Free Garnet or Garnets Curse by Nancy Brewer Page A

as though I was flying at a great speed. As my body recalled my soul, I began to quiver with pain and gasp for air. Ox scooped me up in his massive arms and carried me out the door. I felt a gust of cold air and then all went black.
    I had no idea how much time had passed when my eyes opened to an unfamiliar setting. I was lying on a bed with white linen sheets and my head was resting upon a feather pillow.
    The walls were painted blue and the sun was shining through the lace curtains. I sat up in the bed and lowered my feet on the soft carpet. I had never seen the delicate pink nightdress I was wearing. “Am I in heaven?” I asked aloud.
    When I stood up my knees felt weak and I found it hard to swallow. It was several minutes before the bad memory began to come back. Out the window, I could see the sea, so I suspected I was still on the island. “Maybe my father heard about Nell’s attack and transferred me to this haven,” I whispered to myself.
    In my bare feet, I walked across the polished wood floors and opened the door. My view opened up to a lovely cottage and I smelled food cooking. Again I asked myself, “Am I in heaven?”
    When I heard footsteps, I knew I was not alone. The past weeks had taught me to be cautious of everything. I drew back behind the door to see who was approaching. “Are you awake darling?” came an angelic voice.
    Seconds later, she came in the room. She looked at the empty bed and then turned to see me hovered behind the door. I recognized her as the woman I had seen many times on the beach walking her dog. “Oh my dear, you have nothing to be afraid of here. You are safe now,” she said, reaching out and taking hold of my arm. Somehow I knew I could trust her.
    “Come, let’s get you something to eat,” she said, and guided me toward the kitchen.
    She sat before me a bowl of noodles and a cup of coffee.
    “What day is it?” I asked, shocked at the sound of my raspy voice.
    “It is Tuesday,” she replied, looking at me sweetly.
    She patted my hand. “Garnet, I know you have plenty of questions. Save your voice. I will explain it all to you.”
    I managed to squeeze from my damaged vocal chords, “How do you know my name?”
    “Your name was engraved inside your bag, Garnet Dragos. Martin brought it to me, along with the little kitten that was trapped in the house.”
    She saw my eyes widen and cautioned me not to speak. “Martin is who Nell called Ox. His given name is Julius Martin LaBranch. Eat,” she said, pointing to the bowl of noodles.
    I was to learn her name was Maria Lanier. When Captain LaBranch’s wife first approached her with a plea to administer care to her sickly newborn twins, she refused. At the time Maria was a recent widow, grieving the loss of her husband, a Protestant minister.
    However, she reconsidered, feeling it was her Christian duty. She was amazed at how strong and quickly the babies grew. By the time they were a year old the doctor had declared them medical miracles.
    The Captain paid Maria generously to care for his children. Martin was a good-natured boy, but he was a challenge to teach. Nell, on the other hand, was extremely bright, but stubborn and prone to fits of rage. The captain would visit with his children several times a year and shower them with expensive gifts.
    When Nell came into puberty, she became more difficult to manage. On one of the captain’s visits, Maria informed him that she could no longer be responsible for his daughter. He took Nell with him and left Martin.
    At every port, the captain took Nell to a different doctor. They treated her with experimental drugs, medications and even spells and potions. Finally, an American doctor insisted that surgery was the only answer. Whether she had the surgery or not Maria did not know. It was around that time she suspected the captain had died. There were no more visits and the money stopped.
    About 10 years later Nell came back to the island. By the looks of her, it was clear