Открыть фик целиком в отдельном окне
"My name is Mrs.Canningham and yours? Mrs. Doyle?". Lindsay felt cold shower down her back. This woman knew Connor? It was impossible! Or perhaps she did, Lindsay never knew the whole story of Connor's life, he never told her much and she never asked too much not to hurt him.
"My name is Lindsay Donner", she answered trying to make her voice stop shaking. "Why did you think I were Mrs. Doyle?"
"Even if not, he seems to have played a great role in your life, so I am not very far from my first guess. I have seen you today running away from the Old House. Though you're destined to come there, you know," Mrs. Canningham sighed. " I think I have to tell you a little history lesson. You look as if you need one."
Staying silent but even much more intrigued Lindsay followed the mysterious woman to the bank and sat down.
" The story of the Old House begins just after World War II, in 1946" she started, " I was a little girl then, not older than seven or eight. One day a group of soldiers came to our little house and demanded speaking to the head of the village. And I know what they spoke about. I have to explain that my father was actually the head and so I had the opportunity to listen to the talk," she noticed Lindsay's expression and smiled, " no, I wasn't eavesdropping, they considered me too little to understand anything and let me sit in the same room which I did listening attentively to their discussion. Everything I remember was a plan to build a house in the woods. It was needed for some military purposes. It was going to do no harm either to the village or to the people and my farther agreed. And so the big house was built here in the mountains. Nobody was actually interested in it, it was too impersonal and of no use to the village. Nobody except me. I spent every free minute I got spying and soon found out that something secretive was on. But by that time I have finished school and had to get away to the town to enter a university. I won't tell you about my life in the town, it's too dull but as I came back after four years ( I studied languages) the first trip I made was to the Old House ( that is how it was called in the village). I spent at least four weeks watching and began to feel miserable because nothing happened. But then one day I have seen a man and a woman there. They didn't belong to the Americans and they spoke another language. I knew French, German, Italian and of course English but this was none of them. I have thought about the affair during some time and then came upon an article about the Cold War. It dawned upon me that the language they were speaking could be Russian. But what were Russians doing on an American base? This was a question I kept asking as again I went away to the town to look for a job. They surely didn't look like prisoners but wore no uniform either. It was not until ten years later that I could come back to the Old House. I have met a nice young man, was engaged and wanted Clark to get to know my parents. I was so happy that I almost forgot the secret place. But still I felt drawn by the base, I even dreamt of it and one day after having sent Clark with my parents hunting, went to the mountains. That was how I met Natasha. She was a little girl of five and played alone in the trees. I like children, Ms. Donner and I couldn't help playing with her. Natasha spoke surprisingly well English and we chattered a bit. She told me she was a child of Russian physicians and that her parents worked for the American government. From then on I have spent a lot of time with Natasha. I came to play with her every day until it was time for me to come back to the town." Lindsay listened attentively afraid to drop a word. "Then came wedding, Eric was born," the woman smiled warmly and Lindsay returned her smile," Now I had children and a husband, childish plays were forgotten. I lived happily until my parents died. It was when Eric was fourteen, Alice ten and Frank only five. I had to come over to the village and to witness a tragedy. The first person I came upon after the burial was a young doctor Doyle. He told me he lived in the Old House". "His name was Connor, wasn't it?" Lindsay couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice.
"Yes," Mrs. Canningham answered.
"Lindsay, are you there?" Marc's voice made her startle. Mrs. Canningham quickly got up and began to go away.
"Mrs. Canningham, please wait, you haven't told me the whole story," Lindsay's fear returned.
"I will. You will find me. See you later, my child," she soon couldn't be seen in the darkness but it seemed to Lindsay she simply disappeared into thin air.
"Lindsay," Marc touched her shoulder making her whirl around. "What are you doing here?"
"Marc, you frightened me," Lindsay tried to calm her thumping heart. "Sorry honey, but you've disappeared so suddenly I was simply tortured by my friends with question when the beautiful lady who happened to be my companion will show up."
