Celtic Christmas Read online

  “I did. I bought some gifts for my family back at home, met another of my Donovan cousins, and visited the old church, which I have to admit was my favorite part. The windows look newer than the rest of the building. Were they added later?”

  “A French artist who came to Ireland for a visit and ended up staying added them in seventeen ninety-two.”

  “They’re beautiful. I was really impressed with everything I saw. The marble altar, the well-maintained wooden pews, the old bible under the glass. How old is the bible?”

  “It’s believed to have been penned in the late sixteen hundreds. The parchment in the case is even older than that.”

  “I was wondering about the parchment. I didn’t recognize the text.”

  “It’s an ancient language that no one living today has been able to decipher.” Bonnie paused.

  “Really?” That surprised me. “Have you had linguists and scholars take a look at it?”

  “Many have tried to read it, but legend tells of a text that can only be read by the one it was meant for.”

  Another legend. It seemed like this particular village was rich with legends.

  “Was Alex with you when you visited the church?” Bonnie asked.

  “She was. We all made the trip except for Nona, who opted to wait at the tea shop.”

  “Did she say anything about the parchment?”

  “No. Not really. She was more interested in the mural on the back wall. Was it painted by someone local?”

  “It was painted by an artist named Finn O’Malley back in the early seventeen hundreds.”

  “It is really exceptional. You’re lucky to have such a breadth and depth of history to draw from. I love my home back in Ashton Falls, but the oldest building in the whole town was built in the nineteen forties. It must be interesting to live in a place that is so rich with history.”

  “I do love my home,” Bonnie said. She smiled as if enjoying a memory, but there was a look in her eye that told me she had something more on her mind. I was about to ask her what it was when Lizbeth came in. I took that as my cue for Charlie and me to leave and to head back up to our suite to prepare for the festivities that evening.

  Chapter 8

  “I was getting worried,” Zak said when I walked into our suite with Charlie. “You were gone a lot longer than you indicated you planned to be.”

  “I ran into Bobby in the garden and stopped to chat. The poor guy is really grieving. If I thought he might be the killer before, I don’t think that now.”

  “Were the rumors we heard relating to his feud with Tyson inaccurate?”

  “Not at all,” I answered. “I just think that Tyson’s death has caused him to reflect on his actions and his decisions, and he has found his choices lacking. He told me that he was sorry he’d never have the chance to make things right with Tyson. He seemed really sincere.”

  “I suppose a death, any death, can be a catalyst for us to take a close look at our own motives and actions.”

  I took my jacket off and tossed it on the sofa. “I realize I don’t know Bobby at all, but after speaking with him, I highly doubt he’s the killer. Given the fact he was questioned and released, I’m going to assume the local investigator believes that as well. Which brings me to the question of who the prime suspects might be at this point.”

  “I thought we were staying out of this,” Zak reminded me.

  “We are, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not curious.”

  Zak pulled me into his arms and gave me a gentle hug. “I know. I’m curious as well, and I’d like to see the killer caught. But right now, we have a Christmas Ball to get ready for.”

  “Did you call down to the kitchen and order dinner?”

  “I did. I’ll go down and get it while you have a bath and do whatever you want to do to get ready for tonight. Catherine is sleeping soundly, so you should have the next hour to yourself.”

  “That sounds perfect. A bubble bath sounds like just the thing to help relax the tension from my mind.”

  By the time Zak returned with the meal Bonnie had prepared for us, I’d taken a bath, and washed and dried my hair. Catherine woke just as I was putting my hair dryer away, and Alex and Nona showed up just as Zak walked through the door with our dinner. I was ready except for putting on my makeup and getting dressed. Alex looked ready except for putting her dress and heels on.

  “I poked my head in the ballroom on my way to the kitchen, and it looks as if Lord Dunphy has had decorators working all day,” Zak commented as he served us each a plate of the sausage and dumplings Bonnie had prepared for us.

  “Is the room filled with poinsettias?” Alex asked.

