Toby didn’t look directly at Graydon, but she did take a tiny side step toward him. For a while everyone was quiet.
“I don’t know about anyone else,” Ken said, “but it’s past my bedtime.” Since they were all in his house, he gave them a look that it was time to leave.
After goodnights, Victoria picked up the box of jade figures, and Caleb took her arm and led her to the front door. Toby and Graydon were right behind them. When they were outside, the four of them walked to the end of the lane together.
Caleb looked at the house BEYOND TIME. “That house has a strong history to it. The man who built it—” He broke off with a laugh. “I think I’ve done enough storytelling for one night. Toby, dear,” he said, his face serious, “I think perhaps you should stay out of that house. Memories remain with a person for a very long time. We may not be conscious of them, but they’re there, buried deep within our minds. It may seem sad to you that Tabby died so young, but it was a very long time ago. My suggestion to the two of you is to think about now, today, not the past.”
Graydon picked up Toby’s arm and slipped it around his. “My sentiments exactly,” he said. “That room … It still gives me chills when I think about it.” He looked at Toby. “We stay out of there? Agreed.”
“Yes,” she said. “Let your relatives take care of it.”
The four of them said goodnight and parted. When Toby and Graydon got upstairs, they stood for a moment in the sitting room, just looking at each other. Their argument about Daire had been settled, but Toby didn’t want to return to the ease that they’d shared before. She reminded herself that Graydon was going to leave; that hadn’t changed.
It might have become awkward between them if Graydon’s cell hadn’t started buzzing. He’d left it upstairs for the evening but now he picked it up.
“Rory?” she asked.
“Who else?” Graydon said, his teeth clenched. With longing in his eyes, he looked at her in her beautiful gown. “He’s left a lot of messages so I better take this.”
“Of course,” Toby said. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” he answered as he pushed the button on the phone. “And may I again say that you—” He broke off. “Rory, calm down. I’m back now.” With one last look of regret at Toby, Graydon went into his bedroom and shut the door.
Inside her own bedroom, Toby leaned against the door for a moment. She didn’t want to take off the gown. She’d have to ship it back to Lanconia and would never see it again. But maybe she could wear it at Victoria’s historical-themed wedding. But no, Graydon would be gone by then and it wouldn’t be right to keep the dress when he wasn’t there.
Her attention was taken by a light shining through her window. She hadn’t thought to draw the curtains before she left so the beam was prominent. When she looked out the window she saw that it was coming from the house across the road. The forbidden house. Not only had someone left a light on inside, the front door was standing wide open. It wasn’t raining but it might, and if it did, the floor and woodwork could be ruined.
Quietly, she opened the door and stepped into the sitting room. What she should do was tell Graydon about the door. After all, the house was owned by his family, but she heard that he was still on the phone and his voice seemed rather loud and fast. No doubt Rory was falling apart again. That seemed to be an hourly occurrence with him.
Toby tiptoed down the stairs, glanced toward the closed door of the family room,
and wondered if Daire and Lorcan were home, but she didn’t look. She’d just go across the road, close the door, ignore the light inside, and return before Graydon got off the phone.
But when she got to the door, it was stuck and she couldn’t pull it shut. When she stepped inside to get a better grip, she heard voices upstairs. It looked like someone—probably kids—was in the house. She reached for her phone to call the police but she didn’t have it with her. Turning, she started to leave, but the door shut in her face.
Across the road, Graydon was pulling down the window shade as he spoke on the phone to his brother. It was early morning in Lanconia. “Rory, I’m tired. I want to go to bed. You can handle this on your own. Just have some confidence in yourself and you can—” When Graydon spat out the vilest curse known in his language, even his brother was taken aback. “Toby just went into that house and slammed the door behind her. I have to go.” As he took off running, he clicked off the phone and tossed it onto the couch.
When Graydon got to the house, the door was standing open and he couldn’t help sighing. Of course it was open, beckoning him to come in. If Toby weren’t somewhere inside he would have walked away and never looked back. He couldn’t help wondering if his aunt Cale was aware of what she’d bought. But then, she was a writer and as bad as Victoria. Aunt Cale would probably love hearing about whatever the house did to people.
When Graydon was fully inside, he stood still and waited. He knew what was coming. Only when the door closed on its own behind him did he shout Toby’s name. There was no answer, but then, he’d expected none.
Upstairs, he quickly went from room to room. Four bedrooms, three baths, and the little library. Toby was nowhere to be seen.
Again downstairs, he took his time looking through the rooms. His fear was of the birthing room, that Toby was in there. His imagination made him worry that somehow the old house had taken hold of her and—
He ran his hand over his face. No more horror movies for him!
He went through the dining room and into the front hall. As soon as he stepped into the parlor, he heard music and laughter, and saw a light under the door to the small sitting room.
He covered the larger room in three strides and flung the door open.
What he saw was a great surprise yet no surprise at all. Two women, wearing clothes like those he and Toby still had on from the dinner party, were standing by the fireplace. The room was painted yellow, with a bright red wood-framed sofa and a few chairs with needlepoint upholstery.
Graydon stayed outside, looking into the room. He wasn’t sure about entering this place that seemed to have a very flexible attitude toward time.
“Is Toby here?” he asked, but no one looked at him. “Is Tabby here?” he asked louder, but still no one reacted. Obviously they couldn’t hear him.
Tentatively, he put his foot inside the doorway—and saw the slipper he’d been sent with the costume change to a square-toed boot. Ah, much better, he thought. When he looked up, he thought he saw Toby walking toward the stairs.