His words like always made her smile and broke the spell, scaring all her uneasy thoughts. And then suddenly Marc seemed concerned: "Don't get this mood go too far, Lindsay, sometimes you scare me. Does it have something to do with Praeger or O.S.I.R.?"
Lindsay shook her head: "No, this time Mathew is not guilty, it's a man I knew long ago."
"Then why does this man make you unhappy now?" the question caught her unaware. She didn't know the answer. Why couldn't she simply forget Doyle, to behave as if nothing happened, as if there were no years of mutual work, as if there was no understanding and no trust, to behave as if she never loved Connor? It was hard to explain to Marc. She doubted she would be able to do it. And she doubted Marc would ever understand.
"I don't know Marc, honey, I am so sorry to spoil your holiday and to behave in such a weird way in front of your friends. Perhaps I should go home," she sounded miserable and unsure just like she felt.
"Oh, darling," Marc felt sorry for her," don't say you spoil something for me. You know I love you more than anything else. And value more than my friends or my work. If you feel tired or unhappy let's simply get away. If you want some rest I will bring you back to you, just make me a sign."
He gently kissed her. Lindsay imagined the empty house and shivered. She was in no mood spending the rest of the week - end contemplating about the nightmare or about the words of Mrs. Canningham. And she had to listen the story of the Old House to the end. Finally she had no intention of hurting Marc, in spite of Connor she felt a deep affection towards the young barman.
"Marc, thank you so much for your proposal but I would like to stay here with you and our friends. I like them very much. And I love you, Marc." They hugged one another and went back to the house, sparkling with lights.
This night Lindsay tried to get all unpleasant thoughts out of her mind. She danced, laughed and told jokes. There was no man in the room who didn't feel drawn to this beautiful, charming woman. And then happened the worst: middle in the sentence Lindsay stopped dead. In the other corner of the room she saw Connor. Dressed like always in a suit with a tie he raised his hand and waved Lindsay to come up. She rushed forward… only to be taken back by a hand. Lindsay turned around and saw Connor's face.
"What are you doing here, Connor?" her voice was no more than a whisper.
"Lindsay are you alright?" frightened Marc shook her. But Lindsay didn't answer, her eyes watched something distant he couldn't see. And then she fell unconscious to the floor.
"Please, you have to help me Lindsay, I don't belong to this place", a little girl with long dark hair and big gray - blue eyes begged Lindsay. These eyes reminded Lindsay of someone she already knew. They reminded her of Connor.
"Where are you? How can I help you?" Lindsay watched helpless the border appear between them. At first it was just a fog, making things unclear and now the mist grew to a shroud. Lindsay could only hardly see the little - one.
"Elisa, don't go away, please, where are you?" Lindsay rushed after the girl but failed. Someone very strong held her back. She struggled to free but it was already too late: Elisa was gone, only shroud expanded as far as eye can see. Lindsay turned to watch the one who held her. And screamed.
Marc quickly entered the room. Lindsay lay on the bed, screaming and with tears flowing down her cheeks. He called the doctor and after some minutes he held in his arms the weeping girl.
"Marc, it's so horrible, what am I going to do?" she asked through tears. "What Lindsay, what frightens you so much?" Marc gently wiped away the tears.
"Connor, why did he had to get away? He told me he would be coming back but he lied. He simply left me alone. I wouldn't have carried on without you, Marc."
Marc sighed. He didn't have a slightest idea who could be that mysterious Connor who caused so much trouble. He thought of calling Mat and asking him but then decided against it. That arrogant man would make everything even worse and Marc doubted that he knew much about Lindsay's private life. The only way he had was to wait and to try finding out the whole story asking Lindsay.
"I caused trouble yesterday, didn't I?" Lindsay asked sitting in her hotel bed.
"Well, I found a way to avoid a lot of questions," Marc smiled cunningly. "What have you told them?" Lindsay was intrigued.
Страница 2 - 2 из 7
Начало | Пред. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | След. | Конец
