Forbidden Secrets (10 page)

“Grab a pillow!” Savannah cried. “We have to stop the fire from spreading.”

Together the sisters attacked the fiery flames consuming the drapes. Savannah felt her throat tighten. Her arms grew weak, but she didn't stop until the fire was out.

Then she reached past the charred drapes and opened her window. She took a deep breath of cold night air into her aching lungs. Then she moved back so Victoria could have a turn.

Savannah sank down onto the edge of her bed. She watched the lingering smoke escape into the night.

Who did this? a voice inside her mind demanded. Who did this? Why? If I hadn't woken up . . . I would have died!

Victoria turned away from the window. “What more must happen, Savannah, before you will believe me? One of us will die here!”

Savannah rose from the bed. “I have to find Tyler.”

“He won't help you!” Victoria cried.

Ignoring her sister, Savannah staggered into the hallway. Tyler! she thought. I have to find Tyler.

She stumbled down the stairs. Tyler met her at the foot of the staircase. “Savannah! What happened?”

She staggered into his arms. “Someone set the drapes in my room on fire,” she whispered. Her throat felt raw. “Oh, Tyler, I think someone is trying to kill me.”

Tyler's arms tightened around her. “Why would anyone want to harm you?”

Savannah leaned back until she could gaze into his blue eyes. “I don't know, Tyler, but I'm terrified. Someone may have tried to poison me—and now this!”

He touched her cheek. “I don't know how to make you feel safe, except—”

“Except what?” she asked. “Send me back to Whispering Oaks?”

“No, I would never send you back to Whispering Oaks,” he said. “But I want you to feel safe. I think we should marry as soon as possible.”

Savannah's heart pounded. He is right, she realized. We will be so much closer once we are married. And we'll be stronger together.

“I'll send Hattie to town to purchase lace for my bridal veil.”

Tyler kissed her. “You should go back to sleep,” he said.

She nodded and trudged back up the stairs. Everything will be all right when Tyler and I are married, she told herself.

Savannah heard footsteps running toward her. “Are you all right?” Lucy asked. “I heard what happened.”

“I'm fine. I'm just tired,” Savannah said. Lucy followed her back up the stairs.

“What color was the fire?” Lucy asked, her eyes bright.

Savannah sighed. Colors. Lucy loves colors. “I think it was red and orange.”

“I would have loved to see it,” Lucy admitted.

Savannah entered her room and came to an abrupt halt. Mrs. Mooreland was there—taking down the burned drapes.

Lucy tugged on Savannah's hand. Savannah looked down at her.

“I want to share a secret with you,” Lucy said in a whisper.

Savannah shook her head. “Lucy, I'm so tired—”

“It's important,” Lucy insisted. “Very important.”

Lucy dropped Savannah's hand and darted across the room. She climbed onto the bed and patted the spot next to her. “Come sit here.”

I probably won't be able to go back to sleep anyway, Savannah thought. She crawled on the bed next to Lucy. “All right. Tell me a secret.”

Lucy's eyes widened and her voice dropped. “Have you ever noticed that the letters of the name Fier can be rearranged to spell f-i-r-e?”

Savannah felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle. “No,” she admitted hesitantly. “I have never thought about it.”

“You should think about it,” Lucy said. “There is an old prophesy that says fire will destroy the Fiers. My own parents died in a horrible fire, part of the Fier curse.”

Savannah swallowed hard. A fire? Her parents died in a fire? Is that why Lucy is fascinated with fire? she wondered.

Lucy scrambled off the bed. “When it began, it was small, with red and yellow flames,” she said in a raspy voice. “But then it started to grow.” She swept her hands through the air, forming a wide circle.

“It grew and grew”—she pressed her hands together and moved them toward the ceiling. Then she spread them apart—“until it became big and powerful. And beautiful. With all the colors of a rainbow and more.”

Lucy waltzed across the room. “The fire roared like thunder. And the man and woman inside began to dance. They danced in the flames.”

Lucy stood on tiptoe. “The flames were so beautiful. Red. Orange. And blue. They swirled around. And when the woman screamed, they swirled faster and faster.”

Lucy began to spin around, laughing and laughing. “The flames got brighter and hotter until they were everywhere. Dancing around my mother and father.”

Savannah stared in stunned horror at Lucy. Why is she laughing? Why does she sound so excited? She's describing the fire that killed her parents!

Chapter

23

S
avannah climbed off the bed. “Lucy, you don't have to tell me any more.”

Lucy stumbled to a halt, breathing hard, her cheeks bright red, a frightening, wild-eyed look on her face. “The flames got hotter. My mother screamed!”

Savannah wrapped her arms around Lucy. “It's all right, Lucy,” Savannah said quietly. “It was long ago and it's over now.”

Lucy wrenched free. “They kept dancing. They kept dancing without me!”

Lucy ran from the room. Savannah started to go after her.

“Leave her alone,” Mrs. Mooreland said harshly.

Startled, Savannah spun around. She had forgotten that Mrs. Mooreland was in the room.

“She's upset,” Savannah protested. “She needs—”

“She needs to be left alone,” Mrs. Mooreland
snapped. “Lucy is right about the prophesy. But she didn't tell you everything. Lucy—”

Mrs. Mooreland stopped speaking and stiffened, her eyes focused on something behind Savannah.

