Between a Wolf and a Hard Place

by Terry Spear

  “Hey, Ellie,” Brett said, smiling down at her and nodding his head to Kemp. “Want to come to my place for dinner tonight? And then we can go to the inn to practice our lessons.”

  She gave him a small smile back as if she knew he was laying claim to her in the tavern in front of everyone there.

  “All right. And a run after that to your favorite childhood getaway.”

  Feeling overjoyed they were on again, and no one else was going to slip in, Brett smiled. “Yeah, I’d love that.”

  She motioned to the box of chocolates. “I need to run if I’m going to keep eating all this chocolate.”

  “I suppose I can’t join you for a run tonight, can I?” Kemp asked.

  “No,” Brett said firmly.

  Kemp laughed. “I didn’t think so, but I thought I’d ask. Just in case. We haven’t ordered yet. Did you want to join us?”

  Brett grinned at him, slapped him on the back, and sat down, mostly ignoring Ellie’s look of surprise. She had to know that he was serious about her, and sitting back and waiting for her to get through all these dates with other wolves was killing him.

  * * *

  Ellie thought the world of Kemp for inviting Brett to dine with them. She was surprised he’d offered, as if he knew it to be a foregone conclusion—she and Brett were a couple. And she was a little surprised Brett would accept, but she thought he must have been desperate to end all this business with her dating other wolves.

  They had a lovely time visiting. When they were done and it was time to call it a night and get on with piano lessons and a run, Brett paid for their meals. Kemp argued with him, but Brett insisted since he’d kind of taken over the date.

  Kemp had laughed and thanked him and thanked Ellie for a lovely time. Kemp gave Ellie a quick kiss on the cheek and said good night before Brett could react to that. He helped her on with her jacket and pulled her in for a real kiss, which had the patrons in the tavern whistling, clapping, and cheering.

  Ellie laughed, and Brett looked like the happiest wolf in the world.

  * * *

  When they arrived at the inn for piano practice, the first thing they noticed was the song sheet for “Mary Had a Little Lamb” resting on the floor.

  “I tell you she’s trying to share something with us.” Ellie pulled out the one for “Louie, Louie Wannabe” and placed it on the music stand.

  As soon as she did, the sheet lifted and fluttered to the floor. Brett and Ellie stared at the song sheet as if it were going to move again.

  “She doesn’t like that song? I love it,” Brett said.

  Ellie chuckled. “No, she wouldn’t have it with the rest of her music sheets if she didn’t like it and didn’t think it was a good song to teach to her pupils. I’m sure she’s trying to tell us something.”

  Brett opened the bench seat and began pulling out the separate music sheets, and he started setting them up one at a time. Every time he put up a new sheet of music, it was tossed to the floor. Carefully, Ellie gathered them up as if they were treasured possessions.

  When he set the sheet music for “Sweet Caroline” on the stand, the name caught his attention. His grandmother’s name. He and Ellie waited to see what happened next. He hadn’t even reached for the next single sheet of music, just knowing this could be a clue.

  “Your grandmother…” Ellie said, practically whispering the words.

  Brett just stared at the song sheet, still waiting for something to happen, for Matilda to highlight her sister’s name in lights or do something more significant to indicate they were on the right track.

  “Okay, so she’s trying to tell us something about your grandmother,” Ellie said, drawing closer to the song sheet and reading it. “It’s a love story between a boyfriend and Caroline.”

  “Remer’s grandfather, Theodore. He wanted to mate her, but she wanted to stay with her sister instead.”

  “Was he unhappy about it?”

  “Yeah. Tried to make her jealous by dating another woman.”

  Ellie’s eyes widened. “And then?”

  “My grandmom called him an old goat. And then a dog.”

  “Oh, wow,” Ellie said, smiling. “Being a dog is worse than anything.”

  “Yeah, because they run around and don’t mate for life. So when she didn’t fall for it, chase after him, or try to make up to him, he came back to her.” He explained all that Bertha Hastings had told him about Matilda, Theodore’s bruised head from a fall on a wet floor, his fighting with Matilda over Benjamin being in the same house with Caroline, and the falling-out that he and Caroline had after Matilda’s death.

