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

  Like a child, I crawled in the bed and clutched the pillow. Loneliness overwhelmed me. They’d all left me. My mother, my father, the Iversons and even my sister Calpurnia. Death had taken them all, except for my sister. I refused to give up hope for her. She would return one day, surely. I cried hot tears of grief, and the loneliness of my soul felt so deep it was as if it were a drum pounding. When I thought I couldn’t cry anymore, the smell of roses became stronger and it so comforted me that I fell asleep. I don’t know how long I slept, but it could not have been long because the sun was still high in the sky. I heard the sounds of life downstairs, but at least they were happy sounds. No breaking ceramics, no screaming or beatings. It was a happy day.

  Suddenly, the light in the room became bright, so bright I could barely see. I shielded my eyes with my hands and tried to discern its source. The light diminished, and in its place was a woman. I knew, somehow I knew, that this woman was my mother. This was Christine Cottonwood.

  I sat up and slung my legs over the side of the bed. “Mother?” She didn’t answer me. She held a white dress out in front of her and then looked at her reflection in the long mirror. She spun about and laughed. So happy was she!

  “Oh! Callie, darling. You startled me. Don’t just sit there—come help me change.”

  “But I am not Callie, Mother. I am Delilah.”

  “Now, Callie. We do not have time for those kinds of games today. Dr. Page is on his way to take us on a picnic. Come here and hug Mother.” I could not resist her request. I sprang to my feet and ran toward her outstretched arms.

  “Mother!” The light returned to the room and flared around her body. She smiled still and seemed not to notice the brightness. I shielded my eyes from fear but kept running toward her. She leaned down with a sweet smile, her arms wide, and I ran into them as she disappeared. I was left clutching the air, feeling the last fleeting bits of her leave me alone in her bedroom. The smell of roses faded in a few seconds and was replaced by the smells of a musty old house and my own sweaty body.

  “Mother!” I cried out again. The door opened, and Karah stood in the doorway. She looked at me sadly.

  “You saw her.” It wasn’t a question.

  “Yes! My mother. I saw her right here. I was in the bed, and then she came in the room with a bright light around her. She thought I was my sister, but I did not care. She tried to hug me. She disappeared.” I didn’t cry now. I felt comforted, fortunate that I had seen her. I had seen my mother, not just a painting or a photograph. I saw her with my own two eyes, which should have been impossible. My mother was dead.

  “They are all here in this house. I see them too. I never wanted to come here, you know.” Karah sat on the bed, her feet barely touching the floor. “My mother made me come. She said she would come soon, that I would see her here. But that was four months ago, and I have not heard a word. Not even a letter or a note. I question Docie all the time because I am sure she knows more than she tells me. She is my mother’s servant, not mine.”

  “Well, we shall have to fix that. You are the lady of the house, at least for now. You will have to have your own maid. We can ask Maundy Weaver. She says there are many hardworking French and Irish girls in Mobile looking for work. And I’ve heard that if you want a secret kept, you can trust an Irish girl. They are extremely loyal.”

  “I do not have any secrets. Or beaus or anything requiring a maid. I am just the bastard child of Isla Beaumont and Jeremiah Cottonwood. There—I said it! I am a bastard.”

  Absently I squeezed her hand. “I am too. Let’s not use that name anymore. We are more than a name.”

  She smiled weakly. “Agreed.”

  I had to ask her more questions. “Tell me, Karah. You say they are all here in this house. Who are you talking about? Who have you seen?” I no longer doubted that she saw ghosts at Seven Sisters.

  “Well, I have seen my father in the room across from the Blue Room, I think it was his study. I have seen a young black woman in the downstairs larder. She pulls my hair and scares me to death. Then I have seen other people, people I do not know. I have looked through all the pictures and cannot identify them. Will you help me? Will you keep me safe?”

  “I think we need to call the priest. I hear there is a new priest in Mobile now, a Father Portier. No doubt he would come and pray for us.”

  “I don’t think bastard children are allowed to take communion, cousin.”

