“We’re not supposed to use our magic, or have you forgotten,” Raven warned.
“I couldn’t let her get away with it, Raven. You would have done the same thing, I’m certain.”
Wisely, her friend let it go and they started talking about their plans for the day. She told Raven she wanted to ask Cash about the manor. “Cash was around most of the day yesterday, but I haven’t seen him yet today. Martha should be in here soon, telling us what the plan is for photo shoots or promos or whatever. I’m sure she can contact him, if he isn’t coming in,” Raven advised.
As if she’d been summoned, Martha walked into the dining room at that moment. “Alright ladies, we have a change in plans today. Allegra’s sick so we can’t shoot the group promo we’d scheduled. That means you have some time to do as you please. We’ll meet back here in two hours and go over the afternoon photo shoots. Any questions? Good.” She was nearly out the door when Stella found her voice.
“Martha?”
The producer spun on her heel, glaring at Stella. “Yes, Ms. Spinney. How can I help you?”
“I have a question for Cash. Will he be here today? Or could you get a message to him?”
“I’m not his secretary, but I can tell you that he’s expected this morning to review some of the footage from yesterday’s filming. I’ll let him know you’d like to speak with him, if he has time.”
“Thank you,” the words were barely out of her mouth before the woman disappeared down the hallway. “Well, okay, then.”
Raven laughed. “At least you got a response. The first day you were gone Poppy followed her around for about 30 minutes before she deigned to acknowledge her.”
“Well, I think I’m going to use this time to check out the rest of the manor. I found an alcove with a gorgeous view of the garden that I’d like to take another look at.”
“I’m going to work on my painting this morning. I’ll let you know if I find anything else that seems off.” As Raven walked away, she giggled, calling out over her shoulder, “Enjoy your talk with Cash!”
Stella grinned. Raven liked to pretend she wasn’t paying attention and that she didn’t care about things, but she didn’t miss much. She stood up and stretched, waved goodbye to Poppy and Stephanie, and headed down the hallway.
13
The view was just as breathtaking as she remembered. From this angle, she couldn’t see Raven or her easel, but she could see the rose bushes that weren’t as vibrant as the ones around them. Stella wondered how she could explore them further without drawing attention to herself.
She walked out of the alcove and decided to go further down the hall, away from the entry area. She had no idea where she was going and for a moment, was concerned she might get lost. Two cameramen rushed past her which reminded her that she wasn’t alone in an abandoned house. There were lots of people all over the place and she could always call out for help. Or she could use her magic. Either way, she felt more confident and reassured, so she moved down the hallway at a fast clip.
The hallway ended, with other hallways that branched off to the left and right. The right hallway had three doors that were closed and several framed portraits hanging on the walls. To the left, there was light streaming across the floor, suggesting another alcove or a large window. At the end of that hallway was a door that was slightly open. She decided to check out the portraits, first.
The nearest portrait was of Mabel, herself. Stella looked into the woman’s painted eyes and was disappointed to see that she seemed happy. Her mental image had always been of an ugly, mean-spirited witch with a pointy chin and warts on her nose. None of the witches she’d ever met looked like that, but still, it was how she pictured her great-grandmother’s nemesis.
She moved to the next portrait. The plaque said it was Mabel’s daughter, Mildred. Stella felt a wave of unease wash over her. The woman was the spitting image of her grandmother at that age. She moved to the last portrait and it was of a very handsome man. His eyes were sparkling, and he was laughing, showing off straight white teeth.
She leaned forward to read his name: Reginald. There was nothing else to explain who he was and how he was related to the two women. Stella tried to think back to the stories she’d heard, but she couldn’t remember ever hearing that name before. As she stood looking at the trio of portraits, it seemed clear that this was a family. The resemblance between Reginald and Mildred made Stella think he was her father. The niggling thoughts in the back of her mind were shoved further back as a male voice interrupted her reverie.
“I heard you wanted to speak with me,” Cash murmured.
Stella turned to look at him and felt her palms immediately get sweaty. What was it about this man that made her all giddy? She cleared her throat and nodded. “I do. Chad said that you’re interested in the history of the manor and the stories about Mable and my great-grandmother, Willow.”
“I am. There’s so much mystery surrounding what happened and the fact that you lost your ancestral home practically over night makes me curious to know what really happened.”
“Me too,” she admitted. “My great-grandma passed away when my grandmother was just a child, so her memories of her mother and the stories she told have big gaps in them. All I know is that being here makes me want to know more about what happened.” She gestured towards the portraits. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about this man, Reginald, or Mabel’s daughter, would you?”
“It’s funny you should ask. When we first got access to the manor, to get set up for the show, I noticed that these are the only portraits of these three people.” He walked over to the painting of Reginald and looked up. “Most of the plaques have names, relationships, dates or other information, but this one only has the man’s first name. And Mildred’s only states that she’s Mabel’s daughter. But there’s no record of Mabel having a daughter named Mildred.”
“It’s very odd, don’t you think?”
He looked at her and grinned. “Very odd and very intriguing. I’ve been so busy with the show and everything else that I haven’t had a chance to look into this further.”
“I know you’re busy, and I’m sorry to bother you,” Stella said, quickly.
