“You think he might come through?”
I drew away from Kade and wrapped my arms about myself. “Not really, no. I’m just thinking that I miss him. That’s all.”
Kade emotionally withdrew from me and I felt that like a stab of pain in my heart. “I see. I’m sorry about what happened … that you lost him.”
Tears pricked my eyes and I quickly blinked them away. “I know. Me too. I’ll see you later, okay?”
Kade nodded and said nothing as he watched me walk away.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
After a brisk walk on the beach, I headed for my cottage for a cup of coffee and maybe a nap. I wanted to be in the best frame of mind when we met later for the séance. Though I would never admit it to anyone else, I was a little nervous. After all, it’s been several years since I last conducted a séance. Mike didn’t like me involved with that sort of thing. Respecting his feelings, I stopped all paranormal activity of that sort. After our marriage, the only thing he allowed was for me to conduct private readings. Most of the people I read for were friends and family, though, since Mike didn’t want what I did to be public knowledge.
After making myself a cup of coffee, I went out to my little patio and sank onto a lounger. The ocean was rough today, dark and roiling, the waves loud as they crashed against the shore. The horizon loomed gray in the distance. A storm was coming. Great, just what we needed during a séance. My stomach clenched with nerves and I tried to relax. Honestly, there was nothing to be so anxious about, so why the nerves? Then it hit me. It was Kade. I was worried about his reaction to me after tonight’s séance. What if he reacted as Mike did and was put off by it? I really, really needed everything to go well tonight, especially with Kade being there. I didn’t want to disappoint him. I didn’t want him to conclude that I was a fake or some sort of crazy woman. I wanted him to believe in me. Acknowledging such a thing made me even more uncomfortable. Why did it matter so much?
I glanced over at his cottage. A light shone from his window and I wondered if he was painting. I didn’t want to dwell too long on Kade’s current activity … really, I shouldn’t be thinking about him at all … so I thought instead about the painting he’d done that included those dark figures on the beach. It had to be a message of some sort. The fact that it came through Kade, made me feel, I don’t know … connected to him somehow. Did that mean the Tri-State saw a connection as well? I just didn’t know how to feel about that. And what about Mike and the dreams concerning him that told me he was indeed hanging around in the Tri-State. He was probably aware of my current situation with the resort and with Kade. Not that Kade and I had a situation; we'd just met after all. And yet ... God, I didn’t want to complete that thought. It made me feel bad, like a betrayer.
“You okay?”
Kade’s voice startled me so much I jumped slightly, spilling my coffee. The hot liquid burning my skin gave me something to concentrate on as I swung my legs around and stood up. Keeping my head down, I brushed at the coffee on my legs and headed for the kitchen to grab a towel. I did not want to look at Kade. Not just yet. What if he figured out I was just thinking about him?
“I’m sorry, Tess. I didn’t mean to startle you like that. I thought you heard me coming.” Kade followed me into the cottage. “Are you okay?”
Realizing my silence made Kade more concerned; I glanced up at him, half-smiling, half-grimacing. “I don’t know why I’m being jumpy, I don’t normally startle so easily.”
“I really thought you heard me coming. I’m sorry.”
I waved a dismissive hand, embarrassed now and not wanting to dwell on it. “You’ve nothing to feel sorry for. Honestly, I’m fine.” I wiped the coffee from my legs, and headed back out to the patio. “Have a seat.” I sank back down on the lounger and motioned Kade to take the one beside me.
He sat down but he did not put his legs up and lie back. He sat on the edge, his arms resting on his legs, his beautiful hands dangling loosely between them. “Are you sure you want to do this séance thing?”
I swung around on my lounger and sat in a similar fashion facing him. “Yes. We need to put Abigail and Nathan to rest. Nancy and Jack will be much happier if their spirits aren’t roaming the resort.”
“What do you need me to do?”
