Thea had the dream journal she and Neal had been keeping. She opened it up. “We’ve been writing descriptions of the dreams. There is always fire. One of us is always burning. And quite often there is laughter. It is the most hideous cackle, like a crone’s laughter.”
“That must be Fenella,” Margaret said. “She is the one who placed the curse upon us.”
“Where can we find her?” Thea asked.
“Find her?” Margaret questioned. “She’s been dead for hundreds of years. She died the night she placed the curse upon our line.”
“Or perhaps she has been in hiding?” Thea leaned toward Harry and Margaret. “Has anyone gone after her?”
There was a beat of silence as they consideredher words. Harry lifted his head and answered, “Thea, did you not hear Margaret? Fenella died almost two hundred years ago. I would hope she is not around. She’d be a hideous-looking hag.”
“Where was she from?” Thea asked. “Where did she place the curse on us?”
Again there was puzzlement. Harry glanced at his sister. Margaret spoke. “Well, the family back then was from Glenfinnan. Charles of Glenfinnan was the first to be cursed. I don’t think any of us have a record of where Fenella and her clan were located. It’s one of those details lost in history.”
“Then we must find answers, and we don’t have much time,” Thea said. “Neal wants to live to see his son born. I pray he does. But I wantmore. I want to defeat this curse. Neal says that over years your family has tried exorcisms and hiring witches for reverse spells. But nothing has worked. So, we must try something else. Harry, will you go to Glenfinnan?”
Harry had his elbow propped on the table so he could hold his head up. He turned bloodshot eyes on Thea.
“Will you go, Harry?” she pressed. “At one time, you were the most fearless of warriors. Can you be fearless once again for your brother’s sake—?”
“What is going on here?” Neal’s voice said from the doorway.
Thea’s gaze went straight to his left arm. He appeared normal, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to relax until the curse had been lifted.
“I thought you had an appointment this morning,” Thea said, trying to shield the journal with her arm. She wasn’t certain how her husband would feel about her sharing it.
“Gilroy had to cancel our meeting,” Neal answered. “What are you hiding there, Thea?”
It was his sister who answered. “We are joining you and Thea in the fight against the curse,” Margaret said stoutly. “We don’t want to lose you, Neal.”
“She told you about my hand,” Neal said. A sad smile came to his face. “I wish you hadn’t, Thea.”
“They would have noticed sooner or later,” Thea defended herself. “And we have a plan. Harry is going to Glenfinnan.”
“Glenfinnan? What for?” Neal asked.
“Because that was the home of Charles Chattan before he married his English heiress and started our line,” Margaret answered.
Thea was heartened by the enthusiasm in Margaret’s voice, but Harry was quiet.
Neal entered the room, coming around to stand by Thea. He placed his hand on her shoulder. “I want you to know that I have no regrets loving my wife. She has made me the happiest of men. I have done more living with her these past months than I had all the years before my marriage. I’m at peace with whatever comes my way.”
“But I’m not,” Harry said, speaking at last. He pushed himself up from the table. “Thea is right. It’s never good to wait upon the enemy. Ishallgo to Glenfinnan.”
Neal shook his head. “Harry, you are not in good shape—”
“I’m going, brother. I’m going for you ... and for me. I will not let you die without a fight. The only people who truly see me for what I am are in this room.”
“Harry, we love you,” Neal said.
“Can you?” Harry said. “I can barely abide myself. What better man than I to wrestle with a witch?”
“It will not be an easy task,” Thea predicted. “Think on it. Her magic must be strong. It has lasted all of this time.”
“Yes, well, she hasn’t met this devil,” Harry answered. He moved toward the door. He stopped and looked back at them. “And for your information,Margaret, I do love. I love you and my brother very much. You are all I have.” He left the room.
“I feel rotten,” Margaret confessed. “I’ve been horribly mean to him. Excuse me while I make an apology.” She followed after her brother.
