“I can’t see a thing.” I said uneasily.
Ren paused and retreated close to my side. The
length of his leg pressed against mine. The pace of my heart quickened at his
touch and the sound of him breathing in the darkness.
Within a few seconds, faint details of my
surroundings came into view. The mottled light of the moon on the ground
illuminated the footpath in patches. The dark images of low hanging branches
were visible in the distance.
“Ok, I can see enough, let’s go.” I conceded.
“I’ll walk slower. Look out for rocks along the
path.” Ren offered.
He slowed his pace considerably for my sake and we
plodded along in silence as I focused intently on my feet and the dark obstacles
on the path. Ren held my forearm close to his side providing steady guidance.
It seemed we’d stepped through a portal into a hidden forest. The light and
sounds from the town, so near, were virtually extinguished by the forest
surrounding us.
We arrived at the base of a large hill. The faint
purple light revealed a row of crumbling stairs carved into the rocky hill
face.
“Here it is, the back entrance.” Ren announced
breathily.
“They look… old. Are they safe?” I asked
nervously.
“Perfectly. Well, I think so. Can you make it? If
you’d rather not try, we can walk around to the front but, well, it’s a bit of
a hike.” Ren offered hesitantly.
“No, I mean, yes, I can make it. Let’s just go.” I
responded quickly.
We climbed the narrow stone stairs winding
aimlessly up the hillside. More than once, I nearly tumbled down the hill after
misjudging the height of the sunken, unpredictable steps. Ren’s grip on my arm
shifted to a vise around my wrist. When we finally crested the hill, we were
both relieved to see bright light from a wall of windows spilling across the
lawn.
From the top of the hill, the massive home looked
ostentatiously grand. The ancient façade, created from the stone that formed
the hillside gave the house an appearance of harmony with its environment. Yet,
its incredible size and ornate moldings distinguished it from the natural
beauty of its surroundings. The warm light streaming from two floors of large
iron latticed windows gave the austere structure an inviting glow.
I slowly followed Ren across the manicured lawn,
feeling anxious about meeting Nan and the events that would follow. Sensing my
procrastination, he patiently towed me around the house to a room made of glass
glowing like an igloo on an arctic night.
As we neared the door, the muffled sound of
classical music drifted through the window seams. My heart fluttered wildly in
my chest. Just as Ren’s fingertips grasped the doorknob, I impulsively yanked
his arm pulling him away from the door. He stumbled backward and stared at me in
surprise.
“What’s wrong?” He asked taken aback.
My eyes darted madly around his face finally
settling on the ground, unable to bear his direct gaze.
“I’m nervous.” I mumbled.
“I mean, look at me. I’m showing up, some strange
girl you just met, dragging a heap of problems along with me. Nan will probably
wish you’d never gotten mixed up with someone like me.” I moaned.
Ren’s head rocked gently to one side. Still
avoiding his gaze, I felt his eyes wash over me as he searched my face.
“Eliza, you know that’s ridiculous. Besides it’s
not your fault that my primer picked you as its next pupil. Not that any of
that matters because of course Nan is going to like you. As for your problems…
don’t take this the wrong way but let’s just say she’s certainly dealt with
worse.”
With my face still angled toward the dark earth, I
squeezed my eyes shut allowing Ren’s assurances to sink in.
“Eliza, if the Shadow comes back for you, I’m
fairly certain you’ll wish you’d found the courage to come inside. Now, let’s
go.” He said firmly tugging my arm.
I cast a quick glance toward the forest at the
edge of the lawn and imagined icy tentacles coiling around my limbs.
Considering the alternative of falling prey to a Shadowy predator, I concluded
that it was definitely worth risking Nan’s judgment and her spell for the hope
of safety.
As we stepped across the threshold, warm moist air
laced with the scent of blooming plants greeted us. The large solarium was
aglow with soft light emitted from hanging globes and lamps atop delicate
wrought iron tables tucked neatly between planters of all shapes and sizes. The
lively environment was a sharp contrast from the chilly air of the night
outside. Apart from the music that drifted from its depths, the house was silent.
