by Diane Wylie
“It’s not helping! Don’t you have something else? She’s dying! You have to do something!” Stephen was beyond desperate.
“Mr. Elliott! Control yerself, sir!” Mrs. Martin pried his fingers from the doctor’s lapels. “Let him go!”
Stephen let go, staggered to a chair and sank into it, his head in his hands. “I’m sorry. I-I’m just so desperate for help.”
“I’m sorry too, sir,” the doctor said softly. “I wish there was more I could do.”
The landlady ushered the man out and returned moments later. Stephen had not moved. His last chance for a cure had just walked out the door after dashing his hopes.
“Mr. Elliott,” Mrs. Martin’s voice came from above him. “Go. Spend this time with your wife. She shouldn’t be alone.”
He nodded. Falling apart could wait. His wife needed him.
So he went back into their bedroom, the place where they had talked and made love. Bolstering his courage again, he urged Ruby to drink, to take her medicines, and to eat. Sometimes she complied and other times did not. He bathed her face and feverish body with cool water and dressed her again in a clean nightgown. In short, he did everything both he and Mrs. Martin could think to do, but Ruby’s health continued to decline.
Late one night, Stephen woke from a doze to the sound of Ruby’s voice. “My sweet boy, Mama is coming to be with you,” she said clearly.
Stephen’s heart stuttered and nearly stopped. He wanted to yell, to beg her not to go, not to leave him here alone. While his mind begged, he kept his mouth shut and held her close, tears streaming down his face. He could never be sure if it was just her time or Ruby’s decision made it happen, but she quietly passed away in his arms within a short time of uttering those words. The moment her life’s spirit left her body, he knew, but he held her throughout the night, unwilling to accept the truth. Mrs. Martin came in the next morning and Stephen had no choice but to let his beloved wife go. Even the Companion Spirit could bring no measure of comfort to his badly broken heart.
* * *
He took her back to Philadelphia so she could lie forever next to their son. Only his former assistant, Jacob, knew of their return and came to pay his respects at the burial. There were no family members left alive. Stephen had no choice but to sneak into the city under cover of darkness like a thief or risk recognition and persecution.
They buried her on a Tuesday.
“What will you do now, Stephen?” Jacob placed his hat on his head again as they walked away from the cemetery on a bright spring day Ruby would have loved. The air smelled of dampness and green growing things.
“I honestly have no idea, my friend,” Stephen responded. “Thank you so much for handling the sale of the house. I could not have faced it.”
“I was pleased to help. Mary is thrilled with the furniture you gave us. She loves the pieces you made.” Jacob’s wire-rimmed glasses glinted in the sunlight, hiding his eyes, but his voice gave away his sorrow.
“I’m glad,” he said, but honestly didn’t know if he could possibly be glad about anything ever again.
The two men walked along in silence for some time, heading for one of their favorite restaurants, although Stephen had no appetite. In fact, he hadn’t been hungry since before Ruby had died.
“So you sold the Model T?” Jacob asked.
“Yes, I sold or gave away everything except my clothes. They’re at the hotel.”
“Do you still have the stone?”
Stephen had been expecting this question. Why wouldn’t Jacob be curious about the stone and its powers? He had seen its effects.
“Yes, I can’t bring myself to get rid of it now.” Putting a hand to his chest, he could feel the reassuring bump under his coat and shirt. “You know Ruby hated it.” His throat immediately convulsed at the mention of her name and he had to swallow the lump of sorrow.
“I know. She asked me once to steal it from you and destroy it.” Jacob pulled a white handkerchief out of his pocket and blew his nose loudly. “I couldn’t do that to you. I know how much it means to you.”
He stared at Jacob then, startled by this revelation. “Thank you. I wonder why Ruby didn’t take it herself when you didn’t.”
“Oh, she did take it.”
More surprises. “I never noticed it missing. How did she accomplish this?”
Arriving at the Bull and Bear, they went inside and sat down at a table by the window. Stephen took out a pair of dark glasses and put them on. Jacob nodded his understanding. If anyone recognized the magician and remembered the incident with the falling lumber several years ago, who could predict the outcome?
His friend took off his own spectacles and cleaned them with the napkin. “Do you remember the time you got hurt when that man yelled ‘fire’ in the middle of the act?”
“Of course.” Stephen handed his menu to the waitress after ordering. “It hurt like hell to have my arm broken by the blacksmith’s anvil, but the fault was mine for letting the man distract me. She took the stone then? Why did she return it before I realized the charm was gone?”
