Rachel's Inheritance Read online

  Rachel’s Inheritance

  Book One of Beauty’s Stone Beast Series

  by

  Shiloh Darke

  Gypsy Shadow Publishing

  Rachel’s Inheritance

  by Shiloh Darke

  All Rights Reserved

  Copyright © Aug. 2009 by Shiloh Darke

  Cover Art Copyright © 2009 by Shiloh Darke and Charlotte Holley

  Gypsy Shadow Publishing

  Manchaca, TX 78652

  http://www.gypsyshadow.com

  Names, characters and incidents depicted in this eBook are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

  No part of this eBook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Dedication

  To everyone who ever found love, just by letting themselves look a little deeper at the person within. Sometimes the love of your life doesn’t come in a pretty package. The beauty is wrapped deeply within.

  Chapter One

  Rachel was fourteen when she visited Nephelium Manor the first time. When her parents died in a car crash, her grandmother, who had also been widowed earlier that same year, decided the two of them needed a change of scenery.

  She remembered her Grandmother Ester, who had only been in her early fifties at the time, wiping away her tears and cooing to her softly in her lovely French accent. “Ah, no more tears, my love. We have done entirely too much crying this year!”

  Soon afterward, she ushered Rachel onto a plane, and they made the journey from their home in Seattle, Washington, to a small community in the French countryside.

  Rachel had been enthralled and enchanted by the beauty of the landscape, the accents of the people who surrounded her. Many of the people she met first were friends of her grandmother, who greeted her with open arms and spoke to her in a language Rachel did not understand.

  She had not known then that her journey had only just begun. She watched, perplexed, as her grandmother rented a little car, packed their bags in the trunk, and then began a leisurely drive through the countryside.

  When they finally arrived at Aunt Geraldine’s home, Rachel was amazed and a little intimidated. Four huge stone beasts guarded the four towers, standing tall and proud with wingspans that seemed to reach from edge to edge of the towers they protected. Rachel thought they were angels at first, but Grandmother Ester explained to her that they were in fact, gargoyles.

  “But, I thought gargoyles had ugly faces and grotesque bodies,” Rachel commented, curiously. “These statues are beautiful!”

  Ester smiled and nodded. “Yes, my dear. These beasts are not what one would deem average gargoyles. They are quite stunning, in fact. But then,” she added with a smile, “they are meant to please a woman’s eyes.”

  The castle had a total of seventy-six rooms. The building itself took up two acres, with the surrounding grounds sprawling another ten, totaling out at twelve acres on the estate. By far, Rachel thought it the kind of place that if a child got lost within its walls, it could have easily taken weeks, if not months, to find them. Though the perception was exaggerated, Rachel found herself feeling very small as she took in the sheer size of the vast estate. She found the old family estate to be much like a beautiful dream, and she never wanted to reawaken to the real world after being in the fairytale realm of Nephelium Manor.

  The magnitude of the estate was one of the first facts Grand Aunt Geraldine explained quite meticulously to Rachel, along with a warning to watch out for the gargoyles at night.

  “They come to life!” she told her with an excited smile. “And do you know what they like to do?”

  Enthralled, Rachel shook her head. “No, Aunt Geraldine. Please tell me. What do they like to do?”

  The woman’s eyes glittered with excited mirth as she reached to tickle Rachel on her ribs. “They like to seduce innocent young maidens!”

  Aunt Geraldine’s laughter was contagious, and Rachel found herself laughing along with her, as the older woman enveloped her in an affectionate hug. As she hugged Rachel to her warmly, she whispered, “The truth is that those stone statues are not really monsters, but each one is a prince. They are placed under an enchantment, one that allows each one of them to be freed from the curse only when the woman who can love them forever comes along.”

  Rachel leaned back to look in her aunt’s eyes. “Have any of them found themselves to be free yet?”

  Geraldine shook her head, her smile turning sad. “Unfortunately, no.” She gestured to herself. “Of course, I love them, each and every one. But alas, I am not the true love of any of them.”

  The memories of that summer flooded over Rachel now as she sat in the attorney’s office, listening to him read the last will and testament of her aunt. Tears flowed silently down her cheeks as she listened with a heavy heart to this woman’s final wishes.

  She had been a spinster. Therefore, she had no children to leave her estate to. Because of this, she had decided to leave Nephelium’s Keep to Rachel. Rachel would have been overwhelmed by the gesture, if not for the fact she was faced with making this trip to Nephelium by herself. There was no one to go with her.

  Aunt Geraldine had passed away only weeks after her Grandmother Esther. She had gone to bed that night, and not awakened the next morning. The doctor said her heart had simply stopped beating. Rachel had been stunned. It had been hard for her to accept that a woman who was barely past middle age could have just died quietly in her sleep. Just when she was beginning to accept the first death, the second came, and in the same way, both women quitting this world in their sleep. Now that Rachel considered it, she realized it was a good way to die. When her time came, she hoped she could go as peacefully. She just felt so lonely without either of them to talk to.

