“No worries. They’re just having a little talk,” I heard, and spun around. It sounded like Daddy standing right behind me, but there was no one there.
Moments later, I saw Liam rushing back to me. In his hands, he had ice wrapped in a cloth napkin. I felt the air trapped in my chest and throat escape and my body soften. Julia was heading back our way, too. She had seen him approaching the table.
“Sorry,” he said, kneeling down. “No one was listening to me. They’re a bit overwhelmed here, but some young woman heard me and was very persuasive. Otherwise, it might have taken another twenty minutes.” He pressed the cold pack against my ankle. He looked up when Julia arrived. “Is this right?”
“That’s good,” she told him. “Where is Clifford?”
I looked back in the direction he had gone. “Find him, Julia. I want to leave.”
“Right,” she said, and hurried off.
“Sorry it took a while,” Liam said. “But as I said . . .”
“Was it the same girl you saw on the dance floor?”
“What?”
“Both you and Clifford were hypnotized by that girl on the dance floor. Was it the same girl who helped you get the ice?”
He looked at me as if I had caught him cheating. “I think . . .”
“Here they are,” I said, seeing Julia practically dragging Clifford back. “Take me home, Liam.” I stood.
“You shouldn’t put too much weight on that yet,” Clifford advised.
“Lean on me,” Liam said.
The four of us headed out, now looking like a defeated group of party soldiers, wounded, exhausted. Most people were too occupied to notice or care, however. When we reached the entrance, Liam told Julia to wait with me while he brought the car up front.
“No,” I whispered to her. “Go with him.”
“What?”
“Just go. Please,” I said desperately. She gazed curiously at me and then shrugged.
“Clifford, stay with her,” she said, and went after Liam.
“I knew this place would be dangerous,” Clifford said, hoping to make me laugh.
“You have no idea,” I said, so coldly serious that his smile unhinged and dropped away instantly.
I breathed relief when I saw Liam and Julia pull up to the entrance. Clifford helped me out and into the car.
“We decided you should come home with us, Lorelei,” Liam said. “Julia can look after your ankle.”
“I don’t—”
“Don’t argue. We’ve already called ahead and told Mrs. Wakefield to prepare the guest room next to my room,” Julia said.
“You called her so late?”
“If we didn’t, she’d be more upset,” Liam said, laughing. “She’s the captain of the ship when it comes to anything involving our house. I would have thought you saw that in the wedding planning. It’s better that you come home with us.”
“Okay,” I said, seeing no way out, “but I’m not calling your great-aunt Amelia to tell her at this hour.”
“She’ll figure it out,” Liam said.
“Just to be sure, I’ll call her first thing in the morning,” Julia added. “With that tenant of hers still missing and all . . .”
“That is so weird,” Clifford said. He was quite sober now. “Not a clue.”
“I’ve got it,” Liam said. “He wasn’t really from this century. He was from Great-auntie Amelia’s favorite time in history, and he had to return.”
Julia gave him a playful smack.
“Hey.”
“It’s not funny. Something bad obviously happened to him.”
Liam nodded. “I know. I’m just . . . trying to stop Lorelei from worrying about things.”
“Then you’re forgiven,” Julia said. She huddled up with Clifford in the back, and I looked into the rearview mirror to see if any other car had taken off after us.
Even though I saw none, there was no doubt in my mind now. Ava was right behind us and would be until she was satisfied. It had become personal with her, I thought. She was deadly dangerous when it wasn’t, when she didn’t care at all about her victims. What would she be like now?
It had already been decided, apparently, that Clifford would also stay the night. Those arrangements were made earlier, anticipating that he might not be in great condition to drive himself home. I felt guilty when we arrived, and I still had to pretend I had trouble putting weight on my ankle. On top of that, Mrs. Wakefield was waiting for us in her robe and looked very disapproving. Julia softened her by reminding her of a story she had once told about her own wild times when she was our age, even younger.
