The main part sat impressively on top of the motte. It had one central tower in the same heavy beige stone as the rest of the building. My eyes scanned the top. Was that where Brigit had jumped from? Was it the very same tower, or had it been rebuilt over the years?

“That’d be one heck of a fall,” Andre said.

I glanced over at him and saw he was staring up at the tower as well. Below the crenellated top, windows were carved into the stone. Had one of those rooms belonged to Brigit? Is that where she was kept until she complied? My eyes dropped to the ground where she would have fallen. No wonder she haunted the castle. I would, too.

“Poor thing,” Viv said. “What a horrible choice to have to make—death, or being the chattel of some perverted old man who wanted her solely for the purpose of bearing sons.”

“Agreed.” I couldn’t help but feel terrible for Brigit, just a child herself, having to make such a choice.

It occurred to me that I had forgotten to ask Dominick one very important question. Both he and Archie had talked about the curse of the McKenna bride but neither one had mentioned any other bride or groom who’d died before their wedding at Waverly Castle.

“Do you think Dooney is the first?” I asked.

“First what?” Viv asked.

“First groom to die?” I asked. “For that matter, was he the first person in a wedding to die from the curse, apart from Brigit? Because both Archie and Dominick talked about the McKenna bride and her curse, but they didn’t mention any other bride or groom dying in the castle. Doesn’t that seem strange? I mean, wouldn’t you say that there’s this curse and you know it’s true because Donna in 1745, Phyllis in 1862 and Sharon in 1934 all died when they were about to get married at Waverly Castle?”

“Donna, Phyllis, Sharon?” Andre asked with a laugh. “Where did you get those names?”

“They were the first ones to pop into my head,” I said.

“Phyllis sounds like someone’s pony,” Viv said.

“And Donna is their goose,” Andre laughed.

“Then what’s Sharon?” Viv asked.

“Their goat,” Andre said.

“Those were just examples,” I said. I felt the need to defend myself and keep us on point. “You have to admit, it’s a valid question.”

“Fine,” Viv said. “All dubious name choices aside, yes, it is strange that neither of them mentioned anyone else dying right before their wedding. For the legend of the curse to have lasted over a thousand years, there should be a reason for it.”

“Can we ask Archie?” Andre asked. “He seems fairly invested in the castle.”

“I think we should,” I said. “I believe he’s warming up to me. Finding a body together will do that to people.”