The Stars We Walked Upon (Seven Sisters Series Book 5) Read online

  Ashland sat up straight and tossed the leftovers in the garbage can. “If for some reason that ever happened I’d be on the phone to the governor.” With a worried expression he added, “There’s no way that woman should be let loose on the public. Here, I can bag this garbage up in a minute. Let’s open the message now and see what is happening.”

  I waited for him to join me, and then I clicked on the email.

  Dear Carrie Jo,

  We are writing to tell you some sad news. We lost our daughter Mia this morning…

  I gasped at what I was reading. This couldn’t be true!

  Services for Mia will be held Tuesday at Grant Funeral Home in Birmingham, Alabama. We thought it was only right that we invite you to speak on her behalf, as you were her closest friend. If you cannot attend her service we understand, but please know that you always hold a special place in our hearts.

  For my part, I cannot claim to understand what my daughter was thinking when she reportedly attacked you…

  “Reportedly?” Ashland said with a scowl, but I kept reading.

  I will always remember you two as the closest of friends and sisters of the heart. Please know that Myron and I love you and hope for the best for you.

  If at any point in the future you find information about Mia’s claim, please let us know. I’m sure any light you can shed will go a long way in explaining to us what happened to our daughter.

  Please call us when you can.

  Love, Alice and Myron Reed

  “I can’t believe this.” Ashland’s hands were on my shoulder. I clicked off the computer and leaned back in the chair, looking up at him. “Can this be possible? Is she really gone?”

  “What I can’t believe is that they would ask you to speak at her funeral. Who are these people?”

  “That does seem weird—so it’s not just me.”

  He shook his head and said, “Nope. In fact, I bet my attorney would tell you that it could be a trap. Whatever you said could be used as evidence if they chose to try and sue us again.”

  “You’re right. I’m stunned that Mia is dead. I thought she was dead after she attacked me at the house. I thought they were both dead—there was so much blood and…”

  “It’s okay. You’re safe now, and she’s really gone this time.”

  I knew what he was saying was true, but it still didn’t seem real. “I don’t mean to sound morbid, but I wonder how she died.”

  “Let’s get out of here. Things might get crazy now, especially if the press hears about this. It’s best to prepare for whatever publicity firestorm this might create.”

  “It could get nuts. If Mia was still in that facility, then only one thing could’ve happened to her—suicide. I would never have imagined that kind of ending for her. She was always so strong-willed, strong-minded. I swear to you, the girl you met wasn’t the one I knew. Something happened to her, and I’m not sure what.”

  “It’s no mystery to me, Carrie Jo.”

  “What?”

  “The house got to her. Anyone who comes in contact with that house has had something happen to them. It’s like it’s cursed or something.”

  “You don’t believe in curses, Ash.”

  “Two years ago I would have agreed with you. Now I am not so sure.” He shook his head. “Are you ready to go home?” I grabbed my purse and followed him to the front door. Chip and Rachel were long gone, so I locked up the building and headed to the car.

  “Where are you going? Your car is dead, remember? I’ll have the mechanic pick it up tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, I forgot all about that.” Determined to give it a try just once more I said, “Let me just try it.” I didn’t wait for his answer; I hopped in my BMW and to my surprise it cranked right up. Either there was some glitch with my car or unseen forces were indeed at work—perhaps it wasn’t a coincidence that I ended up at that cemetery gate after all.

  Ashland pulled up beside me with a frown. “See you at home.”

  ***

  When Ashland fell asleep I slipped out of bed. It had started to rain. From the sound of it, the drops were heavy and fat, not the typical pitter-patter drops you hear in spring. Low rumbles of thunder warned of an approaching storm, and I felt an urge to watch it roll in. Mobile had no shortage of springtime storms, but we’d been in kind of a drought recently. Tonight, I could smell the rain in the air.

