McCann's Manor

by Charlotte Holley

  "Ah, there ye are, my darlings!” Melody greeted the hounds with an affection Kim could have mistaken for genuine. “Come, let me introduce you to me cousin Callie. She is going to be staying here for a while. Look, come see what she has brought you. Callie, dear, bring them over near the fire so the babies won't get chilled, won't you?” she motioned to Kim to go to the fireplace.

  Kim silently obeyed, crossing the wide room and sitting on the floor near the fire. She snapped her fingers to get the dogs’ attention, then slowly unwrapped the cakes she had, pinched off a small bite and offered it to the smaller hound, which was closer to her. It eyed her suspiciously, fangs still exposed, and sniffed the cake before flopping on the floor beside her and gently taking the proffered bite from her hand.

  Kim slowly reached out her hand to pat its broad head as it nibbled delicately on the cake. She couldn't help smiling at the obvious contradiction between the body language of the beast and its eating manners. She had expected the piece of bread to be gulped down in an instant and her hand to be next. The second animal stood its ground, still uncertain about the intruder in its private sanctum.

  Kim moved methodically as she broke off a second piece of the sweet bread and offered it to the second beast. Melody had begun her housekeeping duties nearby, seemingly unconcerned about Kim or the hounds. The second, somewhat larger creature—the male, she assumed—sniffed at the extended morsel, looked around at Melody, who seemed to be totally ignoring the trio in front of the fire. It edged closer to Kim, nipped the bite from her hand without making contact with her skin and joined its companion in lying in the floor.

  Kim's breaths were intentionally, painfully slow as she reached to pull off a somewhat larger bit of bread, broke it in two and laid one piece in front of each animal. They continued to eat gratefully, the male actually licking her fingers lightly. This isn't so bad, she thought. She glanced about the room and found Melody cautiously approaching a table full of vials, containers and unidentified magical objects. Kim offered the dogs each a third bite of the cake, reached to scratch the male behind the ear.

  And so it continued for what seemed to Kim like an hour. She observed Melody as she took the vial off Moira's table, replaced it with the ampule filled with the substitute potion, tucked the vial of poison into the bodice of her dress and continued about her cleaning duties. Kim proceeded to feed the dogs the cake Melody had supplied until she ran out and the dogs curled up by the fire to laze in the warmth. She still didn't dare move for fear they would object and continue their noshing on her body parts in the absence of the sweet bread.

  * * * *

  . Kim sat very still, looked around the room and noticed to her chagrin that Melody had disappeared. She was all alone with the two great beasts with no more cake to feed them. That's all right, she told herself, Melody had probably just gone to stash the potion while the dogs were distracted and she would return shortly. She swept the room with her gaze once more, but saw no sign of her new Scottish cousin, heard nothing to indicate Melody was in an adjacent room.

  Moira's chamber was quite large and decorated with black and silver tapestries and satin draperies. Black satin curtains hung from the ceiling to enclose the bed, pulled to the side in one place only and caught back by a silver cord to reveal luxurious crumpled bed linens and a mass of pillows strewn about. Either Moira was a fretful sleeper, or Sean had been visiting her boudoir recently. Or perhaps the dogs liked to romp about on the bed in their mistress’ absence. The sturdy work table, wrought of dark, intricately carved ebony, was long and wide and extended almost the entire length of one of the walls. Even from this distance, Kim could feel a certain malefic presence the items there percolated into the room. Mounted above the table was an array of animal talons and other body parts such as Kim had never seen before, from beasts the identities of which she could only venture a guess.

  One of the talons was almost twice the size of her hand and made Kim think of the great mythical griffin. There, too, were enormous fangs, huge bat wings and many other pieces she couldn't even begin to identify. Looking at them gave her an odd sense of having stepped into a fantasy world where creatures normally believed to be delusory actually existed. The room itself had the musky odor of a dank cave, and Kim wondered if that was some kind of exotic incense or if the smell was perhaps because the body parts were uncured.