  Her thoughts were interrupted when the lawyer cleared his throat. “Miss Delacroix? Did you hear what I told you?” he asked, looking at her expectantly with unemotional eyes.

  Taking a deep breath, Rachel nodded. “Yes. You just told me it doesn’t matter that I’m all alone in the world because even though they left me, they left me rich.” She dropped her gaze to her hands. “So I guess that’s supposed to make everything all better.”

  The attorney had the decency to look regretful for a moment before he spoke. “Miss, your guardians loved you very much. Please, take that as consolation for your loss. Other heirs of fortunes never know the love of their benefactors.” He offered her a sad smile. “You are far more fortunate.”

  Tears fell again as she nodded and bent to retrieve her purse. “Thank you, Mr. Collins. I appreciate everything you’ve done.”

  He watched as she rose, standing from his desk and offering her the documents with all the information on the account, which had been opened in her name. “You are most welcome, my dear. If there is anything else I can help you with, please let me know.”

  She nodded and started to turn away. For a moment she stood there, considering, before turning back to offer Mr. Collins a sweet smile. “Actually, I think I’m going to take an extended vacation in France. Would you make the arrangements for me?”

  Two weeks later Rachel found herself standing before the mansion she had never been able to put from her mind for long. It had been so long. Rachel was a grown woman now, but if anything, the estate appeared even larger than it had when she first saw it. Sadly though, the home seemed to have fallen into a state of disrepair.

  The gardens she fondly recalled as being so lovingly well-tended and full of fragrant flowers, were still as vibrant as she had always remembered; though now, they appeared overgrown and unkempt. The stone of the mansion seemed stark and gray against the beautiful countryside, almost foreboding in its appearance, as if warning visitors away… as if warning Rachel away.

  Taking a deep breath, she took her bags from the taxi driver and paid him, throwing in a generous tip. “Mercì.“

  He looked from her to the manor and then back at her again, a look of concern crossing his features. “Is mademoiselle certain she wouldn’t rather stay at one of the villas in town?” His accent was deep but his English good. “I would not charge you to take you back. It might be dangerous, or at least frightening, here at night.”

  She shook her head, smiling. “No, thank you.” She turned back to the manor and looked it over with affection. “Some of my best memories are of this place.” She shrugged when he looked at her as if she’d grown a second head. “This is my home.”

  The driver looked confused, but bowed his head in acceptance. “Very well, mademoiselle. Have a good evening.” He pulled a card out of his pocket. “My cell number is on the back if you should change your mind.” He looked again at the mansion. “Even if it should be the middle of the night.” He offered her a hesitant, almost shy, smile before getting into his car and driving away, leaving her to stare after him, baffled.

  Turning, Rachel started up the steps to the door. When she reached it, it was opened by a middle-aged woman with a welcoming smile.

  “Oh, mademoiselle! You have come! We knew you would be here soon!” She reached out and grabbed one of the suitcases from Rachel’s hand. “We have the master suite prepared for you. Your tante was very specific in her instructions.”

 
The woman ushered her in and closed the door behind them. “Welcome to Nephelium Keep. Everything is in order.” She smiled brightly. “This way, please.”

  She led Rachael in the direction of the middle tower. Rachel paused as she realized where they were going. “Umm, I’m sorry. Are we going to the center tower?”

  The other lady turned and nodded, “Oui, mademoiselle. Mistress Geraldine insisted you be made at home in the master suite.” She bowed her head, adding, “That is where it is now located.”

  Rachel paused, suddenly nervous. The central tower was where the largest gargoyle perched. He knelt at the top of the tower, his wings wrapped protectively around it. The architecture of that tower was the most amazing of the entire home, easily stunning any observer to silence.

  As they neared the entrance of the tower, the housekeeper turned and looked expectantly back in Rachel’s direction. “Mademoiselle? Come with me. I promise, the suite will be to your liking. We even lit a fire in the hearth to take the chill out of the room.”

  Knowing the housekeeper had probably gone to a great deal of trouble to prepare the rooms for her, Rachel moved to follow her. “Lead the way. I’m sure I’ll love whatever you’ve done.”

  With a smile, the woman turned and proceeded up the huge spiral staircase, which curved along the wall leading up to the large wooden door that opened into the fantastic room.

  As Rachel stepped through, she couldn’t help but gape at the magnificence before her. She had never seen this part of the home, or the inside any of the towers, for that matter. They had been locked, and Aunt Geraldine had refused to allow her entry.

  “Believe me, child. All good things come to those who wait. You will one day see what lies within that tower; I will make sure of it. But those rooms are special. Inside those walls will be where your dreams will cross into your reality.”

  Aunt Geraldine’s words had made no sense to her at the time. But now as she stood in the center of the first room of the tower, she smiled. A fireplace blazed warmly on one side. A plush sofa with matching chairs and a coffee table made for a cozy grouping around it.

  Turning, she saw the small kitchenette area, which had only enough room for a refrigerator and microwave with a coffee pot beside it. The sink was small, but decent. A wall beside the kitchen area hid the bedroom from the sitting area and kitchen. Curious, she stepped into the room, and found herself giggling in excitement.

