Shadows and Lies: A World of Gothic: United States Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Preview

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  A Note from the Author

  Surrender to Love Preview

  Chapter One

  Other Books by Raine English

  About the Author

  SHADOWS AND LIES

  A World of Gothic: United States

  by

  USA Today Bestselling Author

  Raine English

  SHADOWS AND LIES

  Published by Elusive Dreams Press

  Digital Edition

  Copyright © 2016 Raine English

  ISBN: 978-1-62935-041-7

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or any portion thereof, in any form. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient, unless this book is a participant in a qualified lending program. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at [email protected].

  This is a work of fiction. All characters in this book are fictitious and figments of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Edited by Linda Ingmanson

  Cover Art by ElusiveDreamsDesigns.com

  www.RaineEnglish.com

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  SHADOWS AND LIES

  A shadowy figure haunts Turnberry House,

  and a trail of death follows…

  When Olivia Lockwood leaves the comfort of her quaint Massachusetts home for an eerie mansion in Louisiana to fulfill her grandfather’s dying wish, she has no idea of the long-buried secrets that await her there. Or whether Jaxon Carter, her grandfather’s right-hand man, might steal her heart or put her life in jeopardy.

  Prologue

  Turnberry House Plantation - Louisiana, 1831

  THE STALE AIR in the tiny room smelled of mold, and I fought hard to keep from gaging. One would think there was no way the three of us could’ve fit in this little space. Yet, somehow we had. None too comfortably, though, I might add. The heel of Nathan’s shoe pushed into the toe of my boot and I wanted to cry out in pain, but if I did, I’d be placing us all in jeopardy. Instead, I bit my lip—so hard I tasted blood.

  Small, thin fingers curled around my hand. I squinted, trying to make out Mary’s face. However, the room was as black as a moonless September night. It didn’t matter that I couldn’t see her, though. We were all in this together now… And if our plan didn’t work, we’d die together too. I sucked in a deep breath and tried to push that horrid thought from my mind.

  Something crawled across the top of my head. I envisioned a spider—big and black and furry. I hated the creatures, and it took all my courage not to scream. I don’t know how I was able to muster the strength—maybe it was because I imagined the thing crawling down onto my face—but I reached up with my other hand and swiped it off.

  Relief ran through me, but that was quickly replaced with heart thundering fear at the sound of voices outside the door. As they neared our hiding place, my body recoiled, and I instinctively pushed my back harder up against the wall.

  “They gotta be here somewhere.” I recognized the low, thick voice as Tucker Sheldon’s, manager at Clairmont Plantation. He was as mean as a grizzly bear.

  Next came what sounded like the tapping of a cane across the hardwood floor. Samuel Clairmont used a cane! My stomach clenched tight. That man would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

  “Well, you better find them…” His refined voice trailed off, and I imagined his bushy white brows drawn together in anger. He was an impatient man, one who took swift and harsh action against all who crossed him. A shiver of panic ran down the back of my neck at the thought of what he would do to us if discovered.

  I imagined the old man’s stale whiskey breath against my face as he yanked me out of my hide-away, his full lips turned up and his small dark eyes glinting with pleasure as he snarled, “You’re going to pay dearly for what you did.”

  My thoughts were brought back to the present by the sound of Sarah Turnberry’s sweet, lilting voice. “I told you they weren’t here. My heavens, why in the world would they be hidin’ in my bedroom, of all places?”

  “They might think they’re clever,” old man Clairmont snarled. “But they’re not so clever as to outsmart me. I will find them, and when I do, they’ll be sorry they were ever born.”

  Footsteps crossed the room, stopping just outside the closet, and then I heard the rustling of gowns that covered the entryway to our hiding place. “All this searchin’ has made me hot and parched. So if you’ll excuse me, I’m goin’ to change into somethin’ cooler and then go down to the parlor for some punch,” Sarah said.

  “I’ll tell Ellen to bring a pitcher and some cakes, as well.” The deep, masculine voice had a huskiness to its tone. Ellis Clairmont was nothing like his father. He was kind and loving.

  My thoughts drifted back to last night when the two of us had stood behind the wide trunk of an old cypress tree, stealing kisses in the moonlight. I remembered the feel of his strong hands on my skin. No one had ever made me feel the way Ellis did.

  “Darlin’, you really are the most considerate man I’ve ever met.” Sarah’s voice broke through my reverie.

  “Don’t be too long,” Ellis replied. “We have weddin’ plans to go over. If you want to be married by Christmas, there’s no time to waste.”

  Married? In three months? My mouth went dry. It felt like someone had sucked all the air out of the room. I struggled to catch my breath, but that was impossible with my racing heart.

  I clasped the red spinel pendant that hung from the necklace I wore. Madame Tousseau had given it to me the last time she’d read my cards. She’d said it would protect me from danger. I never expected the danger to come from man I loved, though… But if he lied about us, what else was he capable of? I’d told him some of my darkest secrets. Secrets that not only affected me, but Mary and Nathan too. I began to shake as fear swept through me. A moment later the world seemed to slip away and that’s the last thing I remembered.

