by Hunt, Brenda
Snowbound
Fairy
Christmas
Moonstone Magic Series
Book 1
Brenda Hunt
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidences are all figments of this author imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons living or dead is purely coincidental and are not intended by the author.
Text copyrighted 2015 by Brenda Hunt
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or stored in any manner, database or retrieval system what so ever, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any other means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without written permission of the author unless in the case of brief quotations during articles or critical reviews.
Cover Design by Fionajademedia.com
ISBN:099094591X
ISBN13:9780990945918
Library of Congress Control Number:
Brenda Hunt, Houma, LA
Dedication
My grand daughter
Alexis Kiley
Who insisted one afternoon, during Christmas vacation,
we needed to take a nap.
It was awakening from this nap, this story and these characters
came to me.
I am not sure whether it was a dream or
just a thought that popped into my head and grew.
I often wonder, if Alexis had not insisted we nap
would this story have ever come to life.
Thank you, Alexis.
Acknowledgments:
To my YA YA sisters, Barbara Barker and Ruth Babin for their support and willingness to read and edit and critique for me. We have known each other since grade school/junior high. You are the best.
To Barbara Ortego Arcement and Joyce Graham my two other friends who read, edit and critique for me. Thank you for your input and undying support. It means the world to me.
To my family, my daughters and their families, my son and his family. You have taught me what family is all about. I always wanted a big family. Thank you for giving it to me. I love each and every one of you.
Last but not least to my husband who has encouraged me every step of the way on this new journey I have undertaken. Just your sitting in your recliner next to me while I write has been the greatest support I could ever have. You listen as I bounce ideas off of you. You read and critique. You answer my history questions. You taught me how to love again through good times, bad times, in between times. Love you!
Just a note for those who don’t believe in ESP, clairvoyance, precognition and the like, there is a saying:
Faith consists in believing
It is the power of reason to believe.
To one who has faith
No explanation is necessary
To one without faith,
No explanation is possible.
Voltaire
I have faith and believe in these things for I have experienced them time and time again, where no explanation is possible except to believe.
Chapter 1
Deep within the winter forest
Among the snowdrift wide
You can find a magic place
Where all the fairies hide….
Author Unknown
Quietly, one small foot followed the next and approached the small stand of trees that stood like silent sentinels in this world of white. The snow had been slowly falling since just before noon but from the looks of the gray clouds in the sky above, it was just a prelude of what was to come. Dulcey glanced up knowing it was only going to get worse and get worse soon. She was glad she had gathered her holly boughs, ivy and mistletoe earlier to decorate her small cottage for Christmas. Now, she was concentrating on getting food for the table. She already had two partridges in her bag. She wanted another one, for if she was right about the weather, she would not be able to hunt again for days.
As it was, she was afraid her hunting days would soon be limited, if not done away with all together. Who knew who the new Baron might be or when he would be taking up residence? Would he allow her to hunt as Lord James had? If Lord James could have had his way, she would have moved into the manor house when Grammy Digby died. They had argued time and time again. In the end, he had allowed her to have her way and stay on at the cottage. But now that Lord James had died, things would more than likely change. Dulcey hated change. Oh, how she missed Grammy and now Lord James. They had been her rock in the strange world she lived in. If the new Baron did not let her hunt, she had no idea how she would survive.
Slowly, quietly, she approached the small thicket, hopefully hiding at least one partridge. Her bow was drawn as she carefully surveyed the fields, listening, watching, becoming one with the world around her. Out the corner of her eye, she saw a slight movement. She turned and let her arrow fly. Quickly, she followed her arrow. Her arrow was true, not the she had any doubt. The partridge lay dead. A small amount of crimson blood stained the white snow. She pulled her arrow out and cleaned it in the snow before placing it back in her quiver. She took the partridge in both her hands and raised it slightly.
“Thank you, Mother Earth for your most generous offering. Your humble servant is most appreciative.” Dulcey gave thanks as her grandmother had taught her. Gently, she placed the dead partridge in her bag at her waist along with the other two from earlier. She would have food for the next few days. Maybe, the snowstorm would not be as bad as she believed.
She turned, every intent of hurrying home, for the sky appeared to be growing heavier by the minute. Soon, it would be snowing hard. She stopped. She heard something, a whimper. Dulcey shook her head. No, it was just the wind in the tress. Often, the wind made sounds that were strange and human like. She shook her head to dispel her thoughts but the feeling that something was amiss with the world around her only got stronger. She paused, listening, before she made another step. The sound came again, only louder. No, this was human.
Dulcey moved cautiously in direction of the sound. It was just over there by that small stand of trees. There was a large bolder at the base of one of the trees. The sound came again, only this time louder as she got closer. Dulcey peered around the boulder. A small child sat huddled on the ground, softly whimpering.
“Hello there,” said Dulcey softly, not wanting to frighten the poor child.
Beautiful big blue eyes, glistening with huge tears, stared back at her. Her small mouth quivered. Dulcey’s heart went out to the child. “Have you lost your way, little one?”
