The Moreau Witches Trilogy
Part Three
Wormwood
by Julien Gregg
Copyright © 2025 by Julien Gregg
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact the author by email. The link is below.
The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
Thirteen
What comes next is what came before. This is from the journals of Bart Moreau, Maria Moreau, and Lisette Moreau.
Bart I
Twenty-four year old Bart Moreau drove into Moonlight Bay in his powder blue BMW 1600 convertible with twenty-six year old John Quinn in his passenger seat. He’d warned John about the family. John knew they were witches. Goddess knew he’d seen enough of Bart’s power over the last four years.
“They have various powers, all of them,” Bart said. “Angelique, my sister, is the heiress to the Legacy. She’s living in Grand House with her husband Henri and their six children. That’s where we’re going is to Grand House.”
“We’re staying for the summer right?” John asked as he looked around the town that was passing him by.
“I don’t know how you talked me into it but yes we’ll stay the summer,” Bart said. “Now will you listen about the family?”
“Yes, yes, they’re all witches with various powers and I should be on guard,” John said, grinning at Bart. “Come on. They’re your family. I’m sure you’ll keep me safe.”
“Safe is a relative term,” said Bart with a scowl.
“Stop scowling like that or you’ll be old before your time,” John said, grinning again.
They pulled up to a three story white house with black shudders, a black roof, and two balconies that were two-stories tall. One in the front and one on the side. They parked on the street and got out. When John went for his bags Bart stopped him.
“We’re not staying here,” he said. “I just have to check in with my sister.”
“All right,” John said as he followed Bart up the walk.
“Mr. Bart,” said a small black woman when she opened the door almost as soon as they stepped on the porch. “Miss Angelique done tole me that you was comin’.”
“I’m here, Ida Mae,” he said. “This here is my friend John.”
“Nice ta meet ya,” said Ida. “Come on in out of the heat.”
“Thank you, Ida,” Bart said. “Is my sister here?”
“Oh sure,” she said. “They fixin’ to test Maria.”
“Great,” he sighed. He looked at John and rolled his eyes. This was one of the things he hadn’t told John about. The great testing.
“Well come on,” said Ida Mae. “She’s in the parlor. Should I tell her you’re here?”
“No, ma’am,” he said. “I’ll surprise her.”
“Don’t go blowin’ no more holes in the roof, now,” Ida said.
“I promise nothing, Ida,” he said and smiled at her. She smiled back.
“Sure is good to have you home Mr. Bart,” she said.
He’d been gone six years and she was happy to have him back? The last time he’d been in this house he and his sister had gotten into such a fight that he’d blown a hole in the roof with his power. She’d cussed him then. She’d told him to never come back again. Yet here he was.
“Sister,” he said as they walked into the living room that Ida Mae insisted was the parlor.
“Brother,” she said, looking him up and down. “Am I to believe you’ve come to apologize?”
“I have actually,” he said. “I am sorry for what I said. Please forgive me.”
“You’re forgiven,” she said. “Henri will love having another man in the house. Ah who’s this?”
“Angelique Moreau I present Mr. John Quinn,” he said.
“Ma’am,” John said.
“Ma’am?” she laughed. “My mother was ma’am. I’m just Angelique. You can call me Angie.”
“Thank you, Angie,” John said. “You have a lovely home.”
“It’s hideous but I’m powerless to change things,” said Angie. “Come, sit.”
“I’m told that you’re testing Maria today,” Bart said as they took their seats on the sofa.
“Yes, it’s time,” she said. “Maria is about to turn seventeen and will be initiated soon. If she’s going to be the heiress in waiting we might as well find out now.”
“I agree,” Bart said though he loathed the testing.
“Mr. Gayland and Miss Sarah Beth Moreau to see you, Miss Angelique,” said Ida as she ushered Gayland and Sarah into the living room. They were dressed in their best. Bart saw John look down at his golf shorts and stifled a laugh.
“Bart it’s good to see you again,” Gayland said. “Thought you were away at school.”
“It’s summer break,” Bart said. “We’re off to medical school in the fall.”
“How exciting,” said Sarah. “Angelique.”
“Sarah Beth,” said Angie. “Come in and have a seat. I’m waiting on another couple.”
“Always the spectacle,” Sarah said under her breath to Bart.
“Always,” agreed Bart.
“So Bart, who is this?” Sarah asked, looking at John.
“Sarah, this is my good friend John Quinn,” Bart said.
“Pleasure to meet you Sarah Beth,” said John.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too, John,” she said, smiling.
She really was a pretty girl with her long dark hair that lay in ringlets over her shoulders. Her icy blue eyes were sparkling with her happiness. She wore a white dress with little orange blossoms all over it.
Gayland was a Moreau through and through. He had his dark hair cut short and parted to the left. His icy blue eyes were critical of his surroundings and his dark suit, gold shirt, and black tie marked him as the lawyer that he was. The pair had come from Santa Barbara for this little shin dig. Bart was surprised that they had driven this far to see a necklace placed on a girl’s neck to wait and see if it burned her.
