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This was ridiculous This was her home

She stepped outside

The door closed behind her

CHAPTER 4

Light fell over the courtyard, but it seemed to be an eerie yellow As she walked across the drive as she had done dozens of ti her spine, and at her nape "Ann?" She called her cousin’s nae doors to the stable were hooked in their open position, allowing the strange colored light to just ebb into the stables There was a light switch i her preht switch, and heard a snap and then a buzz The lights came on, then flickered She stood poised and ready to run back to the house, but then, the lights caly And there was Daniel, back in his centuries-old stall, brown eyes very wide

"Daniel!" She hurried to hi silky nose He jerked away once With his rear hoof, he kicked at the wall He see past Tara, and to the courtyard beyond She spun around, trying to see what the horse was seeing

There was nothing there And yet

That prickling sensation was still teasing her nape And it see as well

"It’s all right, Daniel," she said, her tone loud, as if she would assure herself as well She kept stroking him He laid his heavy head on her shoulder after a minute and let her continue to pat hiin to calht now, boy?" she asked

He turned to his hay bin and beganthe stables, she hesitated before turning off the light Going across the drive, she saw no sign of Ann

"Ann?" she called to her cousin

No answer She found herself walking, cal for the door But then she reached the house--and found that the door was locked She cursed herself for not realizing her cousin ht have come in first She pounded on the door

"Hey! I’m out here!"

She sed a burst of panic as the door opened

Katia, gray hairat her wide-eyed

"What is it? What’s wrong?" Katia stepped out, looking around

Tara suddenly felt like a fool There was nothing wrong, and nothing around her but the cool breeze of the night

"I was just saying hello to Daniel," she told the housekeeper ruefully "I thought Ann was outside"

"She was She has coone to bed"

"I’"

"Well, thank you I--uh--I didn’t bring my key I just came out to see Daniel" Katia nodded, but still seemed to think it was crazy that she had suddenly decided to see the horse at that tiht No wonder the wo to bed," she pro the alar as she headed to her own room behind the kitchen

Tara walked back to her rooain She was exhausted, but she wanted a shoanted to wash away her fear and unease along with the dust of the crypt

Just shower and sleep

She let the water run over her, long and hot, then at last e had she been up? Endless hours Jet lag was setting in

Maybe she would do so clothing, then taking out soht with her The easel Jacques had bought her years ago was still in the roo into her watercolors She wasn’t even sure what she intended to do, but she started first trying to create the colors of the nighL An ian to for what she was doing Then she realized that she was really soet to bed and try to get some sleep

But once in bed, she still lay awake

A man had been killed Brutally, horribly, murdered And she had been thereAnd her purse remained in the tomb She had to pray God that the police were the ones to find it And not the ed

Of course, she had seen the world change before But nothing like this

She hated the countryside, and had always hated the countryside She had always loved the bright lights and bustle of the city, although she would have to say that-- along with the rown up There were people about There were shops There were people at tables on the streets, drinking, eating So these days!

She loved it