The small head of dark blonde curls covered by a soft blue velvet bonnet that matched her eyes nodded. “I was chasing the bunny and then I was lost and I couldn’t find the bunny and I couldn’t find Uncle Nate.” She explained between soft sobs.
“You must be very scared, but don’t worry, I have found you,” comforted Dulcey as she knelt down beside the little girl. Dulcey wasn’t sure where this child had come from but she had no time to look. The snow was about to start coming down heavily. It was imperative they get into shelter soon. “How about I take you home with me until the snow stops and then we can find your Uncle Nate?”
The little girl nodded, still taking sobbing breaths.
“My name is Dulcey. What is yours, little one?” asked Dulcey. Maybe, it would give her a better idea of who she was. She knew just about everyone in the country side here but this child was new to the area. The most important thing, at the moment, was to get them back to the cottage before the storm hit. They would have to hurry.
“Abigail Beckham. Uncle Nate calls me Abby.”
Dulcey nodded. “Pleasure to meet you, Abigail. We need to hurry Abby. Can you walk?”
/> Abigail nodded. Dulcey helped her up. With her small hand in hers, Dulcey hurried her through the field. All Dulcey could think about was getting to the cottage as soon as possible. Already, the wind had picked up and the snow was falling heavily. Soon, it would be hard to see out
in front of ones face. It was slow going with Abigail in tow. Dulcey stopped and stooped to Abigail’s level.
“Sweetie, I need you to climb on my back and let me carry you.” She needed to make better time.
Abigail nodded. With Dulcey’s help, she climbed on Dulcey’s back and wrapped her little arms around Dulcey’s neck and held on.
Once Abigail was secure, Dulcey began a slow trot covering the ground much faster now. She kept a watchful eye for all her familiar landmarks. Already, some of them were beginning to blur. Desperate, Dulcey picked up her pace and soon the cottage came into view. Never had she been so glad to see her small cottage. Her breathing was hard and heavy. She didn’t know how much longer she could have kept up the pace. She could feel the cold air cutting into her breath.
Opening the door, she and Abigail stepped into the warmth of the small cottage. Dulcey allowed Abigail to slide off her back on to the floor.
Abigail stood and looked around. It was warm in here. The snow and the dark couldn’t get to her, she thought. Her new friend, Dulcey, would take care of her until Uncle Nate found her.
Dulcey hastened to the fireplace, added more peat to the fire and stoked it till she had a good blaze going. She turned to Abigail, “Little one, I think we need to get some of those wet clothes off. You need to get warm.”
Dulcey began taking off Abby’s velvet coat that matched her bonnet. Her clothes were soaked. She needed to get Abby dry and warm. She did not want the child to get sick. She would give Abby a tonic later to make certain.
“Is Uncle Nate looking for me?” asked Abigail, as she allowed Dulcey to undress her.
“I’m sure he is but with the storm outside, he may have to wait. We will wait for him here, where it is nice and warm. And if he doesn’t find us, then when this storm is over, we will go looking for him. How about that?”
Abby nodded. Uncle Nate would come and rescue her. Uncle Nate always did. He would come. Now that she was with Dulcey, she would just wait for Uncle Nate. Dulcey was nice. She liked her.
Dulcey got Abby down to her under shift which appeared to be dry. She wrapped her in Grammy’s quilt from off the top of the bed in the corner and sat her in the rocker in front of the fireplace.
“Better?”
Abigail nodded.
Dulcey smiled. “You’ve been a very brave little girl. Your uncle will be very proud of you. Now, I have to tend to some things. You just rest there in the rocker and warm up and I’ll see about fixing us something to eat. Are you hungry?” asked Dulcey as she removed her own long coat and put the bag of partridges on the floor by the back door. She hung her bow and quiver on its hook by the back door as well. She took off her boots and put them by the hearth to dry. Her woolen stockings were damp. She pulled them off and replaced them with some dry ones and slipped on her other pair of dry shoes. She hung up all their wet clothes about the room to dry.
“I am going to go through that door right there. It just goes to where I keep my animals. I need to check on Albert and Sally and Lizzie and Chickie and McDougal.”
Dulcey smiled at Abby’s quizzical look. Good, she was getting her to think about something other than being caught in the snowstorm. “Albert and Sally are my goats and Lizzie, Chickie and McDougal are my chickens. I need to make sure they are warm too. I will be but just a moment.”
Abigail smiled and nodded.
Dulcey went through the back door to the room attached to her cottage where she kept her animals. Grammy did not believe in having her barn away from her house. A quick look around showed Dulcey they were fine, huddled next to the outside of her fireplace. She would milk Sally in the morning. She would need some more milk by then with her little visitor,
Back in the cottage, Dulcey noticed, Abby had nodded off in the rocker all safely wrapped in Grammy’s quilt. Poor thing had gotten herself exhausted getting lost.