“Bastien and Gloria Moreau to see Miss Angelique,” said Ida Mae as she ushered in a newly wed couple that confused the hell out of Bart.
What were they doing here. Bastien was younger than Bart and Gloria hadn’t been a Moreau until she got married to Bastien. Angelique had invited them to the testing? Was she really softening toward those born without magic?
“Bastien, welcome,” Angelique said. “Gloria Jean you look stunning.”
“Thank you, Angelique,” Gloria said. She looked at Bart who she didn’t know and gave him a curious look. Probably because he was dressed so informally.
“Gloria Jean let me introduce my brother, Bartholomew and his friend John Quinn,” Angelique said.
“Nice to meet you,” said Gloria.
“The pleasure is mine,” said Bart. He may not have been dressed for the event but he did know how to behave.
“Bart how’s school?” asked Bastien.
“School is over for that part of it,” Bart said. “We’re spending the summer here in the bay and then heading back to medical school in the fall.”
“I’m heading that way, too,” said Bastien. “Gloria is looking forward to being near her parents.”
“Is that so?” Bart asked. “Which school are you going to?”
“UCLA,” he said.
“Oh, well we’re going in the opposite direction,” Bart said. “Harvard.”
“Is that so?” Bastien said. “Harvard, well that’s an achievement.”
“Thank you,” Bart said.
Just then Maria and the girls came in followed by Philippe but not Marcel. Bart wondered where his nephew was. He looked at Angelique as if to ask her. She wasn’t looking at him. She only had eyes for Maria at this point.
“Maria come here, child,” said Angelique. She took the ruby necklace off her neck and waited for Maria to step into place in front of her.
Maria stood there waiting for the necklace to be put on her neck. Angelique leaned forward and clasped the necklace around her neck. Maria smiled brightly for a second before she grimaced and then Angelique was taking the necklace off of her.
“That’s unfortunate,” Angelique said as Maria now crying ran from the room.
“Well you have other children,” said Gayland and Bart wanted to punch him.
Did they not realize that this was it for Maria? She was the daughter of a traveling singer who had no magic. It was signified in her chocolate eyes and not quite black hair. The girl’s only saving grace would have been becoming the heiress in waiting. Now that that wasn’t the case they’d have very little to do with her. It made Bart sick.
“Well you’ll stay for dinner,” she said. She looked at Bart. “Brother dear, you and your friend will want to change before dinner.”
“We’ll just get our bags,” Bart said, standing.
“Very good,” she said. “Are you to stay here for the summer?”
“I was thinking the house on Bleaker Street,” he said. “Is it empty?”
“It is as of now,” she said. “I’ll get you the keys after dinner.”
“Thank you, Sister,” he said and then left to get the bags out of the car.
He and John dressed in their suits in Bart’s old bedroom. It was a large room with a hardwood floor, off-white walls, and floor to ceiling windows that were covered with blue velvet. The spread on the bed was blue as well.
“That was some scene in the living room,” John said as he dressed.
“What you don’t know is that very few in the family have anything to do with Maria because of her father,” Bart said. “This would have changed all of that. Now that they know he necklace burns her they’ll never treat her like a Moreau.”
“That’s awful,” John said as he stepped into his shoes.
“It is but there’s nothing to be done for it,” Bart said. “Maria has the name Moreau because my sister was already married to Henri. But that’s the only reason her last name is Moreau.”
“Did your brother in law forgive your sister?” John asked.
“He was amused by what happened and told her that having Maria was her punishment,” Bart said. “You’ll meet him at dinner.”
“I can’t wait,” John said with a smirk.
They went back down and Bart led John to the dining room where the others were beginning to sit down at the table. Angelique smiled when she saw them and took her seat. Bart and John sat on the other side of the table.
“Well that’s one testing down,” Henri said as he came into the room. He hadn’t even been in the living room for Maria’s testing. He hated the girl and made no bones about it.
“Hello, Henri,” said Bart.
“Bart!” he cried. “Good to see you, boy. How’s school?”
“College is over but now we head to medical school in the fall,” Bart said.
“That’s right, Harvard,” Henri said. “I went there.”
“I remember,” Bart said. “Medical school will be a challenge for me.”
“Nonsense, Bart,” Henri said. “I did it. You can do it.”
Henri was one of the fortunate in his branch of the family. Jean Luc had very severe features and Anton had very pinched features. Henri had a very finely proportioned face with dark hair that he kept cut short and parted to the left. His icy eyes held mirth and he appeared happy.
“So this is your friend John then?” Henri asked.
“Yes,” Bart said. “He was my room mate at college and we’re both headed to Harvard in the fall.”
“Another medical school student?” Henri asked John.
“Yes,” John said. “My parents would have it no other way.”
“I went the other way,” Henri explained. “I went to law school.”
“Do you work here in the bay?” John asked.
“No, I’m a partner at Moreau Legal in Santa Barbara,” he said. “I’m in Santa Barbara most of the time but I make it back to my beloved bay and my lady wife as often as I can.”
“You do fine, Love,” said Angelique.
“Not fine enough sometimes,” he said, eyeing her.
