Dance of Death (2 page)

“Oh, yes, miss. Indeed it is. Folks are friendly, too. I'm sure you'll soon feel right at home here.”

I hope so, Madeline thought. I need a home.

The horse's hooves made comforting
clops
as the buggy moved through the paved streets. Madeline liked what she saw of Shadowbrook, she decided. Its wide streets were lined with tall trees. Now and then, Madeline heard a bird call.

She enjoyed looking at the large, fine houses. They were set back from the road with smooth, green lawns
in front of them. And every house had a lovely garden.

As the carriage rolled through town, Madeline felt surrounded by an atmosphere of peace and serenity. I'm glad I came here. This is a place where the past can't touch me. A place where I can heal.

William clicked his tongue to the horse once again, urging it up a steep hill at the outskirts of town. Madeline guessed her cousins' house wasn't much farther.

She felt anticipation rise within her. I'm almost there. Almost safe. Almost home.

She caught a glimpse of a tall white house with dark green shutters at the top of the hill. A beautiful rose garden filled the side yard. It was the loveliest house she'd seen so far.

“Whose house is that?” she asked William eagerly. “Is it Cousin Deborah and Cousin Marcus's?”

“That place?” William answered. “Oh, no. That house there belongs to Dr. Justin Fear.”

The horse snorted and shied to the right. “Here now, Buttercup. Easy now,” William soothed the horse. “I declare, I don't know what's the matter with her today, miss. She's not usually so skittish.”

The horse gave a shrill whinny and reared. The buggy rocked and shook. Its front wheels jerked off the ground, then crashed back down. Madeline grabbed the handrail with both hands.

“William! What's the matter? What is it?” she cried.

But William didn't answer. He was too busy trying to control the horse. The animal seemed possessed. It screamed and slashed the air with its hooves.

Then it plunged forward—straight toward a man standing in the middle of the road.

The man waved his arms wildly. His dark hair whipped around his face.

“Run!” Madeline screamed at him. “Run!”

The man opened his mouth in a silent scream.

We're going to hit him!

Chapter

2

“I
can't hold her, miss,” William bellowed. “Jump before it's too late!”

Madeline gathered her skirts and leaped from the buggy. Her body slammed into the ground. The breath
whooshed
from her lungs.

The horse screamed. It reared again—its hooves poised over Madeline's head.

I'm going to be crushed! Trampled to death!

No!

She forced herself to roll out of the way. Pain shot through her body. Dust filled her eyes and nose, choking her.

Move! she ordered herself.

But she couldn't.

Her ears were ringing. She heard Buttercup's
screams and William's desperate commands. But they sounded far away. So, so far.

Blood from a cut on her forehead dripped down into her eyes. Her vision blurred.

Where is the man who was in the road? Madeline thought suddenly. I can't see him! I can't see him! He's been crushed!

Madeline reached up to wipe the blood from her eyes. Pain lanced through her skull.

Then … darkness.

♦ ♦ ♦

“Miss Simms. Miss Simms, can you hear me?”

Madeline slowly came to her senses. Where am I? she wondered. Then she remembered the accident.

She opened her eyes and blinked against the glaring sunlight. A young man's face came into focus. He moved closer, bending over her. His eyes are the same bright blue as the sky, Madeline thought. And his hair is golden blond.

He is an angel, she thought. I must be in heaven.

“Are you all right?” Madeline's angel said.

“Am I still alive?” she asked him.

The young man's face lit in a beautiful smile. “Of course you are,” he replied in a deep, warm voice. “Though I'm afraid you will have quite a few bruises. Why did you think you weren't alive?”

“Because of you,” Madeline answered. “You're so beautiful, I thought you must be an angel.”

The young man laughed. Madeline felt herself blush all the way up to the roots of her hair.

Why did I say that? she thought. Proper young ladies don't just blurt out such things. He'll think I'm
trying to attract his attentions. I don't even know who he is.

“I beg your pardon, sir,” she murmured. She struggled to sit up. The simple action made her head throb painfully. She winced.

“Go slowly, now,” the young man cautioned. “You've got quite a bump on the head.” He clasped one of her hands gently.

His skin felt cold and clammy—like a snake's. Madeline jerked away.

“I'm so sorry,” the young man apologized. “There wasn't time to mention—” He broke off and shook his head.

“My name is Dr. Justin Fear,” he continued after a moment. “I saw your accident from my house up on the hill. I came to see if I could help.”

“Thank you for your kindness,” Madeline stammered. She felt foolish now reacting so strangely to his touch. His hand was just cold, she told herself. There was no reason to pull away like that.

“I remember William said that the beautiful house on the hill belonged to Dr. Fear,” she continued, trying to make up for her rudeness.

“How nice you noticed my house,” Dr. Fear replied graciously. “And you needn't call me Dr. Fear. My name is Justin.”

Madeline felt that using Dr. Fear's name was much too familiar. They'd only just met. But she couldn't bring herself to refuse him.

“Very well … Justin,” she answered.

The warmth she saw in Justin's eyes made her tingle all over. The sensation almost made her forget how cold his skin felt.

“William!” Madeline cried suddenly. She struggled to her feet. “What's happened to William? Is he all right? How could I have forgotten about him?”