  Chapter One

  Present Day – Boston, Massachusetts

  “OLIVIA LOCKWOOD! WERE you really going to leave town without telling me?”

  I slapped my menu shut and placed it on the table in front of me as Kelly Ryan plopped into the booth across from me. The perky blonde stared at me with hands planted on hips.

  “We graduated two weeks ago, and news still travels through the grapevine at lightning speed,” I replied.

  “Yep! Well, I pay special attention to gossip when it concerns my best friend.”

  I looked away from her probing eyes and shifted my gaze to one of the many TVs plastered around the Pineapple Cantina, but Kelly wasn’t about to let me off the hook that easily.

  “Is it true you’re moving
to New Orleans, the most haunted city in the country? I’m so jealous. Guess I’ll be visiting often.”

  I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help laughing either. Kelly had a flair for the dramatic that I always found quite amusing. We were complete opposites. Maybe that was why we got along so well. She was an outgoing party girl, while I was more of a loner who had a head for numbers.

  “I’m not going to New Orleans. I’m going to Kaylene—about fifty miles west of the city. And I’m not moving there. I’m just going to visit my grandfather.”

  “So you will be coming back?”

  “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

  “Coming back from where?” Dale Ross slid next to me in the booth and draped his arm across my shoulders.

  Kelly raised one thin brow. “So you didn’t tell him either?”

  I struggled to find the right words to explain why I’d put off breaking the news to them, but my mouth felt as dry as sawdust. I took a long drink of ice water and was glad that the waitress chose this moment to come over to take our order. “I’ll have the veggie burger and curly fries,” I said, happy for the distraction.

  “And I’ll get a cheeseburger and regular fries.” Dale quickly gathered up both menus and handed them to the server.

  “I’m not eating,” Kelly said. “Just visiting before my friend here goes to Louisiana, and I might never see her again.”

  When the waitress walked away, I shot Kelly a dirty look, but I might not have bothered because it did nothing to deter her. “Livvy’s going to her grandfather’s old sugar plantation. I guess telling us that she was leaving was a last-minute annoyance.”

  I puckered my lips in frustration. “Very funny, Kel. You know that’s not true. I put it off because you guys are that important to me. It’s not like I want to go there. In fact, I’ve been trying to find an excuse not to, but I haven’t been able to come up with one.”

  “Can’t you say you just got your dream job and aren’t able to take time off?” she asked.

  I took another drink of water and swallowed hard. “My grandfather’s dying.”

  Dale pulled me closer to him. “I’m so sorry, Liv.”

  “Me too. You know you have to go, girl,” Kelly replied in a low voice.

  A deep pain stabbed at my heart. A vision of my mother’s frail body and pallid face entered my mind’s eye. She’d looked so small and helpless lying in that big old four-poster bed, yet still beautiful even while near death. According to my dad, I was the spitting image of her, and although I do have the same straight dark hair and periwinkle eyes, I would never go so far as to call myself beautiful.

  “I haven’t been there in years. Not since my mom got sick…and the memories are really painful. I’m not sure how I’ll react going back to that place.”

  “It’s always more tragic losing a parent when you’re a kid, but maybe now that you’re an adult, you can take all that hurt and turn it into something productive.” Dale kissed me softly.

  “Hearing your practical advice is one of the things I love most about you.”

  “Kelly, did you hear that? I think Livvy used the word love.” Dale beamed.

  “I heard it. Loud and clear.” Kelly chuckled.

  It was no secret that Dale wanted us to have a serious relationship, but I wasn’t ready for that. I had so much I needed to figure out, like what I wanted to do with my life. Thinking about marriage right now was not on my to-do list. Besides, deep down, I wanted that heart-pounding, pulse-racing, spine-tingling, rock-my-world kind of feeling. And that just wasn’t there with Dale. But the guy who would give me that was out there somewhere, and someday I would find him. “Come on, you guys. You know I love you both.”

  Although they each nodded, I could see in Dale’s eyes that he knew I didn’t mean it in the way he’d hoped.

  “How long will you be gone?” he asked, twisting a strand of my hair between his fingertips.

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. As long as it takes. My grandfather’s estate manager sent me an email saying I needed to come right away. Grandfather was insisting he’d never rest peacefully if he didn’t get to see me.”

  “When are you leaving?” His tone was solemn.

  I hesitated a moment before blurting out, “Day after tomorrow.”

  The hurt look in his eyes broke my heart, so I glanced down at my hands clenched tightly in my lap. “I’m sorry for not telling you sooner.”

  “You don’t need to be sorry. Just do what you have to do. You know I’ll be here when you get back.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate that.” There were so many times I wished I could make myself feel more for Dale. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make my heart flutter the way I wanted it to when I was around him. He was hot, kind, and considerate. Everything a girl could want. Maybe that magical feeling would come with time, and then I’d discover that he was the rock-my-world guy I wanted… Maybe being away from him was what was needed to make that happen… Guess I was about to find out.

