23
Once again, I'm going to pause in my narration to give my friend Elegant Soul a shout-out for her invaluable help!
I don't own these characters-I just like to play in their backyard!
In the two weeks that followed, Audrey and Prudence slowly became friends.
Audrey was actually looking forward to Halloween this year-Duke was throwing a huge party at the Gull, and since Vince's article in the paper, all anyone was talking about was the revelation that Prudence was innocent.
Even Beverly Keegan had been impressed-enough so that she'd hired a playwright to work with Betsy, and also a professional acting troupe to act out a short play based on Prudence's witch trial, rather than someone to scare people on a hayride.
Betsy's book sales skyrocketed, and her newest book, The Killing of Prudence Stillwater, was being courted by a major publisher. One critic called it 'the most insightful look into the sixteenth century he'd ever read', and went on to say 'the author writes as though she witnessed the events described therein firsthand'.
Audrey had grinned at that-Prudence had spent many an hour with Betsy, telling her all about life in sixteenth-century Haven, while Betsy scribbled in her notebook.
Prudence had been bedridden for days after the events at the Axiom, sleeping for long hours on end. Concerned, Duke had Gloria in every day to monitor her, along with visits from Charlotte on occasion.
"Well? How is she?" Duke questioned anxiously one day as Charlotte emerged from Prue's bedroom.
"You have to remember Duke, Prudence is over five hundred years old," she told him.
"You're over a thousand," he pointed out. "Not that you look it," he added hastily.
Charlotte smiled slightly. "But Prudence isn't from my world, she's from yours. Humans aren't designed to live for centuries, Troubled or not," she went on. "She took a real beating physically and mentally. Basically, sleep, good food, and quiet are what she needs." She looked at him critically.
"And it isn't good for caretakers to run themselves into the ground either," she said not unkindly. "How are you doing, Duke?"
"I'm okay," he sighed. He was silent a bit. "My Trouble came back." He chuckled ruefully. "I just can't seem to get rid of that thing."
"I didn't know-I'm sorry," Charlotte said.
"It's all good," Duke half-smiled. "Prue told me she felt it was better off in my hands than hers. She couldn't hold onto it and deal with William too. That's why Dwight got his back too."
"Your respective Troubles are manageable-Hailey's and Marjorie's were impossible for them to have relatively normal lives with theirs," she said not unkindly.
Duke nodded. He didn't like it, but he, like Dwight, understood. The important thing was that it meant they were rid of William and this time-hopefully-for good.
Charlotte had ensured that all thinnies were now tightly shut, just in case William ever managed to thaw himself out of his statue state.
Charlotte and Prudence talked a great deal when she would come to visit. Of what life was like now, and was also working with her, to help her adapt to modern life.
On the down side however, after that day in the forest, Prudence seemed to have lost her ability to absorb Troubles.
She tried once to cure Nathan, but all he claimed to be able to feel was a sort of warmth when she put her hands on him, but when she would take them away, the numbness would return. She tried repeatedly, but each time the result was the same.
Prudence seemed depressed that she could no longer help, even though they all had reassured her time and again that she had averted a terrible disaster that day in the North Woods. She would retire to her room, reading through the books Vincent had brought for her, and a few tomes that had been tucked into the strongbox. What they contained Duke didn't know; she wouldn't show them to him, and the box was always locked out of her presence.
Duke decided that a Halloween party might be the thing to help bring Prudence out of her funk; and he dragged her along to help with the planning. She was well enough now to be out and around for short periods of time, and he and Audrey would take her out whenever they could.
Prudence seemed intrigued by the notion of celebrating Halloween. It wasn't really celebrated in her time, and she was surprised at some of the costumes at the store.
"The woman who wears this garment would surely catch her death of cold," she'd gasped, seeing the sexy Halloween costume lines.
"It's not colds they're trying to catch," Duke had teased her.
"I shall never become accustomed to how bold women are these days with regard to men," Prudence had remarked.
"Women didn't chase men in your day?" Duke grinned.
"We did," Prudence winked. "But the prey cannot know it is prey, or it will never be caught. You must be more subtle than that," she told Duke with a sidelong glance, and he laughed.