I glanced at him, daring, finally, to meet his eyes. They were direct, concerned, and … well, I liked his eyes. I pulled my gaze from his and stared at the ground wishing I could stop this … attraction. For a second I closed my eyes, feeling slightly appalled that I was admitting something like that. “Nothing at the moment if that’s what you’re asking. When we get ready to do it … well, I just need you to keep an open mind.”
“I have to admit I’m a little … I don’t know … nervous about this.”
“Most people are the first time,” I assured him.
“Well, I just wanted to check on you, make sure you were alright.” Kade stood, stared out at the water, thinking. “I was wondering about tonight … are you sure you can control who comes through and who we contact?”
“Usually I can, but not always. Why?”
“What if something bad happens?"
“No, there’s nothing to worry about on that score. I can control things to an extent. I won’t allow negative energy to come through. Trust me on this, okay?”
“I just don’t want anything happening to you.” His tanned face flushed a slight red and he gave a small embarrassed shrug.
His concern touched me deeply. Warmth rushed through my veins and now it was my face reddening. Words lodged in my throat and it took a moment to get them out. “I’ll be fine.”
Kade nodded and turned to go. I don’t know what made me do it but suddenly I sprang up from my chair and touched his arm. “I do appreciate the concern, Kade.” Our eyes met and the heat racing through me grew warmer. I couldn’t turn away. Part of me wanted to walk into his arms and another part urged me to run. I stayed.
Kade lifted a hand and touched my cheek. His fingers gently caressed my skin. Still we said nothing. His other hand came up and then he was threading both hands, those beautiful fingers, through my hair. My skin tingled at the contact and I wanted to rub my head against his hand. Slowly, he leaned forward and kissed me. The touch of his soft lips on mine sent a thrill through my entire body. My toes wanted to curl. My heart pounded. Suddenly, I couldn’t even breathe. He lifted his mouth just a fraction from mine and drew in a breath, as if he too were in desperate need of air. After a brief hesitation, he kissed me again, only this time with increased pressure. God, it felt good. So right. Exciting. I wanted to lean into him, wrap my arms around him, but I did neither. All too soon it was over and Kade drew away, his brown eyes dark, burning.
“I better go.” His voice was slightly rough and that made my heart knock harder against my ribs. He stepped back and dropped his hands. We stood looking at each other for a long moment. Finally he smiled, waved, and turned to go.
I watched him walk away with a pounding heart, my breathing still hard and ragged. How could this be happening? It was too fast. We’d known each other only a few days. It felt more like … like forever, like I’d known him all my life. I closed my eyes, forced myself to calm down. Then Mike flooded my mind and remorse set in. How could I have forgotten Mike? It was only for a few seconds … just that, no more, but still, I shouldn’t have forgotten. Not even for a moment. How could I have let Mike’s memory slip back into the recesses of my mind while Kade kissed me? I loved him and always would.
Suddenly restless, I turned and walked into the cottage, needing something to do. I had to keep my mind occupied or I was going to make myself crazy. My gaze landed on my laptop and the urge to write hit me. In no time at all, I was lost in my story.
Under the cover of night, Sarah crept through the house, hardly daring to breathe so scared she was of discovery. She found the hidden panel beneath the stairs and slipped into the dark space behind it. Her hands shaking, Sarah felt her way along the wall, her fee
t moving slowly testing the floor until she found the stairs. Down she went, quiet and slow. Though she was pretty sure the walls were thick enough to contain any sound she might make, she was too terrified to test the theory. Blind people walked through life like this; surely she could do the same. It took forever to make it to the cellar but finally she reached ground level and relaxed against the wall to build up her nerves. Once she felt herself under control again, she quietly opened the door. Muted light from the window cast dark shadows but after pitch blackness, even a little light was comforting.
She crept quietly through the cellar and made it to the tunnel opening cleverly hidden behind an empty crate. In the tunnel she had a small lantern hidden and after crawling in far enough that the light could not be seen from the cellar, she lit the lantern and breathed a sigh of relief. All was quiet. No one followed. She crawled as quickly as possible, her heart pounding when she saw a light up ahead. He was there! Thank God.
