Arthur's Folly. The steak had mooed not long ago in the pastures around the castle.
I was grateful the conversation was desultory so I could concentrate on my meal. The pleasure center of my brain, located right between my eyes, was being probed with each bite.
The steak was buttery, nearly dissolving on my tongue. The asparagus was crisp, tangy with a vinegary sauce and the potatoes crunched with their slight char. The wine, a deep full bodied red, was a perfect accompaniment to the meal.
Even my headache, no doubt a result of the confrontation with Maddock and all the stress of the last day, wasn’t enough to dim my pleasure. If I’d been alone, I’d probably be humming.
How shallow am I that it only takes an excellent meal to make me happy?
The siren made me jump. The sound was a whoop, whoop, whoop like one of those tornado warnings. We weren't exempt from violent weather in South Texas, but it was rare to experience tornadoes. I suspected the siren also warned of a breach in the castle’s perimeter.
Dan looked at Mike, then put his napkin on the table and stood. Mike joined him, both men leaving the room vampire fast. I watched them go, my stomach clenching.
Had Il Duce come back? Had he returned with reinforcements?
Whatever was happening didn't disturb the maid who entered the room with a tray filled with cheesecake. A woman after my own heart. Nothing interfered with my love of cheesecake. For the time it took for me to eat a slice of cheesecake, the world was a perfect place.
I surrendered my dinner plate with enthusiasm, just as the siren faded, the whoop whoop whoop draining to a feeble screech.
Suddenly, Janet stood and came to my side. Before I realized what she was doing, she grabbed my arm. My first thought was that she had really disturbing green eyes. They fixed on me like she was a spider and I was an incapacitated fly. How could this woman possibly be Dan’s mother? My second thought, tumbling on the heels of the first, was that she was hurting me.
The bitch was raking her nails down my arm.
I pulled back.
The girl with the cheesecake tray glanced over at the table, the expression on her face one of surprise. Evidently, Dan’s mother didn’t go crazy all that often.
Why now?
"You’re a danger to him," she said.
Before I had a chance to explain that I was only here temporarily, and that I had absolutely no intention of disturbing Dan’s life, Janet sat back down.
When the maid left, I almost went with her. Thankfully, I wasn’t left alone in the room with Janet very long. Seconds later, Dan returned, but without Mike.
“What was that all about?” I asked.
“One of the sensors went off,” he said.
“Where?”
He put his napkin on his lap, directed his full attention to me.
“At the southwest end of the property,” he said. “There’s another entrance there.”
“Did someone get in?”
“It doesn’t look like it.” He smiled. “It was probably an adventurous squirrel.”
I doubted he would send Mike to look if he really thought it was a squirrel.
“I understand your grandmother is a witch,” Dan’s mother said. Just like that, my worry shifted direction.
My arm stung where she scratched me. I glanced down to find welts starting to form.
What kind of woman does something like that?
Just how much had Dan told her? I glanced from her to him and back again. When she didn't look away, her fork poised midair between mouth and plate, I realized she was probably going to sit that way until I answered her.
"Yes," I said.
"What kind of witch is she?"
I blinked at her. "What kind of witch?"
"There are earth witches and air witches, fire witches and water witches. There are all also, if you go by Aristotle, witches of the spirit."
"Aristotle?"
"The five elements," she said. “Earth, air, fire, water, and the unknown. The X factor. Spirit.”
I put my fork down, my cheesecake half eaten, sat back against the throne like
I was grateful the conversation was desultory so I could concentrate on my meal. The pleasure center of my brain, located right between my eyes, was being probed with each bite.
The steak was buttery, nearly dissolving on my tongue. The asparagus was crisp, tangy with a vinegary sauce and the potatoes crunched with their slight char. The wine, a deep full bodied red, was a perfect accompaniment to the meal.
Even my headache, no doubt a result of the confrontation with Maddock and all the stress of the last day, wasn’t enough to dim my pleasure. If I’d been alone, I’d probably be humming.
How shallow am I that it only takes an excellent meal to make me happy?
The siren made me jump. The sound was a whoop, whoop, whoop like one of those tornado warnings. We weren't exempt from violent weather in South Texas, but it was rare to experience tornadoes. I suspected the siren also warned of a breach in the castle’s perimeter.
Dan looked at Mike, then put his napkin on the table and stood. Mike joined him, both men leaving the room vampire fast. I watched them go, my stomach clenching.
Had Il Duce come back? Had he returned with reinforcements?
Whatever was happening didn't disturb the maid who entered the room with a tray filled with cheesecake. A woman after my own heart. Nothing interfered with my love of cheesecake. For the time it took for me to eat a slice of cheesecake, the world was a perfect place.
I surrendered my dinner plate with enthusiasm, just as the siren faded, the whoop whoop whoop draining to a feeble screech.
Suddenly, Janet stood and came to my side. Before I realized what she was doing, she grabbed my arm. My first thought was that she had really disturbing green eyes. They fixed on me like she was a spider and I was an incapacitated fly. How could this woman possibly be Dan’s mother? My second thought, tumbling on the heels of the first, was that she was hurting me.
The bitch was raking her nails down my arm.
I pulled back.
The girl with the cheesecake tray glanced over at the table, the expression on her face one of surprise. Evidently, Dan’s mother didn’t go crazy all that often.
Why now?
"You’re a danger to him," she said.
Before I had a chance to explain that I was only here temporarily, and that I had absolutely no intention of disturbing Dan’s life, Janet sat back down.
When the maid left, I almost went with her. Thankfully, I wasn’t left alone in the room with Janet very long. Seconds later, Dan returned, but without Mike.
“What was that all about?” I asked.
“One of the sensors went off,” he said.
“Where?”
He put his napkin on his lap, directed his full attention to me.
“At the southwest end of the property,” he said. “There’s another entrance there.”
“Did someone get in?”
“It doesn’t look like it.” He smiled. “It was probably an adventurous squirrel.”
I doubted he would send Mike to look if he really thought it was a squirrel.
“I understand your grandmother is a witch,” Dan’s mother said. Just like that, my worry shifted direction.
My arm stung where she scratched me. I glanced down to find welts starting to form.
What kind of woman does something like that?
Just how much had Dan told her? I glanced from her to him and back again. When she didn't look away, her fork poised midair between mouth and plate, I realized she was probably going to sit that way until I answered her.
"Yes," I said.
"What kind of witch is she?"
I blinked at her. "What kind of witch?"
"There are earth witches and air witches, fire witches and water witches. There are all also, if you go by Aristotle, witches of the spirit."
"Aristotle?"
"The five elements," she said. “Earth, air, fire, water, and the unknown. The X factor. Spirit.”
I put my fork down, my cheesecake half eaten, sat back against the throne like
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