Liam practically carried me up the stairs to the guest room.
“Anything else I can do?” he asked Julia.
“No. Get Clifford settled in, look after yourself, and I’ll take care of things here.”
He kissed me good night and hurried off. Julia examined my ankle again and looked at me askance. The skepticism settled in the corners of her mouth when she smiled.
“It doesn’t look bad, Lorelei, no swelling, no redness, nothing.”
“I’m fine. Just very tired suddenly.”
I could see the suspicion narrowing her eyelids. “What really happened back there, Lorelei? You weren’t just complaining about an ankle. I’ve gotten to know you better. Something was frightening you. I never saw you that intense.”
If there was ever a moment when I would seriously consider telling Julia the truth, this was it. She had become more of a sister to me than any I had, and I believed her when she told me how much she cherished our friendship and love for each other. She was sincere in her hope that we would grow as family, share our problems, and rejoice in our successes and happiness. How could I go on lying and deceiving someone like her?
But what would happen if I did tell her the truth? Wouldn’t she be terrified of me and frantically worried for her brother and father? Surely there would be no way we could go on together, and even if somehow she was able to handle the truth, believe in my effort to have a normal life and reject the world I had been in, how could she not forever wonder whether the genes within me would eventually overcome any resistance I had created? There would never be a wholly peaceful and pure moment between us again.
“You’ll think so poorly of me if I tell you,” I said.
“Never, Lorelei. Trust me,” she said.
“I know exactly what you’re going to say. You’re going to blame it on my inexperienced, young imagination.”
“I’m hardly a woman of great experience,” she said. “You already know that. Stop worrying about it. What?”
I looked away, counted to five, and turned back to her. “I saw the way Liam was looking at this very beautiful young woman dancing close to us. He was practically drooling over her, and we’re on the threshold of our marriage.”
She smiled. “He’s only a man, Lorelei. We all want to idolize, even deify the one we fall in love with, ignoring his weaknesses and flaws and concentrating only on what is pleasing, but fantasies don’t last. We make them into our own private movie stars. The same is true for the way men idolize their women. Supposedly, Rita Hayworth was heard to say about herself that they went to bed with Gilda, the ravishing beauty she played in the movie, but woke up with Rita Hayworth.”
“You’re right, of course. I should know better. I reacted like an immature, jealous teenager and . . .”
“Pretended you hurt your ankle?”
“Yes.”
“I could tell. I’ve seen enough sprained ankles,” she said, and patted mine. “Considering the reputation my brother had before he met you, I don’t blame you for your overreaction at all.”
She laughed.
“Actually, I think it was kind of funny. He deserved it. And by the way, thanks for not including Clifford when you mentioned the drooling. I wasn’t as oblivious as I seemed out there. Whoever she was, she was like a magnet for male eyes.”
I smiled at her. She bought it completely, I thought. I
t was partly true, anyway, this time. I was jealous of how Ava had commanded Liam’s attention so easily and completely. I could live with this lie.
Julia yawned.
“I’ll let you get to sleep. You can claim it got miraculously better by morning. There’s a fresh nightgown in the closet and a brand-new toothbrush in the bathroom. We always treat our guests as if they were in a five-star hotel.”
“It is like that. Better, in fact.”
“You and Liam are going to live here for a while afterward, right?”
“Yes. We’ve talked about it. He wants to build a new house, but lately, your father’s been adamant about us living here for the first few years, at least.”
“I’m sure he hopes forever,” she said. “He wouldn’t want the property to go to anyone but family eventually, and it’s certainly big enough for you two to have your privacy. Clifford and I could easily move in, too, and no one would get in anyone’s way, especially with our busy schedules. We’ll see,” she said quickly. “Okay. Thanks for trusting me,” she added, and gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Tomorrow we’ll have another good laugh about it.”
She started out, paused at the doorway, and turned to whisper, “I think I’ll pay my radiologist a visit and make sure he’s still able to read an X-ray.”