Jacob leaned closer and lowered his voice. “She had a duplicate made so you didn’t notice, but when she saw how quickly your bones knitted, and how you credited that little charm, she put the real Companion Spirit back. She was a product of her time, Stephen. As a woman she knew that your success was her success. The stone offered magic, and magic meant the world to you.”
“No, Jacob. Ruby meant the world to me and I took her for granted. She never told me about what she did, even at the end when I offered to get rid of the stone.”
Their meal arrived. He tasted very little, but he had to eat to keep up his strength. Jacob knew far more than Stephen ever realized. It stunned him once again to learn the amount of love his wife had demonstrated for him. She hated the Mayan charm, and what it had done and could do. Now she had left him and he had to live with his regrets and uncertainty alone, and the agony consumed his soul.
Stephen’s story continues in MOONLIGHT AND ILLUSIONS.
Moonlight and Illusions By Diane Wylie
ISBN: 978-0-9834198-7-7
Illusionist Stephen Elliott performs dazzling magic feats to crowded theaters around the world. Then a chance encounter with an old woman and a cursed relic send his perfect life spinning out of control. He ends up cursed, on the run, and…immortal.
From her seat in the twenty-second row, Anabel Bernier recognizes with a jolt the handsome star of the magic show. World War II and the passage of time did nothing to dim the burning memory of her moonlight encounter with the charming Stephen Elliott. Will unexplained events, secrets, and powerful magic threaten their second chance at a future together?
Reviews for MOONLIGHT AND ILLUSIONS
“Diane Wylie has written another winner. From the first page Moonlight & Illusions held me riveted. I simply could not put the book down until I had devoured every word. I literally had to force myself to stop reading long enough to take a shower! Although I wasn't sure where this story was going to take me, I had no idea the trip would be so fraught with danger, adventure, and passion. Ms. Wylie's characters are not only believable, but so real you soon find yourself completely wrapped up in their lives, rooting for them throughout the book.
Ms. Wylie has obviously done her research into Mayan myths and legends. She takes a small stone and turns it into a magical object that holds secrets no one can quite figure out. Not only has she brought rich details to this story that will make you hold your breath as you wait to find out what will happen next, she puts the reader right into the surroundings with the colorful descriptions of the people and places. With brilliant dialogue, a storyline that will leave you breathless, and two people who have much more in common than they know, will make you swoon with every glance.
This is a definite must read and will go on the keeper shelf to be read again and again. Diane Wylie is one of the finest writer's I've ever read and you will not want to miss Moonlight & Illusions.”
The Pagan & The Pen Book Reviews
“I found this book to be very enjoyable. I enjoyed reading about the Mayans and magic. I enjoyed the relationship between Stephen and Anabel. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good romance and mystery. The author did not leave you wanting.”
Rating: 5 stars
The Paranormal Romance Guild
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance ReviewTeam
http://www.paranormalromanceguild.com/reviewsdianawylie.htm
“Ms. Wylie does a fabulous job with setting—Mexico, battle fields, hospital ships, Mayan ruins. She's a master at incorporating the reader’s senses to transport them to each time and place. Moonlight and Illusions is a fun, captivating read...”
Rating: 4 stars
Long and Short Reviews
Reviewed by Water Lily
http://www.longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2012/02/moonlight-and-illusions-by-diane-wylie.html
Additional Titles by Diane Wylie
Moonlight and Illusions (the continuation of this story)
Secrets and Sacrifices
Jenny’s Passion
Lila’s Vow
Adam’s Treasure
A Soldier to Love (short story)
Praise for Diane Wylie’s Other Books
"...as I read the story, I simply could not put it down until
I had devoured every last word..."
~Rie McGaha from Romance Writers United (about LILA'S
VOW)
"...an author who displays a rare talent and leaves you
wanting more..."
~Marilyn Rondeau from RIO—Reviewers International
Organization (about SECRETS AND SACRIFICES)
"...Ms. Wylie gives historical romance a breath of fresh
air..."
~Sandra Marlow from Romance Junkies (about JENNY'S
PASSION)
"...Wylie expertly brings the reader back in time as she
weaves the perfect web of history, lust, and intrigue..."
~Jennifer Vido from Fresh Fiction (about SECRETS AND
SACRIFICES)
Adam’s Treasure by Diane Wylie
Print ISBN: 1-60154-753-6
Print ISBN 13: 9781601547538
Genre: Historical Romance
Time Period: 1867 Post-War U.S.
