Everlastin' Book 1 Read Online Free Page B

she didn't believe
in reincarnation, or anything remotely like it. But when he reached
out again for her suitcase, his hand brushed against her fingers,
causing a fey sensation of electricity to slither up her arm and
become lost behind her breasts. She somehow knew the contact had
been deliberate, his way of heightening her awareness of
him.
    With a slow grin, he tugged
the suitcase from her grasp.
    Beth looked down at her
empty hand then glanced up to see him crossing the second floor
landing to another set of stairs.
    “You did say he was gruff.
Is he always so pushy?”
    Carlene continued to look up
the stairs after the man. “At times he can be infuriating, but
he'll take good care of you after I leave.”
    Beth's curiosity was
resigned to a lesser plane of importance by the time she reached
the third floor and followed Carlene through a set of French doors,
down another hall, and into one of the rooms on the
right.
    Just beyond the threshold,
Beth stopped.
    There was no sign of the
groundskeeper. Her suitcase was set atop a canopy bed of cherry
wood, carved with leaves and cherubs. Heavy, dark green velvet
draperies were tied at the posts. Through the matching drapes
hanging on two large windows, a colorful peacock, perched atop an
adjoining roof, craned its neck to peer at the occupants through
the French panes.
    “This is my room?”
    “Yep. Unless you don't care
for it.”
    Entering the room, Beth
laughed and dropped her purse atop one of the oriental throw rugs
scattered on the highly polished wooden floor. “I love
it!”
    Which was an
understatement.
    Beth's face glowed as she
took in her surroundings. Two dressers and a wardrobe were also
made of cherry wood and stained a burnished red. Leaves and cherubs
were lavishly carved on each piece, as well as on an elaborate
vanity by another door leading to a private bathroom. All of the
pieces had marble tops. The wainscoting matched the furniture, the
wallpaper a rich cream tone with raised dark green velvet print. On
the wall across from the bed was a fieldstone fireplace with a
Victorian marble mantel. Set by the hearth was a picture frame
embroidery stand, a fire screen, bearing an unfinished cloth of a
country scene.
    “It's so...beautiful,” Beth
beamed.
    Carlene abruptly swept past
Beth and went to the door. “Explore the house. Help yourself to
anything you want.” Turning at the threshold, she offered Beth a
tremulous smile. “There's plenty of food in the ice box and
larder.” She reached up to indicate a light fixture on the wall.
“All the light fixtures operate on gas. The matches are on the
mantel. Light one then just turn this key. When you want the light
out, turn the key counter-clockwise and the gas shuts
off.”
    “Do you have to leave right
away?”
    “Yes. Lachlan will see to
the fires until David and I get back. Pull the cord by the bed and
he'll come right away.”
    Beth felt a moment's panic
but smiled nonetheless. “What time do you think you'll get back
tomorrow?”
    “I'm not sure.”
    As Carlene began to close
the door, Beth asked, “Would you like company on the
drive?”
    “N-no. You're tired, and
British cars are cramped.”
    Beth opened her mouth to
tell Carlene she didn't mind the cramped quarters, or another
drive, but the door closed, cutting her off from her
friend.
    Although caught up in a
moment of panic, she stopped herself from running after Carlene.
There was definitely something wrong.
    Unless David and Carlene’d
had a squabble. Maybe Carlene was hoping the drive home would give
her the opportunity to smooth out matters before Beth became aware
of any problems between them.
    It was a logical enough
possibility. But Beth could not shake a burgeoning sense of
foreboding.

Chapter 2
     
    The hours faded by
unnoticed. Before Beth realized it, dusk was settling about Kist
House. She had explored nearly every room on the top two floors,
with two exceptions. The door was locked to the room directly
across from her