When Trouble Comes to Call

By Carissa Barnett

Abi Guthrie is a longely 12-year-old with a tragic past and a grim future. She simply exists, taking each day as it comes. When a chance encounter with a very strange boy reveals hidden wonders and mystic dangers, she learns that life can still be enchanting, no matter who you are or where you come from. Now she will need every ounce of grit and courage to survive in a world where the rules are a mystery, and she's nothing more than an unwanted complication. Will her hope for a better day carry her and her new companion through? Or will the forces set against them keep her from ever returning home? A home where nothing will ever be the same again....

• Language: English
• Publisher: Julie Swigart
• Release date: Jan 13, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224198658

Book preview

Prologue

Two Years Ago

Abi’s trembling hands absorbed the coolness of the new tombstones as she steadied herself for the walk back to the car.  She took a moment and bowed her head.  She vowed to her parents’ spirits that she would be strong, no matter what came next.

She squeezed her eyes tight, willing the tears not to fall, as she turned and walked away from her family.  Each painful step on the uneven cemetery ground made it harder for her to conceal her tears.  She hid a sigh of relief as she slid into the buttery soft leather seats of the limousine.

One of her new guardians, Gideon Smith, was sitting across from her, watching her with blank eyes.  As the limo lurched forward, he said, Deirdre is waiting for us.

Abi pressed her lips tightly together to prevent the sizzling words that wanted to charge free.  She wanted a few moments to catch her breath, but clearly that wasn’t an option.

Gideon cleared his throat.  You’ll be living out in the country.

Abi’s heart ached as she remembered that Gideon had sold her family’s home while she’d been in the hospital.

Just think of it, Gideon went on.  You’ll have all that space.  All that freedom.  You and Deirdre won’t have to spend much time together, if you don’t want to.

Abi stared out the window.  Not having to spend time with anyone sounded like a definite advantage.

The ring of Gideon’s phone stopped his sales pitch as he retrieved it from his pocket.  Soon, he was engrossed in his work.  The distraction allowed Abi to enjoy the last hour of their trip.

The limo pulled onto a two-lane blacktop road.  A small sign off to the side proclaimed, Welcome to Goldenleaf.  Prettiest town in the county.

Abi snorted.  She had never heard of Goldenleaf at all, so it couldn’t be all that great.

The snort interrupted Gideon’s focus on his work, and he gave her a disapproving look.  Barely resisting the urge to give him a nasty face back, Abi returned to watching the world go by.

Gideon held her entire future in his hands.  Turning him into an enemy wasn’t the best move, but she didn’t know how long she could contain her natural reactions.

As they entered Goldenleaf, Abi could see the courthouse, the local bank, and a family diner.  A gas station was the last business, nestled close to the thick woods that marked the edge of the village.  The limo sped up when they reached those trees, making Abi wonder how far out the house was.  She was just about to ask Gideon when the driver slowed and a small opening appeared in the tree line.  The car turned right onto a long, shadow-strewn lane.

They continued to glide, weaving through the trees, for several hundred feet before pulling up in front of a large house.

It was a house that didn’t fit in with the rest of the village.  It was stately and old, with obvious recent improvements and a massive addition.  It wasn’t quite a mansion, but it was bigger than the home she’d grown up in. 

As she exited the car, her feet kicked up puffs of sawdust, and the smell of freshly-cut wood filled Abi’s nostrils.  Lurking beneath the ghosts of construction was the allure of the forest that almost completely surrounded the house.

Having lived her entire life in Houston, she didn’t understand why the trees conveyed an air of safety, but she was grateful for it.  For the first time since she’d woken up in the hospital, she began to hope that everything could be all right again, but she was terrified to accept that hope.  She knew now, all too well, that it was impossible to trust in the kindness of fate.

Gideon stood on the wide front porch, eying her with impatience.  Looking down at his watch, he glowered at her as she started forward again.

Abi’s hands fisted at her sides.  She knew that she was a problem he’d rather not deal with, since he was dumping her here with his girlfriend, but he didn’t have to be so obvious about it.

She ignored him the best she could as they walked inside together.

The smell of fresh paint greeted her as her feet sank into thick carpet.  Everywhere she looked things seemed expensive.

She suspected that this house had been refurbished with her money, not Gideon’s or Deirdre’s.  She might be young, but she wasn’t dumb.  Her parents had entrusted Gideon with both their fortune and her welfare.  It seemed that they’d been betrayed on both fronts.  The fists at her sides tightened until her short nails bit into her palms.

