“Do you mean to repair it?” Hartford asked. “I assume you will now you’ve married.”

Jasper shot him an irritated look. Whatever the man’s motivations for being here, he was making a damned nuisance of himself. “Eventually, yes.” He stepped forward. “My lady? If you will? The structure isn’t safe.”

Lady Arundell reluctantly withdrew with them back out to the empty stable yard. “Have you considered holding a séance? I’m not acquainted with any practitioners in this part of the country, but I daresay you could get a party together with some of the locals.”

“I wouldn’t advise it,” Hartford said. “The people in that drab little village don’t look particularly enlightened. According to history, it was they who strung up the house’s original inhabitants.”

“It was a political execution.” Jasper escorted them back to the house. “One of many during the Civil War.”

“I’m not interested in the history of Roundheads and Cavaliers,” Lady Arundell retorted. “I’m concerned with spiritual matters. And this house is a reputed hotbed of spiritual activity.”

“I have lived here six years, ma’am,” Jasper said, “and never encountered a ghost.”

Hartford grinned. “You’ve probably scared them away. You’re not a very welcoming presence.”

Jasper didn’t dispute the fact. He had no interest in welcoming anyone here. Not spirits. Not human beings. He wanted to be left alone with his family.

A family that was presently nowhere to be seen.

Nearly an hour had passed since Julia had gone off with Lady Anne. She hadn’t come back, nor had the children.

Jasper ushered Hartford and Lady Arundell back into the drawing room. He sent Beecham to the kitchens for more tea.

It was another quarter of an hour before Julia and Lady Anne returned. Lady Anne was determinedly cheerful, talking about some housekeeping book she’d given to Julia as a gift, but Julia was silent, her face nearly as pale as it had been in the aftermath of her bloodletting.

Jasper was instantly on his feet. “Is everything all right?”

“Excellent,” Lady Anne answered, sitting beside her mother. Her tone was bracing, but her attention lingered on Julia with thinly veiled concern. “We’ve had a lovely visit, haven’t we, my dear?”

“Yes. Lovely.” Julia sat down, her posture straight as a ramrod in her chair. She avoided Jasper’s gaze as she freshened everyone’s tea.

He watched her with a growing sense of unease. There was something strangely detached about her movements. It put him in mind of the way she’d looked when he’d seen her dancing with Lord Gresham at the Claverings’ ball. As if she’d withdrawn into herself.

By some miracle, he got through the next hour without drawing her aside to interrogate her. He walked with her to see their guests out, stood silent as she hugged Lady Anne goodbye and waved off the carriage.

Only when the coach had disappeared out of sight down the drive, when Beecham had withdrawn into the house, and Jasper and Julia were alone on the steps, did Jasper finally speak freely.