“You’re never a bother,” he told her. “In fact, you’re a breath of fresh air for me.” He held her gaze for a moment, then sighed and turned towards the portraits again. “I do need to ask you a question, though.”
“Yes?”
“Are you interested in continuing your relationship with my brother?”
She nearly grinned, hearing the anxiety in his voice. “I’m interested in remaining friends with him, if that’s possible, but as far as dating, no, I’m not interested in him at all.”
He turned to her, his eyes full of light and a smile on his face. “In that case, would you like to meet up tonight around 9 pm to share notes on what we know about Mabel and Willow? I have meetings and appointments all day, but I should be done by then.”
“Sure, I’d love to.” She tried to calm her beating heart, but she couldn’t keep the silly grin off her face.
“Okay, I’ll meet you in our alcove at 9 pm.”
“Our alcove?” she laughed.
His cheeks turned pink, but he nodded. “That’s how I think of it. I’ll see you later,” he waved and walked off, shoving his hands in his pants pockets.
Stella felt giddy and found it really irritating. She was rich witch and she didn’t need a man in her life, but for once, that didn’t seem to matter.
She walked down the other hallway and found the source of the light. It was a stained-glass window in yellows, blues, greens and reds, that seemed to depict the garden. She stood studying it for a moment. Something wasn’t quite right. She took out her cell phone and snapped a photo. She texted it to Raven, hoping she’d be able to put her finger on what was wrong.
Under the window was a shelf, with a photo of the manor. In front stood a man and woman, holding a baby. Stella picked it up and examined it, but th
e photo was old and grainy, and she couldn’t make out the details. She set it back on the shelf and turned to see what else she could find.
At the end of the hallway was a door. It was partly open, so she walked over and knocked gently. When she got no response, she pushed at the door and it swung open. From the doorway, she could see it was an artist’s studio. There were easels, paints, canvases and brushes. Judging by an empty space between two easels, she assumed this was where Raven’s supplies had come from.
She walked out of the room, pulling the door nearly closed behind her, then walked back to where she’d started. As she passed the alcove, she grinned to herself. It was going to be a wonderful day.
14
She was rethinking how wonderful it was going to be an hour later, as Martha made them stand in ridiculous poses while several photographers took hundreds of photos. Allegra had shown up, but there was a green tinge to her skin even after makeup had worked on her for a while, so Martha sent her back to her room.
Today’s photo shoot had them standing in groups pretending they were at high society events and fundraisers. That meant high heels, fancy dresses and lots of makeup while they stood around holding champagne glasses. Stella had never realized before how much time she wasted standing around making small talk with people she didn’t even like. She was much more exhausted and much less fulfilled doing this than when she’d spent all day on her feet serving the homeless.
For a moment she wondered what was happening to her. She’d never once questioned her use of magic, or her wealth. Her whole life to date had been about making a quick dollar so she could do as she pleased. For the first time, she wondered why she was always coming up with get rich schemes instead of doing something meaningful with her life.
“Ms. Spinney, are we boring you?” Martha’s voice startled her, and she almost dropped her champagne glass. She looked around and realized she was the only one still standing.
“Sorry, Martha. My mind was wandering.”
“Well, pay attention. The longer you dawdle the longer this will take.”
“Okay, we have two more shots to get.” Raven and Poppy groaned, earning them dirty looks from Martha. “If you all cooperate, we can be done in another 30 minutes or so.”
Stella followed the producer’s directions and found herself seated with Poppy and Raven, leaning forward and pretending to laugh at something one of them said. Raven’s smile looked pained, which made Stella start to giggle. Poppy joined in and soon all three were giggling uncontrollably. Luckily, the photographers were still able to get some good shots, so they only got an eye roll from Martha. While the team focused on getting Stephanie and Susan into position, the witches had a moment to relax.
“Did you get a chance to look at the picture I sent you?” Stella asked Raven.
“I did, and I agree with you that something’s off, but I can’t quite place it. This afternoon, if I get a chance, I’ll take some pictures of the garden. I can compare the pictures of the stained-glass window with the pictures of the actual garden and see what’s different.”
Poppy bounced up and down in her seat, clapping her hands. “Oh! I love that game! Find the differences and hidden objects are my jam!”
Raven rolled her eyes and Stella stifled a giggle.
“All right, that’s a wrap.” Martha’s announcement was met with cheers from everyone in the room, including the photographers and make up artists. “I’ll check in with Cash and let you all know what’s next. For now, have a nice lunch and I’ll see you later.”
Susan stood up and immediately groaned. She sat back down and removed her shoes. She stretched her aching feet out in front of her, then leaned forward and started rubbing them. Stella suddenly realized she hadn’t even spoken with the woman.
“Hi, Susan, I’m Stella.” She held out her hand.
Susan looked up and laughed. “I’m rubbing my feet. I’m not sure you really want to shake hands with me right now.”
Stella laughed, too. “Good point. Do you mind if I sit?” She gestured to the empty chair next to her, across from where Stephanie had been sitting.
“Not at all. We haven’t had a chance to talk, so I appreciate you making the first move.” She grinned and Stella was pleased to see that her interest seemed genuine. “How was it? Being first to date the rich guy?”
