Olivia - Gen 4 Ch 6

I kept my promise to Max, and I recruited Lane to help me clear the basement cave-in. Despite Max's insistence I really didn't expect to find anything. But much to our surprise, we uncovered a set of ancient stone steps leading downward.

We carefully made out way down the uneven, crumbling staircase, and out into a small room. The wall torches flared up as we entered, revealing a scene that reminded me of somewhere I'd been before.

"Deja Vu!" I murmured under my breath. "Strange underground hedge maze... somewhere in France... it's been almost eighteen years since we were there."

I tried the door, but it was locked, and so solid and heavy there was no way we were getting through without a bulldozer. So I pulled out my spirit locater so see if it would register any activity. It lit up like a Christmas tree! There was definitely something, or someone, incarcerated beyond that stone wall.

"Livie, looky here! It looks like one of those ancient key slots like we found in those... what were they.. Celtic ruins?"

Lane was right. It most certainly did. Maybe we could locate a key in Champs Les Sims, perhaps in the relic shop. And a change of scenery might be good for us all, especially Mel. He's been such a little terror lately.

He can be such a friendly little guy when he wants to be, but every once in a while he gets in these awful moods.  Unfortunately, being away in our little French cottage had no effect on his antics.

More often than not, Ren is the butt of his teasing.

"Gotcha!"

"Eep! Dang it Mel! Leave me alone!"

"Ahahaha! You should'a seen yourself! You jumped two feet in the air!"

So I convinced Lane to keep Mel entertained, while I took Ren out to revisit those Celtic ruins.

"Ahahaha! I got you Dad! You're dead."

"Arghhh!"

I'm sure they had a great time.

Meanwhile, Ren was fascinated by the ruins.

"This is amazing, mom! I can't believe we have a mini ruin like this under our house. How did it get there, I wonder?"

I had a feeling he would like this place. He's a perceptive sort of guy, and he's always loved a good mystery.

"Mom, come 'ere! Look what I found!I think this is a false wall!"

I came running. My hunch had been right. I had been all through this place but leave it to Ren to notice something I had missed.

He opened the chest that was behind the wall, and barely visible under the ancient layers of fine dust, was a stone key. We looked at each other in amazement.

"Could this...?"

"It looks to be the same shape..."

I could hardly wait to get home to try it, but we still had a few days of vacation left.

Meanwhile, Ren had discovered Grandpa Gustave's story of the Abandoned Nectary. Another mystery that had him on the edge of his seat! He was incensed at the injustice of it all.  

It was our last day of vacation, and he insisted we go out to see the place. It was just as my mom had described it had looked when she visited as a little girl. We peeked in the windows and gawked at the huge antique fireplaces, and expanses of hardwood floors.

Ren caught some frogs in the pond.

And Mel hunted bugs in the yard.

"It's so beautiful here.."

"Not as beautiful as you, my sweet Livie.."

"Oh, Lane..."

Suddenly my phone interrupted us.

"Olivia? This is Charlotte Dutiel! I am so glad I caught you before you left!  Do you remember when you opened my secret garden years ago? I need your help desperately. I believe there is a ghost in my garden."

She sounded so upset, I had to go out to see if I could do anything. Besides, how could I resist attempting to banish a real French ghost?

I sensed a ghostly presence as soon as I entered Charlotte's secret garden. I tried to convince it to move on, but this spirit had a special request.

"Please place my bones in the tomb next to my beloved's, then I will be at peace."

I complied with the spirit's request, and as I laid his bones to rest, a sudden breeze came up from nowhere, and disturbed some debris in the corner of the room.

An ancient parchment floated down into my hand as I heard a fading whisper.

"May you find what you are seeking...."

It was almost time for our flight home, so I rushed back to the cottage and hastily slipped the parchment into the front cover of Grandpa Gustave's book. I gave the book to Ren for safe keeping as we headed to the airport.

This mystery will have to wait until we get home.