Talisman of Hate

Guilt made her cold. "I'm sorry I yelled at you uncle Henry. I guess you can do with the farm whatever you want. I just love it so much and the idea...."

"Come here young lady," Henry asked softly and held out his arms.

As she stepped into the hug she heard him chuckle and looked up at his face. He was looking down at her and his eyes were soft.

"Your mom has something to tell you Julie."

Julie turned in his arms and looked at Charlotte who stood there wringing her hands. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner Julie. We didn't know how you would react and we were scared so I decided to wait but as I said outside, I never expected a situation such as this."

"What is it Mommy?" Julie asked feeling her throat close up.

"Rushing Streams was not given away to just anybody. Uncle Henry brought the title deed to me for you to sign many days ago. It is yours Julie."

Julie felt herself go hot and then cold before a blackness enveloped her and she fell, pulling Henry down with her.

***

She heard her name called and turned on her side. Such a beautiful dream...

"Julie?"

Her eyes opened and she looked at a pillow in front of her. Something was odd and she turned onto her back again. Why was she sleeping under Harry's bed?

"Harry?"

"Feeling better?"

Still bewildered she looked around and slowly came upright, banging her head against the frame of the bed.

"Damn!"

"Awake now?"

She squinted at him. "Where is everybody?"

"Went to have coffee at the cafeteria leaving me to guard over you."

Julie giggled. "Not sure what you are worth as a guard right now."

"I can try. Are you okay now?"

Julie stared at the floor and then craned her neck to look at him. "I don't know. Rushing Streams is mine?"

"Yes."

"I don't get it."

"May I explain?"

"You can try."

"You know that it has been in the family for generations Julie. You also know that it always went from mother to daughter."

"Yes, I know."

"Dad considers you to be his niece. Peggy's daughter. Simple as that."

"But I'm not!"

"See if anybody cares. I for one am happy that you aren't but that cuts no ice."

An old anger welled up again. "Why Harry?"

He chuckled. "Promise you won't take a rake to my back if I tell you."

"I promise nothing Cliffendale."

"Okay, then I won't tell."

"Do you think there is a rake somewhere close by? Speak!" she giggled pushing down the anger.

"Having a crush on your cousin is not a good thing."

Julie looked up at him with her eyes in slits as her heart pulled into a knot. "Don't play with me Harry. Please."

"Julie?"

"Yes?"

"Remember I promised never to do or say anything to hurt you again? Ever."

"Yes."

"Playing with you may hurt you."

"Yes."

"So I won't do it."

Julie felt her face heat up and looked away. "Give me time Harry. Too much happened today. I still feel as if I am on a roller coaster that seems to have no end. I don't think I can deal with emotions from you right now. But thank you."

"I will wait."

"What do you want Harry?"

"How's your tunnelling going?"

"What?"

"Still looking for the core to your mountain of hurt and anger and distrust and hate and....?"

Julie looked up at him. "Do you care?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I think I know what is down there so as soon as I find it I will tell you."

"Can I help you dig?"

Julie grinned and looked away. "You already do. Just don't dig faster than me. It is scaring me just that little bit."

"What are you going to do now?"

"Now?"

"About Rushing Streams?"

"Harry! Wow! Give me some time to come to grips with what happened. One moment we speak about abstract digging and the next you want to know.... Seriously, it is still too surreal for me ...."

"Just checking," Harry chuckled. "All I do in this bed all day is think. I think I've thunk every think into thunkiness."

"So, that is why you have all these philosophical sayings and questions?"

"Hardly. They just pour forth when we speak but I want to know something. If you had known that Rushing Streams would be yours one day, what would you have done?"

"I have no idea Harry. It never even entered my thoughts. I love the place and have done so all my life but tonight I am just too overwhelmed to think straight. Did you know?"

"Yes."

"How long?"

"Dad says he told me while I was still unconscious after the fire. I don't think I really heard that but when he spoke to me again it felt like it had been a decision made long ago."

"How do you feel about it?"

"About what?"

Julie blushed. "Losing the farm?"

"It never was to be mine Julie. It belonged to Peggy who married your dad. It should have been yours all along."

"What do I do now?"

"Time will tell."

"Christine needs to stay there."

