Hallow House - Part Two (31 page)

"I think it's time I returned to Seattle. I'm too old to be away from home for long. Home is where the heart is and I've always loved Seattle."

"I'm sorry if you've felt lonesome."

"It's not that," Amanda said. "You see, the reason I've stayed on was for Ronal's sake. But now I can see he'll be well taken care of here."

"He doesn't need to be taken of." The words burst from Naomi before she thought.

"Oh, but he does. All men do, and Ronal more so than most."

Naomi had thought to enlist Amanda's help in her campaign to make Ronal see what was best for him, but it was pretty clear she'd come to the wrong place.

"He'll be leaving for Harvard soon, anyway," she said.

"That's as may be, dear."

"He said he was going," Naomi persisted. Which he had, when he first came, so it wasn't a lie.

"I think he'll try. He worked hard enough to get accepted there."

"You do want him to go, don't you?"

"Whatever he wishes," Amanda said. "There's money enough for him to do whatever he wants."

"Don't you think it's wise for him to go ahead with what he set out to do in the first place?"

"I never interfere." Amanda gave Naomi a penetrating look. "I've found allowing Ronal to go his own way is best for both of us. The older I become, the less I try to manipulate."

"I wouldn't call encouraging someone to do what they'd planned manipulation," Naomi said.

"Perhaps not, dear. But Ronal is what they call a passive resister. You'd do well to keep that in mind."

Later in the day, Naomi found her mother was even less help when she brought up the subject of Ronal.

"I'll like to see him stay here," Vera said. "I know I'm selfish. But I need him and I'm sure he'd fit into the business. Brian could certainly use another young man among all those graybeard he has to deal with. Ronal is very knowledgeable and not a bit pushy."

"But you're not thinking what's best for him. He wants to be a lawyer."

"Does he? I didn't get that impression from talking to him. His grandfather and father were attorneys and I think Ronal feels he should keep up tradition. I didn't sense a consuming desire on his part."

"But Harvard--"

"Is a prestigious eastern institution, yes. I don't think Ronal cares about that. He likes Hallow House. He could make his headquarters here, while Brian handles things in San Francisco."

"Ronal told me he liked the ocean."

Vera gave her a level look. "What's gotten into you, Naomi? You seem to be pleading a case Ronal doesn't subscribe to. Or am I wrong? Does he speak differently to you?"

"Not exactly," Naomi admitted.

"I had the impression both you and Katrina were quite taken with Ronal. I should think you'd like having him here when you come home on vacation from St. Bianca instead of off in Massachusetts."

"Mama, I don't want to go to Bianca. Why can't you just send Katrina there and let me--"

"It's only for a year. Then you two can go to Stanford if you wish. You and Katrina have been protected here-- overprotected, perhaps--because your father was so fearful of anything happening to you. I think you need a year to accustom yourselves to being away from Hallow House."

"I want to get away from protection," Naomi cried. "From here, from California. I want to go with Ronal to Massachusetts." She stopped, angry at herself for letting that slip out.

Vera shook her head. "That would not be possible and you know it. I do need Ronal here and I hope he'll stay, but part of the reason I'd like him to stay is unselfish. This place is a haven and he needs time to recover from his terrible experience in Korea. I've heard law school is tremendously competitive. He's not ready for that. Nor is he ready for any kind of commitment with you or Katrina. You've always rushed into things, Naomi. This time you must not."

No one understands, Naomi thought. They all want to coddle him.

"Why don't you drive into town and spend the week-end with Samara?" Vera suggested. "I think you need a change of scene."

Some change, Naomi told herself. But then she decided she might be able to talk to Kevin, who'd been none too happy about Ronal staying on at Hallow House. Kevin could prove to be an ally.

As Naomi parked in Samara's drive, Ivan ran out the door to greet her, his puppy at his heels. At two and a half, he jabbered all the time.

"Nomie," he shouted, clutching her around the legs. "Nomie play with me."

Ivan never seemed to have the slightest trouble telling which twin he was talking to, unlike many adults. Naomi picked him up. "Hey, you're getting to be a big boy."

"Big boy," he repeated happily, squirming to get down. That evening, after she'd had returned from taking Ivan to the park to feed the ducks, Samara led her son off to take a bath, giving Naomi her chance to talk to Kevin.

"Did you know Mama's decided to send us to St. Bianca, instead of letting us go to Stanford?" she asked.

"Samara told me. I know how you feel, but don't expect me to--"

"I'm not asking you to interfere. What concerns me is that Mama's also encouraging Ronal to stay on and not go to law school at Harvard. Did you hear that?"

"I thought she might."

"Are you going to do anything about it?"

Kevin shrugged. "I was wrong, I admit it. I thought the guy might be a fortune hunter, hanging on with a rich window, but when Brian and I had him checked out we found Amanda and he had more than enough money. His grandfather was a judge and so--"

"The money's not important," she cut in. "Don't you see that Mama's asking him to give up what he wants to do just to help her?"

Kevin raised his eyebrows. "I'm sure he'll do exactly what he wishes to. Ronal struck me as being able to make up his own mind. He stayed on at Hallow House despite my displeasure at the time. That took courage."

"He was in prison camp in Korea," she said. "He isn't quite over what happened to him there."

"Vera told me about his nervousness when he hears sudden noises, especially bells," Kevin's hand lifted to touch his scarred face. "I don't know if I would've survived the brainwashing he went through. He's a tough young man; he'll do okay."