  “Actually, it is,” Zak answered. “How did you know?”

  “We met up with him while horseback riding this morning, and he mentioned that his mother was after him to add more poinsettias to the mix.” Alex smiled.

  “His mother?” Zak raised a brow. “As in his very dead mother?”

  “That would be the one,” she giggled.

  There was a time I shared their skepticism about the actual existence of the ghosts living in the castle, but that was before I met Catherine, a ghost of an ancestor who, in many ways, profoundly changed my life.

  “I can’t wait to see how the ballroom looks once everyone arrives,” Alex said. “I can just picture couples waltzing around the room just like they did centuries ago. It’s all so romantic.”

  “Do you know how to waltz?” I asked Alex.

  “Of course. I went to a very exclusive private school before I came to live with you. They taught us all sorts of things, including how to build a nuclear reactor, how to waltz, and how to take down someone twice your size using their body weight.”

  I had to admit the curriculum at the school Alex went to before coming to live with us had been well rounded. “Perhaps we should offer ballroom dancing as an elective at Zimmerman Academy,” I suggested.

  “Perhaps we should,” Zak agreed.

  “Zimmerman Academy might not have the breadth of curriculum that the school I used to go to had, but I like the fact that the emphasis is on math, science, and technology,” Alex countered. “I guess I’m glad I know how to dance, and I suppose having access to self-defense moves could come in handy someday, but I feel like I’ve made a lot more progress in my areas of interest since I’ve been at the academy.” She pushed her half-empty plate to the side. “I’m going to go get dressed. I’m really much too excited to eat.”

  “Okay, sweetie,” I said. “Call if you need help.”

  “I’ll go back to the room with her in case she needs help,” Nona offered. “It’s been a lot of years since I’ve had a party like this to get ready for. Part of me is sad that I’m not going, but mostly I’m happy to just stay in the room and watch television with Catherine. I think we’ll both be happier in our pajamas.”

  After Alex and Nona left, I looked at Zak. “Whatever you do, do not embarrass Alex tonight.”

  “Why would I embarrass her?” Zak asked, with a look of complete innocence on his face.

  “I saw the look you were giving Liam. He seems like a nice boy, and they will be fully supervised, so leave the over-protective father act here in the room.”

  Zak winked but didn’t reply.

  “Promise me,” I said.

  He leaned forward and kissed my lips. He didn’t actually say the words, but a kiss basically sealed a deal. Right?

  Chapter 9

  The castle held the Christmas Ball every year on the Saturday before Christmas. Guests staying in the castle were always invited, as were special guests of Lord Dunphy. A limited number of tickets were available for those living in the village. Any villager who wanted to attend was invited to enter a lottery, which allowed for fair and random ticket distribution.

  By the time Zak, Alex, and I made it downstairs, the lower level of the castle was filled with women in formal gowns and men in tuxedos. Lord Dunphy had seen to every detail in terms of décor and the
selection of the food and drink that was served. The orchestra was amazing, and as Alex had predicted, tended to play a selection of waltzes and other music appropriate for dancing.

  I wore a gown in a dark shade of green, and Alex wore a gown in a deep and rich red. Zak looked handsome in a tuxedo, and Lord Dunphy actually wore a kilt along with a formal jacket. As soon as we entered the ballroom, I noticed Alex scanning the room. I suspected she was looking for Liam.

  “The ballroom does look lovely,” I said.

  “It’s like something out of a fairytale,” Alex gasped. “I feel like a princess.”

  “You look like a princess,” Zak put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze.

  “And it looks as if your prince has just arrived.” I nodded toward the doorway as Liam walked in, looking very handsome in a white tuxedo.

  Alex smiled as Liam crossed the room.

  Zak leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. He told her she looked beautiful and then whispered something about her not leaving the ballroom. I supposed that was fair enough. I kissed her on the cheek and told her to have fun.

  “Perhaps we should dance,” I suggested as Zak watched Alex and Liam walk toward a group of teens standing off to the side.