“Nan’s probably upstairs. Can I show you around
before we go up?” He asked.
“I’d love that, if you don’t mind.” I answered
shyly.
Ren grinned and lead me through the solarium.
“My great-great-grandfather built this house about
150 years ago. But my family homesteaded here decades before this house was
built. I may be new to town but my ancestors have probably been here longer
than anyone.” He said with a shrug as we stepped into a large modern kitchen.
“Obviously, Nan’s made some modifications.” He
chuckled sweeping his hand around the room.
“May I fetch you a drink before we continue on our
tour, Madame?” He asked theatrically.
“Sure, water would be great. Thanks.” I smiled as
the last bit of anxiety gripping my shoulders eased.
“Excuse me, sir, but are questions permitted
during the tour?” I joked.
“Because if they are, I already have one. If your
family has had this house forever why haven’t you ever been here before?” I
asked dropping the dramatic tone.
Ren leaned against the shiny marble countertop and
a tinge of sadness clouded his face.
“Actually, I have been here before but I was too
young to remember it.” He said. His head fell forward as if it had suddenly
become too heavy for its perch. He brought his hands to his face and rubbed his
eyes before looking up.
“My mum had a disagreement with Nan some time ago,
as a result we didn’t visit often. We were planning to come for a visit. Of
course, then my parents received a new assignment and I ended up here without
them.” He said sharply.
“That’s too bad… about the fight.” I said gently,
realizing it was something that still bothered him.
“It is… too bad.” He said testily.
“I’ll just show you the great room then we’ll head
upstairs.” He said quickly changing the subject.
Before I could speak again Ren sauntered across
the room passed me motioning with his hand for me to follow. I padded carefully
along the Persian rug runner. The passage led us to a large foyer where an
immense crystal chandelier sparkled below a high ceiling. The clear glittering
light warmed the large space and highlighted the intricate carved moldings
along the walls.
Ren strode directly through the foyer into an
elegant sitting room. Antique furniture shrouded in richly colored silk gave
the room the appearance of another age. It looked more like a museum than a
room that would be of much use to a modern family. I trotted carefully after
Ren into the delicate room worrying that my mere presence might smudge its
surface.
As I lifted my gaze to the fireplace my heart
skipped a beat. A large oil painting hung regally above the wide fireplace. The
dark brown eyes of an immortalized man glistened with a depth that made me
believe, if just for a moment, that a heartbeat within his chest. The eyes were
as enchantingly familiar and captivating as the pair that now rested on my face
in amusement.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Eliza.” Ren
joked.
Pulling my eyes from the portrait, I turned to
view the live version of the face in the picture.
“Sorry. It’s just that he looks so much like you.”
I said.
“He’s my great-great-grandfather, the one who
built the house. Everyone does say I look like him.” He said pondering the
portrait.
As I looked at the painting more carefully, there
were some differences. The man in the painting was paler and older than Ren.
The thick shock of dark hair was styled in an old fashioned way that revealed a
higher hairline. Despite those mild differences, the resemblance was uncanny.
“Ren, is that you?” A voice drifted down the staircase
from somewhere high in the house.
“Yes and I’ve brought Eliza with me!” Ren yelled.
He turned and focused on my face comfortably. “Why
don’t we go up?” He asked.
I crossed the room and mounted the stairs. My
moist palm slipped along the well-polished banister as we climbed steadily
toward a large landing. When we reached the landing, I noticed that at the back
wall two hallways led in opposite directions. Yet, in the corner closest to the
staircase a discrete spiral staircase of thin twisting iron spun heavenward.
Ren swiftly crossed the landing and continued to
climb up the small spiraling steps. I scampered behind him and up the stairs.
Our footfalls echoed against the walls and sent vibrations through the thin
metal handrail.
The twisting staircase spun up a tubular column
and through a narrow portal emitting pale light. Ren climbed up and out of the
portal first, then extended a hand to me and pulled me through what turned out
to be the floor of a small circular study.
The rounded walls of the study were lined from
floor to ceiling with bookshelves. Aside from a broad desk, the room was bare
besides a lounge chair that looked like it was designed for a psychiatrist
office.
