by Maggie Mundy
“Do come in then. Seth will be glad he didn’t miss you.”
The woman turned towards the interior of the house. She clutched the package in her arms. Cara glanced at her van. She could pretend she hadn’t heard anything. Then the smell of baking assailed her. What was cooking inside? Something created a wonderful aroma. She had to find out what the woman was making. It was sweet, yet there was something spicy about it.
The woman from the front door was asking her to sit down in a beautiful cottage kitchen. There was an Aga cooker, and knick-knacks everywhere. The windowsill had potted plants on it. The dresser shelves were covered with everything from plates, thimbles, and candleholders to little statues. A beautiful embroidered cloth covered the table. Cara ran her fingers over the delicate stitching that depicted alternating red and pink roses. It reminded her of what Nanna used to make.
“Did that one years ago. We need a new one really. Hate to throw things out though. Where are my manners? I didn’t introduce myself, Janet Markham, Seth’s housekeeper; then again I suppose he told you that.” Janet placed the cups and saucers plus a large mug down on the table. A tin was taken off a shelf and cookies arranged on a plate. “Freshly made this morning. Seth doesn’t like shop bought as you would know.”
“I only met Mr. Scanlon briefly.” That was an understatement. Janet was talking as if they were old friends.
“It’s nice to have visitors. I keep telling him he spends too much time out in his forge, or on those statues. Men like to have their hobbies though, don’t they?”
Cara suspected this wasn’t a question Janet expected to have answered and just smiled in reply. She reckoned Janet to be in her sixties. She wore dark blue dungarees with brown marks on the knees from gardening. The brown jumper underneath looked as if it had been badly hand-knitted. Her long graying hair was done up in a French bun and she had gold jewelry draped around her neck. She gave the appearance of a stylish country gossip. She passed the plate of cookies towards Cara.
The cookie melted in her mouth as the flavors rolled across her tongue. Butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground almonds and something else she couldn’t decipher. “These are delicious. I’d love the recipe.”
“You like cooking then?” Janet sipped her tea.
“I’m a caterer.”
“It’s a family recipe my mother gave me. We used to call them yummy bites. Silly name really.” Janet picked one up and bit into it. Her eyes closed, as she savored the first mouthful before she took the next. She opened her eyes and smiled. “There’s something wicked about food, don’t you think? It’s like you’re being naughty, and it’s allowed.” Janet laughed.
Cara liked this woman, even if she was in the kitchen of a stranger. She would have to explain later she really didn’t know Seth at all but for now she would enjoy the cookie. The door behind Cara opened and Janet started to fill the mug with tea.
“About time you came in. You’ve been out there for hours. Why didn’t you tell me Cara was coming? I like to know if you’re expecting visitors.” Janet picked up the cake tin and refilled the plate.
The fun of talking with Janet disappeared with the presence of Seth Scanlon. Cara’s heart pounded and her breath quickened. Stay calm, yeah like that was going to happen. The sun shone through the window behind him. It threw his imposing shadow across the table in front of her. Cara studied her empty cup and tried to remember to breathe.
His footsteps indicated he had moved around to the other side of the table directly in front of her. She tried to remember what he looked like. All she could come up with was the man having sex with her in her dreams, not this stranger who had frowned at her in a bookshop.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were coming today. I would’ve told Janet to expect you.”
Seth’s deep voice betrayed nothing but made the hair on her neck stand up. Cara looked up, and smiled her brightest smile. Seth’s expression was deadpan as he stood leaning back against the dresser with his mug in his hand. His gray T-shirt and jeans looked grubby. She had visions in her head involving no clothing at all. His piercing gray eyes studied her as she crossed her legs. She tried to control the ache building up in her core. He didn’t need to do a thing. He was turning her on just standing there.
“I brought the book. I thought it only polite that I pass it on to you now.” Her voice came out like a squeak. What was wrong with her?
“I’ll shower and change. Then we can talk.” Seth put his mug down and left.
Her breath was coming too fast. She wanted out of here. It was like stumbling into one of those T.V. murder mysteries with strange characters. She didn’t want to be the red herring in the plot. Seth was exactly like the man in her dreams, except he didn’t look at her with love, but suspicion.
“I noticed the roses in the front garden. I’ve never been able to grow them. I was wondering if you could give me some tips.” Cara smiled at Janet. She needed to go and grabbed her purse and headed for the front door. All she could do was hope Janet would take the hint. Once outside she could make an excuse to get away.
“I know what you saw. It’s my climbing rose. I stole some cuttings from a country house around here that won’t be named. Trust me. They’re not difficult to grow.” Janet was right behind her. “Since autumn is coming, they are over the best.
Seth’s friendly housekeeper kept talking and Cara guessed she was giving Seth time to get respectable. Cara clutched the gate latch. She sensed Janet walking away and heard Seth’s heavy footfalls on the gravel behind her. She wanted to turn and throw herself into his arms and feel those lips come crushing down on hers. All she could do was take a deep breath and close her eyes for a second.
