by Olivia Swift
Sam said that he had some work to do at the office but would be around if she needed him for anything.
“If we have the séance tomorrow night, Declan, Branston, and I can see about suits for the wedding the next day,” he added.
“And the day after, we can see Michele and choose the menus. Then we are just about organized.” She sighed contentedly and told him that she was really keen to make these raspberry brandy truffles. “Karl can make a whisky syrup that is similar, and I don’t need to buy the expensive Scotch. It is a beautiful whisky but really a bit of a waste to flavor chocolate.”
The cats were sleepy and undisturbed and Sam left her working on the cards with the raspberry stories.
The next day, she was up and about at the crack of dawn and starting on the truffles well before anyone else arrived at the café.
“My my,” Katie said as she donned her chef’s jacket and tied up her hair. “You are keen.” Magda nodded and told her that the centers were chilling if Katie would make the chocolate.
“I’ve set up the labels to be printed for the boxes, and I’ve also printed off a sample of the cards with the raspberry folklore.”
“And I,” Katie told her, “have made some cards.”
“I knew you would,” Magda said and washed her hands to look at the artwork. “Oh, Katie, you are such a brilliant artist. I am lucky to have you helping here.”
Rula, Rita, and Josh all looked at the cards and declared them to be wonderful.
“Josh, can you take time off from the café and print off the cards? I can pop out and buy some envelopes to tide us over until I can get a supply.” Josh said he was happy to do any technical stuff she needed and switched on the printer.
“We have a supply of blank cards, so I need these notes about raspberries printed,” she added and carried on with her truffle making. The smell of the warm chocolate filtered through the place and Katie said that she would soon be able to do the coating.
Rula and Rita served customers, and when there were small, chilled pieces of center available, asked the customers if they would like to try the newest flavor and then give their opinion.
There was no doubt that the new variety was a huge success, and even as Josh printed off the cards, there was intense interest in them. Magda insisted that the cards stated that the designs were by Katie Welling. They took turns to stop for lunch and Declan phoned to say that he would bring the sculptures with him in the evening. Magda looked at the shelves and was satisfied that the stolen things had been replaced.
“Can you make a new area for paper things like cards, please?” she asked Katie.
Katie was just finishing the final coating of the new truffles and said that while they were setting, she would do the display.
“Your artist’s eye is invaluable,” Magda told her as Josh handed over the printed cards and envelopes. He went back to clearing tables.
Sam came in later in the day and asked if there was anything he could do to help, but they were just about finished.
“I’ve made some sandwiches to save time before we come back here,” Magda told him and then noticed the large bag.
He smiled. “Declan sent the sculptures instead of bringing them later.” He showed her the pieces, and all the girls came to look.
“He truly is an artist,” Katie said. “They are such wonderful shapes.”
“I did bring the Scottish piece of wood as well,” Sam added and went back to the car to bring it in.
“I suppose we could just leave it here for now and take it outside with us later,” Magda said and put it on the floor in the corner. It’s just a piece of wood, she told herself, but cast another suspicious look at it as she was locking up.
They called to each other that they would meet later, and Josh asked if they wanted him to be there as well.
“No hot date tonight, then?” Magda asked. He shook his head.
“You are welcome to come and join in,” she said as she left to drive home.
Sam was already ahead of her and came to help her carry things from the car.
Sandwiches eaten, they sat with a coffee before going back to the café. Crystal stalked around the table and was a lot more restless than usual.
“I wonder what she’s thinking now,” Magda said and lifted the cat onto her knee, but Crystal struggled to be back on the floor. Rula called to say she would be a few minutes late for the evening session, and Magda put the cell phone on the table. Crystal reacted immediately, jumped lightly onto the coffee table, and knocked the phone onto the floor.
“It’s a good thing I have a cover on this, or it would be broken to bits every other day,” Magda said as she retrieved it. The photo of the wood against the tree was on the screen. She handed it to Sam. “She’s at it again.”
