Chapter One

Alison leaned close to the steering wheel as she peered through the darkness as best she could at the winding country road. The assailing raindrops made a thick watery coating.  The wipers of her Mini Cooper struggled to remove as much as possible before the windshield was once again hazy with water.  She heaved a sigh and rotated her shoulders and neck as the compact car pushed its way through surface water that threatened to become too dense to maneuver through safely.  She tried to remember if it was better to drive slow or fast through deep water to avoid stalling out.  She hoped it was slow, since her car was fighting her control even at this speed.  Any speed faster and she was sure she would end up in a ditch or hugging a tree.

She wanted to consult the map that dominated the passenger’s seat next to her, but stopping in such a high level of water was risky and trying to read it while maneuvering through a torrential rainfall in the pitch of night was even more so.  Her mind worked overtime trying to remember the landmarks and road signs.  It was a few years since she visited her spinster great aunts and, then, she was a passenger in the back seat of her father’s car. A passenger often paid attention to trivial sights, while the driver focused on landmarks and directions.  That, plus the fact that she was sixteen, resentful about being dragged to the country, and pining over being separated from the boy she was certain she would love forever the last time she visited, made the chances of her recognizing the landmarks to validate she was going in the right direction slim, but she hoped and tried anyway.

Her eyes hurt from strain and lack of sleep. 

When she left Atlanta, she had not expected to be driving through the dark and stormy night. It was her intention to stay with Arthur for at least one night, possibly two nights.  When Sarah answered her knock on the door, it was the last straw in their relationship. He promised that he and Sarah were over.  She was foolish and naïve enough to believe him when he repeatedly assured her that she was the only one for him. She recalled her mother’s warning - “A leopard can’t change its spots”.   Why hadn’t she listened?  It took the taunting smirk on Sarah Jenson’s beautiful face as she leaned against the door frame to get it through Alison’s thick skull.

The fact that Sarah was wearing the tee shirt that Alison bought Arthur as a gag gift last Christmas didn’t help the situation.  Even in her shock and anger, Alison couldn’t help noticing the way the shirt ended just at the point that Sarah’s long, slender legs began.  Sarah’s voluptuous curves tugged and pulled at the fabric in a form fitting way that reeked of sensuality.  A wave of sadness and inferiority swept over Alison as she remembered the few times she wore the shirt to sleep in. It hung mid-thigh and had plenty of room to spare.  She hoped that, as she progressed beyond her nineteen years to Sarah’s twenty-three years, her body might fill out enough to resemble a woman, instead of a teenager. She could not change the fact that Sarah was a sultry five-foot-seven inches and she was a mere five-foot-one inch, but she could at least develop the curves that would take away the illusion that she was far younger than she was. Being short and not fully developed at the age of nineteen felt like a curse.

Arthur chased after her car for the length of the driveway while he begged for her to let him explain, but what was there to say?  He dated Sarah before he dated her.  He assured her that he and Sarah were over, yet the wicked witch showed up off and on over the two years they were together. 

She stood in his doorway at nine o’clock at night, wearing his tee shirt and a pair of lace panties.  That pretty much said it all.  Alison’s mind didn’t work in a way that could even imagine what kind of story Arthur could drum up as an explanation for that one.

She caught a glimpse of a sign up ahead and strained to see it better through the torrential downpour.  It read, Reeds Road. Reeds Road climbed to an elevation that was high enough to prevent the rain from collecting on its surface. An enormous sigh escaped her lips as she turned onto the macadam road and gave her car more gas, so it could have the ‘oomph’ it would need to make the daunting hill she knew awaited her around the next turn.  

The only good thing about the heavy rain was the fact that she didn’t have to keep an eye out for deer bounding unexpectedly in front of her car.  At least, that’s what she was told by her father when they used to brave the country roads to visit her great aunts on weekends.  As Alison grew up, she complained about how remote the house was and how there was nothing for a city girl to do there so, her accompanying her parents on their visits got further apart, until they eventually stopped. 

Her inseparable great aunts seemed to do everything together for as long as Alison could remember.  They even died peacefully in their sleep within a few days of each other. Aunt Elsie passed first, at the ripe age of ninety-seven, and then Aunt Beth followed a few days later.  She was ninety-five.

The reading of their Last Will and Testament shocked everyone.  Since her mother was their only living relative who would naturally be in line to inherit, it was expected that the inheritance would go to her parents.  Then, they would leave it to Alison in their Last Will and Testament.  The room sat in silent shock when the lawyer informed them that Alison inherited the estate house and grounds along with a trust containing more than enough money to care for herself and the estate. 

