Page 58 of The Water Witch (Fairwick Chronicles 2)

“Liz!” I’d never heard her swear before.

“Look!” We’d pulled up in front of my house but Liz was pointing across the street to the Hart Brake Inn, where a large black SUV was hulking like a malevolent water bug in the inn’s driveway. Three doors clicked open at the same time; two disgorged men in identical navy blue suits, both so tall and blond and similar in features they might have been twins. Each carried a long furled black umbrella. The third occupant of the car was a silver-haired woman dressed impeccably in a St. John knit suit and carrying an ox-blood Birkin bag.

My heart sank. “I didn’t know my grandmother was going to stay at the inn…It’s not exactly her style.”

“I didn’t know either. She must have made the reservation under a different name. Diana will be beside herself.”

We both watched in horror as my grandmother led the way up the path, glancing disdainfully at the ceramic gnome at the foot of the porch steps. She said something to one of the men and he touched the tip of his umbrella to the offending gnome. The red-capped figure began to vibrate, then rock back and forth on his stubby feet, then, with a high-pitched whine, he exploded.

In the car Liz flinched and cried out, “Oh no, poor Aethelready! He’s been with Diana since she moved to Fairwick.”

Adelaide brushed powdered plaster off her suit jacket and proceeded up the steps, followed by her gnome-smashing minions.

“I’d better help Diana cope with them,” Liz said, flustered. “Don’t worry about tonight. I’ll organize the plan to trap Lorelei.In the meantime, try to…um…fend off Duncan Laird, if you know what I mean.”

“I had no intention—” A bang from inside the inn made both of us jump.

“I really must be off,” Liz said.

I got out of the car and hurried up my front path, swooping up Mr. Rukowski and bringing him into the house.

“There you are,” I said putting the statue down in the foyer and locking the door. “You’ll be safe here.”

But would I? As Liz had pointed out, my threshold had been breached. I might already have let an incubus into my house. Who knew what else might be coming?

I hurried upstairs and into Liam’s old study to get a view of the inn. I caught sight of Diana hurrying out onto the porch with a basketful of bric-a-brac. Her face looked pinched and pale. A series of pops, crackles, and loud bangs from the house made her look over her shoulder. A trail of smoke wiggled out of a second-floor window.

Poor Diana. I’d always thought that the inn was too cluttered with bric-a-brac. Only now did it occur to me that the ceramic creatures might have greater significance to her. Why would Adelaide be getting rid of them if they didn’t have magical powers? It couldn’t be just because she was offended by the twee decor. Perhaps, like the gnome, they were guardians that protected Diana’s home and person. I recalled the way Liam brought home little tokens from the forest—round river stones, twisted bits of wood, birds’ feathers—and lined the windowsills with them. Had he been weaving a protection spell?

I looked around the empty room, running my hand along the windowsills. I crouched on the floor to check for loose floorboards.

“Are you looking for something?”

My hand jerked at the unexpected voice and I jammed a splinter into my finger. Looking up, I found Bill standing in the doorway gazing down at me, his cap, even indoors, pulled low over his eyes.

“I’m sorry I startled you,” he said, crouching in front of me and taking off his cap. “I thought you knew I was up here painting the ceiling. Let me see that splinter. I’m good at getting them out, seeing as I’m always getting them myself.”

I laid my hand in his wide cupped palm, where it fit as snugly as a bird in a nest, and felt a swell of warmth that made me dizzy. It must be exhaustion from today’s circle or the pain of the splinter, which Bill was now prodding with blunt calloused fingertips—only it wasn’t really pain. The current of sensation his touch released felt a lot more likedesire. The feeling was so overwhelming that I let out a little moan.

“Sorry,” he said.

“It’s all right! It’s my own fault!” I squeaked, trying to mask my reaction to Bill’s touch. I must still be under the effects of Aelvesgold. Liz was right. It was making me attracted to my handyman…who really was quite handsome, I thought, getting my first good look at him with his cap off. He had beautiful eyes—the color of leaves in autumn or aged brandy flecked with gold…

“Why your fault?” Bill asked.

“Oh…I was checking the planks for hiding places like I was Nancy Drew or something. My…um…boyfriend stayed in this room last winter and I thought he might have left something behind.”

“You mean like a note?” he asked, his gaze bent down, his fingertips deftly stroking my finger…which made me wonder what it would feel like to have those fingertips stroke other parts of my body.

“Yeah, I guess,” I said, shaking off the image of Bill’s hands on me. “It was a silly idea, though. He had to leave…in a hurry. He wouldn’t have had time to leave a note.”

“Unless he knew he might have to leave suddenly,” Bill said. “Then maybe he’d have hidden a note somewhere. I’ll keep an eye out if you like…There. It’s out.”

I looked down and saw a half-inch of jagged wood tipped with blood squeezed between Bill’s thumb and forefinger. “Wow, I really skewered myself!” I exclaimed, looking into Bill’s eyes, eyes full of compassion, and something more. Longing.

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” he said, still looking into my eyes.

“It doesn’t hurt a bit now…” I said, leaning toward him. An inch farther and our lips would touch…but then my cell phone, which was in my pocket, chimed, startling us both.

“Oh,” I said, feeling as though I’d been woken from a dream. “I suppose I should get that.”

“Sure,” Bill said, dropping my hand. “Just make sure you put something on that. Those kinds of wounds can fester.”

“Uh huh…I will…” I said, blushing as I retrieved my phone from my pocket. There was a text from Duncan.

The Grove has descended, he had written.We need one more transformation to free your power. I’ll be there before dark.

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