Winter Storm

(Published in Shadows & Light Magazine, January 2009 Issue. www.myspace.com/shadowsandlightmagazine)

Winter Storm

by Angel Shadow™

 

In the backdrop of winter

Old traditions die hard

She must look to the past

And play the right cards.

They want to be heard

These voices of old

To find peace at last

And come in from the cold.

On a shore by the sea

In a house old and weak

She searches for answers

From old souls that speak.

Days turn to weeks

There’s no time to lose

She must solve the puzzle

The house holds the clues.

And if new love is found

Life will take a new form

The last piece of the puzzle

During the harsh winter storm.

 

December, 2008

The Savill House...that’s what it was called by the locals of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. A house with a tragic history. It was rumored to be full of paranormal activity since the original owners, Blayne and Ancelina Savill, were murdered there on Christmas Eve in the early 1960's. Blayne and Ancelina’s bodies were found in the living room. Madison, their daughter, was never found. There were rumors of her being kidnaped, but after years of searching, the case dried out. Many believed the Savill family still occupied the house, driving out anyone who dared to live there. Over the years, they had succeeded, until recently, when the new owner took up residence, and he didn’t appear to be threatened.

 

Clarissa Atwater wasn’t afraid of ghosts either, and she had every intention of solving the mystery of the Savill murders. As a writer, the story intrigued her and the disappearance of Madison, and the murder of her parents were the focal point of her new novel. There were answers....there were always answers. One simply had to search for them, and that’s what she intended to do.

 

Colby Hollister was the current owner of the Savill House and a tough nut to crack. It took some time for Clarissa to convince him to let her visit the house to do research for her novel. She knew he wasn’t happy about her coming, but at this point, she didn’t care. He agreed to give her a week, two at most, to stay at the house, do her research, and be on her merry way. She wasted no time booking her flight.

 

Clarissa leaned forward and looked out the window of the plane as they descended into Halifax Airport. With a deep sigh, she glanced over her notes on the late Savill family and tucked them neatly into her briefcase. A small photo of Madison fell into her lap. The young girl was standing on a frozen pond, holding a pair of ice skates. Her smile was wide and bright.

 

A happy child, Clarissa thought.

 

She placed the photo back in her briefcase as the pilot welcomed the passengers to Halifax National Airport.

 

Her drive from Halifax to Lunenburg was uneventful, and it was nearing dusk when she pulled up to the Savill House. It reminded Clarissa of an old farmhouse. White, boxlike, and two stories high, it loomed in the shadows of the approaching darkness. Lights from within gave it a friendly, warm look, so the shiver that ran down Clarissa’s spine came as a surprise.

 

Trying to get rid of me already, she thought. It’ll take more than a shiver down my spine.

 

She grabbed her briefcase and got out of the car. Walking around to the trunk, she pulled her suitcase out and began walking up the drive. Before she reached the door, it opened, and a man stood before her. Clarissa was taken in by his handsome face and, Oh, please, for all the chocolate in the world, hoped it was Colby Hollister. He extended his hand, but his face remained stiff.

 

"Clarissa Atwater?"

 

She felt the vibration of palm against palm and had to shake herself back to reality. "Yes, you must be Colby." Chocolate is such a huge sacrifice! Why did I have to pick chocolate?He sighed and back away from the door. "Please come in, but I doubt you’ll stay long."

 

"Don’t be so sure." She got a quick glance of the room before he ushered her down the hallway, up a flight of stairs, and into a bedroom.

 

"This is where you’ll be sleeping while you’re here. Although I won’t be surprised if you choose to move to a local hotel."

 

Clarissa was already tired of his badgering. "Again, don’t be so sure. I’m not the type to run at the slightest bump in the night." She placed her suitcase on the bed and did a slow circle, taking in the room.

 

Colby took a few steps inside. "Apparently, this was Madison’s room. As you know from our phone conversations, her body was never found."

 

"Yes, I’m aware." She stopped circling to study his face. His raised left eyebrow made her snort. "Do you truly think she’ll pop out of the closet at any moment? Or maybe she’ll thump around at the foot of my bed tonight."