“Sarah?” Peter lifted his lantern to the tunnel and peered in. He stood in the small cavern he’d reinforced with timbers to keep it safe. They met here often. It was their own private place.
“Yes, Peter, I’m coming!” Sarah increased her pace and soon she was in Peter’s arms. They stood together for a long moment, reveling in their embrace. Sarah buried her head against Peter’s chest, comforted by the steady beat of his heart. “I’m so afraid, Peter! I thought I’d never see you again. I was afraid you might not be here.”
“Nothing will keep me away from you, Sarah.” Peter hugged her tighter. “We must run away. Tomorrow night. It has to be soon, your father is sending me away.”
Sarah pulled away and looked at him in astonishment. “What? How?”
Peter’s mouth tightened. “He is giving my father a lot of money to send me away. My father has arranged for me to work on a shipping vessel, it puts out to sea in two days.”
Sarah’s heart wrenched with pain. “Oh, Peter, no! I couldn’t bear it.”
“Then we must run away. Tomorrow night. I’ll meet you in the cove. I’ll be waiting with my boat. We’ll sail away together, no one will think to look at sea to find us.”
Sarah nodded. “Okay. We’ll do it. I love you!”
Peter kissed her long and passionately. “I love you, too, Sarah. Now, go quick before someone discovers you gone. Tell them you are unwell and wish to retire early tomorrow. Tell them you do not want to be disturbed. That should give us enough time.”
Sarah kissed him again and then quickly turned away. Now she was impatient for tomorrow to come. Her return through the tunnel went much quicker. She doused her lantern when she neared the cellar and set it aside. Quickly she crawled into the cellar and made it back to the secret passage. But, as she felt her way back up the stairs, she suddenly didn’t feel alone.
Her heart pounding, Sarah paused and held her breath, straining to hear any sort of sound. Though she couldn’t be sure, she thought she could hear breathing. Terror paralyzed her for a long moment. She waited in the blackness, sure her end was near. Nothing happened and after a while she knew she had to move again. But each step made her flinch as she wondered if she’d run into whatever else was here in the dark with her.
When she reached the door to the storage room, her heart pounded painfully. Was this when it would happen, just as she thought she was safe? She quickly pushed the door open and rushed into the room. Still she could see nothing for the room had no windows. She felt the danger was behind her though, in the dark passage. Quickly Sarah stepped into the room and closed the door, forgetting in her haste to be quiet. She backed from the door, her eyes watching it carefully expecting it to burst open at any moment. When she made it into the hallway and shut the storage room door, she felt slightly better. A quick glance either way told her she was alone. Still, she felt uneasy as she rushed to her room, securing her door as soon as she was inside. Breathing a sigh of relief, she turned around and nearly choked on the scream that lodged in her throat.
“Sshhh, little Sarah. It’s just me.” William, her father’s chauffeur and personal assistant, stood in her room. A couple years older than her, they had become friends over the past year.
“William, what are you doing in my room?”
“I came to see if you were okay. When you didn’t answer, I came in. I was worried.”
Sarah fell against her door in relief. “I had to go for a walk, get some fresh air.”
William smiled gently. “You are so sad. Is there anything I can do?”
He had to know about Peter. Her father’s ranting the past couple days would make it impossible for him not to know. She wondered what he would do. “Do? What can you possibly do to help me?”
William shrugged thin shoulders. “Whatever you need me to do, little Sarah. I … I care about you.”
He was so sweet, William was. A quiet boy, very shy. “What is it you think you can do, William?”
He shrugged his shoulders again and looked away from her. “You went to meet him didn’t you?”
Sarah’s heart started pounding again. “Who?”
William smiled then and turned back to her. “That boy your father is so mad about.”
Sarah said nothing. She wasn’t sure she could completely trust him. He worked for her father after all.
“Your father is sending him away.”
“Yes, I know.”
His smile softened as he looked at her. “I’ll be here, if you need me. You know … after he’s gone.”
“That’s kind of you, William. I will always need your friendship.”
Something went through his expression, it made Sarah uncomfortable. “You do realize that I love Peter, William?”
