Secrets of Windwood, page 16
“I should not have come. This was a mistake.” Solomon was about to leave, when the image of a broken Flora invaded his thoughts.
“Are you sure you want to leave?” Luna said, in a familiar voice.
He turned to find his wife standing in the moonlight, looking as she did when he first courted her over thirty years ago. Solomon made the sign of the cross and inched away from her.
“What kind of devilry is this?” he hollered, as Luna continued to pursue him.
“I’m just giving you what you want. There’s nothing evil about it. You may do with me what you want.”
Not knowing what came over him, Solomon ripped the front of Luna’s dress completely off, exposing her bronzed bosom.
“Take me. I’m yours,” Luna said, in a sultry voice, as she slipped off the rest of her dress.
Then she led the grand duke onto the bed.
***
True to her word, Luna had given him Flora’s favorite lavender bath oil. Once she soaked in it, it would only be a matter of time before the rest happened.
As Solomon galloped back to Windwood, he felt guilty and ashamed for what he had done to his wife. He should have been stronger in his faith and his love to resist the ways of the enchantress.
As they took the usual bend, Solomon could see Flora, Regina, and Aunty through the trees, waiting patiently for their beloved patriarch to return.
“Welcome home, Husband,” Flora chirped. “You must be famished after such a long journey. Parker, take Mister Lord’s belongings back to his room. And Aunty, go into the kitchen and see if you can rustle up some dinner for Mister Lord. And, my dear, sweet sister-in-law, could you pour us a couple of brandys please?” She took his hat and placed it on the entry hall table.
“Certainly,” Regina replied.
“Is that for me?” Flora squealed, when she saw the bath oil.
“Before you get too excited, I need to talk you about something.” Solomon took her hands into his.
But Flora was not hearing anything he said.
“Nessy,” she called out into the hall. “Draw me a bath and put lots of this in it.”
She handed Nessy the bottle, then ripped her clothes off in the middle of the entry hall.
“Flora, I must speak with you,” he said.
“Can we discuss it later? I want to start this right away.” She scooted toward the stairs, with Nessy in tow.
“Nessy, can you give Mistress and me a moment?” Solomon said.
Without looking up, Nessy slipped out from behind Flora and scuttled off to the bedroom, with the oil in hand.
“Really, Solomon, whatever you must tell me could have waited a little while longer.” Flora continued up the wooden stairs, to the second floor.
“Would you please stop walking?” he said, as she neared the bedroom.
Flora acted like she hadn’t heard him. Solomon grabbed her and spun her around.
“I don’t want to know.” She turned back to the door.
“You must.” He seized her wrist and made her face him.
The look in her eyes said it all, and Solomon realized he had made a grave mistake.
“I had to bed the witch in order to deliver the bath oil.”
Flora continued to stare at him as though he were a stranger.
“Are you hearing me?” He shook her.
“I told you to do whatever you saw fit.” She opened the bedroom door, peeled her clothes off, and slipped into the water, letting out such a sigh that Solomon blushed.
He could not take his eyes off her. At her age, her skin was still flawless and smooth as silk. Her hair was full, and shone a bright auburn. Her breasts were voluptuous.
While he gazed upon her, he felt like the happiest man in the world, and decided not to say anything about the other baby.
CHAPTER 27
A Woman Scorned
Luna’s potion worked, and Flora became pregnant. After an easy pregnancy, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl—HRH Princess Martha Jeanette Amelia, heiress to the Grand Ducal throne of Marin. Solomon was so ecstatic that not only did he change the laws of succession to allow Martha to ascend the throne after his passing, he also led a grand parade through town, riding his stallion in full military regalia, while Flora, Regina, and the new princess rode in a new ivory carriage with gold trim.
When darkness fell, the sky lit up in green, red, blue, and gold as fireworks were set off in honor of the birth, followed by cannon fire across the Aurora to let the town and the world know that an heir had finally come.
