by Rikki Dyson
“I’m sure you didn’t, Shane,” Uncle John said. “It’s on the other side of the lake, way up and off the beaten path.”
“You have a lake too?” Stacey asked.
She couldn’t believer her good luck. It was beginning to sound quite promising that she was near Dun-Raven castle. But she didn’t understand why she couldn’t find any information in Leeds about the castle. Maybe this old castle wasn’t the right one after all.
“Yes,” Sir John said. “I’ll be happy to guide you up, should you care to see it, of course. We’ll have to go by horse back there’s no other way up there from here. Do you ride? Oh, dear, silly question of me. Of course, you do.”
“I think that may be like asking, do ducks swim?” Shane said, a bit sarcastically.
Once again, he got that cold drop dead look, from Stacey. She was wondering, why does he irritate me so much? She decided to ignore him. These were such nice people and she didn’t want to offend them. Even if Doctor McLeod didn’t think so she had been raised to be polite.
“Sir John, can you tell me anything about the castle?” Stacey inquired.
“There’s nothing there but rubble now,” he said. “It must have been a very large place at one time. I know this house was built from some of the stones and Wakefield manor also, or so I’ve been told. The local people in the village can probably tell you more than I can. We only moved here from London five years ago. The locals still think of us as, new comers, you know.”
Stacey was quiet and thoughtful for a few minutes, then asked, “When you bought this house did you ask about the history of the name and the road?”
Sir John frowned and said, “No, I didn’t. A solicitor friend found it for us. We were intrigued by it as soon as we saw the old place.”
Stacey suddenly felt very tired. She thanked them all and said goodnight, then excused herself and went upstairs. She had just put on her over sized Baylor tee-shirt to sleep in when there was a soft knock at her door. When she opened the door there stood Doctor McLeod.
“Sorry to disturb you,” he said, “however, we share a bath and you’ve locked me out.”
“Oh, sorry,” Stacey said, and shut the door on him.
He went back to his room and as he was entering the bathroom he heard her door close, but not lock. He grinned to himself as he realized that she thought of him as no threat. What a blow to his male ego. After breakfast the next morning, Sir John, Shane and Stacey headed out for the castle. Stacey was very quiet. Shane left her alone, he seemed to know she didn’t want conversation. Stacey was deep in memories. She had laid awake most of the night remembering the life she couldn’t possibly have lived, yet where did she get all these memories? Could a past life be possible? Maybe seeing the castle would help in someway. What happened, she wonder, for it to be rubble now?
It took over an hour to go around the lake then up to the ruins. When Stacey saw the river, she knew the rest of the way and without thinking she took the lead. Shane and his Uncle John looked at each other in amazement, but said nothing. For the first time, Shane was beginning to believe there was more to Stacey’s dream than he realized.
Uncle John had an appointment, so he turned back when he realized Stacey knew the way to the castle. He said he would see them later at home. Sir John sat on his horse for a few minutes and watched Stacey and Shane ride toward the ruins. He was mystified by Stacey’s knowledge of a place where she had never been to before now.
As they approached the castle grounds, Stacey saw where the orchard had once stood. Now it was overgrown with thistles, thorns and snarled roots of bushes. Wild flowers grew along the river bank but heather covered most of a wide ditch she didn’t remember being there. Again she wondered what happened here? It was such a wonderful safe place at one time. Stacey sat on her horse looking at a place she knew she had never been before, except in her dream. Now she was hoping to find answers to her dream.
After a while they dismounted and walked around the ruins. Shane watched Stacey as she looked around with pain and recognition in her eyes. What he saw was heartrending. He could tell she was in distress. She’d been standing in one spot that may have been a room at one time. She was standing with her head bowed and her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Shane realized she was deep in the past and silently weeping.
Witnessing her gut wrenching emotions, he wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her but didn’t know what her reaction might be. Stacey, stood looking around at the ruins. Some of the foundation could still be seen, although the castle walls were all gone. Worn away by wind, rain and time, as well as by the destruction of human hands. As she wiped her tears away, she wondered again, what happened here for it to be so totally demolished.
