The Time Witch - Part 12

Recap: The locket is missing, Bad Samuel is testy and Evangeline only share’s Samuel’s name with Danna; but it’s enough to lead them to his descendant—a grump old lady. Now it’s up to Evangeline to charm the woman and find something to fix the past.

Short on time? Scan the story and just read the Bold parts to get the gist of the story. Then come back later and read the whole thing!

LINKS: The Beginning, Last Part (#11), Time Witch page

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“Don’t dilly dally!”

Without even a backward glance, Mabel spat out the order.

Evangeline hurried to catch up, following Samuel’s descendant into a sitting room. The heavy drapes blocked any sunlight, and the decor favored ornate furniture with floral brocade. The furniture was covered with fitted, clear plastic. 

Mabel pointed to a settee. “Sit yourself down and tell me why you came to Baxter Creek.”

Portraits of stern-faced ancestors stared down at them from the walls. The expressions were as welcoming as Mabel’s frank nature. 

Evangeline studied the woman, looking for some family resemblance. She couldn’t see any. “Well, I came here because of the library. When I first heard about it, I had to come to see it, and once I saw it, I had to own it. I wanted to restore a bit of history.”

Leaning forward in her chair, Mabel frowned. “That sounds like crap. What really made you come?”

Evangeline shrugged. “I don’t know. One thing led to another, I guess.”

“That sounds like the truth,” Mabel nodded.

“Actually, it’s all true,” Evangeline said, hating the feeling that she had to somehow justify her reasons. “The whole purchase and move took me by surprise.”

Mabel considered the young woman sitting across from her. The calculated look sized her up, evaluating what she saw. The verdict, however, wasn’t clear.

“Have you only ever lived in Baxter Creek?” Evangeline asked. For some reason, growing up in one spot seemed like a luxury.

Mabel nodded. “Born and bred. Where would I go? Everything I have is here, including a purpose. That’s what I think most people lack, and even if they do find their purpose, they are just as likely to walk away from it when it gets too hard.”

The mini-lecture sounded like a none-too-subtle hint. Whatever the meaning, Evangeline didn’t dare guess. “Tell me, Mabel, as someone intimately connected with Baxter Creek, should I approach the coven?”

Mabel laughed so hard it turned into hiccups. She took a moment to catch her breath. 

Trying not to read anything into the reaction, Evangeline noted the room’s dated interior. Several items were vintage and would make any estate dealer salivate. Her eyes fell to a thick photo album on a side table. She wondered if it contained a picture of Samuel.

“The coven has a few tricks,” Mabel finally said. “To be safe, stay clear of that lot.”

“I’ll try.” Evangeline nodded, knowing it wasn’t only up to her. “I’m still getting used to Baxter Creek having a coven.”

Mabel pursed her lips together. 

“You know because witches aren’t that common outside of Halloween,” Evangeline added, feeling it needed to be said.

Unchallenged, the statement hung there in the room for a moment.

“You’ll handle it,” Mabel finally predicted, “but let me ask you a question instead. Well, not a question, really, but what would you say if I said: Time pushes back.”

Mabel squinted, holding her breath.

With a little shrug, Evangeline wracked her brain for something to say, but the words didn’t mean anything to her. “I don’t know. Does that have something to do with the coven?”

Mabel let out her breath, dejected. “Is that all you came here for—advice on the women in this town? If so, you can go. I’m done with you.”

Since she hadn’t gotten any useful information, Evangeline wasn’t about to leave. She decided to ignore the dismissal and just be straight with the woman. Well, as much as she could be without creating fodder for more town gossip. “I need to know about one of your ancestors—Samuel Covington-York.”

Interest was piqued in Mabel again. “What ya want to know?”

The question didn’t sound like she would give up any information. Instead, Samuel’s descendant sounded wary.

Pressing on, Evangeline figured she had little to lose. “He, as you know, built my library.”

“His library,” Mabel interrupted.

“Our library,” Evangeline compromised. “And I would like to know more about him. I want to learn all the library’s history, and he’s a big part of it.” Casting her eyes to the floor, Evangeline tried to hide the fact she was getting into something personally important to her. Somehow, hiding that made her believe she’d get a straight answer. “Did anything strange happen during the library’s construction?”

“Whaddya mean?”

“Any kind of story handed down through your family,” Evangeline elaborated, “you know, from Samuel?”

Mabel squinted. “What’s it to you?”

“Library history.” Evangeline gulped at the push back. “When my guests start arriving, I want to be able to tell them stories about when the library was built. Oh, and I’d love to get a picture of Samuel. Maybe frame it and hang it in the Reading Room.”

Mabel swatted the air with a hand. “What guests? I hear you have been shut down.”

“It’s temporary.”

Mabel’s smirk said otherwise.

“Maybe you can tell me about Samuel’s life. Did he have a long, happy one?” Evangeline bit her lip.

Mabel leaned back in her chair. She took her time to answer. “I don’t rightly know. He left the family with no explanation, and he never came back.”