Her father was clearly upset by the news.  It was he who coveted the house.  Alison could care less about a remote country estate.  What was a nineteen-year-old girl going to do with such a place?  The nearest town was a little hamlet with less than one-thousand residents and the nearest city was so small, it barely justified the title. Alison was born and raised in Atlanta. She hated bugs and dirt and required streetlights and sidewalks to feel safe and confident. 

Her mother and father weren’t completely left out of the Will.  Her great aunts had a considerable sum tied up in Certificates of Deposits and mutual funds that were left to her parents. They also made provisions for them to remove some of the antique furniture from the house, as long as it didn’t exceed a value of fifty-thousand dollars; as per the antique appraiser that must be present when the items were removed.

Alison offered the house to her parents almost immediately.  She felt it should have gone to them and she couldn’t understand why it didn’t.   Her great aunts must have anticipated that she might do something like that, because the Will had an ironclad clause in it that stated that if any alterations to the Will were requested, all the inheritance would revert to charity and they would get nothing.  Her parents declined the offer and said leave well enough alone.   The money left to them equaled about one- million dollars.  They could and would be content with that.

Her sneaky great aunts placed another provision in the Will that set Alison and her parents on their heels.  She was to live in the house alone, without her parents or any other relatives, for a period of one year.  If, after one year, she found she could not handle the house or enjoy it, she could do with it as she wished.  If she didn’t abide by their wishes, the Will would be null and void and all their inheritance would go to charity. 

She resented the fact that her parent’s inheritance was subject to her actions.  If it wasn’t, she would have walked away from the lawyer’s office empty handed and happy for it.   She hated the country.  How could she possibly live in that big old house for a year without going insane?  She split hairs with the lawyer and got him to agree that her father and mother could visit her for a period of two weeks at a time, every three months.  It was better than nothing.

She almost missed the long, tree-lined drive that led to her newly inherited estate house.  Fortunately, the posts that outlined the drive’s opening were lit up with lights.  It was as if she was expected.  She slowly maneuvered her car onto the graveled drive, while admiring the beauty of the white brick posts with their soft, warm, illuminated tops.   Her tensed muscles finally relaxed as she pulled up to the front door of the grand estate house. The circular drive was a new addition that she was thankful for.  She had no desire to get any wetter than necessary. 

She fished the house keys out of her handbag, left the car running and the lights on to help with visibility. After rushing through the pouring rain to the protection of the narrow portico, she quickly unlocked the door.  Racing back to the car, she pulled out the bag she packed for the night or two she’d intended to spend with Arthur and rushed back into the house.  The rest of the luggage could wait until the morning.

“What did I do to deserve this?” she asked aloud to the lonely house as she fumbled for the light switch. 

She knew the electricity was working, because the posts at the end of the drive were lit, yet the lights in the foyer would not turn on. With an exaggerated groan, she searched her handbag for the slender flashlight she kept in it for emergencies.  A creepy feel swept over her as she looked around the lonely foyer with a weak and tiny beam.  With a shudder, she moved to switch on the table lamp she spotted near the base of the stairs. 

Nothing.

Sweat coated her face, neck, torso, and hands as she fought back the panic that came with the realization that she’d have to spend the night in a creepy two-hundred-year-old estate house while completely in the dark. This just couldn’t be happening.

A loud thud from the back part of the house startled her to the point she almost wet her pants.  Screaming, she ran frantically back into the rain on legs that felt like melting plastic.  She leaned against her car for support while she tried to decide what to do.   As far as she knew, there was no motel in that little hamlet.  She guessed the time to be around one-o’clock in the morning.   It would be difficult to find a place to stay in this backwards part of the state, even if she did know what direction to take once she left the drive.   She tried to remember if she passed any motels on her way that would be close enough to drive to and that would be open, but she couldn’t recall seeing any.  Then, she was so busy sputtering to herself about Arthur and Sarah that she remembered little else about the drive; until the rain intensified and forced her to pay attention.

A deep male voice filtered through the pouring rain from the doorway of the house, “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

Alison looked around, but could see no one.  She shrunk against the car as best she could.  Was it a ghost?  The house was old and creepy enough to have plenty of them.  She used to insist there were some whenever her parents dragged her there for a weekend, but they would just laugh at her.  She wondered if they would be laughing now.

The portico light, the foyer light, and the lights in several rooms in the house went on; creating a warm, inviting effect on such an unfriendly night.  She looked at the tall man who practically filled the door of the house with both wonder and awe.  She could not remember seeing him before.  His was a face she would remember, no matter how pouty, whiney, and distracted by boys she might be.

“You should come in out of the rain before you develop fins,” he drawled with mild amusement.

Her teeth chattered as she managed to ask, “Who are you?”