  “Do you think your grandfather’s house is haunted?” Kelly asked, shifting my thoughts away from my lack of romantic feelings for Dale.

  I made a face at her. “You know I don’t believe in stuff like that.”

  Undaunted, she went on to say, “I remember you told me once that the plantation was built in the 1790s. Being that old, there are bound to be some ghosts in the place. I’ll bet by the time you come back, you’ll be a believer. I hope the spirits that are there aren’t evil ones, though—out for revenge or possession.”

  Luckily, the waitress came by with our food at the perfect time, ending Kelly’s talk of the paranormal. While we ate, Dale told us about the apartment he found in Allston.

  “You’ll love it, Liv. It’s on the first floor, has two bedrooms, lots of windows. I was hoping to show it to you tomorrow before I sign the lease.”

  I forced a smile. I know he was hoping I’d want to move in, even though I’d told him many times that I couldn’t afford an apartment right now. “Oh, Dale, I’ve got so much packing and stuff to do before I leave… I just don’t know how I’d find the time. I’m sure it’s lovely…and if you like it, that’s all that matters.”

  A glazed look of despair spread over his face, but he tried to hide it by saying, “Sure. I understand. You’ll see it when you get back.”

  We stayed at the Pineapple for about another hour, reminiscing about fun times at school, and before leaving, they wished me a quick and safe trip back.

  Outside the restaurant, I gave them both a hug before hopping on the T that would take me to Beacon Street and the old brownstone where I lived with my dad.

  He was sitting in the living room reading the Globe when I came in. “Hey, there Livvy Luv,” he said, glancing over the top of the paper, his reading glasses resting on the end of his nose. “You ready for your trip?”

  I shook my head. “Not even close. I need to pack. But before that, I have to decide what to bring. I better get going on that, huh?”

  “Probably be a good idea. Have you had dinner? There are leftovers in the fridge.”

  “I ate at the Pineapple. Said good-bye to Dale and Kelly.”

  “They’re going to miss you, but not near as much as I will.”

  “It’s not too late for you to come with me,” I replied, wishing he’d change his mind about going to Louisiana. But even as I said it, I knew there was little chance of that, and not just because it would be tough for him to take time off from his law practice. His memories of Turnberry were even more difficult to deal with than mine—he’d lost his wife there. What should have been a happy family vacation turned into the saddest time of our lives. My mother had left Boston a vibrant, healthy woman, and within a week, she was bedridden, and then shortly after that, gone. I was too young to remember the details, having been only ten years old—just that the cause of my mom’s death had been undetermined—most likely some kind of flu—but I was sure they were etched like stone into my father’s mind.

 
; “You know I can’t,” he said sadly.

  I crossed the room to kiss his cheek. “I know. And I’ll miss you bunches too. But I won’t be long. Promise.”

  He let the paper drop onto his lap and hugged me. “Make sure you take care of yourself while you’re there.”

  I felt his shoulders sag and knew exactly what he meant. I was all he had. “Don’t worry, Dad. I will. And I’ll be back before you know it.”

  There were tears in his eyes. “Go on, go pack,” he ordered, obviously embarrassed by his show of emotion.

  I squeezed his hand, then left the room and headed upstairs to my bedroom, where I pulled my suitcase out from the back of the closet.

  I didn’t pay much attention to what I packed. My thoughts were scattered, jumping from one thing to the next. Putting my life on hold, and that included my career, was not what I wanted to do, but what choice did I have? I might not remember my grandfather well, but he was still my grandfather. How could I refuse his dying wish?

  I threw a few more T-shirts into the suitcase before sitting on top of it so that I could get it zipped. I wasn’t much of a traveler, and I certainly wasn’t a light packer.

  The only things left to take were my toiletries and jewelry. I walked over to my armoire and lifted the lid, taking out my two favorite rings, a gold bangle bracelet, and a pair of hoop earrings, then I opened a small drawer. I sucked in my breath as I looked at the vibrant flame-red spinel pendant. Two carats of neon-like fluorescence glowed to such an extent that the stone looked like it was shooting off sparks.

  My hands trembled as I lifted the pendant from the box and placed it around my neck. Almost immediately, a sense of calm fell over me, and all the day’s stresses melted away.

  My mother had given it me, and it was the only thing I owned that had belonged to her. I never wore it. I cherished it too much and was afraid of losing it. My mom had said it would protect me from danger. Having grown up near New Orleans, she’d believed in the metaphysical. And even though I didn’t, for some reason I felt compelled to take it with me to Louisiana. Maybe it was due to Kelly’s talk of ghosts or my dad’s request that I take care of myself. Whatever it was, I planned to heed this strange sense of foreboding. I’d be wearing the necklace to Turnberry.