“One lapse,” she said and to anyone who was watching they’d never know she was annoyed. Bart knew better though. They were discussing her tryst with the singer and Maria.
“So Maria couldn’t wear the necklace?” he asked, though by now Bart was sure he knew the answer to that question.
“No, Love,” said Angelique. “It burned her.”
“Just as I expected,” he said. “She isn’t a full Moreau. I’ve said it before that no witch will be the heir or heiress if they have that vile blood in their veins.”
“Yes, Love,” said Angelique.
Bart noticed that Maria was looking down at the table. Thankfully Alice one of the other maids came in with dinner. She placed plates before them and patted Maria on the shoulder. Alice was a dark haired woman with wrinkles all over her face and hands. She’d been with the family since Bart was a boy.
“Thank you, Alice,” he said when she placed a plate in front of him. This time it was prime rib with roasted potatoes and carrots.
“Welcome home, Bart,” she said before moving on to place another plate in front of John.
It was only the adults and Maria at the table. This was supposed to be a celebratory dinner if only Maria could have worn the necklace. That was why she was at the table instead of with her siblings in the kitchen. Bart felt sorry for her but Maria was one strange child. She always seemed to want to touch Bart and it made him uncomfortable. She hadn’t looked at him this time though. She was too busy looking at her plate.
Henri was watching her out of the corner of his eye. No doubt he thought that since she couldn’t wear the necklace she had no place at his table. However this and all of the things in the house belonged to Angelique. She was the heiress after all just as her mother before her, and her mother before her.
They’d probably placed the ring on Marcel’s finger when he turned sixteen. Obviously he couldn’t wear it. Bart still wondered where Marcel was. He hadn’t seen him when the youngsters had come in. He was about to ask Angelique about him but Alice beat him to his question.
“I’ve taken something up to Marcel,” she said to Angelique. “He didn’t eat his lunch.”
“The doctor was in to see him earlier, Alice,” Angelique said. “His condition hasn’t changed.”
“That’s to the good, Ma’am,” Alice said. “I worry about the boy.”
“As do I, Alice, as do I,” she said. She looked at Bart and sighed. “Marcel has cancer of the lymph nodes.”
“Goddess,” Bart said, lowering his head. “I’m sorry.”
“Yes, it’s been hard,” Angelique said. “None of the treatments are working. He’s had no appetite and he’s wasting away to nothing. We couldn’t even initiate him because he was so sick.”
“There has to be something that can be done,” Bart said, looking at Henri.
“We’ve tried all of the treatments and none of them have worked,” Henri said. “A man should not out live his son.”
“He’s dying,” Angelique said with tears in her eyes.
“Sister, I’m so sorry,” he said.
“I’m the Heiress to the Legacy,” she sad. “I’m also one of the most powerful witches in the family and I can’t save my own son.”
“That has to be the most frustrating feeling,” said Gayland.
“None of you know what it’s like to watch your own son waste away,” Angelique said. “He’s dying and I can’t fix it.”
“I’m so sorry, Sister,” Bart said. He felt low in his heart and he wished he was already a doctor and could save Marcel from the fate that was in front of him.
“On a lighter note,” Henri said, clearing his throat. “Lisette is next in line to be tested.”
“That’s right,” Angelique said, thankful for he change in conversation. “Next month.”
“We’ll make it a grand affair,” Henri said. “A lavish party.”
Bart rolled his eyes. Why did they have to make it a lavish party? They hadn’t done that for Maria. Angelique had invited young couples to witness Maria’s failure. Why would they do this? He knew why. It was an excuse to have a party. Lisette was a full blooded Moreau. There were no nasty mortals in her heritage. Bart hoped she could wear the necklace. He didn’t want her to be let down.
Lisette Moreau was one of the most beautiful creatures to ever exist. She had skin like peaches and cream, her dark hair had soft golden highlights that were natural, her icy eyes were slightly turned up at the outer end giving her a different look than her sisters, and she was a wisp of a young girl who seemed to float when she walked.
Josette looked a lot like her but she didn’t have that ethereal quality that Lisette had. She had the same dark hair without the natural highlights, the icy eyes that were slightly turned up at the outer edge but her features weren’t as delicate as Lisette’s. She didn’t glide across the floor when she walked, and she was nowhere near as sweet as her older sisters. When you looked at Josette you could see the wheels turning behind those icy eyes of hers.
Lorette was more like Henri with fine proportions. Her dark hair was always pulled back in either a pony tail or a seam behind her head. Her icy eyes held a knowing look that could haunt a person. She was sweetness personified which was a contradiction to her looks. She was already eighteen and back from her fist year of college. Bart was sure she’d follow in her father’s footsteps and go to law school.
Philippe was just like his sisters he looked more like Lisette than the others with his thin frame and natural highlights. His were more red than Lisette’s but he moved like a cat with precise movements and he was always smiling. He was a joy to be around.
Marcel had been the opposite. More steadfast built and sure of himself. He played sports and was very popular with his peers at the high school but now he was sick and from the sounds of it a shell of his former self. Bart couldn’t fathom it. Why would the Goddess decide to strike down such a sturdy and self assured person?
