The witching hour - By Anne Rice Page 0,504

necklace and Carlotta had the idea that if she locked up the necklace, she’d put an end to all the strange goings-on, and she made that another one of her useless little battles.”

“And Carlotta knew,” said Peter, glancing a little contemptuously at Fielding. “She knew what the doorway and the thirteen witches meant.”

“How do you know that?” It was Lauren speaking from a slight distance. “Carlotta certainly never talked of anything like that.”

“Of course not, why would she?” said Peter. “I know because Stella told my mother. Carlotta knew and Carlotta wouldn’t help her. Stella was trying to fulfill the old prophecy. And it had nothing to do, by the way, with salvation or hallelujahs. That wasn’t the point at all.”

“Says who?” demanded Fielding.

“Says I, that’s who.”

“Well, what do you know about it?” asked Randall softly with a little touch of sarcasm in his voice. “Cortland himself told me that when they brought the thirteen witches together, the doorway would open between the worlds.”

“Between the worlds!” Peter scoffed. “And what has that got to do with salvation I’d like to know? Cortland didn’t know anything. Any more than Stella. With Cortland it was all after the fact. If Cortland had known he would have helped Stella. Cortland was there. So was I.”

“There when?” asked Fielding scornfully.

“You don’t mean Stella’s parties,” asked Lily.

“Stella was trying to discover the meaning when she held the parties,” said Peter. “And I was there.”

“I never knew that,” said Magdalene. “I never knew you went.”

“How could you have been there?” asked Margaret Ann. “That was a hundred years ago.”

“Oh, no it wasn’t. It was 1928, and I was there,” said Peter. “I was twelve years old when I went, and my father was furious with my mother for allowing it, but I was there. And so was Lauren. Lauren was four years old.”

Lauren gave a little subdued nod of her head. Her eyes seemed dreamy, as if she remembered, but she did not share the drama of the moment.

“Stella picked thirteen of us,” said Peter, “and it was based on our powers—you know, the old psychic gifts—to read minds, to see spirits, and to move matter.”

“And I suppose you can do all that,” scoffed Fielding. “And that’s why I always beat you at poker.”

Peter shook his head. “There wasn’t anyone who could do it like Stella. Except Cortland, perhaps, but even he was weaker than Stella. And then there was Big Pierce, he had the touch, he really did, but he was young and entirely under Stella’s domination. The rest of us were merely the best she could muster. That’s why she had to have Lauren. Lauren had a strong touch of it, and Stella didn’t want to waste even that much of a chance. And we were all gathered together in that house, and the purpose was to open the doorway. And when we formed our circle and we began to envision the purpose, he was to appear, and he was to come through and be there with us. And he wouldn’t be a ghost anymore. He’d be entering into this very world.”

A little hush fell over them. Beatrice stared at Peter as if he himself were a ghost. Fielding too studied Peter with seeming incredulity and maybe even a sneer.

Randall’s face was impassive, behind its massive wrinkles.

“Rowan doesn’t know what you’re talking about,” said Lily.

“No, and I think we should stop all this,” said Anne Marie.

“She knows,” said Randall, looking directly at Rowan.

Rowan looked at Peter. “What do you mean that he would come into this very world?” she asked.

“He wouldn’t be a spirit any longer, that’s what I mean. Not just to appear but to remain, to be … physical.”

Randall was studying Rowan, as if there was something he couldn’t quite determine.

Fielding gave a dry little laugh, a superior laugh. “Stella must have made up that part. That wasn’t what my father told me. Saved, that’s what he said. All those who were part of the pact would be saved. I remember hearing him tell my mother.”

“What else did your father tell you?” Rowan asked.

“Oh, you don’t believe all this!” asked Beatrice. “Good Lord, Rowan.”

“Don’t take it seriously, Rowan!” said Anne Marie.

“Stella was a sad case, my dear,” said Lily.

Fielding shook his head. “Saved, that’s what my father said. They’d all be saved when the doorway was opened. And it was a riddle, and Mary Beth didn’t know the real meaning any more than anyone else. Carlotta swore she’d figured it out, but