Free Secrets of Hallstead House by Amy M Reade Page B

heartbeat, everything was normal. She didn’t need me for anything else that evening, so I went up to my room, built a fire—correctly this time—and read until I was ready to go to sleep. I was thoroughly absorbed by Paul Malo’s book. How interesting it must have been to live on the river all those years ago!
    I had the nightmare again that night, no doubt because of the conversation with Alex about my parents. I awoke in the middle of the night trembling, with tears streaming down my face. I got up and pushed open the doors to the balcony. The cold assailed me when I stepped outside, but it felt good. I needed a few moments away from the bedroom, to allow the nightmare to fade again from my mind. I stood with my hands on the railing, looking out over the trees on Hallstead Island. The moon shone with a bright white light, and now and then clouds scudding across the sky would throw shadows onto the ground. It was tranquil and I could feel my heart slowing down, calming the pounding that had begun while I slept.
    After a few minutes, I became acutely aware of the cold again, and shivering, I turned to go inside. As I turned, though, I thought I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye. It was down among the trees, and I stood very still, waiting to see it again. But though I stood there for several moments, there was no more movement. I must have been imagining things, my mind still restless from my dream. As I went back inside, I pulled the doors closed behind me, grateful for the locks.

CHAPTER 6
    I must have slept well the rest of the night, because I awoke in the morning feeling refreshed. The memory of the nightmare remained with me, but I didn’t feel exhausted and drained, as I so often did after the dream. The clouds I had seen in the night had evidently thickened, because it was raining hard. I peered between the drapes covering the doors and saw the raindrops falling heavily from the tree branches. It’s beautiful here even when it’s pouring , I thought. I dressed and went downstairs for breakfast.
    By now I was getting used to making my own breakfast. Vali cooked breakfast for Stephan and Will, but I wasn’t about to ask her to make mine too. Besides, I was sure she would refuse. She always seemed to have me fixed with a look of loathing, and I talked to her as little as I could. I ate alone but as I was finishing, Will walked into the dining room. He nodded in greeting and sat down to look through some papers while he waited for Vali to bring him his food. I gathered up the plates and silverware I had used and started to walk out of the room. Will called me back as I left.
    “Macy, I know this is going to sound very lord-of-the-manor-ish, but I am wondering if it’s a good idea for you to be bursting in on Alex whenever the mood strikes you. She seems to be distracted and I think it’s because she’s been unable to concentrate on her work. As I’m sure you’re aware, her work is very important to her.” He went on reading as if he expected me to submit to his suggestion without comment.
    I looked at him evenly. “It’s interesting that you should say that, because Vali told me the same thing yesterday. I did, in fact, discuss it with Alex, and she told me that I, as well as everyone else in Summerplace, am welcome to see her at any time. And I’d hardly call the work that I do ‘bursting in’ on her. I am here to do a job and I’m responsible for Alex’s health as long as I’m here. But thanks for the suggestion,” I added sarcastically. He raised his eyebrows at me and said nothing as I left the room.
    It rained most of that day. A couple of times I went to Alex’s sitting room to work on her physical therapy exercises, but most of the day I spent in my room reading some books and articles on recovering from hip surgery. Alex’s doctors had left them and I was grateful to be able to do some extra reading on the subject. I also looked in vain for my photo album. It had to be somewhere