  “We won’t ask for it. Surely he would not be opposed to offering a few prayers on our behalf. We are after all very wealthy women.”

  “Perhaps you are right. But just in case, may I sleep with you tonight? Nothing evil has happened here, has it?”

  I was quiet for a moment. I felt nothing but peace and happiness in this room. If something evil had occurred here, my mother’s love for her children had washed it all away.

  “You can sleep in my bed if you promise not to snore.”

  “Oh, thank you, cousin.”

  I hugged her, happy that she felt safe with me.

  “I do still intend to work with Maundy, though. I hope you understand that I cannot be here every day all the time. I have to keep my commitments, and I will need to explain to my brother—I mean to Adam.”

  “I see. I would like to meet your brother sometime, cousin.”

  I blushed at that idea. I was sure that Adam would be charming—too charming for his own good or for Karah’s. I determined quietly to never let that happen. I would tell him nothing. Did he deserve anything more from me? “We shall see, cousin.”

  She smiled, and we spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the house and waiting for Stokes to return with my things. I also jotted off a note to Jackson asking him to wait on finding my house. I now had a place to stay, at least for a little while. The day ended pleasantly, albeit strangely. This wasn’t where I had intended to lay my head at night when I woke this morning, but it felt right.

  My favorite part of each day would be when she and I lay in bed together and whispered late into the night. We saw no ghosts, not that first night. It felt as if we were sisters, two cast-off sisters who had finally found one another. I was grateful for that. I was grateful for her. She had no reason to show me such favor, but she did. For the first time in a long time, I fell asleep feeling like I was at home—at last.

  Chapter Ten—Henri

  The Stuarts were on their way—I was looking forward to seeing my friends. I intended to tell them about Detra Ann, if they hadn’t already heard that she was leaving, and hopefully enlist their help in getting her to stay. Yes, I had selfish reasons for wanting to keep her in Mobile, but I was also worried about her. She was drinking every day—something she had always hated as long as I’d known her.

  Now Lenore referred to her as “the ghost,” and that really disturbed me. Detra Ann had cheated death in a very real way…what if Lenore was right? What if the supernatural world wasn’t finished with her yet? Moving to another city wouldn’t prevent any such encounter. Now how to convey that to her?

  I didn’t cook this evening, but I had made a few appetizers and mixed a pitcher of hurricanes. Not the syrupy red drink that looked like Kool-Aid, but the authentic New Orleans drink. Lenore, in a rare happy mood, offered to help and even wore a dress for the occasion. I said nothing about her out-of-style baggy denim dress or her mismatched socks. No need to look a gift horse in the mouth, right?

  “I think I hear a car.”

  “Okay, I’ll go check.” I opened the door and saw Carrie Jo’s car in my driveway. The couple stepped out, and CJ waved to me. I waved back and stood on the porch drying my hands on a dish towel.

  “Hey, Henri!” Carrie Jo bounded up the steps and hugged me tight. “I am so happy to see you.”

  “Likewise.” I smiled and kissed her cheek and hugged Ashland.

  “How’s it going, Henri? Things good at the shop?”

  “More than good. Come in. I want you to meet my cousin, Lenore.”

  Lenore flashe
d a friendly smile, and after everyone exchanged pleasantries I invited them to sit in the living room. “Who wants a drink? I made a batch of hurricanes.”

  “I’ll take one,” Ashland piped up. “I guess that means you’re driving,” he said to Carrie Jo.

  Carrie Jo smiled. “I think I can handle that.”

  “You don’t want even a small glass? I use a brown sugar base. It’s delicious.”

  “I have no doubt about that, Henri, but I’m still going to have to pass.” The smile on her face told me she wasn’t telling me something. She looked at Ashland and said, “Can I tell him?” Her husband nodded, and she smiled even bigger. “Ashland and I are going to be parents.”

  “Really? That is the best news I’ve heard in a long time. Congratulations, you two. When is the baby due to arrive?”

  “Sometime in May. My doctor says we’ll know for sure at the next appointment. I still can’t believe it—I’m going to be a mom!” Lenore congratulated them, and we celebrated with a toast. Lemonade for CJ and hurricanes for the rest of us.

