The Keepers

Chapter 17

"Well, well, well. Fancy this. You're just who I was looking for." Standing aside, Ezra motioned for the duo to pass just as Sam poked his head into the dining room.

"Hyde's running late, but . . . he should be here soon." The blonde, young man struggled to catch his breath as he addressed his brother.

Ezra grimaced. "It figures he'd leave us to clean up this mess." He raked his long fingers through his wavy, dark hair with a sigh. "No bother. Come along."

Josie grabbed Marcus' hand, using the boy as both moral and physical support against the unknown. The same ominous sensation she felt when meeting Ezra for the first time ran through her body once again. Unlike before, now there was a reason for him to be cross with her, and the unavoidable consequences were just moments away.

Josie's legs shook as she followed Ezra into the adjacent parlor. She quickly sat on the floral sofa with her fingers still entwined with her only ally, which only made her more aware of Great Aunt Donatella's absence.

Standing in front of them with his legs spread and arms crossed, Ezra sternly looked down the bridge of his nose. "Who are you, and how did you get in here?" He glowered at Marcus.

The boy drooped his shoulders and sank further into the cushions. "The name's Marcus Mayweather, sir. And I climbed over the fence, you see-"

"You invited him in?" Ezra addressed Josie before the boy could finish.

The girl bit her lip and squeezed her companion's sweaty hand even harder. "Yes." The small word was barely audible as it rushed past her lips.

"And why would you do that, Josephine?" The young man's voice became disproportionately louder as he used her full name for the first time.

"I . . . I . . .." She hesitated as no good reasons came to mind. With Ezra still waiting for an answer, she cleared her throat and tried again. "He was alone and looked lost."

Ezra uncrossed his arms, thrust his hands into his pockets, and began pacing. "Alone and lost." He scoffed. "So you thought it would be a good idea to let a complete stranger into a house that wasn't even your own?"

Josie knew there was no satisfactory response to that question, so she drew her lips into a thin line to keep from saying something foolish. Instead of becoming even angrier, however, the young man stopped in front of her, crouched down, and took both of her hands in his. For some reason, Josie expected them to be cold, but Ezra's hands were in fact much warmer than her own.

"I know you meant no harm and were just trying to do right by the boy." He looked her in the eyes and forced a smile, which made the hair on Josie's neck stand on end. While his face remained handsome, there was something sinister about the act. "But this place isn't for him. Marcus had another destination and you bringing him here, well that might have caused some problems."

"Problems?" Josie's eyes widened at the first mention of a negative outcome, no matter how vague it was.

Without moving his head, Ezra glanced sideways, and Josie followed his gaze toward the boy. Marcus was still sitting and politely listening just inches away, but Ezra continued to speak of him as though he weren't even there. "Did you notice anything strange after he stepped onto the property, Josie?"

The girl pursed her lips and tilted her head. "Strange? How so?"

"Did Marcus say or do anything out of the ordinary during your day together?" The young man exceedingly rushed his words, losing his patience.

Josie quickly recalled their antics with the cat on the grand staircase and the chase from the raven in the conservatory before they ended up in the music room. "I'm not sure," she said weakly.

"Don't be afraid, Josie. This is important," Ezra urged, squeezing her hands in a way that signaled coercion rather than reassurance.

Josie looked at Marcus and then back at Ezra. "Well, he did play the piano for an awful long time. It was quite beautiful at first. He's really good, too. Didn't need any sheet music at all. But then . . .."

"Go on." Ezra's eyes seemingly sparkled from anticipation in spite of the weak candlelight illuminating the room.

"It was as if he was lost in the music." Josie began. "And not in a good way, like when Sarah Bernhardt loses herself in Faust. No, Marcus was different. He was just . . . gone."

"I see." Ezra nodded. "Was there anything else?"

Josie shook her head. "No. We were in the upstairs corridor afterwards, and he was swinging this big sword, but he was just playing." She rattled off, but Ezra put up his hand.

"Wait, Josie. Did Marcus attack you?"

"No, I already told you. He was pretending."

"Did you know he was pretending?"

Josie frowned.

"So you thought he wanted to hurt you."

She reluctantly nodded.

"Do you believe us now, Donatella?" Ezra rose and turned toward the doorway. "It's happened in just a few hours' time."

Josie gasped; she hadn't even noticed her Great Aunt's arrival. The woman was standing silently just within earshot, adjusting the sleeve of her red cloak.

"So I hear," she replied curtly, stepping out of the shadows. "Which makes Hyde's presence all the more urgent. Do you know what's keeping . . .?"

The heavy creaking of the entry door interrupted, followed by two sets of urgent footsteps. Within seconds, both Sam Mollick and the errant doctor were standing in the parlor's entrance.

"Forgive me, Donatella. I had business in town, but came as quickly as I could." He tossed his bowler onto a side table and slipped off his snow-covered overcoat.

Josie wrinkled her brows at the sight of the tiny white flakes falling to the ornate Oriental carpet below. Just that morning, it had been sunny and warm, unseasonably pleasant, in fact. How long had she and Marcus been cavorting inside for the weather to turn so violently?

Hyde stepped toward the children on the sofa, but Donatella interrupted. "Perhaps you'd like to examine the boy in a more private environment. I'm heading out for the night, you can use my quarters." She offered.

"Excellent." The man nodded. "Come along, Marcus."

The doctor and Ezra ushered the boy out of the room by the time Josie had gathered her wits. Jumping off the sofa and rushing across the parlor, she addressed her Great Aunt for the first time since the woman's appearance.

"You're leaving?" Josie asked hesitantly.

Donatella smiled and wiped a stray lock off the girl's forehead. "Yes, but it's quite all right. I'll be back by morning. And Sam will be here." She looked over her shoulder to the young man inconspicuously loitering in the background.

"What about the others? I didn't see any of the other guests from last night." Josie was finally able to ask what had been on her mind all day.

"Eliza and Morrigan left soon after the séance. Mrs. Blackburn had also taken her leave by this morning," Donatella answered the query without providing any specific information.

Josie swallowed. "And Marcus? Will he be all right?"

The woman turned more serious. "Don't worry about him, Josie. The boy will be on his way soon."

Josie didn't like the ominous sound of those words. "Can I at least say good-bye?"

"I'm afraid not, my dear. Your friend is secure until it is time for him to go." Donatella reached over her shoulders with both hands and pulled the hood of her cloak over her dark hair.

"What do you mean secure? Is there a threat against Marcus while he's in this place?" Josie felt as though the pieces were starting to fall in place.

"Oh, darling girl." The woman sighed. "You still don't see what's right in front of you?" Josie looked at her blankly, so Donatella continued. "Being here may have made your friend act unlike himself today, but the real threat is what his presence is doing to you."