The Hall of Shadows Read online

  The Hall of Shadows

  Morgan’s Rock Series

  Book Two

  By M.L. Bullock

  Text copyright © 2019 Monica L. Bullock

  All Rights Reserved

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to sweet Aunt Annie.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Epilogue

  There she sees a damsel bright,

  Drest in a silken robe of white,

  That shadowy in the moonlight shone:

  The neck that made that white robe wan,

  Her stately neck, and arms were bare;

  Her blue-veined feet unsandl’d were,

  And wildly glittered here and there

  The gems entangled in her hair.

  I guess, ’twas frightful there to see

  A lady so richly clad as she—

  Beautiful exceedingly!

  Excerpt from Christabel

  Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1797

  Chapter One

  March 1922

  “Thank you for coming, Danny. She always loves hearing you play.” I fixed my headscarf in the mirror. I was supposed to look like an Egyptian princess, but my headdress wasn’t cooperating.

  “I wouldn’t miss your mother’s birthday. We all love your Zea, Joanna. Say, what do you have going on here?” He laughed softly as he tried to help me with the thing, but it didn’t do any good. My Egyptian-style headdress looked more like a towel wrapping. Oh well, it was too late now. To make matters worse, at least for me, Vivian’s costume gave her the appearance of an enchantress, a beautiful enchantress from some magical land. Dan did not fail to notice her beauty either. What did I care? I had no romantic interest in Dan Petit, did I? Yet the familiar jealousy rose up within me and threatened to make me sick. What was wrong with me? Vivian Kemal was no threat to me. She was an unnecessary member of our household; little more than a servant, really. I hardly understood the bitterness I felt toward her, but I had been feeling it for so long, even before Father’s death, that I gave up trying to justify it—even to myself. And for her part, Vivian had given up trying to befriend me. Much to my relief. Bringing Vivian here to Morgan’s Rock had been my father’s idea, and now that he was gone, I could think of no reason for her to stay. Once Mother was feeling better, I planned on bringing up the subject again. But for now, we would all smile and pretend to love each other…for Mother if for no one else. Yes, Joanna. Remember, this is supposed to be a birthday party, after all.

  “Well, you certainly look the part. I swear you could pass for an Egyptian princess. One who just stepped out of the shower and wrapped a turban around her head,” Dan joked as he touched his collars in the mirror behind me. “There, there. Don’t fuss, Joanna. This party is for Zea Storm. A nobler lady I’ve never met, and she needs a distraction. Now be a good pharaoh and lead the way.”

  I frowned at him, but I wasn’t sure he noticed my look of disapproval. I was wearing far too much eyeliner for any type of expression besides condemnation. That suited me just fine and perfectly portrayed my current mood. Vivian waited by the door and opened it for us as if she were an enchanted servant. I was glad she wore that dark blue veil tonight, the one with the silvery stars and moons painted all over it. The veil partially obscured her lovely face and the distant expression that seemed to enchant Danny so easily. I stepped in front of her and led our trio into the Great Room and greeted my mother, her few friends and our servants with a brief curtsy. Vivian curtsied as well, Dan gave a courtly bow, and the three of us stood in the center of the room near the piano. This was a small but excited audience, as they demonstrated with their polite applause. Mother’s face was paler than normal—even her lips had a strange faded color—but she managed a half smile, which showed quick glimpses of her sunken dimples. Seeing them did not do my heart good.

  “Ladies and gentlemen…oh my, there are no gentlemen here except our pianist, Dan Petit. Would you please give him a round of applause, ladies?” The tiny gathering obliged us, and I waved my hand halfheartedly to Vivian. “After our pianist, you will be entertained by our mysterious guest whose name escapes me.” I laughed in mock politeness. I truly couldn’t remember what name Vivian told me, but she wasted no time in speaking for herself.

  With a dramatic wave of her arm, she announced, “The Great Kemaldi will present the Seven Wonders of the World.”

  As the applause faded, Vivian and I took a seat on the front row as Dan sat at the grand piano. After arranging his tails and settling into the correct position, his fingers raced over the keys. And in a few minutes, he had carried our souls to faraway places with the greatest of ease. No one played the piano as beautifully as Dan Petit. Neither Vivian nor I was any competition to him in that regard.

  Mother appeared moved by his performance, dabbing at her eyes with her blue handkerchief. I certainly hoped that Dan played something more cheerful soon. The goal of this evening’s birthday celebration was to take her mind off her grief and sickness—not bring them back to the forefront of her mind. For I knew that like me, she grieved for Father daily.

  As if he read my mind, Danny began playing a jolly little tune I knew well. He cocked his head and flashed a grin, a clear invitation for me to dance along. I wasted no time doing so. There was nothing I loved more than dancing except maybe acting. My feet began to move immediately, and I swung my arms in perfect time. Danny was a madman on the piano. Unlike some of the ladies at the party, Mother wasn’t shocked by my behavior. She smothered a cough behind her handkerchief and then clapped her hands along to the Charleston. With a weak smile, she cheered me on. Danny and I hadn’t planned on this kind of performance, at least I hadn’t, but I danced my heart out nonetheless. I swung my arms wildly and invited Vivian to join me, but of course she did not. She did not know how to dance the Charleston. I laughed aloud as Danny whistled at me and continued banging on the piano. Once the song was over, I let the applause wash over me. I couldn’t help but smile despite the fact that my eyeliner was undoubtedly running down my face. After all those nights at the dance hall, I had finally become a master of the Charleston, the Green Apple and a few other dances. I was proud of my accomplishments.

