Injustice. Betrayal. Those were the main feelings that surged through me and I had to clench my hands in an effort to control myself. I wanted to toss back my head and scream out my frustration. I wanted to rant with fury at the injustice of it all. Whatever ‘it all’ was.
I opened my eyes and stared at the monument, focusing with intense concentration on the Buck name. “What have you done, Jonathan?” I spoke the words softly and the air around me suddenly stilled as if it too waited to hear the answer. With bated breath (that sounded so cliché but so very apt), I waited to see what would happen next. All I got was an increase in agitation. With my eyes open, I no longer felt our connection though I was very much aware of her. She was not a happy person. I had a very distinct feeling she was different somehow. In what way, I could not say. Just different.
“Everyone is always fascinated with that stone. You a tourist?”
The voice came from right next to me and it startled me so much I nearly jumped out of my skin. Truly, for an instant of time, I completely understood that expression. I swung around and looked at the elderly gentleman standing next to me, surprised at how close he was since I didn't even hear his approach. Although I was of average height, standing at five feet four inches, he was considerably shorter. Of course, that might be because he was quite thin and leaning on a cane. A small dog, a terrier of some sort, sat obediently next to his feet.
“Yes, I guess I am. I heard about the legend and came to check it out myself.” I eyed the kindly looking man with interest and wondered if he was a local? Perhaps he could shed some light on the witch story. His being here at this precise moment had to be of some significance to me. It was no coincidence he was out walking in this particular area at the same time I was here having a spiritual connection. Who goes for a walk when rain is about to pour from the sky? No, he was here because he had an important role to play in my life. I just knew that some how, some way, our meeting mattered.
“It’s just a story, you know. In fact, that isn’t even his gravestone.” The old man nodded toward the two headstones behind the monument. “He’s buried back there alongside his wife.”
“Yes, I heard this was just a monument. His grandchildren must have been very proud of him to put this up.”
The old man smiled. “Well, he was a war hero you know. And he was the founder of our little town.”
“Have you lived here all your life?”
A few drops of rain began to fall. It was our warning that something more substantial was about to let loose. The old man pulled his long grey jacket closer around him and looked down at his dog, a slight frown of concern wrinkling his brow more deeply than it already was. “Born and raised. Used to run the library but my tired eyes have a hard time seeing these days. Me and Teddy here,” he gave the dog leash a gentle shake and Teddy looked up with adoring eyes, “we just live to take walks. Now they have that nice walkway along the river, we do it more often. Today, though, we wanted a change of scene.” He turned and pointed toward what looked like a small park near the river. “You go down there and there’s a parking lot. You can walk all the way to the mill from there. It’s a nice walk.”
I nodded my thanks. “I will do that. Thank you.” Was this his purpose then, to direct me to the walkway along the river? There was no way I was going to ignore doing as he suggested. Not now.
Satisfied, the old man made to move on. “I better hurry on home before Teddy and I get drenched. Going to be a hard rain. You better be going too, young lady.”
“I will. Thanks.” The old man followed the path around to where my car was parked and started up the hill. I watched him through the fence spokes until the rain came down a bit harder. He was right. It was time to leave. I hurried to the car and wondered if I’d make it to the Bed and Breakfast before the sky really let loose.
Now that I was here, I was eager to get myself settled in and call Kade. He would be interested to know my first impressions of Bucksport and I couldn’t wait to share them with him. Bucksport, I believed, was going to be just as interesting as my last stay. Ghosts were in abundance here. I felt their presence as surely as I felt the cold raindrops pelting my face. But it was the girl I connected with earlier whom I was most interested in. Who was she and what did Jonathan Buck have to do with her?
CHAPTER TWO
Just as I pulled my car onto Bucksport’s main thoroughfare, the sky opened and the rain came down in a torrential fury. I thought about the old guy and his dog and hoped they made it home okay. Since I could hardly see a thing, I switched the wipers to their fastest speed and slowed to a crawl. The thought entered my mind that this downpour could be a sign from the heavens that I was about to get flooded with supernatural activity. Water, after all, was a spiritual sign. And since all things happen for a reason, I knew there was more to a rainstorm than its nourishment to the earth. My spirits lifted despite my sadness at leaving Sea Willow Haven. Yes, this rainstorm was a sign that I was in for a great new adventure, even though at this moment in time, it was hindering my progress somewhat. Well, there was nothing to be done but to press on. Once I found the B&B, I would wait in my car for the rain to dissipate. Maybe I’d use the time to call Kade. I missed him. How many times has that thought gone through my head in the two hours since I left him? How was I going to get through the next couple of days? Wednesday seemed like a long ways away. He said his current painting would be done by then and he would need the break. I felt like telling him to pack the painting up in his car and bring it with him. He could paint here just as well couldn’t he?
Giving myself a mental scolding, I let out a long breath and focused on my driving. The issue of Kade could be handled later. First things first. The B&B was somewhere near the center of town. It wasn’t directly on the banks of the Penobscot River which was the case with all the buildings to my left. Below the row of houses and businesses was the river walk the old gentleman suggested I give a try. And I would. But first to find my new home for the next week.
