Spirited Away Read Online Free Page B

thought someone was out there." She shook her head and took a deep breath. "I ... could've sworn I heard someone speak. It sounded so real." She gave a nervous laugh. "Crazy, huh?"
    Jameson frowned. "What did you hear, lady?"
    Peeling off her weatherproofs, she met Jameson's questioning gaze. "Save them."
    Jameson's eyebrows shot up. Anger flashed in his eyes but disappeared so fast, Andi wasn't sure it had happened. Then he smiled.
    "I'm sure it was only the wind, Dr. Monroe. Very brisk off the North Sea, you know. I assure you the grounds are quite private and secure." He placed an age-spotted hand on her shoulder. "You've nothing to fear in this place, lady. I swear it."
    God, now she felt like an idiot. Of course she didn't have anything to fear. All those tales of missing knights and see-through knights in chain mail with no bodily substance and skeletons clinging to tree roots had her imagining things. "Thanks, Jameson. I guess it was my imagination working overtime. I truly appreciate the opportunity to work this find. It means a great deal to me."
    He nodded his gray head. "I'm so glad that it does. Now. Shall I assist with your baggage whilst we venture above? No doubt you'll want to rid yourself of those sopping garments?"
    Andi smiled and shouldered her site bag. "Absolutely. Lead the way."
    For the first time since entering Dreadmoor's great hall she looked—really looked—at her surroundings. A smile pulled at her lips as she took in the room.
    Bold stone walls and exposed wooden beams, just as it would have been in the thirteenth century, made up the interior of Dreadmoor Castle. Tapestries that appeared to be centuries old adorned a good amount of wall space. A monolithic fireplace took up the space of an entire wall. Medieval torches—finely crafted replicas, anyway—situated in their cradles cast a dim glow over the enormous room. Very impressive, to say the least, and just as she'd dreamed it would be.
    "This place is perfect." She didn't miss a thing as she allowed Jameson to pull her through the great hall toward a massive staircase leading to the chambers above.
    They passed an immense tapestry, and she stopped for a short look. The color had faded, but someone had done a wonderful job of keeping it preserved. Such tiny stitches! The scene depicted two knights at tournament, their lances lethally pointed at one another while their magnificent chargers raced forward. A large flag waved in the background, a mystical beast with its head thrown back, roaring. Dragonhawk.
    "Dr. Monroe?"
    "I'm coming." She turned and followed Jameson up the stairs, down a long, shadowy corridor until they reached another set of steps.
    "The tower chamber, Dr. Monroe." He indicated their direction with a slight nod.
    Andi's skin prickled. She couldn't believe her good fortune. "The tower chamber?"
    "Yes, now if you'll step with utmost care ..."
    Jameson's words trailed behind her. Excitement bubbled as she mounted the darkened stairs and rushed ahead into the darkness.
    "Colonists."
    "I heard that," she said. A single door stood open at the landing. Pitch-blackness poured out. "Hey, Jameson, where are the—"
    Lights from the tower chamber flickered on. Andi turned to look behind her. Jameson took the remaining two steps as he approached her room. She turned back to her chambers. She hadn't bumped into any switches. Jameson must've hit one in the hall. With a shrug she walked into her room, then pulled up short. She could do nothing but stare, openmouthed, and hope with all her might she didn't drool and loll her tongue.
    "This is so great ..." More tapestries, similar to the ones in the great hall, draped the rounded stone wall, each depicting a knight either at battle or at tournament, the figures stitched to perfection. A huge, four-poster curtained bed sat in the center of the room, the heavy velvet a lush, dark burgundy. The fireplace, which took up the breadth of the wall directly in front of the bed, had a large,