Chapter 32: Bella Franz

Stephanie awoke screaming; rudely awakened by a nightmare. She saw a woman’s body hanging, her head in a noose—her lifeless body swung back and forth like a rag doll. She knew instinctively it was Bella Franz. God Almighty! Damien had murdered his wench.

Stephanie ran to the bathroom and vomited. How had it happened? How had Damien been able to reach her through a dream? Wasn’t she free of him? Mentally juggling all the events that had occurred, and trying to make some sense of it, she lay on the floor of the bathroom and shut her eyes, trying to block out the image of Bella Franz hanging lifeless. But it kept coming back. 

She splashed cold water on her face, then washed her face, and dried with a white towel, grateful for the fresh smell, and all the comforts of home that she used to take for granted. She started when she saw her reflection in the mirror: she was pale and had circles under her eyes. And her normally shiny, well-kept blonde hair had lost its luster. She was headed for the shower with shampoo and conditioner when she heard a noise downstairs. It has to be Becca, but it was early for her.

Stephanie opened the bedroom door and called out, “Who’s there?” 

“It’s just me,” Daniel answered. “Parker’s fever is down, and he’s coming home. I was out for my morning walk and thought I’d check on you. You’re up early.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Stephanie called back.

“I couldn’t either. Saw something strange in the sky. Almost looked like a lion.”

“Oh… that is strange,” she stammered as she hurriedly put on her white thick chenille robe, and ran down the steps with Brooks at her heels.

Daniel had just put the teapot on the stove. “What happened to you?” he asked, eyeing her suspiciously. “You’re pale, and your hair looks like you were in a windstorm.”

“I don’t know,” she said absently. “I must have got caught in the rain when I walked Brooks last night.” She glanced at him; deceit written all over her face. “I should let Brooks out,” she said, leaving the room.

“It didn’t rain,” Judge called after her. “You don’t have to lie. I’ve talked to Richard, although I must admit, I thought his story was far-fetched. A lion came from the sky and dropped you in the lawn?”

Her stomach felt squeamish, and she grabbed a ginger ale out of the refrigerator in the mudroom, and let the cool bubbly stream down her throat. Then she leaned into the wall, not wanting to go back in the kitchen and face the scrutiny of her father.

The whistling tea pot whistled broke the tension, and she trudged back to clear the air. “I had a nightmare, Daddy. That’s all.” 

“I believe Richard is under a lot of stress with Parker being ill. He believes your nightmarish dreams are true. If you would take your medicine, all of this silliness will stop.” He sighed. “I’ll make your breakfast. You look horrible.” He frowned. “What’s that mark on your neck?”

“A wasp stung me,” she lied. “It’s nothing.”

It was when they were having tea and toast that he hit her with the news that he wanted her to go to Thomas Shrock’s wedding. 

He looked at her straight on and said firmly, “We’ll go as a family. It will stop the gossip before it goes any further.”

“Before what goes any further?”

Daniel raised his brows. “A lot went on while Marguerite and I were away. Thomas Shrock tried to hang himself, and it was all over a black book. A black book that came from this house. The rumors are alarming. I’ve never heard of such rubbish. People say that seven witches were trying to fight off a dark prince—and you disappeared with him in a cloud of smoke. I wanted to talk to you last night, but you didn’t answer your phone. When I spoke with Richard, he said you were sleeping.” 

Stephanie choked on the toast. Her father didn’t know that she’d been away.

He kissed her on the forehead. “See you at dinner, princess.”

Stephanie bristled. She couldn’t let it go. Her father was almost at the door when she called to him. “Daddy,” she said. “We have to talk.”

“Can’t this wait?” he asked. “I’ve slept in a chair in the waiting room at the hospital for three nights, and last night I hardly slept because I was worried about you.”

“But this is important,” she said. Her voice held a sense of urgency.

“We’ll talk later. Have another cup of tea, and go write in your journal or whatever you do when you need to resolve a situation.”

“No,” Stephanie quipped. “It has to be now.” 

“Is this about Thomas Shrock?” Daniel asked sharply. “Richard said that he told you that Thomas is marrying Maddie Yoder. It’s for the best. It’s time you did the same, settle down with Richard, and have a child.”

Mustering up all the courage she could manage,” she said in a tight voice. “Having a child doesn’t ‘fix’ a relationship, Daddy. You should know better than to say such a thing.”

Judge stared at her with narrow eyes. “What are you insinuating?”

Stephanie gazed at him hard. “Did you adopt me to atone for your sins? Tell me it isn’t true, daddy.”

Judge dropped his eyes, speechless, the color draining from his face. It was as his life had just come around in a circle. And it was Richard who had drug the skeleton out of the closet. He stood, shoulders slumped, a broken man. It sounded so cheap, frivolous and horrible.

Stephanie stared at him in disbelief.

“You did! My God, you did! You never wanted me—you adopted me to atone for your sins because you had sex with your Mennonite housekeeper. How could you have done such a thing? And I doubt you ever loved Marguerite. Did you?”

Consumed with guilt, Judge said, “I loved Marguerite years ago, but we grew apart. It was my fault. I stopped showing her affection. Maybe that’s why she left to go back to Charlotte that week. She had every reason to hate me. I cheated on her, and I was sorry afterwards. I was trying to make things right with Marguerite, and Hedy knew about a baby in Europe that was fathered by a monk, and her mother was an opera singer. That baby was you, honey. Hedy and I went to the monastery and got you. And God, as my witness, I loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. I swear. I’ll always believe that God meant me to be your father.”

Stephanie stood in front of Judge, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Did you care for the housekeeper, Daddy? Did you love her?”

“Yes, I loved Susan,” he choked. “But a Mennonite and an English can never be together. My reputation would have been ruined.”

Stephanie backed away in shock. “Your reputation! What about morals and decency… and love?” She took a stance and pointed her finger at Daniel. “After all you did to destroy my relationship with Thomas… you… you… hypocrite!” 

Daniel’s face turned ashen. “God forgive me,” he said.

Stephanie saw red, and ran after him, pulling roughly at his sleeve forcing his gaze. 

“We’re going to settle this,” she screamed. “You have a son.”

“That’s a lie,” Daniel said, turning on his heel. 

“I have a letter to prove it,” Stephanie barked. “You can’t deny it.”

“You are lying,” Daniel said. He rushed away. The screen door slammed behind him.

Tears streamed down Stephanie’s face as she stood at the window and watched her father walk down the path and through the gate with the white wooden fence that divided the two properties. Divided—like her feelings that were running amuck—the man she admired more than anyone in the world had done a despicable thing.