“I’d like a moment to say something before my sister comes in and you all think I’m putting on an act for her.”
All attention turned from the scene outside to the one within. Edmund stood, turning so that he looked at Diana and her dad. She didn’t look away, but her hands curled into fists around her hand of cards. I patted her knee.
“I want to apologize to you, Diana. And your father. What I did was unforgivable, but I truly meant you no harm. I meant to scare everyone, and I was desperate.”
“You certainly sounded like you would do harm when you threatened to get rid of her.” Mr. Elliot’s voice was like a whip.
Edmund flinched. “I know. But I wouldn’t have. It matters little now, but I wanted you to know. I am sorry.”
Mr. Elliot shook his head. “An apology doesn’t make up for what you did.”
Edmund just nodded and fell silent.
The outside door opened and attentions fell away from Edmund to rest on the wide doorway where Mr. Grouseman stood, one arm wrapped around Elspeth’s waist. It felt like we all sucked every ounce of air from the room, waiting to see what would happen.
She looked down, one foot, still half root, slid forward on the wooden boards. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she shifted her weight and moved the other foot into place. Mr. Grouseman murmured something that sounded encouraging as she made her way to a wing-backed chair that Mrs. Sanderston motioned to.
Elspeth made it the last few steps and then collapsed into the chair, keeping one hand tangled in Mr. Grouseman’s. Then she looked at me and smiled.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Thank you, Caroline. I’ve been waiting a long time for someone to figure things out.” The words were halting and very soft, but they were clear.
I grinned. “Glad I could help. But I couldn’t have done it without Diana, Leo, and Kevin. Even Mr. Grouseman helped point me in the right direction.”
Dad shifted beside me and Mr. Grouseman colored.
Elspeth looked us all over, “Thank you, all.”
Her eyes moved to Ms. Widdershins, and anger mixed with sadness. “Cynthia, you never had anything to fear from me. You and I had our differences, but I think we both paid for that.”
Ms. Widdershins just snorted, refusing to even look up.
“I had some thoughts over the years about what … ” She paused, licking her lips and taking a breath. The texture of bark moved over her skin, then receded, leaving more flesh than before. “What I wanted to do to you. I was angry for a very long time. But I’m going to leave your punishment to the authorities. They seem to have come far over the years. I’ve had a lot of time to notice.”
Edmund watched his sister with tears streaming down his face. When she turned her attention to him, he shuddered. “I’m sorry, Elspeth, William. I believed what she told me, and I did everything I could to keep you two apart. But I had good intentions.”
Mr. Grouseman looked him over and snorted. “The road to hell is paved with those, Edmund.”
Elspeth’s gaze carried disappointment so intense that I felt tears rise to my eyes. “I really believed you when you said you’d gotten past the class barriers between William and me. All along you lied to me. Still so stuck on being important you forgot to be kind. We will speak again, but I need time to think, Edmund.”
He nodded, wiping tears away.
Mr. Grouseman patted Elspeth’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Edmund. You know your sister. She’ll forgive you. And telling her you don’t mind our marrying now will work in your favor.”
Edmund’s face shone. “You are perfect for each other. Even in my snobbery I knew that. I wish you all the best, and I apologize for my part in keeping you separated.”
Elspeth looked pleased, but she didn’t say anything.
“What are you planning to do with me?” Ms. Widdershins demanded.
Leo’s parents moved like twin shadows to stand behind her. His father reached down, wrapping one large hand around her bicep. “I think we can find a good place for you.”
I shivered at the menace in those words.
Ms. Widdershins’ eyes were huge, and she struggled. Power billowed around her, and Mr. Sanderston pulled his hand outside the circle with a curse. His flesh was angry and red, but it healed in a few seconds.
“No! You can’t do anything to me–I am a founding member of this town. I have power here!”
Mrs. Sanderston’s smooth voice rolled around the group. It was like listening to liquid peace. “Come now, Cynthia, you don’t believe us capable of the kind of cruelty you have performed, do you?”
Even I could feel the magic in her voice. Ms. Widdershins quieted, nodding and smiling up at the woman. It made my stomach turn. She looked like a spaniel ready to do anything to please. I was pretty sure if Mrs. Sanderston told her to bark like a dog and fetch, she’d have done it.
Kevin appeared next to me and leaned over, close to my ear. “Now you know how my mother keeps me and Leo in line.”
A smile cracked my lips. I turned to him and he winked. If he kept this up, he might actually turn out to be a decent human, well, undead being.
Epilogue
The evening after that became quite boring. At several points, I dozed off. Detective Crowne couldn’t decide who to interview first, and Mr. Grouseman growled at anyone who got too close to Elspeth. When she got up to go to the bathroom, he would have followed her in. She had to stop him at the door and swear not to take more than ten minutes. I felt kind of bad for her. I mean, the woman hadn’t been to the bathroom in almost two hundred years. Twenty minutes was more than fair.
Diana went and sat with her dad, who kept one arm around her the entire time, except when he approached me. His thin arms wrapped around me and squeezed until I thought I would pop. Then he released me and stared into my eyes.
I almost gasped. His eyes didn’t match the mousy, beanpole newspaper reporter image. They were bright, golden, and intense. I finally saw where Diana got her strength of will.
“I owe you and your parents a great deal, my dear.” He glanced up at Mom and Dad, but his gaze returned to my face. “If you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask. I am beyond grateful you were there to find Diana.”
Not knowing what to say, I just nodded. He shook my parents’ hands while Diana smothered me in another hug. When she let go, her eyes were bright. “Next time, Caroline, you get to play the damsel in distress, ‘kay?”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Above my head, I heard my mom whisper, “Next time? I don’t think so.”
Winking at Diana, I just smiled.
VANESSA BARGER
Vanessa is a middle grade and young adult author, and a technology education teacher in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. She's a member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), the Virginia Writer's Club, and the Hampton Roads Writers. When not writing or teaching, she's a bookaholic, movie fanatic, and loves to travel. Vanessa is married to a fabulous man, and has one cat, who believes she lives only to open cat food cans, and can often be found baking when she should be editing.
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Fiv
e
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Epilogue
About the Author
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