Nancy told me to start looking for it soon after going through the town’s one and only traffic light. Within moments I saw a cute wooden sign that said BARB’S B&B hanging from a wrought iron post. It stood at the end of a paved walkway leading to a charming Victorian home. Situated high up from the road, the view of the river was unhindered by the small electronics shop directly across the street from it. There was one parking spot available along the street near the walkway and I pulled into it. As Nancy promised, it was very easy to find, even for me. The charming décor of the house and the carefully tended flower gardens told me the person who owned the place was going to be very friendly. A fact I really already knew since Nancy told me a little about the B&B owner when she suggested I stay here.
Without being gossipy, Nancy told me only the facts. Barbara Taylor was a widow in her mid-sixties. She bought the house a few years back, not long after her husband’s death, and turned it into a B&B. As Nancy explained it, the place gave Barbara something to do and provided company to a lonely woman. Nancy met her through one of the many associations of which she was a member, something to do with Maine lodging owners. Barbara grew up in Bucksport and married her high school sweetheart. He joined the Army right after graduation and she spent the next thirty years following him around from base to base. After he retired from military service, the Taylors moved back to Maine and bought a small family campground in Orland, a small country town I passed through just before entering Bucksport. They ran it for almost ten years, up until Thomas, Barbara’s husband, was diagnosed with testicular cancer. The couple decided to sell the campground and concentrate on fighting the disease. He managed to do so for three years.
“You must stay with Barbara, Tess!” Nancy enthused. “You’ll love her, she’s such a character and her Bed & Breakfast is so charming.”
“Is it haunted?” I remember asking because it seemed to me that most of the Bed & Breakfast homes were large, old and full of history. It wasn’t unusual for places like that to be h
aunted. Although I asked the question in jest, Nancy took it quite seriously, her smooth brow wrinkling in deep thought.
“I don’t know. She’s never mentioned that it was.” Then Nancy said something that lingered with curious tenacity in my mind. “Although given the history that’s taken place in the area, I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole town is haunted.”
I had to ask. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Nancy laughed and said lightly. “I speak in jest, Tess. I can imagine you’ve had enough of ghosts after everything that’s happened here.”
It was nice to see the tension gone from Nancy’s face. From the moment I’d arrived at Sea Willow Haven, I was aware of the unease flowing through her because of the supernatural activity taking place there. But, thankfully, my last couple weeks at the resort was quite ghost free. What I really enjoyed about that was the fact it left me free to enjoy Kade’s company. But I did miss the spirit activity. Well, some of it anyway. Truth be told, I was ready to get involved with the spirit world again. Judging from the feelings hanging over me like a waiting cloud of spiritual energy, I was going to get plenty of action.
The rain let up as suddenly as it started. The weather here was quite versatile. Nancy and Jack often joked that if I didn’t like the weather then I need only to wait five minutes and it would change. I didn’t want to tell them we said the same thing in New York! Still, keeping that thought in mind, I stepped quickly out of the car and hurried up the walkway before it changed its mind and started raining again. A welcome sign on the door said “Come on Inn, Stay a Spell” and I had to smile a little at the wording. Considering I was here to investigate the legend of a witch’s curse, it seemed somewhat prophetic to encounter such a welcome.
I opened the door and stepped into an entry hall. A set of glass doors were directly in front of me and I could see the check-in desk in the next room. I took off my wet jacket and hung it on the coat rack and pulled open the doors. Barbara (I surmised) was sitting in a small cozy sitting room to my right enjoying a cup of tea from the looks of it. She stood up as I entered and gave me a wide, welcoming smile.
“Hello! You must be Tess. I’m Barbara.” She held out her hand and I took it in my own, noting as I did so that she had a very comfortable aura about her. Nancy was right. I was going to like Barbara a lot. More than ever, I was glad I decided to come to Maine for a vacation. The state’s welcome sign said that Maine was “the way life should be” and I was beginning to think it had the slogan right.
“Hello, Barbara, it’s nice to meet you.” I followed her to the front desk and proceeded to fill out a registration form while Barbara chatted on.
“Sorry about the weather but it’s due to clear up soon and tomorrow’s forecast is calling for a warm, sunny day.” She leaned over to see where I was on the registration form and waved her hand. “Don’t worry about filling all that out. I just need the basic info.”
I pushed the form back toward Barbara then waved vaguely toward the street where my car was parked. “I’ll just go get my luggage then and settle in. If the weather is going to clear, I’d like to take a walk along the river later.”
Barbara followed me to the door. “Do you need some help?” and when I started to protest she brushed away my objections. “I may be getting old but I can still carry luggage. Surely you aren’t going to be able to handle it all alone.” Shorter than me by a couple inches and with a frame that could easily be described as ‘pleasingly plump’, Barbara did not look like a frail old lady in the least. She had a healthy vitality about her and I did not want to insult her by refusing her kind offer to help.
Between the two of us, we managed to get all of my suitcases in one trip. My room, however, was on the second floor and that took two trips between us to get everything up the carpeted stairs. Situated in the far left corner if you were staring at the house from the front, my bedroom overlooked the river. I could clearly see Fort Knox across the way. I had forgotten about the fort. It was definitely on my list of places to visit. Pushing the lacy white curtain aside, I took in the view with an exclamation of delight, playing it up a bit for Barbara’s benefit for she was clearly waiting for my reaction. “This is a lovely view, Barbara. I can see the bridge and the fort so clearly!”