“William is just fine,” Justin told her. “He's right over there, trying to keep the horse calm until you are well enough to travel on to your cousins' house.”

“And the man?” Madeline asked. “The one in the road. Was he badly injured?”

Justin looked at her, a frown marring his perfect features. “What man?” he said.

“The one in the road,” Madeline repeated. “The strange-looking man who frightened the horse.”

“William,” Justin called out. “Why did you say nothing about a man in the road?”

“Because there wasn't one, sir,” William called back.

Madeline felt a cold chill race through her. “There was a man, I tell you,” she insisted. “I saw him.”

Justin silently regarded Madeline. He frowned slightly.

Madeline's stomach began to churn. He thinks I'm crazy. That I'm imagining things just like Mama did. But I'm not. I'm not!

“Well, William,” Justin asked after a moment. “What do you have to say to that?”

William dropped the horse's reins and came over to Justin and Madeline. “I'm sorry, miss,” he answered. “But I didn't see anyone in the road.”

William glanced at Justin. He fidgeted nervously with his cap. “If there was someone in front of that horse, I'd have seen him,” he continued. “I was looking straight forward the whole time. As far as I can tell, that horse just spooked.”

Madeline shook her head. No! This can't be happening. Not to me. Not so soon.

“William,” she gasped. “You must have seen him.”

“I swear to you, miss, the road was clear all the way to the crest of the hill,” William answered. “There wasn't anybody standing in the road.”

Chapter

3

M
adeline struggled to control herself. “William,” she began, keeping her voice low and quiet. “You must have seen the man. He stood right there in front of the horse, waving his arms. You must have seen him, William.” Madeline's voice began to rise. “You must have—”

“Madeline, that's enough!” Justin said firmly. “You hit your head and you're confused.”

His explanation made sense. She felt herself begin to relax. “I guess that's possible,” she agreed.

“I'm sorry, William,” Madeline apologized. “I'm sure Dr. Fear is right.”

William shuffled his feet awkwardly. “It doesn't matter about me, miss,” he said. “But your cousins, they'll be worried. If you're ready, I should be getting you home.”

Home! Madeline thought. How good that sounded.

“Thank you, William,” she answered simply. “Please take me home.”

William helped Madeline back into the buggy, then swung up on the seat beside her. She glanced nervously at Buttercup, but the horse appeared perfectly calm.

Justin took a seat on the other side of Madeline. “I'll come along,” he said. “I want to be sure you arrive at your cousins' safe and sound.”

“Your cousins' house is just over the hill,” William said. When it came into view, Madeline felt a bit disappointed. She'd been imagining an elegant home, with carefully tended grounds and a garden—like Dr. Fear's house.

Her cousins' house stood several stories high, with odd turrets and towers poking out here and there. The porch sagged and the roof appeared in need of repair. Peeling gray paint and broken shutters added to the house's decrepit appearance.

Some tall, scraggly trees shaded the front yard. Madeline glanced around for a flower garden, but saw none.

My cousins must not be as wealthy as I had assumed, she realized. I mustn't judge them harshly just because they can't afford to keep up repairs on such a huge, old house.

As soon as the buggy came to a stop, a plump, blond woman ran across the wide porch and down the steps. Madeline guessed that the woman was about the same age as her mother had been when she died.

The woman took one look at the cut on Madeline's face and gave a sharp cry. “Goodness gracious! What's happened?” she exclaimed.

A tall man hurried up to the woman and put his arm around her shoulders. His thin face and silver-streaked black hair gave him a dignified appearance, Madeline thought.

“There now, Deborah,” the man said soothingly. “Justin is with her, so everything must be all right.” He pulled the blond woman closer to him.

“It's just a little cut,” Madeline reassured them as Justin helped her get down from the buggy. “I'm sorry I worried you. I—”

“Don't be ridiculous, my dear,” the blond woman interrupted. “We're just so grateful that you've arrived. I'm your Cousin Deborah, of course, and this is your Cousin Marcus.”

Deborah hurried over to Madeline. “Are you sure you're all right? What happened?”

Madeline felt warmed by her cousin's concern. It had been so long since anyone fussed over her.

“That horse of yours got spooked by a shadow in the road,” Justin answered. “Miss Simms had to jump from the buggy.”

“Oh, my dear.” Deborah sighed. She wrapped Madeline in a warm, almost smothering embrace. “What a terrible thing to happen, and on your very first day in Shadowbrook.”

How kind she is, Madeline thought, as Deborah led her into the house. Everyone is being so kind.

The interior of the Simms house was dark and gloomy. Although the sun shone brightly outside, all the curtains were tightly drawn.

It's like a tomb in here. Why don't they let any light in? Madeline wondered.

Deborah pulled her over to a sofa in the parlor.

“You must be very tired. Sit here,” she told Madeline. A thin cloud of dust rose up as Madeline settled herself on the sofa.

That must be why the curtains are drawn, Madeline thought. So no one can see how poorly kept up the house is. How good they are to take me in when they don't have any money!

Deborah's hands fluttered around her face. “As soon as Justin has seen to your injuries, you must go straight to bed.”