Then there was Maria. She was the oldest of Angelique’s children. She had a cold and calculating look in her chocolate eyes. Her hair was coffee brown and she was built more like a boy than a girl. She always wore dresses and heavy makeup. She was known to say very mean things to her siblings and to her elders if he was being honest about her. She seemed to especially dislike Lisette and Philippe. Bart could never put his finger on why. She was a very unpleasant creature.
All six of the children were very different from their loud and outspoken mother. Angelique would always say what was on her mind. She despised chit chat and thought that anything less than the truth was a bold faced lie. She thought it embarrassing that members of the family should discriminate against those in the family that were born without magic. She was their champion even when it wasn’t a very popular position to take.
“Bart and John will be staying in the Bleaker Street house this summer,” Angelique was saying, breaking Bart out of his thoughts.
“Gayland, you lived there until you married,” Henri said. “How did you like it?”
“It’s a great house, smaller than this one but functional,” Gayland said. “Bart and his friend will be quite comfortable there.”
“Yes, I’ve always liked that house,” Henri said. “It’s nice and private with a huge privacy fence around the back yard. Of course there’s a maid and a cook over there.”
“Naturally,” said Gayland. Bart rolled his eyes again.
“How are you liking the apartment in Santa Barbara?” asked Angelique.
“Oh we love it there,” said Sarah Beth. “Gayland works quite a bit but he’s left me to decorate.”
“How exciting,” Angelique said with a smile.
“It is,” she said. “I’ve been talking with painters and contractors. It was different for me but I’m managing.”
“Gayland’s a big help at the firm,” Henri said. “Tax law.”
“That’s right,” Gayland said. “We can’t all be corporate lawyers like you, Henri.”
“I dabble in this and that as well,” Henri said.
“So what exciting things are happening with the Legacy?” Gayland asked Angelique.
“We’re opening a medical center and law firm in New York,” she said. “Some of the family will be moving out there temporarily to get it off the ground.”
“Where in New York?” asked Sarah.
“Rochester,” Angelique said. “Marketing told us that it was far enough away from New York City yet still a populace area.”
“You’re opposed to New York City?” Bastien asked.
“Not at all,” she said. “We’ll probably open branches there as well in the coming years.”
“Good,” said Bastien. “Where all have you opened branches?”
“Moreau Medical can be found here in California in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles,” she said. “Moreau Legal can be found in five places here in California. One in Miami, Florida, and soon Rochester, New York.”
“What about Moreau Enterprise and Moreau Shipping and Receiving?” Gayland asked.
“Moreau Enterprise is in Los Angeles,” she said. “Shipping and Receiving have offices and plants in every major city in America. There are some in France and England as well.”
“Fantastic,” said Gayland. “We’re really moving into the world.”
“Well as you know France is where we came from and the shipping company was founded there,” Angelique said.
“Yes of course,” said Gayland. “I was talking about England.”
“Right,” she said. “We opened a plant in England just two summers ago.”
“Very nice,” he said.
Alice returned to take away the empty plates and replace them with a saucer with cheesecake on it. Bart thanked her and got a pat on the shoulder. Then they sat and ate their desert in silence. When that was done they moved on to the living room for coffee and brandy.
“So Lisette is to be tested in a month?” Bastien asked when they were all seated.
“Yes,” said Angelique. “If she is not to be the heiress in waiting then we have a little more than a year to wait for Josette to be tested.”
“So many children,” Bastien said.
“I think children are my legacy,” she laughed. “I sure had enough of them.”
“You certainly did,” said Henri. Always he brought it back to her infidelity and Maria.
“Well one day they’ll be in our position,” she said. “We’ll of course be dead or too far gone to care one way or the other.”
“Such things you say,” laughed Bastien. “I for one plan to live forever.”
“Well that’s not possible but we can live like there is no tomorrow,” said Sarah.
“Here here,” Bart said, holding up his brandy to toast to that remark.
“Yes,” said Angelique. “We can certainly live that way but time is marching on and we need another heir or heiress in waiting.”
“Well we can hope that Lisette is the one,” Henri said as he held out his glass to be refilled by Ida Mae.
“Yes, we can hope for it,” she said. “I need to make a guest list of people who will come for the birthday and we’ll test her on her birthday.”
“Yes, Dear,” said Henri.
“That’s right,” said Bart. “Lisette’s birthday is next month.”
“Yes,” said Angelique. “She’ll be sixteen just a month after Maria turns seventeen.”
“Are you having a party for Maria?” John asked.
“No,” sighed Angelique. “Henri thought it best that it be a family affair.”
“Oh,” he said, confused. Why would they hold a party for Lisette and not Maria?
“Maria isn’t my daughter, you see,” Henri said. “She’s the product of a dalliance that my lady wife had with a traveling singer name of Phil Everly.”
“Phil Everly is Maria’s father?” John asked with wide eyed shock.
“Not the Phil Everly you’re thinking of,” said Angelique. “This one wasn’t famous.”
“Ah,” John said. “Forgive me.”
“Nothing to forgive you for,” Angelique said. “It was Henri who brought up his name.”
