Double Star

by Cindy Saunders

  “Ally… Ashworth.”

  The girl dipped her pen into a bottle of ink she’d pulled from somewhere, and wrote in a small leather book. “From where do you hail?”

  “Where do I what?”

  “From where do you hail? Where are you from?”

  “Phoenix.”

  “Phoenix, like the bird,” she said. “Well, Ally Ashworth of Phoenix, I am Megan Cheveyo of Pembroke and this is my brother, Liam.”

  “Nice to meet you.” They didn’t look like brother and sister. He was tall, rugged, dirty blond hair, blue-green eyes. The girl, on the other hand, was petite, with auburn hair that framed a fair face accentuated by large, dark brown eyes. Ally did her best to smile. It was returned by Meg who went back to writing, but Liam just stared down the road.

  Nice to meet you, too. Why were the cute ones always such a pain?

  “I hear Corm,” Liam said after what seemed like forever.

  Ally hadn’t heard a thing but felt the ground begin to tremble. “Wow,” she said at the same instant she saw a horse-drawn wagon barreling toward them. Corm brought it to a stop and leaped from the carriage.

  “A wise choice,” Liam said. “Pollux is the only horse faster than Chestnut.”

  “Thea gave me a bit of direction in that regard,” Corm said. “I explained the situation, and she is eager that you bring the girl back.”

  Meg jumped up and wiped the dust from her dress. “Her name is Ally, Corm.”

  Corm smiled and bowed at the waist.

  “I will hitch up Pollux as well,” Liam said. He led a beautiful black horse to the front of the wagon.

  “Do you need me to accompany you?” Corm asked. “If not, I will take my leave. I should get home so my mother can begin the medicine.”

  “No. We will make it home before it gets dark.”

  Corm took a gold medallion from Meg’s outstretched hand and mounted his horse. “Then I will see you tomorrow.”

  “Congratulations again,” Liam said.

  “Aye. Thank you.”

  “Horses, huh? Gas too expensive?” Ally said as Corm rode away. She tried to get to her feet. “Ow!” Her right ankle was killing her.

  “Let me help you.” Liam picked her up and placed her in the back of the wagon. “Push yourself toward the front so you do not fall out.”

  She nodded and her fingers clenched the wooden sides.

  Liam climbed into the seat, and clicked his tongue as he flicked the reins. “Pollux, Chestnut,” he said. The horses began to move.

  The straw in the wagon was soft and sweet smelling. Ally released her grip and laid back. Where was her car? Where was Sedona? She didn’t know, but obsessing about it was making her head hurt. Hopefully, they’d heard of antibiotic ointment around here. They were dressed weird, they talked funny, but she owed them big time. The thought of spending the night alone in the woods made her shiver. Who knew what kind of animals would be out after dark?

  She looked over her shoulder at Liam, at his hair tied in a half ponytail, at the tattoo of a small star under his right ear. Not that noticeable, but it would probably hurt his chance of getting a good job later on. So many companies didn’t allow them. Mom would never, ever let me get one—

  Mom! Somebody should’ve called by now to tell her that Ally hadn’t made it to the interview. Who knew how long it would take to find her car in Sedona. But, when they did, she would have the National Guard combing the countryside. Ally needed to get hold of her before this situation got out of control.

  ***

  Barking, Pilotte ran to greet them when they crossed their property line.

  “Hush, Pilotte,” Liam said. When they reached the house, he went to the back of the wagon and Ally moved to the end. “Do not try to walk.” He lifted her into his arms again. “Meg, please open the door, and then put Shilo up for the night.”

  “Can you not do it?”

  “I need to take care of Pollux and Chestnut. Help me for once, would you?”

  She made a face but ran to the door.

  Thea entered the sitting room as he placed Ally on the couch. “What do we have here? You poor child,” Thea said. She sat down and held Ally’s hand. “Liam, tend to the horses. I will take care of…”

  “Ally,” he answered.

  “Yes, of course. I will take care of Ally.”