Master of disguise, Adam Skelding, is a Pinkerton agent on assignment. His mission: Find the missing gold and stop the secretive Knights of the Golden Circle before they gain power. The future of the country depends upon it.
All Marilla Logan wanted was a way to escape from her life as a tavern wench. A dark stranger who breaks into her room offers her only chance. Swept up into a life of intrigue, she becomes ensnared in a tangled web of clues, danger, and emotion to break the code.
Lila’s Vow by Diane Wylie
ISBN: 978-0-9819896-0-0
Genre: Historical Romance
Time Period: 1863 to 1865
Schoolteacher Lila Sutton finds her one true love when cavalryman Captain Jack Montgomery rides into Gettysburg. But receiving word of his death leads her to seek her own type of revenge.
Imprisoned for a year, Jack returns to an uncertain future filled with turmoil and danger, when all he wants is Lila.
Jenny’s Passion by Diane Wylie
ISBN-10: 0981559247
ISBN-13: 978-0981559247
Genre: Historical Romance
Time Period: 1863 to 1865
David Reynolds joined the cavalry out of a sense of duty and adventure. As he rides into battle at Mine Run he has no idea his life is about to change forever.
The forbidden Yankee attracts Jennifer Winston like no other. She would do anything to save him…even kill.
Secrets and Sacrifices by Diane Wylie
Release Date: September 30, 2006
ISBN: 0-9785368-5-1
Genre: Historical Romance
Time Period: 1863 to 1865
The Confederate army is starving and badly in need of clothing. Add to that the mounting numbers of battle casualties, a lack of medical supplies, and army surgeon, Captain Daniel Reid, of the Twenty-Fifth Virginia, knows he has to take action, no matter the consequences.
Charlotte Garrett loses her husband and her identity when she takes on the guise of a Southern soldier. Learning to march, fight, and even spit like a man is to be expected. But what she doesn’t expect to find is a situation that leads her into the arms of a new man and into big, big trouble with the North and South!
About the Author
Author, Diane Wylie, loves books that will take her on an emotional roller coaster ride. What better genre than romance to do that? She has always particularly loved romances with dashing heroes and beautiful heroines.
Diane, a graduate of Rutgers University, had wanted to be either a veterinarian or a marine biologist, but still manages to fulfill her love for science as a technical writer. She is proud to add Moonlight and Illusions to her list of published novels, which includes Adam’s Treasure, Secrets and Sacrifices, Jenny’s Passion, and Lila’s Vow, along with short story, "A Soldier to Love."
The mother of two grown children, Diane makes her home in Maryland with her husband, Ed, a former racecar driver and graphic designer.
Visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianewylie.com to learn more about her and her upcoming novels.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to my wonderful critique partner, Dani Pettrey, for helping me polish my stories, and to my friend, Beverly Bunch, for her help with Spanish translations.
Thank you to the authors of following resources used to create this story:
McCutcheon, Marc. Everyday Life from Prohibition through World War II. Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati, OH, 1995.
Steinmeyer, Jim. Hiding the Elephant. Carroll and Graf Publishers, New York, NY, 2003.
Christopher, Milbourne and Maurine. The Illustrated History of Magic. Carroll and Graf Publishers, New York, NY, 2006.
Ix-Chel, Goddess of the Moon. http://www.goddessgift.com. Accessed October 4, 2009.
Maya Civilization, Mayan Gods & The Universe, Mayan Rituals and Ceremonies. http://www.yucatanadventure.com. Accessed September 19, 2009.
Mayan Symbols. http://www.ancient-symbols.com/mayan_symbols.html. Accessed June 26, 2009.
Blue Moon: Is There Really Such a Thing? http://www.moonconnection.com. Accessed June 8, 2009.
U.S.S. Hope II (AH-7) – Ship History and Specifications. http://www.ww2troopships.com. Accessed March 8, 2009.
Monnnery, Bryn. Faith, Hope and Charity. USSF Auxiliary Frigates (Medical). http://www.geocities.com/Area51/9292/2300/Hope.html. Accessed March 8, 2009.
Ford Model T. http://en.wikipedia.org. Accessed January 12, 2009.
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica/Bronchitis. http://en.wikisource.org. Accessed January 20, 2009.
Timelines of Inventions 1800 – 1899. http://www.wattpad.com. Accessed December 22, 2008.