  Danny and I had visited Magnolia Dance Hall quite frequently these past few weeks. It was Rockville’s only ballroom, and several days every week it was open to the younger crowd—the jet set, as we liked to refer to ourselves. Going to Magnolia Dance Hall had been my only escape from Morgan’s Rock since the death of my father. And it was the only place that I could get away from Vivian and her constant lurking.

  No matter where I went, she seemed to be around every corner. She watched me constantly as if I were a thing to be studied. I made it plain to her that I had no intention of becoming her friend and had no desire to do so, but that didn’t stop her from lurking. Clearly, she was unhappy about our performance now, but she politely applauded too. Finally, I’d bested her. And that gave me the greatest pleasure of all. Mother clapped along happily and asked for an encore. To my surprise, Mother’s friend Miss Bee joined me on the carpet, and we had a grand old time as Danny played the Charleston again. Then he begged off another roun
d and said he needed some refreshment. I brought him a cup of punch for a reward. Mother kissed my cheek and patted my hand. I pretended that I didn’t feel how shaky her hands were.

  “Your turn, Vivian,” I announced as I sat beside Mother. Vivian rose and pulled back her veil to reveal her perfect face. “Entertain us, Great Kemaldi.” I clapped politely as she began weaving her story, an extensive monologue about an adventurer who travels to the Seven Wonders only to realize that the greatest wonder of all had been the love she’d left behind. It brought Mother to tears, and I had to admit that Vivian did a marvelous job telling her original tale even though it was incredibly long and included far too much detail. If I allowed her to continue through all of the seven wonders, we would be here well into the night, and I had yet to make my performance.

  Just as she was about to lead us to the fifth wonder of the world, I rose to my feet and clapped my hands. With a smile, I walked toward her and immediately turned my back to her while keeping my smile on my face. “Isn’t she wonderful? Thank you for such a fantastic story, Great Kemaldi, but I think you should save some of your Tales of the Orient for another night. Time is getting away from us. Please, have some refreshment.” I tried to avoid looking at Dan, who clearly disapproved of my interruption. Vivian let out an awkward sob and hurried out of the Great Room with Dan on her heels, and I stammered and stuttered for a few seconds. Everyone clearly saw what happened, and I felt terribly embarrassed. I should have sat quietly and waited, but it was too late. Well, at least the stage was mine now. It would be up to me to bring a smile to my mother’s face and help her forget the heartache we’d experienced.

  “This story begins in the sands of Egypt a long time ago…” And so began my story and song. Unlike Vivian’s monologue, mine was not original, but it was one that Mother would’ve recognized from when we lived in Cairo. It was about an Egyptian princess who made the ultimate sacrifice for her dead child, a sacrifice that brought the little one back to life. I can’t say why I chose such a morbid tale for Mother’s party. Even as I began telling it, I questioned my decision. Why was I reminding Mother of happier times with Father? Oh yes, I know. Because I cannot forget. And even as I spoke, I knew the truth. I had never forgiven them for bringing us here. I blinked back the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes and continued with my performance. My telling did not take nearly as long as Vivian’s, but I received the greatest amount of applause of any of us. I curtsied and hugged my mother’s neck. She was the picture of sadness and looked paler by the minute, so much so that her guests began to say their goodbyes and many of them quietly expressed concern about her health to me. I assured them that I would give her all my attention and that despite what it looked like, she was certainly on the mend.

  Dan and Vivian had not returned, and as the remaining guests began to leave, I felt a kind of strange sadness washing over me. I squatted down in front of Mother and took her hands in mine. Yes, they were still icy cold. I rubbed them, but it did no good. “Go to bed, Mother. I will come in to kiss you goodnight soon. Do you need anything at all?”

  She shook her head, pressing her handkerchief to her pale lips. “No, Joanna. I do not need anything.” There was no kindness in her eyes. She paused as if she had something else she wanted to say to me, but she released my hands. “Thank you for a lovely party. No need to fuss over me, Joanna. Go have some fun with your friends.” She smiled wanly as Emma pushed her chair toward the elevator.

  And then Danny was there, eyes flashing, and he wasn’t willing to let me talk. “Kindness, Joanna. That is the only thing you are missing. You have beauty, wit, intelligence but no kindness… I fear that you do not have enough of it.”

  I rose to my feet, taken aback by my friend’s accusation. He and I never spoke so frankly to one another about private matters, so I was surprised to hear him say such a thing to me now. I knew he did not approve of my dislike for Vivian, but he’d always kept his opinions to himself before.

  “Who have I been unkind to?” I asked even though I knew the answer. This was all about Vivian. Why would Danny take her side? Why was he so determined to involve himself in my affairs?