  After having made up from our big blowout about his dreaming, I didn’t want to risk invading his privacy again. And I couldn’t trust myself not to look. In fact, I really couldn’t help it. Just like he couldn’t control his dreams, I couldn’t control my wandering into them. Gathering up my favorite white quilt, I walked down the hall to the guest room. I flipped on the small lamp by the door just so I didn’t trip over anything, I didn’t need a lot of light to watch the storm. I shuffled across the wood floor in my socks and plopped in the comfy chaise lounge that overlooked the backyard. It wasn’t a fabulous view; there were too many trees and tall buildings to see too much below, but I could see the sky perfectly.

  I hunkered down in the chair, wrapped my blanket around me, leaned back and watched the lightning light up the sky. At first the blasts of light were subtle, just flashing through black clouds along the distant horizon. It was a beautiful sight. Then the lightning became more defined. It shot through the massive cloud deck, hitting the dark waters of the bay first and then various spots along the edges of the Port City. Thunder rolled and as it boomed and shook the house, sleep seemed impossible. As I enjoyed the scenery, I protectively rubbed my still flat stomach. I was going to be a mother. Was I ready for that? Well, ready or not, I was going to find out soon. I had no doubt that Ashland would be a good father; he was such a good person. “Good night, little one,” I whispered to my stomach. Then I thought about Mia, the sane Mia, the one who would have been delighted to be an aunt. Maybe my husband was right—somehow Seven Sisters had gotten to her, had driven her crazy. Strangely enough I couldn’t muster up a single tear.

  I rubbed my tired eyes and yawned. The gold-toned pendulum clock on the mantelpiece began to chime. I couldn’t believe it was midnight already. I was tired, but I also felt unsettled. I glanced at the side table and the worn copy of THE STARS THAT FELL. Could I really afford to stay up half the night reading a book? Well, I was the boss. I could call in if I wanted to. I had no appointments that I knew of, so I could certainly sleep late. I tossed my wild curls behind my shoulder and out of my face, picked up the book and turned to the worn silk bookmark.

  Okay, Delilah. Help me out here. What’s going on in your world, and does it have something to do with mine?

  Chapter Nine—Delilah

  My second trip to Seven Sisters was no less impressive than my first. The more I thought of it, the more inconceivable it was that I had lived in Mobile most of my life and had never seen this house. But then again that may have been by design. I would never know if my parents, the Iversons, knew about my true identity; however, it did stand to reason that they would want to protect me. Even though my Iverson family would not have cared about what the upper crust of Mobile thought, I did care. I was left alone to fight for my future. Of course, I had choices. Nothing prevented me from moving away from Mobile and its stuffy social circles. At least I had a small fortune that I could fall back on thanks in part to both my families. Still, as I told Jackson Keene, money had nothing to do with my return to Mobile. I came to claim my name and my family. I was secretly heartbroken to learn they did not want to know me at all.

  In a strange sort of way, I felt compelled to pursue my name. Partly because, by all accounts, my mother had no choice but to send me away. She was the unhappy wife of a cruel man, a woman who had found some stolen joy in the arms of my father. I liked to think that whatever her flaws were, she loved me deeply and apparently wasn’t afraid to stand up to her tormentor when pressed to. I was hoping to learn more about her, my sister and my cousin this afternoon. I pulled up in the carriage and handed the reins to
Stokes, the big man who had met us the other night. He was a man of few words and didn’t even walk me in, pointing toward the door with a grunt.

  Here in the light of day, I could plainly see that Seven Sisters wasn’t quite as grand as she used to be. She’d survived demolition during the war, but she hadn’t escaped the effects of time and all those stormy summer afternoons. The rain and humidity had left green mold on the columns, and there were loose boards on the porch and missing side rails. Still, it wasn’t anything that couldn’t be mended if someone had a mind to invest something in the place. I was curious to hear exactly what plans Karah had. Did she plan to sell the house? Deed it to a cousin? I absently wondered if I could afford to buy the place, and if I could (which was doubtable) would I be allowed to do so? I sighed as I climbed the steps carefully.

  I did not invite Jackson, as he now insisted that I call him, to return with me. My cousin and I had much to talk about—some privacy should be expected. Better to leave these things within the family. I walked through the open door and followed the sounds of breaking dishes or something. A woman screamed in anger, and I heard another crash. The idea of someone deliberately breaking the beautiful things in this house starched my collar. I stormed down the hall and walked into the Blue Room like I owned the place.

