Go Gently

by Nancy M Bell

  Laurel let herself through the little gate built into the low fence between the yards. “C’mon, Chance. I don’t want to go by myself.”

  “Fine, but I don’t think we’re gonna get anything worthwhile out of her.” He followed Laurel through the gate and down the stone path.

  “Come in, come in,” she waved them toward a bright yellow table in the centre of the room, “sit wherever you like, just watch out for Gemma, that cat loves to sleep on the chairs.”

  Silently, Laurel sat at the table after dutifully checking the chair for sleeping cats. Chance sat opposite her and raised an eyebrow in amusement.

  “I’m Ally, I promised Bella I’d look after her place for her. Why are you two looking for her again?”

  “When I was in Cornwall, when my mom was so sick, I stayed with an old friend of my gramma’s. I found some old letters from Gramma Bella to Sarie. She’s the lady I stayed with. She told me Gramma is still alive,” Laurel explained.

  “Why would you think she was dead?” Ally appeared astounded.

  “Because my parents led me to believe she was. They never actually said it, they just implied it and never clarified if what I thought was true was really the truth.”

  “Must have been some argument your father had with her.” Ally leaned closer, a gleam in her eye at the thought of juicy gossip.

  “It was over my grandfather,” Laurel said bluntly, but offered no more explanation.

  “He’s dead though, isn’t he?” Ally prodded.

  “Grampa D’Arcy is gone, yes,” Laurel agreed. There was no way in hell she was going to mention Vear Du to the woman.

  “Where is Laurel’s gramma, then?” Chance broke into the conversation. “You said you’re looking after the place while she’s gone. Where is she?”

  Laurel sent him a smile of thanks for steering the conversation back on track.

  “Well, now that’s a story, isn’t it?” Ally poured tea into the three mugs before setting the pot on the table. “Your grandmother is quite an interesting woman with a very eccentric outlook on life.”

  “You sound like you don’t like her all that much,” Laurel declared. Chance put a hand on her arm to remind Laurel to keep her temper in check.

  “Quite the opposite, my dear, quite the opposite. Bella and I get along famously. We’re like two peas in a pod.” Ally laughed and sipped her tea, blue eyes smiling at her over the rim.

  “So, tell us the story,” Chance demanded.

  “Drink your tea, son. I’ll tell you what I know in good time.”

  Laurel dutifully lifted the mug to her lips. Chance took a swallow of his and promptly spit it out.

  “What is that stuff?” He wiped at his shirt front. “It tastes like swamp water.”

  Laurel giggled and handed him the towel Ally threw on the table.

  “Devil’s Claw tea, it’s good for you,” Ally told him.

  “I’ll stick to water, thanks.” Chance shoved the mug as far away from him as he could.

  Laurel took another sip. It wasn’t as bad as Chance made out, but it was different than anything she’d had before.

  Ally settled down in a chair at the head of the table and looked from one of them to the other. “Where to begin, where to begin…” she mused.

  “Try the beginning,” Chance prompted.

  7

  Chapter Three

  “Bella came here not long after I did,” Ally began. “At first she kept to herself, but after a while we became friends. She never talked about her family much, or why she decided to move here when she could have stayed on the ranch. Over time she confided in me a bit, but only little things. She loved your mother, Laurel, and she doted on your father. I could tell just by the way she talked about them. It wasn’t often she mentioned them, though. I only know your mother’s name, and that Bella’s father arranged a marriage with a rancher near Pincher Creek. He packed her onto the ship and washed his hands of her. I think she missed her home in Cornwall and being near the sea. I’d see her lots of times sitting down on the banks of the river listening to the water rush by.”

  “Can you get to the point and tell us where she is?” Chance interrupted the torrent of words.

  “Yes, please, can you tell us where she is?” Laurel pleaded.

  Ally paused and stared hard at Laurel, who repressed the urge to squirm under the scrutiny. Apparently having made up her mind about something, Ally took a deep breath and let it out slowly, the air hissing softly between her teeth.