“Have you been to the fort yet?”
I drew away from the window and glanced around the room. “No, this is my first time to Bucksport. Other than when I passed through on my way to Sea Willow Haven that is.”
“Well you should try and get there during your stay. It’s a charming place to walk around and explore.” Barbara walked to the door and paused. “Have you had lunch, dear? I was about to make a sandwich, there’s plenty if you’d like to join me?”
Touched by her thoughtful invitation, I felt regretful at having to turn her down. “I ate a large breakfast at the resort and I’m just not hungry. But I do thank you for asking.”
Barbara nodded with understanding. “I stayed a weekend at Sea Willow, they had lovely food there I remember.” She paused for a brief moment as if trying to decide what to say next. “I heard you had some interesting developments while you were there.”
Wondering what Nancy told her, I kept my reply vague but polite. “Yes, it was a memorable stay.” I waved my hand toward the window. “Can I access the river walk from across the street? It looks like the rain is about done and I think I’ll take that walk once I’ve finished unpacking.”
“There’s an access point to the right, at the end of the building across from us. It’s a lovely walk. I try to go at least two or three times a week. Me and Max.”
“Max?”
“My dog. He’s a Schnauzer. Right now he’s at the groomers but my daughter should be bringing him back any time.” She stepped out of the room and made to pull the door closed. “I’m usually in the sitting room if you need me. Feel free to come and chat whenever you feel like it.” She nearly had the door pulled shut when she quickly opened it again and caught my eye. “Oh, in case I forget. I do have one other guest right now. Ted Kendall. He’s staying in the room downstairs. It’s the only one with a private bath. Yours is across the hall, second door on the right. The three rooms up here all must share a bathroom but it’s usually not a problem. I have another public bathroom downstairs that you may use as well but since you are the only one up here, you should be fine.”
A small twinge of unease tugged at my psyche. A lone male guest was staying here? Kade wasn’t going to be real happy about that. Though he had nothing to worry about, I still felt it could raise complications. A lone female and a lone male sharing a small space was bound to bring us together more often than I wanted. It happened at Sea Willow with Kade. Although I came to be quite okay with that, I did not feel that way initially. Our relationship was still too new for me to feel secure about unknown situations. Would he get nervous knowing I was staying in a small B&B where another male was staying? “Will he be here long?”
“Until Wednesday. He checked in last night. He’s here to evaluate the Tenney house. The people he works for are interested in purchasing it.” Barbara gave a satisfied nod, letting it show how happy she was about that possibility. “I hope they do so soon or the whole building is going to go to waste and ruin.”
Now my internal sensors were pinging with excitement. If she was talking about the building known as the Tenney Inn (now closed for several years), then I definitely was interested in whatever I could learn from Barbara about the place. From research I’d done prior to my arrival, I knew the building was built during the time Jonathan Buck was still alive. It used to be part of a stagecoach route. A stopping point for travelers. It was quite likely Colonel Buck had been inside the building. That formed a connection with him. It might help me pick up his spiritual imprint. “You are talking about the Tenney Inn?”
“Yes, it used to be such a nice hotel at one time. Fancy place. A shame for it to go unused for so long.”
“I wonder if the gentleman staying here would let
me check it out.” From wanting to keep my distance to now seeking his company. That’s how it happened with Kade. Only I wasn’t the type of woman to run from man to man. It took me two years to get over the grief of losing my husband before I managed to get to this point with Kade and that wasn’t far, not for this day and age. Still, for all intents and purposes, we were pretty much moving towards being a couple. My last two weeks at Sea Willow had us spending every available minute together. And yet we hadn’t made the plunge toward sleeping together. Surprisingly enough, I wasn’t quite ready for that. Oh it wasn't because I didn't find Kade attractive for I most certainly did. I was not immune to him in the least. The problem was me. Whenever we managed to get physically close, I got all uptight and I never thought I’d be like that…ever. It wasn’t because I felt guilty, as was the case in the beginning. Mike is gone and I truly have accepted that. He’s moved on in the afterlife and I’m glad for him.
No, my problem with Kade had nothing to do with Mike. Fact is, my nagging fears were constantly kicking in and destroying the moment…what if something was to happen to him, what would I do then? Luckily for me (because I truly don’t want to lose him), Kade doesn’t push the issue. He won't wait forever, though. He is a grown man with normal, healthy appetites and he has made it pretty clear he is ready for the next step in our relationship. I'm hoping this time apart will help me figure out if I was ready for it too. Somehow or other, I was going to have to get over this fear of losing him or I was going to do just that…lose him. My stomach twisted into a knot at the very thought and I knew it was already too late. My feelings were quite engaged. If anything happened to him even now at this early juncture of our relationship, I would be quite devastated. Shuddering at the turn my thoughts were taking, I refocused on Barbara and our discussion.
Hidden Voices (Tess Schafer-Medium) Page 2