Gideon frowned as he shouted, Deirdre?

From the room on their left came the reply, Here.

Following the sound of the voice, they entered the living room.  Within seconds Abi was nearly bowled over by competing herbal scents, causing her to sneeze.  Gideon glanced at her from the corner of his eye, not bothered at all.

Every flat surface of the large room was piled with candles.  All of them were lit.  Abi wondered if Deirdre had ever heard the words fire hazard before.

Gideon strode to the woman standing in the center of the room.  Though she wore no makeup, her cheeks were lit with a rosy glow.  She looked like a delightful person you could trust.

Despite this, the back of Abi’s neck prickled.  She was reminded of the time she’d seen a snake hiding in a tiny patch of grass in the middle of downtown.

Gideon pressed a kiss to the plump cheek the older woman lifted to him and looked at his watch.  Turning his attention back he said, This is Deirdre, Abi.  She’ll be your mother until you turn eighteen.

His words caused Abi to take a step back.  She’d had a mother.  She bit her tongue hard enough to draw blood.

She just wanted this day to be over so she could retreat to her room and try to absorb all that had happened in the span of a few short months.

Glancing at his watch for the umpteenth time, Gideon sighed.  I have to go.  He kissed Deirdre on the cheek again.  "Bringing her took longer than I thought it would."

Abi’s cheeks flushed as he talked about her like she wasn’t in the room.  Her distaste for Gideon rose another level.

Turning, Gideon strode back out of the house, ignoring his girlfriend’s disappointment.

An uneasy silence fell as Abi and Deirdre eyed each other across the room.

At last Deirdre said, Hello, Abi.  Her voice was toneless, but her sweetly-turned mouth twisted over Abi’s name like it was something foul.

Abi didn’t say anything.

I’m Deirdre Devland, the woman went on.  I’ll be...taking care of you.

Abi didn’t like the woman’s hesitation in that sentence one bit.

She watched as Deirdre suddenly smiled, her whole face lighting up with the expression.  Abi wished she could believe in that smile.

There’s no need for you to call me by my last name, but neither can you call me by my first, because that’s disrespectful.  She paused a moment.  You can call me Mistress Deirdre.

Abi couldn’t help it.  She burst out laughing, sure that the woman was making a joke.  Deirdre’s eyebrows lowered, pinching her eyes to slits, and Abi’s laughter trailed off.  Her own eyes widened when she realized that Deirdre was serious.

"I’m not calling you that!" she retorted, without thinking.  Then she inwardly winced, expecting Deirdre to fly off the handle.

Oh, I think you will, Deirdre calmly predicted.  When she spoke, her words were tinged with frost.  Everything about her, from the moment she’d been left alone with Abi, had been cold.  It was a disturbing contrast to her warm, inviting appearance.

Abi didn’t say anything more, but she crossed her arms over her chest.  She could feel her face settling into its most stubborn expression.

Let me tell you something about life, Deirdre said.  Something you’re clearly not smart enough to figure out yet.

Abi huffed in offense, but Deirdre chose to ignore it.

The world, she went on, "hates a brat.  And you, Abi Guthrie, are a brat of the first order.  You grew up rich.  Privileged.  And so, you think everything should mold itself around you.  While people like me, who grew up with nothing, have to spend our entire lives serving people like you."

"I’m the one that’s privileged? Abi burst out.  You’re the one who remodeled this house into....this!  You’re the one who’s filled it with fancy things.  Not me!"

Deirdre clasped her hands behind her back.  "I will not argue with a ten-year-old child.  I will only say this once, so you’d better pay attention.  Everything I feel is appropriate—that will make my life easier—I am owed.  Everything, Abi, and more besides.  I am the one taking care of you.  I am the one putting up with your presence.  I am the one teaching you ways to better yourself.  She leaned forward.  So we will never discuss this again."

Abi’s tongue shriveled in her mouth with shock.  Yes, she’d grown up with money, but her parents had worked hard for every penny.  And they’d always given back as much as they could.  Heck, she’d never even seen a limo before today!  She’d never heard of anyone who thought they were due to be rewarded, simply for doing what they were supposed to do.

Deirdre settled back on her heels.  She nodded to herself.  I can see that this is going to be tougher than I’d hoped.  But I will teach you to be a better person, I promise you that.