  “And it’s going to be a boy. A boy that looks just like his daddy. A fine healthy young man.” Lenore wrapped her hands around her crossed knees and nodded confidently at the couple. Carrie Jo was too polite to say anything except thank you.

  “Well, whatever it is, boy or girl, we hope it’s just one. I don’t think I could handle twins. Especially if they were twin boys.”

  Lenore shook her head as if she had something to say, but I quickly changed the subject.

  “Have either of you spoken to Detra Ann recently?”

  “Not me. What about you, Ashland?”

  Ashland sipped his drink and shook his head. “She’s not returning my calls. I visited her mom recently, and she hasn’t seen much of her either. I was hoping you could give us some insight. What’s going on with her?”

  Lenore let out a little hiss, and I shot her a warning look. “We had dinner the other night. She brought me a little birthday gift—it was the key to the shop. She’s moving to Atlanta and leaving me Cotton City Treasures. Everything happened so fast I didn’t ask her too many questions because she seemed like she was in a hurry to leave. I’m worried about her.”

  “You should be. The girl is a shade—she’s a ghost already.”

  Carrie Jo set her lemonade on the table and turned to look at Lenore. “What do you mean, Lenore?”

  “I mean the girl has touched Death. She’s been in its presence, and it thinks it has a claim on her. It took her friends, and it should have taken her too, but somehow she resisted it. I can promise you that won’t last—Death will not be denied. I’m sorry for your friend, but it is the truth.”

  I tried to keep my voice level. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve asked you to stop talking about Detra Ann like that.”

  “It’s not my fault that you love a ghost, Henri, but I can’t lie. She’s marked, and she’ll pass on soon. And there ain’t nothing you can do about it. I am sorry, but it’s the honest-to-God truth.” She took a big swig of her drink and licked her lips. “I haven’t had one of these good drinks in a long time. Pour me another one.”

  Carrie Jo’s eyes were wide with fear. “You can’t be right about this. I don’t mean to be rude, but what are you basing your statement on? I don’t know if you know it or not, but we’ve been battling the supernatural here in Mobile for over a year and a half. We’ve seen our share of ghosts and we’ve beaten them—Detra Ann too. I don’t think you realize how strong she is. This can’t be true.”

  Lenore surprised us all by scooting closer to Carrie Jo and taking her hand in hers. She patted it and spoke to her in a soothing voice. “I am sorry that I offended you. I know something about battling the supernatural too. I guess Henri hasn’t told you that I’ve been doing it all my life. People think I’m crazy, and maybe that’s true, but there are patterns—laws that the supernatural world follows. Death is hard to escape, especially if it knows what you look like. I’m sure that your Detra Ann is a wonderful person, that she doesn’t deserve this, but that doesn’t change the fact that she is in danger. Big-time danger.”

  “If what you say is true, that Death will come for her, then it will come for me too because I was with her. We fought this together. I refuse to abandon her now.”

  “Maybe you should tell me exactly what happened. If you don’t mind. Don’t leave anything out. Even small things can help.”

  For the next hour, Ashland and Carrie Jo caught her up. I shared any relevant bits that they missed but otherwise kept quiet. I was learning a lot too. For example, I never knew about Carrie Jo’s dream about Jeremiah Cottonwood and his vicious whip. How unusual that she woke up with the stripe of his whip on her leg. Ashland told us about his first encounter with Isla, and Carrie Jo shared her first dream about Calpurnia Cottonwood. Then we talked about the Moonlight Garden, the treasure, the ghosts of Jeremiah and David Garrett. They told her about the loss of Bette and Terrence Dale, how they saw Hoyt Page and Delilah and Christine. By the end of it, she had more questions, and we answered them as best we could.