Halloween finally arrived, crisp and clear. The party at the Gull was tonight, and promised to be a good time had by all. Or so Duke hoped.
Duke even took Prudence to the Haven Halloween parade, getting themselves a seat next to Nathan and Audrey close to the bandstand. Nathan got them all funnel cakes, and they watched the costumed revelers parading down the street.
"Having fun, Prue?" Audrey asked.
"Indeed," Prudence smiled, watching the children in the town's annual Halloween parade, racing about in their costumes, a sad smile on her face.
Audrey knew Prue must be thinking of her own children, gone so long ago, and she gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She hadn't gotten to see James grow up, and in light of the fact that she herself had lived so long, Audrey couldn't help but wonder if there had been other children she'd given birth to, lost to time, the memory of them buried somewhere within the Barn, now gone forever.
After the parade, they all went back to the Gull for lunch, and Duke was supervising the last of the decorating for the party tonight.
Prudence looked around her at all the streamers and bunting, the animated monsters that wailed and talked when you walked by them, and she headed back towards Duke.
"Samuel and Elizabeth would have loved this holiday," she said to him, and he put his arm around her.
"Yeah," he said softly. "Jennifer was kind of fond of it too. That reminds me," he went on. "Do you think that she and Isiah might have been related?"
"Possibly," Prudence remarked. "He may have been a distant uncle-Isiah did have brothers." She glanced up at him. "You miss her dearly still, don't you?"
"Yeah. I don't think a day goes by that I don't think about her," Duke replied. He forced a smile. "But she wouldn't have wanted me to sit around moping. We got a party to host tonight, Prue. Did you and Audrey go to get your costume yet?"
"We did," Prue replied, indicating the large shopping bag sitting on the table. "I chose it myself."
"What is it?"
"Why, great-grandson, that would spoil the surprise if I told you," Prue pointed out. "But I think you might could guess what it is," she went on, pulling out a black pointed hat and putting it on. Duke laughed.
"Are you going to fly across the moon on your broom tonight?" he teased.
"That would be a sight, would it not?" Prue smiled. "Sadly, I am not capable of flight. But I may still do something tonight."
"Oh? What?"
That I will not tell you. You shall simply have to wait and see," Prue smiled, and Duke grinned. "Now-we have sweets to hand out," she finished, seeing the trick-or-treaters as they made their rounds in the Trunk-Or-Treat. "So-man up, as Audrey says."
"She's rubbing off on you," Duke grumbled, and Prudence playfully nudged him.
Upstairs from the Gull, Audrey finished checking her costume in the mirror while Nathan changed in the bathroom.
She hadn't dressed up in years, but this year, she felt like enjoying the party. She was Audrey Parker, not Lucy Ripley, or Sarah Vernon, or Mara, or any of the other personalities she'd been through the years. She was truly her own woman now, and tonight, Audrey Parker wanted to have some fun.
Nathan emerged from the bathroom in his Sherlock Holmes cape and deerstalker hat.
"How do I look?" he asked, sticking a ridiculously large pipe in his mouth, doing his best to look like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's literary hero.
Audrey came out of the kitchen, and Nathan's jaw slacked.
She was dressed in a tight deep blue cheongsam, slit all the way up to her thigh on one side, with her blonde hair tucked under a black bob wig, with high heels and a long cigarette holder.
"Tell me what I vant to know," Audrey purred.
"Name it," Nathan said. "So long as you're wearing that! Wow, Parker! You make a great Mata Hari."
"I may have been Mata Hari for all we know," Audrey grinned, and Nathan hugged her.
"Nah. Besides, she got executed."
"True," Audrey admitted. "Well, are we ready?"
"Let's go," Nathan said, offering his arm, and they headed down the stairs to the Gull, where the party was already starting.
"So what are you supposed to be? Zorro?" Dwight asked Duke. He was dressed as an Old West gunslinger, his flak vest behind the striped waistcoat he was wearing.
Duke was all in black, with knee-high boots and and a mask, with a dummy flintlock pistol tucked into the waistband of his sash.