  “Put it down now, Docie. I will not tell you again.” Karah said, somewhere between tears and anger. “Do not break another thing! You are mad! Just like her!”

  Docie grabbed another ceramic dog from the white painted shelf. I looked at the ground in horror. Several other ceramics had already been destroyed; the evidence of Docie’s crimes were scattered all around in piles of broken figurines and ceramic dust.

  “You don’t tell me what to do! I am not your servant but hers!” She raised her hand and prepared to destroy another pup, but I grabbed her arm.

  “You break another thing, and I will have you arrested! Put it down now, madam.”

  So surprised was she that she did as I told her. The ill-tempered Docie dropped the toy dog on the carpeted floor. Luckily for her it did not break. “Now find a broom and dustpan and clean these things up.”

  With a sneer she brushed past me, pushing her way out of the room. I doubted she would return, but at least her tantrum had ended. “What happened here, Karah? Is she mad? Are you harmed?”

  I walked to her, removing my gloves and tossing them and my hat on a nearby settee. “Let me look at you.” She seemed frozen and was staring at a spot on the floor. I followed her eyes. She appeared transfixed by one particular ceramic, a cocker spaniel with a red ball in its mouth. “Karah, are you all right?”

  She pulled her eyes away and stared into my face. I don’t know what I expected to see, but it wasn’t the big black bruise around her eye. “Oh my goodness, Karah! Did Docie do this? You need to see a doctor!”

  Finally, realization shone across her face. “Delilah?”

  “Yes, it’s me. You told me to come, remember. What has happened here, Karah?”

  “Cousin?”

  “Yes. Here and in the flesh.” I tried to sound jovial. I still wasn’t sure what I was dealing with here. Suddenly she flung her arms around me.

  “Thank God. I prayed that you would come. Don’t leave me here again. You must stay with me, cousin. I do not think she wants me here, but I want to stay. I have to wait for my mother. She promised she would come! She always keeps her promises! But she…she…” She pointed to the destruction and then sank to the carpet, crying. Yes, there was more here than met the eye.

  “Karah, shhh…all is well. See? She is gone, and I will not let her harm you again. Come sit on the couch.” Wiping her face on her brown silk dress sleeve she agreed and let me help her up. Before I could question her further, I saw the face of an old, dark-skinned woman peeping in at the door. When she saw me, her yellow eyes widened, and she did not waste any time getting to me.

  “I knew that was you, Miss Calpurnia. I said that you would be home soon, and here you are! I am going to have to tell your mother. She will be surprised to hear that you’re home—are you home for good? Would you like some tea? You and your friend? Let ol’ Hooney get you some tea, just like you like it.” So surprised was I that I did not correct her.

  “Yes, Hooney. That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

  She pinched my cheek with her gnarled finger, and I thought she would hug me, but then her face changed. “You ain’t Miss Calpurnia.” She stepped back in surprise. “Oh, excuse me, miss. I didn’t mean to touch you. I just thought you were my mistress’s daughter come to see me. I feel like an ol’ fool. I guess I won’t need to wake up Miss Christine after all.”

  “No, I am not Calpurnia. But I am her sister, Delilah. Miss Christine was my mother.”

  Karah had stopped her crying and watched us.

  “Oh Lord, can it be true?” Hooney said. “Hannah told me you was okay. But I thought she dropped you somewhere or maybe laid you in the woods. Was you with the doctor? He was a good man, bless him.”

  “No, he sent me to the Iversons. I had a new family to take care of me, but now I am back. Karah is my cousin.” Then inspiration struck me. “What happened to her eye, Hooney? Did the other lady, Docie, do this?”

  “Child, I don’t know. I heard the commotion and came to see. It could have been her…she’s got a mean streak as wide as the Mobile River. But then again, it could have been someone else.”

  I sat next to my cousin. “Tell me what happened, please.”

  “I…I…” She started crying again.

  I turned to Hooney. “May we have that tea you offered us, Miss Hooney?”