Dulcey went about cleaning the three partridges. In short time, they were cleaned and on the spit on the fire cooking. The rabbit stew was slowly simmering as well. They would have more than enough food to last for several days.
Abigail was sound asleep, all warmly wrapped up. Dulcey was hesitant to wake the sleeping child. Poor thing, she had had a rough time of it. Dulcey decided to let her sleep and feed her when she awakened. She just wondered who Uncle Nate was and how and when had they come to the district. She fervently hoped he was not in this storm looking for Abby.
The wind outside had increased. She could hear the wind whistling and howling as it swept around the eaves. She could never in her life remember a storm this bad. She was ever so grateful she had found Abigail when she did. She couldn’t bear to think of her out in that weather. She would have never survived. She sent up a silent prayer to Mother earth in thanksgiving for putting her in the right place, at the right time, for being able to find her. Yet, still there was that same nagging feeling that all was not right. It had to be the storm.
Dulcey went about the room checking on the clothes hanging to dry. Soon, they would be completely dry. She was afraid this was going to be their world for the next few days by the sound of what was going on outside. Dulcey felt this storm was disturbing her world. Ever since yesterday, she had felt the change around her. It left her uneasy. She was afraid of this change because she couldn’t tell whether it was for the good or the bad and that was very unusual.
She heard something strange outside. She couldn’t sense what it was. This storm was really playing havoc with her senses. Her senses were all befuddled. It was distracting as though she could not trust her powers. It was almost as though they weren’t working correctly. She felt all jumbled. She went to window but could see nothing but the swirling of the snow. It was bad outside. The swirling snow obliterated everything. Dulcey could not even see the rose bushes or the small yew that stood just outside her door.
A sudden loud banging shook the door. Dulcey jumped and cried out. Abby woke up and screamed in fright. Dulcey went to the frightened child and tried to calm her. The banging began again only stronger and louder. Abby clung to Dulcey, terrified.
Dulcey reassured Abby. “Stay right here, little one. I have to check and see, what is going on. It might be someone lost, like you were.”
Abby nodded, but was reluctant to let Dulcey go. Dulcey walked back to the door just as the banging started again, harder. Quickly, she unlocked the latch and opened the door. A huge man stood on her stoop. There were icicles hanging from his hat. His face was covered with snow. He looked like he was ready to collapse, frozen on the spot.
“Please, help me,” the voice croaked.
Dulcey grabbed his arm and aided him into the small room. He seemed to take up all the extra room. She escorted him to the chair at her table and aided him as he collapsed into the chair. He closed his eyes. For a moment, Dulcey was afraid he had passed out.
Suddenly, she was staring at the brightest blue eyes.
They shone with a fever she was certain he had.
“Uncle Nate,” yelled Abby as she ran to him and hugged him snow and all.
Dulcey watched the tension evaporate from him. He just sagged in the chair as he hugged the little bundle of energy that threw herself in his arms.
“Oh, Poppet, I have been looking all over for you.”
“I’m not lost anymore. I’ve been here with Dulcey. She found me. I chased after the bunny but I couldn’t catch him,” explained Abby, as though he should have known all this time.
Nate looked over Abby’s blond curls to the woman who had helped him. He was still so cold but he seemed to be warming up. “Poppet, you’re going to get snow all over you.” He said as he put her gently away from him. He tried to stand up but his legs were too weak to hold him. �
��Nathaniel Beckham, m’lady,” he made a half-hearted motion with his hand. He closed his eyes for a second, then tried to rise again but could not. “My horse, I need to put him up.”
“You just sit there. I will see to your horse. Abby, look after your uncle,” Dulcey grabbed her boots and stomped into them. She grabbed her heavy coat from the door and with one quick glance at the two at her table, she walked out her door.
The wind whipped about her, nearly knocking her over. Her visitor’s horse just stood there. She grabbed his reins and struggled to lead him around the corner to her lean-to. She struggled with the door and finally got it open. She led his horse in, closing the door behind her with the winds help. Her chickens clucked their annoyance at being disturbed, Albert moved over as though knowing the horse needed more room. She took the saddle off. She draped it over a pile of hay she had in the corner and quickly rubbed him down. At least, the lean-to had him out of the elements.
Dulcey walked in through the back door to find her guest draped across the table, his head on his arms. Abby looked up at her frightened and quiet.
“I think Uncle Nate went to sleep,” she whispered.
Dulcey nodded. She removed her coat and boots. They would need to dry out again. Her guest would need to get out of his wet clothes. She just wondered how much help he would be. Very little, she thought. Together, she and Abby would have to manage.
She placed her hand on his shoulder. His eyes opened slowly. A feverish shine was still in them. She needed to get him dry and warm soon. “Sir, you need to get out of these wet clothes. They are making you sick. I’m going to need your help. ”
“A beautiful woman wants me to take my clothes off. I shall be happy to oblige such a request,” he said with a smirk on his face.
Dulcey sighed. She may live out here by herself but she was aware of what went on between a man and a woman. Her friend, Mary, had enlightened her on those facts.