Death of a Duchess by Nellie Steele (the beginning after the end novel read TXT) 📗

a clicking lock. I tugged at the door, twisting the knob without any success. I pounded against the door, demanding it be opened.

I spun to face Annie again. “Open the door!” I shouted. Annie cocked her head, contorting her face into a twisted smirk. “Annie,” I said, forcing my voice to remain calm, “I realize you are attempting to communicate with me. There is a better way to do this.”

Annie narrowed her eyes. I continued. “I understand how confusing this must be for you. Most of the living do not notice you. They go about their lives, never recognizing your presence. But I am different, Annie. I have spent my entire life communicating with the dead. Please, Annie. Let us become allies.”

Annie stared at me, her glassy eyes filling with a mix of emotions. For a moment, I expected her to weep and guessed progress may finally come. Then another noise broke the silence between us. “Lenora?” Robert called, jiggling the door. “Lenora, are you in there? Why is the door locked?”

The introduction of the new voice, Robert’s voice, caused an abrupt change in Annie’s demeanor. She lunged at me, grasping me by the shoulders with a shriek. I screamed as icy hands clutched at me. A powerful force pushed me from behind. I struggled against Annie and the unseen force pushing at me. “Help!” I shouted. “Annie, stop!” My hands clutched at hers, trying to pull them from my shoulders.

I barreled toward the window. The pane flung open and cold air rushed in from outside. I dug my feet into the floor in a desperate attempt to stop my progress. My efforts proved futile. I screamed as the window rushed toward me. The sound of Robert’s voice calling to me met my ears. He sounded so far away.

My heart pounded and blood rushed into my ears as I slammed into the stone sill. I clutched at the stone casing surrounding the window as my body pitched forward. Annie had disappeared as I crashed against the window, leaving nothing standing between me and meeting a fate similar to hers.

My fingers scrambled to find purchase among the stones to prevent myself from being pitched out the window. The unseen hands that pushed at my back were unrelenting though. My strength was feeble compared to the force pressing against me.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I hung further out the window, still desperately trying to clutch at the walls. The ground loomed below me in a dizzying display. The pressure against me soon proved too much, and I pitched headfirst out the window. As I tumbled, I managed to grasp the interior sill. I clutched at it, my legs flailing underneath me. As I dangled stories above the ground, I glanced up at the window. Annie loomed over me.

I called out to her for help. She glanced behind her as a loud splintering crack resounded through the air. Annie disappeared from my sight a moment later. At first, I assumed the sill had fractured and would fall away from the castle, sending me to my doom. But seconds later, strong arms grasped my forearms, pulling me upward.

Tears clouded my eyes, but as I was hauled through the window, I recognized Robert. He continued to pull, grasping hold of my waist as he hauled me into the room. I clung to him, a sob escaping me as I collapsed against him.

“Lenora, my God, are you all right?”

I nodded my head, unable to speak for a moment. “Yes,” I managed to gasp out after a time. I inhaled a shaky breath, wiping at my face to clear the tears.

Robert hugged me to his chest, and I took solace in his embrace, allowing myself a moment to let my alarm diminish. Buchanan appeared in the doorway. “Your Grace, what has happened? Is Her Grace all right? I heard shouting.”

I pushed away, trying to nod my response as I continued to catch my breath. Robert answered before I could. “No,” he responded, still holding me close. “No, she is not all right. She has experienced quite a fright and was very nearly harmed beyond repair. I am taking her straight to bed. Have a hot toddy prepared to help calm her nerves.”

“At once, Your Grace!” Buchanan turned on his heel and disappeared down the stairway.

I did not object to being spirited to bed or the beverage, feeling I needed both to calm my nerves. Robert gazed at me, pushing hair away from my face. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” I said with a nod, “I am able to walk.”

“You will do no such thing,” Robert scolded gently. “You are still shaking. I shall carry you.” Reaching down, Robert swept me off my feet, cradling me in his arms to carry me to my quarters.

The gesture was not unappreciated. My legs remained wobbly from the experience and I longed to be in my bed. I decided not to protest, instead putting my arms around Robert’s neck and allowing him to carry me down. “Please be careful of your leg,” I warned.

“Oh, Lenora,” Robert chided. “My leg is no issue, particularly compared with the circumstances you just endured.”

Within moments, Robert spirited me through the halls and to my bed. He placed me gently down and pulled the covers over me. My arms ached from my struggle to hang onto the windowsill. I settled back into the pillows behind me to relax them. Buchanan arrived with my hot toddy and I sipped at it gratefully.

He dragged a chair to my bedside for Robert. “Is there anything else, Your Grace?” Buchanan inquired of Robert. “Should I fetch the doctor?”

“No, that isn’t necessary,” I voiced.

Robert held up his hand to stop me. “I shall decide what is necessary. We shall call for the doctor in the morning unless Her Grace takes a turn during the night. There is nothing else at this time.”

“Would you like me to fetch Miss Sinclair to stay with Her Grace through the night?”

“No, that is not necessary, I