  Gleaming silver chalices, candlesticks and other articles adorned the great table, providing a soft, rich glow that mirrored what little light was in the room. The artifacts were large, ostentatiously wrought pieces, heavy and quite old. It staggered Kim's imagination to think of the antiquity of these pieces when she had seldom seen anything that old in her own time. Moira's chamber was a treasure trove of immaculately kept silver artifacts and curiosities such as one would expect to find in a king's exchequer.

  She wanted to explore the room more closely, but didn't dare move from her appointed post, for fear of rousing the dogs and igniting a suspicion in them that would be more than detrimental to her health. Melody still didn't return and Kim sat perfectly still, waited. And waited—until she heard the sound of voices in the hall. The door swung open.

  Instantly the dogs were at Kim's throat defying her, daring her to move or even breathe as Moira entered the room. “Who are you?” Moira demanded.

  Kim didn't move a muscle. She kept her eyes downcast instinctively. After all, Melody's cousin was a deaf mute, wasn't she?

  Moira crossed the distance between the door and the fireplace, shoved the hounds away from Kim, asked again, “I said who are you? What are you doing here?"

  Kim looked calmly into the face of her reluctant hostess, smiled innocently and tried her best to look as if she didn't understand what was being asked of her. Did Moira know who she was? She was in trouble this time and she didn't know how long she would be able to continue to act as though she were calm. Melody had said she should pretend to be deaf and dumb, not the village idiot. Melody, where are you? She asked no one but herself.

  * * * *

  Benjamin held his hands on Tarrh's head while Liz plied energy to the wizard's feet. “That's it, lass. You are really very good at this, you know. Concentrate on pulling the energy down through his body and out into the earth,” Benjamin instructed. “Where did you learn to do this kind of work?"

  "I don't really remember learning it,” Liz said. “Kim and I went to some healing seminars and we both found out we already knew how to do the work. We just didn't know that was all there was to it. We thought there was some mystery to being able to heal, but we learned there was nothing more to it than simply concentrating on the intention to heal."

  "Aye, well, for some there is more to it than that. You and Kim are natural healers if you found it so simple is all. Undoubtedly something you learned in a past life,” Benjamin commented.

  Liz shrugged. “Hmm—if you say so."

  "What? You don't believe in past lives?” he asked.

  "Funny you should ask, Ben. You know, Kim is a hypnotherapist and she has done past life regressions on me, but—I don't know—I always wind up thinking I'm making stuff up. I'm a very imaginative person,” she replied.

  "Imaginative? You mean you are psychic and you don't know the difference between what you make up and what is real?” he asked.

  Liz smiled. “Just for myself, Ben. I can tell the difference for other people, but when it comes to my own life, it isn't that easy,” she said.

  "Nonsense!” Tarrh interjected. “You merely have not learned to trust your own judgment when it comes to matters of your own heart."

  Liz laughed. “I thought you were asleep. You think the explanation is so simple—I don't trust my heart?"

  "Nay, lass, ‘tisn't what I said,” Tarrh said. “You trust your heart and you trust your mind, but you do not trust what your mind tells you about your heart, and you do not trust what your heart tells you about your mind. Being psychic has nothing to do with being logical. The things you see as a psychic will not
always agree with what your common sense tells you must be true."

  Liz sighed. “I know that, but it still doesn't make it any easier for me to get information about myself or the things that pertain to me."

  "You must trust yourself more. When you get information, accept it for true even if your logical mind says it cannot be true,” Tarrh instructed.

  "I'll try, Tarrh, thanks,” she said.

  "This very wise advice, you realize, comes from one who has never himself learned the art of trusting his own impressions about people,” Tarrh confessed. “See? I needed you to set me straight on Sean. I truly believed he was my half brother. As my poor, downtrodden illegitimate brother, he could be forgiven for coveting my wife and trying to murder me. But as the lover of my betrothed, he has no excuse other than his own avarice.” He let out a tired, heavy sigh. “What shall I do with them, should I live through their attempts to rid themselves of me?"