  “Bella came flying over here all in a tizzy, asking if I would keep an eye on her place while she was gone. She was right upset, almost in tears, and frantic to get on the road as fast as possible. Of course I told her I’d watch the place. It’s no trouble at all, really. Anyway, she lit out of here like a cat with its tail on fire. I haven’t heard from her since.”

  “Where did she go?” Laurel ground her teeth in frustration.

  Ally looked at her queerly. “Why to the airport, of course, dear.”

  “She flew somewhere?” Laurel clenched her hands into fists in her lap.

  “Yes, young lady, she did. How else could she get to England in a hurry?” Ally waved her hand across the table toward Laurel and Chance. “Come now, drink up your tea and I’ll tell you what I know.”

  Laurel groaned inwardly. Getting information out of Ally was like pulling hen’s teeth. Dutifully, she took a sip of the tea. Chance eyed the concoction and pushed his cup further away from him.

  “Not thirsty, sorry, m’am,” he apologized.

  Ally settled back in her chair and stroked the huge orange cat that sprang into her lap.

  “As I was saying, Bella came charging over here all upset. I couldn’t understand what she was going on about until she calmed down some. An old friend of hers called with some bad news. Somebody Bella cared about was sick or hurt. Maybe she said they were missing? I don’t rightly recall the details, though the up-shoot of it is, Bella went running off to England.”

  “Did she say who called? Was it Coll?” Laurel leaned forward in her chair. “Did she mention who was in trouble?”

  Chance snorted and frowned at the mention of Coll’s name and Laurel laid a hand on his knee under the table warning him not to interrupt now that the woman seemed to be on a roll.

  Ally scratched the big tom under the chin and her forehead crinkled as she frowned. “It was a funny name she told me, a friend from when she was young—”

  “Sarie, was it Sarie who called?” Laurel broke in.

  “It’s not polite to interrupt someone when they’re speaking,” Ally reprimanded her. “They sure don’t teach manners in school anymore, do they” She caught Laurel’s gaze and raised an eyebrow.

  “I’m sorry for being rude,” she apologized to the older woman. “But was it Sarie who called?”

  “Thank you, dear. Apology accepted.” She took a sip of tea. “Yes, I do believe that’s the name she kept repeating. Sarie, is it. Short for Sarah, I presume.”

  “I’m not sure what her real name is, she just goes by Sarie.”

  Do you know where in England she was headed?” Chance turned the conversation back to the matter at hand.

  “Her old home, where she grew up. Some odd name…Penwith, Pendeen…it started with pen, at any rate.”

  “Penzance? Is that it? I’m pretty sure she grew up in Penzance, ‘cause Sarie lives near there and Emily, another one of her friends, still lives there.”

  “Yes, dear, I think you’re right. It was Penzance.”

  “Who is missing or hurt? Did she tell you anything about that?” Laurel twirled her mug of tea between her palms, watching the pale green liquid swirl like a tiny whirl pool.

  Ally reached across the table and put a hand on her arm. “Stop that, girl. You’re going to spill on my nice clean tablecloth.”

  Chance pushed his chair back and stood up. “We gotta go soon or we’ll never get home in time for chores.”

  “Don’t be in such a hurry, young man.
I don’t get many visitors and I’m enjoying your unexpected company. But if you’re in such a hurry…it was another odd name. I thought she was saying ‘oh dear, oh dear’ but apparently she was saying—”

  Vear! She was saying Vear Du, wasn’t she?” Laurel stood up in her excitement.

  “Why, yes, that’s exactly what she kept repeating. Such an odd name. Is it male or female?”

  “It’s the man she was in love with as a teenager, before she came to Canada.”

  “When did she leave?”

  Laurel smiled at Chance. She could always trust him to get to the point. Caught up in trying to pry information out of the woman, she’d totally forgotten to find out how long Gramma Bella had been gone.

  “Let me see if I can remember exactly when she left.” Ally paused and looked over Laurel’s head for a minute or two. “Yes, it was right near Hallowe’en, so about two weeks ago. Bella called it some weird name, though instead of Hallowe’en.”

  “Guy Fawkes Day,” Chance suggested.

