Chapter Two
Sara roamed the mansion halls again. Since she had moved in, she had walked these halls and every other hall and rooms a million times. No matter how many times she walked it, she always ended up in the huge room with the fireplace. It was a room that both attracted and repulsed her, although as time went by, the repulsion seemed to lessen. Today was no different. She walked in and found flames dancing. She knew instinctively who had started the fire and carefully walked around and sat in one of the two available chairs. Not turning, she already knew the other chair was occupied, and waited to see if he would say anything today. She would, for once, not be disappointed.
"I felt a change in the air today." His voice was still smooth and even. "Something is going to happen soon."
"I know." She whispered as she watched the flames moved seductively before finally turning her head. "I felt it too Ian." She wanted to cry as she looked at him. He hadn't pulled his long hair back and it curled around his face, hiding his eyes. She wanted to see those eyes and hoped there would be some purpose in them but knew that they would be as empty as ever. "Come on." She stood and moved next to the chair, offering Ian Nottingham her hand. "We can discuss it over breakfast." She waited patiently for the words to work through the fog in his mind. Finally he reached up and took her hand, standing slowly. "When was the last time you worked out Ian?" She began to lead him like a child out of the room.
"I don't remember." He glanced at her then looked straight ahead.
"Well, after we eat, I think we should go into the gym. How does that sound?" She tried to sound up beat.
"If you think that would be best." Ian simply nodded as she led him to the table and sat him down. He lowered his eyes slowly to the plate before him and cocked his head slightly to the right, as though he were looking at something alien. Finally, with slow and precise movements, he picked up a fork and began to eat. Swallowing a mouthful of food he turned toward Sara. "Do you think we can go for a walk today? I want to go walking."
"Of course we can Ian." Sara smiled. It had been a very long time since the man had suggested doing something. "Would you like to walk the grounds, maybe go and see the dogs?"
"Yes. I think I would like to go and see the dogs." He began to eat again slowly, mechanically. "Maybe they can walk with us."
"I would like that." As her grin widened the phone rang. Ian put his fork down and looked around. "It's just the phone Ian. I'll see who it is."
"If it's Mr. Irons, tell him we don't want to see him anymore." Ian glared at the remaining food on his plate and the phone rang a second time. "Don't make me see him anymore Sara."
"Mr. Irons is gone, remember?" Sara sadly said as she rose and walked across the dining room to the phone. "Finish your breakfast Ian." As she picked up the receiver, she watched the man pick up his fork again and continue eating the food before him. "This is Sara." She said into the mouthpiece. "Hey Danny, what's up."
"So after the last case I took, I decided it was time to take a much needed vacation." Dianna sipped her coffee slowly as she finished her story. "I mean I needed to get away."
"I've often wondered how you had the strength to do so much." Gabriel smiled as he spoke. "I mean just writing alone. You're only what; twenty-three, twenty-four, and you've already got two best sellers. Not to mention all the help you have given various police departments." He laughed and shook his head. "I mean you deserve a vacation."
"That's what I thought." She shrugged and looked around the sidewalk where they sat. "I had to convince my agent that I was doing research for my next book to keep him happy."
"You lied?" Gabriel's eyes widened. "My little Princess lied?" He held a hand over his heart and feigned pain.
"Stop it." She laughed. "People are gonna start looking." Just as she was about to take another sip, a book was thrown on the table causing them both to jump in surprise. Dianna looked up and into the face of a woman. "Can I help you miss?"
"Did you write that?" The voice and the clothing seemed to have belonged to a man, yet Dianna was certain the person speaking to her was a woman.
"Don't Piss off the Lesbians." Dianna looked at the cover of the book and back at the speaker. 'Yes Ma'am I did." She took a deep breath, waiting for the inevitable harassment. "What can I do for you?"
"I knew it was you." The woman began reaching into her pants pocket, causing Gabriel to become concerned. "My ole lady loves what you said in there. You know about the ancient Amazons and those other races where the woman was the boss."
"I'm glad she likes it." Dianna smiled sweetly, never showing fear if she was feeling it.
"So do I." Finally the woman produced a pen. "I was wondering if you would mind signing it."
"Not at all." Dianna took the pen and opened the book. "Who should I make it out too."
"Could you make it out to me and my ole lady. Nikki, two k's and an i, and Lynda, with a y, that's my ole lady." Nikki looked over Dianna's shoulder as she signed. "I really do appreciate this."
"Not a problem at all." Dianna closed the pen and handed it along with the book back to the woman. "Look." She pulled out a card and handed it to the woman. "Why don't you put your name and address on the back of this, and when the next book comes out, I'll make sure you and Lynda get one of the first copies, signed of course."
"You're just joking right?" Nikki looked over her shoulder at another woman sitting several tables down. "You really mean it."
"I really mean it." Dianna leaned over the table to Gabriel. "I'll be right back Gabriel." Standing she touched Nikki on the shoulder. "Is that Lynda over there?" Nikki nodded proudly. "And the two of you have been together for what, seven years now?" Again the other nodded. "Well then, I think I would like to meet Lynda. If she wouldn't think I was intruding."
