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  The only family I had left besides my husband and child was my brother, Chance, and I barely knew him. I’d met him, his wife and their young daughter only recently. Chance had attended Momma’s funeral, but I got the distinct impression he wasn’t really interested in developing any kind of relationship with me. Ashland encouraged me to be patient, but it was hard. Didn’t Chance understand that I was his sister? He seemed to have a suspicious nature, so I decided to give him some space and focus on my own pain right now. My brother had no clue how wonderful Momma was, and he would never get the opportunity to know her like I did. I supposed that to him, she was the woman who abandoned him and left him with our criminal father. What must he think of her?

  I stared into the water imagining I saw a fish skimming just beneath the surface. On the next bench was a young man, with blond hair and an honest-looking face. He tossed bread from a brown paper bag to the waiting ducks, which quickly abandoned me in pursuit of his treats. I was in no mood to talk, but the stranger apparently didn’t seem to notice. “Lovely day.”

  “Yes, it is,” I said politely without turning my head.

  He didn’t miss a beat. “I’m sorry about your mother.”

  That caught my attention. I looked closer at my unwanted visitor. “Did you know my mother? Do I know you? Forgive me if I don’t remember meeting you. It’s been a strange two weeks.” I wracked my brain as I studied him. How would he know my mother? He looked younger than me. There was something odd about him, but what?

  “We’ve never met. But you carried pink roses in with you today, which led me to believe you were visiting a female relative, and I passed her marker earlier. It wasn’t difficult to deduce. You have my condolences.” He tossed the remainder of the bread into the pond, crunched up the paper bag and stuck it in the pocket of his jacket. It was a worn suit, black and quite out of style. In fact, it was old, like vintage old. I had a sneaking suspicion that this man hadn’t come here to feed the ducks. No, he’d come here to talk to me. I rose immediately. I didn’t have the patience to navigate an uncomfortable conversation today, and since my visitor’s motives were unclear, I thought it best to leave.

  “That’s right. Well, have a nice day.”

  “Carrie Jo, a word of advice.”

  I paused. I wasn’t interested in his advice, but hearing him use my name caught me off guard. “Yes?”

  “Don’t go back. Sometimes it is better that we don’t stir up the past.”

  “I don’t know you, and I have no idea what you’re talking about. Goodbye.” I walked quickly up the hill toward my car, and as I did my phone vibrated in my pocket. I hastily retrieved it and read the message—it was from Ashland.

  Meet me at Seven Sisters in thirty minutes!

  I paused and looked behind me at the bench. It wasn’t more than a hundred feet from me, but the man was gone. There was no trace of him. I turned again and looked all around but couldn’t see him. There was nowhere to hide, no trees, no buildings except for a closed mausoleum, and that was quite a distance away. Unless he sprinted to it after our talk, there was no way he could’ve made himself vanish.

  Who was he? How did he know I would be going anywhere? And how did he know my name?

  I climbed into my car and checked the rearview mirror in case the strange man was a haunted hitchhiker who would appear in my back seat at any moment. I locked the doors, cranked the vehicle and drove up Three Notch Road toward Highway 90. Well, that was plain weird. But why did Ashland want me to meet him at Seven Sisters? Rather than linger in the cemetery and call him back, I put the phone in the console as was my habit. I never texted while driving—I didn’t even like talking on the phone unless it was an emergency. And I was tired. I hadn’t been sleeping well at night, and bad dreams threatened to encroach on my rest constantly. No, I couldn’t think about this right now. I would get my answers when I got to the house, and I couldn’t wait to tell Ashland about the man.

  It took me only fifteen minutes to drive to Seven Sisters, but when I pulled into the long driveway I wondered how I got there. I barely remembered the drive, which wasn’t like me at all, and that had been happening so much lately it disturbed me to no end. Maybe I would take Detra Ann’s advice and see a grief counselor. As I put the car in park I thought about the first time I visited Seven Sisters. Azaleas were everywhere then—so thick you couldn’t find your way to the house without some effort. The old pathway was difficult to locate, and the first face I’d seen was that of the ugly satyr that used to stand out front. Fortunately, Terrence Dale had moved the offensive object to a more discreet location in a forgotten corner of the Moonlight Garden. I was pretty sure nobody would miss it.