“Come in and I’ll tell you,” he said with a cool, casual manner.

Serial killer, rapist, kidnapper, and house squatter all came to mind as she inched her way toward the door.  Her body visibly trembled, both from the impact of the cold rain and the nervousness of entering a lonely, secluded house in the middle of the night where a perfect stranger awaited.   Her knees threatened to buckle as she put one foot after the other up the small set of stone steps.  His strong arms reached out to support her by her elbows just as she reached the top step and her left knee gave way.  It was perfect timing.

Her body fell against his in an embarrassingly unseemly manner.  She inhaled his rich, musky scent as she placed her palms against his rock-hard chest

and pushed herself away from him.

His rich, soothing voice reminded her of a big cat’s purr as he asked, “Are you alright?”

Still unable to speak, Alison studied his face in hopes of recognizing him and being just a little more comfortable because of it.   His deep-set, almond shaped eyes were a remarkable rich tawny.  They were framed by well-formed brows that were the same deep chocolate as his thick, wavy hair, and high, distinctive cheekbones.  His Anglo nose was centered over slender lips that she was certain echoed whatever mood he was in. Now, they formed a warm, friendly smile.  He wore a closely shaved beard and mustache that matched his brows and hair perfectly.  She could detect a distinct cleft in his slightly squared chin that completed the look of gorgeousness.  She found him breathtaking.

Pushing past him, she entered the hall and stood in a puddle of water that formed from the dripping of her soaked clothes while saying, “I’m in.  So, tell me who you are and why you’re in my house.”

“I’m guessing you’re Alison,” he said with a nod of approval.  “Which explains the untimely arrival.”

“It doesn’t explain why you’re here,” she snapped.

His tone was matter-of-fact as he said, “I live here. I’m the caretaker.”

“Not anymore,” she said.  Handsome or not, she wasn’t sharing her house with a perfect stranger.  “Now that I’m here, you don’t need to be.”

“Are you firing me?” he asked with raised brow.

Suddenly remembering the previsions in her aunts’ Will stating that the house came with a caretaker and a housekeeper who were to be allowed to stay on for as long as they liked during that one-year period, she scowled. She couldn’t fire him.

“Where do you stay?” she asked.

“There’s a small guest house out back,” he replied.

She glowered at him with open suspicion. “Why were you in the house at this hour?”

“Look, it’s clear you don’t trust me,” he said with a distinct sigh.  “Hopefully, that will change.  As for why I was here. It’s my job.  There has been no late-night traffic on that drive for years.  When I saw a car coming up, of course I was going to investigate.  What kind of a caretaker would I be if I didn’t?”

“What was wrong with the electricity?” she continued.

“This is a two-hundred-year-old house that could use some rewiring.  When heavy storms hit, the main house circuit trips.  It’s common,” he replied.

“Why didn’t the drive lights go out?” she asked.

“The guest house, a few of the out-buildings, and the drive posts are on a separate, newer circuit than the house,” he said with a smile.

“Lucky you,” she muttered. “What about Wilma?  Isn’t she here?”

“It’s one o’clock in the morning. Wilma gets up early and puts in a full day,” he chuckled.

When he made no further attempt at conversation, she asked, “Do you have a name?”

“Are you always this insolent?” he asked with raised brow.

“When I am forced to stand in a creepy old house in the middle of nowhere with a perfect stranger, I am,” she snapped.

“My name’s Nick,” he said as he started out the door.  “I can’t do anything about the creepy old house in the middle of nowhere, but I can relieve you of the burden of the company of a perfect stranger for the night.”

It was clear she’d hurt his feelings, but she didn’t apologize. She spoke the truth and she never apologized for speaking the truth.   She waited for him to close the door behind him and immediately bolted the lock.  Then, she ran to the back door and bolted it as well.  Feeling somewhat more at ease, she grabbed her travel bag and headed up the winding staircase to the room she always occupied whenever she visited.  It wasn’t as grand as the master bedroom, but it was a place she was familiar with. Right then, at that time, she needed to feel the security of familiarity around her.

The estate house was grand in its day and was still well kept.  Although the fixtures in the Jack and Jill bathroom that connected her room to the room her parents always stayed in were dated. They were in pristine condition.  Although there was a torrential downpour outside, there was no lightning.  She decided to draw a long bath to warm her bones.  Even though it was late and a shower would have been the logical choice, there was enough adrenaline racing through her system to keep her up for hours.  A hot bath would not only warm her bones, but it would, hopefully, calm her down enough to fall asleep quickly.  After locking her bedroom door, the door to the adjoining bedroom, and both doors in the bathroom, she felt secure enough to enjoy a well-deserved bath.