"I agree."

"Tonight already."

"Yes. Why wait?"

"I need to go then."

Harry chuckled. "See you tomorrow!"

Julie was halfway to the cafeteria when she stopped and turned on her heel. Once again she hesitated at Harry's door. Again she bit down on her knuckles before gathering herself and swinging the door open. She stood looking at Harry's back for a few seconds and then grabbed the side of the bed and swung herself around and under it.

"I thought you had left?"

Julie sat on her knees under the bed and tilted her face to him. "I almost forgot to thank you,"

"Whatever for?"

"For caring about me, rather than your car."

"Stupid ca...." was as far as Harry got before Julie's lips settled on his.

Her eyes glittered as she pulled away and smiled up at him. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Harry groaned. "This is going to be long night."

"Yes."

Julie was glowing as she came to the cafeteria. Brigitte saw it and her heart swelled. Charlotte also saw it but attributed Julie's apparent happiness to the news of Rushing Streams.

She sat down and looked at Henry, sipping his coffee.

"I think I am going to cry all night uncle Henry."

"Don't. It will make those pretty eyes all red and puffy by tomorrow and then Peter will think we maltreated you."

"I still cannot get my head around it. Today has been just too busy. Maybe next year it will hit me."

"Should Christine wait that long?" Charlotte asked softly.

Julie dropped her gaze. "Harry and I agree that Christine must go to Rushing Streams. Well, for the interim at least. We both also feel it must happen today. I just don't know how to approach her."

Henry chuckled. "So, Harry's input matters?"

Julie felt her face heat up. "We've been talking uncle Henry...."

"Good. Now what about Christine?"

"If we just waltz in there telling her to pack and move, we may find ourselves is dire straits," Johnny mused softly. "Maybe the girls should go there and have a talk with her before we just make far reaching decisions on her behalf."

"Maybe I should go to them first," Julie muttered."Maybe just visit and kind of let it drop about alternative housing for them."

Charlotte got up. "Take some hot chocolate to them from the take away menu. The kids will love it and you will have a good excuse to start ...."

Julie sprang up and almost ran to the cafeteria to order the take away. Henry chuckled and ambled over to lean over her shoulder.

"Do you mind taking your mom's car? I will take your parents home and then, whatever happens, we can take it from there."

Julie nodded. "If I get around to asking her, and if she just so much as agree, may I pick up the keys at your house?"

Henry pursed his lips, thinking. "I'll tell you what. We'll go to Rushing Streams. The house needs airing and I guess beds will have to be made. Have you had dinner yet?"

"No. And I am famished."

"So, how about us starting a fire, prepare something to go with it and tan a steak's hide when you arrive. With or without Christine."

"It can work."

"Done. See you there young lady."

***

Christine's house was utterly dark when Julie pulled up in front of it. For a minute she wondered if they may have gone somewhere but then she heard Jimmy's shrill voice calling somewhere in the house. She stepped out and with the paper cups of steaming drinks held carefully not to spill, she stood at the front door listening to the lock turning after announcing herself. As it swung open she could see a vague outline of Christine in the dark interior.

"Power down?" she asked carefully and felt the ache as Christine sighed softly.

"They came and cut it this afternoon. I had hoped to pay it before...."

"Lead the way inside Christine. I have a treat for you guys."

In the dark she followed the sound of Christine's voice into the kitchen. There a low moon through the window made things a little easier and she put the cups down on the table. The boys eagerly took their cups and amidst loud slurps they almost gulped it down. Christine took a few sips and then held out hers to the boys but Julie stopped her.

"Have yours Christine. I need to tell you something."

"But the boys...."

Julie leaned forward and put her hand on the woman's free wrist. "This afternoon I was asked to trust my mom blindly at a time I was furious. Now, I ask you to trust me Christine."

Christine sighed and her head dropped. "I have nothing left to do Julie. I guess I have to trust you."

"Okay, this is a long story but I am going to cut it very short. I am the daughter of Johnny Turlington who was married to Henry Cliffendale's sister, Peggy. Uncle Henry hated my father for reasons of his own and caused immeasurable problems between the two families. Peggy died in a car accident many years ago and after a time my father married Charlotte, my mom. Before that, Uncle Henry married Brigitte and they had a son, Harry. The one who saved the boys.