"I'm a highwayman," Duke said. "But everybody keeps thinking I'm Zorro. Or a pirate."
"I know what you are supposed to be, Duke," Prudence smiled. "You resemble Josiah even more in that costume."
"Prue, you look amazing," Dwight admired, and Prudence modeled her costume. She wore a long black dress with puffed sleeves that grew tighter towards her wrists, with green iridescent panels sewn into the skirt that swirled around her when she moved. With her long dark hair braided neatly down her back and topped off with a broad-brimmed pointy hat, she truly resembled the Witch of the North Woods.
"Thank you, Constable," Prudence smiled nicely. "And you look most dashing in your attire as well."
Prudence looked particularly striking tonight-Audrey had helped her with applying makeup, which set off Prue's silvery eyes even more. She was mesmerizing, and Dwight couldn't take his eyes off her.
"Prudence-would you like to dance?" Dwight asked.
"I am unaccustomed to your ways of dancing," Prudence replied. "But I am willing to learn."
"Scuse us, Duke," Dwight grinned, and escorted Prudence out to the dance floor.
Duke grinned and shook his head, and looked up to see Audrey and Nathan coming in.
His jaw dropped at the sight of Audrey in her costume, but he quickly recovered. Nathan looked like a badly-dressed community theater portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, but at least he tried, Duke figured.
"Oh, you're a pirate," Nathan said, seeing Duke. "What a surprise."
"He's supposed to be a highwayman," Audrey grinned.
"Wow, Audrey," Duke admired. "Just-wow. Nathan-good effort," he managed, and Nathan glared.
"Where's Prudence?" Audrey asked. "Doesn't she look great?"
"Sasquatch sure seemed to think so," Duke remarked. "They're over there, dancing."
"Dwight Hendrickson? Dancing?" Nathan goggled, fishing for his phone. "Gotta record that for posterity."
Duke and Audrey grinned at him and then each other, remembering Duke taking Nathan's picture while he was dancing, drunk off his butt when he'd gotten fired as Chief.
"Prudence? Are you all right?" Dwight questioned her as they danced together.
"I am well, thank you," Prudence replied, looking as though her thoughts were elsewhere.
"You're a million miles away," Dwight remarked. "What's on your mind?"
Prudence was silent a long moment, and then spoke.
"It was 500 years ago today that I was sentenced to die," she said softly. "I can still remember the feel of the rope around my neck, that moment of being suspended in the air for a brief instant when the trapdoor fell out beneath my feet. I remember hearing the sound of my neck breaking," she went on. "And then I revived."
"Not the happiest of memories," Dwight said kindly. "Hopefully, now, you can make some better ones. You have a family again. Granted, Duke's not much, but he is family. And you have friends now, Prudence."
"He is family that I am proud to claim as mine," Prue told him. "And I have very good friends indeed," she smiled, squeezing Dwight's hand affectionately, and he returned her smile.
They strolled toward the railing, gazing out over the water for a few moments, and then Prudence spoke again.
"I was reading through a journal that Duke showed me not too long ago," she went on, thinking on something.
"The Crocker journal," Dwight said. "I've seen it. It lists all the Troubles the Crocker line extinguished. Or had extinguished before he-blew up."
"Yes," Prudence hesitated. "There are also other passages in there that concern me. Did you know that there have been other Masons that have died instead of marrying Crockers?"
"What? I don't follow you, Prudence," Dwight said. Duke had never mentioned any of this before. "Here, let's sit down," he motioned to a couple of empty chairs by the fire pit. "Now tell me what you mean."
"In the journal, there are passages that refer to other Masons falling in love with Crockers through the years. But all died before the marriages could take place."
"Where is that written?" Dwight asked.
"It isn't written. They are symbols, drawn on the sides of the pages. Duke does not know about it, because his father never taught him to read them. The symbols stop appearing around 100 years ago, so I daresay that his father and grandfather did not know of them either," she continued. "My Isiah and Duke's Jennifer were not the first and last Masons to die. There were others."
"Why did they die?"