  He turned and smiled at me. “Perhaps we should.”

  The next couple of hours really did feel like something out of a fairytale. We danced and drank champagne and eventually, Zak forgot to be worried about Alex, and actually began to have a good time. Unfortunately, in hindsight, a bit more worry and a lot less champagne might have been a better way to go.

  “I’ve really enjoyed this, but my feet are killing me,” I said as the hands on the clock inched toward midnight.

  “Yeah. I’m ready to call it a night as well,” Zak seconded.

  “I guess we should find Alex,” I suggested. “Do you see her?”

  Zak scanned the room, his height giving him an advantage I simply didn’t have. “I don’t see either her or Liam.”

  “You told her not to leave the ballroom, so I’m sure they’re here somewhere. Let’s take a walk around the perimeter of the dance floor.”

  I looped my arm through Zak’s, and we began to circulate. We paused to say hi to a few people along the way, asking those we’d met if they’d seen Alex. No one claimed to have seen her for at least an hour, but I wasn’t worried. With any other teen, I’d be afraid they would have gone off somewhere to drink or fool around, but not Alex. She’d never do anything like that.

  “I don’t see them anywhere,” Zak said after we’d walked the perimeter of the ballroom.

  I had to admit I was starting to get a little worried. “Let’s check the suite. Maybe she grew tired and didn’t want to interrupt us, and she just went up.”

  “You check the suite,” Zak suggested. “I’ll check the kitchen, parlor, and other public rooms on this floor. I’ll meet you in this exact spot in fifteen minutes.”

  “Okay.”

  “And Zoe, bring our phones down if she isn’t in the suite.”

  “Okay.” I turned to head toward the stairs. “I’m sure she’s fine.”

  I clung to that hope for the first thirty minutes, but after we’d checked the suite and all the public rooms on the first floor of the castle with no luck, my concern turned to terror.

  “Where could she be?” I asked.

  “I don’t know,” Zak said. “I think we might want to widen our search. I’m going to head outside while you go and find Lord Dunphy and let him know what’s going on. He has security here who can help us look. Text me if you find her.”

  I agreed to Zak’s plan in spite of my fear. What I really wanted to do was to stop the orchestra from playing and make a public plea asking everyone in attendance if they’d seen Alex, but I supposed it was a bit premature to do that. We hadn’t looked outside yet. I supposed Alex and Liam might have simply stepped out for some fresh air.

  After another thirty minutes passed with no sign of Alex, Lord Dunphy agreed to do what I’d been wanting to do from the beginning. He stopped the orchestra, grabbed the microphone, and asked everyone still in attendance to help us look. Most of the people in the room knew Liam, and I described Alex as best as I could.

  If Alex had snuck off to neck and she wasn’t in danger, she was going to kill me. If she had snuck off to neck and wasn’t in danger, she’d pretty much deserve any embarrassment that might come her way.

  By the time two hours had passed with no sign of Alex, I’d merged into full-on panic mode. She hadn’t had her phone or even a jacket since we’d just come down from upstairs and hadn’t planned to venture outside. Other than the blocked-off portion, the entire castle had been searched, as had the grounds in the immediate area of the building. Liam’s uncle and parents were called, but no one admitted to knowing where he might be.

  “I’m going to change out of my dress and search the blocked off part of the castle,” I said to Zak. “I don’t see why Alex would be there, but I need to look.”

  “I’ll come with you. Lord Dunphy has called the police. They are going to look around the village. I don’t think she would have left the castle under her own power for any reason, but it makes sense to take a look around.”

  “What do you mean under her own power?” I screeched.

  Zak hugged me. “I don’t mean anything. Let’s go and change. We’ll grab flashlights, and a few other supplies such as tape to mark our passage. It won’t do anyone any good if we get lost in the maze of hallways.”

