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I’ to reat day Still, Lord! I need so dinner?" Tara asked

Ann looked at her, preoccupied, but still s and cheerful "No, no I had quite--yes, quite!--a lunch I’ry, just tired What a day! I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow" She frowned suddenly

"Were you out with Daniel, Tara? You have hay in your hair" Tara reached instinctively for her hair, seeking the hay, as she felt her cheeks burn "I, uh, yes, I was out at the stables"

Ann was too distracted to do one Oh, well, love you both, I’ up to bed"

She blew therowl

"Eleanora! Bad dog It’s randfather, frowning Jacques had put down his fork His hand, resting on the table, treht, I’et to bed"

"Of course"

"Call Roland for ht away"

Tara went out and found Katia who iently assured Tara that Jacques was fine, just worn out It had been a very long day for hioodnight

She helped Katia pick up the plates in the library, then wandered up the stairs, thinking she would check on Ann before saying goodnight to her grandfather

She tapped at her cousin’s door, and when there was no answer, she opened it, popping her head in

Ann’s room was dark Her cousin was already in bed

Tara silently walked into the rooarlic bulbs had been impatiently cast into a pile in the corner of the roo to discern her cousin’s features in the darkness Ann was definitely and soundly sleeping

Tara decided that it couldn’t hurt to close the balcony doors and replace the garlic She did so, then tiptoed out

She went into her grandfather’s roo His eyes were closed Tara thought of his great age, and his tenacity and passion for life--and deterhter for good against evil

She kissed his forehead, checked his balcony doors and the garlic hung above them, then crept out

She was tired herself, but restless, and herwith incredible speed Aware of her afternoon, longing to go back over each ht, she drew out her easel and pad, and sat with pencils to sketch

Disturbing pictures flew froes

A churchyard, stones askew, graves split open She stopped Another sketch A wolf Huge, snarling, teeth glea like a shadow overhead

The shadows then covered a Paris street, the path they had walked on the night she and Ann had gone to La Guerre

She paused, then began to sketch again

A man’s face

She frowned She had drawn soe she had created with her subconscious et so within her see and hard She went in to shower

Bits of hay still clung to her clothing There were a few er about her

She went to bed thinking that it was still true that she barely knew the man And yet, if he were to walk out of her life as suddenly as he had appeared in it, she would be disconsolate

He wasn’t going to walk out of her life so quickly He believed in va in Paris

She tossed and turned, and at last fell into a fitful sleep

Lucian drew the car to a halt "Near here," he said

Brent got out on the passenger side "Looks like a lot has been abandoned in this area"

"There" Lucian pointed to a street sign "I saw that sign Clearly"

"Lead the way"

Lucian did They came to a house set back from the street A fallen board stated one French word for condemned: CONDAMNE

Brent followed as Lucian crawled over the sign

"We’re too late, of course Way too late"

They stood in a foyer Before tierous, the place had been beautiful

There were delicately carved wall panels The ceilings were covered with now peeling and fading frescoes

They were both quiet for aBrent nodded toward Lucian, and moved to the left

He came to a room where a recent fire was down to cold ash He stood in the center of the room for a moment, then moved toward the once ornate sofa He stooped down

Droplets

Possibly wine

But not He reached out and touched one of the tiny stains Dried blood