  Today the place looked very different. Despite my grief, I felt a deep sense of gratification knowing that I had played a role in the restoration of this beautiful old home.

  Don’t go back.

  I shook those words away and walked toward the house. And right about here was where I first encountered Ashland. I remembered those first moments like they were yesterday. How was it possible that I had married Ashland Stuart, the kindest, handsomest man in Alabama? I was one lucky girl. I saw his car in the driveway when I pulled up, but seeing it offered me no clues as to why I was here. I paused at the bottom of the stairs just to take in the view once more. Our work was holding up well. The building would need to be power-washed soon—I could see a bit of mold at the base of the columns, but that was to be expected with so much foliage nearby. White columns were prone to weathering, no matter how well the paint was applied. The front porch light was flickering erratically, and then it finally went out.

  Suddenly I felt dizzy, as if I had forgotten to eat for a few days. Maybe I had. When did I eat last? Wait—I had a muffin for breakfast, so that couldn’t be it, but I couldn’t shake the weird feeling. I couldn’t linger out here; Ashland was waiting for me. He’d be wondering where I was. As I walked up the steps, I felt like I was walking in water. My movements were slow, and it took all my focus to move my feet, to swing my arms, to step forward. I gasped at the sensation.

  And then the familiar honey hue began to hover at the outside of my vision. How could this be possible? Had I fainted? How could I now be dreaming? I was awake!

  However it happened, there was no doubt. I had walked into a genuine Carrie Jo dream.

  Before me now were familiar doors. Doors I knew.

  Chapter Two—Lafonda Delarosa

  Laughing, I chased my brother down the garden path. He’d managed to wrangle the butterfly net from my hands but thus far was as unsuccessful as I had been at capturing our quarry. Together we scampered around the garden, but the winged creature flew faster than I’d anticipated and I now regretted relinquishing the net so quickly. “Be careful, Jonatan! Don’t let him escape. That is a Limenitis arthemis astyanax—he is very rare!”

  “He’s blue!”

  I laughed again as I nearly tripped. “Technically, he’s a red-spotted purple astyanax!”

  “He’s blue! I’ll catch him!” Jonatan swung the net expertly, but the butterfly escaped his swing. He laughed again, and so did I; the two of us were a comical pair indeed. Unfortunately for the Limenitis arthemis astyanax, we would not be stopped. I was determined to add him to my collection. The astyanax fluttered through the open French doors and into the ladies’ parlor with Jonatan and me running behind him.

  I had no idea that company had arrived at Seven Sisters today; I was sure if visitors had been expected, we would never have been allowed to venture out of doors. Mama rose from her stiff-backed chair like an arrow shot from a bow and scolded me with a disapproving expression. Me, of course—never Jonatan. He was as always impervious to her scowls.

  “Lafonda! This is no place for that kind of activity. Get that creature out of here!” She waved her hands as the butterfly flapped toward her.

  Feeling uncharitable, I barked back, “It’s just a butterfly, Mama. Jonatan and I didn’t mean to drive him into the house. He’s a rare b
reed.”

  Mama’s two guests also stood, but they appeared more amused by our antics than frightened of the harmless insect. Only Mama was frightened of all creatures that dwelled outside. Quick as lightning, Jonatan whipped the net around and gathered the insect artfully. He laughed again, proud that he’d finally captured our target. He panted hard now, his shirt half unbuttoned, and his sweaty forehead caught his hair. Jonatan’s cheeks and lips were pink from all the exercise. I could see that both women were impressed with my brother, as most women were. I don’t think either of them even saw me.

  “Careful, Jonatan. We don’t want to crush him,” I instructed him, taking the net from him.

  “Do you collect them?” the younger visitor asked politely. She looked to be about my age.

  “Yes, and this is a fine specimen. As I told my brother, they are very rare.” I looked at her and realized she wasn’t speaking to me but to Jonatan.