 

Colby gave her a snort in return and turned to leave, closing the door behind him. Arrogant a*s! She took her time putting her things away, then began snooping around the room. She wondered how it looked in the early 1960's, when a young girl occupied its space. Clarissa knew the Savill’s had been a wealthy family. Blayne Savill took over the family fishing business when his father passed away. She assumed this room was once a source of happiness for one Madison Savill. She could picture her frilly little bed, shelves of dolls, overflowing toy boxes and a closet full of expensive clothing. At the thought of the closet, she turned, and for a moment hesitated. Would Madison truly jump out if she opened it? Rolling her eyes, Clarissa placed her hand on the knob and turned. The door opened to an empty space, but Clarissa knew it once held the fine clothing of a rich little girl. It was almost like she could see it all, plain as day, in front of her.

 

The sudden knock on the door made her jump. She opened it to find Colby leaning against the frame. "Thought you might be hungry. I’m getting ready to eat if you’d like to join me."

 

"Actually, I am hungry, but I don’t want to put you out."

 

Colby gave her another raised eye brow. She knew this would quickly become a source of irritation for her. "Suit yourself." He turned and walked away. Clarissa quickly followed, and grabbing him by the arm, spun him around.

 

"Okay, listen, tough guy! I don’t need your attitude so why don’t you stuff it up that tight a*s of yours!"

 

It happened quick...his mouth was on hers before she had a chance to think, and he was pushing her away as quickly as he pulled her in. "Dinner’s getting cold." He turned and walked toward the kitchen, leaving Clarissa swaying in the hallway. Dinner was going to be a bit awkward, but she wasn’t about to fall for his sarcastic attempts at getting her to leave.

*****

 

The next morning Clarissa stood looking out her bedroom window. Today, she was going to find answers to the mystery of the Savill House. She bundled herself in a warm coat and set out to explore the grounds. On the back side of the house she came upon a frozen pond. In the middle of the pond, she saw a young girl skating. She smiled to herself thinking Colby must allow the local children to use the pond for playing and skating. As she walked toward the pond, she called out to the little girl, but she didn’t respond. Clarissa moved closer and called out again. The young girl continued to skate in circles, not aware of Clarissa’s presence. She turned to glance back at the house, taking in its character and noticed Colby watching her from a nearby window. She called to him, wanting to inquire about the little girl, but when she turned to face the pond again, the little girl was gone.

 

Clarissa stood staring at the pond and surrounding area wondering where the little girl disappeared to in such a short amount of time. Colby came to stand beside her.

 

Clarissa gave him a baffled look. "Do you allow neighboring children to skate on your pond?"

 

"No, actually I don’t. I don’t want the liability. Why?"

 

Clarissa glanced back at the pond. "There was a little girl skating there just moments ago. Now she’s gone."

 

Colby gave the pond a once over and shrugged. "You must be seeing things."

 

"No," Clarissa shook her head, "I wasn’t seeing things. There was a little girl skating on your pond."

 

The look on Colby’s face told Clarissa he was miles away. Shaking himself back to reality, he turned and walked back to the house.

 

*****

During dinner that night, Clarissa sat shaking her fork over her plate. She looked up at Colby and turned the shaking fork in his direction. "I was looking around inside the house this afternoon and noticed a set of stairs leading to a locked door. What’s on the other side?"

 

Colby sighed and continued to eat. Between chews, he muttered, "I don’t want you going up to the attic."

 

"Why? You agreed to let me do research on the Savill house. How am I suppose to do that when you won’t allow me access to every room?"

 

Colby stopped chewing and gave her a defiant glare. "Fine, but don’t expect me to go with you."

 

"What am I going to find in the attic, Colby?"

 

He simply continued chewing.

 

*****

After dinner, Clarissa wasted no time marching up the steps leading to the attic. She placed the key Colby gave her into the lock and turned the knob. She found the chain hanging from the light fixture in the middle of the low ceiling, where Colby told her it would be, and pulled. Dim light cast around the room, creating shadows as the fixture swayed back and forth. Clarissa took in the room. The ceiling was low; not much taller than her. She found it odd that it was flat, not angular like most attic ceilings. Had someone altered it? It was small and rectangular. Strange room. She noticed an old chest along one wall and decided it was a good place to start.

 

She found old articles on the Savill family. They had owned a fishing business in the 1960's. Blayne had taken over for his father when he passed away. This were facts Clarissa already knew, so she continued her search. She found photo albums and more articles. One in particular caught her eye.

 

"The Search for Madison Savill Continues." Clarissa glanced through the first couple sentences.