“Actually, it wasn’t really what I expected.”
Susan stopped rubbing her feet and put her shoes back on. “What do you mean?” she asked.
“Being filmed in my own home at all times was a bit disconcerting,” she admitted. “They moved things around and changed things so in the end, it didn’t seem like my place at all.”
Susan frowned. “I don’t think I’ll like that part of it. I guess it’s to be expected, though.”
“I’m realizing that I didn’t really think this through, before I committed.”
“Me neither,” Susan sighed. “But we’re here now and we might as well give it our all.”
Martha walked into the room and Susan’s eyes were immediately glued to the woman. When she looked up and saw that Stella was watching, her cheeks flushed, and she ducked her head.
“I don’t mean to pry, but what’s the deal with you and Martha?” Stella asked softly. “You can’t seem to keep your eyes off of her.”
Susan looked at the floor and chewed on the inside of her cheek. She looked up and asked, “Can you keep a secret?”
Stella nodded, but added, “As long as it’s not something that affects the competition.”
“I’m not in this for the rich guy,” she admitted. “I’m actually here to learn more about Martha.”
“You’re really into her, aren’t you?”
“What? No! You’ve got the wrong idea,” Susan sputtered. “I’m adopted. I’ve been trying to find my birth mother for years. I’ve narrowed it down and it’s between Martha and another woman.” She paused to take a breath. “I thought if I could spend some time with Martha, I’d be able to figure it out, but I just don’t know.”
“Have you thought about asking her?”
Susan nodded, a frown on her face. “I’ve thought about it, but first off, I don’t know what to say, and secondly, I don’t want to be thrown off the show before I have a chance to go on my dates. Chad really does seem like a great guy and I might never have a chance to meet someone like him again. I mean, I meet rich men all the time, but most of them are shallow and not men I want to spend time with.”
Stella laughed out loud. “I know exactly what you mean, but can I give you some advice? You might want to look at Chad and quit staring at Martha. I’m not the only one who’s noticed.”
Susan’s cheeks flamed a bright red and she looked very uncomfortable. “I didn’t realize I was being so obvious.”
“Well, the vibe I got was that you liked Martha and would prefer to date her rather than Chad. That actually might not be the worst thing for people to think,” she mused.
“What do you mean?”
Stella knew she couldn’t say anything about what Allegra had tried to do to Stephanie, so she just said, “The others might not see as a threat, if they think you’re into a woman.”
“That’s true,” she grinned. “I like you, Stella. I’m glad we had this chance to talk.”
“I like you, too, Susan. And I hope you find your birth mother.” She stood up and smiled down at her new friend. “I’m going to get some lunch. Talk to you later.”
15
The next couple of days passed quickly, but uneventfully. Stella couldn’t wait for Fiona to return to the manor so she could talk with her best friend. Allegra had stayed in her room and Cash had cancelled their “meeting” due to unforeseen issues at the Sanctuary.
“Is everything okay?” she’d asked. “It isn’t Max, is it?”
Cash had been quick to reassure her that it was an admin issue, not a Max issue. She’d been disappointed that she couldn’t see him, but she understood.
She, Raven and Po
ppy had taken turns examining the photo of the stained-glass window, but even though they agreed something wasn’t right, they hadn’t been able to figure out what it was.
This morning, Stella got up late. It was nearly lunch time, but luckily the breakfast buffet hadn’t been cleared so she served herself some pancakes and bacon. She was finishing up her orange juice when Stephanie came flying into the room, eyes wild.
“Come quick! Something’s happened to Poppy!”
She raced out of the dining room with Stella hot on her heels. They found Poppy buried under a pile of rubble, Martha screaming into her headset and cameramen snapping pictures left and right.
“What happened? Is she okay?”
“Stand back, everyone,” Martha commanded. “The paramedics are on the way.”
Stella’s throat grew tight with fear as she frantically tried to get closer. She pushed her way up next to Martha and when she could see her friend’s face, she called out her name. Poppy’s eyes opened and Stella was surprised by the level of anger she saw. Poppy rarely got upset, but it seemed she was seething with rage right now.
“What happened?” Stella asked again.
Martha turned worried eyes her way and shook her head. “I’m not sure. I heard a crash and ran in here to find this. It looks like the stage for the photo shoot collapsed and she got caught underneath.
Stella tried to picture how that could happen, but it didn’t make sense. She moved around to where she could reach Poppy’s hand and took it in hers.
“You should probably move back, Stella. I can’t promise the rest of this won’t fall.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she told Martha. “Poppy, I’m right here. Can you hear me?”
Poppy squeezed her hand and sent a jolt of electricity through it. She must be really angry if she’s using her magic, Stella thought. But then a second thought hit her. If Poppy wanted to, she could zap herself out of there. There must be a reason why she wasn’t using her magic to get free. She squeezed back and heard a sigh of relief from her friend. “I’ll be okay, I think. My leg feels like it might be broken but I can fix that. When I get out of here, we need to talk,” she said.
A Get Witch Quick Scheme (Bewitching the Rich Guy Book 1) Page 6