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stingingly hot enough. She let the water stream over her, until she was beet red, then fin-ished the ordeal
with a bracing explosion of the cold water, a galvanizing experience which brought her more fully to her
senses than she had been all day.
She dressed casually and went to the window where she could look out at the sea, as if challeng-ing
it and all the associations that it had lately come to have. A few minutes later, still weary but ready, she
left her room and went downstairs.
FOURTEEN
William Barnaby responded to his wife's sum-mons, followed her quickly down the long front hall and
joined her by the largest of the front win-dows, half-hidden by thick draperies, where they had an
unobstructed view of the lawn. Out there, Gwyn stood by a small fountain, intent upon the four marble
cherubs that poured real water out of marble vases into a small but lovely reflecting pool.
Christ! Barnaby said, punching the palm of his left hand with his right fist. She's supposed to be
kept in bed.
Elaine said, I couldn't stop her.
Why couldn't you?
I caught her when she was here at the door, ready to go out, and she was adamant. She said the
worst thing she could do was sleep away the rest of the day.
She's right but that's wrong for us. Without taking his eyes off his niece, he said, Why weren't
you upstairs in her room, watching over her?
I can't be there twenty-four hours a day, Elaine said.
But you're supposed to be there when she wakes up, he said. That's a chore you said you'd be
able to handle the best.
Normally
We can't afford excuses, he said. We have to be right in the first place.
I was not trying to shirk my responsibility; I did not intend to give you any excuses, she said, a hint
of anger tinting her voice. All I meant to do was give you the facts of the situation. When he did not
respond to her, when his eyes did not drift away from Gwyn for a moment, Elaine went on: The facts
are that she was given a powdered sedative in her orange juice at breakfast, and should have slept nearly
until supper-time. I'm sure she woke, on and off, but she shouldn't have had the desire or the energy to
get out of bed.
But she did.
Obviously.
Are you certain she was given enough of the sedative?
Positive
Next time, increase the dosage.
But we don't want her totally unconscious, Elaine said. We want her to wake up, on and off, so
she can realize what's happening to her so she'll think the old sickness is coming back.
Sure, sure, he said. But we don't want her out of the house again. If she should stumble upon
something
Like what?
He had no answer.
We've planned this well, she said. Gwyn's not going to stumble across anything, because we've
not left any loose ends lying around.
She's heading for the steps, he said.
Elaine looked out in time to see Gwyn started down for the beach, soon out of sight.
Will turned away from the window, a scowl on his face that made him look ten years older than he
was. He walked swiftly toward the front door and pulled it open.
Wait!
He looked back at her.
She said, Where are you going?
To follow her.
Is that wise?
I want to know what she's up to, he said.
She's just going for a walk on the beach.
That's what she told you, but she may have been lying, he said.
Will, she doesn't suspect that we're involved in this, that it's all a put-up job. She thinks that she's
losing her sanity. You've talked to her; you know. She hasn't any reason to be suspicious of us, of
anyone in the manor.
He hesitated.
She said, Let her go. She'll be back soon enough, all worn out and even more of a candidate for the
sleep treatment.
What if she meets that Younger kid again? he asked.
So what if she does?
I don't like her talking with him.
What could happen?
She might tell him about the ghost.
And he'd think she was crazy. That couldn't hurt our plans any.
He wiped a hand across his face, as if sloughing off his weariness, and he said, Just the same, there's
a chance, no matter how slight, that Younger will believe her, or part of what she says. Or perhaps he'll
be able to convince her of the truth about Lamplight Cove. And, remember, she doesn't know what's
happened at Jenkins' Niche just this morning. Any fragment of the truth might shatter the whole illusion.
Will, she simply won't take the word of someone like Younger not against your word. Can't you
see how much it means to her to have a family life again? She will swallow whatever you tell her.
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