  Brett and Ellie read over the song sheet.

  “I don’t know. It’s just a love song between a man and woman named Caroline,” Ellie said. “I don’t see any significance to the words.”

  Brett put up the rest of the song sheets, one by one, but nothing happened with any of them. Matilda had given them a clue, and if they couldn’t figure it out, she was done trying.

  Ellie put “Louie, Louie Wannabe” back on the stand and began practicing. “I’m surprised she didn’t mind this kind of music.”

  “She loved all music, kept up with the ages, and wanted to make sure that everyone, young and old, enjoyed it when she played. She said it kept her youthful too.”

  “She sounds really sweet.”

  “She was. Both she and Grandmom were funny together. Grandmom was my dad’s mother. Aunt Matilda married a man who died young but gave her one son, Ned. He died in a boating accident. It flipped over, he was struck in the head, and he drowned. That was after she’d died.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Ellie said.

  “Uncle Ned was fun to be around. He took us kids boating all the time. We really missed him.”

  “No foul play, right?”

  Brett smiled at her and shook his head. She stood up so he could practice playing. He played the same song she had and then went back to playing “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Afterward, they played the duet again.

  “We’re not perfect and probably won’t be by the time the guests are here, but I think we’ll be passable.” She smiled up at him. “Are you going to dress up?”

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He let out his breath. “What are we going to do about my great-aunt?”

  “Talk to her. I don’t know what else to do. My sisters and I tried a séance, and that just riled Chrissy up. Your great-aunt only seems to want to express herself to the two of us, for whatever reason.”

  “Because we’re courting each other,” he ventured.

  She smiled at him again.

  He took that as an affirmative and decided to carry it a little further. “And we’re in love.”

  Her smile broadened, and then she laughed.

  He smiled back. “Well, don’t tell me it’s not true.”

  “Are you ready to run?” Ellie had such an impish smile on her face that he wondered what she was up to.

  As soon as they drove out to the woods, stripped, shifted, and ran to his favorite spot, he couldn’t believe what he saw. His great-aunt’s burned-down home was now a beautiful memorial. He read the sentiments etched on the marble plaque while Ellie’s soft wolf body pressed against his as if she was reading the memorial too, but he knew then that she and Sarandon had been here earlier today. He smelled their scents, cinnamon rolls, coffee, and tea. He howled with joy.

  And she howled with him. Off in the distance, a couple more howls rent the air—Jake’s and his mate’s.

  If Ellie liked the idea, he thought this would be the perfect place to have their wedding. If she wanted one. Wolves didn’t always have them. Mating was for life, which meant no marriage certificate was needed to make it binding.

  He thought the world of Sarandon for having added all the wonderful touches to the site. And he assumed his
brothers would want to commemorate it with a pack gathering. What better way to do so than to have a wedding here? And soon.

  On the drive back home, he told her how beautiful it was.

  “I didn’t know anything about it. Sarandon brought me out there this morning to show me. I believe he wanted me to show you.”

  “I was afraid he was going to scold you for dating the other guys. It was killing me not to know where the two of you had gone.”

  “I think it was a peace offering on his part, maybe from all your brothers, even your cousins, for hassling my dates.”

  “They hassled them?”

  She raised her brows at him.

  “You mean they were there to watch you eat with the other guys? What did you expect?” He smiled.

  “I hadn’t expected all of them to be there for that first date.” Ellie leaned against the car window and peered out at the sky.

  “That’s what happens in a pack. One show of unity, and that’s all that was needed.”

  She turned to look at Brett. “You were there for every date after that!”

  “Well, sure. Just in case your date hadn’t gotten the word.”

  She laughed and leaned back against the seat. “I couldn’t believe you barged in on my lunch date with Kemp.”

  “He had a choice. He didn’t have to offer. He just knew he didn’t stand a chance.”