“I’ll leave you two to catch up then. I want to go check my emails. It seems a gentleman in Paris thinks I understand art. I just tell him when I think it looks silly. Personally, that’s most of the time, to be honest.” Janet chuckled as she walked away.
Taking her hand off of the latch, Cara leant forward and smelt the cream colored rose in front of her. She wanted to do anything other than look at Seth for fear he would be able to see the need in her.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” She wanted him to say she was beautiful. She wanted him to pick her up and take to his bedroom and seduce her. Seth leaned forward and sniffed the flower. He was so close and smelled so good. Then, he sighed and moved away. She had to look up. She wanted to look up.
“I’m sorry Seth, I mean Mr. Scanlon. I didn’t mean to intrude. I finished the book. I was driving nearby so I thought it would be a good idea if I dropped it off. I got the impression the bookshop wasn’t going to be able to get you another copy for a while. It wasn’t any help anyway. I’m sorry. I should introduce myself. I’m Cara O’Donovan.” Cara put out her hand aware that she was babbling on.
“Seth Scanlon. I’m pleased to meet you.”
He shook her hand briefly and gave a slight nod with his head. He was real and she had touched him. Her dream man was really here before her.
“I’ve read many books on those particular subjects. I’ve found the people around me teach me more than books. I’m more interested in how you obtained my address.” Seth opened the gate.
He turned away from the van. Cara felt obliged to follow. Walking down some dark country lane with a person she didn’t know was not her best move to date. Then again, she didn’t have many good moves.
“The people in the book store didn’t say anything. Don’t blame them. They left your order form inside the book. I’m sure it was just a genuine accident.” Cara glanced back at her van but in truth wanted to stay near him.
Seth kept walking. They were only about fifty feet from the cottage when he walked towards a field and leaned on the gate.
Cara stood back a moment. Then, she joined him silently, taking in the country scene
. They didn’t talk. They just listened to the birds and watched the shadows of the clouds move across the field. The horse from the other side of the field came across and let Seth stroke its neck. The horse was huge and just the sort she would have imagined him owning. She reckoned they were called warm bloods and were incredibly regal.
Cara watched the scene. She put her head back and closed her eyes so she could take in the sounds around her. When she opened them, Seth was staring at her. She could feel the blotches coming back on her neck, but he was smiling. How long had he been standing there watching?
“It’s a problem with people these days. They don’t stop.” He smiled. “You said you didn’t find what you wanted in the book?”
What would she answer? Janet was endearing. The cottage and the field were calming. She didn’t want to tell this stranger about the things happening to her. Or the dreams she’d been having. “It explained a few things, just not what I wanted.”
“So tell me, do you believe in magic and immortality?” He grinned.
He probably thought she was some idiotic new-age devotee. Perhaps she should lead him on and say she was going to perform some strange rite to bring some dead person alive again and freak him out. “I’d like to think it was true. The problem is if we all lived forever, then you would be stuck with some of the people you’d never like to see again.”
He raised an eyebrow at her comment, then turned back toward the cottage. “I’d like to thank you again for giving me the book.”
Cara followed him back in silence. It was ridiculous, but she wanted him to reach out and take her hand. She looked away from him. Suddenly, she noticed a building behind the cottage that was built from the same old stone. “What’s that?” She blurted.
“It’s my forge.”
“You’re a blacksmith?” The place was called the Old Smithy. Talk about appearing ignorant. That would explain the muscles, the big muscles. Don’t go there.
“Among other things.”
More silence again as they walked back to her van.
“Could I see it? I’ve never been in one before.” Would he pick up she just wanted to be with him a bit longer? Just because he wants you in dreams, doesn’t mean he wants you awake, you fool.
“If you wish.”
Who the hell says, if you wish outside of the movies? This guy was too gorgeous and too strange. She needed boring and normal. Seth was neither.
She gasped at the sight of the statues in the garden at the back of the cottage. Each one was about three foot tall and made from a black colored stone. There were four of them, all naked women either standing, kneeling or lying down.
The one thing that connected them was their outstretched arms as if they pleaded to the world for an answer. The only male form was a statue of a man with a sword impaled in his chest. It looked like Seth. Maybe walking into the workshop of a deranged blacksmith wasn’t such a good idea after all.
Cara struggled to keep the alarm out of her voice. “You made these statues?”
“Yes,” he answered as he touched each one with his fingertips as he passed. It seemed such a sad gesture. Seth pushed open the door to the forge.
Cara loved it, the smell of the coals, the heat of the room, the humidity. There were no statues in here, but swords and daggers on the tables. It was almost as if there was a tang of metal in the air you could taste on your tongue.
“People buy them and hang them on their walls,” Seth said, “or they play games at tournaments dressing up as people from a bygone era.”
“They’re exquisite.” She reached out but didn’t touch anything.
There were rapiers with ornate handholds. The knights of old would have developed muscles chopping their opponents in half with the heavier swords. Cara’s guts clenched as she saw one of the daggers on the table. There was no mistake. It looked exactly like the one from her dream that she used to slice open people. She had to pick it up and prove to herself it existed. She was a fool. If Seth existed then why wouldn’t the knife exist? Why wouldn’t the murders have happened?
