1 A Spirited Manor (11 page)

T
hey sat in the carriage, the
sights of the city passing by the window.  It was a place that seemed to have
existed a lifetime ago, and not just the twenty-four hours which had passed.  Clara
leaned her head against Wesley's chest, his arm wrapped around her, propriety
be damned.

They had returned upstairs to
the house to find that Marguerite was still alive, and that she had crawled
over to the telephone.  She was slumped against the wall, the receiver dangling
by her head.  She gave a weak salute.  Whatever force was banished upon
Violet's defeat had also broken the storm and restored use of the phone. 
Marguerite had been able to ring the constable and the entire police force was
on their way by the time that Clara and Wesley emerged.

Though faint and pale from the
loss of blood, Marguerite seemed in good spirits.  "The damned bullet
seemed to have hit one of my stays."  She pointed at the metal ribbing of
her corset.  "I have never been so grateful for this horrible
contraption."

Wesley deposited Clara upon a
chair in the hallway, close to where Marguerite sat collapsed, and ran off to
find some sort of bandaging to aid the injured woman.  After he left,
Marguerite leaned forward and asked, "So?  Did you get her?"

Clara nodded and Marguerite
leaned back, as if finally she could rest.  "Good.  Good..."

"What was it?" Clara
asked.

"We don't entirely
know," Marguerite said.

"We?"

Marguerite nodded.  "This
is not the first time such a creature has appeared.  They prey off the sadness
of others.  They seem to look for people that no one would seem to miss if they
disappeared.  Norman and myself have been hunting them for years."

Clara looked over at the library
where Norman's body was hidden.  "I am so sorry for the loss of your
friend."

Marguerite waved her off. 
"He was a damned pain in the ass."  Her face softened just a bit
though.  "He would not have wanted to go any other way.  Far better to be
taken in battle than crippled and gray and trapped with the memories of all the
things we've seen."  She glanced at Clara.  "That said, I shall be
looking for a new partner, if you know of anyone."

Clara did not say anything, just
gave her a smile, and the two of them sat in silence until Wesley returned.

As the cab pulled in front of
Clara's house, a strange look crossed Wesley's face.

"What is it, my love?"

"I forgot that this is
where you lived," he replied.

She gazed up at him, wondering
why it seemed so strange.  "Indeed.  Why?"

"This was the home where my
sister was killed," he said.

Clara had forgotten.  Of course
Minnie, his sister, was the girl who died in the home.

"Are you all right?"
she asked tenderly.

He nodded.  "Of course.  I
passed this house so many times after her death.  It always reminded me of
her.  And to think that her spirit was waiting here, the entire time, needing
someone who could see her."  He stroked Clara's hand.  "I am so glad
it was you."

"She led me to you,"
Clara said.  "It was she that protected me through the maze and helped me
to defeat Violet.  She has been looking out for you, even though you did not
know it."

Wesley kissed Clara's forehead,
resting his lips in gratitude for those few simple words, as if finally, he was
at peace.  He got out of the carriage and helped Clara out.  The cab driver set
her bags upon the sidewalk and Wesley picked them up, escorting her to the door.

"My butler and housekeeper
lived there at the time, too," she said.  "Perhaps you would like to
come in and speak with them of her memory."

"What are you talking
about?" asked Wesley.

"They said that they served
on staff when the murder happened," Clara replied.

Wesley set the bags down before
the door and took her hands in his.  "Clara, this house has sat empty for
years.  The entire household staff was killed along with her that terrible
night."

The front door opened and
Willard walked out.  Clara looked at him, truly looked at him, as if seeing him
for the very first time.  He held his fingers to his lips and Clara suddenly
understood.

"I must have been mistaken,"
she replied to Wesley.

He looked at the open door and
remarked, "Your door seems to have a broken latch."

"I shall have Willard look
to it as soon as I get inside," she replied, then leaned over and placed a
kiss upon Wesley’s cheek.

Wesley smiled, his love warm as
the spring sun shining down upon her.  He lifted her fingers to his lips. 
"I shall see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow, if not
sooner," she promised.

He walked back to the cab, youth
in his step and a song in his heart.  She stood upon the doorstep, watching him
go until the cab was out of sight.

Then she turned to Willard. 
"Willard?" she asked, the question hanging between them.

But all he did was take her bags
and smile.  "Welcome home, ma'am."

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Author Bio

Kate Danley's debut novel, The Woodcutter,
was honored with the Garcia Award for the Best Fiction Book of the Year, the
1st Place Fantasy Book in the Reader Views Literary Awards, and the winner of
the Sci-Fi/Fantasy category in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Her plays have been produced in New York,
Los Angeles, and DC Metro area. Her screenplay Fairy Blood won 1st Place in the
Breckenridge Festival of Film Screenwriting Competition in the Action/Adventure
Category. Her projects The Playhouse, Dog Days, Sock Zombie, SuperPout, and
Sports Scents can be seen in festivals and on the internet. She trained in
on-camera puppetry with Mr. Snuffleupagus and recently played the head of a
20-foot dinosaur on an NBC pilot.

She lost on Hollywood Squares.

Also by Kate Danley

The Woodcutter

from 47North

Winner of the
Garcia Award for

Best Fiction
Book of the Year 

1
^st
Place Fantasy Book

Reader Views
Reviewers Choice Awards 

Winner of the
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Category

Indie Book
Awards

Maggie MacKay

Magical Tracker Series

"If
urban fantasy could be bottled, then this story is a shot-glass full of
awesomesauce."

- Dark Side
of the Covers

Maggie for Hire

Maggie Get Your
Gun 

Maggie on the
Bounty

Coming June
2013!

––––––––

T
his is a work of fiction.  All of the
characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either
products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

––––––––

A
Spirited Manor.  Copyright  © 2013 Kate
Danley.  All rights reserved. 

First Printing

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