 

"The search for Madison Savill, daughter of Blayne and Ancelina Savill, murdered in their home on Christmas Eve, continues, and police are baffled by her disappearance. They fear kidnaping may be involved, and are asking the community to step forward and offer any leads."

 

Another sentence further down caught Clarissa’s eye.

 

"Young Madison was known for her love of skating and could be seen on the family’s frozen pond during the winter months."

 

Clarissa remembered the little girl she’d seen on the pond that morning. She put the albums and articles back into the chest and went to stand by the only small window in the room. The moon was full and bright, and cast a white glow over the pond below.

 

I can see the pond from here.

 

For a brief moment, she saw the swirls of a small long winter coat and the silvery glint of skates and they spun in a circle. She squinted, trying to make out the figure inside the coat, but the vision was gone as quickly as it appeared. Immediately, the smell of peppermint filled the attic and Clarissa got the feeling she was no longer alone. The presence pressed against her from behind, and Clarissa could almost feel the breath on the back of her neck. She could have sworn she heard a whispered voice....

 

"Find her......"

 

Clarissa spun around and found the room empty, but the peppermint smell lingered. She contemplated the disembodied message and vowed to do all she could to find Madison. From this night forward, the attic would be her room.

 

After spending an hour moving her stuff to the attic room and arguing with Colby when she asked him to move a bed into the small space, she finally settled in. Sleep didn’t come immediately, and when it did, it filled Clarissa’s mind with dreams. Over and over, she saw herself as she stood in the middle of the frozen pond, falling through the ice. The next morning she was tired and restless. She thought of the message her dreams had sent her.

 

She fell through the ice.

 

She raced down to confront Colby and found him in the kitchen. "She fell through the ice!"

 

"Excuse me? Who fell through the ice?"

 

"Madison! She fell through the ice. That’s why they never found her."

 

Colby shook his head. "The authorities drug the bottom of the pond shortly after her disappearance. Her body was not found."

 

Clarissa leaned against the kitchen counter. "She’s there....I know she is, and I’m going to prove it."

 

*****

Clarissa spent the day going through the contents in the chest. She came across a picture of Blayne Savill with a woman, but it wasn’t his wife, Ancelina. The caption under the photo identified the woman as Collette Duncan. Clarissa decided to find out who Collette Duncan was and she started her questioning with Colby.

 

"Who is she?"

 

Colby shook his head. "I have no idea. I’ve never seen or heard of her."

 

"You’re telling me you’ve never went through the information in the chest?"

 

"No. Every time I tried to enter the room, something would stop me. Whatever, or whoever, it is, doesn’t want me in there. So I gave up and locked the room. I haven’t been up there since."

 

Clarissa sighed and placed her head in her hands. "There has to be a connection to Collette Duncan. I know a private investigator. I’m going to have him check into her; see what he can find."

 

Colby became defensive. "Is that really necessary?"

 

"Yes," Clarissa stated calmly as she rose from the chair, "I believe it is."

 

Colby sighed and turned toward the window. "Why can’t you just leave it alone?"

 

*****

Clarissa spent the next few days doing research and going through the house, room by room. Colby owed a fishing boat and spent his days on the water, so with him occupied during the day, she could explore without his constant irritating attitude. During her search for clues, she came across a large box filled with holiday decorations. It was apparent by the thick layer of dust, that Colby hadn’t put the decorations to use in a while, which surprised her since they all seemed to be new. She decided to take some time to decorate the house while he was gone.

 

When Colby arrived home to a fulled decorated house, he shook his head. "I gave you access to my home for research, but I never said you had permission to redecorate."

 

"I didn’t redecorate. I simply made your house look....holiday-ish."

 

"Maybe I don’t want....holiday-ish. Besides, you’ve wasted your time."

 

"How so? You going to take it all down?"

 

Colby laughed. "No, I won’t have to touch a thing."

 

That night, Clarissa had another dream. She saw Madison skating on the pond. Then the dream changed and she saw the Savill house decorated for the holidays. Blayne and Ancelina were laughing and decorating a tree, and Ancelina continued to spray something around the room. She awoke, feeling restless. She rose and walked to the window, staring out at the location of the pond. Again, the smell of peppermint and weight of a presence in the room overpowered her. The pressure against her back and the breath on her neck was becoming a familiar sensation when she stood in front of the window in the attic.

 

"Find her....."

 

Clarissa didn’t turn around. She simply stared in the direction of the pond. "I’m trying."

