Evans to Betsy

“No, I think we’ll go down that way ourselves and take a look,” Watkins said. “If one of you would be kind enough to direct us.”

“Michael will take you down, won’t you, dear?”

“If you say so.” Michael got to his feet. “This way, please.”

Watkins followed him out through the etched-glass front doors. Glynis looked back at Evan and nodded that he should come too.

“A resident Druid priestess,” Glynis muttered to Evan. “This place is too much, isn’t it? Do you think they really believe in all this stuff?”

“Wait until you meet the priestess,” Evan said. “She takes herself very seriously.”

“So I might not have been so far off with my suggestion of black magic down in the cave?” Glynis said as they descended the flight of steps.

Evan remembered the bone-chilling dread of that cave. Now, with the early morning sun sending steam rising from the grass, it seemed laughable that it was caused by anything more than inadequate clothes and an empty stomach.

They were halfway down the steps when they saw a figure walking up to meet them. It was wearing a white, hooded, floor-length cloak.

“Ah, Rhiannon,” Michael called. “I was sent to find you.”

“And I was coming to you.” Rhiannon threw back her hood to reveal the striking gray hair. “They’ve found Randy, haven’t they? I was awakened while it was still dark. I felt a tremendous disturbance in the cosmic forces.”

Michael nodded. “Yes. They’ve found him. Dead, I’m afraid. Drowned.”

“I knew it.” Rhiannon said. “I sensed it all along. Not that one would have ever picked up vibrations from him, but the universe told me.”

“Why wouldn’t you feel vibrations from him?” Glynis asked, moving up beside Watkins. “Were you not on the same wavelength?”

Rhiannon’s penetrating stare held Glynis until the young woman blushed and laughed awkwardly.

“What we do here is not to be taken lightly,” Rhiannon said. “Randy Wunderlich took it lightly and see what fate awaited him. The universe will not be mocked.”

“So—uh—do you remember when you last saw Mr. Wunderlich?” Watkins asked. “So far, the last time any person had contact with him was around two-thirty in the afternoon that day.”

“I’m afraid I can’t help you there, Inspector. I was out and about all afternoon.”

“It’s not inspector, it’s sergeant,” Watkins said.

“Ah. Not inspector yet. I’m sorry. A little premature.” Rhiannon’s fixed her intense gaze on Watkins. “I try to shut Randy Wunderlich from my mind. I find his presence very disturbing, so I wouldn’t have noticed him even if he were in the next room.” She gave a curt little nod. “Good day to you. I expect I’m required at the great house.”

She continued on up the steps.

“What a strange woman,” Glynis muttered.

Watkins glanced back over his shoulder. “How did she know I was going to be promoted?”

“Rhiannon is a law unto herself,” Michael said, watching her go up the steps, the white cape flying out behind her. “She’d like people to think she is in constant contact with the forces of the universe—whatever that means. You should go to her ceremonies some time. P-pretty impressive stuff. She knows how to put on a good show—I’ll say that for her.”

“I gather you don’t go along with all the things they do here?” Evan asked the young man.

Michael laughed. “If you want my honest opinion, it’s a load of cod’s wallop. But if enough misguided people are willing to pay to have their auras put back into shape and find out that they were Cleopatra once, who am I to rock the boat?”

“Yet you choose to work here. The money must be good,” Evan said.

Michael looked surprised. “Didn’t anyone tell you that I’m Annabel’s son? Rightful heir to the Bland-Tyghes, come home to claim my inheritance?”

“No, I’d no idea,” Evan stammered. “You don’t exactly look like …”

“The lord of the manor? No, I’m not exactly treated like it either, am I? And believe me, being here is not my idea. I should be back at university, finishing my degree, but someone had to keep an eye on my mother.”

“Why was that?” Evan asked.

“I didn’t trust Randy Wunderlich, if you really want to know. He had to have had some motive for marrying her, other than her charm and good looks. I rather suspect it was to get his hands on her property.”

“In which case, his death should come as a relief to you, I’d imagine.”

Michael gave an uneasy grin. “Put that way, I suppose you’re right, Constable.”

Chapter 13

Excerpt from The Way of the Druid, by Rhiannon

Druid Holy Places

The Druids did not create the great stone circles, the monoliths, the henges, but it is very possible that they incorporated native religious practices into their rituals and used these holy places for worship and divination. It is possible that they used them as calendars, which is what their builders had designed them to be. The accurate telling of the solstices was of paramount importance to the old Druids as their major festivals were held on solstice dates. Solstices were dates of