I caught sight of a woman across the room. Her
image shimmered with bright twinkling light. The affect only lasted several
seconds before the sparkling light dissipated into the air around her. I
realized the brief blast of light must have been her magical greeting to me.
Nan sat at the large desk lit by a single lamp. Stacks
of books lay open and piled upon each other across the desk and scattered
hazardously on the floor. The scene was a picture of someone in search of a
misplaced valuable.
Nan herself looked slightly disheveled. Her white
hair was pulled back in an unruly ponytail and fluffy strands hung wildly
around her face. Her face, pink cheeked and lightly lined, was a contradiction
to the stark white brilliance surrounding it. Nan’s eyes lifted from the book
in her grasp to peer at Ren and me through thin rectangular reading glasses.
Her lips pressed together to form a knowing grin.
“This certainly is an interesting predicament
you’ve got Eliza. Though I think I’ve come up with a Band-Aid fix if you know
what I mean.” She said loudly with a startlingly American accent.
“I loved the pumpkin risotto, by the way.
Absolutely fabulous! I’ve been dreaming about it in fact.” She continued
exuberantly in a manner much like she was continuing a running dialogue rather
than just meeting me.
Confused by Nan’s comment, I stared at her, unsure
of how to respond.
“At Viva, the darling bistro. Your aunt owns it?
She’s the artist behind the masterpiece, I assume?” She asked pointedly.
Relieved to be making some sense of the
conversation, I nodded my head vigorously before responding, “Oh yeah, umm,
she’s behind the risotto but not the predicament. I’ll tell her that you like
it… the risotto that is.” I spouted quickly.
“It’s actually a seasonal specialty but people ask
about it year round.” I added quietly.
Nan released an emphatic guffaw before shoving
back her chair and jumping to her feet. Behind the large desk, Nan appeared to
be an average sized individual but at full height she was petite, though her
voice and demeanor were that of a much larger person.
“Eliza, it is very nice to meet you.” She said
excitedly crossing the room.
I was immediately intrigued.
“Well, then, now that we’re acquainted, Ren, why
don’t you scoot? Eliza and I have work to do.” She announced, winking at me
conspiratorially.
Ren smiled and leaned down to give her a quick
peck on the cheek.
“Thanks Nan. Shout if you need me.”
A wave of anxiety washed over me as he turned to
go. I wasn’t sure I was entirely ready for whatever Nan had in mind. Yet like a
doctor about to administer a shot, she seemed determined to proceed with her
plan whether I approved or not.
Ren smiled at me encouragingly before mounting the
stairs and disappearing into the floor.
“They used to call a room like this a widow’s
walk, did you know that? Not that my family ever had use for it. They weren’t
sailors but it’s useful to see what’s coming in from the sea or otherwise.” She
stated allusively.
“No, I didn’t know that. This is an incredible
house.” I gushed finding myself falling easily into conversation with her.
“My father’s the one who turned this room into a
study.” She said, scanning the room
thoughtfully.
“A little stuffy for my taste but it’s where the
books live and they like it here.” She whispered, throwing her hands up in
exasperation.
“There’s a little viewing deck through those
doors, would you like to take a look?” She offered.
The meandering climb to the widow’s walk was
exhausting but there were no windows in the study, every last inch of wall space
housed books. Consequently, I didn’t know what to expect of the view when I
stepped through the dainty French doors onto the platform.
Instantly, the crisp air whipped my face. When I
lifted a foot to cross the threshold a strong gust nearly forced me back into
the room. Determinedly, I pressed my weight against the wind and landed safely
on the platform, which was narrow, two feet at best, and protected by a peeling
wrought iron railing. As my fingers curled around the cold bar, I braced myself
against the wind and lifted my head to appraise the view.
A sea of black trees swayed in the wind like
seaweed in a current. Beyond the trees, the endless vista of ocean shimmered as
waves shattered moonbeams, sending shards of light across the water. My mind
soared over the trees carried by the raucous breeze out to sea like a gull.