“Sister it’s about time for us to go to the house,” Bart said, being exhausted of the conversation. “I’m bushed.”
“Let me get you the key,” she said as she got up and walked out of the living room.
“Bart how long were you two on the road?” Henri asked.
“It wasn’t the drive,” Bart said. “We got up at five this morning to pack and get on the road.”
“Ah,” he said. “No wonder you’re bushed. You’re not used to getting up that early.”
“No I’m not,” he said with a smile.
“When you graduate form medical school you’ll have earlier days,” Henri countered.
“I’m sure I will,” Bart agreed.
Angelique returned with a set of keys for the Bleaker Street house. She handed them to Bart and then hugged him. It was a chaste hug but he accepted it with an open heart. He really was sorry for all that he’d said and did when they had their argument.
“Here you go,” she said. “It’s been aired out and the staff is still working over there.”
“Thank you, Sister,” he said.
“Off with you,” she said, smiling. “I’ll speak to you again soon.”
“Yes,” he said. “Please put us on the guest list for the party.”
“Of course,” she said. “What would be a birthday party without Lisette’s favorite uncle?”
“Thanks, Sister,” he said again.
“I love you, Bartholomew,” she said.
“I love you, too,” he said and hugged her.
Then they went upstairs to grab their bags and headed out. The house on Bleaker Street was two-stories tall with white siding and a slate roof. The shudders on the house were black, and the side porch was covered. The entry way was blood red from ceiling to floor. It was one thing that Bart hated about the house. He was surprised that no one had changed it.
They went straight upstairs and Bart took the master bedroom. John took the next room. They put their stuff away and Bart took a shower. He dressed in cotton shorts and a t-shirt. His feet were bare.
He met John downstairs in the living room. John was looking around at all of the pictures on the walls. They were mostly seascapes. They were painted by a local artist. Angelique liked to buy local and her purchases were on the walls of all of the houses owned by the Legacy.
“This house is something,” John said. “Not as grand as your sister’s house but it’s something. That entry way is awful though. Why would anyone want a room the color of blood?”
“It’s been that way for as long as I can remember,” Bart said. “Cousins used to live in this house. Since then it’s been used by the younger generation as a stopping point to stay in while they’re still in the bay.”
“Do they leave the bay?” John asked.
“A lot do to work in Santa Barbara,” he said. “You heard my sister, they’re starting branches of Moreau Medical and Legal in Rochester, New York and some in the family will temporarily move to Rochester to get it up and running.”
“What’s so special about the bay?” John asked.
“It’s the family base,” Bart said. “There are two power syncs here but none of the witches in the family are strong enough to cast the spell that activates them.”
“What’s a power sync?” John asked.
“You’ve heard of ley lines?” Bart asked.
“Sure the lines that traverse the world,” John said.
“Well there are two crossed points of two or more lines here in Moonlight Bay,” said Bart. “The largest point is in Los Angeles.”
“Okay,” John said.
“Each crisscrossing point is a power sync,” he said. “A place of immense power in the land. Witches have been activating them since time began. But as I said none of the witches in the family are strong enough in power to activate the syncs here on the land.”
“Why would you activate them?” John asked.
“Because you can tap into them and they make you more powerful,” Bart said.
“You’re plenty powerful enough,” laughed John.
“Of course I am but there are members of the family whose powers are weaker than mine,” Bart said. “They’d want a power boost.”
“I can see that I guess,” John said.
“But with no witches strong enough to survive the spell it would take to activate the sync they remain closed,” Bart said.
“Okay,” sighed John. “So your family is a bit strange.”
“I warned you,” Bart said.
“I didn’t see any powers being used,” John said. “What I saw was them ostracizing that young girl because her father isn’t a Moreau.”
“Maria,” Bart sighed. “She’s not a very pleasant girl anyway but the way they treat her is abysmal.”
“And they’re having a lavish party for Lisette’s sixteenth birthday and testing?” John said.
“Yes,” Bart said. “Lisette is all Moreau.”
“And they’re all related?” John asked. “Angelique and Henri, Gayland and Sarah?”
“Yes,” Bart said. “Henri is Angelique’s fifth cousin and Sarah is Gayland’s sixth cousin. It’s all perfectly legal.”
“I’m sure but I never found my cousins sexy,” John said in disgust.
“I warned you about the incest and the strangeness of most in the family,” Bart said. “I didn’t think to warn you about the testing because it doesn’t happen often. Well more often for Angelique’s children. If Lisette and Josette both fail the testing they’ll start testing cousins soon.”
“How does the necklace know that you’re the heiress?” John asked.
“It’s spelled that way,” Bart said. “It was spelled so long ago that none of us know who actually cast the spell on it. I think it was Abigail the first of our family to come over from France to escape the burnings there.”
“Wasn’t she burned as a witch here in the States?” John asked.
“Yes, about ten years after she came here,” Bart said. “Many in the family were burned as witches.”
“That’s awful,” John said. “Do they kill people, your family?”
“None that I know of,” Bart said.
“Well then they shouldn’t have been burned for something that was born in them,” John said.
