Saraband for Two Sisters

“Father,” said Connell, “it’s Senara. Your own wife’s daughter.»

“I know who it is. I was told and I knew they dared not lie to me. What do you want here?” he demanded, glaring at Senara.

She rose and went to him. She was smiling in a way I didn’t understand. She knelt before him and lifted her face. In the candlelight it looked young and very beautiful. “I came back to my old home,” she said. “I came to see you all.”

“Go back where you came from. You and your kind bring no good to this house.”

‘Father, how can you?” Melanie cried.

“Don’t call me father. You’ve no right... just because my son married you. She’ll bring no good here. She’s her mother all over again.”

“I’m not!” cried Senara. “I’m different.”

“Send her away. I won’t have her here. She’s ... disaster. I’ll not have her here reminding me of her mother.”

Tamsyn said, “Father, you are cruel. Senara has traveled far to see us and if you’ll not have her here she knows she will always find a home with us.»

“Fool!” cried my grandfather. “You were always a fool.»

“Was I?” said my mother with spirit. “If I am a fool then I do not know the meaning of wisdom. For I have found happiness in my home and my husband and my children which wise men like yourself-or so you think-ever failed to do.” He glared at her but I could see the admiration for her in his face. He was proud of her and I think it was not the first time he had been.

“Then,” he said, “you should have more sense than place them in jeopardy.” He pointed to Senara. ‘That one ... comes of evil stock. Her mother came here and bewitched us all. She’ll do the same. She should never have been born. I warn you, daughter. Be wise. Listen to me. I know. I lived it all.” His voice broke suddenly. “By God,” he cried, “don’t you think I live it all again up in that tower when I look out at the waves and the Devil’s Teeth out there? And I say to myself, everything would have been different if the sea had not thrown up Maria the witch on my coast. Your mother was a fool like you. She brought in the witch, who spoiled her life. It’s like a pattern, you fool, girl. Don’t you see it? The Devil has sent her to take your happiness from you.»

“Father,” said my mother, “you have suffered so much, you are sick.»

“Yes, an old fool of a man, that’s what you say. By God, I’d lay a whip about your shoulders, old as you are, if I were not confined to this chair. I’ve lost the power of my legs but I’ve a mind that I command still. I’ll tell you this, if you take that woman into your house you’ll rue the day, and you’ll remember this moment and what I’ve said to you.” He began to laugh and it was unpleasant laughter. “All right. I’ll not forbid it. I’ll watch. I’ll see my words come true. I’ll look out on you from my tower and I’ll prove my words come true. Bring the witch’s daughter here... into my castle. Let me show you that I’m right.”

Then he turned and wheeled his chair away. He called, “Binder Binder!” And the terrified manservant came to take the chair and push it out of the hall. There was silence.

It was Carlotta who spoke first. “What a terrible old man,” she said. “He married your grandmother,” said Senara. “It was your grandmother of whom he spoke with such venom.”

“He must have hated her.”

“He was bewitched by her.”

“He’s mad, isn’t he?”

“Who would not be mad?” asked Senara. “Such a man as he was to be kept a prisoner in a chair!”

My mother said, “You will come with us, Senara, to Trystan Priory when we leave.

You would not want to stay here now.”

Senara laughed. “I’ll not allow him to decide my plans,” she said. “Connell is the master now, if he wanted me to stay-and Melanie wanted it-I would not care for that madman’s words. I shall come to Trystan to be with you-depend upon it, Tamsyn, but I want to be in the castle for a while first.”

Melanie rose. She was clearly shaken by the scene my grandfather had made.

“It seems as though the storm will not abate for a while,” she said. “But there is no reason why we should sit over the table waiting for it. I will take you to the room which will now be ready. You may want to rest.”

“I could talk and talk,” said Senara. “Tamsyn, come with me to my room. Let us pretend it is years ago and we are young again.”

My mother went to Senara and they embraced warmly. Everyone began to talk as though nothing had happened. After all, we were accustomed to Grandfather’s outbursts. But I could not forget the wildness of his eyes and the words he had spoken kept ringing in my ears.

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