Malevolent Hall 1666AD (29 page)

When they re-emerged, Matilda lifted her head from Mike’s chest.

“Where are we?” he asked.

“The quarry, 31
st
October 1666AD,” she replied.

“They day of the enchantment,” he said.

“Yes.  We must find Richard and kill him before he kills Eric and Matilda of this time.  It’s the only way to stop him.”  Hearing a noise behind her, she spun around.

“It’s Eric!” she cried.  Eric lay on the ground, his throat bleeding, and his face cut and burned, he was struggling to rise to his feet.

“Hurry, we don’t have much time,” she said, grabbing Mike’s arm.

They ran past Eric, and he glanced up at them.

“Help me!” he yelled, but knowing he would not die they ignored him, and continued towards the cave.

“Oh no, we’re too late,” Mike, said grabbing at Matilda’s arm.

Richard stood ahead of them, and Tilly of the past sat on the stone throne.

“No I’m not,” she whispered.  “Ilcarnordar,” she chanted and in an instant, she switched places with Tilly of the past.

Richard cursed at her and plunged the dagger deep into Matilda’s stomach.  She cried aloud, her eyes locking on to his.

“Tilly - no!” Mike screamed from behind him.  Richard spun around, surprise covering his face when he saw Tilly of the past standing next to him.  He turned back to her.

“Who are you?” he growled, at the woman who looked like Tilly, yet was not.

Her face grimaced as blood poured from the dagger lodged in her stomach and seeped through the white gown.  Matilda drew a painful breath and bravely wiped the blood from her mouth.

“You know who I am, Richard,” she cursed, “you killed everyone I have ever loved.”  She shot him a venomous glance, and in one swift movement, pulled the dagger from her stomach and plunged it upwards into Richard’s heart.  She held it fast, twisting and turning it deeper into him.

“You will kill no more, go back to hell you son of a bitch,” she cursed.

Richard stumbled backwards; his hand pulling to the dagger in his chest he collapsed to the floor.

Tilly of the past stared stunned at what was going on.  She glanced at Mike, and then to Eric who had staggered into the cavern joining.

Mike ran to Tilly.

“Tilly, oh my god, Tilly, what have you done?” he cried his shaking hand touching her blood soaked gown.

“Is he dead, Mike make sure,” she begged.  He spun around and hurried to Richard.  Anger surged through his veins and he reached down and pulled out the dagger of his chest.  With a quick swipe of the blade, he slit Richard’s throat almost decapitating him.

“That’s for Matilda,” he hissed, before discarding the dagger and hurrying back to her.

He drew Matilda into his arms.

“Yes my love, he’s dead,” Mike confirmed.

“We did it, Mike,” she mumbled.

“We did my love, we did,” he replied, blinking his tears.

“Mike you’re fading,” Matilda mumbled.  “Am I dying?”

“You’ve change our past, Tilly,” he said.  “We didn’t die in our past therefore none of this has ever happened.  We never existed.”

“You mean, after all this, I’m going to lose you,” she wept, her hand lifting and touching the side of his face. Mike’s soothing hand stroked her cheek in response.

“Tilly, now Richard’s dead what happened when you were eleven no longer has.  Your family were not murdered, and your parents are most probably still alive in some bizarre alternative time.”

“Mike, I love you, I don’t want you to go,” she sobbed.

“I love you, my brave, brave, Tilly,” he wept.

“Mike, you’re fading!” she screamed as his image began to disappear.

“So are you, Tilly.”  He glanced across to their other selves and they held each other tightly as they watched.

“Look, we are together,” he said.

“Not in our future,” she cried.  He turned back to her, weaved his fingers through hers, and clasped them to his heart.

“We were made for each other you and I.  Tilly, I promise I will find you, no matter where you are nothing will stop me from finding you,” he said, and he smiled tearfully.  “I won’t ever forget you.”

She vanished before him, and he before her.

Tilly and Eric of the past watched as the ghosts that had saved them disappeared.

“They looked like us,” Tilly said as he pulled her into his arms.

“I think they were us,” Eric replied, “and I am grateful to them, as now with Richard gone we can be together,” he said.

“We must burn his body,” Tilly urged, “to stop the darkness from taking him.”

“We shall,” he confirmed. He released her and knelt before her.

“But first, Matilda Alice Rhiamon, would you do the honour of becoming my wife?” Eric proposed.