  “Not so rare, I think. I have seen many of these and more in my gardens at Beulah. You should come explore the grounds.” Again, the comment wasn’t directed at me but at Jonatan. A smile crept across his face, but as he had been instructed for most of his life, he did not answer her unless Momma directed him to do so. I could see he hoped to receive that permission—he would have been more than happy to speak to the pretty girl—but Mama did not give him what he wished. The girl’s face crumpled slightly. Of course, she would have no idea what was happening. To her, Jonatan would appear beautiful but aloof, unattainable.

  Oh, I’d forgotten how the ladies were so enchanted with my brother’s face.

  “Jonatan, take that creature outside and set it free. For goodness’ sake, it doesn’t belong in the house.”

  Jonatan grinned prettily and bowed his head to the trio before leaving. The girl followed his every move, but he didn’t speak. Jonatan was not skilled in small talk. Neither was Papa, but then again Papa didn’t have to worry about such things. Mama did that for him.

  “Ladies, this wild thing is my daughter, Lafonda. She’s a lovely girl with a fine mind for study. But I daresay, Lafonda, you look worse than your brother. And that young man was my son, Jonatan. Lafonda, this is Mrs. Anne Overstreet and her daughter, Memphis.”

  I rubbed my dirty hands and nodded politely to them. “It is a pleasure to meet you both. Please forgive my brother and me; we are enchanted by the gardens here at Seven Sisters. I must hear more about Beulah. Do you have many butterflies there?”

  “Yes, and a fine pond with many goldfish. I do hope you and your brother come visit us sometime, if that’s all right with you, Mother,” Memphis said sweetly to Mrs. Overstreet.

  “Why, of course. We love having company at Beulah.”

  “I look forward to it too,” I answered with a smile.

  Memphis didn’t hold my gaze long. She stared over my shoulder and watched my brother set the butterfly free. As expected, he did not return to us but walked down the path to the back of the house. He looked only once in our direction, and it was a polite distant goodbye. He didn’t stick his tongue out at me or argue again that the red-spotted astyanax was in fact blue. That at least was a blessing.

  I took the opportunity to appraise our visitors. Mrs. Overstreet was much like Mama, with stylish clothing and a discreet amount of jewelry and rouge, but there was nothing unusual about her except for her deep southern accent and the neat white gloves she wore. That seemed odd to me. Surely ladies removed their gloves when they came indoors. Gloves were for riding or working in the garden, not for visiting people’s homes.

  Unless they were afraid to touch us, to touch our things.

  The Overstreets wouldn’t be the first family to think such things. Mama never wore gloves except on outings, and certainly not in the house. Neither did I, as anyone who looked at my hands could believe.

  The younger Overstreet was as tall as her mother and had perfect posture—it was the posture of a young woman who had the benefit of having attended a finishing school. I knew this because Mama admired such young ladies. I was sure if she had had her way, I too would have attended such a school. Memphis wore her hair parted down the middle, and the back was braided and wrapped neatly at the back of her head. She wore one long tendril on either side of her forehead. She had quick hazel eyes, perfect brows and lips that wore a natural smirk. She wore a blue and gold dress with a gold ruffle at the bosom and a thin gold necklace. Memphis had a pretty face, but I surmised she also had a quick and determined mind. I hoped she didn’t set her cap for Jonatan. He would never be able to resist her. I would have to warn Mama later.

  “Lafonda, dear, why don’t you go tidy yourself up and join us for lunch?”

  “If it pleases you, Mama.”

  The girl whispered to her mother nervously, and Mrs. Overstreet said, “Perhaps your son would consent to join us too. Memphis has been so lonely this spring with the late return of all the local families. I expect that will change in the next few weeks, but in the meantime, it couldn’t hurt to make his acquaintance.”

  Only I recognized the sudden apprehension that flitted across Mama’s face. Normally, it would take us days to prepare Jonatan for a social event, but to refuse an open request like this would be particularly rude. At least that’s what I imagined she was thinking. I couldn’t very well argue with her, not in front of our company.

  “If he hasn’t made other plans, I can’t see the harm in it. Lafonda, please ask your brother to join us for lunch too, dear. We will take some tea and light refreshments in the Blue Room.”

