“To own the truth,” replied Miss Morville candidly, “I can perceive nothing romantic in a headless spectre. I should think it a very disagreeable sight, and if I did fancy I saw such a thing I should take one of Dr. James’s powders immediately! ”
Marianne was obliged to laugh; but she shook her head as well, and was persuaded that her friend could not be serious.
Miss Morville then went to her own room, to change her dress, promising to discover from Theo if they might reasonably expect to see a horrid apparition in any part of the Castle. She returned presently to escort Marianne to the Long Drawing-room, and, finding her charmingly attired in sprigged muslin, strongly recommended her to wrap a shawl round her shoulders. Though the Castle might lack a ghost, she said, it was well-provided with draughts.
“Provoking creature!” Marianne pouted. “You are determined to be prosaic, but I shan’t attend to you!”
They found the rest of the party already assembled in the Long Drawing-room, gathered about a noble fire. The Earl came forward to draw the young ladies into the circle, and Marianne, with a droll look, complained of Drusilla’s insensibility. “But she says that I must ask you,Mr. Frant, for the history of Stanyon, and you will tell it all to me — all about the secret dungeons, and the oubliette, and the ghost!”
Theo smiled, but replied ruefully that he could offer her neither ghost nor oubliette. “And I hardly dare to tell you that the dungeons were converted many years ago into wine cellars!” he confessed. “As for ghosts, I never heard of one here, did you, Gervase?”
“None beyond the shade that flits across the Fountain Court, weeping, and wringing its hands,” the Earl replied, with a composed countenance.
Marianne clasped her own hands together, and fixed her eyes on his face. “Oh, no! Do you mean it? And is that the only ghost? Does it not enter the Castle?”
“I have never known it to do so,” he said truthfully. “Of course, we have not put you in the Haunted Room — that would never do! The noise of clanking chains would make it impossible for you to sleep, and the groans, you know, are dreadful to hear. You will not be disturbed by anything of that nature, I hope. And if you should happen to hear the sound of a coach-and-four under your window at midnight pay no heed!”
“For shame, Gervase!” exclaimed Theo, laughing, as Marianne gave an involuntary shudder.”