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

  Chapter Two

  Present Day – Louisiana

  BEADS OF PERSPIRATION lined my forehead and upper lip. It was a hot, sultry June day in Louisiana, and the hour long ride from New Orleans International Airport to Kaylene in a taxi without air-conditioning made it even more uncomfortable. As we drove along River Road, or what many call Plantation Alley, my gaze scanned broad cane fields and antebellum mansions.

  When we approached Turnberry Plantation, the first thing I noticed were the giant oak trees dripping with Spanish moss that lined the long driveway. We drove through the open wrought iron entrance gates, and a minute later, I spotted the massive white mansion built in the Greek Revival style. Its pillars rose to the roofline, and a two-story colonnade surrounded the house. It looked very much like I remembered, only a little more run-down, with its cracked and peeling paint.

  Before I’d even gotten out of the taxi, the front door opened and a middle-aged man dressed in a navy suit came out and walked toward the car. He opened my door, and then offered his hand to help me out.

  I accepted his assistance, stepping onto the driveway with as much grace as I could manage after a long day of traveling.

  “Good afternoon, Miss Olivia. I’m Gerard, your grandfather’s butler. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too.” When I started to rummage through my purse for money to pay the taxi driver, Gerard reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up his hand, silencing me.

  “Don’t be silly. Your grandfather invited you here. He doesn’t expect you to pay for anything.”

  I raised my brows in surprise. Grandfather had paid for my plane fare, but I certainly never expected that he would pay for more than that. A moment later, my bags were taken out of the trunk, after which the taxi quickly drove away.

  As I stood looking at the house, clouds covered the sun, darkening the bright, beautiful day and casting shadows over Turnberry, giving it a much more sinister appearance. My gaze traveled up to the second floor, and I could have sworn I saw someone staring out from one of the large paned windows, but upon second glance, no one was there. Could it have been my imagination, or had someone been watching me arrive?

  My fingers curled around the spinel pendant that hung from my neck, and I stroked the cool, smooth stone, hoping it would help to ease my anxiety.

  “That’s a lovely necklace, Miss Olivia,” Gerard said, his gaze fixed on the pendant.

  “Thank you. My mother gave it to me.”

  “Many people confuse spinel with rubies, but I don’t quite know how that’s possible. No other stone gives off that fire. Did you know it has mystic qualities?”

  I nodded, thinking back to how my mother had said it would protect me, but not wanting to mention that. I grabbed my backpack, Gerard took my suitcase, and together we walked toward the front door.

  The vestibule had an eerie quality. Although spectacular with its black-and-white marble floor and curved mahogany-railed staircase, the house was dark and badly in need of a new coat of paint. The antique furniture made me feel like I’d gone back to another era. And despite what was still a beautiful home, the place seemed sad, as if all the life had been drained from it.

  “Follow me,” Gerard said, heading up the staircase. “I’ll show you to your room. I’m sure you’ll want to freshen up after your trip and before seeing your grandfather.”

  “Yes, thank you. You read my mind.”

  He stopped halfway down the narrow, dark hall and opened the door to one of the many guest rooms. Decorated with splashes of pink and white and green, it was prettier than I’d expected, despite needing to have the yellowed wallpaper removed. I imagined a number of Southern belles had stayed here throughout the years, while attending parties or balls.

  Gerard set my suitcase down next to the large canopy bed and said, “Tea will be served in the parlor in thirty minutes.”

  I smiled at him. “That sounds wonderful. Thanks.” After he left, I plopped my backpack on the bed and took out my laptop, wondering what the chances were this place had Wi-Fi. I’d have to find out about that.

  I kicked off my shoes and then headed into the bathroom to take a quick shower. The cool water felt good on my perspiration-soaked skin, and I closed my eyes, letting it stream over my face and head. Within a few minutes, I was invigorated, and my curiosity mounted as I tried to imagine why my grandfather had invited me here.