Sam agreed and wondered if the cat knew he had carried the piece of wood.
“Maybe she can sense it or something,” he wondered aloud.
“Psst!” Magda said, “The little minx is telling us to watch out tonight.” Then she smiled. “I guess she’s trying to help.” She went and found some of the special treats that Crystal loved and gave one to all of their furry friends.
Sam and Magda drove back together to the café and opened up so that Sam could set up the chairs. Josh came to help.
Karla, Jeanette, and Carrie all came together and were quite excited. Merle and Branston arrived and Merle took over organizing everyone.
“Rula said she would be a little bit late,” Magda said, but as she said it, Rula, and Mikey arrived at a run.
“Sorry, had to go to the precinct about the robbery,” Mikey told everyone.
“We’ve all just arrived. Don’t worry,” Sam answered and then realized that Declan was missing.
“Take a seat everyone,” Merle told them, “but I won’t start until he gets here. Have you got climbing shoes on, girls?” The girls were set to climb if need be and Mikey had ropes to use as well.
Sam brought out the piece of wood and laid it against the climbing wall.
“This,” Magda told the girls and Carrie, “Is the wood that they sent from the old castle in Scotland. It seemed to be what brought the Viking. We had taken it to the forest so it was out of the way.”
“Then we thought it had better come back in case Utric was upset but when I took a photo of the tree house with the wood against the trunk of the tree, this is what we saw,” Sam added. The girls and Carrie passed the cell phone from one to another.
“The tree house is fantastic,” Karla said, and then Carrie took the phone back again and put on her reading glasses.
“Did you think you saw something unusual?” she asked Sam, and he nodded.
“What do you see?” She looked up as Declan arrived and joined the group. Carrie looked around the circle and said that she could see the outline of a woman.
Jeanette gasped and had another look at the screen. “I think I see what you mean,” she said.
Declan had brought some greenery in a plastic bag and laid it on the ground. He said that it was material he had brought for Katie because she needed some real leaves to copy.
“It is actually raspberry and there are some berries on it. From my garden,” he added by way of explanation.
“Let’s see if the wood makes a difference,” Merle directed. She went through her protection routine, and then they held hands and she called out.
“We are all here to talk to you again, Utric,” she said loudly. “Can you come forward and join us? We only want to help.” There was no response, and when Merle looked at Declan, he shook his head. She repeated the same thing again, and this time Declan said quietly that there was movement in the corner by the wall.
“Carrie, can you try please?” Merle asked the older woman.
Carrie took a breath and tried to stop her nerves from showing. “Utric, my boy. Are you there? Can you make a noise to let me know you can hear me please?” There was a pause and then a bang. Most of them jumped, but Merle spoke again and a
sked Utric to come forward. Declan pointed to the climbing wall without saying anything .
“Magda, can you call out as well?” Merle asked, and Magda thought for a moment.
“Utric, thank you for coming. We brought the wood back from the forest. The wood that came from the castle. I think you came here with the wood.” A slight breeze rippled around the group.
Josh asked his aunt if she could ask about the wood again. She raised an eyebrow and he smiled.
“Utric, if you are still listening, can you tell me if the wood is really special for you?” She looked at her nephew and he made a sign with his hand to say it again.
“Please, Utric. Tell me or tell Josh about this piece of wood. Was it part of the castle?” The breeze that swirled around her was not the friendly one. “So, it wasn’t the castle. Is that right?” The breeze turned to a gentle one. Josh opened his eyes and looked at Merle.
“Every time the wood is mentioned, I can only get images of water. It happened each time.”
“Is the wood from the longboat?” Magda suddenly asked the spirit. “The book keeps opening at the picture of a longboat.” The breeze touched all of them with a gentle caress. Merle asked him to make a noise if the wood came from his longboat. There was a slight delay and then a bang.
“Oh, my,” Karla exclaimed. “He replied.”
