Standing, Caleb hooked his thumbs in his vest pockets and started to pace. "Ours had been an arranged marriage, one advantageous to both our families, and neither she nor I were allowed any choice in the matter."

"Thank G.o.d we don't do stupid things like that anymore," Carolyn said. Who knows whom Mother would have saddled me with.

"Our customs may appear strange to you, but arranged marriages were common place in our society. I knew Caroline socially before our engagement, we even liked each other to some degree, or so I thought. Apparently, our small attraction was not enough to make our marriage work though. Not long after announcing our Bans in church, she changed from the shy, reserved woman I knew to one who was insanely jealous. She constantly accused me of having affairs with practically every woman in town. I did my best to persuade her that her suspicions were unfounded and thought I succeeded, until that wench Ellie tried to ruin our marriage. I could understand her wanting rid of her husband, the man was worthless and a drunkard. He was supposed to be a gardener, yet he could not tell the difference between a black-eyed Susan and a dandelion.

"Not long after Caroline and I returned from our honeymoon, Ellie began making her unwanted advances. Ellie said she wanted me to leave Caroline for her, only I would not, could not. At the time, I hoped to make my marriage with Caroline work. Even if I couldn't, I would never cheat on her, my upbringing prevented me from doing something so vile. She was my wife, for better or worse, until death do us part."

Carolyn knew in her heart Caleb was an honorable man, and she believed in his innocence. "I don't know if I can help or not, Caleb, but I promise to do everything in my power to release you from this curse."

Caleb took her hand once again, kissed her fingers tenderly, saying, "Your words give me hope, my dear. Even if you are unable to break this spell I am under, please do not blame Caroline. She could not help being the way she was."

"Oh, Caleb, I think I'm falling in love with you," Carolyn blurted out. "Now, please leave so I can wake up. I need to talk with a friend I think can help us."

Misty tentacles swirled from the thick hedges to engulf Caleb, his handsome features dissolving before her eyes. Carolyn stretched and stood as dead leaves and dirt filled the fountain pool again. All was as they should be, except for the longing in her heart.

Did I just tell a ghost I loved him? The instant she asked herself, she knew she did love him, deeply and madly. She also knew she had to mend fences with her neighbor, Sarah. Following the path back to her house, Carolyn went inside to find every door and window open, and Maggie's dead plant sitting on the counter again.

"What the h.e.l.l?" Knowing Caleb didn't do this, Carolyn walked through the house, looking for the culprit who did, closing the doors and windows as she went. Finding no one in the house except for Chester, whom she found locked in a spare bedroom, hiding under a chair covered with an old, dusty sheet, mewing pitifully.

Picking Chester up, Carolyn stroked and soothed him. "What's going on here, buddy? Is there a second ghost?" she asked softly, her eyes nervously glancing about the room.

Going back downstairs, she set him on the kitchen floor, opened a can of tuna fish, and put fresh water in his bowl. "I have to go across the street for a minute. Will you be okay?" Chester meowed once and began eating. "I'll take that as a yes."

A minute later, Carolyn knocked on Sarah's door. Sarah opened the door, brus.h.i.+ng at a flour-streaked cheek. "h.e.l.lo, sweetie, I was expecting you. Come in."

"Mrs. Burns, I wanted to apologize for yesterday."

"Oh, no need, child. I understand perfectly. Would you like some cookies? They're fresh out of the oven?"

The aroma from the recently baked ginger snaps tantalized Carolyn's nose. "Yes, I would, thank you very much. I, uh, also wanted to ask you a favor."

"Anything you want, my dear. Come, sit." Sarah walked back into the kitchen.

Over the next hour, and a plate of cookies and milk, Carolyn told Sarah her experiences since she moved in. Sarah sat at complete attention to Carolyn's story, nodding and listening intently. When Carolyn finished, Sarah asked, "You say you performed one of Ester's spells and the spell worked?"

"Yes, and I am amazed at how fast it worked too. Those spells can come in handy at times."

"I am amazed the spell worked at all. The spells you found in her desk, Ester made those up for foolish town folk who came to her looking for an easy way to get rich or to make someone fall in love with them. Ester called them placebo spells." Sarah shook her head. "Ester was a very knowledgeable witch. She knew more about witchcraft than anyone I know, and not even she could make her real spells work every time. For you to make a fake spell work means you are an extremely powerful witch, even stronger than Ester."