  He walked outside, unhitched the horses, and led them to the barn where Meg was brushing down Shilo.

  “What do you think happened?” Meg asked, her forehead lined with creases.

  Apparently, she was giving this serious consideration… unusual for her, but he wondered the same. “I do not know.”

  “Well, it might be fun to have another girl around here. The heavens know it is not always a delight to be in your company.”

  He threw her a hard look but she was right. He and Meg used to ride together or play the cards, but since their mother died, they had not shared any time.

  “She will not be with us long, I am sure.” He removed Pollux’s saddle.

  “There is something different about her. I can feel it.”

  “You are correct in that regard,” he replied. Her clothing was not unusual, but he had never seen a young girl wearing widow-walker boots. And her manner of speech… “Meg, please do not discuss the Shayeen with her. Something tells me she is not of the forest and I do not know how much we should share.”

  ***

  Ally looked into the face of an old woman. Wrinkles, like spider webs, lined her blue-green eyes, and her white hair was contained in an unseen bun. When she spoke, it was in a kind and gentle voice.

  “My name is Thea. I am Liam and Meg’s grandmother. Cormac told me they came upon you in the woods. How did you happen to be there? “

  Before Ally could say anything, Thea shifted her gaze to Ally’s forehead. “We should clean your cut. Is your ankle sore as well?”

  “A little,” Ally answered.

  “I will be back in a moment.”

  The living room reminded Ally of a ski lodge. Leather furniture in shades of green and brown faced a massive stone fireplace on the opposite wall. The gray stone mantle was filled with candles and lanterns. Glancing around again, she realized what was missing. Actually, a few things. No lights or lamps, no television, no stereo, no computer. She couldn’t imagine what they did around here for fun, but didn’t intend to be here long enough to find out.

  Thea returned carrying a shallow pan that she placed on a table in front of the couch. “This might sting a bit,” she said, and dipped the washcloth she’d brought into the basin. It did burn, but the warm water felt good.

  Ally took a deep breath. “I’m not sure how I got here. One minute I was in Sedona, the next I was falling over the cliff. There was no one near me, so I don’t know how it happened. Honestly, I’m amazed I wasn’t killed. Do you have a phone… or a car?” She remembered the look on Meg and Liam’s faces and braced herself.

  “We have none of those things,” Thea replied.

  “But you’ve heard of them,” Ally said, relieved. “Liam and Meg didn’t know what I was talking about.”

  “They were speaking the truth,” Thea said. She placed the bloodstained washcloth on the table, then picked up the bottle beside it.

  “I just need to get in touch with my mom. She can pick me up.”

  Thea shook her head. “I think that would take some doing.” She tipped the bottle and let a few drops of bitter-smelling liquid flow onto Ally’s forehead. The pain began to fade. “Now, let me take a look at your ankle.”

  “But how am I going to get home?” Why wasn’t anyone the least bit concerned with that?

  “I do not know, but I have a friend who might be able to help. I will travel to see her tomorrow.” Thea stood up and pulled a cloth pad out of her apron. She wrapped it around Ally’s ankle and the throbbing ceased. “How does that feel?”

  “Tomorrow?”

  “It is late. There is nothing I can do now… except offer to make y
ou a cup of tea.” Thea smiled and disappeared.

  The front door swung open. “Are you feeling better?” Meg asked and ran toward the kitchen. “Thea, I have something for you.”

  “Sure, tea would be nice,” Ally said to the empty room.

  “Why, Meg. Thank you,” she heard Thea say. “How sweet, and it smells so pretty.”

  “Liam thought it was a stupid gift,” Meg said as she and Thea walked back into the living room. “But I knew you would like it.”

  “Here is your tea.”

  Ally smelled lemon and honey. The cup and saucer were barely on the table when she reached for it.

  “Be careful, it is hot,” Thea said. “Pay no mind to Liam. He is going through a difficult time.”

  “He is always difficult. I am going to my room to write. I will see you in the morning,” Meg called over her shoulder as she skipped down the hall.

