Natale Stenzel - Pandoras Box

I, the equine raised its chin and tail, appearing almost regal for a moment, am a puca. It widened its eyes for effect. When Mina didnt react, the horse dropped its tail back to normal position. I really hate this. Youve never even heard of a puca? Whats the problem with the last three generations? I just do not get respect anymore.

Mina shrugged. We call you guys horses around here, but generally, our horses dont talk.

Oh, pah! In a shimmering flash, the stallion shifted from horse to eagle to goat to muscular nude man blur and back to horse.

Mina blinked, dazed by the sexy man blur. She couldnt see the human form or face clearly, the flash had been so briefjust a stirring impression of charisma and sensual arrogance potent enough to kick her in the libido. Then he was back in equine form. Okay. A little more than a horse Her damn heart was palpitating, in fact. That last image

The horse showed his teeth in a sly grin. You liked that one, didnt you?

NATALE STENZEL

PANDORA'S BOX

LOVE SPELL

February 2008

Published by

Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.

200 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10016

Copyright 2008 by Natale Nogosek Stenzel

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E-ISBN 13: 978-1-4285-0357-1

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For Jenn, Kathy, Carolyn and Tracy,
who encouraged me to walk all the way out on that limb.

Contents

I inherited a rock? Some distant relative Ive never met willed me a rock? You cant be serious. Was that supposed to be an insult? Mina wondered. Youve been a bad little descendant,Mina, so here, accept this rock as a sign of my eternalcontempt....

Pandemina Dorothy Avery, right? The thirty-one-year-old unmarried daughter of Elizabeth Avery Dixon and Duncan Forbes? When she shrugged and nodded, the attorney smiled. Then, yes. A rock. But more than that. Its actually a cornerstone from a little cottage in Wiltshire, England, last owned by your distant cousin and my firms client, Gladys Avebury. Its been in the English branch of your mothers family for generations. I assume youve heard of cornerstones?

She thought about it. Well, sure. So the cornerstones a keepsake? Leave it to her mothers family to pass a sacred rock down through the generations and call it a legacy.

That, too, but cornerstones are also an old tradition. People sometimes use them as a personal time capsule, to contain mementos and information about the property and its owners. If a building is significant in any way or large, the cornerstone might also contain information about the structure itself. Since in this case were talking about a simple, if very old, cottage, its more likely youll get your hands on some family history. Which, quite frankly, could be fascinating.

Fascinating. No doubt. Mina pondered diplomacy. Look. I have to be honest. This inheritance might be better off in somebody elses hands. Im afraid information about distant relatives just doesnt intrigue me like it might some others. The only people Ive ever called family are my mother and stepfatherand then, only when theyre behaving, which is about fifty percent of the time.

And yes, here now was the guilt. She shouldnt have said that last part. At least her mom and stepfather loved and acknowledged Mina as family. That was more than she could say for the pompous hypocrite whod fathered Mina and abandoned mother and child before she was even born.

And then there were the loving grandparents, who unanimously denounced Minas birth as an abomination. Seriously. All because of a little premarital sex and a reproductive oops.

Mina could only assume that her mothers life during pregnancy had been a living hell. On the rare sentimental occasion, Mina even tried to set aside their very real differences in an attempt to build a friendlier mother-daughter relationship. But then her mother would invariably shove some rare crystals or yet another ancient talisman under Minas nose, thereby driving her daughter to distraction all over again.

I suppose everyone is entitled to an opinion. Youll have to do as you see fit. Still, the attorneys manner had cooled.

Poor man had been so excited when she walked in the door. Hed wanted to play Santa Claus and deliver his special lump of rock, and her jaded-kid routine wasnt satisfying in the least.

Well, what did he expect? Shed never even met this Gladys Avebury, and Mina just didnt have it in her to weep or gush with sentiment over the death of a stranger. Generalized but sincere regret was about all she could manage.

Look, Im sorry if I seem less than enthusiastic about all this. It probably just hasnt sunk in yet. Well, that was certainly possible. Maybe she hadnt completely processed the situation yet. She mentally paused a moment. Shed inherited a rock... from a distant cousin across the ocean... Hmm. No, a rocks a rocks a rock. Shed inherited a rock, and not of the faceted variety. That was about as sunk as it got, she decided, not without regret.

Sort of like her, unfortunately. A monetary inheritance from some mysterious relative shed have welcomed with embarrassment and sheer gratitude. So, call her materialistic, but now that Jackson, her live-in boyfriend, had dumped her and moved outleaving her with a mortgage and repairs she couldnt affordshe was desperate.

Thanks to Jacksons vindictivenot to mention marriednew girlfriend, Mina had lost her job right along with her boyfriend and potential husband. Then Jackson, in his infinite generosity, had offered to continue the mortgage payments on the house they jointly owned until the house sold. In return, Mina would pay for renovations necessary to make the house sellable.

Right. With what money, exactly? The laughable balance in her checking account? Or maybe she could borrow ahead on a nonexistent salary?

Ms. Avery? The attorney had a tight look on his face, as though hed tried gaining her attention a few times.

Sorry. Just thinking. Being rude was more like it. Honestly, would it kill her to show just a little interest, out of simple good manners? Sentiment in this case was beyond her, but curiosity she could do. So, why me? No disrespect, of course, but why didnt Gladys leave her... her legacy... to somebody shed at least met?

Because you, Pandemina Averyhe paused, obviously trying to emphasize the drama of Minas situationare the sole surviving unmarried female descendant of the Wiltshire branch of the family who still bears some version of the family name. He paused to take a breath.

And no wonder. If she hadnt already verified the attorneys credentials shed suspect him of trying to con her with that absurd list of criteria.

You do realize, of course, that the family name is actually Avebury over in England. It was shortened to Avery when your great-grandparents moved to America. He smiled, obviously delighted on her behalf.

No of course about it; but Mina wasnt about to enlighten him and play Scrooge to his Santa all over again. I... Sure. Thats great. She forced a smile. Look, Mr. Reynolds. No offense, but dont the requirements for this inheritance seem oddly stretched to you? The sole surviving whatever of the whatever and so on and so forth? Im sure the family history stuff is fascinating, but why go to all this time and expense for the sake of a cornerstone?