"Does it matter if I didn't read the spell exactly as Grandmother wrote?"

"What do you mean, Carolyn?"

"Well, the spell just didn't seem right for some reason, so I changed the wording a smidge," Carolyn said with a sheepish grin, holding up a thumb a forefinger that almost touched.

"And the spell felt right after you reworded it?"

"Yes. I don't why. It just did."

"Oh my, you are a natural. There is nothing for you to be embarra.s.sed about, my dear. You should be very proud of your abilities. Now, you asked if I could do you a favor?"

"I'm not really sure if you can help me or not, this is all so new to me. I promised Caleb I would try to break the spell he is under, only I don't have the faintest idea as to where to start."

"I see. What you are talking about doing takes strong magic, possibly even black magic. Magic I don't possess. Ester might have or possibly knew where to find the correct spells." Sarah stood, dusted off her ap.r.o.n, and said, "We'll just sneak a peek at her Book of Shadows and find out for ourselves."

"Book of what?"

"Shadows, my dear. The book where all witches keep their best spells, incantations, and lore."

"I found some loose papers in her desk, no book. Maybe she kept the book on a shelf in the library?"

"She would never leave her book there. Did you look by her altar?"

"Grandmother had an altar?"

"Yes, sweetie, in her sacred place in the bas.e.m.e.nt."

"Oh, I haven't had time to look down there yet. I've enough to keep me busy upstairs as it is." And who knows what horrors that dungeon holds?

"Well then, it's about time you did."

"You're the expert. So, what other secrets does the house hold for me?"

Sarah's grin was foreboding when she replied, "Oh, you'll find out. In due time."

The single bulb at the foot of the bas.e.m.e.nt stairs did little to light their way. Sarah led Carolyn past the gas furnace, around piles of boxes, old trunks, and more cobwebs than Carolyn wanted to think about having to clean. Sarah stopped next to the rear wall, reached up, and pulled down on one of the coat hooks, causing a short section of the cement block wall to swing open.

"Come, my dear. This is your grandmother's sacred place."

Sarah went in first and began lighting the wall sconces without the use of matches or a lighter. Carolyn took a moment to adjust to the dim light before stepping inside. The huge room looked carved out of solid rock. The cave-like chamber was empty except for a large stone slab supported by matching stone pillars at each end, sitting in the center of the floor. Looks like a mini Stonehenge. Running her hands along the stone's smooth surface, she asked, Grandmother's altar, I imagine?"

"Yes, child. And there is her Book of Shadows sitting on the corner."

The book was beyond ancient, emanating a power Carolyn could sense before she even put her hand on the tome. Engraved on the well-worn cover was the figure of a woman dressed in a flimsy frock, dancing in an open meadow. She wore a garland of flowers in her hair, and a full moon shone high above her.

"She is the Moon G.o.ddess," Sarah said from behind her. "The Moon G.o.ddess was the source of Ester's powers. You understand, my dear, every witch draws from an element of nature to perform her magic. There are six elements; the Sun, the Moon, the Earth, Fire, Air, and Water. Each element has a Spirit. Mine is the G.o.ddess of Fire."

"Now I know how you were able to get the fireplace burning so quick yesterday and light those candles just now."

Sarah smiled. "You're beginning to understand."

Carolyn and Sarah took the book upstairs where the light was better and spent the next few hours poring through the ancient pages, searching for a way to save Caleb. Each entry handwritten and most of the pages yellowed with age, the faded ink making some words and pa.s.sages very difficult, if not impossible, to read. They did find a few spells and incantations to reverse a spell cast by another witch, but nothing specific to their need.

Sarah leaned back, removed her gla.s.ses, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "That is quite enough for one day, Carolyn. All this reading is giving me a headache. Can we pick this up again tomorrow? If that is all right with you?"

"I'm sorry, Sarah. I lost all track of time. You go on home and rest. I think I'd like to keep reading for a while. This is all so fascinating."

"Suit yourself, sweetie. Your eyes are younger than mine."