  “I heard that, Thea,” Liam said from the doorway. “It is a stupid gift, and the journal she bought is even more useless.”

  “Liam,” Thea said, “no gift is stupid if given from the heart. You should know that.”

  Ally sipped the tea. Its warmth relaxed every muscle in her body. She took a few more gulps and her earlier anxiety slipped away.

  Liam pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. “Dad wanted me to give you this.” He handed it to Thea. “What is for dinner?”

  Ally placed the cup on the saucer and rested her head on the pillow. Liam and Thea’s voices got louder, as if they were arguing. It was the last thing she remembered before falling into a deep and dreamless sleep.

  ***

  Liam helped himself to a bowl of stew. “Do you think tomorrow she will remember what happened?”

  “I think she remembers now,” Thea answered. “But I suspect she is much farther from home than she imagines. I need to go to Podegar’s. She will know what to do.”

  Podegar’s! A day’s ride there and back in the wagon. It was not unusual for Thea to visit her friend in Waite, but they usually had time to arrange for Meg to stay with the Acrisius family. If she were leaving tomorrow, he would be on his own with his sister… and Ally.

  “Why do you need to consult with her? Can you not send a bird?” They owned three strong carrier pigeons that could make the trip in a few hours.

  “I need to speak with her, to be sure of something.” She placed the stained washcloth in the pocket of her apron.

  “Please, I do not know how to take care of a sick girl, and Meg will be useless,” he said. The volume of his voice had begun to increase, but Ally did not stir. “Is she all right?”

  “She is fine. I put some chock root in the tea to help her sleep. I do not want her to wake and wander about during the night. Could you put her into your father’s room? She will be more comfortable there.”

  His father’s room! At one time, it was his mother’s as well. “Surely you are joking.” He was shouting now.

  “No, Liam, I am not, and do not talk to me in that manner. She needs our help and I intend to give it to her. Please bring her into the bedroom, now.”

  More lunacy. In all the time he could remember, Thea never raised her voice. She might have shouted at animals underfoot, but certainly not at him or Meg. Against his wishes, he picked Ally up and carried her down the hall.

  He laid her on top of the bedclothes and looked around. Memories of his mother filled his senses and he dropped into the rocking chair beside the bed.

  Her sickness had come on fast but seemed reluctant to take its leave. He had never given up hope. Never wanted to admit his mother had already embraced Death. He remembered standing in this room one afternoon, able to do nothing more than stare at her.

  She was burning up with fever. Her eyes were closed but, every now and again, her body shook. The fight had left her, but her beauty remained strong, and reminded him that even in defeat, there are qualities like courage and love that bring hope.

  She had opened her eyes and smiled. “William, my beautiful boy, how are you, my love?”

  He was close to breaking down so he simply nodded and kept his head high as he sat by her side.

  “My time here is not long, I know that. But I need you to remember something.” She lifted her hand and, with effort, placed it on the left side of his chest.

  “I will always be with you in here,” she whispered. “You need to take care of Meg and your father. They will need your strength to get through this and the times ahead. Remember, I love you.”

  Her eyes left his and she stared at the ceiling. “I will never forget the words the wind spoke to me.”

  It was the last time he heard her voice, the last time he had been in this room… until today.

  He looked at this stranger in her bed and his resentment began to grow. Thea needed to postpone the trip for a couple of days. He blew out the candle on the bedside table and closed the door behind him.

  Thea did not share his reasoning. “Liam, if your concern is the length of time she will be with us, understand that the longer I delay the trip, the longer she will remain. I do not think she will find the way on her own. You do not need to worry about her injuries. They will heal quickly.”

  “I pray you are right,” he said, embittered, “about everything.”

  ***

  Thea shuffled to her room and sat on the edge of the bed. She pulled the washcloth from her apron and looked at it long and hard. “Could it be? Finally?” She placed it in her bureau and read the letter.

  “Aye, say it will,” she whispered.

