Seaspun Magic Read Online Free PDF

so that Arianne's share after the division of their worldly goods was one of a pair of candlesticks. As if that didn't have the reporters hopping about ecstatically, her reaction, a "no contest," floored them. It made them surmise that the only reason she would abdicate a fortune without a fight was that she had to feel guilty about something. . .and what could that something possibly be?
    Then they dug out the insurance detective who just happened to be young and rather cute, and everyone leaped to the conclusion that she and the detective were having a fling. The supposed romantic liaison was built up into a full-fledged affair, with trysts in dark restaurants and out-of-the-way motel rooms. Of course the story went full circle to her part in the kidnapping case for another rehash. Her mother never said, "I told you so," but Arianne knew she thought it.
    One popular magazine had dressed her up to be a sorceress brewing potions to add to the spectacular nature of the tale, and the resulting backlash of superstitious fear and hatred from the public had been frightening. After being victimized by the greedy and hounded by some of the more common lunatics, Arianne went into hiding.
    During the bedlam Reggie kept insisting to the press that the idea of his wife being gifted was ridiculous. This only heightened the general intrigue. But at home the idea had always turned him on. He liked having something other men didn't. He had guarded her jealously; at first she'd thought it was because he loved her, and very probably, he had.
    Then she'd slowly begun to realize he was using her to gain advantages for himself. He was very sly in posing his questions; usually she answered them before realizing it. He was adept at getting what he wanted from her, and for a while she delivered. Using this1 'inside'' information to his advantage, Reggie Sutherland made more money in a year than his paychecks held.
    Arianne didn't believe he had intended to pump her when they married, but over the years perhaps the temptation proved irresistible. Anyway, once started, he couldn't stop. When it was clear he'd come to depend on her sight, she began, in desperation, to make up nonsense answers. The first time a prediction of hers lost money in the stock market he'd been aghast; the second time, furious. After the third time, he didn't take her words for granted anymore.
    How she hoped Rae wasn't burdened with her affliction! She prayed the boy would be spared being so different from others. Her powers had never done her any good; they never answered her own questions but only caused trouble, trouble and more trouble.
    She wondered what Leo Donev's reaction would be if he knew his landlady was a witch…
CHAPTER THREE
    Arianne was knitting in front of the fire when Orly Pressmann's grandfather clock out in the hallway chimed the eleventh hour. She got up, stretched and put some more logs on the fire. She wondered when her guest was going to get home. The television flickered a story at her from across the room, and close to her feet on the warmth of the hearthstone, Jinx, the cat, was curled up in a sleeping ball. Beside the cat a beautiful cloisonne candlestick holder rose fully three feet high to cup a short fat beeswax candle. The air was filled with the candle's delicate, warm scent.
    At eleven-thirty Arianne automatically reached over, picked up the telephone and said, "Hi, mom," before it had a chance to ring.
    "Hello, darling. My, you're getting better, aren't you! That's the sixth time in a row I' ve called and you haven't waited for the ring!''
    "If I'm getting so much better why do we need a telephone at all?"
    "You're depressing sometimes, dear. I knew you'd still be up, and Jill and I couldn't wait until tomorrow to phone. Did he come?"
    "Who?"
    "You know who! You know perfectly well I told you a new man was coming into your life. I just had this little feeling today was the day."
    "I wish you would have told me that earlier! Yes, a fellow