Shane waited, feeling useless. Finally he muttered, “Bloody hell,” walked over to Stacey, turned her around and put his arms around her. Stacey laid her head against his shoulder. She was no longer crying, she just stood there in the comfort of his arms and was surprised by the hardness of his body and the sensual male smell of him. Her senses went reeling until she heard him whisper softly, “Steady on lass, it was only a wretched dream.”
Stacey pushed him away and stepped back. Shane, surprised at her hostility asked, “What the devil is wrong with you, I was only trying to comfort you to show I sympathize with your plight.”
“I don’t want your dang sympathy,” Stacey said as she put her hands on each side of her head. “I just wanna’ understand what’s going on inside my head. I wanna’ know who these people were and what they have to do with me.
To you this was just a dream, to me it’s a lot more than that. You see this place as a ruin, but my minds eye sees it as the home it once was. I see children playing and people I knew and loved.” Stacey tried in her frustration to make him understand, “I can tell you where every room in this place was as well as the inner bailey, the mews and kennels, the practice field, the carpenter’s shop, the blacksmith’s and the stables not to mention the village below. You call it a dream, Doctor McLeod, but to me it was a lot more real than just a dream.”
Stacey turned away and stood looking out over the rugged terrain. After a bit she turned back to him and barely above whisper said, “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for. I fully understand you have no way of knowing how and what I feel.”
“I take it this was Dun-Raven castle, the one in your dream,” Doctor McLeod said softly. He felt he must tread carefully, she was very protective of her dream.
“Yes, yes it was,” Stacey said with a deep sigh. “It’s amazing what seven centuries have done to it.”
After a few minutes of wandering around, they sat down on grassy foundation stones. Stacey talked and this time he really listened and took her dream seriously. She told him of seventy five years of memories in this place and of the loss of a husband, children, grand-children and well loved friends. When she was finished, she asked, “Doctor McLeod, how could I have dreamed a lifetime in three days? I know it can’t be real, but why do I have these memories of another person’s life and who was she?
Annie suggested, it might be a past life experience. Do you think that’s possible?” Stacey pulled her jacket tighter around her as the wind picked up and swirled about her. She had an eerie feeling she couldn’t explain.
“I don’t know, lass, I truly don’t know.” When he saw her shivering he took her hand in his and said, “The brain is an amazing and enigmatic organ. We know so much and yet we know so little.”
Stacey smiled at him for the very first time. What an amazing feeling that gave him. He felt like his heart was flip, flopping, as if it was going to jump out of his chest. Shane patted her hand, smiled and asked, “Do you fancy a ride to the village to see what we can find out and have some lunch? All this time travel has made me hungry.”
Stacey gave him a half smile and said, “Sure, why not, but first I wanna’ check on something.” Stacey walked around the grounds looking through the vines and rubble. She took a sharp stick and dug down
a few inches. “This place has been burned at one time or another. I wonder why they have never excavated here.”
Stacey picked up some charred pieces of stone, wood and pottery and put them in a small plastic bag in her shoulder bag.
“What are you going to do with those?” Doctor McLeod asked.
“I’m gonna’ have them carbon dated for a date that the fire happened when I get back to school. Are you ready to go find a place to eat now?”
“Absolutely,” he said. “you lead the way.”
They took a short cut that Stacey knew across the river. The village looked nothing like she remembered it except for the tannery. Even the name had changed. When they were at the castle ruins, Stacey could see that the old village of Raventhrop and the old Norman church were no longer there. Now it was just a meadow with sheep grazing. Stacey wondered, what happened to the church where the
Fitz-Morgans were all entombed in the crypt? She didn’t say anything to Doctor McLeod, but thought about it a lot on the way to the village on the other fork of the river.
