FanStory.com - The Unwilling Heir - Chap 18by Begin Again

Lorrie, caught off guard, tried to ease the situation. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at the two men before speaking, "Benny, control yourself. Tell me what's happened?"

"James or Noah should have run her off the property long ago." He sneered at Madeline. "She doesn't care about anyone but herself." Benny charged towards her, his hands wrapping around her thin neck.

Madeline choked as she tried to scream. Lorrie and Ryan tugged Benny away, breaking his grip. Ryan pushed him against the cabinets, putting space between them, yelling for Benny to stop.

Lorrie positioned herself in front of Madeline, protecting her from another attack. She snapped, "Benny, what's wrong with you? Have you lost your mind?"

Benny pointed his trembling finger at Madeline and snarled, "She stole the key from Sandra's room so she could get the treasure. That's all she ever wanted. She doesn't care about what happens to any of us."

Lorrie turned to Madeline, trying to remain calm, but her eyes widened as she fully understood Benny's accusations. "Madeline, did you do what he said? Did you take the key?"

"No!" Madeline's voice cracked with desperation as she stepped backward, putting a few feet between her and Benny. Her body shook violently as her mind raced, trying to comprehend why they thought she'd stolen the key. Turning her pleading eyes to Lorrie, she said, "That's what I came to tell you, but before I could say anything, they started accusing me."

"You're a liar! All you've ever done since you got here is lie. You expect everyone to believe you." Benny lunged at her again, but Ryan held him back.

Sobbing, Madeline struggled to talk. "I admit I was wrong in the beginning, but I really tried to change." Swatting away her tears, she wailed, "What difference does it make? None of you care about me." She turned and ran through the back door, stumbling off the porch. She ran blindly into the rose garden until she collapsed on the ground, her body heaving uncontrollably.

"Noah, please, I didn't do this. Wherever you are, if you can hear me—" she gasped for air, begging, "Please — believe me. I've made mistakes in the past, but I didn't do this."

A female figure stood in the shadows near the carriage house, watching Madeline. Her body quivered in a moment of self-sorrow as she recognized how deep Madeline's grief and frustration ran. Having lived in the mansion for countless years, she knew the woman's pain matched her own — lost love, mistakes, and unfair accusations. Yet, through trial and error, she had also learned the ins and outs of survival and rarely showed compassion for those around her, especially female spirits who considered themselves far above the others — women like Victoria.

The woman moved closer to Madeline's distraught figure, battling within herself whether or not to speak to her. If nothing else, her years confined to the mansion had taught her to calculate the risks and benefits of communicating with one of the mortals, but Madeline's tears stirred emotions she'd blocked long ago.

As she skirted the rose bushes, a thorny branch snagged her beaded gown, once elegant but now faded with time. She tugged to loosen it, knocking a sprinkling can and some garden tools over, making a noisy racket.

Madeline jerked her head toward the sound, fearful of who might be lurking nearby. Praying, she asked, "Is that you, Noah?" When no one answered, she stood, brushing off the dirt and grass from her slacks, letting her eyes scan the bushes. "Noah, if it's you, please come out and talk to me."

The woman hesitated, then made the decision to approach Madeline. She walked around the bushes into full view. Her eyes, deep pools of sadness, assessed Madeline now that she, too, was in full view. Madeline's eyes widened, afraid of who or what was going to confront her now. She wondered if she had time to return to the confines of the house.

The woman extended her ethereal hand toward Madeline, who instinctively moved a step further away. The woman's voice was soft and soothing. "Don't be frightened. I mean you no harm. I heard you crying." She looked around the garden, checking to see if they were alone. Satisfied, she continued, "My name is Esther. I live deep within the mansion."

Madeline gasped, "Not with those dreadful creatures?"

Esther laughed, a sweet melodic sound that seemed to drift on the breeze, almost like a whispered secret shared between friends. "Not that far down, at least not yet." She brushed a wisp of her gray hair away from her face and her eyes filled with sadness. "Only time will tell." She gestured toward a bench near the carriage house. "Come. Let's sit for a few minutes. Perhaps together we can find solace and answers to your problems."

"Impossible!" Madeline snapped but quickly bit her lower lip. "I'm sorry. It's difficult to believe that love or even friendship could exist in this place. The beautiful exterior is so deceiving and it draws you deep into the heart of the home, only to find pain and accusations. Trust me, there's no kindness within the mansion's walls."

Esther touched Madeline's arm, sending a shiver through her own body. She'd not felt such compassion for anyone in a very long time. She withdrew her hand, warning herself to be careful of her actions with this mortal.

"I've heard your name around the mansion. You were married to Noah. You're Madeline, right?"

At the mention of Noah's name, tears welled in Madeline's eyes. She turned away, staring off into the distance, fighting against the overwhelming grief washing over her. Finally, she managed a simple nod and whispered, "I failed him."

"I can feel your pain. Your tears mirror the anguish of my own heart. I, too, have known the sting of lost love and the ache of false accusations."

Madeline turned to Esther, suddenly relieved that she might have found an understanding friend, totally unaware that Esther had motives of her own. "Do you know about —"

Lorrie's voice yelled from the back porch, "Madeline, where are you? Come and have some tea. We'll work things out."

Esther stood, her eyes darting toward the mansion. "I need to go. Let's have this as our little secret, okay?" Esther moved toward the carriage house, stopping one more time to reach out to Madeline. "It's going to be okay. I promise to help you, but you must not tell anyone." With that, Esther disappeared.

Entering the rose garden, Lorrie stopped, scanned the area, and then rushed to Madeline's side. "You poor girl, Benny should never have treated you so badly. Are you okay?"

Madeline nodded, thinking about Esther and if she should tell Lorrie. She'd been so kind to her, something Madeline didn't feel most of the time. Lorrie stood, still looking around the garden and toward the carriage house.

"Strange, the roses have a different scent tonight, almost a musky aroma." Spying a lace handkerchief under the bench, Lorrie asked, "Were you in the garden alone?"

Madeline turned her teary eyes toward the housekeeper, remembering Esther's request, and answered, "Of course, I was alone. There's no one here but you and me."