Hallow House - Part Two

by Jane Toombs

  "What? You saw Daddy?"

  "In my head--you know. He was on the floor and--"

  "Where?" Naomi demanded, a feeling of dread settling over her. Katrina was never wrong.

  "I think...." Katrina paused and looked toward the library.

  Naomi jerked away from her grasp and ran down the stairs to the library. She flung open the closed door and saw their father on the floor. Behind her Naomi screamed.

  "Get Mama, get Frances," Naomi cried as she dropped onto her knees beside him. She couldn't tell if he was breathing or not.

  Though she knew he carried around some kind of medication for his heart, she wasn't sure what or where it was. If only she'd paid more attention. she thought as she thrust frantic fingers into his pockets. In his shirt she found a small ampoule covered with webbed material. Amyl nitrate, the label read. She stared at it helplessly.

  After long minutes her mother was there, jerking the ampoule from her, breaking it and holding the ampoule under Daddy's nose. Frances rushed in, knelt and began feeling for a pulse.

  "See if Katrina got hold of Kevin," Vera ordered. "Hurry."

  Katrina had, but John was dead before Kevin got there.

  "There was nothing anyone could have done to save him," Kevin said later, sitting on the living room couch with his arm around Vera. "I'm sure it was a massive coronary occlusion, just as we feared might someday happen."

  Naomi and Katrina huddled together on the loveseat, still in their swim-suits. Frances was making the necessary arrangements for the undertaker to pick up John's body--Naomi had heard her talking on the phone as they came into the living room.

  Body. Their father was only a body now.

  "John was dead before he hit the floor," Kevin went on. "Even if I'd been in the library with him when it happened, I couldn't have saved him. You know how bad his heart was."

  "But he was getting used to the idea of Brian replacing him," Vera said brokenly. "We even been talking about a trip. It's not fair..."

  "No one is guaranteed fairness, Vera. John led the life he wanted to. And he was very happy with you. That's more than many people have."

  "Oh, Kevin, I can't bear to think he's gone." Vera began to cry.

  Frances came in, sat on the other side of Vera, put her arms around her and Vera turned to her, sobbing on Frances's shoulder.

  Kevin rose from the couch. "I'll leave a sedative," he said to Frances. As he turned to leave, his gaze caught Naomi's.

  "You girls better go get dressed," he said. "I'm going home now and tell Samara. She'll be here as soon as she can and I'll be back, too, when I can make it. Until Samara arrives, you girls will have to handle things since Frances will be taking care of your mother."

  Naomi followed him into the foyer. "I found Daddy," she said. "There was this medicine in his pocket, but I didn't know how to use it. If I had, would he be alive, maybe?"

  Kevin shook his head. "No. As I told your mother, even I couldn't have saved him." He squeezed her shoulder. "If the newspapers hear about your father, they may call. Don't answer any questions. Samara can handle that later."

  Naomi nodded. Kevin left and she and Katrina went slowly up the stairs to their bedroom.

  "I wish I didn't foresee things," her sister sobbed. "I have to see them twice and this time it was Daddy...."

  Naomi felt strangely calm, as though a barrier prevented the emotions of others from reaching her. She knew her father wad dead, but she couldn't cry.

  Nor did she cry in the two days preceding the funeral. People filled the house, some strangers she and Katrina had never seen nor heard of. Friends of her father and mother, distant relatives, business associates. And even a relation of their father's first wife, a great-aunt of Samara's and Johanna's, or maybe some kind of a cousin, Naomi wasn't sure. The old woman was from Seattle.

  "I didn't know she existed," Samara said to the twins as they waited for Vera to come downstairs for the trip to the funeral home. "I thought Marie had been Delores' only surviving relative--I never heard of Amanda Stevens."

  "She's really old," Naomi said. "Ninety-six. Mother invited her to stay at Hallow House, of course. And her grandson, too. Only he's really her step-grandson so I guess he's no relation to any of us."

  "Mrs. Stevens says she came out of respect for Daddy," Katrina said. "He must have known her. She told me he was an unusual man and the least she could do was bid him a proper farewell."

  Naomi stopped listening because old Mrs. Stevens was coming down the stairs on the arm of her grandson. Naomi thought Ronal Stevens was the most handsome man she'd ever seen--tall and blond, with brown eyes. So far he'd hardly said a word to anyone except his grandmother. He must be about twenty-five or so.

  As the two reached the foyer and telephone rang and Ronal visibly flinched, but quickly recovered himself. Naomi's eyes widened.

  Later, in the church, Naomi listened to Father Bennett and then the bishop who had come down from San Francisco. Her gaze fastened on the white camellias atop her father's coffin--his favorite flower. A petal fell from a bloom, resting a moment on the polished wood, then sliding to the floor. Her throat tightened. The camellias were dying, too. Tears pricked her eyes, sobs wracked her body and, at last, she cried for her father.

  Then it was all over, the funeral, the ordeal at the house afterward, the people coming, the phone calls.