"You sure? I don't want to take you away from your company." Nikki looked a bit embarrassed. "It would mean the world to her."
"I'm sure." Looking back at Gabriel she smiled. "I won't be gone long. Order us something sweet while I'm speaking with our new friends."
Gabriel watched as the two women moved to the table where Lynda sat. Dianna introduced herself with a warm hug then with both women standing together; she laid her hands lightly over their hearts and spoke very quietly. Once she removed her hands he could see Nikki actually wipe away a tear. Then after another hug, Dianna turned and began moving back to him.
"They are a sweet couple." She let Gabriel push her chair under her as she sat. "Trying to have a baby."
"This happen very often?" He grinned and waved at the couple that began to leave, hand in hand.
"Yes, but usually it is someone that is angry at the title of the book, and hasn't bothered to read the pages between the covers." Dianna shrugged. "I've met some pretty interesting people at the book signings." Suddenly a phone rang. Both she and Gabriel pulled their cells out and looked. "Not mine."
"Nope, it's mine." He grinned as he looked at the caller ID. "It's Sara." Raising the phone to his ear he answered. "Hey kiddo, what's up?" He listened for a few seconds then spoke. "Yeah, it really is her." He pointed to a waiter and signaled for the check as he waited for Sara to finish talking. "Yeah, I think she would love to see the two of you." Suddenly he frowned a bit. "Yeah, I'll fill her in before we get there. You just make sure he doesn't find out it's her. I think the surprise might do him some good." He tried to snatch the bill but was too slow as Dianna grabbed it and pulled out a card, handing it to the waiter with a sly grin. "He said that? Wow, then that settles it. We'll be there in about thirty minutes." He fought to keep from laughing as Dianna signed her name to the slip and stuck her tongue out at him. "See you then Sara." Closing the phone he pretended to be mad. "That was not very nice. I was supposed to be treating you."
"Treat me next time. What did Sara say? Are we going to see her? And who is this 'he' you said would be happy to see me."
"Yes it was Sara." He stood and waited for her to do the same. As they began to walk toward his car, he put his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. "And before we get there, I need to let you know about Ian. You do remember him don't you?"
"The Knight?" Her eyes glowed as she spoke. "Of course I remember him? What's wrong with Ian?"
"Come on, get in the car and I'll explain." He closed the door and entered the driver's side, fastening his seatbelt. "Ian is not the same man you remember Dianna. Something happened about five years ago." Not looking at her, Gabriel started the car and pulled into traffic before he began speaking again.
Sara roamed the mansion halls again. Since she had moved in, she had walked these halls and every other hall and rooms a million times. No matter how many times she walked it, she always ended up in the huge room with the fireplace. It was a room that both attracted and repulsed her, although as time went by, the repulsion seemed to lessen. Today was no different. She walked in and found flames dancing. She knew instinctively who had started the fire and carefully walked around and sat in one of the two available chairs. Not turning, she already knew the other chair was occupied, and waited to see if he would say anything today. She would, for once, not be disappointed.
"I felt a change in the air today." His voice was still smooth and even. "Something is going to happen soon."
"I know." She whispered as she watched the flames moved seductively before finally turning her head. "I felt it too Ian." She wanted to cry as she looked at him. He hadn't pulled his long hair back and it curled around his face, hiding his eyes. She wanted to see those eyes and hoped there would be some purpose in them but knew that they would be as empty as ever. "Come on." She stood and moved next to the chair, offering Ian Nottingham her hand. "We can discuss it over breakfast." She waited patiently for the words to work through the fog in his mind. Finally he reached up and took her hand, standing slowly. "When was the last time you worked out Ian?" She began to lead him like a child out of the room.
"I don't remember." He glanced at her then looked straight ahead.
"Well, after we eat, I think we should go into the gym. How does that sound?" She tried to sound up beat.
"If you think that would be best." Ian simply nodded as she led him to the table and sat him down. He lowered his eyes slowly to the plate before him and cocked his head slightly to the right, as though he were looking at something alien. Finally, with slow and precise movements, he picked up a fork and began to eat. Swallowing a mouthful of food he turned toward Sara. "Do you think we can go for a walk today? I want to go walking."
"Of course we can Ian." Sara smiled. It had been a very long time since the man had suggested doing something. "Would you like to walk the grounds, maybe go and see the dogs?"
"Yes. I think I would like to go and see the dogs." He began to eat again slowly, mechanically. "Maybe they can walk with us."
"I would like that." As her grin widened the phone rang. Ian put his fork down and looked around. "It's just the phone Ian. I'll see who it is."
"If it's Mr. Irons, tell him we don't want to see him anymore." Ian glared at the remaining food on his plate and the phone rang a second time. "Don't make me see him anymore Sara."
"Mr. Irons is gone, remember?" Sara sadly said as she rose and walked across the dining room to the phone. "Finish your breakfast Ian." As she picked up the receiver, she watched the man pick up his fork again and continue eating the food before him. "This is Sara." She said into the mouthpiece. "Hey Danny, what's up."
