Elizabeth Peters - Devil May Care  

Synopsis:

Young, happy and in love Ellie and Harry house-sit Aunt Kates Virginia mansion. However Ellie soon finds herself living with strangers from the distant past. They said her aunt was a witch and that she was marked by an ancestral curse. There was a danger in the house. Danger that could kill.

DEVIL MAY CARE

By

ELIZABETH PETERS

* Published: October 2009

* Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

* ISBN-13: 9780061834141

* ISBN-10: 0061834149

ONE

Henry Danvers Willoughby was an extremely fortunate young man. On a marital eligibility scale he ranked slightly below millionaires and well above promising young doctors. He was aware of his status, but was rather inclined to resent people who described him as lucky, for he felt that he owed his success to his own abilities intelligence, honesty, hard work, and charm. His family connections had nothing to do with it. Undeniably his branch of the family was not overly endowed with money; it had taken every penny his father could save, borrow, or beg to get Henry through Harvard Law. The question of how he got into Harvard Law was one Henry did not discuss. The other branches of the family were happy to use their influence, so long as it didnt cost them any hard cash.

At the age of twenty-seven Henry was a junior partner in one of Washingtons dullest and most influential law firms. (It was his uncles firm, but Henry did not stress that fact.) In twenty years he could expect to be a senior partner and a very wealthy man. He was already comfortably situated financially; he was healthy, reasonably good-looking, and socially popular. His schedule included a daily workout at the gym, for, as he sometimes said to his fiance, Mens sana in corpore sano. He had forgotten the rest of the quote, if there was any more, but the point was clear.

Henry looked complacently at the aforementioned fiance, whom he considered another of his assets. He did not entirely approve of her casually bizarre clothes, but that would change when she became his wife, along with several other defects.

They were minor flaws; he had selected Ellie because she met his requirements in all major areas. She was extremely pretty that went without saying. Blond, of course. Blue eyes, widely spaced; a neat, pointed nose; and a mouth with the full lower lip which, Henry believed, indicated a passionate nature. Henrys smile widened as he contemplated his bride-to-be fondly. Ellie sensed his smile and turned her head to smile back at him. She had excellent teeth another of Henrys requirements. Good teeth were hereditary and orthodontists were expensive.

Dont take your eyes off the road, darling, he said.

Ellen turned her gaze to the windshield. Henry had let her drive, although the car was his. Ellies driving technique was one of the minor flaws he meant to correct before he put her in charge of his car and his handsome, intelligent, white-toothed children. When they had married and had moved to the suburbs, he would buy a station wagon. Ellie would drive the children to their exclusive private schools, wearing slacks and a tailored shirt, her hair tied back in a ponytail.

At the moment her hair was too short for Henrys taste. He was working on that point too, but had grown rather fond of the clustering golden curls.

Yes, he had chosen well. One of his criteria had been Ellies physical appeal, for he considered sexual attraction important in marriage. Ellie was also intelligent

for a woman and he certainly didnt mind that; he was careful not to put her down when she tried to talk about intellectual topics. After all, children inherited intelligence from both parents.

And now to discover that, in addition to Ellies other attractions, she had a rich, childless aunt! It was almost enough to make him believe in luck. Sweet, silly little girl, she had been afraid he would be angry when she told him her Aunt Kate wanted her to spend her two-week vacation house-sitting while Kate went off on some jaunt or other. He had agreed to forgo their planned trip with such magnanimity that Ellie had flung her arms around him and kissed him enthusiastically. They were on their way now to Kates mansion in Virginia. Henry had offered to come along and on his way back drive Kate to catch her plane at Dulles. As he had explained to Ellie, he wanted to meet the dear old lady. Wasnt he about to become a member of the family?

Henry had no doubt of his ability to charm the dear old lady. Old ladies loved him.

They liked his short hair and honest, candid look, and his championing of the good old-fashioned virtues. And yet

The faintest of frowns creased his high, tanned brow (a little too high; Henry would be bald as well as wealthy in twenty years) as he remembered the letter Kate had written her niece. He amended his description: dear old eccentric lady. It had been a rather peculiar letter, and he had taken exception to the postscript when Ellie read it to him.

P.S. Are you sleeping together? I need to know because of the sheets.

What does she mean, sheets? Henry had demanded.

Oh, you know. She doesnt want to put clean sheets on two beds unless its necessary.

How peculiar.

I think its funny, Ellie said defensively.

Certainly. Henry smiled. But for a woman of her generation to speak so casually of

It does go on, you know, Ellie said seriously.

Hmmm, said Henry.

Remembering this letter, Henrys frown deepened. It might behoove him to learn a little more about Aunt Kate. Eccentric old ladies had to be handled with care.

Darling, he said. No, dont look at me, sweetheart; how many times have I told you you must never take your eyes off the road. A simple Yes? will suffice.

Yes? said Ellie.

Your aunt. Is there anything I ought to know about her? Any little foibles or prejudices I should consider? Perhaps we might stop along the way and get some flowers for her.

She has masses of flowers, Elli said. Shes an enthusiastic gardener.

Ah, Henry said. This hobby was quite in keeping with his idea of sweet little old ladies.

Anyhow, Ellie went on, I bought her a present. Its from both of us.

That old book? I dont know, Ellie

She collects old books. Among other things. Ellie was silent, but Henry did not speak, recognizing the silence as one of concentration. Finally Ellie said, I dont know how to describe her. Shes rather er

Eccentric, Henry suggested.

Oh, yes, shes damned eccentric! There are a few things you might well, you might avoid. Shes somewhat opinionated on certain subjects.

Politics? Henry suggested.

I dont know what her political opinions are. I mean, they change a lot. She voted for Wallace once.

George?

Henry. And she campaigned for Shirley Chisholm.

Liberal, said Henry. Womens lib.

I wish you wouldnt do that, Ellie said.

Do what?

Label people.

Darling, Im not. Im simply trying to sort her out. I shall be careful not to criticize Shirley Chisholm or Gloria Steinem. What else?

Well I told you about the cats.

I cant believe it, Henry said, with genuine feeling. How many does she have?

It varies. Between ten and twenty, most of the time. And the last time I heard from her she had four dogs. Plus the raccoon and the Siamese rabbits and the chickens. The ones that look like Ringo Starr.

Look like

Ellie chuckled. She had a delightful laugh, low and throaty and infectious.

You know, hair over the eyes and long thin beaks. And she had a lot of hamsters, but I think they got away. And a rat

Never mind, Henry said resignedly. Shes an animal lover. Fine, that gives me considerable insight. What about religion?