“What?” Evangeline sat up straight. “He just left? Did something happen? When was this?” Evangeline stopped short of asking if Samuel disappeared through a tunnel in the library’s closet. 

Of course, if his descendant revealed something sensational, she’d believe it, but Mabel seemed more like Bad Samuel. She acted like the Keeper of Secrets, unwilling to release any.

“Well, I wasn’t there,” Mabel laughed, “so I don’t rightly know. Some stories don’t get passed down with all the dirty details. Maybe you haven’t experienced it, but some families don’t go blabbing about every little thing.”

Suddenly, the air in the room felt tight, too long without an open window, perhaps, or something more. Evangeline couldn’t help but hope it meant more. Does the room smell like Samuel?

“Did he live here?” Evangeline asked. “Was this his house?”

Mabel nodded yes, watching her with intent eyes.

Evangeline wanted to see his room but didn’t have the nerve to ask. “If he left, that had to matter to your family.”

Mabel shrugged a shoulder and cocked her head to the side. Her chin rose, signaling again that it was time for Evangeline to leave.

Why is she being so cagey? Evangeline thought, feeling strongly that the woman could tell her more. “A rumor, a theory, anything to help my research.”

Another shrug. 

“It’s not like anyone’s still around that would be embarrassed by what happened,” Evangeline pushed her again. “Unless you believe in ghosts.”

Mabel abruptly stood, crossing her arms in front of her. “Thank you for the visit. Don’t come again.” Her eyes slanted toward the hallway and the front door.

Slowly putting her hands on her thighs, Evangeline did not follow the pointed invitation to leave, but she slowly got up. A tiny bit of hope fluttered in her mind. Maybe I can get a name?

“Who was alive when Samuel took off? Who did he leave behind?” Evangeline asked, thinking if worse came to worse, she could question that relative in 1910. Not that they’d know what happened before it happened.

“What an odd question,” Mabel muttered. “Why would you want to know that?”

Evangeline rolled her eyes. “It’s interesting, and it matters—not that it seems to matter to you, but it does to me. Maybe I’m more connected to Samuel—with the library and everything—than you are. So whatever the family secret, you need to read me in.”

The words came out in a rush, shocking Evangeline. She hadn’t meant to say anything so revealing and wasn’t prepared to explain what she meant. If it felt like the air had already been sucked out of the room, the outburst only made it worse. 

“The library connects you?” Mabel asked with a chuckle. “Or is it that other part, the everything. So specific.”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, and it’s beside the point. Either you’re gonna tell me, or you won’t.”

Mabel stepped back. Her expression eased. She almost seemed happy. “The family member left behind was Samuel’s brother, who wrote a book about it. Might find it in Samuel’s library.”

“I might if you gave me the book’s title,” Evangeline grumbled, still having to pull out every little bit of information. “Is it even in the library?”

Mabel was offended. “It was a lovingly handwritten account, not something published by Simon & Schuster.”

“Thanks for nothing.” Evangeline headed for the front door. 

“His name was Charles.”

Evangeline stopped in the hallway and looked back. Mabel stood under the archway that led to the sitting room. For the first time, she seemed small and frail. 

“Did you read the book?” Evangeline asked.

Mabel pursed her lips together. “It’s my family history. What do you think?”

Needing a clue from the past to help the present, Evangeline tried to contain the hope swelling in her heart. Could Mabel actually tell her something useful? She saw the woman’s expression softened.

“Charles had the forethought to chronicle his experiences to speak to the future. To speak to me, you might say.” Mabel’s lips turned upward, and the pleasure even reached her eyes.

Evangeline wished she could read minds. It would make life easier. “What did Charles want to pass down?”

“Lessons,” Mabel answered.

Feeling the weight of the word, Evangeline ran through several scenarios, struck by the possibility that she’d meet Charles one day and could tell him something meaningful to put in that book. Something that could help her—like secrets hidden in his journal, written in invisible ink—if she could get Mabel to produce the thing.

“Can I read it?” Evangeline asked.

“I don’t know,” Mabel said, “can you read?”

The obstinance practically crackled between them.

Evangeline tried again: “I assume you have the book. It doesn’t sound like you left it on a library shelf.”

“Well… it might have been taken before you stole—sorry, purchased—my family legacy.” Mabel winked. “The book belongs to the family.”

Clearly, Charles didn’t write about trusting a girl who bought the library, Evangeline thought, disappointed beyond belief. “I swear, Mabel, you are as frustrating as Bad Samuel!”

With an exasperated huff, Evangeline turned and marched to the door.

“What do you mean by that?” Mabel shouted.

Evangeline didn’t care. She’d had enough. She threw open the front door and fled outside. The fresh air hit her in the face, cooling her cheeks.

Mabel followed her to the door, moving much faster than before. She stood on the porch and yelled, “What did you mean?”

Evangeline only raised a hand and waved it as she hurried away. The backward wave was rude. It wasn’t so much as to say goodbye, as good riddance!

Another installment next Tuesday!