 

She went back to the small bed and quickly fell asleep. Again, she dreamed of Blayne and Ancelina decorating a tree. Both were laughing as Ancelina sprayed a scent around the room saying, "I love the smell of peppermint!" The house was filled with holiday decorations. The window showed it wasn’t quite dark outside. Ancelina mentioned to Blayne they should call Madison in to warm up. "She’d spend all day on that pond if we let her."

 

As Blayne turned for the door to call Madison inside, a knife slashed across his face. Ancelina screamed and ran toward the person, trying to grab the knife. In the dream, Clarissa couldn’t make out the assailant, who seemed to be engulfed in a fog, but she witnessed the slashing murders of Blayne and Ancelina. Whoever it was, they were strong; overtaking the two with ease. The knife slashed and stabbed in a crazy manner, over and over, until the Savill’s were left almost in pieces. Clarissa tried to scream, but nothing came out. She tried to move, but her feet were frozen. All she could do was watch the horror take place in front of her eyes. After the slaying, the foggy attacker moved through the door and headed out back toward the pond....and Madison.

 

Clarissa awoke with a start. Her heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest. Downstairs she could hear Colby cussing up a storm. She threw on her robe and raced down the stairs. What she saw when she reached the living room, stopped her dead. The decorations she spent yesterday afternoon putting up, now lay in shredded, broken piles around the room. Nothing else was touched except the decorations. Colby turned when he heard her gasp. "I told you," he said, "You don’t decorate the Savill house for the holidays."

 

*****

Clarissa was helping Colby clean up the mess when her phone rang. From her end of the conversation, Colby assumed it was the investigator she hired.

 

Clarissa stopped cleaning to repeat what she just heard. "A mental institution? Are you sure?"

 

Colby stopped to listen.

 

"Do you have the address?" Clarissa grabbed a pen and piece of paper off the table, jotting down an address.

 

Colby took a deep breath as Clarissa continued her end of the conversation.

 

"That’s not far from Lunenburg, correct?"

 

"No, I’ll find it. Are you sure it’s her?"

 

"Okay. Thank you for the information."

 

She hung up the phone and found Colby staring at her. "Collette Duncan spent some time in a mental institution not far from Lunenburg, but she disappeared." She turned to leave the room.

 

Colby grabbed her by the arm. "You’re going there?"

 

"Of course I’m going there! I’m getting close to finding answers." She stopped and stared at him. "Don’t you want answers, Colby?"

 

"I don’t know what I want." He pushed past her and through the front door. She watched as he paced outside, then turned and raced upstairs to pack her overnight bag.

 

*****

The institution wasn’t hard to find and Clarissa stood outside the front doors, waiting to be buzzed in. Finally, she was allowed entrance, after explaining she was looking for information on an old patient. A woman met her in the lobby and extended her hand. "I’m Katrina Wentworth, head of the institution. I understand you’re looking for information on an old patient of ours."

 

Clarissa took her hand. "Yes, I need information on a Collette Duncan."

 

At the mention of Collette’s name, Katrina stiffened. "I’m not sure how much help I can give you. I wasn’t here during the time of Collette’s stay."

 

"But you’re aware of her?"

 

Katrina took a deep breath and attempted to relax. After a moment, she spoke. "Yes, I’m aware of Collette Duncan. Why are you seeking information on her?"

 

"I’m actually doing research on the Savill murders and Collette was seen in a picture with Blayne Savill. I’m trying to find her connection to them."

 

Katrina rolled her shoulder. "I see. Please come with me. We can talk in my office."

 

Once inside Katrina’s office, she offered Clarissa a seat. "I’m not sure I should be discussing this with you. It will make no difference, of course."

 

Clarissa relaxed into the chair. "I appreciate anything you’re willing to share."

 

Katrina sat back and sighed. "Like I said, I didn’t work here during Collette’s stay, but her story has carried on through the years."

 

Katrina paused, then continued. "From what I understand, she suffered some kind of breakdown over an affair she had with Mr. Savill. When she came to the institution seeking advice, she was seven-and-a-half months pregnant with Mr. Savill’s child. Her grandmother, Abigale Duncan, was the head of the institution at the time. That’s why she came here. After discovering her situation, Abigale hid Collette here, in the basement. She was a rigid old woman and ashamed of Collette’s behavior."

