"Well, then I will leave the good priest to you and I will help Kimberly with the animals. You don't think they will have any problems with me, do you?"
Liz laughed out loud. “You never know what those two will accept and what they won't. I know they didn't have any trouble when you were a ghost. Now you're just as physical as you are spiritual, there's no telling what Spooky might do. He thinks he's still feral when strangers are around."
"You wound me, lass. I am no stranger than anyone else!"
"All right, enough, you two,” Kim interjected. “Ben, I welcome the help; Liz, tell Joel the truth. You may want to ask him not to tell anyone else what we're up to, though. I wouldn't want people showing up out here to see if they could unravel any loose ends while we're gone."
"Right. I'm off to call Joel then. I left my cell phone upstairs,” Liz said.
"Well, here. We've got a dial tone. Why don't you try this one?” Kim suggested as she handed the receiver to Liz.
Liz made a face at Kim for always being so practical, and dialed the phone. “Hi, Joel. Fine, thanks. You?"
She listened while Joel recounted a dozen problems brought to him during the night by his parishioners who had suffered from the unexpected flood.
"Wow, sounds like you have your hands full. Is everyone going to be all right?” she asked.
"Yes, I think they will. The waters are receding rapidly and most of the roads are back in working order. A few houses suffered some major flood damage, but we have members of the Church who open their homes when others are flooded out. They'll take the unfortunate ones in and share their abundance with them until the repairs are complete. Happens this way every couple of years, you know,” he explained.
"That often?” Liz gasped. “No, I really had no idea. The poor dears."
"Yes, well, the poor dears refuse to move farther away from the river in spite of the fact funds have been made available to them to buy other properties. It's as though they don't believe it will happen again. So they take the money and fix their homes, minimally, squander the rest and go back to their old places until the next time,” Joel said flatly.
"You surprise me. I have never heard you sound so without compassion,” Liz observed.
"I know, but it's hard to have much compassion for stupidity, and that is what it amounts to, especially when they've kept me awake all night crying over their drowned houses, again. Honestly, they know help will be there for them and that all they have to do is come crying for another handout."
"Aw, poor Joel,” she comforted. “I guess it would test your patience if this is the same thing that happens every time."
"Yes, it does. I suppose that's one of the little tests of my profession, though, isn't it? How did you fare last night?’ he asked.
"We were fine. Electricity and lights were off until this morning. John and his daughter left to go to Florida, even though they had to be airlifted out, I suspect,” she said.
"John left?"
"Ah, so he didn't tell you, either. He'll be gone a couple of weeks,” she confirmed.
"Wasn't that rather sudden?"
Liz chuckled. “Yes, it was. He and Mark went into the kitchen and he came back and announced he had called Sam to come fly them and the caterers out. Then he told me he was going with Sondra to Florida today."
"What do you suppose prompted that?” Joel asked.
"Well, he said he needed some time to think,” Liz said.
"Think? Think about what?"
Liz didn't answer but sighed and looked at the ceiling. Had she said too much? Now she would have to explain, she supposed.
"Oh!” Joel said abruptly, as though someone had turned on a bright light in his eyes. “I see."
"You do?"
"Yes, I do, Liz. I understand."
Liz shrugged, looked at the phone. “Has he talked to you about it?"
"Yes, a little,” Joel confided.
"Heavens! Has he talked to everyone but me about it?"
"No! Liz, I don't think he has talked to everyone but you,” he said. “I don't think he talked to anyone else about you—er—it—no, I don't think so."
Liz rubbed her forehead. Why was she so embarrassed that John had talked to Joel about her? “It wasn't a confession about impure thoughts or something, was it?"
"No, no! Not at all. We were merely talking. It wasn't in a confessional. I wouldn't be able to tell you about anything he told me in a confessional, Liz. Those things are sanctified and private, I wouldn't be sharing them with you,” he stammered. “No, John was only talking as one would to a friend. We are friends, you know."
