Rites of possession

the long version

There was an old saying about the Belleme family "Black of hair, black of eye and black of heart." And it certainly applied, Christabel thought grimly, to the disturbing; reclusive Roland de Belleme. Her responsibilities were supposed to end when she delivered little Nina and Dani to their Uncle Roland for the holidays. But their arrival had apparently taken him by surprise, and he insisted that she remain to look after the children. She couldn't leave them stranded, could she? Especially not with such a cynical, disreputable man. Against her will Christabel found herself staying on. Well ... maybe not entirely against her will.