Chapter 2

The fire on the beach had died down and all that remained were the glowing embers, and the remains of the charred woman, roped to the stake.

 

Faye looked down. She was wearing a long white dress and her feet were bare as she walked over the burning embers, her arm outstretched to touch the woman’s blackened face.  Her eyes were open. 

 

‘Help me, ’the woman whispered, as hot blood flowed from her mouth, over Faye’s hand.  ’Please help me. ’ 

 

Faye woke with a start as the sound of her cellphone ringing ended the vivid dream.  It felt so real, as if she had really been there, on that beach as the woman burned.   

 

Even awake she could still feel the heat from the fire, smell the stench of the smoke and charred flesh.  All her life these dreams had haunted her and all her life she had no idea why.

 

Her parents used to tell her it was all in her imagination, that she had a vivid way of conjuring up fantastic stories and they even pushed her to become a writer at one point.  Only in her heart,  she always knew there was more to these dreams, so very much more. 

 

The first time she’d told Nolan, he’d laughed in her face, verbally belittling her by calling her delusional and crazy.  She should have seen then what kind of person he really was, but she was blinded by love, forever believing she could change him.  She married him anyway, despite his abuse and stuck it out for two years, but not anymore. Not now that there was a child she had to think of.  

 

 She tenderly touched her abdomen, amazed at the realization there was life inside her, as she answered her phone.  It was Sybil, her sister.   

 

‘I phoned the house and your husband told me you’d met with another one of your accidents, ’Sybil said.  ’When are you going to end this charade, Faye?  When are you going to leave that man?’

 

 ‘Sybil, please, no lecture, not now.  I have so much on my mind.’

 

‘Well Faye, seeing you’re lying in a hospital bed with oodles of time on your hands, I would say now is the perfect time to think about leaving him.  My God sis, if mom and dad were alive, knowing what you were going through, they would flip!’

 

‘I’m leaving him, ’Faye said flatly, hearing Sybil audibly gasp on the other end of the line.  ’I can’t do it anymore Sybil.  I’m leaving London and I’m coming home, to Kirkwood.’ 

 

……….

 

 

 The English Coast, 1794 

 

‘Esther, ’Mathilda said, bending down and gripping the young girl by the shoulders, ’you must listen to me.  Never repeat what you have just told me, you must never speak of it again.’ 

 

‘Why are you afraid Mother?’ she asked innocently.  ’They said you would understand.’

 

Mathilda composed herself, stroking her young daughter’s hair.  Why now?  Why now in these dangerous times?   

 

The entire village lived in fear of Magnus. Already in the past few months, five people had burned at the stake, accused of practicing the dark arts.  Most of them were innocent, but Magnus had come here with his crusade, proclaiming he was doing the will of God. 

 

Holy, justifiable murder, that’s all it was.

 

‘Dear one, ’Mathilda said.  ’You must trust me when I say it is to protect you.  You must never say these things to your father or your sister.  This will be our secret, forever.’ 

 

                                                                                           ………..

 

 

‘I firmly hope you’re not planning on returning to my son’s home.’

 

At the sound of her mother-in-law’s voice, Faye inwardly shuddered.  Anna Wilding had despised her from the moment she’d met her, and Faye was certain the coldhearted woman was rejoicing at the fact that Nolan wanted nothing more to do with her.   

 

She slowly turned around, zipping her overnight bag.  She hadn’t even heard the old hag coming into the hospital room.   

 

‘Actually Anna, no.  I’ve booked a room in a hotel.  I have no intention or desire to go back to that house. I also have no wish to see your son ever again…or you for that matter.’

 

Anna smiled.  Even a simple human act like that had remnants of cruelty.  She looked like an animal that successfully cornered its prey and was about to pounce.   

 

‘I’m glad, ’she said icily.  ’My son deserves so much more than what you could ever give him.  You are mentally unstable Faye. Last night at the ball proved that beyond the shadow of a doubt.’

 

Faye bristled, bile rising in her throat.  This woman was insufferable, with the gall of a despot.   

 

‘The only unstable one would be your precious Nolan, ’Faye replied.  ’He is certifiable, an abuser like none.  For two years, Anna, you have turned a blind eye to his abuse of me. A mother’s love should only go so far.  There should come a time when you open your eyes and get your son the help he needs. His father did this to you, didn’t he? That’s why you excuse it so easily, because it was normalized in your own marriage. Only thing is, I don’t love money the way you do.’

 

‘You piece of trash, ’Anna spat through clenched teeth.  ’The only reason you married my son was for his money and his place in society.  You slept your way to a wedding ring and into this family.  What were you before he found you?  A secretary at a law firm no one ever knew existed.  Count yourself lucky that we will give you a handsome settlement, while you find your next victim.’

 

Faye laughed bitterly.  Nothing Anna could say could hurt her anymore.  She was just a bitter old woman with not an ounce of compassion in her evil body.   

 

‘I loved him Anna, just a pity he didn’t feel the same about me.  And as for your handsome settlement.  .  .  .  .  keep it, seeing money is the only thing keeping you warm at night, bitch.’

 

For a split second she was sure Anna was about to slap her.  Her eyes had narrowed and her mouth had pressed into a thin, cruel line.  She was turning pale, to Faye’s delight, and shaking with anger.

 

‘The divorce will be uncontested, ’Anna finally said.  ’And you will no longer use the Wilding name.  I want no more association between you and my family.’

 

‘Suits me fine, ’Faye said nonchalantly, still getting an inward thrill at Anna’s discomfort.

 

 She was finally back, to being Faye Bennet.