“He’s attached to the longboat but sad as well,” Merle said. “He has such a sadness. I wish I could help.”
Declan spoke for the first time. “Maybe we can get the woman to appear. I know she’s just out of sight.”
“Do you think that they were happy in the longboat but he was left on his own?” Carrie asked Merle.
“You ask him, Carrie. He seems to respect you,” Merle answered. Carrie took a deep breath and thought for a few seconds.
“My son,” she said gently, “I lost my husband, I know how you feel. Did the longboat bring you and Racksha to the castle? Were you happy then?”
“Can you keep on talking, Carrie?” Declan asked as he looked at the piece of wood. The raspberry shoots and leaves were beside it.
“It is good to have happy memories,” Carrie went on. “Remember them. When you are lucky enough to have those, you should remember the good times. Racksha was blonde and beautiful and strong.”
“And pregnant,” Merle suddenly interrupted. “You lost a child as well. I am so sorry.”
“Is that right, my boy? Did you lose Racksha and the child?” Carrie asked. “Make a noise if we are right.” There was a pause and then a very loud bang sounded beneath their feet, and most of the circle jumped.
“Poor man,” Jeanette said.
Chapter 18
“The woman is beside the wood and the leaves,” Declan said quietly.
“Racksha, can you hear me?” Merle asked and smiled. “She can, but he doesn’t know she’s there.”
“My son,” Carrie said. “Listen to me. Racksha is here. Racksha is here. Do you trust me?” There was a slight noise and Merle signaled Carrie to keep going. “Racksha is beside the wood from the longboat. Can you see her?”
“There are raspberry leaves and fruit beside the wood,” Magda chimed in. “They help in affairs of the heart. The juice is red like the blood that joins you together. Racksha will meet you there like she did in real life.”
“Listen, my boy,” Carrie added. “Go to the wood that brought you here and try to find her.”
“He’s looking at you Carrie,” Declan said.
“And he’s just not sure what is happening,” Merle added.
“He’s confused,” Josh put in. “Can I speak out, Aunt Merle?” Merle signaled him to go ahead.
“Utric, she’s worried and she needs you. I can feel that she’s upset. She’s beside the wood and might fade away. Move over to the wood. She’s frightened.”
“You are strong and can help, my son,” Carrie added. “Do it. It is the right thing to do. Can you hear me?” There was a noise, and then Declan said that Utric was now beside the wood.
“He’s found her,” Josh and Merle both said together, and Merle found tears on her cheeks.
“Oh, my Lord,” Carrie said. “We did it.”
“They are together,” Declan said, “and they’re both starting to fade.”
“Don’t lose her again, Utric,” Carrie called out loudly as the spirits faded away.
“They have both gone,” Merle said. “That was some session.”
Jeanette came up and wrapped her arms around her auntie who was crying.
“It proves you can meet again,” she whispered. “Uncle Colvin is out there somewhere.” Carrie grasped her niece’s hand.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” she said. “At least my loss helped Utric. That is worth a lot.”
“You were fantastic,” Merle told her. “Thank you.”
Josh came over to the group as well. He looked at his aunt and she nodded.
“If you have something, tell her,” said Merle.
He asked Carrie if her husband had been connected to mining in some way, and she said that was correct.
“He helped you. That’s all I have, but he was somewhere near us.”
“Oh, Lord,” Carrie said and cried on Jeanette’s shoulder.
“Hot chocolate inside,” Rula called, and the men carried the chairs into the café.
Carrie was smiling by the time she came into the kitchen and said they were happy tears.
“It is really quite wonderful. Thank you so much for letting me join you.”
“You were a real help, Carrie, believe me,” Merle told her.
“Do you think that we should look after the piece of wood somehow?” Magda asked.
“It does seem a shame to leave it lying outside,” Katie added and looked at Declan. “Could you make it into something beautiful?”