 

Clarissa leaned forward. "Did she die here? What happened to the child?"

 

"Word is, Collette quickly went insane from being locked in solitary confinement in the basement. Her grandmother treated her horribly, keeping her drugged and basically, a prisoner. A few weeks after she arrived, she went into premature labor and delivered, what she was told, was a stillborn son."

 

Clarissa sat back and took a deep breathe. "Was the child stillborn?"

 

"Rumor has it, no. The child was healthy and thriving, but Abigale wanted to punish Collette for her behavior, so she told her the child had died. This caused Collette to spin out of control."

 

"What happened to the child?"

 

"No one knows for sure. Abigale took him after he was born and no one ever saw him again."

 

Katrina reflected a moment and continued. "I’ve been told there’s more information in a personal file Abigale kept, like a journal of sorts, but it’s locked in the basement somewhere."

 

Clarissa sat forward. "Do you mind if I read it?"

 

"If you can find it, but good luck. People have searched for it for years. There are rumors that Abigale burned it after......"

 

"After? After what?"

 

Katrina sighed again. "One night, Christmas Eve from what I’m told, Collette was wild and out of control. Abigale went to the basement to give her a shot, calm her down, but Collette overpowered her and gave Abigale the shot instead. Somehow, she got upstairs and escaped. They searched the grounds and the facility, but she was never found. The next morning, word hit about the Savill murders and Abigale went nuts. She threatened the staff that had worked with Collette and knew of her stay here, that if anyone talked, she would personally take care of them. No one was to mention Collette Duncan again."

 

"So Abigale never came forward to the police? Did she believe Collette was responsible?"

 

"No one knows what she was thinking. Again, no one was allowed to talk about it."

 

"Why didn’t someone else come forward? Surely they could have given the information to the police."

 

"Again, I’m only telling you what’s been passed down through the years, but apparently, everyone was afraid of Abigale Duncan. She had the power to lock you up and throw away the key. No one questioned her. You simply did what you were told."

 

"In your opinion, do you believe Collette killed Blayne and Ancelina Savill?"

 

"In my opinion, from what I’ve heard and seen, yes...I think it’s possible."

 

"Their daughter, Madison. Her body was never found."

 

Katrina nodded. "I know...and neither was Collette’s."

 

Silence filled the room for several moments.

 

"Do you mind if I have a look in the basement?"

 

Katrina sat forward. "I don’t see why not. Let me get the key."

 

As Katrina rummaged through her drawer, Clarissa stood and wandered around the room. For the first time, she noticed a portrait hanging on the back wall of the office. The name plate on the bottom read, Abigale Duncan. Clarissa spun around and confronted Katrina. "You have her portrait hanging here. Why haven’t you taken it down?"

 

Katrina shrugged. "She was the founder of this facility. It’s a known fact that this portrait is not to leave this office. Besides...you never know where you’ll find clues to the past." Katrina nodded at the portrait and turned back to her desk, pretending to busy herself with paperwork.

 

Clarissa looked at the portrait again. Clues to the past? She searched the portrait top to bottom and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Suddenly, the room filled with the smell of peppermint and Clarissa felt the breath against her neck.

 

"Find her.....the back....."

 

Clarissa looked back at Katrina, who was still busy with something at her desk. She reached up and pulled the portrait from the wall, turning it over. Taped on the back was a piece of paper:

 

Look and you’ll find

In the cold and the deep

She should have been mine

Now we all must sleep.

It was signed, Collette Duncan.

 

Clarissa pulled the piece of paper off the back of the portrait, and hung it back on the wall. She turned to Katrina, who was watching her. "Do you have what you need now?"

 

"If you knew this was there, why didn’t you do anything?"

 

Katrina sighed, "I have no idea what you’re talking about. Did you still want to search the basement? I have the key right here."

 

Clarissa pushed past her and out the door. When she reached her car, she locked the door and sat, catching her breath. She became aware of the piece of paper in her hand. She read it again.

 

...in the cold and the deep...

 

The pond...Clarissa thought. I knew she was in the pond.

 

...she should have been mine...Collette had wanted Blayne’s child.

 

The smell of peppermint filled her car and Clarissa felt herself spin and become faint. The world around her faded away as she was taken back in time. All she could do was stand on the sidelines and watch the events unfold......