"From when we were very small, Harry and I played together. The houses being rather close together made that simple. I loved Harry. Being a few years older than me he could do things I marvelled at. Even when I eventually followed him to school, we did everything together until one day when Harry turned into a monster. It lasted until he left school and in that time I developed a hatred for him that I carried with me all these years.

"Peggy had a farm. Traditionally it was handed from mother to daughter but Peggy died before she had any kids. Uncle Henry took the farm.

"I ran into Harry at University and my world collapsed. I hated him! By some quirk of fate, I befriended a young man, blissfully unaware of the fact that the two were close friends. Well, flatmates as well. Peter, whom you have met, partly defused the animosity between me and Harry but it may have taken many years still for the hatred between the families to die. And then Harry burned...."

"I'm sorry...."

"Don't be Christine. The fire fast forwarded a lot of things. I dealt with my hatred of Harry and today I discovered that deep down my love for him was still alive. Where it may lead, I have no idea but I feel very alive again. If he did not burn, chances are we may never have been where we are today. And I mean both families. My mom and Brigitte have struck up a dormant friendship and I can see the two senior men really trying to find some neutral ground between them."

"That is lovely Julie."

"Yes, it is. Something else happened today and I am still trying to comprehend the enormity of it. Uncle Henry decided that seeing as I was the daughter of the man his sister married, I should inherit the farm to carry on the tradition."

"Wow!"

"Yes. One small problem though."

"How can there be a problem?" Christine asked almost listlessly. "Wishes and horses...."

"I am at University Christine. And I will be there for a number of years still. The house stands empty...."

"It shouldn't!" Christine said sharply. "With nobody in a house, it loses it's soul. Over time it goes to ruin."

"Just so. The Cliffendales used to go there often, just to keep it clean and cared for but it has been empty basically since Harry's grandmother died and that is many years ago. When we were small Harry and I played there."

"What does it look like? It must be a ruin?"

"It is one of the most beautiful houses in the entire world as far as I am concerned but it needs someone to live in it again. It needs a happy couple and the sound of kid's laughter."

Christine chuckled softly. "Are you planning on getting married to Harry and go and live there?"

"No. That is unlikely to happen. I need someone to live there and love the place. To just live there and be happy."

"It sounds wonderful."

"Can I take you there? Show it to you?"

Christine slowly took a shuddering breath. "But why?"

"Long story short. The Cliffendales have gone there tonight to air and prepare the place."

"Whatever for?"

"If you like the old house, I want you to go and live there Christine. Look after the place for me."

In the dark Julie saw Christine put her hands over her ears and then with a sigh she started crying. She heard, rather than saw the two boys embrace their mother and her heart broke as she heard the boys crying because their mother was crying.

It took a while but at last Christine got herself together and hugged the two boys to her while groping in the dark for Julie's hand. As she found it and gripped it almost fiercely, Julie could feel her tremble.

"I can't Julie," she wept softly. "I can't pay...."

"I never asked you to pay. I asked you to look after the place for me so that means I should really pay you but being a student means I have less money than the proverbial church mouse. When you are on your feet again, we can talk about it. In the meantime the house will stand empty and lose its soul if you and your family don't live there. Can we go?"

Christine looked up. "Now?"

"I am leaving for Uni again tomorrow. It is now or never."

"I'm..."

"Grab some pajamas and let's go. I think the old house is holding it's breath."

With a shuddering breath Christine got up and then sat down heavily again. Julie grabbed a boy in each hand and started walking to the front door. Behind her she heard Christine sniff and then the sound of a chair being moved. Julie took the boys to the car and once they were strapped in, she went in search of Christine whom she located by the sound of a plastic bag being filled.

"Everything we own fits into a shopping bag," she said softly.

"It will get better Christine."

"When?"

"You may have missed it Christine but it has already started."

Julie saw the woman come upright in the dark and heard her sigh. "I'm sorry Julie. I did miss it."

***

The road to the old house went around a low hill and then split in two. One going up to the rear of the house and the other dipped to the front where the regal steps of hewn granite curved around a rather large pond with fountains fed from springs higher up the mountain. At night, with the lights on, it was an imposing sight. A sight Julie never forgot and she smiled at Christine as they rounded the corner and the house came into view, all lights ablaze.