  A king size bed stood on a platform with four steps leading up to it. Huge canopy drapes made of shimmering gossamer cascaded from the ceiling to the floor.

  Past the bed, on the far wall, were French doors leading out to the balcony. The rails of the balcony were made of shiny marble. Rachel opened the doors and stepped through. Looking out at the surrounding land, she breathed deeply. For the first time since the death of the two most important people in her world, she truly smiled. She knew Aunt Geraldine had prepared this suite for her. It was everything she had ever dreamed of having.

  Turning back to the maid, who had followed her out, she asked, “Are all the towers equipped with apartments like this?”

  The elderly lady nodded. “Yes. Your tante was insistent they be each done in similar fashion. But for this one, she was very specific on how it was to be decorated.” she offered Rachel a knowing smile. “She said she promised it to you.”

  Tears came unbidden to Rachel’s eyes as she nodded. “Yes, we spoke of it once when I was a child.” She shook her head. “But I never dreamed…”

  The other lady smiled. “I know, mademoiselle. She told me how the two of you had spoken of it.” She inclined her head. “She believed you may desire to turn the estate into a bed and breakfast.” Another nod. “A good investment with property such as this, if I may be so bold.”

  Rachel smiled at her. “What is your name?”

  With a smile, the older lady curtsied slowly. “I am Catherine. My husband Luigi is the grounds keeper, but refuses to come in the house often. We share the guest house with the others. I do the cooking as well as some light cleaning. The household consists of five other maids who clean, as well as a butler who sees to the rest.”

  As she let Catherine lead her back into the bedroom, Rachel found herself asking in confusion, “What guest house? I don’t remember a guest house. And why won’t your husband come in the manor?”

  “The guest house is behind the manor,” Catherine said, waving her hand in dismissal. “You must not be offended, mademoiselle. Luigi is simply superstitious.” She pointed upward and lowered her voice to a whisper. “He’s afraid of the gargoyles; says they stir at night.”

  Rachel stared at Catherine for a moment before saying, “So did Aunt Geraldine. She said they seduced young women.”

  Catherine scoffed. “Well, my husband was here ever since Miss Geraldine inherited the manor, so he probably is privy to some knowledge I don’t have. However, I’ve lived and worked here for the better part of ten years.” She shook her head. “In all those years, I’ve never seen even one of them move so much as an inch. Not even in the middle of the worst of the winter storms we sometimes get.” She laughed. “I think your Aunt Geraldine may have been playing upon a child’s fancy.”

  Rachel grinned, nodding. “Yes, I have always believed that as well.” Her expression cracked, offering the housekeeper another glimpse of her grief. “She was always so full of life. It’s hard to think of her as gone.”

  At that moment, the older woman turned and embraced her in a caring hug. “She has not left you, child. She will live always within your heart.”

  Pulling away, Catherine shook her head and wiped at the tears in her own eyes. “Look at me. Here I am taking up all your time when you must be exhausted. Morning is soon enough for reminiscing. It will be dark soon; you must need some rest. Would you like anything to eat before you retire? I have some stew in the kitchen. It wouldn’t be hard to warm some.”

  Rachel nodded. “Yes, please, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble. Would you mind bringing it to me here? I just want to get comfortable and out of these clothes.”

  Catherine smiled and nodded. “Of course. And I’ll bring up some mulled wine to go with it. It’ll help you sleep.”

  Rachel nodded. “Thank you, Catherine. I appreciate how welcoming you’ve been. It means a lot to me.”

  Nodding, the woman quit the room, leaving Rachel alone with her thoughts.

  Chapter Two

  She slept so peacefully. Arthmael watched her in silence from the balcony. He had broken free of the stone that held him the moment the sun had set. The very beat of her heart had tormented him from the moment she had entered the manor.

  Shrinking from his stone size to that of the man he had been before the curse he now shared with his three brothers, he moved to stand on the balcony. He looked completely normal now, aside from the pale color of his skin and the huge black wings protruding from his back. Wrapping them around himself, he looked almost like he was wearing a black cloak.

  His first thought had been of her. Seeing her. He remembered the beauty of the girl who had visited all those years ago, when she was but a child. He had kept his distance then. He scowled inwardly. He should keep his distance now.

  Now, he stared at the beauty within the bed. Long, brunette hair fell across the pillow as she slumbered, unaware of his presence. Her lips were slightly parted. Her chest rose and fell with each rhythmic breath she took.

  His heart sped up as he considered going to her and invading her dreams with soft touches and whispered words of love, spoken in passion. He could give her such dreams. Glancing up, he watched as his brothers flew out across the night sky. They knew that Geraldine had intended Rachel for him. They would not interfere.

  In exchange for the love he could receive from her in her dreams, he’d be her hidden protector. She need never know he was real. He would not interfere in her waking life. He only wanted a small piece of her dreams.

  Unable to deny himself any longer, he stepped up beside her bed and watched her closely for several minutes. The one pleasure he received was when he could enter into another’s dreams and explore their fantasies with them.