 

...Collette stood back away from the pond, watching Madison skate. "She should have been mind....she should have been mine." She turned and looked at the house, then back to Madison. She held a large butcher knife that she’d taken from the kitchen of her former prison before her undetected escape. Laughter could be heard from the house. Snarling at the happiness that would never be hers, she slowly walked to the house. As she quietly opened the front door, she saw Ancelina spraying her beloved scent as Blayne’s laughter filled the room. Suddenly, Blayne turned, almost running into her. Collette struck immediately. She heard Ancelina scream and felt someone grab her arm. Collette struck out with the knife over and over. Stabbing and slashing until both bodies lay at her feet. She wiped the back of her bloody hand across her mouth. "Now she’s mine." She walked out the door and around the back of the house to the pond where Madison continued to skate. She walked directly onto the ice, her eyes focused on Madison. She got down on her knees and began striking the ice with the knife. Small cracks began to appear. Madison stopped skating and gave Collette a curious look.

 

"What are you doing?"

 

Collette gave the ice a few more strikes before standing and continued to walk toward Madison, who was eyeing the knife.

 

"Who are you?"

 

Collette sneered, "I’m your new mommy."

 

Madison turned and tried to escape, but Collette reacted quickly and grabbed her around the waist, throwing her to the ice. Collette fell to her knees again and began striking the ice with the knife. "You’re mine now."

 

Madison tried to gain her footing, but Collette grabbed her again and stood, struggling against Madison’s fighting body. She jumped in the air, landing hard against the cracking ice. With another jump, the ice gave way, and holding Madison tight against her, they both sank below the surface...

 

*****

Clarissa and Colby stood by the pond as the divers pulled two bodies from the icy water. Tears streamed down her face as she watched Madison’s frozen body get zipped in a bag. She turned to Colby.

 

"I thought you said they checked the pond for her body?"

 

Colby nodded. "Apparently, not good enough. Who knew the pond was that deep."

 

Clarissa looked back as a diver zipped Collette’s body into a bag. "But how could they miss two bodies?"

 

"How do we know they truly checked the pond at all?"

 

Clarissa shook her head, wondering if Abigale Duncan had anything to do with the interference of authorities finding Madison’s body. She had to have known about the poem Clarissa found on the back of the portrait. Who else could have put it there? Katrina Wentworth obviously knew about it or she wouldn’t have given Clarissa the clue to check out the portrait when she was in her office.

 

She turned and walked back to the house, while Colby went to talk to the divers. After speaking with them, he asked for a few moments before they removed the bodies. He stood over Madison’s small body bag, shaking his head. "I’m sorry, little one. May you rest in peace now."

 

He took a couple steps and stood in front of Collette’s. "May you finally rest in peace as well....mother."

 

As he walked back toward the house, he signaled for the divers to remove the bodies.

 

December, 2009

Clarissa bounced around the house putting up holiday decorations. Well, bounced as well as she could, being seven months pregnant. She moved into the Savill House with Colby after her research was complete. They married on Valentine’s Day, 2009. Many called it a whirlwind romance, but Clarissa knew this was where she belonged.

 

Colby’s stand-off, argumentive attitude ended with the bodies being found in his pond. He explained to Clarissa that Abigale Duncan had called him to her deathbed, confessing everything. How she locked up his mother, Collette, and gave him away to an orphanage (where he spent most of his childhood) after he was born, telling his mother that he had died. When he found out the Savill House was for sale, he wasted no time buying it. He never knew what happened to his mother or Madison. He knew he was Collette’s son, and he knew her story (thanks to Abigale) but he had no idea their two bodies lay at the bottom of his pond.

 

Clarissa finished her book on the Savill House and it was rapidly becoming a best seller. It wasn’t uncommon to see tourists drive or walk past the front of the house to take a peek. Some even had the guts to ask if they could go around back and take a look at the pond.

 

Colby wrapped his arms around Clarissa’s growing belly, as they stood back to admire the tree. "Think the decorations will make it this year?" She asked.

 

"We’ll find out in the morning," he chuckled.

 

Clarissa looked around the room and sighed. "I think they will. I feel Ancelina’s at peace now." She paused and leaned the back of her head against Colby’s chest. "I saw Madison on the pond again this morning."

 

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "She’s welcome anytime."

 

"Yes, they all are."

 

Colby guided her into the kitchen. "Come on, hot chocolate’s ready."

 

They walked away from the tree, where the soft, lingering smell of peppermint filled the air.