- Annette's seen a ghost! She storms into Emily's parlour, shaken from head to toe.
- Yep, the ghost is her sweetheart Ludovico, returned from his adventure beyond the haunted room.
- Ludovico also bears news that the Count de Villeforte and Blanche are on their way for a visit to La Vallée. Guess they haven't had enough excitement.
- It's time for Ludovico to tell his crazy story. Emily's practically salivating.
- Back when Ludovico was waiting up all night for the ghost to arrive, he was surprised to see a man's face. He also hears the distinct sound of a key being turned in a lock.
- Before Ludovico can say boo, a bunch of men rush out of a secret door in the wall and bind and gag him.
- Then they take him through a series of passages in the walls of the chateau, finally leading into a cave by the sea.
- From there, his jailers take him on a boat to the same fort the de Villefortes recently stumbled upon.
- Yep, the "ghosts" in the Marchioness's room are actually the Smugglers. Pick your jaw off the ground.
- And it turns out the Smugglers are also pirates by trade, using the Marchioness's room to keep all their stolen goods.
- Em has a pretty good question: why would the Smugglers go to the trouble to hide all their stuff in the chateau?
- And Ludovico has the answer. People were always going into the Smugglers' cave. But no one is going into a supposedly haunted room.
- Anyway, Ludovico happened to hear the ruffians talking about harming the de Villefortes. Ludovico to the rescue!
- The little wheels in Em's mind are turning. She wants to give Annette and Ludovico a marriage portion and settle them somewhere in her estate. Good lass.