"They were guardians," Prudence told him. "The Masons are sentinels of the doorways between worlds."
"Jennifer did find the doorway that let Audrey back into our world," Dwight said. "And she opened the door when we threw William back into the void. Then she died. Her heart just-stopped, as far as we could tell."
Prudence nodded. "It takes so much from them to do the deed, that they die. When-she-Mara, or Audrey, would return from this Barn that Charlotte and Byron constructed, it is the Mason line that knows of her impending return. They can feel her approach. They are the ones who have to open the doorways to allow her back into this world."
"Jennifer could hear Audrey when she was in the Barn," Dwight gasped. "And she found the door that let her back in. But she never said anything about knowing when Mara came back as Audrey!"
"It may have been one of her ancestors that opened it for Audrey," Prudence said. "Jennifer was orphaned, was she not?"
"Yes, she was," Dwight admitted. "Prue-why tell me all this? Have you told Duke?"
"No, I have not. It was not until recently that I understood about the symbols, their meanings. I need your help this evening, Dwight," Prudence finished, standing up. "Will you help me?"
"Of course," Dwight replied, standing up and holding her hand in his. He wanted to tell her how he felt about her, but didn't know how.
Prudence seemed to understand, and she covered his hand with her other.
"Thou art a good man, Constable," she smiled, and pecked his cheek.
She opened his hand, gazing at its lines, her fingers trailing along his palm delicately, and she smiled at what she saw before she closed it back.
"Do not fear, Dwight. There will soon be someone for you to love, very soon indeed. But my heart belongs to another."
She sobered. "If you no longer wish to help, I understand."
Dwight swallowed his disappointment, but nodded agreement.
"I'll help you, Prudence," he promised. "Now what do you want me to do?"
"Bring Duke to this place before midnight," Prudence told him, pressing a paper into his hand. She moved away, crossing over the deck, the green panels in her dress shimmering in the moonlight.
"Well, where are you going?" Dwight asked. "Do you want me to give you a ride to get to this place?"
Prudence smiled genuinely. She walked over toward the storage shed. She opened the door, extracting a corn broom, and Dwight's jaw dropped.
"As you can see, I have made my own arrangements," she smiled. "I told Duke earlier that I could not fly, but in truth, I was afraid he would want me to take him along."
"He would too," Dwight replied. He couldn't believe his eyes, but it was actually happening, as Prudence held the broom at arm's length, and released it, the broom hovering about three feet from the ground. She settled herself on it, and looked back at Dwight.
"Have him there by midnight. Fare thee well, Dwight," she called, rising above his head, and then she was gone.
Dwight looked up into the night sky, watching as she swiftly disappeared from view.
"What are you staring at? Where's Prudence?" Duke asked as he came out onto the deck.
"She flew away," Dwight said.
"What?"
"She got on a broom...and she-pfft," Dwight gestured skyward with his hand.
Duke looked surprised for a moment, and then faintly annoyed.
"That little liar-she told me she couldn't fly a broom," he grinned. "Did she say anything else?"
"She did. She wants us to meet her at these coordinates," Dwight told him. "And she told me a whole lot more. I'll fill you in on the way. She wants you there before midnight."
"Hey, you guys are missing Vince Teagues dancing," Audrey said, coming out onto the deck. Seeing their faces, her smile disappeared. "What's going on?"
"Dwight tells me Prudence just flew off on her broomstick,"Duke said wryly. "Now she wants us to meet her at-he glanced at the paper, and his expression grew serious.
Audrey glanced at the paper, not understanding.
"I don't get it," she puzzled. "What's so special about this place?"
"This is the place where I buried Jennifer," Duke replied softly. "Squatch, you said Prue told you a lot more."
"I'll fill you guys in on the way there," Dwight promised, and the four of them hurried out to Nathan's Bronco, peeling out of the parking lot.
Prudence landed, and walked toward where Charlotte was waiting for her.
"Prudence? Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked.
Prudence nodded, her face serious.
"I am a woman out of my time," she said quietly. "I have seen many things in my short time here. Some good, and some terrible."
