“You’re sure? How can you be sure?” she couldn’t help asking Flora, who simply laughed, the sound like chiming bells, at such odds with her elderly appearance.
“Yes, I am quite sure. Come now, the others await us.”
They turned to follow Flora down the path leading back to the inn. Flora, Naomi noted with amusement, wasn’t pretending now to need their support. She was walking just fine, all by herself!
They broke through the trees to find Maroulla, Hector, and Liam still standing on the front walk. Even from here she could sense Liam’s anxiety. Naomi let go Beth’s hand and flew across the lawn, launching herself into his arms. Laughing, he caught her and swung her around as she hugged him.
“I’m not a Rogue! I’m never going to be one!” She laughed in triumph and relief, then hugged him again. She seized his face between both hands, and kissed him. “Yes, I’ll marry you!”
“Ohmigosh,” Beth said, reaching them in time to hear this. “Really?”
Liam grinned. “And you’re all witnesses, in case she tries to back out.”
Maroulla wore a bright smile, reaching out to take Beth’s hands, her attention moving to Flora. “You’re certain?”
“There is no question. Neither of these young women have the dark stain of the Rogue on them.”
Hector dipped his head at Beth, breaking into a wide grin. “I’ll fetch your things from the van.”
She stared at him. “My things? Is that what was in those boxes in back?”
“Liam and I were both certain that you were not a Rogue,” Maroulla told her. “But we needed confirmation from Lady Flora, for the Council. And Naomi needed the confirmation on her own account.”
“But… but… Neil?” Beth faltered, looking from Maroulla to Flora. “My fiance?”
Flora stepped forward, laying a hand on her shoulder. “Come, let us have this discussion inside.”
“Agreed,” Maroulla said briskly, turning to lead the way into the lounge. She chose an armchair by the window, Flora taking one facing her, and Naomi sat on the sofa with her sister on one side and Liam on the other.
“As for that young man,” Flora began, then paused, her lips tightening as she turned her gaze to Maroulla. “Beth did not murder him. Her sisters did.”
Beth gasped, swaying. “No! No, they could not have! He and I were alone, and they never even knew about him.”
Naomi nodded in corroboration. “We were so careful to keep it a secret that she was seeing someone.”
“They knew,” Flora told them. “You were drugged, Beth. They came in the window while you slept, and held chloroform to your nose. They killed him, spread his blood on you, then went back out, to let you awaken to find him beside you, dead.”
Beth’s hand flew to her mouth, and she stared at Flora. “But why would they do such a horrible thing,” she whispered. “Why?”
“Because you would not be swayed to evil, you or your sister.” Flora’s pale blue eyes softened in sympathy. “By making you believe you had turned Rogue, they gained power over you, in the process also destroying Naomi, who would always live in fear of becoming Rogue. For them it was a win all around.”
Naomi pressed a hand to her stomach, feeling ill. “That’s just… that’s despicable.”
“I don’t understand,” Beth said, looking lost. “Why would they do that? Isn’t killing their own lovers enough?”
Maroulla suddenly looked very tired. “The theory we’re running with right now is that they are sadistic psychopaths. That is, they enjoy the act of killing, enjoy torturing their victims. We can’t interview any of them. Beatrice is completely given over to her animal, and while we have tried to open a dialog with your mother and sisters, they are certainly not interested in being cooperative.” Maroulla smiled at them wryly. “I’m afraid you two are our only source of information, since you have first-hand knowledge of at least living with them, growing up with them. Your insights could be valuable to our researchers.”
Beside her, Beth shuddered, and Naomi took her hand in a comforting clasp, feeling protective of her sister.
“Beth just spent the last two years thinking she murdered her fiance,” she told Maroulla. “While both of us would like to not have to re-live those memories, I’m willing to talk to… well, whoever…. but my sister needs to recover, and heal from all this.”
Maroulla nodded. “Understood. And people aren’t going to all descend on you at once, without warning. I’ll set it up so that all requests for interviews come through myself, or,” she paused her gaze falling on Liam. “Liam, would you be willing to undertake that? You’d need to weed out the curious and the thrill-seekers. Only legitimate researchers should be permitted interviews.”
Smiling, Liam put his arm around Naomi, nuzzling the top of her head. “I can do that, yes. If I have doubts about someone, I’ll check in with you.”
“Very well, I’ll inform the Councils.”
Naomi gulped. “Councils, plural?”