A glint came to her eye.  "In fact, the lessons will start now.  You will sleep outside tonight, and you will continue to do so until you learn not to be an ungrateful brat.  You will be punished each time you fail to be grateful for what you have.  For the things I am giving you."

Abi spluttered for several seconds until her mouth remembered how to make other sounds.  Sleep outside!  The words were very shrill.  I can’t do that!  What if something happens to me?

Deirdre simply shrugged.

Abi planted her feet.  I won’t do it, she declared, her mouth set.

And Deirdre finally moved.  When she did, it was faster than Abi thought her round form could go.

Before she knew it, Deirdre had her by the arm.  Her grip was so tight that Abi knew she’d have bruises by tomorrow.

She was drug to a sweeping glass door overlooking the backyard, and unceremoniously shoved outside.  The door slammed behind her.  The sound of the lock clicking was very loud.

Don’t even think about running and crying to anyone about this, Deirdre warned through the glass.  "Who do you think they are going to believe?  An adult, or a child?  This is not a fairy tale.  No fairy godmother is coming to save you.  Magic does not exist.  And, if it did, it wouldn’t waste its time with you."

Abi’s heart was thundering.  It took her several seconds to process what had just happened.  Then she turned and kicked at the door.  Let me back in!  Though she knew it was useless, she tried to force her way through the door.  But no amount of pushing could make it open again.

Abi watched as Deirdre swept out of the room with stately grace, not once glancing back.  Abi’s attention was then drawn to all the candles that had been left burning.  In a fit of rage, she hoped the entire place burned down around Deirdre’s ears.

The tears that had knotted in her throat filled her eyes, but she growled and blinked them back.  She wasn’t going to let that...that...woman do this to her!

She circled the house several times.  She tried every door and window she could reach.  None would open.  The still-half-healed places on her body wept in protest, but she didn’t care.  She kept trying.

Night had fallen by the time she finally gave up.  She looked around with wide eyes.  She became spooked every time a gust of wind kicked up.  She jumped each time an animal made a sound out in the woods.

She considered marching into town and telling someone what had just happened, but she didn’t think anyone would believe her.  Deirdre definitely didn’t seem the type of person to do this.  She looked like someone’s sweet aunt, and Abi would just seem crazy if she tried to tell the truth.

She wandered into the backyard and sank down onto the grass.  She hung her head.

She tried to look on the bright side.  She’d wanted the peace and quiet to allow her to catch up to her new reality.  Now she had that, in spades.

But it was no use.  Her spirits sank until they were almost as low as they’d been when she’d learned her family was gone.

Had that only been a few months ago?  Sometimes, like now, it felt it had been years.

The long night was spent wrestling with thoughts about how rotten a daughter and sister she’d been.  The darkness swirled within and around her as she considered that maybe this was her punishment for that.

By the time dawn broke, she’d made up her mind.

She would endure this.

She had to.

She needed a battle plan.  And it looked like she was going to be out here a lot.  So, now that the sun had risen, she needed to find a safe place to spend future banishments.

She rose, taking stock of the only hopes she had: that Deirdre might grow tired of torturing her, or that someone might notice what was going on and help her.  Neither of those seemed very likely, though, so she headed out amongst the trees.

All she could do was wait for a better day.  It couldn’t be that long in coming.

Could it?

1

Current Time

Tick...tick...

Soft light caressed the back of Abi Guthrie’s eyelids.  It pulled her up from the depths of unconsciousness, and she groaned.  More than anything, she wanted to dive back into the velvety darkness that was so very soothing, but sleep kept eluding her.  In the hopes that pleasant dreams would eventually come, she kept her eyes firmly closed.

Tick...tick...

She blearily realized that her mind was mired in a fuzz that kept all memories teasingly out of reach.  Which was just fine with her.  There hadn’t been much in the past few years that she would wish to remember, given the choice.  She wanted to shut down all thought, but her mind continued to work, despite her.

Tick...tick...

Abi thought about why she was so reluctant to face the morning, then sluggishly decided that it must have something to do with Deirdre.  Since she always felt this way after one of their fights, she purposefully dismissed her guardian from her mind.  She’d deal with reality once she’d gotten up the energy, and not a second before.  But even a stubborn lack of thought could not save her.  Her attention was pulled back to the here and now when she realized she was