Lucky Stars (Ghosts and Reincarnation #5)(154)

Rachel closed the door.

Belle’s eyes went back to Miles to see he was addressing Angus when he said, “I dream of a woman. A woman and a man. I’m watching them. They’re not from this time.”

“Joshua and Brenna Bennett,” Cassandra murmured and Miles looked to her.

“I don’t know who the f**k they are but I wake up pissed off.”

“He’s got hold of you, laddie,” Angus said gently and Miles’s eyes swung to him.

“That’s insane,” he whispered.

Cassandra moved cautiously closer. “We can help.”

Miles stared at her for long moments as everyone was silent.

Then his eyes moved slowly to Belle.

“I didn’t push you, gorgeous,” he whispered, his voice an ache, his eyes filled with pain and it was the first time she didn’t mind Miles calling her “gorgeous”.

“I know Miles,” Belle said softly and moved to the side of the desk but when she sensed Jack’s eyes on her and glanced briefly at him to see his face hard and his head shake once, she stopped. Then she looked back to Miles. “Let them help.”

She watched Miles pull in a ragged breath.

Cassandra sensed capitulation and pushed, “We have a potion.”

Miles turned to her. “It’ll stop this?”

She nodded.

“It’s safe, mate,” Lorna put in.

Miles moved his gaze to hers when she spoke then he lifted a hand and tore it through his hair with no small amount of agitation. When his hand dropped it seemed as if it took every effort for his eyes to move to his brother.

“I killed your child.” The words were tortured.

“Miles,” Jack murmured.

“Yasmin was right. It’s like I’m possessed. All my life –”

“Don’t,” Jack interrupted, his voice a low rumble. “Just let them help.”

For long, tense moments the two brothers held each other’s eyes.

Then Miles nodded.

Jack looked to Belle. “Go to Mum, poppet. We need to talk with Miles.”

She took one look at his beautiful, desolate face and nodded.

Then she moved swiftly to the door.

“Gorgeous.”

She stopped at the door and turned at Miles’s call. His eyes were wet with tears and she felt her stomach clutch.

“Like Jack said, Miles, don’t. It’ll all be all right,” Belle whispered.

“I –” he started but Belle cut him off.

“Get help, Miles and it’ll all be all right.”

He looked away, lifted a hand to the back of his neck and she saw him squeeze before he dropped it, again caught her eyes and nodded.

Belle nodded back.

Then her eyes swept through the occupants of the room and ended their journey resting on Jack.

She gave him a trembling smile then she opened the door and ducked through, closing it behind her.

* * * * *

The wind was high, there were clouds hiding the moon so the cliff path was dark before them. The dogs, usually happy to wander away and roam afield during their evening walks with Jack and Belle, sensed the mood and stayed close.

Jack held Belle’s hand and Belle walked close beside him. So close their arms brushed as they moved and Jack held a torch to the path in front of them as they strode through the dark night.

“Talk to me,” she whispered.

An hour after Belle left the room, Jack had come into the drawing room to guide Joy to Miles.

Five minutes after that, he came back to ask Belle to get her coat so they could walk the dogs.

Now they were on the path and it was Jack who had lapsed into a heavy silence.

“He’s volunteered for the ceremony.”

The words were harsh with concern and disquiet, as they should be.

Belle was instantly concerned and disquieted too. So much so, she stopped dead on the path.

Jack stopped with her, turned and looked down at her.

“I’ve advised against it,” he went on. “He won’t hear of it. He wants Caldwell out of him.”

“So he believes that Caldwell is in him?”

“He admitted he’s felt not himself often in his life. In fact, since he could remember. He also shared he often was driven to behaviour that, later, he didn’t understand but couldn’t control. He never understood it. It even, at times, frightened him. He thought it was an unhealthy compulsion. Now he believes it’s Caldwell. Because of this, it didn’t take a lot of convincing.”

“So he should take the potion. The potion works,” Belle replied. “Cassandra promised.”

“Yes, love, and he’s already taken it as a preventative measure in the short run. But he’s adamant. He wants Cassandra to perform the ceremony.”

She moved into him, putting her hand light on his chest even as her other hand still in his squeezed tight.

She leaned in and whispered, “Let me talk to him.”

“You won’t sway him,” Jack stated.

“Let me try,” Belle pushed.

“My love, he’s wracked with guilt. He killed our child. He could have killed you. He’s come to understand that and he can’t live with it. Not like this. He’s determined to pay a penance.”

“He has to take that potion the rest of his life, Jack. That’s penance enough.”