  “Next time you suggest to me that I should date others—”

  “There will never be a next time, believe me.”

  Chapter 17

  The next day, Silver Town was abuzz with excitement. Dressed in Victorian attire, ladies, gents, and children were visiting the various establishments, celebrating the annual event.

  Ellie couldn’t believe she’d awakened so late and no one had gotten her up to help at the inn. She hurried to dress in her corset and petticoats, but had a horrible time trying to fasten her gown. As she started to walk over to the inn, she saw Chrissy peering out the lace curtains in the attic room. Great.

  Ellie entered the inn where Laurel was setting out fresh flowers for the guests’ arrivals, but she could smell that a couple of new wolves, a male and female, had been in the inn lobby.

  “One couple already arrived,” Laurel said. “Check-in isn’t until noon, but since we don’t have guests to clean up after, I figure it’s fine.”

  “Sounds good to me. I’m sure they’re excited to get ready for the ball. Did you say anything about you-know-what?” Ellie glanced at the silent piano.

  “No.” Laurel tilted her head at the way Ellie was holding her gown up. “Here, let me help. Meghan said you were having trouble sleeping, so we let you sleep in a bit. You know, because what if someone asks you to mate? Then you’ll never get any sleep.” Laurel winked.

  “Thanks, Laurel. You and Meghan are the best. But if he doesn’t ask…” Ellie sighed. “I just saw Chrissy in the attic room. At least she seems to have settled down a bit. Maybe she’s adjusting to Matilda being here.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Chrissy floated by.

  “No, she is not,” Chrissy said in a whispery kind of way.

  “Wait. Why is Matilda here? Did she say?” Ellie asked, but Chrissy had vanished in the direction of the basement door.

  Ellie hurried for the stairs, but then paused and asked Laurel, “Were the guests who checked in upstairs or in the basement?”

  “Basement. Blue room.”

  “Great.” Ellie hurried down the stairs to the basement and wondered if they should have left the lavender room vacant. Would Chrissy like company or be upset by it? Too late to do anything about it. All the rooms were booked now.

  Ellie opened the door to the lavender room, entered it, and shut the door. Chrissy didn’t appear before her, but the room was cold, as if she were there.

  “Chrissy, I know you are here. Do you know why Matilda is staying here at the inn? Or why she’s so attached to the piano?”

  Suddenly, Ellie’s lips felt like she’d pressed ice cubes against them. “Kiss? Love? We know it had to do with moving the piano here. But why is she here? Why are you still here, Chrissy?”

  “Home,” Chrissy whispered in a ghostly way.

  They had all assumed that. Just like the Scottish lass who had been murdered and buried beneath the floor. Chrissy had been born here and had never lived anywhere else. This truly was her home.

  “She…” Chrissy paused.

  “She what, Chrissy?”

  “She wants…”

  Ellie felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting to hear what Matilda wanted. They wanted to help her find peace.

  “…me to play.”

  “The piano?” Ellie couldn’t believe it. Matilda wanted to teach Chrissy to play so she’d know the joy of playing too? Then Ellie realized what a disaster that could be. It would be bad enough if Matilda played the piano when the guests were sleeping.

  Wringing her hands, Chrissy appeared and nodded, looking as though she was completely out of her comfort zone.

  “Chrissy, if you play, will Matilda leave?”

  Chrissy bit her lip, nodded, and vanished.

  “If you learned to play well?” Ellie asked, assuming Chrissy was already somewhere else. She didn’t think Matilda would agree to leave if Chrissy played a few notes and that was it. Maybe Chrissy was in the attic room. Ellie normally didn’t chase a spirit from room to room. She gave them their space, figuring it was futile anyway. But she really did need answers.

  Ellie dashed up the stairs to the hallway and headed for the stairs to the upper floors. She caught Laurel’s eye.

  “Trouble?” Laurel asked.

  “If you define trouble as a reluctant Chrissy forced to take piano lessons from Matilda so she will go away—Matilda, that is—and the two of them choose any time of the day or night to practice, I’d say that is an affirmative.”