“Yes, Eric,” Matilda said joyfully.  He jumped to his feet, swept her into his arms, and kissed her.

Matilda laughed.

“Teddy, seriously you are impossible!” she said.  “Hang on a minute I can hear a car.”  She put the phone down on the hall table and walked to the window.  Peering through the mullion window she watched the white van pull up outside.   She smiled, walked back, and picked up the phone.

“Teddy, he’s here.  Yes, I will let you know but I still reckon it will be around three million.  Oh, shut up, I’ll pay for it out of my share you tight fisted bastard,” she laughed.  “Yeah, I love you too.  Have a good week at school. I’ll see you next weekend and don’t forget it’s Aunt May and Uncle Tom’s anniversary so wear something half decent.  They’re coming for dinner.”  As she hung up, the doorbell rang.  “He’s here mum, I’ll get it,” she called walking towards the front door.

“Okay dear, I’ll wait in the lounge,” her mother called back.

As she walked towards the door, she glanced to the coats heaped on the floor.  She shook her head, whenever her brother was home for the weekend she always had to clear up his mess.  She lifted her hand and with a sweep of her magic, the coats flew from the floor and hung back on the rack.

She took a deep breath, fluffed up her hair, fussed with her dress, and opened the door.  The first thing that hit her was his aftershave as it wafted over her, filling her senses with a familiarity that sent her heart racing into palpitations.

As he turned, his eyes caught and held hers, and for a moment, she rendered him speechless.

“Hi, Mike Tovenaar, Tovenaar restorations,” he said finally managing to draw himself away from her bewitching eyes.  She was beautiful, and for some inexplicable reason his heart trembled and a wave of pleasurable tingles shot through his entire body.  “Miss Blackford,” he said, giving her a smile as he held out his hand.

“Erm, no it’s Matilda Rhiamon,” she correct, and as she took his hand, the flowers on the windowsill suddenly bloomed and a sparkle of magic filled the air.

“Oh, I’m sorry I just assumed your father was Professor Blackford,” he apologised.

“Yes, he was.  In my family, the women keep their maiden names.  I kept my mother’s,” she explained, and she glanced to his van as movement caught her eye.

“Oh you have a dog,” she said noticing as the dog’s head hung out of the open window.

Mike turned and looked towards his van.

“Yes, a collie, he’s called Parker,” he told her.

“I love dogs, he can come in if you like,” she offered.

“Really, okay thanks,” he said giving her another smile.  He turned, and whistled.

“Parker, here boy,” he called.  Parker’s ears pricked up at the sound of his master, and he jumped out of the window and bounded over to them.

“He’s gorgeous.  Hello, Parker,” she said squatting down and fussing him.  Parker licked her face and she chuckled.

She rose back to her feet, and her hand gestured towards the foyer.

“Please come in,” she said, stepping back.  Her eyes lingered on him as he walked into the foyer.

“It’s such a beautiful Hall,” he said, glancing at her.  “You know my father sent me here eleven years ago to drop off a quote, but he never proceeded with it.”

“Yes, well daddy was rather reluctant to spend any money, unlike me,” she replied.  Mike gave her a sympathetic smile.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” he said.  He had read about the professor’s recent and sudden death from a heart attack in the papers.  Mike was quite aware that Matilda and her brother Edward had inherited his hidden fortune of over twenty-six million pounds.

“Thank you,” she replied.  “I found your father’s quotes and his plans in my father’s study, that’s why I called you.”  She stopped, and looked at him.  “I’m sorry about what happened to your parents.”

“Thank you, and thank you for considering my company for your renovations.”

“I just love what your father had done.  Since the fire in the west wing, we only use this half of the Hall and it’s such a waste.  I’ve been away for a few years, and well the place has fallen into a terrible state I’m afraid.”  She stopped at the lounge door.

“Mike, can I ask you something personal?” she said.  Mike raised an eyebrow at her.

“Sure,” he replied.

“Have we met before somewhere?” she asked.  He gave her a smile that just melted her heart.

“I just had that same thought, Miss Rhiamon.”  Matilda gave a chuckle.

“Please, just call me Matilda,” she said.

As she entered the living room, Mike glanced over his shoulder.  A little frown creased his forehead as he stared at the couple standing on the stairs.  It was almost like looking at a double of him and Matilda.  He smiled as if a memory within him suddenly awoke.  They smiled back at him, and the woman leaned into the arms of the man.  He wrapped his arm around her, drew her in closer, and gave Mike a gentle nod of his head.

