Tangled Memories by Jan Scarbrough

Author:Jan Scarbrough [Scarbrough, Jan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, gothic, romantic suspense, paranormal, reincarnation novels
ISBN: 9780989873055
Publisher: Saddle Horse Press
Published: 2016-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

A shaft of sunlight severed a crack in the draperies and fell fully on my face. Breathing deeply, I turned my head to avoid it, not ready yet to confront the impending day. I couldn’t escape it, just as I couldn’t escape the jarring, good morning purr by my ear. Opening my eyes, I found Munster curled into a knot beside my pillow, the fine gray fur of his tail tickling my nose.

“Good morning, kitten.” I stretched a languid arm out of the covers and rubbed Munster between his warm ears.

“Jrrrr,” he purred again, his yellow, almond-shaped eyes staring at me.

Letting my arm fall back to the blanket, I shut my own eyes. I was so tired. My body relaxed under the hypnotic presence of the affectionate animal.

Elizabeth!

With one swift motion, I sat up, disturbing Munster who slipped quickly off the comforter and scuttled under the bed. I’d forgotten Elizabeth and last night’s tense vigil. Alex had promised to call me, but from the looks of the sunshine streaking into my room, the day was far advanced. Had he forgotten? Or just ignored me?

Guilt-ridden, I threw off my lethargy just as I tossed off my covers, and scrambled into jeans, shirt, and tennis shoes. Sweeping back my hair, I wrapped it into the familiar knot at the nape of my neck and rushed out of the room. Across the hallway, I found Elizabeth’s door standing ajar. She was gone. The colorful crib was empty. Panic tightened in my belly. Had Alex’s strange confession actually been a foreboding? Had Elizabeth died?

I ran downstairs. My soft shoes scarcely made noise on the hard foyer floor. Alex’s library was cold and dark, so I dashed into the kitchen with its glaring light bringing me a bitter welcome.

“Mrs. Garrity!”

The austere housekeeper turned to look at me. Her eyes were piercing with disapproval.

“Elizabeth. Where is she?” I sounded breathless, as much from fear as from my hurry.

“Dr. Dominican has taken her to the pediatrician,” Mrs. Garrity said with rigid rudeness.

I didn’t understand. Why had Alex left me? “He was supposed to waken me. I was supposed to go along.”

She shrugged and turned back to her cooking.

Furious, I advanced toward her. “Do you know why Alex didn’t waken me?” I tried to keep my voice steady.

“Something about letting you sleep?”

I heard her, but without understanding at first. Her words sank in slowly. Was Alex concerned about my well-being? Is that why he allowed me to sleep late? I sagged into a chair at the kitchen table. Vexed, I tugged the corner of Allison’s blue embroidered place mat, my fingers fiddling with the tasseled ends while my mind seized on every explanation. Maybe there was more to it. Maybe Alex didn’t want me along, because I really wasn’t Elizabeth’s mother.

“Was she any better this morning?” I asked the stiff back of Mrs. Garrity.

“No, thanks to you,” the housekeeper mumbled beneath her breath.

Had I heard her clearly? “What?”

“I said, ‘No, thanks to you’,” she repeated and whipped around, the blade of her paring knife pointing at me.

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