"If you do this-you will die," Charlotte told her. "It'll take everything you have left."
"I am aware of that. I should have died centuries ago, Charlotte," Prudence said. "My happiness was denied me. But I have a chance to give my descendant happiness of his own. I caused my line to carry a terrible curse for five hundred years," she went on. "It is the least that I can do for him."
Charlotte nodded, her face sad. The two women embraced one final time, and Prudence stepped forward into the circle that Charlotte had drawn out around the little plot with its hand-carved stone that simply read JENNIFER.
"Hurry up, Nathan," Dwight urged, stripping out of his gunslinger costume in the back seat.
"It's just up ahead," Duke said, pointing to the road that led out to the field where he'd buried Jennifer's body. Ahead, he could see what looked to be a strange bluish glow through the trees.
"What are you doing, Prudence?" he asked no one.
The glow was growing brighter as Nathan brought the Bronco to a stop and everyone scrambled out, Duke racing across the field, with Nathan and Dwight close behind.
Audrey did her best, sinking into the ground in her high heels, until she finally pulled them off, running across in bare feet to the clearing, where they could see Charlotte watching Prudence, who had her arms extended high over her head for a moment, and then collapsed in a heap face first onto the ground, the strange glow around her fading away.
"Prue?" Duke shouted, running to her. She'd fallen directly on Jennifer's grave, and he rushed to her, gently turning her over. "Prudence," he began, and then trailed off, his eyes disbelieving.
This isn't real, he thought, his eyes full. I'm dreaming.
"What?" Audrey gasped, she, Nathan and Dwight all staring down at the form of Jennifer Mason cradled in Duke's arms. She was wearing Prudence's costume, and she stirred, taking in a breath.
"Mm," she said, and opened her eyes, looking up to see Duke, who was staring wide-eyed at her, and she gave him a faint smile.
"Hi," she said softly.
"Hi," he answered, still disbelieving.
"Where's Prudence?" Nathan asked Charlotte.
"She's gone," Charlotte replied. "She-took Jennifer's place."
"She's dead?" Audrey questioned, and Charlotte nodded.
"She knew she would die if she did this," Charlotte told them. "But she did it for you, Duke-you and Jennifer."
"Why?" Duke asked, not comprehending.
"She said because you deserved to be happy-both of you."
Jennifer was still lying in Duke's arms, and she stretched her hand up, touching his face. He put his hand over hers, still unable to grasp she was really there.
"You cut your hair," Jennifer said.
"Yeah, I did," Duke laughed. He held her to him, feeling the warmth of her body in his arms, her fingers along his jawline, and Nathan held Audrey close as she wiped her eyes.
"She left you this," Charlotte said to Duke, holding out a paper to him.
Duke unfolded the paper, still holding onto Jennifer as though she would vanish if he let go.
The letter read:
My Dearest Duke
I apologize for not being able to say farewell to you and the others properly, but we do not always get to say it to our loved ones when they go, so I shall bid my farewells here.
When you showed me the Crocker journal, I did not realize until then how many of Jennifer's line were supposed to marry with ours, but so often fate intervened.
Masons were unique in their Trouble-because they were the first to experience theirs. Jennifer's line were the ones to know when it was Audrey's time to return to this world from the Barn. They were the ones to allow her back into this realm by opening the door. Jennifer's parents or sibling likely allowed Audrey in.
But the effort takes so much of their life force to do so, it often takes it entirely, which is what happened with your Jennifer that day at the lighthouse to cast William out. To open the door once is a great accomplishment; for her to do it again in such short a time she must be a remarkable young woman indeed.
The reason I hid in my room like a rabbit in a burrow was that I was researching my books on how I might restore her to you. I learned of a way, and with Charlotte's help, I will carry out my plans this evening.
I inflicted every Trouble I could upon William, save yours and Dwight's. Dwight's curse returning to him was accidental-but I returned yours to you deliberately. Your Trouble, however much you may hate it, does serve a purpose. I now have but one Trouble left within me; my own Eternity Trouble. I found a way to rid myself of it-by giving it to Jennifer.