  Finally the house guests were gone--all except Amanda Stevens, and her grandson, Ronal. .

  "He's such a help to me," Vera said to Kevin when they were gathered for a family conference. "Did you know Ronal's an accountant? He plans to go to Harvard Law School this fall."

  "So you've told me," Kevin said. "But none of us really know him."

  Vera raised her chin. "I appreciate the trouble he's taking to explain things to me. John's lawyers believe all women are idiots so they don't bother with me, thinking I couldn't possibly understand anyway. Ronal is patient. And he doesn't chatter."

  Naomi saw Kevin raise his eyebrows at Samara, who shrugged.

  Vera touched Kevin's arm. "I know you'd help if you could. And I do realize how busy you are. Don't worry about Ronal--he's a fine young man. I do need an advisor. Brian can't stay here--he's already had to go back to San Francisco. Thank heaven John began to work him into the business a year ago. At least Brian has some knowledge to draw on. And Johanna can't stay at Hallow House, I don't expect her to."

  Johanna took Vera's hand. "I will if you need me." Naomi saw how strained and pale she looked after only three days here and bit her lip.

  "I know you mean it, dear," Vera told her, "but no. I have my two girls with me for comfort and Ronal to advise me. That will do nicely."

  Naomi's stomach clenched. She didn't want to be trapped here, though she'd stay if her mother really needed her.

  "I'll see if Grace has started lunch," she said, unable to bear sitting still any longer.

  In the kitchen, Naomi found Ronal sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and talking to Grace. Grace was Mervin's wife and had become the cook at Hallow House when Irma finally retired.

  "Hi," Naomi said, smiling at Ronal.

  He smiled at her and started to say something when the automatic timer on the oven went off with a loud ring. While Grace and Naomi stared in amazement, Ronal crouched down in his chair, hands raised protectively over his head.

  Chapter 38

  "What's the matter with that man?" Grace asked in a husky whisper as they both stared at Ronal, still crouched in the kitchen chair, seemingly frozen into position.

  Naomi shook her head, then went over and cautiously touched Ronal's shoulder. He winced away from her touch, at the same time turning toward her with an expression of such malevolent hatred that she took a step backward. Even as she did, his face changed, became more normal and he put down his arms and straightened in the chair.

  For a long moment no one spoke.

  "I'm sorry if I've upset you," Ronal said at last.

  "Looks like you were the o
ne upset," Grace told him.

  "I'm sorry," he repeated as he rose. "Thank you for the fine coffee, Grace."

  When Naomi saw he intended to leave with no further explanation, she quickly told Grace about lunch and followed him out the back door. The August heat hit her like a tangible force and she was perspiring by the time she caught up to him on the path to the stables.

  Once she joined him, she couldn't think of a thing to say except, "Why did you act so weird in there?" and that didn't seem appropriate. They walked in silence until they came to the stables.

  "I suppose you don't ride in the heat of the day," he said finally.

  "No, we don't."

  She took along with him by the corral fence, both leaning on the rail as they watched the horses. Perspiration trickled between her breasts. It was just too hot to stay outside.

  "Would you like to swim?" she asked.

  He took such a long time answering her she had given up by the time he turned and looked at her. "Swim?" he echoed.

  "In the pool. If you didn't bring trunks we have spare ones that should fit."

  She noticed his eyes were a lighter brown than hers, almost yellow, like the tiny wedge in her left eye. They reminded her of the eyes of a hawk.

  Suddenly he smiled, transforming the somberness of his face, making him look younger. "I'd like to swim," he said. "It's too hot to do much else."

  As they walked back toward the house, she said, "I've never been in Seattle. What's it like?"

  "Wet, mostly. We have a lot of rain and drizzle. The city is built on hills along the bay."

  "Do you like living there?" she persisted.

  "I used to think I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, though I admit this is beautiful country."

  "Have you traveled much?"

  He laughed, a short sharp sound with nothing of humor in it. "I've been to Korea."

  Oh. Maybe he was injured in the war over there and that's why he jumps at sudden sounds.

  Katrina joined them in the pool. She was shy with Ronal, obviously not knowing how to act with this stranger who said so little.

  "Talk to him," Naomi whispered to her when Ronal dived under water.

  "What'll I say?"

  Ronal's head popped out of the water near them and the twins began to splash each other, putting on a show to cover their uneasiness. This big blond man wasn't like any of the boys they knew.

  Later, stretched out by the side of the enclosed pool, they watched him swim lap after lap, monotonously, back and forth, back and forth.

  "He's good-looking, but he's not much fun," Katrina said in a low tone.

  "He was in Korea," Naomi told her. "That's all I found out so far."

  At last Ronal pulled himself from the pool. Water dripped from his glistening body and, when she looked at him, Naomi felt a quiver deep inside herself. She sat up, very conscious of her own body in the skimpy two piece orange swim suit.

  Katrina sat up, too, and Naomi saw his gaze shift between the two of them.

