Blackwood Farm - Anne Rice [180]
“ ‘Who are you?’ I demanded again. ‘What are you? Were those human bodies I saw you dumping in the swamp? They were, weren’t they, and the chains on the second floor. Did you never ask yourself what had happened with those chains?’
“I struggled. He tightened his grip.
“There came a dark slow laugh from him, a laugh I’d heard before though I couldn’t place it. Or could I? Was it only in the swamp that night when I had seen him in the moonlight? I was too caught up in his strength and in my own sense of peril to know for certain.
“ ‘You can take away the chains if you like,’ he said. ‘Have it all cleaned as I told you. Have made a new stairs from first floor to second. Have it made of bronze. And caution your workmen not to speak of the place. Caution them to frighten others away. If and when they hire outsiders, let them choose from those at a distance rather than from those who are close at hand.’
“ ‘Like it was in Manfred’s time,’ I said.
“ ‘Like you tell it on your tours of the house and property,’ said the voice. ‘Now, I have a piece of advice for you.’
“ ‘What piece of advice?’
“ ‘You can see spirits and you’ve become enamored of a spirit named Rebecca.’
“ ‘How do you know?’
“ ‘Suffice it to say that I do know and I’m warning you against her. She wants a vengeance from you against those who have harmed her, and she’ll settle for your life. You’re a Blackwood and that’s what matters to her. Your happiness fascinates her. It gives her strength. It causes her pain.’
“ ‘You’ve seen her yourself?’
“ ‘Let me humor you on this score. I have made myself privy to those dreams of yours in which she visits. And through those dreams I have come to know her tawdry desires.’
“ ‘She was tortured in the Hermitage,’ I said. ‘She was tortured with those chains.’
“ ‘You defend her to me? What is that to me? Allow me to suggest you remove the chains and put them with the casket of her remains which you’ve buried in the cemetery.’
“ ‘You spy on me night and day,’ I said, my teeth clenched with anger.
“ ‘I wish I could,’ he answered. ‘Now I’m going to let you go and you can turn and you can look at me just as you please, and you keep your part of the bargain and I’ll never hurt you or your family or your darling love with the red hair or her clan of witches.’
“His arms were removed. I spun around. He stood back.
“He was as I remembered. Six feet in height. Thick jet black hair pulled back from a square forehead with high temples and big black eyes with dark eyebrows that gave him a determined expression, and a long line of a smiling mouth, all very impressive, and a square jaw. Eyes positively flashing in the light. He was dressed in a fine black suit, and for one instant I saw all of him, and then he was turning, sporting the long thick black ponytail of hair—and gone as surely as if he’d dematerialized like Goblin.
“Goblin was immediately by my side, and Goblin said aloud, ‘Evil, Quinn, evil. He doesn’t disappear. He uses speed.’
“ ‘Hold my hand, Goblin!’ I said to him. ‘I knew you were near but you heard his threats.’ I was shaking violently.
“ ‘Had I come between you, Quinn, he would have crushed you. He was too ready for me, Quinn. He wasn’t afraid.’
“I turned, still trembling so badly that I could scarcely stand upright, and I saw the inevitable lights in Aunt Queen’s window. It was the lurid flare of the television.
“I embraced Goblin and then told him we must go to Aunt Queen. I was crazed with excitement.
“I rushed into the kitchen, across the back hall, and banged on her door. I found her in her chaise lounge as usual with her champagne, and some champagne sherbert, concluding the marathon drinking bout that had begun at dinner. Jasmine was fast asleep under the covers. The Scarlet Empress with Marlene Dietrich was on TV.
“ ‘Listen to me,’ I said, pulling up a chair. ‘I know I’m fast losing my reputation with you as a sane person.’
“I pulled out my cotton handkerchief and mopped the sweat from my face.
“ ‘That’s quite all right,’ she rejoined. ‘You have a powerful reputation