Witchwood Estate - Going Home: Witchwood Estate, #1

By Patti Roberts

The Craft meets Practical Magic.

Orphaned at five-years-old, Alexandria Santorini learns she comes from a long line of powerful witches. Twelve years later, Alexandria is going home to Ferntree Falls to claim her inheritance - Witchwood Estate - the home where she was born, and where her parents were murdered. 

But something very sinister is going on in Ferntree Falls - something that will change Alexandria's life in ways she never imagined. For starters, her new best friend disappears in the sunlight… 

Whimsical, "TV" length episodes in an ongoing series. Witches, spells, ghosts, sprites, shape-shifters, wolves and more. With an equal measure of Magic and Evil, Witchwood is sure to win your heart and soul.

For all those young at heart, grab your broomstick and come along for the ride!

"Patti Roberts has a pristine talent for making characters on a page breathe. Love them -- Hate them ... you won't be able to help yourself from muttering under your breath about them…" Leslie Hansford.

All I can say is I loved this book - once I started to read it, I couldn't put it down!!!!! Jennifer Leblanc.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paradox
• Release date: Jul 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386177388

Book preview

Magic - Olivia Newton-John.

Song lyrics by John Farrar.

Acknowledgments

SPECIAL THANKS TO TABITHA Ormiston-Smith for all her valuable support during the writing of Witchwood Estate. Your insight is meticulous.

To Leslie Hansford and Ella Medler, for all your inspiring words and support. Thank you.

Katie Shelby, a big thank you for all your ongoing support. Thank you.

To my big sister, Sue McGuinness, for reading the first chapters, warts and all.

To my dear friend, Trisha Dowling, for all your incredible friendship. Thank you.

For all my Facebook and Goodreads friends, to many to mention, your support has been brilliant. Thank you.

To everyone that has read my books. Thank you!

The Witchwood Series.

Short story series - TV, episodic length ebooks in an ongoing series.

ORPHANED AT FIVE-YEARS-old, Alexandria Santorini learns she comes from a long line of powerful witches. Twelve years later, Alexandria is leaving Catnip Cottage and going home to Ferntree Falls to claim her inheritance - Witchwood Estate - the home where she was born, and where her parents were murdered. Shortly after her arrival, Alexandria soon discovers that something very sinister is going on in Ferntree Falls - something that will change Alexandria's life in ways she never imagined. For starters, her new best friend disappears in the sunlight...

Whimsical, TV length episodes in an ongoing series. Witches, spells, ghosts, sprites, shape-shifters, wolves and more. With an equal measure of Magic and Evil, Witchwood is sure to win your heart and soul.

For all those young at heart, grab your broomstick and come along for the ride!

Prologue

IF YOU GOOGLE THE WORD Prologue, this is what you will find on Wikipedia.

A prologue (Greek πρόλογος prologos, from the word pro (before) and lógos, word) is an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one, and other miscellaneous information.

Well, that was what my life kind of felt like. A prologue.

Every day began and ended the same way, as regular as the ticking clock on the wall. You’d think that after twelve years there would have been some kind of evolution to the daily ritual that was my life, but no.

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t unhappy with my life, not at all. I relished the simplicity of it all... Until that morning. There wasn’t anything particularly different about that morning as I walked down the stairs to meet Olly and Martha Barnaby for breakfast, the clock chiming to announce my six-thirty arrival.

The Barnabys became my legal guardians when my parents died twelve years ago. They were an older couple with rosy cheeks and salt and pepper hair. They’d not been blessed with children of their own, so when I came along at the age of five, they’d welcomed me with open arms and open hearts. The Barnabys were the only family I could remember with any clarity. The blood that ran through our veins may not have been linked, but I loved them with every nerve and fiber of my being.

Chapter 1 – Morning Has Broken

PULL THE CURTAINS, dear, Mr. Barnaby said as Alexandria appeared in the doorway leading into the kitchen. A hand-stitched tapestry hung on the wall above an old wood-fired brick oven. Kitchen, the heart of the home. Alexandria smiled every time she read it, marveling at the simple truth of it. She was going to miss this kitchen, and the people in it.

Alexandria ran her fingertips over the growth chart chronicled in blue pen on the doorframe. On the eve of her birthday, after a luxurious bubble bath scented with lavender and honeysuckle, the Barnabys would line her up against the doorframe. Head high, little lady, Mr. Barnaby would say as Mrs. Barnaby drew the line and the year above her head. The last year noted, marked her sixteenth birthday.

Alexandria smiled with the memory and sighed.

Mr. Barnaby, attuned to all of Alexandria’s sounds, as was Martha, closed his newspaper on the robust timber counter in the center of the kitchen and looked up at the girl, his face awash with joy. It was no secret to anyone who took the time to notice that Alexandria brought nothing but joy to the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Barnaby.

Midnight, the Barnabys’ oversized black cat, intertwined himself around the elaborately turned chair legs before jumping up onto the old man’s lap. Mr. Barnaby removed the small round spectacles from his nose and rested them on the table; a masterpiece lovingly crafted by his own two hands. He scratched Midnight behind his ears until the animal’s chest vibrated noisily with