  “Your mother, for one, but I am speaking about your friend now. Make peace with Vivian and be kind to her. Life has a way of making us regret those small cruelties, Joanna.” He lifted his head and peered down at me as if I were truly beneath him even though I was only a few inches shorter. “I think your father would agree with me.”

  “How dare you invoke my father’s memory to further your own questionable motives, Dan Petit? I think you should leave Morgan’s Rock, and I will thank you not to involve yourself in my personal business again.”

  Dan reached for his overcoat. “Have it your way, Joanna. Be a vicious bitch if it pleases you, but don’t expect me to stick around to watch you enjoy your little cruelties. It really is beneath you.”

  He left me in the Great Room, and I watched him disappear down the stairs. I felt like ice as I made my way to my own room. I closed the door behind me and cried until the sun came up.

  Chapter Two

  April 1922

  I was dreaming about Egypt again, and strangely enough I was riding not on a camel but on my own beloved horse, Magadan. The beautiful gray mare shook her head joyfully as she often did when we rode together.

  But this isn’t right. You can’t be here, Magadan. I left you in Kent. I love you, my own dear pet. My Magadan. One day I will see you again. I will, I promise.

  I petted the horse’s fur, but with each stroke she began to disappear. It was almost as if my strokes were erasing her. I cried as she gradually vanished. I stepped back, confused by the sight of my horse fading along with the Sphinx behind her.

  I wasn’t in Egypt at all. I must be dreaming.

  “You would like for me to go away, wouldn’t you, Jo-an-na?” I woke up suddenly with Vivian’s sing-songy voice in my ear. Although I was startled and immediately sensed danger, my arms were pinned to the floor by her bony knees so I could not move a muscle. Vivian wore her favorite dark blue nightgown, a wispy garment that barely covered her thin body. Her icy-cold hands clamped over my mouth as she accused me again. “You hate me, and I think you want me to die.” Her voice was slurred as if she were drunk, but I smelled no alcohol. What was the matter with her? I screamed against her skin. If I could bite her, I would. What was she doing? What did she want from me?

  “No, no, Joanna. Be quiet, be very quiet or else I will have to go visit your mother. And what do you think would happen if I held her down like this? If I put my hand over her mouth and held her in place, she would certainly be frightened. She could have a fit, and you know that is a dangerous thing. She might even die.”

  I swore at her, but she could not hear my muffled words.

  “But I think she will die soon because she wants to. She wants to be with him. She talks to him all the time. She uses my blood to call him. Did you know she used me, cousin? Dan says you know nothing, but how can you not know that? That is why I am here. This is why they brought me here, Joanna—your precious parents did this to me. For my blood. Did you know? Answer me!”

  I bucked against her weight and screamed into her hand again, but it was useless. My nemesis had me at a disadvantage, and she was saying things that I did not want to hear. Had she lost all reason? Of course I had no idea what she meant—she was a madwoman to be sure.

  Vivian sobbed as she held me. I could feel her tears fall on my skin. “What do you think I should do, Joanna? She wants more of my blood, but it does no good. And now I grow weak and can do nothing else for her. My blood does not call him anymore—you should give her your blood. I told her this, but she says no. You are too precious, Joanna, too precious even though your blood is much more powerful. But it is not fair! It would be much better, much sweeter I’m sure, if we used your blood.” Vivian stared off into the distance as if she could see or hear something I did not. I struggled again and finally brought her attention back to me. “I do th
is for her, I give her my blood to restore her to health and to call her dead husband, and you hate me! How can that be?” Vivian sobbed and stared into my eyes. It was dark in my room, but I could see her perfectly in the dim light. I could even see the dampness beneath her eyes. “I was happy once. I never wanted to come here. Never. But for what reason do you hate me, I wonder? I must show you something, Joanna. I will show you the truth, but you must believe me. Are you ready to see the truth? No screaming…if I move my hand, you must listen. Promise?”

  I was hardly in a position to argue with her or make any kind of deal. I nodded my head slowly, and she moved her hand away from my face. I kept my word and did not scream.

  “Look at this.” Vivian slid back her gown sleeves and held up her arms. They were badly bruised. What had she done to herself? There were multiple wounds, slices and cuts. “This is what your mother has done to me. I cannot help her anymore, Joanna. I cannot. It hurts me, and I feel so sick. You must make her stop.” She lifted off me, and I scrambled to my feet. She didn’t run or back away from me. “You have to make her stop.”

  “I don’t know what you mean, Vivian. What did you do? Have you hurt my mother?” I began to fear the worst. I eased toward the door. I should go see her and make sure all was well.

  “No. You are not listening to me. You have to stop Zea. My blood cannot help her anymore, but I fear that without it she may die. But I think she wants to die, and then what will happen to me? I know you hate me.” She began to sob quietly with her face in her hands.

  Be kind, Joanna. Kindness.

  I paused and reached my hand out to her. What should I do? She was crying loudly now. “Sit down, Vivian.” I invited her to sit on the edge of my bed. I didn’t quite trust her, but I was curious. “Please, sit.”

  She did as I asked and sat beside me on the bed, her pretty face stained with tears. I reached for a handkerchief on my nightstand table and handed it to her. “I know you hate me,” she whispered as I clicked on the lamp light.