The Haunted (Sleeping with Monsters Book 1) by Cassie Alexander Read Free Book Online Page A

back from her cost him. “They were
happy enough at first – had a lot of friends in from out of town, dinner
parties. But then,” he started slowing down, as if weighing the former
occupant’s right to privacy. “Well, things changed after their daughter died.”
    “Oh
no – how?”
    He
winced. “Horse riding accident. I – I shouldn’t have brought it up –“
    “No,
I used to ride, I know how dangerous it can be.”
    Her
admission relieved him somewhat. “She had this big black warmblood. Gorgeous
beast, but an animal nonetheless.”
    “What
happened to it afterward?”
    “They
sold it, I’m sure. And then the house was never the same after that. They
didn’t want to sell here – too many good memories, I suppose – but they moved
out soon after. Kept us on this whole time. I don’t know if they were hoping
they could come back someday, or if they just realized the home would never
sell if the grounds got too wild.”
    They
were almost to the stable’s door. It was a looming barn-roofed structure, two
stories tall, and the angle of the morning light shadowed its open door,
keeping the inside cool and dark. She wanted to investigate, but knew on a
woman’s level that she shouldn’t go in there alone with this man. Not wearing
this skirt, no matter how nice he seemed. She gave him a smile and then turned
around. The house wasn’t so far behind them and the sunlight was lighting it
up. She really did need curtains, she could easily see in half the windows. If
they’d come a little earlier, or if she’d slept a little later, she would have
given all the men a free show.
    But
more than that -- if she could see into the house – then he could see
out. She thought she could feel his eyes on her, and she realized she wanted to
be with him again.
    She
turned back toward Jason. “I have to go back.”
    “You
don’t want to see the workshop on the second floor?”
    “Maybe
another time.”
    He
looked surprised, but nodded. “Of course.”
    “I
may try my hand at the herb garden before you return.”
    “If
you need any seeds or starters, let me know.” He smiled warmly and she felt it
radiate through her, like the rays of the rising sun, but nowhere near as hot
as the Master’s hands.
     
    Arthur
was there every time she turned around that day. She’d be reaching seductively
inside of a box, the door would open, and he’d be there. Now that the library
was finished, he needed a lot more guidance to help, which normally she
wouldn’t mind, only she had a ghost to seduce.
    When
she thought about it that way, it became completely ludicrous and she couldn’t
help but smile and shake her head, trailing Arthur down the hall.
    “I
found something I think you should see, Ma’am,” he announced on the fourth of
his interruptions.
    “Really?”
She looked around the room. She hadn’t felt him watching her yet. Was he? Or
was he distracted, too?
    “I
think you’ll be pleased.”
    “All
right.” She dusted her hands against her skirt in an unladylike fashion. “Lead
on.”
     
    Arthur
took her to the closet of one of the back bedrooms and opened the door up
dramatically. “See?”
    There
was a large box on the ground, and in it were bolts of fabric. She knelt down
and picked one up. “Are these what I think they are?”
    “I
believe so! Curtains!”
    “Oh
thank god. I didn’t know how we were going to get anyone to come out here to
measure things, or how long they’d take to make.” She held the top one up. They
were a drab grey, but it didn’t matter.
    “I’d
assumed they’d taken them, and were going to hem them for their new home. I had
no idea this was here.”
    “Well,
this isn’t enough to do all the windows, not unless you find another box or
ten. But these will do the bedroom just fine – and we can take our time working
on the rest.”
    “I’ll
start steaming the creases out this afternoon.”
    Daphne
rose to standing, beaming at him. One more step in getting this house