"At least not with unmarried noble women."

"No... surreptitiously distributed tracts or anything, even?"

"Occasionally I've found literature on subjects not discussed that I am interested in, but nothing on the particular subject of arrangements for the least successful of the eligible empowered. Possibly I'll be able to learn more through gossip, now that my first season is beginning."

"Oh, I didn't realize this was your first."

"I'm hoping it will also be my last until I have children of my own."

"Good luck."

"Thank you."

She won't extend the offer to go out patrolling that night, as she has already delayed her haunting for the past two nights, and it wouldn't do to delay it for any more.

He has no idea how often she normally goes out and will not propose it himself either.

She notifies the staff of her intentions when she gets back. By the time she's switched out of her evening outfit and into a nightdress, her sheets have been changed into a newly heated set, with a warming pan awaiting her use later should she desire it. Additionally, her windows were left open long enough that her bedroom is now cool, making the warm sheets more comforting to her. As required, thick curtains have been drawn closed so the only light remaining is her bedside oil lamp. 

Her delay of two days is not quite enough for her demon to manifest just because she is on her own, and so, once she is comfortable in her bed, she blows out the light.

As always, she first feels a sinking feeling of realization that she's made a grave error.

It does not take long to manifest physically when so invited, folding itself out of the darkness without care for the geometry of the world.

The figure looms just slightly taller than most people Lucette has met, holding its book in the second of its three pairs of arms. The oversized book is frayed and soiled, it's cover faded lilac blue satin. Normally, that cover is gray and even torn, but waiting for her haunting two extra nights has left her demon stronger and fuller in form than normal.

It opens the book to the middle, featureless head dipping just enough to leave doubt as to whether it's looking at the book or Lucette, clutching her bed covers, hopelessly steeling herself for what is to come.

A single finger pale finger on the page, and it begins to 'read'.

She's brought back to the moment before Haru' arrival, as she begs a powerful empowered to give her someone to talk to, to bond with, who comes for a world better and brighter than this dreary one she was born into. In that moment she knows that whoever it brings will have a poorer life than they could have - wretched by their standards - just so she can have some light conversation with someone better than her. But she doesn't care, not enough to restrain herself, and so, weary of her yelling, the empowered rips Haru from his happy life.

She recalls her plot with Lord Metcalfe from after she had Haru. Fearing Haru did not appreciate her as much as she did him, she arranged his participation in the robbery so she could save him. Nevermind the violent death of the commoners involved, he wouldn't blame her.

And finally, the aftereffects of what she did to Haru's world. Once peaceful and wealthy, it is riddled with demons now, each a mockery of her own. Because she had not thought of that either, when she brought him here.

Lucette blinks, free from reminiscing for a minute - enough time to feel the enormity of what she's done.

Then the pale hands turn to the next page.

Lucette won't be around till lunch the next day, when she'll look unsteady but lucid.

"...you okay?"

"I am the typical amount of okay for the morning after a haunting."

"...anything I can do?"

"I suppose it might be helpful if you avoided mentioning ways in which your life is much worse here than at your home for the next hour or two, but that isn't strictly necessary."

".......can I ask why that would help?"

"My demon causes me to relive fictitious memories of how various unfortunate events are ultimately my fault."

"Ah. Okay."

"So long as it is not allowed to grow too strong, the memories fade in a manner similar to dreams, and so it is not especially difficult for me to recover afterwards."