In a moment, she was gone.
I fell back against the large pillow and just lay there looking up at the ceiling. How many more incidents like this would occur before Liam and I were married? Would I always succeed in saving him, saving us? What about the collateral damage? Who else would be hurt? Does it take more courage to stay or to flee? I was dizzy with worry. After a few more minutes of calming myself, I rose and found the nightgown Julia had mentioned. Then I prepared for bed.
All of the beds in the guest rooms were king-size, with soft-as-marshmallow oversized pillows and soft comforters. I was looking forward to getting some sleep. We’d all sleep late, I thought, but Mrs. Wakefield would have what Mrs. Winston would call a proper breakfast prepared, and I was sure we’d have a good time laughing at one another. This would be forgotten. I snuggled up in that optimism and closed my eyes.
I don’t know how much time passed and how long I had been asleep, but when I first heard her, I thought it was merely a dream. I’d open my eyes wider and she’d pop like a bubble, but she didn’t. Ava was standing there, gazing down at me with that confident and condescending smile on her face. She had followed us after all. I sat up slowly, my very bones chattering.
“Feeling safe in this castle?” she asked.
“I won’t let you hurt anyone,” I said, gathering my courage. “I’m not your baby sister anymore.”
She widened her smile and nodded. “Think you’re that tough now, huh?”
“Why can’t you leave me alone? Is it because you wish you had done what I did and left?”
She laughed. “Hardly,” she said. “Why would I ever want to leave Daddy and leave who and what we are? You think I envy you? What a joke. What’s there to envy? Life here? Being stuck in some marriage with them as my family? How petty and small they are compared with us. They’ll have their sicknesses and their pains, their constant struggles to be happy. Not a day will pass without them finding something over which to worry, whether it’s their children or their spouses being faithful or the wrinkles in their faces. We soar above them. They are no more to us than chickens and fish are to them. And this is what you want to leave us for?”
“Yes,” I said firmly.
She lost her smug smile. “Haven’t you seen already that it’s quite impossible? Didn’t our little warnings ring bells in that thick, stupid skull of yours? Must we do more?”
“You do anything to hurt any of them and I’ll . . .”
“You’ll what, Lorelei? You fool. Once this family discovers who and what you are, you will come running back to us.” She paused and smiled again. “Only Daddy might not take you back. Then where will you be?”
I threw the comforter off myself and got out of the bed so I could face her. Every muscle in my body tightened and hardened. I stepped toward her.
“I’m warning you,” I said, keeping my eyes locked on hers. “You do anything to hurt me, and I will reveal everything about you.”
“And Daddy?” she asked with a cold, confident smirk.
“And Daddy,” I said, with a firmness that, like a wet washcloth, wiped the smirk off her face.
Her eyes widened, and she stepped back. It was the first time Ava had ever retreated from me.
“Do you think I would let you do that?” She raised her hands, her fingernails sharp and long like raccoon claws.
I didn’t move. My body tightened more. She looked as if she would lunge at me, but I stood my ground, and then, before either of us could do anything more, Daddy stepped out from the shadowed corner of the bedroom. Ava looked almost as surprised as I was. She stepped farther back as he came forward. All of the resistance I had mounted in my body seeped out. No matter how hard I fought it, the sight of him turned me back into a little girl. I lowered my eyes, afraid of the power of his. I didn’t look up until I felt his hand stroking my hair.
“Little Lorelei,” he said. “My little Lorelei. I’m so sorry we never spoke before you started your flight that day.”
He smiled down at me, that smile washing over me the way it always had, leaving me with a deep sense of calm and security. It was as if he could cut the whole world out, and there would be only the two of us.
“I could have reassured you. I don’t want you to believe I could ever do you harm,” he said, continuing to stroke my hair.