  Chapter 8

  Just a little longer. Ally buried her head in the pillow and tried to obliterate the sun streaming in through the window. She drew in a breath and snapped to a sitting position. Where was she? And then it came back to her, but she didn’t recall the crazy events of yesterday ending in this room... in this guest bedroom, by the look of it. She removed the wrapping from her ankle and stood. Tender but not painful. She touched the scab on her forehead. That didn’t hurt either. Whatever Thea used sure was working.

  She walked down the hall. “Hello?” The only response came from her stomach. Bacon. She followed her nose and found Meg in the kitchen in front of a cast-iron stove. “Morning,” Ally said softly.

  Meg turned and smiled. “Morning, Ally. Would you care for breakfast?”

  “Yeah, that’d be great.” What she really wanted was to go home but, for the moment, that was overruled by the empty feeling in her gut.

  Meg placed two plates heaped with scrambled eggs, bacon, and bread on the table. They sat down and Ally began to shovel the steaming eggs into her mouth.

  “You must be hungry. Want some juice?”

  “Yes, please,” Ally answered between mouthfuls. “This is really good.”

  “Thank you,” Meg said, handing her a cup.

  The eggs were neon-yellow, the bacon the size of a ham steak, and the bread tasted as if baked that morning.

  “Did you make this juice yourself?” Ally asked, looking at the large pieces of pulp floating near the rim of the glass.

  “Sure. You do not think Liam would take the time, do you?”

  “That’s not what I mean. We buy ours at the store.”

  Meg looked at her.

  “You do have stores around here, where you can buy food, right?”

  “We go into town once a week, but we do not purchase those types of provisions. We have everything we need here.”

  Oh yes. The reality of her situation returned. She was living among the Amish.

  “The eggs are courtesy of the chickens, Thea made the bread yesterday, and the bacon came from one of the pigs.”

  One of the pigs? Ally had no problem with being a carnivore. She never sympathized with vegetarians or worse… vegans, but she’d also never had to witness the food chain first hand. She couldn’t think about the pig that sacrificed his life for this meal right now. It was too good.

  “Well, it’s one of the best breakfasts I’ve had in a long time.” She t
ook another sip of juice and eagerly bit into her bread. “Where is everyone?” she mumbled. The intake of carbs and sugar was starting to take effect, and she felt grounded again.

  “Liam is tending to the horses and Thea took a trip. Something about trying to figure out how to get you home. Liam was a grouch this morning so I did not ask too many questions. All I know is I am not going to Sara’s for lessons today so I can stay here and be with you.”

  “Stay here and be with me? I need to get home. Can’t you take me someplace where I can use a phone or catch a bus?” She appreciated their hospitality… more than appreciated it. She might be dead if they hadn’t found her, but she didn’t intend to be here another night.

  “Catch a what?” Meg asked, scraping the last of the eggs from her plate.

  Ally sat back and rubbed her face. “A bus carries people where they want to go. You have something like that around here, don’t you?” It was like she’d been cast in some kooky reality show. And then, a smile came to her lips. Was she being Punk’d? What other explanation could there be? “All right, you can come out now, whoever you are.” She began to laugh.

  “I have no idea what you are talking about,” Meg replied, eyeing her nervously. “I will be right back.” She jumped up and ran out the door.

  That had to be it—this couldn’t be real. These people didn’t know about cars… or telephones. I guess an Internet connection would be out of the question. She covered her mouth, stifled a giggle, and looked around the kitchen. No refrigerator, dishwasher or microwave… just a cast-iron stove and a pump.

  Where was the bathroom? She hadn’t gone since yesterday and the thought of an outhouse made her shiver. Well, her mother had always said, “Just don’t sit on the seat.”

  Her mom! She’d be insane by now. Ally felt tears begin to fill her eyes when the front door opened.

  “She is talking nonsense,” Meg whispered as she followed Liam into the house. “She wants to catch a buzz, whatever that is. I do not think she wants to wait for Thea.”

  Liam walked around the table to face her. He looked upset. Oh well, join the club. She wiped her eyes.