They looked for a place to eat and found, ‘ The Copper Kettle.’ It reminded Stacey of small town diners in America. “The name doesn’t sounds very appetizing,” Doctor McLeod said. “but we’ll try it anyway. Sometimes names are deceiving around here.”
They went in and sat at the counter to eat. Many people gave them curious looks. Most of them were looking at Stacey. It wasn’t everyday that a beautiful young woman came in dressed in western boots, jeans, white shirt and a denim jacket with her striking auburn hair in a French braid.
When they had finished eating, Doctor McLeod excused himself to go to the loo. As he started back toward her, he stopped and was mesmerized. Stacey was sitting on the stool comfortably waiting for him. She was leaning back with both her elbows on the counter watching people go by outside. She had her right foot on the stool rail and the other on the
floor. Before he rejoined her, a woman with a little boy about five or six went by. The little fellow pulled away from his mum, looked up at Stacey and asked, “Are you a cowboy?”
“Nope, I’m a cowgirl,” Stacey laughingly said.
“Do you have a horse?” he asked.
“Yes, I do, would you like to see her?”
“Yeah,” the youngster said.
Shane walked up and Stacey said, “I have to go show my partner here my horse. You wanna’ come along?”
“Absolutely, I wouldn’t miss it,” he said.
“No miss, this really isn’t necessary,” the mother said.
“Oh, yes ma’am, to him it is,” Stacey said.
They walked around back to where the horses were tied. “Tell me your name and I’ll let you ride, if it’s okay with your mom.”
“Can I Mum? My name’s Jamie,” he said.
“Don’t worry ma’am, he’ll be fine,” Stacey said. “I’ll leave this big fellow with you, just in case I wanna’ make a trade.”
Shane and Jamie’s mom both laughed as Stacey swung Jamie up into the saddle then smoothly mounted behind him. They trotted down the alley a little way, then slowly walked back. Stacey wanted him to have a good memory of this ride. When Stacey handed him down to his mother she kissed the top of his red head. Shane watched all this with his chest tightening. He couldn’t take his eyes off Stacey. He had never before met a woman like her. She had a captivating presence about her that intrigued him, to say the least. He wanted to get to know her better. He felt he was being drawn to her. Yes, like a moth to a flame, he thought, to himself:
Chapter 4
The Quest
Their next stop was the periodical. The editor, a Mr. Wilson was happy to help them. He didn’t know much about the occupants of the old castle, however, he had heard old tales that were passed down saying it was razed during the war of the roses. Mr. Wilson refilled his coffee cup, got comfortable in his chair and said, “The way the story goes, is the house of York and the house of Lancaster both fancied the throne of England. Edmund of York and John of Gaunt were both sons of Edward III. It was a few years after the hundred years war. The earl of Dun-Raven and his son were killed sometime around fourteen sixty five or fourteen seventy. The earl of Warwick’s feudal army killed the Duke of York. The Duke of York was liege lord of Dun-Raven. The earls of Dun-Raven were always loyal to the house of York.
Montague, the brother of the earl of Warwick massacred the people of Yorkshire. It was a bloody time in England. I don’t know what happened to the castle folk. Sometime between
fourteen eighty five and fifteen twenty five there was a monastery built from some of the stones built right around the old Norman church. Henry the VIII destroyed the monasteries and the abbeys when he took over the church in fifteen thirty four. Parliament abolished the pope’s authority in England and declared Henry supreme head of the church of England. That was when bloody Harry closed the convents and monasteries. Of course, he did more than just close them. He took what was valuable and destroyed much of the rest.”
Mr. Wilson took a sip of his coffee and said, “You know lord Wakefield might be able to help you. I understand his family have some papers that were found over two hundred years ago or so. They were found in the vault of the old church before they demolished it. I heard Wakefield manor was built with stones from the old castle and monastery. That’s about all I know, wish I could help you more.”
“You’ve been a big help, Mr. Wilson,” Stacey said, then thanked him for his information. She turned to Doctor McLeod, “I’m gonna’ take a ride over and look at Wakefield manor, do you wanna’ come along?”