“Well they thought that because they were witches they were of the devil,” Bart said.
“Are there satanic witches?”
“Of course there are,” said Bart. “There are all kinds of witches in the world. Several in school with us were witches of one sort or another.”
“Magical?”
“Some of them,” Bart said. “But you have to understand that the powers of those witches are weaker than the powers of a Moreau Witch. Even our weakest will out do another witch in power.”
“I get that,” John said. “You told me that your family are among the strongest witches in power from all over the world.”
“I’m sure there are more powerful witches out there,” Bart said. “We haven’t met any of them though.”
“So this party,” John said. “Do we have to dress up for it?”
“Depends on the theme,” Bart said. “They’ll let us know.”
“Your parties have themes?” John asked, wide-eyed.
“Most of them do,” he said. “We have a lot of masquerade parties.”
“Wow,” John said. “I’ve never been to an actual masquerade party.”
“Well if Angelique can be counted on then you’re about to be,” Bart said.
“I’m excited now,” John said with a chuckle. “Even if it’s another shit show like today. If she fails the testing will they ostracize that girl, too?”
“No,” sighed Bart. “Lisette is safe from that fate because she is Henri’s daughter.”
“So he does that to Maria because she’s not?” he asked.
“Right,” said Bart. “It’s wrong on so many levels but it is what it is.”
“Yeah it is,” John said. “And the way he referred to it all through dinner and drinks.”
“Yes,” Bart said. “Henri can be an ass at times.”
“Well I guess,” he said. “So this party. Is it costume masquerade?”
“No,” Bart said. “We’ll all wear masks. That reminds me. Yours has to be a plain white mask.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re not a witch,” he said. “The witches will have elaborate masks but the non witches like you and Gloria will have plain white masks on.”
“Well that sucks,” said John. “Why do they make us wear white masks?”
“I don’t know,” Bart said, rubbing his temples. “I knew you’d have a problem with it.”
“I don’t actually have a problem with it,” John said. “I just don’t understand why it has to be that way.”
“Because most of the family is prejudiced,” he said. “They don’t like those without magic much. Usually that’s only those in the family that don’t have magic but Angelique is trying to change that. So she says those without magic can come to the parties if they wear plain white masks.”
“That’s still a kind of prejudice,” John pointed out.
“Yes, of course it is,” Bart said. “I wouldn’t subject you to it but you wanted to come here for the summer. I was all set to vacation in Los Angeles.”
“Yes, I wanted to come and meet the family you were trying so hard to get away from,” John said. “So far I find them mildly prejudiced against Maria and a little much but nowhere near the monsters you made them out to be.”
“Just wait,” Bart said. “You’ll see. They all have one agenda or another. When those clash the monsters come out.”
“Well,” sighed John. “I’m beat. I’m going to bed.”
“Good night,” Bart said. “I just need to talk to the staff.”
“See ya,” John said and left the room.
Bart went in search of Lilly the maid in the house. She was also the cook if memory served. She was an Asian woman with long, straight black hair and big dark eyes. She and her husband worked at the Bleaker Street house and had for as long as he could remember.
“Lilly,” he said when he found her. “I just wanted to let you know that I will be staying here this summer with a friend. His name is John Quinn. He’s already gone to bed but I wanted to let you know that we’ll have breakfast around eight.”
“Very good Mister Bart,” she said. “You sleep. I make it good for you.”
“Thank you, Lilly,” he said and went upstairs to bed.
They had breakfast of waffles and bacon the next morning at eight. Lilly had made coffee and put out juice for them. Bart had a cup of both. John went on and on about how good the waffles were. Bart just smiled at him.
“What are we doing today?” John asked.
“Whatever you want,” Bart said. “We don’t have to be at the Grand House until Sunday. We always have Sunday dinner with Angelique but this Sunday is Maria’s birthday.”
“Okay,” he said. “Do the want me there? Henri said it would be a family affair.”
“They want you there if I’m going to show up,” Bart said. “I’ve already been on the phone with Angelique this morning. She called just before you came down. The party is a masquerade and we’ll wear masks. It’s a month away but she’s calling everyone on the guest list to make sure they can make it.”
“Thorough,” John said with a smile.
“You have no idea,” Bart said.
They ate their breakfast in silence after that. John was trying to think of what he wanted to do that day. Bart was just trying to be pleasant while he was in Moonlight Bay. He hated it here and wanted to be anywhere else than to be here.
He supposed they weren’t as bad as he had made them out to be and it had been good to see Gayland and Sarah. It was even nice to see Bastien and Gloria though he’d never met Gloria before yesterday. He supposed it would be nice to reconnect with cousins all over the bay.
When they were finished Bart took John to the marina. The boy loved the ocean. He asked if they could rent a boat. Bart did that and they spent most of the morning on the water.
“It’s so peaceful out here,” John said.
“It is peaceful,” Bart said. “But we have calm seas.”
“Do they get choppy?” he asked.
“This bay can get choppy,” Bart said. “It just depends on what’s going on in the ocean.”
“Nice to know,” John said. “Can we swim?”
“Sure,” he said. “Just keep the boat in view at all times.”