She couldn't help but laugh. “Oh, well I understand, Joel. I was just wondering. Don't worry about it. I'm not angry with you for letting John talk about me and needing to sort through his feelings. I was merely surprised that he had."
"Well, good! So if everything is all right at your place, why were you calling?” he asked.
Now she had to tell him. She had drawn out the conversation as long as possible without telling him her reason for calling. The time had come for her to confess. She took a deep breath.
"Yes? Liz?"
"Kim and I have been talking about going into the past through the portal and seeing if we can resolve the conflict by finding out what happened to cause it,” she began.
"I'm certainly against that, Liz. There are so many things that could go wrong,” he protested.
"I was aware you would feel that way, Joel, but I wasn't really calling to get your advice on it. I was calling to tell you we are going—and to ask if you would come take care of the animals if we don't make it back by tomorrow night,” she spat without waiting for him to throw in another negative.
"I see. Well, of course, if you have already made up your mind, I wouldn't presume to try to sway you. Naturally, I am happy to look in on Spooky and Ghost. I hope you know what you are doing, though,” he said.
"So do I, Joel. So do I,” she agreed. “I'll leave a key under the rock by the back door and instructions on how and what to feed on the kitchen counter with the food. If you haven't heard from me by five o'clock tomorrow evening, please come feed them for us. I'm hoping to be back before then, but you never know."
"Truer words were never spoken, Liz. Are you sure about this?” he asked.
"No, not at all sure. But there are some things you don't know that happened this morning; things I can't handle, and I have to try to put an end to it before anything else happens. Benjamin will be with us and no one knows any more about all this than he,” she said.
"Benjamin!"
"Yes. I'll explain it all when we get back. All right?"
Joel sighed, shook his head. “All right. I am not at all certain this will be good for you, but I will wait for your explanation—and you had better call me the second you get back, whether you're successful or not."
"Understood. And thanks. Oh, and one more thing..."
"What is it?"
"I need you to promise you won't tell Mark, or John, if he should call—or anybody else. This needs to be our secret. Please?” she asked.
"You have my word, Liz. Only be careful. I will pray for you."
"Thanks, Joel. We'll need it. I will talk to you soon,” she promised.
"Good bye,” Joel said. He wanted to lecture her on all the reasons he could call to mind why she shouldn't be doing this thing. He opened his mouth to do just that, thought twice about it, pursed his lips, crossed himself as he sent a silent prayer skyward.
"'Bye. And thanks again."
Joel hung up the phone, wondered if God would hold him to his promise to tell no one. He was a priest, for heaven's sake. He was accustomed to keeping other people's secrets, wasn't he? Yes, of course he was, but if Liz had asked his advice he most certainly would have tried to dissuade her. This was a secret that could cost her and Kim their lives. He wouldn't be able to get there in time to keep them from going and he was late to confession. It was a mistake for John to have left town jus
t now. What had the man had been thinking?
Chapter 32
"I'm confused, Ben,” Kim said. “After what Liz told us about Moira and Sean—and Moira's dogs—why are we going to Tarrh's house at a time when Moira and Sean are there?"
"That is when Tarrh has already seen both Elizabeth and myself. We must convince him to help us, not the man he was before he married Moira,” Benjamin explained.
"I don't think that will work, Ben,” Liz said. “I already talked to him about Moira and the havoc she will wreak. He doesn't believe in changing what is meant to be."
"Truly? Did he say that? Why, then is it he changed what was to be by binding Moira and Sean in the first place?” Benjamin asked.
"A good point,” Liz conceded.
"The man is a wizard, lasses,” Benjamin said. “He has spent his entire life manipulating events and never being concerned whether he changed what was meant to be or not. Perhaps when he started facing death he started to question, and even rue, his earlier actions."
"What if Moira and those monster dogs of hers intercept us?” Liz asked.
Benjamin smiled. “Moira can't hurt me, nor either of you when you are with me. Besides, I plan on going directly to wherever Tarrh is; Moira will have no chance to intercept us."