Savannah turned and saw Tyler standing in the doorway. “I forgot to ask if you would like to change rooms,” he said. “Will the smell of the smoke bother you?”

“No,” Savannah assured him, “I opened the window. I think most of the smoke is gone now.”

Tyler gave her a short nod. Then his gaze slid past Savannah and settled on Mrs. Mooreland. “Savannah and I are moving up the wedding date.”

♦ ♦ ♦

Two mornings later, Savannah unpacked the wedding gown she had brought all the way from Whispering Oaks. Her mother's wedding gown.

She showed it to Hattie so the young maid could find matching lace for a veil. When Hattie left, Savannah ran her hand over the white silk and sighed.

Maybe Tyler is right. Maybe things will change once we are married. Victoria will realize that no matter what she says or does, we will not return to Whispering Oaks. And Mrs. Mooreland and Lucy will have to accept the fact that I never plan to leave Blackrose Manor.

Savannah lifted her gaze to the charred window frame. After hearing the excitement in Lucy's voice when she described the fire that killed her parents, Savannah suspected the girl had set fire to the drapes.

A horse screamed in terror.

Savannah ran to the open window. “Whisper!” she cried. The big black horse bucked and reared

“No,” Savannah whispered. Hattie was in the saddle, clinging to Whisper's mane.

She can't control him, Savannah thought. She's going to fall.

Savannah started for the door. She heard Whisper scream again. Then she heard a dull
thud.

Chapter

24

“N
o! No! No!” Savannah cried as she ran down the stairs. She dashed out the front door.

Hattie lay on the ground, her right leg twisted at an unnatural angle. Savannah could hear her moaning.

Whisper pranced around her, tossing his head.

I have to get him away from Hattie. “Easy, Whisper,” Savannah crooned as she edged toward the horse.

She could see the whites of his eyes. He's terrified, she thought.

Savannah took a step closer. Whisper reared up. His hooves above Hattie's head.

“I can't move,” Hattie screamed.

Whisper plunged down. Savannah heard a horrible crunching sound when his hooves met the bones in Hattie's skull.

“Hattie,” Savannah shrieked. She rushed over to the girl. Whisper bolted.

“Oh, Hattie.” Savannah knelt down beside the girl. Her forehead was smashed in. Savannah could see pieces of brain tissue mixed with the blood.

Savannah heard the sound of approaching footsteps. She twisted around. Mrs. Mooreland strode up to her. The housekeeper pressed her lips tightly together at the sight of Hattie's broken body.

“This is my fault,” Mrs. Mooreland whispered hoarsely. “Hattie told me she had to go into town. I told her to take a horse. I never dreamed she would take yours.”

Savannah shook her head. “It's not your fault,” she said. “May I have your apron?” she asked quietly.

Mrs. Mooreland didn't hesitate. She untied her black apron and handed it to Savannah. Savannah gently covered Hattie's youthful face.

Victoria ran up to them, her cheeks burning a bright red. She gazed around wildly. Then she reached down and grabbed Savannah's arm, dragging her to her feet.

“The evil forces are growing stronger,” Victoria cried. “I can no longer hold them back. We must leave. We must leave now!”

Savannah put a comforting arm around Victoria's shoulder, trying to calm her. “This was an accident. A horrible accident—”

“No! This happened because of the curse! The curse did this! I told you bad luck followed Tyler's family.” Victoria grabbed Savannah's arms and shook her. “We must leave.”

Savannah felt sick with sorrow. Victoria is insane, she realized. She truly is.

Victoria shook Savannah again.

“Yes, Victoria,” Savannah said quietly. “We'll leave tonight. You should go back to bed now and take a nap so you will be rested for our journey.”

Savannah hated to lie to her sister. But it was the only way to calm her, and Savannah needed time to decide what to do.

“Come with me,” Victoria begged.

“I can't—”

“I'll see to Hattie,” Mrs. Mooreland interrupted.

Savannah never expected such understanding from the housekeeper. “Thank you,” she said.

Mrs. Mooreland nodded. “Your sister is right. You must break your engagement to Tyler and leave Blackrose Manor—before it is too late.”

I can't deal with Mrs. Mooreland now, Savannah thought. I'll have a long talk with her later—after Victoria is asleep.

“Please find Tyler and tell him what happened,” Savannah instructed Mrs. Mooreland. Then she led Victoria to her room.

“The evil is near,” Victoria whispered as she crawled into bed.

Savannah drew the blankets over her sister. “You'll be safe here,” Savannah assured her.

Victoria handed Savannah her black pouch. “Sprinkle the dirt from Mother's and Father's graves around the bed,” Victoria said. “It will keep the evil away while I sleep.”

Savannah reached into the pouch. Victoria grabbed
her hand. “Be sure and save some for yourself. You'll need to be rested for our journey tonight.”

Savannah fought back her tears. I can't let Victoria see how upset I am, she thought. “I'll save some,” she promised.

She sprinkled the dirt around the bed and quietly left the room.

♦ ♦ ♦

Savannah wandered over the grounds of Blackrose Manor, her mind crowded with thoughts of Hattie and Victoria. She wanted to talk with Tyler, but he was taking care of Hattie's body.

As hard as Savannah tried, she could not convince herself that Hattie's death was an accident.

I am certain that I was the one who was supposed to die this morning. A cold shiver traveled through her body. Whisper is my horse.

Savannah rubbed her hands up and down her arms, but she didn't feel any warmer.