"I know that, but he doesn't think he's courageous. He's afraid he won't be able to compete at law school."

"He may be right, in which case he'd be better off going into the business. He's already got a degree in accounting."

"But you don't understand."

Kevin gave her a level look. "Just what do you expect of me, Naomi? I can see you're very concerned with Ronal's future. Why? Are you in love with him?"

"I think so."

"How does he feel?"

She shook her head, "He doesn't want to get married yet."

"I should hope not--not to you, anyway. You're barely eighteen."

"Johanna was--"

"Don't start on Johanna and Brian. We all know their case was special. And, anyway, she's going to Stanford besides being married. You know you wouldn't be happy living at Hallow House even married to Ronal. Aren't you the girl who's always wanted to get away, to see the world?"

"But if Ronal goes to Harvard--"

"If he goes to law school and is worried whether he'll manage there, a new wife is a burden he doesn't need. Use your head. Apparently he's using his."

The next day, when Naomi tried to talk to Samara, she found that her older sister had her own announcement to make. "...we're hoping it's a girl this time. I'd like to name her Vera."

"Mama'll be so pleased," Naomi said. "You don't look very big--when will the baby be born?"

"Not until January. Up until now I've been afraid Ivan would be an only child."

As Naomi stroked the calico cat on her lap, Ivan's pup stood on his hind legs against her chair and barked jealously.

"Get down, Jinks, Samara ordered. "Honestly, sometimes this place is like a zoo."

"I wonder why whenever had a dog or cat when we were little," Naomi said. "I remember asking Mama for a kitten once, but I didn't get it."

Samara rose and shooed the pup outside. When she reseated herself, Naomi eyed her curiously.

"Was there some reason there were no animals at Hallow House?" she asked. "You don't seem to want to talk about it."

"My mother had a cat," Samara said. "A big black tom called Diablo. Mean. No one could touch him except her."

"I think I remember someone mentioning that. I'd forgotten."

"The cat died when she did in that horrible room, I think Daddy couldn't bear the thought of cats after that. And dogs--well, they wouldn't come inside Hallow House. I remember when we were little, my brother and I, how Stan Aarons brought us a German shepherd pup. She cried all night and acted so spooked that Stan decided she was sick and took her back to the kennel."

"Maybe she was sick."

Samara shook her head. "I don't know if you remember Jose--he was our handyman before Pedro. Jose had two dogs. He couldn't even get them half-way up the path to the house. When I used to play with them out by the stables, they were friendly and happy enough.

"Another time a Russian friend of Aunt Adele's from Chicago came to see her. She had to leave her Pomeranian with Jose while she visited. It frothed at the mouth and nearly died inside the house."

"Why do you think?"

"I know. It's that awful room. It infects the entire house."

Chapter 41

Sitting in her living room with Naomi across from her, Samara took a deep breath before saying, "You don't know how relieved I was when Daddy boarded up the black door. But I think he'd have done better to have the room torn out completely."

Naomi thought uneasily of the secret passage from the north tower to Tabitha's room. "Do you believe in the Gregory curse?" she asked.

"I don't know. Something
is
wrong with Hallow House Adele told us--Sergei and me--that only when the house was destroyed would the curse be satisfied. She frightened me half to death. I remember her sitting in her rocker with Theola fussing around like she always did, Sergei was fascinated with her tales, but they made me afraid."

"What did Adele say?"

"Destruction. Death and destruction mark the end. Then something about how the house would crumble and lie with the headless bones."

"That
is
scary," Naomi said.

"I always thought so. But Sergei...." Samara broke off and shook her head. "He read those journals of Tabitha's over and over and I know he had one he'd found somewhere, one he never showed anyone. I was just as glad because I wanted no part of any of them. I wish I could forget what he did make me learn--the entire curse:

"By the gate the two wolves lie

Of children two, the one must die.

God hears not the prayers you send

Death and destruction mark the end
."

After a moment, chilled by the words, Naomi said, "That's a terrible curse."

"Sergei relished it."

His name was so rarely mentioned that Naomi had trouble saying it aloud. "Sergei--Daddy accidentally shot him, didn't he?"

Samara, her eyes fixed on something far away, nodded. "He was my twin brother, but he hated me. He hated everyone."

Twins. Naomi sometimes forgot Samara had had a twin brother. How different from Katrina and her. Hating Katrina would be like hating herself. She'd never do that.

"I haven't thought about Sergei for a long time," Samara said. "Let's talk about something else."

Naomi was more than willing. "What do you think of Ronal?"

"He's a good-looking man. Kevin says you're in love with him, too."

"Too?" Naomi echoed.

"The last time I talked to Katrina, she told me how wonderful Ronal was. She said she'd never the feel the same about anyone else. I told her...." Samara paused and Naomi wondered what made her look sad.

"I told Katrina love comes more than once and not to give herself too readily to any man. Now I'm telling you the same, but I suppose neither of you will listen."

When Naomi returned to Hallow House she found Amanda and Ronal preparing to leave with everyone gathered in the foyer saying farewell.

"Not for good, I hope," she said, alarmed.

"No, I'll be back," Ronal said. "But Grandma insists it's time for her to go home and I'd never let her travel alone. I'm taking her back to Seattle."

"Fish and company stink after three days," Amanda said. "That's an adage we all would do well to remember. I've stayed long over my quota."