“Mum, this is Mike,” she said entering the dayroom.

She was watching the news on the TV. “And this is Parker,” she added, as the dog bounded over to her.

“Welcome to our home, Mike,” her mother said, and she hit the mute button on the TV as she offered Mike a seat on the sofa beside her.  She stroked Parker as he sat himself in front of her.  Mike sat and glanced to the door.

“Will the others be joining us?” he asked.

“Others?” she questioned, with a shake of her head.  “There’s only my mother and I living here at the moment.  My brother pops home at the weekend from school, but the renovation is going to be my baby so we don’t need to worry about him.”  Matilda studied his face, and she could see he was lost in thought.

“Mum, do you mind making a pot of tea?” she asked.

“Of course not, dear.  Do you take milk and sugar, Mike?” she asked.

“Just milk,” Matilda replied answering for him.  “Oh, erm sorry,” she mumbled, when she realised what she had said.

“Yes, just milk, please, Mrs Rhiamon,” he replied, and he arched his eyebrow at Matilda.  She glanced at him, and swept her hair behind her ears, as for some reason she had known he only took milk.

“Would you like a biscuit, Parker,” her mother asked, oblivious to what was going on between Mike and her daughter.  Parker’s ears pricked up at the word biscuit.  “Is it alright?” she asked looking at Mike.

“Of course, you’ll have a friend for life if you give him a biscuit,” Mike replied with a smile in his voice.

“Come on, Parker,” she said, “let’s get you a biscuit.”  The dog followed eagerly at her heels as they left the living room.

Matilda stood and Mike’s eyes followed her as she sat beside him.

“How did you know I only took milk?” he asked.  She shrugged.

“You saw them didn’t you?” she asked.

“Sorry?” he replied.

“You saw the ghosts, on the stairs.”  Mike nodded and Matilda gave a relieved breath.

“I’ve been seeing them since I got back home a few months ago.  In fact, and don’t think I’m crazy, but the quote from your father just whooshed off his bookshelf a few minutes after I saw them.  I looked up your website, and well there is a picture of you on there, and you look just like him, the man I mean on the stairs, and I…”

“Look similar the woman on the stairs,” he interrupted.  Matilda nodded.

Mike lifted his hand to her locket.

“This is beautiful,” he said.  Matilda swallowed her skin on fire as his knuckles brushed her chest.

“Yes, I found it in the Hall, but it doesn’t open,” she replied.

“Yes it does,” he whispered, and he touched it with his fingers.  A sparkle of magic illuminated the locket and it opened.

“Oh my goodness,” she cried, turning the locket to look inside.  “How did you do that?”

“Tilly,” he said, cupping a hand to her face.  As soon as he touched her, Matilda felt a wave of magic course through her body, and her heart sang as she remembered him and his promise.

Without warning, he kissed her.  Matilda dropped her locket to her chest, and closed her eyes, as hidden memories flashed through her mind like a movie on fast forward.

“Mike,” she whispered, as he released her lips.  He gave her a huge loving smile.

“I told you I would find you,” he said.

“I knew you would,” she whispered in reply, and as his lips met hers again, the two ghosts on the stairs smiled and faded away.

The TV suddenly blared out making them both jump and they look towards it.

“The body of missing Susan Riskall, age 35 was found mutilated at the local beauty spot Elmsbury Downs.  Police are appealing for witnesses.”

“I’ve seen that woman before,” Matilda said, staring at the woman’s image on the TV.  Grabbing the remote off the sofa, she hit the pause button.

“Me too,” Mike replied, and he frowned in thought.

“The pub!” they both said at the same time.

“You remember that night?” Matilda asked, and she smiled.

“I remember all of it, Tilly.”

“Mike, I think I know what we are supposed to do.”  She took up his hands and held them.  “I can kill demons.  Eric told me there are a few people like me who Demons were afraid of because I have the ability to destroy them.  Can you still see them, in this life?” she asked.

“Yep, I sure can,” he confirmed.  Matilda glanced back to the TV and stared at the image of the woman.

“This is no coincidence,” she said.

“No, it’s not. I think we have found our first demon to kill,” Mike said.  Matilda turned and looked at him, and as their eyes met, he pulled her to him and kissed her.

The beginning…

Thank you for reading my story, please may I ask you to take a moment to leave a short review on Amazon?

More books by Rosemary Lynch all available at Amazon and other book retailers

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