  “Maybe we should ask Lord Dunphy to come with us,” I suggested. “I have to believe he knows his way around.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Zak replied. “You head up and check on Nona and Catherine. Put on sturdy shoes and warm clothes. I’ll go and find Lord Dunphy and then meet you in the suite.”

  The next few hours were like something out of a horror movie. The castle was searched again while Lord Dunphy, Zak, and I searched the dungeons and boarded up part of the castle.

  “The labyrinth of hallways and passages in this part of the castle are extensive, but I feel like we’ve covered everything,” Lord Dunphy said.

  While I felt like we’d looked everywhere there was to look, I wasn’t ready to give up yet. “Why don’t you go ahead and check with the local police. Zak and I are going to head out through the dungeons and then walk back along the beach just in case we missed something.”

  “I’m sure she’ll show up,” Lord Dunphy said encouragingly.

  I hoped he was right, but this wasn’t at all like Alex. If she was missing, she was in trouble. That was the only conclusion I could come to.

  “Are you sure we shouldn’t just go back with Lord Dunphy?” Zak asked after he walked away.

  “I’m not sure of anything, but I just have this gut feeling that we missed something. Possibly something important.”

  “Okay,” Zak said. “I’ll follow your lead.”

  “I want to go back to the dead-end hallway where I found Tyson’s body. I don’t know if his death, and Alex’s disappearance are connected, but my spidey sense tells me they must be.”

  Zak looked around. “I have no idea how to get back there.”

  “Follow me,” I said and then began walking. I’d only been down in the maze of hallways a few times, but I felt like I had a map of the area burned into my mind. Maybe I just had a good memory, or maybe Catherine was helping me. I could still hear the singing off in the distance, but since I was the only one who could hear it, I decided not to mention it. If I had to guess, the singing was coming from Catherine, who, even from the grave, showed up to provide a beacon in the darkness.

  “It’s just up here,” I said as the singing grew louder.

  I turned the corner, and suddenly, we were in the hallway where I’d found Tyson’s body.

  “What are we looking for?” Zak asked.

  “I don’t know. At this point, just look for anything.”

  The floors, as well as the walls, were made of stone. The hallway ca
me to a dead end, which looked as if it might have continued at one point in the castle’s history, but was blocked now by a cave in. I used my flashlight to search the floor and, as before, found nothing, but then from out of the darkness, Lady Catherine appeared.

  “Do you see that?” I asked Zak.

  He looked up. “See what?”

  “Never mind.” Since he was looking right at the ghostly figure in front of me, I figure he couldn’t see her and didn’t want to stop to fill him in. I walked over to where she was standing and looked down. A phone was between two rocks that had fallen into the walkway. I bent over and picked it up. Lady Catherine disappeared.

  “What did you find?” Zak asked.

  “A phone. There’s a text on the lock screen. It’s from Buford letting the owner of the phone know that things will go badly for him if he mentions the text or the prophecy.”

  “Prophecy?” Zak asked.

  “I assume that he is referring to the prophecy Bonnie told me about, but I have no idea what text he’s talking about. The phone is locked, and I can only see what is on the lock screen, but since I found Tyson’s body in this exact location, I am going to assume this is his phone.”

  “Let’s head back,” Zak said.

  The police had shown up by the time we were back at the castle. They asked us a bunch of questions, which we answered. They also asked for a photo of Alex, which we supplied. They promised to do a thorough search of the village as well as the forest in the area. Just the idea that they were going to search the forest caused me to break into a cold sweat. Where could she be? What could have happened to her? One minute she was dancing with Liam, looking happier than I’d ever seen her, and the next minute she was simply gone.

  To be honest, once the castle and grounds had been searched, I wasn’t sure what to do, but I knew I had to do something. The only thing that came to mind was to track down the other teens who had been in attendance and grill them until someone admitted to knowing where Alex and Liam had gone. Of course, I didn’t know the names or whereabouts of any of the teens, so after a bit of discussion with Zak as to how to proceed, we decided to start by interviewing the Donovans we’d met who lived in the village. Someone must have seen something.