  After slipping into khakis and a white tee, I partially dried my hair, then pulled it back into a ponytail. A little lip gloss and mascara were next, and then I was ready to see what fate had in store for me.

  When I entered the parlor, I was surprised to find other people there. I immediately recognized my Uncle Paul—my mom’s younger brother. The last time I’d seen him was at her funeral. He looked the same, only with grayer hair and a few wrinkles. The woman standing beside him I assumed to be his daughter, Jessica. We used to play together as children whenever my family would come here to visit. Back then, she’d been bossy, using our age difference—she was three years older—to her advantage. The stunning, willowy blonde looked me up and down with her catlike green eyes, and I knew she hadn’t changed.

  I wasn’t about to let her intimidate me, though, as she had when we were young, so with my head held high, I strolled across the room and gave them each a hug. “It’s so nice to see you both,” I said warmly, thinking I would like to get to know them. Having some other relatives to call family would be a welcome change. It had been just my dad and me for such a long time.

  However, my embrace was returned stiffly by each of them. Apparently, they weren’t as happy to see me as I was them. Before I had the chance to further ponder their strange reaction to me, a tall, well-muscled man entered the room. He carried himself with a commanding air of self-confidence, and why not? He was ruggedly handsome, with bronzed skin, tawny hair, high cheekbones, and a full, sensuous mouth. The shadow of his beard only added to his powerful, manly aura.

  When his gaze landed on Jessica, he smiled, revealing even, white teeth. But when he looked at me, that smile disappeared, and his blue-gray eyes grew cold as shards of ice. As he studied my face, I stared back at him, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say I’d met him before. But that was impossible. Surely, I wouldn’t forget someone that handsome. Still, I had the distinct feeling that I knew him, and for a moment, I wondered if he felt the same.

  His gaze shifted down to my necklace and the spinel pendant. As it lingered there, his square jaw visibly tensed, then he quickly looked over at my uncle.

  “Hello, Paul. Nice to see you again. And you too, Jess.” His voice was velvet-edged and strong. He shook their hands, then reached for mine.

  His fingers were cool and smooth. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Olivia. I’m Jaxon Carter.”

  My grandfather’s estate manager and the man who’d sent me the email asking me to come here? I’d envisioned him as a stocky, balding man in his sixties. Boy, I couldn’t have been more wrong!

  “I’m pleased to meet you too.” I tried to sound nonchalant, not wanting my burning cheeks to make it apparent that his nearness was sending a tingling to the pit of my stomach.

  Luckily, a young woman arrived carrying a tray with sweet tea and cucumber finger sandwiches. She handed me a glass, and I quickly took a sip, hoping the cool beverage would tone down my flushed face.

  “I hope you had a pleasant trip here,” Jaxon said before taking a drink of the delicious tea himself and then a bite of one of the sandwiches.

  “Yes, there were no travel issues.” I wasn’t about to tell him I was a sweaty mess when I arrived due to the taxi not having air-conditioning.

  I could feel Jessica’s heated stare fixed on me, and when I looked over at her, she made no attempt to look away. Instead, she seemed to challenge me, as if to say I was infringing on her territory. Well, she didn’t have to worry. I wasn’t planning on staying at Turnberry l
ong.

  I opened my mouth to say something to her, but snapped it shut when my grandfather arrived, being pushed in a wheelchair by Gerard. Although in his mid-seventies, he looked much older than that. He’d always been a robust man. That was not the case now. Thin and wizened, Asa was a far cry from the man I remembered. His skin had numerous irritations, and along with his thinning hair, there were bald spots. Yet, despite the physical changes, his warm personality remained. “Livvy, my dear, I can’t believe you’re really here.”

  He opened his arms to me, and I went willingly into them. “It’s so great to see you again, Grandpa.” I kissed his cheek, and when I leaned back to look at him, his eyes were moist with tears.