  "I don't have any answers to that question, I'm afraid,” Liz said. “They're both guilty of high crime in my book, but it may be punishment enough for him to lose her once she discovers the truth about his part in the death of her father. Then again, I can't say anything about her. It seems she will continue to pay for something that wasn't her fault to begin with. Losing her father, her lover and the respect of her husband is a harsh penalty to bear because she loved a man who is a coward and a cheat. At least maybe she'll stop blaming you and realize where the fault actually belongs."

  "Aye, perhaps, but will all this stop her bitterness or merely add to it? I care for her, but my heart never belonged to her. Perhaps if I had been able to give her love it would have changed everything,” he speculated.

  "One must give love before one can expect to receive love,” Benjamin said. “If she could have given you her love, perhaps it would have changed everything as well. Do not blame yourself needlessly. She is as much responsible for the sorry state of affairs as you or Sean."

  "Aye, and so I am forced to wonder aloud again, can anything we do change her for the better? Will this quest we are embarking on change your future?” Tarrh asked.

  "Yes, it can change things. I have to believe it can change things for the better,” Liz said.

  "Is this your heart or your mind speaking, lass?” Tarrh asked.

  Liz looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before answering. Was it only because she wanted to solve the problem so badly that she had insisted on coming here to make it happen? Had she been wrong? No, she had to be right about this! Come to think about it, this case had stumped her several times. She had been sure Missy had not killed herself, she had been sure of so many other facts that later turned out to be different. Now she was sure they could save Tarrh, stop Moira and Sean, make a difference at the manor. Was she only fooling herself?

  "It is both my heart and my mind, Tarrh. We will work this thing out, I'm certain of it,” she affirmed.

  He gave her a heart-rending smile that said more than words possibly could. He was sick and feeling tired, almost at death's door. He wanted to believe, but couldn't. He was afraid to get his hopes up now lest they all fail in the mission to save him and his lineage from the curse of Moira and Sean. “I need to rest. You and Benjamin are welcome to use other rooms here in my chambers. This entire floor is mine and no one will intrude on you. A bit of rest might do you good as well. We have a monumental task ahead of us,” he said.

  "Of course,” Benjamin said. “Come, lass, let us leave Tarrh to his rest."

  "What if Kim and Melody come back looking for us?” Liz objected.

  "They will find us. Are you afraid to be alone with me?” he asked, that impish twinkle in his eyes again.

  "Should I be?” she asked.

  "Maybe—” he retorted as he led her from Tarrh's room. “You still have not figured it out, have you?"

  "Figured what out?"

  Benjamin had her by the hand and hauled her to a small room on the other end of a long corridor, closed the door behind them as he drew her close to him. “Look at me and tell me what you see,” he commanded.

  She stared into his dark eyes, felt his warm breath on her face. She was mesmerized, and suddenly weak in the knees. What did she see there? How could the man make her feel this way? What power did he wield over her to turn her inside out so easily? She attempted to pull away from his hold, but failed. Was she unable to break away from his embrace because she didn't really want to, or because he didn't want her to?

  "Well, lass? What do you see?” he repeated.

  "Benjamin, let me go, please,” she breathed.

  "I will, if ‘tis what you truly want. Is it?” he asked, drawing her closer still to his lips.

  Her head was spinning and she found it hard to catch her breath. “Why are you doing this?"

  He smiled at her then, put her fingers to his lips and kissed each one. “I recognized you instantly, but you don't know me, do you?"

  "I don't know what you're talking about, Ben,” she confessed.

  "You call yourself psychic, but you don't even have a hint about our past lives together, do you?"

  "Our—past—?"

  "Aye, you feel the bond with John, but you do not feel it with me. How can that be?"

  She searched his face, found only more questions in his gaze. “What are you saying?” she asked.

  "Lass, John and I are the same. Can you not recognize that?"

  "You mean you're his—?"

  "Aye, lass, I am John's past life. Constance is yours!” he spat.

