Free Witchcraft by Jayne Ann Krentz

winery. Kimberly sat in the passenger seat of Darius Cavenaugh's well-bred Jaguar as he turned off the highway and headed toward the main house. She was feeling very wary as she approached his home--more so than she had expected to feel. "It looks as though it's all been here a couple of hundred years," she finally remarked, studying the vaguely French country house architecture of the two main buildings. "Not quite," Cavenaugh said. "My father had the winery building constructed in the 1960s. It's open to the public three days a week. I had the main house built two years ago. So much for family history."
    "But your family has been in the wine business here in California for several generations, hasn't it?" "Off and on," Cavenaugh said cryptically.
    Kimberly's brows came together in a small line. "Well, right now it looks like it's definitely on." The grounds appeared sleek and prosperous, well cared for and undoubtedly quite profitable. Cavenaugh allowed himself a remote expression of satisfaction. "Yes. Right now, it's on." The Cavenaugh home was set on a hill above the winery building, protected from tourists by a gated drive and a deceptively casual-looking low rock wall. "I've had electronic equipment installed along the entire perimeter of the wall," Cavenaugh explained as he used a small gadget to open the gate automatically. "No one can get past without Starke knowing."
    "Who's Starke?"
    "A friend of mine. He's in charge of security around here. With all the tourists we get on weekends we've always had to exercise some controls. After what happened to Scott, we've really tightened things up." He threw her a grimly compelling glance as he halted the Jaguar in front of the house.
    "As long as you stay on the house grounds you'll be safe, Kim. I don't want you going beyond that wall without someone accompanying you. Is that very clear?" Kimberly glanced uneasily around at the perimeter of her new jail and wondered what she'd gotten herself into. A trapped sensation began to nibble at her awareness. She wasn't certain how she should respond to Cavenaugh's orders and was therefore grateful for the distraction that came banging through the main door of the house. "Uncle Dare, Uncle Dare, you brought her! i knew you would!" Scott Emery's delighted face appeared at the window of the car on Cavenaugh's side.
    He looked past his uncle to examine Kimberly. "Hi, Miss. Sawyer," he said, his voice lowering under a sudden attack of shyness. "Do you remember me?" Kimberly grinned. "Believe me, Scott, I will never forget you!"
    "Kim's going to be staying with us for a while," Cavenaugh began, opening his car door and pushing a hand affectionately through the youngster's shaggy black hair. "Oh boy, I can show her my new train setup!"
    "Miss. Sawyer, we're so glad to have you. I told Dare he wasn't to return without you!" Kimberly was sliding out of the Jaguar, not waiting for Cavenaugh to open the door for her when the new voice interrupted Scott's excited chatter. she looked up to see an attractive, black-haired woman with Cavenaugh's green eyes coming down the front steps. There was no doubt about who she was. Julia."
    Kimberly held out her hand politely to Darius Cavenaugh's sister. "I've been wanting to meet you since the night Dare brought Scott home and told us what happened. I'm sure he told you how very, very grateful we all are for what you did. I'm delighted he was able to talk you into visiting us!"
    "Thank you," Kim began awkwardly, wondering how long she would be welcome when Cavenaugh's household discovered that she was there for an unspecified duration. Before she could think of anything else to say to the pretty woman who was Scott's mother, Kimberly became aware of yet another person standing at the top of the steps. ', Starke," Cavenaugh said calmly as he nodded at the newcomer. "I'd like you to meet Kimberly Sawyer. We'll be looking after her for a while."
    Kimberly managed a polite smile as the man came slowly down