  "Would you like some lemonade or something else to drink?" she asked.

  "Thanks, not now." He toweled himself and went into the house. Naomi noticed her sister was watching him as closely as she did.

  "What do you think of him?" she asked.

  "I'm glad he's going to stay and help Mama," Katrina replied.

  "Why do you think Kevin acted so odd about that?"

  Naomi shrugged. "The money, probably."

  "Oh. I thought maybe Kevin and Samara were worried for fear Mama would fall in love with Ronal and marry him and he'd make her unhappy."

  "Or run off with the money," Naomi added. "But that's stupid. Anyone can see he's not like that. Besides, Mama wouldn't do such a thing. She loved Daddy too much. Anyway, she's forty and I figure Ronal can't be much older than twenty-five."

  Katrina sighed. "He's terribly good-looking. Do you think he was wounded in the war?"

  "Maybe." Naomi gave her sister a measuring glance. Did Ronal make Katrina feel the same inner excitement she felt when he looked at her?

  Katrina stared back at her and neither of them said anything more.

  The following evening, Ronal went riding with the twins. Naomi rode the new mare, Marushka, and had trouble controlling her at first. Ronal stood by on Rasputin, the chestnut gelding that had been bought for Brian.

  When Naomi finally made the mare behave, Ronal said, "Good handling."

  "Thanks. She hasn't been ridden this week and that always makes her feisty."

  Katrina was content with old Tanya. While she enjoyed riding, she didn't enjoy having a fight on her hands.

  In the summer twilight they rode past the groves, up into the hills.

  "This country's so different than anything I'm used to," Ronal said.

  Naomi wanted to ask him what Korea was like. Was it a barren land? Rocky? Flat? But she thought better of bringing it up.

  "I love the ocean," Katrina said. "One summer we stayed in a cabin over on Morro Bay for a month with Samara and Kevin. It was wonderful."

  Naomi glanced at her sister in surprise. Katrina had never mentioned such a strong feeling to her. "Is there skiing in Seattle?" she asked.

  "Not in the city. In the mountains."

  "I'd like to see Seattle," Naomi said. "And Oregon--the whole United States. Canada. Mexico. The world."

  Ronal looked at her. "Why don't you travel?"

  "I don't have any money of my own. Daddy left a trust for us but my mother has control of the way we spend the money. She'll make us go the university first." Naomi sighed. That's four more years."

  "How old will you be in four years--twenty-two? Not very old."

  She made a face at him. "You're no help."

  He grinned at her. "I'm not a traveling man, myself, but I understand." He turned to Katrina. "I suppose you're eager to be off, too."

  Katrina shook her head. "I like Hallow House. I don't mind being here."

  "Where does this trail lead?" Ronal asked.

  "Up to Tall Pine Canyon if you go far enough," Katrina said. "Or to Deerhorn Meadow if you veer to the right."

  "And to Skull Cave if you branch to the left and know how to find it," Naomi put in.

  "We're not supposed to go there," Katrina reminded her.

  "Oh, that was when we were little." Naomi slanted a look at Ronal. "Wouldn't you like to see Skull Cave?"

  "Why is it called that?"

  "There's supposed to be human skulls inside," Naomi said. We've never seen them, though. It comes from an old legend about El Valle de los Esqueletos sin Cabezas."

  "The valley of the skeletons without heads?" Ronal translated.

  "You know Spanish?"

  "And French. Is this your valley you're speaking of?"

  Naomi nodded. "Our great-grandfather is supposed to have built Hallow House in the midst of a sort of graveyard of bones--without heads. Those are the skulls in the cave. Or so the story goes."

  "Sounds weird."

  "There's a curse on the house," Katrina said.

  Both Naomi and Ronal looked at her.

  "On the house and on the people who live in it. I heard Aunt Adele say so more than once."

  "You know that's superstition," Naomi said.

  "Aunt Adele believed it," Katrina said. "I don't like to think about things like that."

  "Very wise," Ronal said. "Let's put off a visit to Skull Cave."

  As the days passed it began to seem as though there'd never been a time they hadn't known Ronal. The twins sought his company and he seemed to enjoy theirs, soon talking as much as anyone else.

  Mervin was called upon to reinstall the powered chair that Aunt Adele had used so Mrs. Stevens could ride up and down the stairs in comfort. The twins found the old lady a treasury of information about Ronal.

  "Oh, my, yes, he served in the Army in Korea. A lieutenant in the Special Forces, he was. They took him right out of college."

  "Did he get wounded there?" Naomi asked.

  "Not wou
nded, exactly. He got captured by the Chinese. He doesn't ever say much about being in the prison camp, but after he came back to this country he was in the hospital for ever so long."

  "Ronal was in a hospital?" Katrina asked.

  "Because of what they called brainwashing, the chaplain told me. A type of mental torture, he said. Ronal's much better now. When he first came home he couldn't stand a telephone in the house. I had ours rigged up so a red light flashed instead a bell-ring and that helped."