  “Oh, just great.”

  “Now what?” Meghan was wearing a red gown with a low-cut bodice and a corset that was lifting her boobs even more than usual. She looked as though she was ready to snare a wolf mate.

  “Tell her. I’m going to try to get more answers.” Ellie raced up the next flight of stairs, but then walked up the ones to the attic room and gently opened the door. In there, the air was chilly. “Chrissy? Just how well do you have to play before Matilda feels she’s succeeded in teaching you?”

  Ellie’s phone rang, and she pulled it out of her pocket. “Yeah, Laurel?”

  “Attic room guest, Rose McKinley, is on her way up. I just wanted to warn you.”

  Rose’s brother, Ryan, and his mate were the pack leaders in Green Valley, and his wife, Carol, had future visions. So Ellie thought Rose might be all right with the idea that a ghost sometimes visited the attic room.

  “Okay, I’m leaving.” Darn it. Ellie wanted to ask if her sister could delay Rose for a few more minutes, but then the room warmed and Ellie figured it didn’t matter anyway.

  She greeted Rose on the stairs. “Here for Victorian Days?”

  “Yeah, I could hardly wait. I’m glad you opened the inn early so I could get dressed and check out all the places.” Rose owned a garden shop in Green Valley, and the sisters ordered all their fresh flowers and plants from there.

  “Enjoy your stay. If you have any trouble, just let any of us know.” Ellie prayed that none of the guests had problems of the ghostly kind or any others.

  Laurel and Meghan were smiling at Ellie when she returned to the lobby. “What?” she asked.

  “Well, are you going to pop the question to Brett at the ball?” Laurel asked.

  The piano began playing a tune, and the three sisters stared at it. Then both Ellie and Laurel looked at Meghan to find out what the music was. “The Zombies, ‘Tell Her No.’ I think it says ‘no’ more than sixty times. So you have your answer from
Great-Aunt Matilda.”

  The ladies laughed, but Ellie thought Matilda would be happy if she and Brett mated.

  “Well, maybe he’ll ask you at the ball,” Meghan said. “You know, you’ve been so cautious with him that he might be waiting for you to let him know in no uncertain terms that you want him.”

  More guests arrived, and the song ended.

  Ellie sighed, hoping that they wouldn’t have a mass exodus of guests during the first week they were open again. And if Brett was afraid to ask her to mate, she would be asking him, with or without Great-Aunt Matilda’s approval.

  * * *

  What made Victorian Days even more special this year was that the MacTire sisters were participating, and Brett was getting ready to ask Ellie to mate him.

  That morning, he headed over to the inn to play a duet with Ellie on the piano for the special program they were putting on. They’d actually practiced two duets, in case anyone wanted to hear another.

  Ellie greeted him in a burgundy gown with wide puffed sleeves, the skirt full and flowing. She was also wearing petticoats—he could see the top floral one because of the open-front gown—a corset, and a chemise beneath the gown. Even though most day dresses for the period were higher necked, for this event, most of the women were wearing gowns that had very low necklines and were worn off the shoulders, gowns that were supposed to be for evening affairs.

  He gathered Ellie in his arms and crushed her against him, kissing her while everyone assembled there waited for them to play the duet. In fact, the inn was overflowing with pack members, some on the stairs watching, others gathered around the piano. He seriously had considered asking Ellie to mate him right here and now, but he was afraid Matilda would ruin it if she didn’t like him doing so in front of the crowd.

  Even if Matilda didn’t care for the idea, the rest of the pack was all smiles.

  “You’re beautiful,” he whispered in Ellie’s ear as he led her to the piano bench.

  “You are too,” she said, smiling up at him before taking her seat.

  She’d been so worried she’d make mistakes, but he had laughed it off, saying if anyone did, he probably would, and no one would be the wiser anyway, except for Remer and Mervin and Matilda. Brett didn’t see any sign of his great-aunt though.