“Cool,” he said, kicking off his shoes and emptying his pockets. The dove into the water while Bart watched.
Bart kicked off his own shoes and emptied his pockets and joined him a moment later after dropping the anchor. They swam for a while and even saw a dolphin or two. Then when their bellies growled they climbed back aboard the boat and had lunch. It was just ham sandwiches with chips and bottles of soda but they were hungry and it tasted great. They took the boat back and sat on towels in the BMW.
They went back to Bleaker Street and into the house to change clothes. Then they had drinks in the living room. They were there for a few minutes before someone came to the door. Lilly answered the door and came into the room with Philippe.
“Uncle Bart I barely got to talk to you yesterday,” the boy said.
“It’s good to see you kiddo,” Bart said. “This is my good friend John Quinn.”
“Hello,” Philippe said with a smile.
“Nice to meet you, Philippe,” John said.
“So Maria was being mean again,” Philippe said. “She had Lisette crying this morning and I couldn’t deal with her so I came to see you.”
“What’s Maria’s problem this morning?” Bart asked.
“Oh she’s going on about how she failed the testing and Lisette would probably fail it too. Then she told her that she would be treated just like her,” Philippe said. “I know that’s not true. Maria is treated the way she is because she’s not Daddy’s daughter.”
“That’s true, Philippe,” Bart said. “But she shouldn’t be behaving this way to you and Lisette.”
“I failed my testing and they don’t treat me like Maria,” Philippe said. “Daddy said he’s going to take me out on he bay soon.”
“That’ll be exciting,” Bart said. “You like the water.”
“I do,” Philippe said. “They want me to swim at school but I don’t want to do it competitively.”
“I can see that,” Bart said. “You just swim for fun.”
“That’s exactly right,” he said. “So how did you and John become friends?”
“He was my room mate at college,” Bart said. “You changed the subject.”
“I did,” Philippe said. “Sorry but Daddy’s after me to join the team at school. I don’t want to talk about the team. This is my summer break.”
“Where do you go to school, Philippe?” John asked.
“At Ashdon,” Philippe said. “I’m thinking of going to medical school, too.”
“Really?” Bart asked with a smile. “What brought that on?”
“I like to help people,” he said. “Being a doctor helps people.”
“It sure does,” John said. “We’re going off to Harvard in the fall.”
“That’s awesome,” Philippe said. “I want to go to Harvard for my graduate work or medical school.”
“You set your mind to it and you can do pretty much anything you want,” Bart said, smiling at him.
“Thank you, Uncle Bart,” Philippe said. “Are you guys coming to Lisette’s party?”
“Of course we are, Buddy,” Bart said. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Doesn’t it suck that your friend has to wear a white mask?” Philippe asked.
“It does but that’s not for you to worry about,” said Bart.
“Her friends from school are coming and they all have to wear white masks,” Philippe said.
“Well that’s your mother’s rule,” Bart said.
“It’s actually Daddy’s rule,” he said. “Mother doesn’t care.”
“Nice to know,” said Bart.
“Did you know that they’re initiating Maria tonight?” Philippe asked.
“No I didn’t know that,” Bart said.
“I figured they wouldn’t invite you,” Philippe said. “They’re only having four people there to call the corners for her.”
“That’s not right,” Bart said. He was getting a little upset.
“I know it isn’t right,” he said. “But it’s Maria and Daddy won’t call the coven to initiate her.”
“That’s just silly,” Bart said.
“Daddy has a lot of silly ideas when it comes to Maria,” Philippe said. “But Maria is usually nasty to me and Lisette so I don’t know if I care what they do for her.”
“I understand,” Bart said. “But just because she’s nasty to you and Lisette doesn’t mean she deserves less than the full coven’s presence at her initiation.”
“That’s what Mother said,” said the boy.
“Well there’s no point in my getting all uptight about it,” Bart said. “Your mother will do what Henri wants.”
“She does all of the time,” Philippe said. “What are you doing today?”
“I hadn’t thought of what to do,” Bart said. “We’ve already been on a boat today.”
“Oh man,” Philippe said. “I would have loved to go on the boat with you.”
“Maybe next time, Buddy,” Bart said.
“Yeah,” Philippe said. “Well I guess I should get back home before Mother sends a search party.”
“See you later, Buddy,” Bart said. “Thanks for stopping by.”
“You’re welcome, Uncle Bart,” he said. “John it was really nice to meet you.”
“You too, Philippe,” John said with a smile.
Bart saw him out and then came back. He was worried about the way that Maria treats them but there was nothing he could do about it. He hoped it got better after her mini initiation.
“How many people are supposed to be at an initiation?” John asked.
“The entire coven,” Bart said. “All of us.”
“Why aren’t they doing it that way for Maria?” John asked.
“Because it’s Maria,” said Bart.
“And how old is Philippe?”
“Nineteen,” Bart said. “He’s taking classes at Ashdon College. It’s the college here in Moonlight Bay. Angelique may be behind his schooling though. If he has the grades to get into Harvard I’m sure she’ll be proud of him.”
“Why wouldn’t she be proud of him?” John asked.
