The Perfect Bride - By Kerry Connor Page 0,20

duties any earlier without it looking suspicious, Jillian waited until lunch to announce she intended to drive into town, saying she wanted to explore the area a bit.

“I can come with you,” Meredith offered. “I could show you some spots you might want to know about so you can point them out to your wedding guests as places to visit.”

“That’s all right,” Jillian said. “I think I’d like to try to get a feel for the area on my own.”

“Of course,” Meredith said, forcing a smile. Jillian didn’t miss the worry the woman could barely conceal. Was she concerned Jillian wouldn’t come back? Jillian wondered if Meredith was aware her brother was trying to scare her off, or if she had other reasons to be worried. It was just another of the mysteries at Sutton Hall, and Jillian already had enough of those to unravel.

She left midafternoon, finding her way to the garage where her rental car had been parked. The tension tightening the back of her shoulders eased slightly as she drove away. She glanced back in the rearview mirror once. The mansion completely filled the reflective surface, looming as large as ever. It didn’t look as dark and gloomy as it did up close, but Jillian still felt unsettled as she took it in. Only when the trees blocked it did the mansion finally disappear from view. The instant it did, an involuntary sigh eased from Jillian’s lungs. Inhaling deeply, she turned her focus to the road.

The town of Hawthorne was located a few miles down the road at the base of the mountain. Jillian hadn’t paid much attention to it on her way through the day before, too intent on reaching her destination. This time she made a point to study her surroundings as she entered the town limits. It was even smaller than she’d realized, but utterly charming, with a comfortable small-town feel. The buildings that lined the main street were large and older, classic in style. She wouldn’t have been surprised to learn they’d all been standing for more than a century, all beautifully maintained.

Spotting the library, Jillian parked out front and made her way inside. The building was quiet as she entered, even more than she would have expected for a library. The only person in view was the woman behind the front desk. Appearing to be in her fifties, with a head of brown curls and half-rimmed glasses, she looked up and smiled at Jillian’s approach.

“Hi there,” Jillian said. “I’m hoping you can help me. I’m interested in doing some research on Sutton Hall.”

The woman’s expression didn’t change, but Jillian didn’t miss the way her smile seemed to tighten slightly. “What kind of research?”

“My name is Jillian Jones. I’m going to be getting married there and would love to learn more about the place. The new owners have told me a little, but I’m sure there’s more they don’t know about since they’re fairly new to the place themselves. I thought I might try to do some research on my own.”

With every word, the woman’s smile had tightened further. By the time Jillian finished her explanation, it couldn’t have looked more forced. “How nice,” the woman said faintly. “You must be so excited. Are your friends and family up there with you preparing for the big day?”

“No, it’s just me at the moment.”

The woman’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh, so you’re...all alone out there.”

The way she said it sent a shiver down Jillian’s spine, reminding her all too well how true it was. “Well, not exactly,” she made herself say. “The Suttons and the rest of the staff are there, too, of course.”

“Of course,” the woman echoed flatly.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Jillian said. “And yes, I am aware of the death that happened there recently, so you don’t have to tell me about that.”

The look on the woman’s face said she clearly needed to if Jillian was dismissing it that easily.

As if realizing she hadn’t said anything for far too long, the woman straightened with a start. “All right,” she said finally. She motioned toward a nearby table. “Why don’t we have a seat and I’ll tell you what I can.”

“That sounds great,” Jillian replied, not having to fake her eagerness. She’d thought the woman might point her to some reference materials, but this was better. Especially since some of the things she wanted to know were unlikely to be in any books.

With a nod, Jillian moved toward the table, glancing around the room