The family had been the happiest it had been in years. Even Regina, who was naturally standoffish, fell in love with the new addition and offered many a night to watch her while husband and wife enjoyed some alone time.
On this particular night, as they strolled along the river, Solomon’s lies caught up to him, and his one night of passion set off a wicked curse that knew no bounds, whose fury reached out from beyond the grave to seek out and destroy anyone with the last name Lord.
“It’s such a beautiful night out, my dear,” Solomon said, as they walked arm-in-arm along the river, with a lantern and a few slaves behind them.
“Even the air smells sweet.” Flora drew in a deep breath. “I love the scent of Carolina jessamine.” She brushed her fingers across the yellow flower.
“It’s so good to see you smile again.” He squeezed her hand and gently kissed it.
“I have a lot more reasons to these days. I was watching Martha the other day, and I swear I saw her follow Aunty all over the room with her eyes. And every time she came back into the room, Martha would smile.”
“Already dazzling the masses, and she’s not even one.” The proud father beamed.
“Solomon,” a voice called out, from the darkness.
Flora almost jumped out of her skin, and Solomon stood in front of his wife to protect her.
“Who’s there?” He tried to see through the obscurity.
“Something’s wrong with the baby.” A disheveled, weak, and perspiring Luna came out from behind a live oak.
Solomon blanched and felt his face heat.
“Who is this woman?” Flora stared her down from head to toe.
“I am the mother of his other daughter.” Luna returned Flora’s glare.
The witch reveled in Flora’s pain, as it clearly stung her heart and cut her worse than Luna ever could.
“Solomon, is this true?”
When he didn’t look her in the eyes, Flora had her answer. She snatched the child from her mother and charged through the woods. Luna screamed like a wild woman as she raced after her, into the night, every now and then clawing at Flora in an attempt to reach the baby.
“Have you lost your mind, woman?” Solomon stepped in front of his wife to stop her from walking.
“Solomon, this child is another heir, and a living, breathing person. What kind of Christian woman would I be if I didn’t try to help?”
She stepped around Solomon as she set out to find Luna’s shack.
“Why not return to Windwood?” he said. “I don’t see the point in going to that awful shack.”
“Time is of the essence, and this child will die if we don’t do something soon.”
“Do whatever you must to save my baby,” a weakened Luna said, as she trudged up the rear.
“Is it much farther?” Flora panted, holding the girl to her bosom.
“Just about another half-mile through the woods.” Luna stopped to lean against a tree.
The moonlight radiated off her like a beacon, and Solomon took notice, much to Flora’s chagrin. To get through this ordeal, Flora just prayed and left it in God’s hands. That alone was enough to give her strength.
“Solomon, go back to Windwood and bring the carriage to the swamp, so when the baby is strong enough, we can leave right away.”
“I can’t just leave you in the middle of nowhere.”
“For once, Husband, just do what I ask. I will be fine. Unlike the child if we don’t get back to that shack.”
“There it is!” Luna said.
“I will be home in a matter of days. Promise.” Flora pecked his cheek and hurried over to the row boat.
Once the women were inside, Solomon pushed the wooden boat and watched them until he could no longer see them.
The women sat in silence the entire ride to the shack. The little one remained still as well.
Luna tied the boat, took the baby, and flew up the ladder before Flora was even out of the boat. The whole structure looked like it would tumble into the swamp at any given second. Flora was a woman who did not frighten, but this was enough to shake her.
“Are you going to stay down there?” Luna called down.
“Just a moment.” With a deep breath, Flora began to ascend the ladder.
The Southern air was stifling, and the swamp surrounding them was eerily quiet and obscure. Even the crickets were silent.
Luna continued to keep the fire under her cauldron going.
“When did you notice the child wasn’t herself?” Flora ripped a piece of her dress off and soaked it in the water from under the hut.
“This morning. She wouldn’t eat, and became very ornery. When she wouldn’t stop crying, I picked her up and noticed she was burning up.”