  "I-I don't believe it. I mean, I do believe it, but I don't believe it! That's why when I look at you I think of him? My God, I thought I was going crazy!” she sputtered.

  He buried his hands in her hair, pulled her to him and planted an overpowering kiss on her lips. “I love you, lass. Now as much as then, I love you. John may not know who he was or who you are to him, but he feels the love as strongly as I do."

  That explained a lot about her feelings, but it did precious little to prepare her for the ordeal to come. She was worried about Kim and Melody and why they weren't back yet. She was worried about getting enough antidote into Tarrh in time to save his life and make him strong enough to help them control Moira long enough to—to what, exactly? To make matters even more confusing, in the middle of all her wondering and doubt, Benjamin was going to kiss her again and she was going to melt.

  Chapter 34

  "Why are you staring at me that way?” Moira demanded. “Do you not understand English? Get up!"

  Kim frowned, tried to look confused, put her hand to her ear in an effort to communicate that she didn't understand because she couldn't hear. She ended her gesture with a shrug and a sad sort of pout, palms up and open.

  Moira paced the floor in front of her. “This is quite unaccountable. Where is Melody and why are you here with my pets? Answer me this instant!” she ordered.

  "Oh, Mistress, forgive me!” Melody fairly shouted as she rushed back into the room. “I was gone but a moment. I forgot to bring you the fresh linens you asked for and I went just down the hall to retrieve them,” she explained.

  "Who is this creature and what is she doing here—and why does she not answer when I speak to her?” Moira demanded.

  "Alas, dear mistress, this unfortunate creature is me deaf and dumb cousin Callie,” Melody said in a distressed kind of speech that made Kim think she was a better actress than she was a maid. “I do not know if you recall my mentioning her. She is me mither's sister Gwyneth's daughter, come to visit me for a few days. I didna think it would hurt anything for her to accompany me on me cleaning rounds, mistress. I shouldna have left her here while I was not in the room, but she and the dogs hit it off so well and I was gone only a minute—"

  "Oh, do stop babbling, Melody!” Moira said. “'Tis a wonder the dogs did not harm her while you were gone. But it appears there was no damage done to anything or anyone,” she said as she walked to the table of magical concoctions, checked to make sure nothing was missing befor
e she wheeled to face Melody. “Why have you been touching things on my table? You know I have expressly forbidden you to come near it."

  "Why, mistress, I only just tidied a wee bit; things were getting dusty,” Melody answered without changing her expression. “You know I would never touch anything without your permission and supervision, except to keep things clean and comfortable for ye."

  Moira stared at her a moment, smiled and approached her in a more relaxed manner. “Of course, I know you would never do anything you were not told to do, would you?” she asked.

  "Nay, mistress. I would never do anything to displease you,” Melody said with a sweet smile. “I respect your belongings, as I respect you, mistress."

  Melody's words seemed to placate Moira, who returned her attention to Kim, who was still standing as one transfixed to the spot, trying hard to maintain her blank expression. “Naturally you do, Melody. But what of your dear cousin? How do I know I can trust her?"

  "Sure you know it because I give ye my word, mistress. Callie is a simple wight. She hasn't the mind for meddling in things she ought not,” Melody replied.

  Moira thought on Melody's words, approached Kim for a closer look. “A simple wight? Are you saying she is none too smart?” she asked, watching deliberately for any change in Kim's expression.

  "I suppose ‘tis true enough, mistress. Why, she has never even learned to read lips the way some can,” Melody said.

  "I believe you, Melody, dear,” Moira said at last, “but there is something unnerving about her, though I cannot for the life of me decide what it is. She seems familiar to me somehow ... but how could that be?"

  "I have no idea, mistress, though had ye ever seen any of my family, ye would be able to see a phratry resemblance. Sure, she has the same eyes as her mither, mistress,” Melody said.

  Moira considered first Kim and then Melody, shook her head. “Aye and you both have that lovely curly hair. I suppose you are right; ‘tis but a resemblance to kith and kin. But I am sure you have other chores before you are done for the night, so the two of you begone. I have work to do."