Embrace the Night

Page 100



that Gabriel is a monster?"

"It's true. Come with me and see for yourself." "And just what did you see?"

"Nothing."

"Maurice, you're not making sense."

"I didn't seeanything except a locked door. It's what I felt, Sara Jayne. Never in all my life have I felt such evil. You've got to believe me. He's unholy."

"Sit down," Sara said. "I'll get you a glass of brandy. And then I'll bandage your hand."

With a weary nod, Maurice sank down on the sofa and closed his eyes. He couldn't forget the horror that had surrounded him in the cottage, the terrible sense of evil, of danger. Of death.

"Here," Sara said, handing him a glass of brandy. "Drink this. It will help ease the pain."

While he sipped the brandy, she washed the blood from his hand, covered the shallow cut with salve, and bandaged it with a strip of clean cloth.

"I'm going to get dressed now," she said, "and then we'll go have a look at that cottage."
"Maybe that's not such a good idea."

"I want to see it for myself."

They reached the cottage an hour later. In the brilliant light of early morning, the dwelling looked peaceful enough. It was obviously deserted, Sara thought, and had been for a long while by the look of it. The vines had gone wild, climbing over the trellis and spreading around the house. The windows were dirty; the chimney was in disrepair.

"Maybe we shouldn't go any closer," Maurice said. "Don't be silly. We've come this far. I'm going inside."

Resolutely, she approached the cottage, then walked around to the back until she came to the window Maurice had broken. She could see several dark brown stains on the sill, and she shuddered, knowing it was from the cut on Maurice's hand.

Picking up a rock, she broke away the last shards of glass from the frame. Then, lifting her skirts, she started to climb over the sill.

"Wait." Maurice laid a restraining hand on her shoulder. "You'll ruin your skirts. I'll go through the window and open the front door."

"Very well," Sara agreed.

Moments later, the front door opened with a loud creak and Sara stepped into the cottage. The room