I went to bed that night feeling much better then I had in awhile. No troublesome thoughts interrupted my sleep, and I woke up the next morning with a tremendous feeling of well-being. When I saw my father at breakfast, he told me that the Everses had decided to stay awhile and asked me if that was all right.

I told him it was, and was actually kind of glad of it. I'd gotten fond of them. After breakfast, I left the house to take a little trip. I didn't know exactly where I wanted to go, but I couldn't believe where I ended up.

Greeling Terrace is a bit older then Tara, though both houses were in their glory days just before the civil war. It's kind of imposing when you first look at it, but after you get over the shock you can start to take in its beauty. It's painted light blue to Tara's Georgia peach. Both houses are guarded by ancient wrought-iron fences that are beautifully designed and engraved with family seals. The entrance to Greeling Terrace is peppered with Mrs. Allen-Park's azaleas and Cherokee wild roses, which she won prizes for. Leading up to the front of the house are a bunch of stone steps. The entryway to the house is very long, and the tall French doors are flanked by two tall, white columns.

The foyer is lit by a huge chandelier, and all the furniture is made of cherry wood or marble. There's even a stained-glass window above the door which is easier seen from indoors.

I'd only read about it books and magazines of course, and I'd always wondered what it would be like to be inside it. The second I entered the house though, I was immediately confronted by a tall, nefarious looking man dressed all in black. His moustache was dark and neatly trimmed, and I could see streaks of gray in his messy dark hair which looked as though it hadn't been washed for several weeks and instead, he just greased it back when he woke up in the morning.

He surveyed me for a minute with cold gray eyes before grudgingly removing his hat and bowing to me. I didn't curtsey back.

"What can I do for you, miss?"

Trying to sound much braver then I felt, I said to Frank Malrooney "I'm here to see the rightful masters of this house."

The second I said that, he soured, dropping all pretense of manners, pulled a gun out, and grabbed me by the hair.

"What can I do for you, miss?" he repeated. His breath was warm and foul on my neck and his teeth were yellow.

When I didn't say a word, he threw me down on the ground and shot at me. I screamed, but when the smoke cleared and I saw the bullet hadn't come anywhere near me, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Just then, I heard two pairs of footsteps charging towards us. Barely three minutes later, both Michael and Jack appeared, panting and drawing their own guns.

Michael didn't truly look at me at first. He thought I was just some random unfortunate who managed to stumble into Frank's path.

"It'll be all right miss," he informed me. "Frank may be vicious and foul, but he couldn't shoot a tin can five feet in front of him. He just got lucky with me."

I couldn't help grinning to myself. "I know, Mama told me." I said so that they both could hear me.

They both turned and looked at me, stunned.

"Peach, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be at your parents' house." Michael said, looking at me suspiciously.

I smiled at him innocently. "I just came by to tell you two things. One: you and I are through. Two: there are some very bad things going on at home, but I won't burden you with that since you have a house to save and everything."

But before I could move to go, Jack put his hand on my arm and gestured at Michael to come stand on his other side.

"Little Lily," he said, looking at me. "Michael," he said, looking at his brother, "you two are good together. Do not wreck it. Granted it is kind of my fault because I said we had to get this house matter fixed up immediately, but you two have to work together just as much as we do."

I nodded. "I guess we aren't through then. But I do have something to tell you that Mama told me when I got home. She says you won't get the house back until the last living Malrooney dies. And from what Mama says, he's still young."

Michael looked at me. "What's going on at home?"

"Oh, nothing extraordinary. Daddy sold the house to amusement park people, but I'm warming up to the idea. Oh, and here's some good news: Scott's back to keep me company while you wait for the last Malrooney to die!"

Apparently, Michael and Jack didn't have as much faith in Scott's reform as I did. They just looked at each other worriedly.

"Little Lily, I want you to go stay with Melanie, all right? I don't want you to go back home." Jack instructed. It was an order I was all too happy to obey.

But just because I wasn't home didn't mean Scott couldn't find me. He always could.

Thanks AW!