  “No, it wasn’t that. It sounded like Sowen, but she said it had nothing to do with pigs. Your grandmother was more than a bit odd sometimes.”

  “She meant Samhain, it’s spelled nothing like it sounds, but that’s what she was talking about. It’s one of the cross quarter days and it used to mark the beginning of a new year in the old Celtic calendar. It’s a time of year when the veil between the worlds is thin and those who have passed on can come back and visit. In Mexico they call it the Feast of the Dead and leave offerings on the graves of their loved ones.

  “If you say so, dear. That’s all a little beyond me, I’m afraid,” Ally replied.

  “We really gotta get going, Laurel.” Chance edged toward the door.

  “I’m coming, just give me a sec.”

  She waited until the door swung shut behind him before she spoke.

  “Thanks for letting me know where Gramma Bella is, Ally. And thanks for looking after her place while she’s gone. Now I know where she is, I’m gonna come and visit as often as I can. Even if Dad doesn’t approve.”

  “In that case I look forward to seeing more of you, Laurel. Now you better scat or your boyfriend’s gonna leave without you.” Ally patted her arm.

  “He’s not my boyfriend,” she protested.

  Ally laughed. “A body would have to be blind not to see the way he looks at you. Take it from an old lady, that boy has feelings for you.”

  “Thanks again, I really do have to get going, but I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the information.”

  “Run along, dear.”

  “Bye, and thanks again.” Laurel opened the door and ran down the shallow steps. Chance had already turned the truck around with its nose pointed at the gate. She got in and hardly had the door shut before the pickup was rolling forward.

  Chapter Four

  “What do you think, Chance? She’s kind of an odd duck. I wonder if I should call Sarie, or Coll. They should know if Gramma Bella is back in Penzance.” Laurel tucked a foot underneath her and half-turned toward Chance.

  “Sure, go ahead and call Coll, if that’s what you want.” His lip curled and a frown darkened his face. “Why not call the girl you met over there, Ashleen, or something?”

  “I could, I guess. I might call her anyway. What’s wrong with me calling Coll?”

  “Nothing, I guess,” he muttered. “If your gramma really is in Cornwall, what are you gonna do?”

  “I don’t know, this is getting more complicated by the minute. I was counting on her being home when we got there. I can’t tell Dad, he’ll go postal when he finds out I’ve even been looking for Gramma.”

  “”Can you talk to your mom, then? Will she understand better?” Chance took his eyes off the road long enough to glance over at her.

  “Yeah, I’m gonna tell Mom as soon as I get home. She’ll know what to do.”

  “You wanna stop and grab a sub or something in town before we head out?”

  Laurel nodded and Chance pulled into the small plaza by the gas station. After a quick meal, they headed toward Pincher Creek. Chance seemed disinclined to talk, so Laurel was left alone with her thoughts.

  It was dark by the time Chance dropped her off. She waved good-bye before taking the steps in one leap. The lights were on in the kitchen and her dad’s office. Laurel pussy-footed down the hall past the open door of the office. In the kitchen, Mom was chopping vegetables at the counter.

  “Hey, Mom.” She grabbed a can of pop from the fridge and sat down at the table. “Can I help with anything?”

  “Nope, I have everything under control. Did you find what you were looking for in Lethbridge? You were gone longer than usual. You and Carly lose track of time?” Anna Rowan pushed a lock of hair off her forehead with the back of her hand.

  “No, actually, we didn’t go to Lethbridge.”

  “Was there something in Medicine Hat you wanted?”

  Laurel shook her head. “We didn’t go to the Hat, either. It was really weird, though. Carly didn’t come, it was just Chance and me.”

  ‘Is Carly sick or something?” Mom caught her gaze across the kitchen island.

  “No, Chance asked her not to come. He said he wanted it to be just him and me. And he got all prickly every time I mentioned Coll’s name. What’s up with that?”

  Anna laid the paring knife down and came to sit at the table beside Laurel. “Why do you think he’d do that?”

  “Beats me, we’ve been friends forever, and the three of us always do things together.”

  “I think Chance is interested in you, sweetie. Has he asked you to go out with him?”