“Of course,” he said.
It was a good hour ride, as they neared the manor, Stacey said, “This used to be the forest where the hunting lodge was located. We...they used to hunt deer and boar here.”
When they reached the manor, it had a stone wall about four feet high around it. On top of the stone wall was a five or six foot wrought iron fence. The gate was locked, so all they could do was look. They were about to leave when a snazzy sports car pulled up to the gate and opened it by remote control. Behind the wheel was a good looking blond headed guy. He pulled in and stopped. He and Shane looked at each other as if they wanted to duel. Stacey ignored their dark looks and rode over to the car, leaned over and put her hand out and said, “Hello, my name is Stacey Scott.”
Good looking perched himself upon the back of his seat, shook Stacey’s hand and introduced himself as Rory Wakefield. “A pleasure to meet you, Stacey,” he said, with a smile and an unmistakable gleam in his eyes.
“This is my friend, Doctor McLeod,” Stacey said as she introduced him.
Rory gave Shane another one of those dark looks and said with a nod, “McLeod.”
Shane with a nod said, “Wakefield.” But no hand shake, Stacey noticed, from either one.
Stacey was smiling and telling Rory about their quest at the newspaper and asked if it would be possible to speak with lord Wakefield.
“I’m so sorry, my uncle is still in Leeds and he won’t be here until Friday evening.”
“Do you think I might be able to see him then?” Stacey asked.
“I’m not sure. I think he’s going directly back to Leeds on Saturday morning,” Rory said. As an after thought, he gave Stacey a big smile and asked, “Would you like to see the house?”
“Why, yes. I believe I would,” Stacey said.
Rory pulled on ahead in the car. Shane gave Stacey a odd look. “You can wait here if you’d rather not go up,” Stacey said.
Shane moved his horse ahead and said, “Not bloody likely. I presume you’re aware he’s chatting you up.”
“Yes, I know,” Stacey said. “I’ve been flirted with before, believe it or not.”
Rory was waiting when they arrived. “The place is a bit of a mess,” he said. “The servants are getting it ready for a small party on Friday night. Would you like to come? I’m sure my uncle could find time for you then. You too, McLeod.”
“That would be
nice,” Stacey said. “Thank you very much.”
As Rory was showing them around, he was holding Stacey’s arm and asking questions about Texas. Of course, he’d been to New York many times, but never farther west. “I say, if all the girls in Texas are as pretty as you, I’ll have to make it a point to visit.”
“I feel sure you won’t be disappointed,” Stacey assured him with a smile. She thanked Rory for the tour and told him that they would see him on Friday night. As Rory was turning back to the house, Stacey asked, “Oh, by the way, will we be able to take a short cut through the back property?”
“Yes, I believe so,” Rory said. “However, there’s no road, just trails.”
“That’ll be fine,” Stacey assured him.
“Are you sure we won’t get lost?” Shane asked as they rode through the forest.
“We’ll see,” Stacey said. This is weird, Stacey thought; I feel like I know this trail like the back of my hand. I can just about imagine what Doctor McLeod is thinking, but I can’t think about that now. I have a mystery to solve and not much time to do it.
The trail was too narrow for two horses so they rode single file. There was no chance for talking and it was getting dark amongst all the tall trees. Shane was glad he’d been intuitive enough to call his aunt from the manor house to let them know they were okay and might be late. He hoped they didn’t get lost. Then again, after he thought about it maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.
Finally, he could stand it no longer and shouted, “Miss Scott, how do you know if we’re traveling in the right direction?”
Stacey pulled her horse to a stop, turned part way in the saddle and said, “I have a map in my head.” Then she turned back, touched her heels to the horse and rode on.
Shane wondered as he rode on behind her, what was it about her that intrigued him. Was it her self assurance or her, ‘take me or leave me attitude?’ Well, I guess we’ll see just how good that map in her head is.