"So after the last case I took, I decided it was time to take a much needed vacation." Dianna sipped her coffee slowly as she finished her story. "I mean I needed to get away."
"I've often wondered how you had the strength to do so much." Gabriel smiled as he spoke. "I mean just writing alone. You're only what; twenty-three, twenty-four, and you've already got two best sellers. Not to mention all the help you have given various police departments." He laughed and shook his head. "I mean you deserve a vacation."
"That's what I thought." She shrugged and looked around the sidewalk where they sat. "I had to convince my agent that I was doing research for my next book to keep him happy."
"You lied?" Gabriel's eyes widened. "My little Princess lied?" He held a hand over his heart and feigned pain.
"Stop it." She laughed. "People are gonna start looking." Just as she was about to take another sip, a book was thrown on the table causing them both to jump in surprise. Dianna looked up and into the face of a woman. "Can I help you miss?"
"Did you write that?" The voice and the clothing seemed to have belonged to a man, yet Dianna was certain the person speaking to her was a woman.
"Don't Piss off the Lesbians." Dianna looked at the cover of the book and back at the speaker. 'Yes Ma'am I did." She took a deep breath, waiting for the inevitable harassment. "What can I do for you?"
"I knew it was you." The woman began reaching into her pants pocket, causing Gabriel to become concerned. "My ole lady loves what you said in there. You know about the ancient Amazons and those other races where the woman was the boss."
"I'm glad she likes it." Dianna smiled sweetly, never showing fear if she was feeling it.
"So do I." Finally the woman produced a pen. "I was wondering if you would mind signing it."
"Not at all." Dianna took the pen and opened the book. "Who should I make it out too."
"Could you make it out to me and my ole lady. Nikki, two k's and an i, and Lynda, with a y, that's my ole lady." Nikki looked over Dianna's shoulder as she signed. "I really do appreciate this."
"Not a problem at all." Dianna closed the pen and handed it along with the book back to the woman. "Look." She pulled out a card and handed it to the woman. "Why don't you put your name and address on the back of this, and when the next book comes out, I'll make sure you and Lynda get one of the first copies, signed of course."
"You're just joking right?" Nikki looked over her shoulder at another woman sitting several tables down. "You really mean it."
"I really mean it." Dianna leaned over the table to Gabriel. "I'll be right back Gabriel." Standing she touched Nikki on the shoulder. "Is that Lynda over there?" Nikki nodded proudly. "And the two of you have been together for what, seven years now?" Again the other nodded. "Well then, I think I would like to meet Lynda. If she wouldn't think I was intruding."
"You sure? I don't want to take you away from your company." Nikki looked a bit embarrassed. "It would mean the world to her."
"I'm sure." Looking back at Gabriel she smiled. "I won't be gone long. Order us something sweet while I'm speaking with our new friends."
Gabriel watched as the two women moved to the table where Lynda sat. Dianna introduced herself with a warm hug then with both women standing together; she laid her hands lightly over their hearts and spoke very quietly. Once she removed her hands he could see Nikki actually wipe away a tear. Then after another hug, Dianna turned and began moving back to him.
"They are a sweet couple." She let Gabriel push her chair under her as she sat. "Trying to have a baby."
"This happen very often?" He grinned and waved at the couple that began to leave, hand in hand.
"Yes, but usually it is someone that is angry at the title of the book, and hasn't bothered to read the pages between the covers." Dianna shrugged. "I've met some pretty interesting people at the book signings." Suddenly a phone rang. Both she and Gabriel pulled their cells out and looked. "Not mine."
"Nope, it's mine." He grinned as he looked at the caller ID. "It's Sara." Raising the phone to his ear he answered. "Hey kiddo, what's up?" He listened for a few seconds then spoke. "Yeah, it really is her." He pointed to a waiter and signaled for the check as he waited for Sara to finish talking. "Yeah, I think she would love to see the two of you." Suddenly he frowned a bit. "Yeah, I'll fill her in before we get there. You just make sure he doesn't find out it's her. I think the surprise might do him some good." He tried to snatch the bill but was too slow as Dianna grabbed it and pulled out a card, handing it to the waiter with a sly grin. "He said that? Wow, then that settles it. We'll be there in about thirty minutes." He fought to keep from laughing as Dianna signed her name to the slip and stuck her tongue out at him. "See you then Sara." Closing the phone he pretended to be mad. "That was not very nice. I was supposed to be treating you."
"Treat me next time. What did Sara say? Are we going to see her? And who is this 'he' you said would be happy to see me."
"Yes it was Sara." He stood and waited for her to do the same. As they began to walk toward his car, he put his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. "And before we get there, I need to let you know about Ian. You do remember him don't you?"
"The Knight?" Her eyes glowed as she spoke. "Of course I remember him? What's wrong with Ian?"
"Come on, get in the car and I'll explain." He closed the door and entered the driver's side, fastening his seatbelt. "Ian is not the same man you remember Dianna. Something happened about five years ago." Not looking at her, Gabriel started the car and pulled into traffic before he began speaking again.