Searching For Treasure - By L.C. Davenport Page 0,41

same way." She sniffed loudly. "I'm going to miss you all."

"Now, now, Grace, don't start. It's not the end of the world,”Rose said brusquely, blinking away the brightness in her own eye. "Maybe we'll trade Christmas cards or something."

The ice cream maker was the old-fashioned hand crank type. After Oscar brought out the buckets of chilled ice cream mix, ice and rock salt, the men took turns turning the crank. Josie and Noah were arguing about what radio station they should play. And Mark was trying to explain to Grace what a defensive linebacker does on a football team. Rose tugged at Dana's arm. "They're going to be at that for a while. Take a walk with me," Rose said.

Arms linked, Rose and Dana wandered off the courtyard and around to the back of the castle. Although the Sun had set, there was still light enough to see by. Rose was unusually quiet. "I hope I didn't start something this afternoon with my nosy questions."

"What? No, of course not." They stopped beside the old water well and Dana peered inside. "Hello, in there." Dana grinned. "I always have to do that."

But Rose wasn't willing to be deflected. "We heard you two fighting again just after you left us. I thought maybe." She trailed off.

"It wasn't because of you. Besides it all worked out." In a horrible imitation, she declared, "What we have here, is a failure, to communicate." At Rose's puzzled look she explained. That's from 'Cool Hand Luke'."

"Never saw it."

"Yeah, well, anyway, I think we've got our communication problems ironed out."

"Sometimes watching the two of you was worse than any soap opera I've ever seen. You're either shouting and fighting or laughing and loving. It gave me whiplash trying to keep up with it."

Continuing on, they stopped to rest on a stone garden bench. "You might not believe it, but Jack and I don't usually fight. I'm afraid you've gotten a skewed view of us this weekend."

"And just before dinner I heard a different kind of shouting. Something like 'I love him'? I gather that's not usual either." Dana could only giggle. "Damn, girl, I guess you did get things worked out, huh? I knew you would all along."

"You did, huh?"

"Sure, especially after I finally got Oscar to come clean about the rest of the legend of the Whispering Oak."

Dana eyed her suspiciously. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, only couples who are destined to be together forever hear the whispering lovers at night."

Dana studied her, mulling over what she said. "I didn't think you believed in that sort of thing."

"For this, I'll make an exception."

"Hmm. Still, there's a part of me that wants to be angry with him."

"What part is that?"

"The part that doesn't like being coerced or manipulated. The part that doesn't respond well to threats."

"Is that what he did?"

"Kind of. Maybe. I don't know, but that's what it feels like he did."

"But you did respond. I guess you felt you had to. It was either that or the alternative."

"What alternative?"

"Learning to live without him."

"I wouldn't want to even try."

"So now you don't have to. You both got what you wanted. So go ahead and forgive a little manipulation. Just don't let him make a habit of it."

They sat there for a moment enjoying the quiet summer sounds around them. Sounds like the crickets in the trees and the sound of leaves rustling in the slight breeze. In the distance was the sound of the golden oldies station that Noah and Josie had settled on. And overlaying all of that was the sound of someone running. Dana and Rose looked at each other with wide eyes. Were they about to see Just Cedric?

The sound of running footsteps grew louder in their ears. Then all at once he was there, a rather comical looking gentleman in nineteenth century clothing. He ran with an odd stride, leaning backwards as if his body couldn't keep up with his feet. He was close enough now that they could hear him gasping a little from exertion. He was also close enough to see that he was completely transparent.

He ran past them without even glancing in their direction. His whole focus was on the water well. He ran straight for it and then without slowing his stride, dove in headfirst. There is no further sound except the tiniest of splashes. Then there was silence. Even the crickets were quiet.

"Uh, Dana?"

"Uh."

"Let's keep this to ourselves, yeah?"

"Uh."

"You said it."

Chapter 10

Nobody noticed Dana and Rose scooting back onto the courtyard, casting