Ava looked even angrier, her jealousy overtaking her. I recalled how she was always envious of Daddy’s small ways of showing affection for me, whether it was with a smile or a gentle caress. Because of that, I did believe that he loved me more than he loved her or any of his other daughters. This sort of sibling rivalry for Daddy’s love didn’t exist for them. It was only Ava who felt it with me, and Daddy knew. He knew, but he didn’t chastise her in my presence, nor did he temper the way he favored me.
I felt the tears well up in my eyes. His words were like the tentacles of an octopus wrapping around me and pulling me toward him. It was futile to resist. When he kissed me on the forehead, those tears broke free. All of those little-girl years were rushing back, our walks, my hand in his, his voice melodic, soothing as he wove together our history, the beautiful places he had been, and the things he had seen. How magical it had been and how special I had felt. He was everything, my daddy, my world.
“I’m sorry, Daddy,” I said, sounding like a little girl again. “I couldn’t stay and be what you wanted me to be.”
“I know,” he replied, surprising me. I saw that Ava was also surprised. “I knew there was something different about you. It happens once in a while over the course of a hundred years. I was hoping it wasn’t so. My fault. My love for you was so great that I ignored what I knew and felt.”
He shrugged. Ava came forward. She was shaking her head. She didn’t want to hear this. I knew what she wanted. She wanted him to rage at me, to threaten and maybe even destroy me. The disappointment only hardened and angered her more. I could see that Daddy felt her fury growing. He turned to her and with a glance stopped her and sent her stepping back. Then he turned back to me. His smile was gone.
“I know I shouldn’t have called upon others to help send you back to us. I knew you would resist. I can feel your resistance even now,” he added.
“I’m sorry, Daddy. I can’t help it,” I said.
“No, you can’t,” he said, nodding. “You can’t resist what’s stronger in you, just as Ava here can’t resist what’s stronger in her. The two of you are on the opposite sides of the same powerful force.
“But I just can’t let you go and forget,” he added.
What was he telling me? That because I was how I was, an anomaly, a freak to our kind, no better than a Renegade, he was here to destroy me? Was this the end? I gla
nced at Ava. She looked happier, more satisfied.
“You can understand that, can’t you?” he asked.
I nodded.
“It’s not easy for you, either, crossing from our world to this one.”
“I’m not afraid of it,” I said.
“Of course you’re not,” he replied. “You’re my daughter, after all, are you not?”
I looked at him. How would it come? What would it be? A ravishing bite, a sweep of his powerful hand, or just the drawing out of all my breath and strength, leaving me folded in a heap at the foot of the bed? They’d find me like that in the morning, and some autopsy would conclude that I had suffered a heart attack.
Daddy saw the fear in my face. “I said I wouldn’t harm you,” he continued. Ava’s smile disappeared. He took my hand into his and, for a few moments, just played with my fingers. “You always had the most beautiful hands of all my daughters. There were many different things about you. Some I cherished, but some I should have known would bring us to this moment.”
If he wasn’t going to harm me and he knew I was different, too different to be like any of his other daughters, what did he mean when he said he just couldn’t let me go?
“You know that I’ve spoken to your future father-in-law a few times. He sounds like a very nice man, one who would be more of a father to you than a father-in-law. Ava here thinks your fiancé is quite handsome. She’s drooling over the possibilities, aren’t you, Ava?” he asked her. She smiled. “Possibilities she won’t realize.”
She stopped smiling again. She was on the same roller-coaster ride I was on, I thought, one moment hopeful and then another moment not. Our reasons for hope were very different, of course.
“And you know I’ve paid for this quite elaborate wedding that’s being planned, and I’ve pleaded to give you away properly, as any other father would.”
I nodded.
“By the way, how did you explain your flight and arrival in Quincy to these people?” he asked. “I’m sure you had a good explanation.”
I told him what I had fabricated, and he looked at Ava and laughed.
“Terrific story. And you called my new wife Veronica, nicknamed Ronnie?”