"Oh God!" Christine said in awe as she put her hands to her face.

"I said it is the most beautiful house in the whole world, didn't I?"

The sound of safety belts being undone and doors opening at the back made Julie turn around. "You two! Listen up. Outside the house you may run to your heart's delight but if I catch you running inside, Nicodemus will be after you. Got that?"

"Yes Ma'am," the two chorused and then ran up the steps, one on each wing yelling wildly to the yapping of their little dog as they went, disappearing over the edge. She also heard the loud steps made by desperate feet trying to prevent a fall and heard the smack of contact with the stone path followed by the skidding sound of one of the boys falling. Loud giggles made it clear that damage was minimal and she took Christine's hand, feeling her tremble.

"Welcome to Rushing Streams Christine."

"This is not possible Julie? Houses like this exist in movies and fairy tales."

"And on Rushing Streams," Julie said softly as they went up the steps. "The original owner was a very rich lady from Eastern Europe. There were rumours that she may have been one of the royals that had to flee when Europe started falling apart long before the war. She settled here, had the house built to the exact plans as her family home back where she came from and married a hunter. They had four children. The eldest was a daughter. That started the whole mother to daughter inheritance tradition."

"Was it always called Rushing Streams?"

"Well yes, but in a language that was alien to those who came after her. In the library is a couple of old diaries and manuscripts. Some are in English but the really old ones are in a strange language using a strange alphabet. You're welcome to read it but please be careful. The paper is ancient."

"Have you read it?"

"No. I was still small when all the animosity frothed over into our lives. Soon, when I come home again for holidays, I will."

As they stepped through the imposing front doors Christine came to a flustered stop.

"It is beautiful!"

Julie couldn't help smiling with a tear in her eyes. Here, in the great hall, memories lay all over. Against the far wall, the leather couch with steel spring supports on which she and Harry had trampolined on until a hiding from Brigitte was the only way to get them to stop. The large reading table, just off the window where she learned to write with Harry's tutoring and in the centre, the gramophone on a walnut burl cabinet. She rushed over and went down on her knees, finding the swirls and curls in the wood that resembled an owl. She beckoned to Christine to have a look.

"Nicodemus, he who sees and hears all," she said in a low voice such as Brigitte had done when they were less than angels and needed a warning. "I was terrified of him. The mere mention of his name was enough to make me sit down and suck my thumb. I was convinced he had the power to pull me into the dark insides of the cabinet where ghouls ruled."

From one side of the hall they heard Charlotte and Brigitte laugh at the chatter of the two boys and Julie curled her eye at Christine. "My parents here as well?"

"Is it strange?"

Julie snickered. "Before Harry burned, this would have been impossible. One day when we have a lot of time, I will tell you more than I did back at your house."

As they entered the huge main kitchen Julie could only laugh. Some things never change. The boys sat with their legs hanging over the top of a gigantic table that was used to skin animals in the old days, each with a carrot in their hands. Brigitte's way of getting kids to eat vegetables and be quiet for short spells...

"Daddy also here?" she asked with a slight frown.

"Outside," Charlotte grinned. "Helping Henry at the fire. Hello Christine."

"Armageddon is upon us," Julie chuckled and turned to Brigitte. "As you can see, I convinced Christine to come and stay at Rushing Streams. Where shall be the most comfortable for them?"

Brigitte wiped her hand on a towel and took Christine by the hand. "We decided to put you into the east wing for now," she spoke as she led the overwhelmed woman from the kitchen. "There is a spacious master bedroom and two smaller bedrooms for the boys. We made beds in the same room for the boys so they could be together for now. We thought they would be more comfortable that way but if you prefer...."

Christine followed like a dream walker down the long and wide corridor, glancing at pictures and artefacts against the walls until she came to a stop in the door to the master bedroom. Julie could see the uncomprehending shock on the woman's face. Pride of place, against the inside wall, an ancient four poster bed made from some dark wood. At the curved windows, two old reading chairs faced a marble coffee table. In a small curtained alcove, a dressing room with ornate mirrors, shelves and hanging space, even a small vanity.