Shade and Osenfott did not continue acting with Prince William. The Prince's purpose in coming to this lively banquet had already been fulfilled, so he used an important meeting the next day as an excuse and left early.
Shade watched as Osenfott and the groom, Mr. Enriques, saw the royal descendant into his carriage at the manor gates. After parting with Mr. Enriques, the burly man gestured for Shade to follow him.
They entered the building along the flagstone path running down the center of the courtyard. In the banquet hall on the second floor, they happened to see the bride, Miss Mason—or rather, Mrs. Enriques—leaving through the side door and heading into a secluded corridor of the manor.
"Follow her."
Stone Osenfott said this as though he had long known the Lady would be there.
Most of the guests were outside at the moment, and there had not been many people in the banquet hall to begin with. The corridor was even more deserted. Shade and Osenfott slowed their steps, then heard Miss Mason speaking to someone around the corner, her emotions clearly agitated:
"I'm already married! Yes, today is the wedding!"
That one sentence alone made Shade think of countless possible stories, but he did not think Osenfott had specifically brought him here to watch such a thing.
The two quietly peeked around the corner, and Shade raised his eyebrows. The one speaking with Miss Mason was not a person at all, but a transparent spirit. It looked like a young man in his twenties, about as tall as Shade but rather thin.
The spirit's color was normal, and judging by how solid it appeared, it was not particularly powerful. It had merely failed to depart after death because of obsession and intense emotions.
There was some malicious