  “No! I mean, I like him and all, but not that way. It’d be like kissing my brother or something.” Laurel made a face and grimaced.

  “Just keep it in mind, that maybe the boy sees you as more than a friend now that you’ve all grown up a bit.”

  Laurel nodded and snagged a banana from the bowl on the table.

  “So, if you didn’t go to Lethbridge or the Hat, where did the pair of you go?”

  “Chance drove me up to Bragg Creek.” She watched her mom’s face carefully for her reaction.

  “What did you find in Bragg Creek? What made you want to go there?” Anna frowned and got up to move back to the counter, avoiding looking directly as her daughter.

  “I went looking for Gramma Bella, I know she’s not dead,” she blurted out.

  “Your father and I never told you she was dead, where did ever get that idea?”

  “Mom, look at me. You both let me believe she was dead, not just moved away. When I was visiting Sarie, I found a bunch of letters from Gramma Bella to her. The return address on the latest one was Bragg Creek.”

  “I wish you’d mentioned this before and not gone haring off to find her on your own.”

  “I didn’t think Dad would let me go if he knew where I was going. Mom, what did they fight about that upset things so badly that she moved out and nobody ever mentioned her again?”

  “I’m afraid that’s something you need to ask your father about. Now tell me, did you get a chance to speak to Bella?”

  “She wasn’t home. The neighbor lady said she went off to Cornwall in a big hurry about two weeks ago.”

  “Cornwall? You’re sure the woman said she went to Cornwall, not London?”

  Laurel nodded. “Ally, the next door neighbor, said Gramma Bella got a call from Sarie that someone was in trouble, and then she left in a big hurry.”

  “Hmmm, I wonder…Bella vowed she’d never set foot back in Penzance. She believed the ruckus and embarrassment she endured when she left would never be forgotten. She never wanted to run into Daniel Treliving ever again.”

  “Daniel Treliving? That’s Gort’s uncle. I don’t blame her, he was a real jack ass.”

  “I didn’t realize you knew him, what was he like? Is he really as nasty as Bella made out/” Anna stopped stirring a pot on the stove and leaned a hip on the counter.

  “I nev
er really met him, but I did see him sometimes. He was Gort’s guardian, but he treated him like crap. Used him for a punching bag, so Gort would hideout at Sarie’s or Emily’s. But Gramma Bella doesn’t have to worry about seeing him, he’s dead now.”

  “Are you sure? When did you find this out?”

  “Coll emailed me about it, and so did Ash, and Gort too when he was feeling better. He’s living with Emily and Coll now.”

  “That’s very interesting. I wonder who is in such trouble that Bella would throw caution to the wind and take off for England.

  “Ally said it was Vear Du who was in trouble.”

  Anna’s face went white and gripped the counter hard enough to turn her knuckles white. “Are you sure?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

  “As sure as I can be.” Laurel swallowed hard. “I know who he is, Mom. I know Vear Du is my grandfather. Is that what Dad and Gramma fought about? Is that why she moved away and I never saw her again.”

  Anna nodded and wiped a tear from her cheek. “Since you’ve discovered that much, I’ll answer your questions as best as I can. But you should still talk with your dad about this. Your father was devastated when he found out the truth. All his life he believed D’Arcy was his dad, and in a way he was, in all the most important ways. It came as a real shock when he learned he was the son of some weird magical being.”

  “Was he mad at Gramma for not telling him sooner? When did he figure it out?” Laurel tried to put herself in his place and couldn’t.

  “He found out when you were pretty young, I thought he was going to bring the house down he was so angry.”

  “Is that when you found out?”

  Anna shook her head. “Bella told me before I married your father. She thought it wasn’t fair to let me marry him without know exactly what I was getting into. It took your dad a while to get over that too. Me knowing, and not telling him.”

  “Mom, Aisling invited me to spend Christmas with her family, are you okay with that? I’ve been saving my money to pay for the plane fare since I got home last time. I didn’t know Ash was going to ask me to come for Christmas, though. Can I go? I really want to find Gramma Bella, too. If Vear Du is in trouble maybe Ash and I can help him somehow.”