“Is that when you decided to bring her ashore?”
“I didn’t know what else to do. I’ve already lost a child, and I can’t bear to lose another. You of all people should know how that feels.”
“I do. I lost both my boys on the same day. If it wasn’t for Martha coming along, I would be lying in the mausoleum with them.” Flora sighed as she took the baby back from Luna. “Why don’t you go get some rest while I stay with the baby? You look exhausted. And quite frankly, you will not be any good to her in this state.”
“I could use some rest. Thank you.”
Luna scuttled off toward the back of the shack, while Flora sat in the rocker and sang a lullaby to the baby, who seemed to be resting comfortably. She was so tiny and angelic she stole Flora’s heart.
She continued to look down at the baby. “I don’t even know your name.”
Flora heard something splash in the water below, and realized where she was. She and concluded that a shack in the swamp was no place for the descendant of a former monarch to live. Getting the child away from Luna wouldn’t be easy, and could end up being Flora’s death, but she had to try.
Looking around, all she saw was open space and the radiance of the flame that kept her cauldron warm and supplied the ignition source for Luna’s pipe. Keeping the child close to her bosom, Flora crept over to the ladder and was about to climb down, when Luna came back out.
“Going somewhere?”
“I-I was just—”
“Give me back my daughter.” Luna’s face became dark, she pursed her lips, and her eyes blazed red as she staggered toward Flora. “I’m afraid, my lady, you’ve toyed with the wrong woman.”
A dense black smoke began to envelope the shack as Luna cried out some Italian words and changed into a giant cobra. Frozen, the grand duchess watched as the witch grew bigger and bigger. The baby wailed, bringing Flora back to reality. Her gaze then fell on the cauldron and the fire a few feet from her.
“Go back to the depths of hell, where you belong, witch.” Flora kicked the cauldron over.
The boiling brew burned Luna, transforming her back into a woman. She screamed in agony as the brew seared her skin, and fire began to claim the shack. The fire spread rapidly, trapping Luna behind a wall of flames, and allowing Flora to take leave with the baby. Luna’s screams trickled out as the shack burned, and soon the roof collapsed on the witch. And then the flames devoured the rest of the shack.
Flora and the baby just made it away in time, for the foundation gave way and crashed into the muddy swamp water, causing a surge that nearly flipped the little boat and propelled them back to land in seconds.
A worried Solomon waited on the banks of the shore.
“What have you done?”
She didn’t answer him.
“Flora?”
CHAPTER 28
What’s Done is Done
She looked at him with a stone-cold glare and pursed lips.
“What I had to. Why are you still here?” Her tone was chilling, and took Solomon by surprise.
“I waited a few minutes, and as I was leaving, I saw the fire.”
She continued to leer at him.
“You did not answer my question.” He found his spine and asked her again.
Only, this time he was more resolute.
“What have I done? This is your daughter, Husband. Your child that you were going to let be raised in the swamp by a witch whose own lineage dates back to Satan himself. How would that look to our subjects? Or what could it do to our chances of reclaiming the throne? Do you think Marin would welcome us back with open arms, knowing that the second-in-line to succeed you is a product of your affair with a condemned witch? Not just any witch, but a Zorn. That name alone is enough to strike fear in the hearts of the most valiant of men.” Flora made a few silly faces at the baby to make her laugh.
“That’s just hearsay.” Solomon knew she spoke the truth, but hoped his reply would be enough to stifle his wife’s tirade.
“Perhaps. Then answer me true. Why was Zorn Castle almost burned to the ground? And that captain also said he staked them all while they slept in their tombs? I’m sure if we went to Munich, we could find more information about them in the imperial library.”
A red-faced Solomon said, “What do you want me to say, Flora? It’s not true? Or tell you that it’s all in your head? I told you this was a bad idea, yet you insisted. As you so eloquently put it, it was a Zorn you set on fire. Did you ever think there would be reprisals for killing her and taking her baby? When I went to Noble Oaks, I found out that the fire, the death of the Caulfield girl, and the reason Mae ran off was because of Luna. They neglected to pay her back, and as a result, paid the price. And now, my dear, so will we.”