“This is an unusual design.” Turning the knife over in her hand, Cara forced out the words. Her mouth felt dry. She looked to Seth for a reaction, some reassurance, but there was none.
When he touched her hand to take the dagger, heat flowed over her as if the furnace had exploded. The room became hazy. Seth’s face drifted out of focus. It was no good. She was going to faint.
They were in the kitchen, but it looked different. It was dark. Only a lantern on the table illuminated the room. Cara wanted to move from the chair, but her legs felt like lead. The cupboards were bare. All the trinkets covering the shelves were gone. Where were Janet and Seth? It was dark. She must have been out for hours.
She heard footsteps. Someone was coming. Seth entered with another man. At least she thought it was Seth. He had long hair pulled back with a cord. Their clothes were so old-fashioned. Seth wore an old leather apron, shirt and loose pants. The other man was in a fancy jacket that was almost like a tailcoat you would wear at a wedding. Underneath he had a high collared shirt with a bright red cravat. It was as if she watched a television version of an old novel. She tried to speak. No words came out.
“Have you repaired it?” The stranger asked.
“Said I would.” The old-time Seth took down a cloth from the dresser. He unwrapped the material. He placed the dagger from the forge and her dreams on the table. The man went to pick it up, but Seth grabbed his wrist. “Not before I get paid.”
“Of course. You’ve done an excellent job.” A purse was thrown on the table.
“It was a strange design. Who is it for?”
“Why should it bother you who owns it as long as you get paid?”
“Took a while to fix, that’s all.”
“I’m just the person collecting it. I’ve been paid like you. It’s a dagger though. I would imagine it will be used to kill something,” the man snickered.
“Take it and get out.”
With the man gone, Seth went to the cupboard and got a jug and tankard. He took a knife from one of the dresser draws. Sitting down, he drank a tankard of ale straight down, followed by a second one. Picking up the knife, he held it over his left wrist. He was about to cut through the skin when Cara tried to scream.
“It’s all right. You just fainted.” Janet stood in front of Cara in the kitchen. It was still daylight. The sun streamed in through the window making her screw up her eyes.
Looking up, Cara realized Seth was holding her in his arms, concern etched on his face. She struggled to breathe and glanced down at his wrists. She didn’t see any evidence of scars. This wasn’t good. She was starting to have these crazy dreams in the daytime.
He was so close. She smelled his aftershave and heard his heartbeat as her head pressed against his chest. It was strange but for a moment she felt as if she had been in this position before, but that wasn’t possible. She wanted to be in this man’s arms too much for this to be happening. Their gazes connected. The coldness she had seen in his eyes before had vanished. She should look away but she didn’t. Instead, she looked at his lips. She wanted him to kiss her right there in front of Janet.
“I don’t know why he took you out to that forge. The heat was bound to get you lightheaded.” Janet followed them into the lounge, carrying a glass of water.
Cara took her arms from around his neck as he placed her on the sofa. He stayed close, too close if that was possible. She accepted the glass Janet offered. “I’m fine now, honestly. I’ve been more than enough trouble.”
Cara sipped the water. “I really should be going.” She looked around. Her purse was missing. “Where’s my bag?”
“It’ll be in the forge. I’ll get it for you.” Seth left.
“It scared me half to death when I saw him carry
ing you into the kitchen,” Janet said.
“I’m fine, honestly. I need to be going soon anyway.”
“I think you should stay longer. You still look pale.” Janet’s brow furrowed as she peered closely.
“I have someone coming over tonight about a dinner I need to cater and I really do feel better. I need to start home.”
Seth walked back in with her purse. “It had emptied onto the floor.” He said.
Cara glanced in. He had put everything back neatly. She tried to stand, but fell back. Seth’s hands were around her once again, lowering her onto the couch. Every time they touched her heart sped up.
“I’ll get her some more water.” Janet ran from the room.
“You were leaving?” Seth asked.
For a second, she thought she heard sadness in his voice. She couldn’t think straight with him standing so close. He watched her as if he knew something about her that she didn’t. His lips were so near as he leaned in towards her. Cara swallowed as she struggled to control the urge to kiss him.
“Here, I’ve got some more water. I think she should stay for tea, Seth, but she won’t listen to me.” Janet handed the glass over.
Seth moved to the far side of the room and stood by the fireplace. Cara drank the water as Janet talked until the phone rang. The elderly housekeeper left them alone. Silence.
“I really must get back to Bristol.” Cara needed to be away from here. She couldn’t think straight and would say something she would regret soon like ‘Are you sure you don’t remember the sexy dreams? Did you used to have long hair? Or did you ever try to cut your wrists?’
“Let me walk you to your van.” Seth offered his arm to support her.
Cara couldn’t refuse. She didn’t want to anyway. She wanted any excuse for her body to be near him for a moment longer. Her mind was a different matter.