Lacybourne Manor (Ghosts and Reincarnation #3)(81)

He decided to take this as a good sign.

Colin exchanged his rather than Sibyl’s contact information with the police, deliberately misleading them as to the nature of their relationship. It wasn’t exactly a lie, as they would be getting married soon; it was just that Sibyl didn’t know that yet.

The police were preparing to leave when his mobile rang again.

Sibyl’s name was on the display.

“Sibyl,” he said in greeting.

“Colin, I’m ordering you a curry. What do you like?”

“I’ll find something at home.”

There was a pause then Sibyl said quietly, “Colin, would you please just tell me what kind of curry you like?”

Something about her soft tone told him she was not exasperated but curious. She was finally asking him something personal about himself and it was about what kind of Indian food he preferred.

“Lamb vindaloo,” he answered shortly.

She gave a faint laugh and whispered, “Of course, vindaloo,” before she rang off.

After the police left, he checked that the house was secured or as secure as it could be. Then, once he had the big, groggy dog in his car, he went home.

They were there before him and he found them in his huge kitchen drinking tea as if they did it every night of their lives. Or, at least, Mrs. Byrne was drinking tea. Colin saw the yellow box with flowers and Oriental writing on it and smelled the pungent, weird aroma and knew that Sibyl was drinking the Asian organic hot drink she sipped on a frequent basis.

Whatever it smelled like, if he kissed her after she drank it, she tasted of flowers.

Sibyl started when she saw him and then ran to him then she ran right passed him and Colin was, for the first time in his life, upstaged by a dog.

“Mallory!” she cried, crouching low, and gave her dog a hug and a kiss on his head.

In turn, Mallory gave her cheek a sloppy lash and then the dog’s backside collapsed as if he could hold it up no more. He sat there, looking mystified and a slim, glistening line of drool slid off his lip only to hang there in suspended animation.

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” Sibyl told the dog and Colin was relieved to hear amused affection rather than worry in her voice.

As Mrs. Byrne prepared Colin’s food, Sibyl wiped the dog’s mouth with a paper towel with an efficiency borne of years of practice. For some bizarre reason, Colin found this act fascinating.

Once Colin was eating, standing in front of his kitchen sink with his h*ps resting against the counter, Mrs. Byrne announced, “I must be going. It’s terribly late. Sibyl, tell me if you learn anything about what happened.” She gave them a look that encompassed them both and she looked pleased with her handiwork as, weeks ago, she’d attempted to orchestrate exactly this scene. She glanced at the counter where Colin belatedly noticed a cake stood. “Enjoy the sponge.”

Then she was gone.

He watched Sibyl clean out the teacups as he finished his food.

“There’s a note and an envelope on the counter for you,” she told him.

He threw the food carton in the rubbish bin and noticed that Mandy had couriered the correspondence he left behind when he went to see to Sibyl. Mandy had written an unhappy note about how the letters were supposed to be in first class post today but if he didn’t mind seeing to them tonight, she’d have them couriered first thing tomorrow. This emphasis was achieved through dramatic use of underlining. He might have been annoyed if Mandy wasn’t so efficient and, more importantly, Sibyl wasn’t in his kitchen rinsing out teacups.

“I’ve some work to see to. Do you have something to do?” he asked Sibyl, tearing open the envelope.

“I’ve brought a book,” she replied, watching him.

She seemed guarded and it dawned on him that she didn’t have the best memories of Lacybourne. Considering this dilemma, Colin decided to act business as usual in an effort to curtail any unpleasant emotions she might have considering her already difficult night and her unhappy memories of his home.

“Good, you can read in the study while I finish this.”

She nodded then went to her bag which was sitting by the entry to the back stairwell, undoubtedly Mrs. Byrne’s gentle reminder not to use the staircase in the Great Hall, and pulled out a book.

Colin led the way to the study and Sibyl and Mallory followed him. He counted it as a good sign that Mallory only ran into the wall once on their short journey.

He settled behind his desk while Sibyl sat on the couch in front of the enormous fireplace, looking around with obvious interest.

“I’ll give you a tour of the house another time,” he offered, watching her. “These were meant to be in today’s post.”

She hid her interest in the room and said quickly, “That’s okay. I don’t need a tour.” Her eyes dropped to his work and she finished on a whisper, “I’m sorry that I took you from work.”

He let her first comment go. She’d eventually have to have a tour, considering it would one day be her home, but it was highly precipitous to mention that at this juncture.

To her second comment, he replied softly, not taking his eyes from hers, “I’m not sorry.”

At his words, she pulled her lips between her teeth but as she did this she stared at him inquisitively as if she didn’t know quite what to make of him before tearing her eyes away.