Free His Lordship Possessed by Lynn Viehl

that old trick isn’t anything important.
    Other than it’s being used to drive his wife mad.”
    “I think it’s something else.” He looked out as the
    coach came to a halt. “Th e snow is knee-deep. I’ll have
    to carry you.”
    I pushed off the blanket. “Should I struggle again for
    the benefi t of the neighbors?”
    “I have no neighbors.”
    I saw why when he helped me out. “Dredmore, this is
    Feathersound.”
    “It is.” He swung me up into his arms.
    I linked my hands behind his neck. “Th e lord mayor
    allows you to make use of his private residence?”
    “His former private residence.” He carried me up the
    steps and through the door Connell had unlocked and
    held open. “He signed the deed over to me for services
    rendered.”
    “Does the governor know about this?” I frowned as
    I saw his driver lighting a candle to illuminate the dark
    hall. “No servants?”
    “Offi cially the house has been closed for two years.”
    He set me down and instructed Connell to light the
    fi res before taking my hand. “Unoffi cially, it’s haunted.
    Legally, it’s mine.”
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    Disench anted & Co., Part 1
    Dredmore guided me into Feathersound’s library, which
    appeared to be as large as my entire fl at. Every wall had
    been fi tted with shelves from fl oor to ceiling, save the
    center of one where space had been made for a massive
    cherrywood secretary. “You cheated the mayor out of his
    home by telling him it was haunted?”
    “No. I saved his life from what he believed was the
    vengeful spirit of his former business partner.” He went to
    the hearth and lit the kindling under a large stack of split seasoned oak. “Th e specter turned out to be the gifted
    and rather resourceful aide of the mayor’s opponent, who
    had hoped to frighten away his competition before the
    election.”
    “But you didn’t tell the mayor that,” I guessed.
    “After I assured His Honor that I had dispelled the
    spirit from the premises, I discreetly arranged for the
    mayor’s opponent to withdraw from the election.” He sat
    back on his heels and watched the fl ames catch. “Directly
    after that, he and his aide left Rumsen.”
    He hadn’t killed them, as everyone had believed. “You
    blackmailed him.”
    “I persuaded him to relocate to a city in the east where
    he might enjoy more success in the political arena.” He
    rose and brushed some melting snow from his shoulders
    before regarding me. “Why are you smiling at me like
    that?”
    “You don’t believe in magic any more than I do.” And
    now I had proof of it. “You’re an investigator like me.
    You only dress it up with spells and nonsense to hide your
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    LYNN VIEHL
    methods. So how did you disguise the blade you used on
    the snuff mage outside court? Was it some sort of trick,
    like the way you pretended to pop through the fl oors at
    Morehaven?”
    “Come here, Charmian.” He removed a dust drape
    from a cushiony lady’s armchair by the fi re and gestured
    for me to take a seat in it. When I did, he said, “I will
    answer your questions, but you must fi rst do something
    for me.”
    My fi rst, automatic response was to refuse, but
    Dredmore had just diverted Walsh’s men from harming
    Rina and her gels, and had provided safe sanctuary for
    me. I owed him some cooperation, and we both knew it.
    “What do you want?”
    “Take off your pendant and hand it to me.”
    Th e moment I did, I knew Harry would appear, but
    at least Dredmore wouldn’t be able to see him. I reached
    up, unfastened the catch, and held out the chain to him.
    Th e moment the pendant left my fi ngers, my
    grandfather’s misty form appeared. He didn’t say a
    word, but lunged at Dredmore, who quickly pocketed
    the pendant. As soon as he did, Harry turned
    semitransparent.
    “Why on earth did you do that, you silly twit?” my
    grandfather shouted.
    “Because I asked