The Lost Bride Trilogy, #1
Inheritance
by Nora Roberts
Contents
Chapter Fifteen
Overview
Preparing for a meeting with Trey, Sonya documents her mirror vision and notices a ghostly nudge toward dressing up. The business consult sparks clear plans for Doyle Law’s rebrand. When they investigate the Gold Room, a violent haunting traps Trey until he confronts the presence—likely Hester. Afterward, Sonya recounts her mirror vision of Marianne’s death and Hester stealing rings; Trey believes her. They choose calm and connection, going out to dinner while the dogs keep company.
Summary
After a restless night, Sonya logs the mirror incident and sketches the figures she saw. She prepares for Trey’s visit, noting a ghost has laid out a red dress, but chooses a professional green dress. She sets coffee in the library, reminding herself to keep things businesslike despite her attraction.
Trey arrives with his dog Mookie and a tug toy for Yoda. Over coffee and while the dogs play, Sonya assesses Doyle Law’s needs: a warmer, history-forward website with cohesive branding, staff and intern pages, profiles for Ace, Deuce, and Trey, and coordinated stationery in warmer tones. Trey agrees and asks for a proposal.
Discussing the house, Sonya describes recent disturbances, especially a frigid third-floor room she suspects is the Gold Room tied to Hester Dobbs. They go up together; the door slams Sonya out as Trey is trapped inside. Trey endures intense cold, a shaking bed, slamming drawers, and bleeding wallpaper. He confronts the unseen entity—calling it a half-assed witch—and the phenomena cease when he grasps the knob.
Reunited in the hall, Trey advises avoiding the room for now. Back in the library, he notes that benign presences—like the helper and the musical “DJ”—outnumber Hester. Sonya then recounts her vivid mirror journey to Marianne Poole’s deathbed, where Marianne saw Sonya and named her twin heirs. Sonya witnessed Hester enter unseen by others and steal Marianne’s ring, adding it to two others.
Sonya shows Trey her sketches of Marianne, the midwife, Hester, Hugh Poole, and the predator-carved mirror. Trey believes her, plans to ask his father about the mirror, and offers steady support. To decompress, he invites Sonya to dinner at the Lobster Cage. They feed the dogs and leave Mookie to keep Yoda company, then head into town, Sonya feeling unexpectedly relaxed and resilient.
Who Appears
- Sonya MacTavishHeir to Poole Manor; documents hauntings, consults on Doyle Law’s rebrand, witnesses Gold Room attack on Trey, shares mirror vision and sketches, goes to dinner.
- Trey DoyleLawyer and potential client; collaborates on firm branding, bravely confronts violent haunting in Gold Room, supports Sonya, arranges dinner.
- Hester DobbsMalevolent spirit; likely source of frigid Gold Room phenomena—slamming door, shaking bed, bleeding walls; seen in Sonya’s mirror vision stealing rings.
- YodaSonya’s rescue dog; alerts to disturbances, accompanies investigations, later rests with Mookie while owners dine out.
- MookieTrey’s dog; plays with Yoda, reacts to Gold Room tension, keeps Yoda company during dinner.
- Marianne PooleThird Poole bride seen in mirror vision; dies after birthing twins; briefly perceives Sonya before death.
- Hugh PooleMarianne’s husband; appears in vision grieving her death, underscoring past love and loss.