  “You look just like your mother, my beautiful, sweet Ann.” As he said those words, a faraway look came over his face, and my heart went out to him. None of us were the same after my mom’s death, but it seemed Asa might have been affected the most. My father had told me that for years, Grandfather refused to let anyone in my mother’s room, not even to clean it. And he’d become so despondent that last year, he stopped producing sugarcane—laid off the workers and just completely shut down the plantation. The only people he kept on were the house workers. It was shortly after that that he became ill, apparently giving up on life.

  I hoped my being here would do him some good. “I miss her too,” I whispered against his cheek. “Every day.”

  That seemed to soothe him some, knowing that he wasn’t alone in his misery. He patted my hands, then turned to Uncle Paul and Jessica. “I’m glad you two are here as well, but not for the same reason.”

  Both my uncle and cousin noticeably stiffened, and their faces went pale. There was no doubt my grandfather’s words were meant to be insulting, and the tension in the room ramped up a notch. I had no idea what was going on between them, but I had a pretty good idea I was about to find out.

  Chapter Three

  EVERYONE SEEMED TO have relaxed a little as we ate cucumber finger sandwiches, sipped on sweet tea, and chatted about nonconfrontational subjects, such as my Environmental Science major. They all seemed interested in college life, and I was able to entertain them with stories of my time at school.

  However, the atmosphere changed again when Grandfather brought up the reason we were here. “William Turnberry built this house. It was smaller then, and Creole in style. It wasn’t until 1830 that it was enlarged to its current size and renovated to a Greek Revival. It’s always belonged to a Turnberry, except for a short time when Union soldiers took it over during the Civil War, but it was given back to us. And I’m going to make sure it continues to stay in the family.” His voice was strong and clear and determined.

  We all were familiar with the plantation’s history, and I could tell by the looks on everyone’s faces that they were wondering about the purpose for Asa’s monologue. He didn’t keep us in suspense much longer.

  “I asked you all here today,” he went on to say, “because I know my days are numbered, and I want to be sure that my wishes are adhered to. I don’t want anyone disputing my will; therefore, you’re going to hear what’s in it today.”

  Uncle Paul let out an audible gasp. “Dad, you can’t be serious. That’s beyond morbid.”

  Asa laughed. “It’s too late to pretend that you give a hoot about me. You should have thought about that years ago.”

  Paul’s face turned red, and he started to protest, but Grandfather held up his hand, silencing him.

  “This isn’t open to debate. My witnesses are here: Jaxon, Gerard, and Theresa.” Asa looked over at the young woman cleaning up our sandwich dishes. “You’re all to note that I’m of sound mind and judgment, and no one has coerced me into anything.”

  The three of them agreed.

  “It’s no secret that I loved Ann very much, and it’s almost time for me to be reunited with her. But before I leave this earth, I want to honor her life by granting her fondest wish—to turn this place into a bed-and-breakfast and let people from all over experience a little bit of the history that this property has to offer. I don’t want it sold off to the highest bidder or largest petrochemical plant.”

  He paused for a moment and directed his gaze at me. “So on behalf of your wonderful mother, I leave to you, Livvy, the plantation and all of its assets. In addition, eighty percent of my fortune will go to you. I don’t have the exact amount. Who can keep track of such things? Jaxon can get that for you.”

  My hand flew up to my mouth, and my eyes grew wide with disbelief. As I scanned the room, I saw that everyone else appeared shocked too. Uncle Paul looked furious, and Jessica was as white as a ghost.

  Grandfather clearly hadn’t missed their reactions either, because he said, “Don’t worry, you two. You’ll each get ten percent. That’ll give you enough to live comfortably for the rest of your lives. And if that doesn’t make you happy, too bad. Go find a job.”

  Before anyone could speak, he added, “And one more thing. Livvy, I know this is a lot for you to take in. I don’t expect you to just up and leave your life in Boston, so I’ve made your inheritance contingent upon you living here and running the bed-and-breakfast for six months. After that time, if you want to go back to your old life, you may do so and keep the money you’ve inherited. The plantation, though, will be given to the Kaylene Historical Society. However, if you don’t fulfill that six-month promise, you’ll receive nothing.”