  “Well, it’s obvious that Mobile is a hot spot for the supernatural and that Seven Sisters seems to be ground zero. Everything that’s happened to you all has centered around that house. But first, let’s deal with the practical things.” Lenore took Carrie Jo’s hands and stared at them. “Hmm…I never was any good at that. Palm reading, I mean. Let me look into your eyes.” She didn’t wait to be invited. She grabbed Carrie Jo’s wrists and stared deep into her eyes. I almost said something, but Ashland gave me a reassuring look.

  Lenore continued, “I know what you say is true about the battle you and Detra Ann did, but she’s the shade—not you. No ghost in there. I see only you. As far as your dream catching goes, before you go to sleep at night, you have to put the baby to sleep.” Carrie Jo laughed, but Lenore pressed on. “Your little one is who is causing you to wander into your husband’s dreams. That little boy will have the same powers his mother does, and maybe some of his father’s too. He is already dreaming about you and his daddy. You know more than you think you do, Mrs. Stuart. You didn’t have any problems before this, did you? I mean, you could sleep with your husband and drift right off to sleep, right?”

  “Yes, that’s true.”

  “It’s the baby. He can’t control his powers—he doesn’t even understand that he has them and that he is special. For a good night’s sleep, eat something bland before bed, no sodas or sugar, and sing to him. Sing until he goes to sleep. Then you can sleep without worry.”

  Carrie Jo nodded uncertainly but then smiled. “It’s better than anything I’ve come up with. I will give it a try.”

  Then Lenore turned her attention to Ashland. “Start telling your wife the truth about the things you see. Like when you saw that man in the car window…”

  “I didn’t tell anyone about that.” Ashland seemed surprised, and pink rose under his tanned skin.

  “It’s written on your face. You need to tell her, and you two have to work as a team. I don’t know what you have going in your life, but you need to make room for your gift—stop being ashamed of it. It’s not going away, and it is only going to get stronger, so be prepared for that. Ask God to help you.”

  “How do I do that?” He looked confused.

  “That’s up to you. Go out on your boat and reconnect with Him. He’ll help you. He will, I promise.”

  “So there’s no way to make this stop?”

  She shook her head emphatically.

  “Do I talk to these things or what?”

  “You can try, but I doubt they will say anything coherent—just look at what they look at. Pay attention to details. You won’t be able to help all of them, but you may be able to help some of them find their rest. I don’t have all the answers, but I know pretending it’s not happening is not a strategy that works.” She touched his cheek, and he didn’t back away. “One more thing, Ashland…”

  “Yes. What is it?�
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  “You don’t know it all yet. There’s something you haven’t figured out. You haven’t seen the complete truth, the whole truth, the so-help-you-God truth yet. Be prepared for it because the truth won’t be denied.”

  She turned to me with sad eyes. “Now I come to you, Henri Devecheaux. It has been too long since you said her name. She wonders why you do not pray for her, talk to her, look for her. I feel her around this place. Can you see her, Ashland?”

  “Not yet, but I sense that someone is very near to Henri.” He stared behind me and then shook his head. “No, she’s gone.”

  “That’s because you haven’t been looking for her.” It was more than a statement. It was an accusation. I felt ashamed and angry that she would bring up this subject right now. “You have to find her, Henri. Find her and bring her home so she can rest in peace. When you do, you’ll have peace yourself.”

  I stood up and glared at Lenore. “What if I don’t want to know what happened? What good will it do? That was over twenty years ago, Lenore. Am I supposed to spend every day of my life looking for her? I loved her, but she’s gone now and I have to let her go—so do you. You have to! I have to! I’ll go crazy if I think about it. Is that what you want? Me talking crazy, locked up somewhere?”

  “Aleezabeth! Aleezabeth! Can’t you even say her name? Quit calling her ‘she’ and ‘her.’ She was a living, breathing person—someone you loved!”

  “Fine! Aleezabeth! Are you happy?”

  Ashland waved his hand. “Um, guys. You said to start sharing. You have a visitor. Tall, olive-skinned girl with long brown hair, a pink skirt, pink knee socks and some kind of white school shirt. She’s in the corner of the room. She’s barely there.” He pointed toward the fireplace as if he were pointing at a clock or a picture, not a ghost. “Can you see her?”