  She chuckled. “Oh, it’s not Miss. Just Hooney. Yes, ma’am. I’ll make you some tea just like the kind your sister liked. Lots of honey.”

  As she scurried off, I slid the Blue Room door closed behind her and then returned to the settee.

  Without waiting for me to ask again, Karah said, “You will never believe me, Delilah. You do not know what has been happening here. It is like the house does not want me here. Things happen. Strange things, and Docie only makes it worse by doing the things she does. She deliberately instigates them.”

  “Them? Who?”

  “The ghosts. The ghosts of Seven Sisters. They don’t want me here, but I have to stay. I promised my mother I would wait for her.”

  I didn’t know what to make of her confession. She had been abused, that much was obvious, but ghosts? I never believed in such things. I suspected that if there were any evil entities in this house, they were all very much alive. I sighed and smiled at my cousin. “I’ll be here as long as you need me. We will face these ghosts together.”

  “You promise?”

  Trying to bring a lighthearted moment into a very depressing conversation, I raised my hand and said, “I do so promise and swear.”

  “Very good. We will have Stokes pick up your things, and you can take your sister’s room. Let me show it to you. Nothing has been moved since she disappeared. You may find some clues about her there.” To my surprise Docie returned to the room with a broom and a dustpan. She did not speak to us but went about her business tidying up the room. We rose to leave but not before I stopped in front of her.

  “Everything you have destroyed here today you will replace. You had no right to do so; these belong to my cousin and to me. If you cannot control yourself and keep your temper, then I am sure my cousin can find someone much more suited to this type of home service.” Without a word she continued her work and promptly left us. Karah’s eyes were wide as she watched me. Suddenly she smiled, which made her face appear much younger. I had only met her a few times but always thought of her as solemn and serious. Her smile was a good reminder that she was young—that we were both young and had our lives ahead of us. “Now come show me this room. I hope it is close to yours.”

  “It is very close. I am staying in Uncle Louis’ room. I must show you his picture—he was a beautiful man. Quite popular with the ladies in Paris and New Orleans. Ma
ybe one day he will turn up with a new bride. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

  “I have never heard of him. You must tell me everything.” For the next few hours, we walked through the house. Our tour began in my sister Calpurnia’s room. It was a lovely room, but it looked rather sparse without her personal effects in it. Karah told me not to worry and that all of Calpurnia’s things were in the armoire. I could look through any of it and keep whatever I liked. Someone in the household, presumably a servant of Calpurnia’s, had neatly wrapped up her pretty hair combs, and we found a velvet bag of her necklaces and small rings. My eyes watered just wearing them. To be this close to my sister and now to be with my cousin—the emotion overwhelmed my heart. Next, we went to Louis’ trunks and politely peeked inside them. Karah had been correct; Uncle Louis was unusually beautiful, with white skin that appeared to glow, blond hair and beautiful blue eyes. His oil painting likeness portrayed him in a blue blazer with copious blue ruffles, and he looked quite dandy. We put the picture in a respectable place on the downstairs mantelpiece.

  “Now, let’s go to your mother’s room. I am sure you will want to see it.”

  Suddenly, a quiet reverence washed over me. I nodded and followed her back up the stairs. We walked past Calpurnia’s room to the large room on the right. With a sweet smile, Karah opened the door and moved out of the way so I could take in the sight. Instantly I detected the sweet smell of roses. There were none to be seen, but I could smell them nonetheless. “Oh that smell, it’s lovely. Where are the roses? Is that a perfume or something?”

  Karah sniffed at the air. “I smell nothing, cousin. Perhaps you washed your hands with rosewater earlier. Anyway, I will leave you alone so you can explore your mother’s room in peace.” Grateful for her thoughtfulness, I nodded as she closed the door quietly. I closed my eyes and then opened them. Here I was at last, in the room where I last saw my mother. I had been an infant then, but now I was a woman. I was suddenly drawn to the bed, my mother’s bed. It was large, with a metal rack that hung above it. It was bare now but I was sure that during my mother’s time, it had held mosquito netting so the lady of the house could sleep without the incessant buzzing and biting. There was a white cotton quilt on top of it now, and I rubbed my hands across it.