He flushed. “Yes, of course.”
Sarah walked over to him and touched his arm. “You are a dear friend. And I don’t know what I would have done without you this past year.” William was the only boy her father allowed her to speak to. She often wondered why but then figured that it was because he thought he had control of William, so he was not a threat. Besides, Sarah suspected her father often drilled William for information. No doubt he wanted to know everything they talked about. It was why Sarah was so careful to say nothing to William that she did not want her father to know. Now she feared William would tell him about tonight. “You won’t tell Father will you, William?”
He looked down at her fingers curled around his arm and then up at her. “No.” His voice was barely a whisper.
Sarah smiled at him. “Thank you, William. I do thank you for that. He’d … he’d be frightfully angry with me.”
“I won’t let anything happen to you, little Sarah. I keep telling you that.”
“I know, William. I’m just so afraid …” She couldn’t tell him she was afraid her father would find out about her plans.
“You have nothing to fear, Sarah. No one is going to hurt you.” His voice was rough with emotion.
Sarah walked to the door. “You better go, William, before someone discovers you here.”
He walked to the door but stopped to touch her hair. He stared at the long dark tresses in his fingers as if fascinated. “When he’s gone, I’ll be here for you. Always.”
Sarah opened the door. “Thank you, William. Now go. Quickly, go.”
I stopped typing and flexed my fingers, then stared at the last few words on the page. Something uncomfortable slithered though me. I pushed away from the table and stood up. For a while I paced the room, thinking about the story. Why did I feel it was not a piece of fiction? Who was William? The alarm on my watch started beeping and the sound made me jump. I shut the alarm off and headed for the bathroom. Time to freshen up, get through dinner, and have that séance.
* * *
Dinner was a crowded affair. There were so many people in the dining room, two leaves were added to the table. Its length almost filled the room. Only one seat was empty, the one next to Kade. I wondered if he’d saved it for me. Heat raced through me as I sat down next to him. I felt breath
less and frowned. I didn’t need this type of distraction. Those kisses we shared should never have happened. What was I thinking?
“You okay?” Kade looked at me closely.
I couldn’t avoid his eyes, it would make him wonder. I didn’t want him wondering. I returned his regard, trying to appear as if sitting next to him wasn’t making me crazy inside. We shouldn’t have kissed. It was a litany in my head. “I’m fine.” Before he could ask me anything more, I looked across at Nancy sitting opposite from me. “Hey, Nancy.”
Nancy’s smile was strained. Her eyes, dark with worry, met mine for a long moment. She was nervous about the séance. With my own expression, I tried to let her know it would be okay.
“Hello, Tess. Did you have a good afternoon?” Jack asked.
I turned to him and noted with surprise that he appeared quite relaxed, but when our eyes met I knew it was an act, probably for Nancy’s sake. “Yes, thank you, Jack. I had a great afternoon.” And then my cheeks heated because the afternoon included that kiss from Kade and I wondered if he thought that was what I was referring to. I didn’t look at him, but he was watching. I could feel it.
Raymond sat quietly beside Nancy, his head down as if concentrating on his meal but I knew that he was listening closely to the conversation around him. I hadn’t seen him in a while and wondered what was up. As if he felt my eyes on him, he looked up and I saw right away that he didn’t trust me. Suspicion was written all over his face. I knew then that Nancy had informed him of our evening plans. I wished she hadn’t done that. “Hi, Raymond.” I decided it best to stay calm and relaxed. He probably thought I was a kook or something. People reacted that way to me sometimes. They were either fascinated or suspicious and honestly, I couldn’t really blame them.
“Tess.” He inclined his head, his hair flopping forward boyishly.
Two seats down, a young girl of about twenty I would guess and obviously here with her parents, was giving Raymond covert glances. Anyone looking at her for more than a few seconds would notice where her gaze continually strayed. I didn’t blame her, Raymond was gorgeous after all. He wasn’t paying her any attention however. I had an uneasy feeling it was because of me and our plans for the evening. Would he interfere?
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