“I’m not saying she wouldn’t be proud of him if he didn’t get in at Harvard,” Bart said. “She’d be proud of him no matter what he did.”
“Okay,” John said.
They were quiet for a while after that. They both had their own thoughts to keep them company. Lisette’s party was in a month. But the way Henri was making sure Maria was treated was probably why she was being so nasty to the others. There seemed to be no way to get that point across to Henri. If Bart even brought up the way she treated the others he’d just treat her worse for treating the others that way.
He didn’t know what to think of it at that point. He knew there was nothing he could do for the girl. In truth he didn’t exactly like to be around Maria himself. He felt sorry for Lisette and Philippe for having to live with her.
She was one of the biggest reasons that he and John weren’t staying in Grand House. He didn’t want to be there with Maria constantly giving him the eye and trying to touch him all of the time. It made his skin crawl if he was honest.
“What are you thinking about?” John asked.
“The way Maria makes my skin crawl when she gives me the eye like she does and touches me all of the time,” Bart said.
“Does she have a crush on you?” John asked.
“Apparently but she’s done this since she was little,” Bart said. “She did it the whole time I lived in that house.”
“Good God,” John said. “That’s creepy.”
“Yes it is,” Bart said.
“What does your sister have to say about this?” John asked.
“She thought it was cute when she was a child but she’s told her time and again as she got older that she was too old to be all over me like a child,” Bart said.
“Well then at least she saw that it was creepy,” John said.
“I don’t think she saw as creepy,” Bart said. “It was more like she saw it as childish.”
“Well yeah, but as she got older it clearly morphed into a different kind of affection, right?” John asked.
“It felt like it,” Bart said. “It just made me feel sick inside.”
“I hear ya,” John said. “So let’s do something to take our minds off her initiation and her creepy way of hanging on you.”
“We could go to the Family Fun Center,” Bart said. “They have pool tables and a bowling ally. There’s even a movie theater in there.”
“Yeah we could go see a movie or something like that,” John said.
“They’re showing that Monty Python movie,” Bart said. “We can play pool and eat pizza until the movie starts at nine.”
“Sounds good,” John said.
They left for the fun center and purchased their tickets to the nine o’clock showing of the movie on their way in. Then they bowled and ate pizza until eight thirty. Then they started letting people into the movie. They got popcorn and soda and went to find a seat. There weren’t a lot of people at the movie so they had their pick of seats.
After the movie they went back to Bleaker Street. They both took showers and went to bed. Bart was wondering if Maria was already initiated. He fell asleep thinking about what she was doing to Philippe and Lisette.
The next morning he got a phone call from Angelique telling him that she’d like to see him. He got dressed and headed over there after telling John where he was going. Angelique had a breakfast spread waiting for him.
“I wanted to talk to you about New York,” she said.
“What about New York?” he asked.
“I want to give you stock in both Moreau Medical and Moreau Legal there in Rochester,” she said. “When you get out of medical school you can work there at Moreau Medical.”
“You want me to move to Rochester, New York?” he asked shocked.
“Well you said you didn’t want to live in Santa Barbara or the bay,” she said. “This is a chance for you to live somewhere else but still be connected to the family.”
“All right,” he said. “But I have four years of medical school and then six of residency.”
“You can do your residency at Moreau Medical,” she said. “It’s going to be a teaching hospital.”
“You’re sure about that part?” he asked.
“They said they needed one in the Rochester area,” she said. “So I decided to do what they wanted to make it into a teaching hospital.”
“Well then I say you’re on,” Bart said. “It would let me have what I want while giving you what you want at the same time.”
“Yes,” she said, smiling. “I thought you’d see it my way.”
“I just don’t know about the cold every year,” he said.
“Well you’re going to have those winters for four years at Harvard,” she said.
“That’s true,” he said. “Maybe I’ll get used to them.”
“Maybe you will,” she said with a laugh. “Oh this is wonderful. Thank you for agreeing to this. I wanted a Moreau on staff there and I thought of you.”
“What about Moreau Legal?” Bart asked.
“I’ll send one of the junior partners out there once a year to check in on it,” she said.
“Sounds good,” he said. “I wasn’t planning to be in New York after school but it looks like I am now. I should go tell John.”
“Oh is he going to want to work there, too?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he said. “We haven’t discussed where we’ll work.”
“Well then by all means go and tell John,” she said. She stood so he did too. Then she hugged him and kissed his cheek. “Maria was initiated last night so she’s a full member of the coven now.”
“Okay,” he said. “Philippe told me that only four members of the coven were in attendance.”
“Philippe was wrong,” she said. “Half the coven was there. I called them when Henri wasn’t paying attention.”
“That’s the ticket,” he laughed.
He went back to Bleaker Street and told John what Angelique wanted from him. John listened to everything he said and then started to pace. He was no doubt thinking about Rochester. It wasn’t a big city but Bart would love to be that far away from Moonlight Bay.
“Well I don’t know if I want to work there,” John said. “But I’ll give it a shot. You can’t get upset with me if I decide I can’t stay there.”
“I wouldn’t hold it against you,” Bart said.
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