  My mouth worked, but no words came out and I left her alone with her visitors. This was a horrid idea, simply horrid. What was I expected to do now? I could hardly read her mind, and she wasn’t following me out of the room to whisper her instructions. With a frustrated sigh, I left Mama and her snobby guests.

  It couldn’t hurt to make his acquaintance…

  And what about making my acquaintance? Was I now invisible? My hopes of finding a friend had diminished greatly since the first day at Seven Sisters. As far as I knew, there was no Christine here. None of the staff owned up to having a daughter who liked haunting the garden. I’d given up after a week of asking everyone I could. Without a care for my unladylike gait, I stomped upstairs to “tidy myself up,” as my mother so eloquently put it. Quickly washing my hands, I set about tending to my hair when I heard footsteps in the hallway. Jonatan! I had to catch him before he went downstairs. I opened the door to find that it wasn’t Jonatan at all but Max Davenport, his paid companion. For someone who was compensated for his friendship with my brother, he disappeared quite frequently. And thus far, only I appeared to notice the inconvenient situation.

  “Max, where is Jonatan?”

  “Last I saw him he was with you. Don’t tell me you lost him.” He was another one for smirking.

  “Of course not. He was downstairs, and I thought he was walking this way. So, you haven’t seen him? Mama expects him for lunch, which is clearly a bad idea.”

  “If I attend with him, he should do fine. If the invitation was extended to me, too?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Oh, I see.” I detected a tinge of disappointment in his voice, as if Mama would ever invite the help to sit and dine with her company. I didn’t know what else to say.

  “In this case, I think it would be better if he skipped the lunch. Didn’t you say you two were supposed to ride this afternoon? It’s a fine day for it.”

  Max shook his blond head and frowned. “But your mother…”

  “Leave her to me, Max.” Feeling bolder now, I added, “I don’t want Jonatan at this lunch. He would be embarrassed, and he’s sure to have an unfortunate experience.” I couldn’t explain why, but I felt so strongly about this.

  “As I said, with me there he should have an enjoyable lunch.”

  I sneered at that idea. So like Max to put himself in a situation where he didn’t belong. The young man thought of nothing but moving up in the world, and he apparently didn’t
mind stepping on my brother’s shoulders to do it. And what about Jonatan? Should he be made to suffer embarrassment merely because Max wanted to graduate in society?

  “You know very well that Jonatan isn’t up for this kind of thing. He’s bound to say something that will later embarrass him, and I won’t see him publicly humiliated. Do as I ask, please, Max. I would consider this a true favor.” I added the last bit hoping to convince him to help me in my plan.

  “As you wish,” he replied as he glanced over my shoulder.

  “Sister?” Jonatan had walked up behind me, and I hadn’t even heard him. Max had to have seen him, but he hadn’t said a word. He now smiled stealthily and left us alone in the upstairs hallway.

  “Jonatan, why don’t you go with Max? He wants to go riding. You like riding too. Go have fun.”

  He tugged at his shirt collar. I could see he’d already changed his shirt and brushed his hair. “But I want to have lunch, with you and Mama and Memphis. I heard her talking about it. I want to go make a new friend.”

  I shifted my feet as I tried to ignore the excitement in his eyes. “I think it’s better if you go with Max, brother. You can have lunch with the ladies another time. It will be very boring, Jonatan. You’ll have to fold your napkin properly and serve everyone. It won’t be fun at all.”

  He ran his hands through his brown hair and frowned at me. “But Mama wants me to come. I heard her.” He stomped his foot in frustration, and his lip trembled like a disappointed child’s.

  “Please, Jonatan. I only want what’s best for you.”

  “It’s you, Lafonda! It’s not Mama at all. You are ashamed of me. It’s just like he said—you don’t want me around. That’s it, isn’t it?” His voice was growing louder, and I was afraid someone would come see about us if he didn’t quiet himself.

  “No, that’s not it, Jonatan.” I reached out for him, but he slapped my hand away and ran down the hall to follow Max. “Jonatan, wait!” I called after him, feeling an assortment of regret and anger.