"That ought to be a good trick,” Kim said.
"Skeptical, are we? Right, then; well, it is a bit tricky, I admit. In fact, I have never done it before, exactly—but in theory, it should work,” he said as he rubbed his chin.
Liz and Kim looked at each other, waited.
Benjamin continued, “What I need each of you to do is to take one of my hands and don't let go, no matter what, until I tell you. Next, think of nothing other than going with me to wherever I will take us. Can you do that?"
Kim and Liz nodded.
"Because if either of you think of anything other than going with me where I lead, even for an instant, it could significantly alter our destination,” he continued. “It might even split us apart in time and space, and I would have no control over your fates. So if you have any doubts about doing this, now is the time to say."
Kim shrugged. “Doubts? Why, no, Ben. It sounds like a piece of cake to me."
"Piece of cake?” Benjamin asked, a blank look on his face.
"She means it ought to be easy—she's being facetious, Ben,” Liz explained.
"Aye, 'twill is easy, no matter how it turns out. You yourself saw how easy it was to go through the portal, by accident,” he said pointedly. “And if your thoughts are not collected and centered on what they need to be, ‘twill also be easy for you to get lost from the group."
"I apologize, Ben,” Kim said. “I didn't mean to make light of anything you were saying. Liz and I are both fairly good at concentrating on a set thing, at least for a period of time. Is there anything else we need to know?"
"You will need to continue to stay with me—that is, keep your thoughts on being where we are, because if you start wondering about your animals or other things, it could draw you back here,” he said.
"That makes sense,” Liz said.
"Aye, makes sense, but can you do it, lass?"
"All I can do is try, but I think I can,” Liz said.
"I think I can, as well. At least I know what I need to be working on,” Kim said.
Benjamin nodded, smiled. “Well, that makes three of us with a good idea of what we need to be trying to do; now to put it to the test. Are you ready, ladies?"
"Ready as we'll ever be, I guess,” Kim said.
"Then take my hands and let us be off."
* * * *
Melody waited in the recess behind the curtain, listening to the story the strangers were telling Tarrh. Indeed, what a strange tale they spun. They had come to ask for his help in undoing some unknown mischief in Moira's past. But Tarrh was so weak, what help could he be to them? Further, was there any hope at all that changing Moira's past would change the bitter wretch for the better? Melody doubted it, but if there was even a glimmer of a chance to stop the woman's evil before it devoured them all, she had to hear of it, had to help somehow.
Yet if Melody stepped out of her hiding place at this moment, would she not be leaving herself open to her master's scorn? She loved Tarrh with a passion that consumed her to her very core. She would have done anything for him, would have endured any torture to save him. She would even risk his learning the truth about her son—their son—if it would save the man from Moira and Sean. Even now, she couldn't understand why Tarrh had resigned himself so easily to death at Moira's hands. He was so much more powerful than she; he had more power than a dozen sorcerers; he could have saved himself, had he wanted. Could it be he really loved the woman enough to allow her to rip the life out of him without even so much as a struggle? If he knew little William was his child, would it make the least difference, or would it only jeopardize William's chances of living to adulthood if Moira found out? What was she to do?
She had kept her silence long enough. Tarrh had to know before he died that she loved him and always had; he had to know William was his own son. She owed them both that much. At the very least, she wanted to hold Tarrh and love him in his final hours. There were so many things she needed to tell him. Perhaps this was the time. She took a deep breath, brushed her shiny brown curls back from her face and pushed the curtain aside, then entered Tarrh's chamber.
Tarrh stared at her furiously when she appeared from behind the heavy curtain. “What are you doing here, woman? You are interrupting important business,” he spat.
She lowered her gaze to the floor but a moment before she took another deep breath, squared her shoulders and met his fierce glare with a fiery gaze of her own. “I have come to help you and these strangers, Tarrh McCann!"
"You cannot help us any more than they can help me. Now, be gone!” he shouted.
