Love's Labyrinth Read Online Free

her, she knew Alison drowsed as well. This trip had been a good idea, she thought as she drifted closer toward sleep. Alison, in her own wise way, had somehow known just what Olivia needed to do in order to lay the last of her ghosts to rest.
    All too soon the bus jerked to a stop. Olivia took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and looked around. Alison’s head drooped against the back of her seat, and she was breathing deeply and slowly. Uh-oh, thought Olivia. Waking Alison from a nap was always next to impossible. She looked around to see Mary Higgins hauling herself to her feet, clipboard in hand, whistle poised between her lips, as the babble of the passengers increased steadily in volume. The bus doors pulled open with a sound like a loud belch. Olivia peered past Alison’s head and saw a sprawling mansion of peach-colored brick, which appeared to incorporate the architectural styles of nearly half a dozen centuries. She saw a Georgian bay window cut into a wall of blackened oak half-timbering beneath a gabled Tudor roof with twisted chimney pots, and what could only be a Victorian Gothic addition, with a glass garden room and long doors of stained glass opening out onto a pseudo-Renaissance terrace. The leaded diamond-paned windows that overlooked the courtyard were framed with ancient ivy. For all its incongruity, however, the house seemed to nestle into a dip in a low hill.
    Mary raised her free hand and gave two short bursts from her whistle. “Ladies! Ladies and gentlemen!” Olivia glanced at Alison, who was totally oblivious.
    “Now, do not—and I must repeat—do not forget your special spectacles!” She waved hers in the air. “The eclipse is now just eighty-two minutes away. Once we’ve exited from the bus, we’ll proceed into the dressing areas, which are part of the original stables. Gentlemen, your area is on the right. Ladies, you may follow me to the left.” She eased her considerable bulk from between the narrow seats, and Olivia tapped her arm.
    “Excuse me, Mary?”
    “Yes, dear?”
    “My friend—she’s awfully tired, and, well, it’s sometimes difficult to wake her when she falls asleep like this. Can we catch up?”
    Mary peered at Alison. “Oh, my.” She looked so blank, Olivia nearly laughed. This must be the one contingency she was totally unprepared for. “But of course, my dear. Do try to hurry. Our tour begins—,” she peered over her bifocals at her wristwatch, “in just fifteen minutes. You see that doesn’t really give us very much time at all.”
    “We’ll be as quick as we can.”
    “All right then, everyone!” Mary gave another short chirp from her whistle and marched down the aisle toward the doors. “Follow me!”
    Olivia waited until the bus was empty. Gently she nudged Alison. “Allie?” Predictably there was no response. “Allie?” She shook her friend a little harder and, this time, was rewarded by a slight smile.
    “Mmmm,” sighed Alison.
    “Hey, come on, Sleeping Beauty. You have to wake up. We’re here.”
    “Okay,” Alison breathed, nestling even closer into the seat cushion.
    “Allie. Wake up now!” Olivia tugged at Alison’s arm, and she bolted upright, knocking her head against the back rim of the seat.
    “Ow!” Alison rubbed the back of her head. “What’s up, Liv?”
    “You are, finally. We both fell asleep on our way over here. But we’re here now—and you have to hurry. You’ve got to change into your costume and catch up to everyone else. The tour starts in less than fifteen minutes.”
    “Oh…”Alison yawned and ran one hand through her short curls. She stretched her long arms over her head. “Okay, I’m up.”
    Olivia got to her feet and struggled into the narrow aisle. “Come on. This will be fun.”
    “I’m coming, I’m coming.” Alison unfolded her tall frame from the cramped seat.
    Olivia grabbed both of their purses and started down the aisle. She smiled at the bus driver, who was lounging by the side of the