“I know you said the shape was good to start with,” Sam added. “What do you think?”
“I’ll go and bring it inside,” Mikey said and went off. When it was in his hands, Declan said he could make it into a longboat without a lot of work.
“You are right,” Sam added and held the wood. “I can see what you mean.”
“If you made it into a longboat, we could just keep it in the café as an ornament,” Magda added. Declan said it was no problem and he would take it home with him.
“What about the cats?” Sam asked, but Declan said that he would keep it in the workshop.
“Now that Utric is happy, maybe the cats will know,” Josh suggested. Declan said that he would try them and see.
“Well, we seem to have made Utric happy,” Magda said. “He didn’t want to go back to Scotland anyway. Maybe he will be able to be content now.”
“Hope so, because we have a wedding to plan,” Sam put in. The three men agreed to meet in the morning at the clothes boutique that the florist had suggested.
“Menu, chapel, flowers and three weeks to go,” Magda said and gave a little skip.
“We’ve got to move house as well,” Sam added, and was rewarded with offers to help from all sides.
Most of them said goodbye and left for their homes, but Merle and Branston stayed behind.
“Magda, we have a small stagecoach that only needs one horse to pull. It is used for special occasions and you are welcome to use it to go to the chapel and the restaurant,” Merle offered.
Sam looked at Magda and asked if she liked the idea. Magda nodded and said she loved it. “The other thing is,” Merle added, “we have a big barn at the ranch with an area which is used for dancing. We could have a party in the evening.
“All dressed as cowboys and cowgirls,” Branston said. Magda grinned at her cousin.
“Normal-sized Stetson, not that enormous one,” she warned, and he grabbed her to do a pretend hoedown around the floor.
“I’ll book the band,” Merle told her.
“I’ll organize a caterer,” Magda said. “That just makes the day complete. Thank you, Merle . . . and you, Branston.” She gave hi
m a kiss on the cheek.
As Sam drove her back home, Magda suggested that they invite Carrie and the girls to the wedding. “Everyone else is already on the list.”
They settled happily on the couch. Sam wrapped his arms around her, and although she put her cell phone on the table, Crystal studiously avoided it.
“Thank heavens for that,” Magda said. The cats sneaked onto the couch to join them. Sam pulled the throw over them and Magda fell asleep against his shoulder. She awoke still in the crook of his arm and kissed him awake.
“You are one handsome man, Sam Barnes. All those girls would fight me for you.”
“I only ever wanted you, Magda. You know that.”
The next two and a half weeks passed in a flurry of activity. There were still two businesses to run, the finalization of flowers, clothes, and all the other things that were part of a wedding. Sam’s dad had arranged to be there, and Branston’s grandparents were really excited.
The bottles of liqueur to sell had arrived from Karl Perez, and Magda invited him and his wife to the wedding. They told everyone that they were invited to the hoedown party later in the evening, but didn’t have to dress as cowboys if they chose not to.
“What an excuse to dress up,” Karl Perez told her. “We’d love to.”
The longboat was now displayed in the café. It was an exquisite work of hand turning on a lathe. Declan had used one of the photos in the book and copied the detail onto the finely carved prow. It had pride of place on a special shelf.
The new local, raspberry brandy truffles were a roaring success and flew out of the café as quickly as the girls could make them. The whisky syrup arrived and those truffles proved to be popular as well. The cards with roses and violets were selling nicely, as customers who bought boxes of truffles as gifts added a card.
There were no frightful breezes and Karla had climbed the wall several times with her blonde hair loose, but nothing had caused any concern. Mikey was much relieved, as he had almost constant bookings to use the place.
Sam managed to complete another conversion for a client as well as help Magda take things to his house from hers and make the place ready for them. The little vat for chocolate was connected in his kitchen and a chiller moved there as well. Magda decided to just make chocolates at the café until she was living in the other house. She and Katie threw themselves into making enough truffles for every guest to take away a box of four.