turned to see her stretch bony arms towards the fire. It flickered, flames jumping higher, turning white hot as they burned. In moments, they devoured the logs, and smoke rose where flames had been moments earlier.
Una’s chest rose in a silent sigh. Her lips moved, but no sound reached him.
His knees shook. He reached behind himself for the chair, intending to sit. Instead, his legs gave way. He sprawled on the floor.
Una stood over him. She beckoned, pointing to the door.
Thomas’s body trembled, racked with cold. Was it terror that turned his legs against him, or weakness? His heart leaped in his chest, hammering an uncertain beat against his ribcage. Una motioned to the door. “Come,” she mouthed.
Thomas flung up his hands to prevent her from coming closer. He felt a chill on the underside of his arms, skin prickling with the frosty atmosphere of the room. A sharp pain pierced his breast, engulfing his entire chest in a vice. Thomas could not breathe, it hurt so much.
Darkness encroached on his vision. Thomas flung out a hand, steadying himself against the floor. Staying upright was no longer an option. He collapsed onto one arm, chest heaving as he gasped for air that would not come.
It hurt, so much more than he thought he had it in him to hurt. Each pulse of his heart was a dagger driving deeper into his chest.
He saw a white shape moving towards the door, heard the flutter of cloth as she moved.
Thomas kicked with his legs, trying to pull himself across the stone floor. Must warn Pip.
The cold had spread, inhabiting his body now. It did not relent, but neither did his body fight it. He did not tremble, he did not shake. It was as if something inside of him was dead already and the rest of his body abandoning the fight.
Thomas doubled up. He shut his eyes, gasping as he fought against the pain. He pressed his hands to his chest. His heart heaved once. Thomas did not feel it beat again.
Was this death? His heart had given out?
The chill ran through him. He should feel fear. Instead, all Thomas could think about was Pip. To die with this between them…
A thudding in his chest. Regular. Unhurried.
The pressure in his chest eased, darkness fading from his vision. Thomas rolled onto his back and lay still, panting as his body asserted, with numerous aches and pins and needles, that it was still alive.
How…?
His hand was not pressed to his chest, but to the pouch. It was not his heart that beat.
19
The sound of the door opening snapped Thomas out of his shock. He looked up, just in time to see Una’s skirts disappear out the door.
No! Thomas grit his teeth and struggled upright. He could not let her do to the others what her presence had done to him.
His legs were slow to respond, and his first few steps shook. By the time he reached the doorway, they were obedient, even if one leg throbbed with pins and needles. Seeing Una making her way down the corridor, Thomas limped after her. Voices whispered behind him—or was the sound his imagination?
He could not be distracted. Thomas fixed his gaze on Una and staggered down the corridor.
Una did not look to the right or left. She walked straight down the hallway, making for the staircase that descended to the ground floor.
A scream up ahead. Stella pressed herself against her door, hands clamped over her mouth as Una approached.
“Get back!” Thomas shouted. “Stay away from her!”
Stella stared at the apparition, making no attempt to move. His shouts had caught the attention of another. Mrs O’Flaherty looked out of the door after her daughter. She didn’t hesitate. Hooking an arm around Stella, she pulled her back into the safety of the bedroom.
Una did not appear to notice. She reached the top of the stairs, descending at a brisk pace. At the bottom she paused, looking back. Her eyes rested on Thomas.
Making sure he followed? Thomas pressed his lips together.
A door opened. “We heard a scream.” Pip hurried up to him.
“Is everything all right?” Julian was behind him, his gaze wary.
So much for Pip keeping to his room. “We have a visitor.” Thomas inclined his head toward the foot of the stairs.
Pip leaned over the bannister. “Inside the house! Why, this is unheard of! In all the records, she only appeared outside!”
“What does this mean?” Connaught had joined them.
“I propose to find out.” Thomas squared his shoulders. “She