I cannot completely transfer it to Jennifer, but it will restore her to a living form, so that she does not appear as a walking corpse. She will not be merely animated flesh, but a living mortal woman again. For me, it will be a sweet release from this form, and I will return to the dust, as do we all eventually.
Audrey is part of your world now; the Barn no longer exists, so no more of Jennifer's line should have to perish. And it is my fervent hope that no more of our line does because of the Troubles, and that you and Nathaniel and Audrey will someday find a way to end them for all time.
I cherish my memories with you. It is not every woman who can say that she has met her seventh-generational great-grandson and I am honored to have known you.
I hope that you and Jennifer will be happy together, dear heart. If I see your father, I shall tell him his son is a man he can be proud of. And I pray that I will see my beloved Isiah and my children again when I am no more.
Goodbye, my sweet Duke.
All My Love,
Prudence
Jennifer cradled Duke's face in her hands, her face slightly puzzled.
"What's the last thing you remember?" he asked.
"Being there with you at the lighthouse," she murmured. "After that-I don't know. I must have passed out."
She looked down at herself. "Why am I wearing a witch costume?"
"It's Halloween," Duke said, not knowing what else to say. "This is Haven-weird stuff happens," he laughed. "I once came around to find myself wearing a Santa suit."
"Well, that's not so strange," Jennifer smiled.
"In July."
"That is strange," Jennifer replied. "Duke?"
"Yeah, babe?" he asked tenderly.
"Can we get up now?"
"Of course," Duke said, scrambling to his feet to pull Jen up alongside him.
"Hello, Jennifer," Charlotte smiled, coming forward. "How do you feel?"
"Okay," Jennifer answered. "A little spacy, but okay. Um-who are you?"
"I-I'm Dr. Cross. Duke asked me to take a look at you," Charlotte quickly covered.
Jennifer soon noticed, Nathan, Audrey and Dwight, and her eyes widened.
"Oh. Are you okay, Audrey? Did we get rid of that William guy?" Jennifer asked. Audrey nodded.
"Yes, we did."
"How-how long was I gone?" Jennifer asked. "Did I fall into the Void?"
"No, not quite," Nathan replied. "It's a long and complicated story, which I'm sure Duke will tell you all about," he finished, glancing at his friend.
"Later," Duke said, putting his arm around Jennifer. He glanced down toward the marker, hoping to obscure it from Jennifer's view so as not to confuse her further, but was surprised to see it had changed. It now read PRUDENCE STILLWATER 1484-1515.
Jennifer turned to see what Duke was looking at.
"Who's Prudence Stillwater?" she asked.
"She was my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother," Duke explained. "She was the first Crocker ever to be Troubled."
"Why is she all the way out here?"
"Five hundred years ago, the townspeople thought she was a witch," Dwight spoke. "But she was just Troubled. We've been trying to find her grave, in order to give her a proper burial." He looked down at the marker. "She deserves it."
"Yes," Duke answered quietly, and kissed Jennifer's temple gently. "Yes, she does."
They all turned to go when Duke heard a faint call of 'Mummy, Mummy!'
Jennifer too seemed to hear it, and they both turned in the direction of it.
"Duke-look," Jennifer whispered.
In the distance, he and Jennifer could see the forms of two children, a boy and a girl, running across the grass. They were transparent, and barely visible, but they ran toward a figure that was standing a short distance away, her arms extended.
A man, also transparent, appeared from the mists rising from the ground. He had a small child he carried in his arms, and the woman took the child in her arms, holding it closely as he put his around the woman, the two kissing passionately.
She glanced back towards Jennifer and Duke, and Duke could see that it was Prudence, reunited with her family and her Isiah at long last.
"Goodbye, Granny Prue," Duke said softly.
The woman smiled back at them, her eyes lingering on Duke's face. Then the figures slowly walked into the mists, and were gone.
"What are you guys looking at?" Nathan squinted.
"Nothing," Duke said, Jennifer smiling up at him. "Nothing at all. Let's go home, Nathan."
So that's the end of my story! I hope you've enjoyed reading it. Reviews are welcome!