"You are wrong. I have been listening to what has been said and I believe I can help as much as anyone can,” she started. Tarrh opened his mouth to protest, but Melody shushed him, her green eyes aglow with a passion Tarrh had never before seen. She stomped her foot on the floor, struck a recalcitrant pose, hands on hips. “Enough of your self-pitying, sanctimonious haughtiness, Tarrh! You act as though you believe you are the only one who has anything at stake here when if you would but open your eyes, you would see ‘tis not the case. Have you no consideration for anyone but yourself? What about me? What about our son?"
Tarrh stared at Melody, obviously stunned. “Our son—William?"
"Aye, William. Who else?"
"Y-you told me he belonged to the stable boy—” he stammered.
"And what was I to tell you, seeing as how you were so fetched with that black witch? Should I have told you I was in love with you; that I was with your child?” she spat, the others in the room temporarily forgotten.
"In love with me?"
"By Angus Mac Og, are ye totally blind? I have loved you ever since I first knew you. Why else do you think I gave myself to you willingly? Certain ‘twas not your winning charm caused me to submit so eagerly to my deflowering,” she indicted.
Tarrh gazed on Melody as one seeing the light for the first time, a slack-jawed amazement replacing the pallor of sickness with a ray of illumination. He smiled at her after a long moment and reached for her hand.
Melody stood her ground, neither approaching Tarrh nor backing away, her head held high in defiance. “Nay, ye shan't touch me unless you intend to cooperate with these people who have asked for your assistance."
"Melody, my dear, ‘tis too late. I am far too weak to do anything. ‘Tis a magic potion of poison they have brewed against me, and I no longer have the power to fight it,” he said wearily.
"It always comes down to you and your power, does it not? Do you really think yourself to be the only one who has magical powers? Aye, were that the case, you would have died months ago,” she scolded.
Again Tarrh looked at Melody as though he had never seen her before. “You have been usin
g magic to keep me alive?” he asked.
Melody's gaze met his and softened as big tears sprang from her eyes and slid silently down her cheeks. “What a fool you are! Why do you give in to death when you have so much reason to live? I would be an even bigger fool not to try to save the only man I have ever loved."
Her words left him speechless for a moment as he studied her obvious display of the love she professed. How could he not have seen it before? “Aye, lass, I am a fool, and blind as well, just as you have said. I never imagined you loved me or that you even cared for me much. I thought I was merely the master of the manor and whatever attentions you allowed me to visit upon you were because of who I was. Why did you not tell me before?"
"I had no right to love you, Tarrh. I was simply your servant and content to be so because it meant I could be near you. But we have a son, and Moira and Sean are killing his father! What's to become of William? How can I simply let it happen? I have to fight it and so do you!” she sobbed.
"I must confess I have no idea how to fight this, dear Melody,” he said.
Benjamin, who had been listening in silence to Tarrh and Melody, cleared his throat, stepped forward. “Excuse me for intruding on this rightfully private conversation you two are having, but I feel the need to inform you both of who I am."
Tarrh and Melody fell silent, stared at Benjamin, Liz and Kim. “Aye?” Tarrh asked.
"I am Benjamin William McCann—the great-great-grandson of Tarrh McCann and Melody McDonald."
Tarrh and Melody stared at Benjamin, then at each other. At last Melody looked long and hard into Benjamin's eyes, then circled him, taking in every detail of his appearance. “Aye,” she confirmed, “ye could well be blood of my blood, Benjamin William, and you certainly have the presence of a McCann."
Benjamin smiled warmly. “I inherited something else from the two of you as well. I am a very good sorcerer,” he said, more to Tarrh than Melody. “I venture to say between the three of us, we could very likely whip up a magical potion to rival anything Moira and Sean could have put together. When you are stronger, you can help us to discover why Moira is so bent on ruining all the McCann clan, and perhaps we can undo some of the damage she has done. That is, unless you really do just want to let her kill you,” Benjamin said.
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