Bidding Sarah a good night, Carolyn, with Chester trailing after her, secured every door and window in the house. She made her last stop the kitchen to put on one last pot of coffee. While she waited, Carolyn made herself a turkey sandwich; then, with a guilty, self-indulgent afterthought, added a large slice of leftover pie to the tray. Tucking Ester's book under her arm, Carolyn carried her late night supper to her bedroom. Snuggling under the cover, she settled in to do more reading, hoping she would fall asleep and Caleb would come to her in her dreams.

Reading for a few hours produced no new clues, only a few stifled yawns. Deciding to call it a night, she reached to turn off the bedside lamp as a crash emanated from downstairs. Chester, curled at her feet, slept soundly while Carolyn focused on the steps creaking, groaning under someone's weight. Thinking she had an intruder, Carolyn grabbed her phone and dialed 9-1-1.

Chapter Three.

"Harrisonville Police. What is the nature of your emergency?" a bored sounding woman asked.

Carolyn's voice shook as she replied, "This is Carolyn Waters. I think someone broke into my house."

"Are you in the house right now?"

"Yes, I am."

"You live at two one two Meadow Lane?"

"Yes, I do."

"I've dispatched a car to your location, Miss. He will be there in a couple minutes."

"Thank you."

"Where in the house are you?"

"I'm in my bedroom on the second floor. Can you tell him to hurry? I hear someone coming down the hall."

"Is the bedroom door locked?"

"No."

"Lock it and don't open it for anyone but the officer."

Carolyn dropped the phone, jumped from her bed, rushed to the door, and turned the key. Quickly, she ran back to the bed, diving under the covers. Picking the phone back up, she asked, "h.e.l.lo? Are you still there?"

"Yes, I am, Miss. I will stay on the line with you until the officer gets there."

"Oh, thank you. Oh, no! I hear him at my door now. Oh, no, the door handle is turning, he's coming in. What do I do now?"

The door swung open. A woman dressed in white stood in the doorway, her face hidden behind a lace veil and wearing the same dress as the one Caroline had on in the portrait downstairs. The woman's hand raised, a gnarled finger pointing at Carolyn. "Get out," she said in a long, drawn out, shrill voice. "Get out of my house."

Oh, no. Aunt Caroline is coming to get me for making love to her husband!

Carolyn instinctively reached to her nightstand, desperately searching for something, anything to throw. Her fingers wrapped around a small round vase, and threw it at the ghostly figure, striking the apparition in the head. The woman in white staggered back a step then ran away as a shrill, pulsating siren shattered the night air.

Carolyn ran to the still open door and peered into the hall. The woman had vanished. Chester raced pa.s.sed her and down the stairs just as Carolyn heard an insistent pounding on her front door and a deep male voice shouting, "Police. Open the door."

Cautiously, Carolyn crept downstairs. When she didn't see the strange woman anywhere, Carolyn sprinted to the door to let the officer in.

"Are you all right, Miss?" he asked.

"Yes, I think so."

"You called about an intruder?"

"I did. I think she was a...a woman." Carolyn had enough sense about her not to say a jealous ghost broke into her bedroom. She didn't want to spend the rest of the night in a padded cell.

"You saw her?"

"Yes. She came into my bedroom. I hit her with a vase and she ran off."

"Do you know where she went?"

"No. She sort of disappeared."

The officer's concerned expression changed to disbelief. "Disappeared?"

"Yes. I don't know how to explain any better than that. By the time I got to the hallway, she was gone."

"Okay, Miss. Try to remain calm. Stay here while I check the house and make sure the perp is gone."

The officer pulled his service revolver and a flashlight and began searching the upstairs first, then the main floor. "Is this door always open?"

"No. That's the door to the bas.e.m.e.nt. I always keep that closed, and I know I locked all the doors before I went to bed."

The officer nodded before he went down the steps, re-emerging moments later. "All clear down there. Whoever she was, she's gone now," he said as he holstered his pistol.

"You're sure?" Carolyn asked.

"Yes. She or he is gone. Excuse me for a minute." The officer clicked on the mic attached to his s.h.i.+rt collar. "Sally?"

"Go ahead, Chief."

"Get Herman out of bed and send him right over, will you?"

"Sure thing, Chief."

Smiling, the officer extended his hand to Carolyn. "Herman is our C.S.I., Miss...Waters?"

Taking his hand, she replied, "Yes, Carolyn Waters. And you are?"

"Chief Eric Rose. Don't you own a store in town?"

"Yes, I do, Herbs and More."