  As I stood frozen with shock, I noticed my uncle’s face brighten some. Jessica was still as washed-out as before, though, and Jaxon, who was leaning up against the fireplace mantel, seemed to be measuring us all with a cool, appraising look.

  Theresa piled the rest of the dishes onto the tray. “Mr. Turnberry, if ya don’t need me for anythin’ else, I’m goin’ to go back to the kitchen. I have to help Dottie prepare tonight’s dinner.”

  Grandfather smiled at the little redheaded girl. “Of course, of course. And thank you for witnessing my will.”

  She quickly left the room, shifting all attention back to me. My mind was still swirling as I tried to comprehend what had just transpired. I knew my grandfather was waiting for some kind of response from me, but I had no idea what to say. How in the world could I accept his proposal? I didn’t even want to come here to visit, let alone remain for six months. He was right about one thing. My life was in Boston, and that was how I wanted it to stay. Besides, I knew nothing about the running of a bed-and-breakfast. Yet, something tugged at my heart and the memory of my mother’s sweet face filled my mind. How could I not honor her dream?

  I never liked making difficult decisions, and this one was extremely hard. There was lots to consider, and it would take some time for me to make up my mind.

  I cleared my throat before speaking. “While this offer is extremely generous, Grandpa, I hope you don’t mind if I don’t give you an answer right now…today.”

  He waved for me to come over and stand beside him. When I did, he took hold of my hand and squeezed it. “I didn’t expect an answer today, my dear. Take some time. Just not too much. An answer tomorrow will be fine.” He took a deep breath and began to cough.

  It was evident the uncertainty of what I would do was stressful for him. “Will it be all right if I let you know in the morning?”

  His faded eyes brightened some. “That’ll be just wonderful.” With that said, he motioned for Gerard, who’d been sitting by the large, paned window. “I’m going to rest now. I’ll see you all at dinner.”

  After he left the room, Uncle Paul said, “Jess, do you still want to spend the night, or would you rather go back to New Orleans now?”

  Awkwardly, she said, “I’d rather leave in the morning.”

  “Fine,” Uncle Paul snapped, making no attempt to cover his annoyance. “Jaxon, would you have someone bring the car around? I’m going for a drive.”

  His blue-gray eyes were hooded, so I couldn’t read his expression. But as Jaxon walked past Jessica, she said something to him under her breath, and he nodded in
agreement. From the way he’d smiled at her earlier and by the look on her face now, I wondered if there was something going on between them. And why not? They were both very good-looking. I could see where they’d have at least a strong physical connection. Yet, for some odd reason, I found that thought extremely distasteful.

  “I’ll see you later.” Uncle Paul kissed my cheek.

  “My head is pounding. I’m going up to my room to lay down for a while. We’ll catch up later,” Jess said to me.

  “Feel better soon,” I replied.

  A moment later, I found myself alone in the parlor and with an overwhelming need for fresh air. I left the house and strolled around back to the French parterre garden. I took my time wandering along the gravel pathways that separated the many planting beds, all consisting of tightly clipped hedging. When I reached the center, I stopped at the fountain, my gaze fixed on a lovely concrete angel spewing water. I concentrated on its relaxing sound, hoping it would bring some much-needed clarity to my jumbled thoughts. How was I going to give Grandfather an answer by morning when I didn’t have the slightest idea what to do? I tried to think of the positives and negatives of both scenarios, ruling out the idea of living at Turnberry indefinitely, though. If I stayed the six months, I’d inherit the money, and then I could pay off my student loan debt. That was very appealing. But six months was a long time to put my life in Boston on hold. I certainly couldn’t ask Dale to wait that long, nor would I want him to. And what about my dad? How would he cope all that time without me?