Page 26 of Lady Tamsyn and the Pixie's Curse
Chapter6
Early the next morning,Tamsyn lay in wait on the stairwell outside her parents’ rooms. Shewouldcatch her father before Rowancourt could. Stifling a yawn, she leaned her head back against the railing and hoped none of the maids would findherhere.
“You heard the screaming last night,didn’tyou?”
She clutched her chest. “Paul! Don’t do that!” Settling back again, she nodded. “I did hear it. Do you know whoitis?”
“Yes.” He lookeddowncast.
“Is someone introuble?Paul?”
He looked up at her, despairing and more transparent than usual. “It’s mymother.”
Tamsyn stilled. How did one address something like this? “Paul, is your mother’s spirit here too? At thecastle?”
“No. She’s not a spirit. She’salive.”
“Your mother is alive?” Tamsyn wondered if herfatherknew.
“Yes, but she is . . . disturbed. They keep her locked in thetower.”
She stared, aghast. “Your mother is locked in the tower—and has been all of these years, when everyone thought shehaddied?”
“Yes. Father thought it was best that way. She’s mad, they say. But mostly she’s just very unhappy, and it . . .unhingesher.”
“I am so sorry, Paul.” She’d wondered what would bind a child’s spirit to a place like this and now she thought perhaps a mother’s grief would do it. “Do you . . . visit her? Like you speaktome?”
“No. She doesn’t see me. Only at night sometimes, when she’s drifting to sleep. Then she can feel me touch her hand or her hair. Sometimes it soothes her.” He grimaced. “Although sometimes it upsets her,instead.”
“Truly, I’msorry.”
He glanced quickly over his shoulder. “Here they come.” Hefadedaway.
Her mother emerged first, already scolding. Tamsyn smoothed her skirts and moved to intercept them in the doorway. “Good morning, Mother.” She kissed her proffered cheek. “Father, I wondered if I might talktoyou?”
“Yes, yes,” he sighed. “Come along tobreakfast.”
“Please, sir. I’d like to speak with youalone?”
Her parents exchangedglances.
“I can have a tray sent up,” her motherbegan.
‘No! No, I’ll hear Tamsyn out and then I’ll be down. Eggs on trays are always cold. Can’t abide cold eggs.” He held open the door and beckoned her in. “Well?” He indicated a chair in her mother’s sitting area. “Let’s have it. A spat with your sister? Got your eye on one of theyoungmen?”
She flushed. “No, sir. Well . . .” She shookherhead.
“Get on withit,girl!”
“It’s just . . . this castle . . . it’s a strange place,isn’tit?”
“Heard about your sister and the Hawkins girl, have you? Well, don’t fret. The servant is in custody—barking mad though hemaybe.”
She despaired of actually getting him to listen. “Did you know that a mad woman lives in thetower?”
He bolted upright. “How did the devil did you hear that? The servants surely aren’t talking after all ofthistime?”
“No, sir. Someone elsetoldme.”
