a description. The room was a repurposed armoury. A few rusting swords still rested on a weapon stand, choked with spider webs. The bookcases were piled with a collection of papers, few of which were between covers. Cross saw folios, scrolls, bundles of letters and maps among them. Clearly the owners of Connaught Castle had taken a lax approach to record keeping. The only thing in any sort of order were the account books.

A wooden table had been placed in the centre of the room. Here, surrounded by dusty scraps of manuscript, sat Pip, using a magnifying glass to make out the faded print on an old manuscript. He jumped to his feet as Thomas entered. “Thomas! You startled me.”

Thomas tilted his head to one side, considering Pip. In contrast to his own energy, Pip appeared worn, with shadows around his eyes. “How are you this morning?”

Pip grimaced. “I did not rest as well as I might have hoped. I thought I heard whispers outside my door, but when I looked, there was no one there.”

Pip had investigated alone in a castle where he had been threatened three times and survived one attempt on his life? Thomas pinched the bridge of his nose. “You did not fetch help?”

Pip shook his head. “Julian slept through it, so I thought it must be my imagination. Whatever they were, the whispers followed me into my dreams. I slept poorly.” His gaze relaxed as it rested on Thomas. “No need to ask if you slept well.”

Thomas glanced around the room and, ascertaining they were alone, caressed Pip’s cheek. “Indeed. I slept more soundly than I have in months.”

“That is a weight off my mind. I confess, I have worried about you. Travelling to Ireland seemed to have a marked effect on your health.”

“I will not be sorry to quit Connaught for Foxwood. On that note, any progress?” Cross gestured to the papers.

Pip shook his head. “I’m searching for any history of banshees connected to Connaught castle before Una Malone, but so far I have not found any. Or ghosts, which surprises me. The O’Flahertys seem to have been a rather warlike family, so you’d expect some… Then again, they only settled in Connaught a few centuries ago, so perhaps they haven’t had time.”

Cross grunted. “Anything about Una?”

Pip shook his head. “No—well, not unless you consider her appearance to a friend of the family interesting. In the previous Lord Connaught’s time—Mr O’Flaherty’s predecessors predecessor—he had an elderly canon staying with them. The canon witnessed the banshee, and departed this mortal world two days later.”

Cross frowned, leaning over the manuscript Pip studied. “Accident?”

Pip shook his head. “It was well known that he had a heart condition and was not likely to survive the year.”

“I can’t imagine the appearance of a banshee being very helpful for a convalescent.”

Pip pursed his lips. “I am sure that is merely coincidence. There is no reason to believe that the banshee is actively harming people. Everyone she appears to was suffering from some form of illness or of very advanced years.”

“And yet death follows every sighting.” Cross felt a stirring of unease. “When was the last time you visited the doctor?”

Pip gave him a flat look. “That is my question to you. Though if you must know, I have been in very good health since my arrival here. I think the country air agrees with me.”

More likely the banshee agreed with him.

“Though on that note…” Pip looked down at the manuscript before him. “I cannot help but worry about you. Both times the banshee appeared to the two of us, it had an immediate effect on your health. You collapsed after the first sighting, and after the second…” He raised his head, looking at Thomas with furrowed brow.