The baby began to cry.
“It’s okay, Princess. Papa’s here.” He took the girl and rocked her in his arms.
“Oh, Solomon, I didn’t…” Flora slipped down to sit on the ground.
She continued to look out at the remnants of the shack. The logs that were its foundation now floated on the water, giving them the appearance of alligators under the light of the full moon.
“What’s done is done,” Solomon whispered. “I think we should be on our way.” He offered his hand to Flora. and she accepted it. “I think when we get back to the house, we need to come up with a name for her.”
“I would like to call her Eleanor, after my mother,” Flora said, as they ambled toward the road.
“Eleanor, it is.” He helped Flora over a fallen tree.
The forest was dense, and treacherous at night, and there was no telling what animals lurked in the dark.
“How far is the carriage?” Flora said.
“It’s just through that clearing.”
A howl filled the air. Followed by another, and then another.
“Solomon, what was that?” Flora gripped his hand tighter.
“I don’t know. Let’s not wait around and find out.”
“I’m scared.”
“Look. You can see the carriage from here,” Solomon said, after they cleared another ditch.
Flora saw the white doors and the lanterns ablaze. “Thank the good Lord!”
Another howl filled the night air, spooking the horses, and they kicked and neighed until they broke free from the carriage. Parker and Toby chased after them, trying to get hold of the reins.
Toby got his hands on Trigger, a beautiful white American Quarter Horse, the older of the steeds. It had a wild streak, and only Toby seemed to be able to control him. The other, a female of the same breed, named Lace, was nowhere to be found.
Toby let out a sigh of relief. “All right, boy. Take it easy.” He gripped the leather bridle. “Everything gonna be jist fine.”
Trigger nuzzled his head into Toby’s hand.
No sooner had the stallion calmed, when an eruption about an acre away created a crimson hue that lit up the sky for miles. Plumes of gray and white smoke drifted up toward the heavens and engulfed the area with the smell of burnt oak.
Flora gasped. “Solomon, what was that?”
Trigger broke free again, but this time he came down on Toby’s foot. Toby screamed in agony as his bones crushed underneath Trigger’s hoof, and he dropped to the ground like a sack of rice. Trigger galloped down the path at lightning speed just as Parker came out of the clearing. The horse rammed into him, sending him flying into the air, and rendering him unconscious in the brush.
“I think we need to move.” Solomon took Eleanor from Flora.
The baby cried in his arms as they hurried down the path that was now fully lit from the fire.
“What could cause such a pyre?” Flora said.
Her auburn hair broke free and cascaded down her back.
“I think it’s Noble Oaks,” Solomon replied. “Has to be. It’s the only thing big enough to cause such an inferno.”
Another howl tore through the woods, a lot closer this time.
“Did you hear that?” Flora whispered.
The two froze in their tracks as they saw the bushes up ahead moving. A fawn trotted out, and they both giggled and breathed a sigh of relief, until a huge red wolf bolted out from behind the smaller animal, taking the fawn in its steel-like jaws, and mashing it like its teeth were a food processor.
The wolf stopped and stared at them. It snarled and growled, and as it advanced toward the hapless family, Solomon set Eleanor behind a large rock. Flora screamed as the beast inched closer to her. Solomon tried to intervene, but with a flip of the paw, the beast sent him into a nearby hemlock tree.
It was so close to her face that she could see right into its nostrils, and even saw the fawn’s fur still in its teeth. Flora thought she was a goner. She closed her eyes and made the sign of the cross.
A shot rang out, and the wolf yelped as a bullet pierced its ribcage. The beast collapsed in a heap, revealing Mae Caulfield standing behind it, looking stone cold and about as friendly as a viper.
