The HeavenStone Secrets
SECRETS ARE AT HOME HERE...
The Heavenstone sisters live with their mother and father in a grand old mansion in bluegrass Kentucky. Semantha, the younger and prettier one, is afraid of so many things -- darkness, strange noises, mysterious whispers in the night. But nothing frightens her more than her sister, Cassie. She is older and wiser, and always telling Semantha what to do, what to wear, and how to behave around those wicked boys at school. Semantha has her eye on one special guy -- but Cassie has other plans for her. In the Heavenstone house, big sister knows best.
...AND THERE'S NO ESCAPE.
Then tragedy strikes like a lightning bolt from heaven, and Semantha's life becomes a living hell. Under Cassie's constant, watchful eye, she feels like a prisoner -- a helpless pawn in her sister's cruel game. When Cassie begins wearing their mother's clothes and vying for their dad's affections, Semantha realizes she must bring their twisted sibling rivalry to an end... before a new generation is born.
Sister, Mother
Cassie stopped by to say good night. For a moment, when I saw her in the doorway, I thought I was looking at our mother. When she came in, I realized why. My sister was wearing one of Mother's nightgowns. I recognized it immediately.
And she spoke in Mother's soft, loving tone of voice.
"How are you, Semantha?"
"All right," I said, puzzled and even a bit frightened by this sudden change in her.
She came to my bedside and sat, just the way Mother always did. Then she brushed back my hair, and she smiled a Mother smile, loving, concerned.
"You've had a terrible, terrible day. Just remember, you're always safe here and always loved here and always part of this great family. We might not approve of everything each of us does, but we'll never betray or desert each other, never."
She leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. Then she brought her lips to my ear and whispered, "We're the Heavenstones."
Secret whispers
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME...
On the eve of her graduation from an exclusive private school, shy wallflower Semantha Heavenstone is caught in a whirl of scandal and betrayal. Now, she's returned to the grand Kentucky mansion where painful memories of her mother and her older sister, Cassie, are as potent as newly mown bluegrass. It seems no matter where she goes, Semantha is haunted by a voice from the grave -- spiteful, domineering Cassie, whose taunts and manipulations seem as real as when she was alive.
...AND NO END TO THE NIGHTMARE
Soon her father will remarry, new memories -- and a new stepmother -- will replace the past...and Semantha herself has a chance at a bright future with a career inside the Heavenstone empire and handsome Ethan Hunter by her side. But someone will see to it that Semantha never forgets the tragedies of yesterday. Will Cassie's ghostly hold on Semantha destroy her hope and drive her to madness?
Ghostly Guidance
Even though I didn't care about Ellie becoming upset, I held back until Friday afternoon to announce my date with Ethan.
She stood there staring at me for a long moment in shock, then shrugged. "If that's what makes you happy, go for it."
She tried to make it seem as though she didn't care, but when I began to dress and fix my hair, she left in a huff and slammed the door.
When I looked back at myself in the mirror, I saw Cassie standing behind me. She wore that Cassie look of self-satisfaction.
"Well? Have I ever given you bad advice?"
I tried to ignore her. I finished fixing my hair and doing my makeup, and then I rose and went to my closet. I was determined to wear something a lot more conservative than the dress I let Ellie put on me last time. Ethan would be arriving any moment.
"Don't get your hopes up, Semantha," Cassie said when I took one last look at myself in the mirror. "When he finds out about you, he'll disappear faster than I do."
SECRETS ARE AT HOME HERE...
The Heavenstone sisters live with their mother and father in a grand old mansion in bluegrass Kentucky. Semantha, the younger and prettier one, is afraid of so many things -- darkness, strange noises, mysterious whispers in the night. But nothing frightens her more than her sister, Cassie. She is older and wiser, and always telling Semantha what to do, what to wear, and how to behave around those wicked boys at school. Semantha has her eye on one special guy -- but Cassie has other plans for her. In the Heavenstone house, big sister knows best.
...AND THERE'S NO ESCAPE.
Then tragedy strikes like a lightning bolt from heaven, and Semantha's life becomes a living hell. Under Cassie's constant, watchful eye, she feels like a prisoner -- a helpless pawn in her sister's cruel game. When Cassie begins wearing their mother's clothes and vying for their dad's affections, Semantha realizes she must bring their twisted sibling rivalry to an end... before a new generation is born.
Sister, Mother
Cassie stopped by to say good night. For a moment, when I saw her in the doorway, I thought I was looking at our mother. When she came in, I realized why. My sister was wearing one of Mother's nightgowns. I recognized it immediately.
And she spoke in Mother's soft, loving tone of voice.
"How are you, Semantha?"
"All right," I said, puzzled and even a bit frightened by this sudden change in her.
She came to my bedside and sat, just the way Mother always did. Then she brushed back my hair, and she smiled a Mother smile, loving, concerned.
"You've had a terrible, terrible day. Just remember, you're always safe here and always loved here and always part of this great family. We might not approve of everything each of us does, but we'll never betray or desert each other, never."
She leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. Then she brought her lips to my ear and whispered, "We're the Heavenstones."
Secret whispers
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME...
On the eve of her graduation from an exclusive private school, shy wallflower Semantha Heavenstone is caught in a whirl of scandal and betrayal. Now, she's returned to the grand Kentucky mansion where painful memories of her mother and her older sister, Cassie, are as potent as newly mown bluegrass. It seems no matter where she goes, Semantha is haunted by a voice from the grave -- spiteful, domineering Cassie, whose taunts and manipulations seem as real as when she was alive.
...AND NO END TO THE NIGHTMARE
Soon her father will remarry, new memories -- and a new stepmother -- will replace the past...and Semantha herself has a chance at a bright future with a career inside the Heavenstone empire and handsome Ethan Hunter by her side. But someone will see to it that Semantha never forgets the tragedies of yesterday. Will Cassie's ghostly hold on Semantha destroy her hope and drive her to madness?
Ghostly Guidance
Even though I didn't care about Ellie becoming upset, I held back until Friday afternoon to announce my date with Ethan.
She stood there staring at me for a long moment in shock, then shrugged. "If that's what makes you happy, go for it."
She tried to make it seem as though she didn't care, but when I began to dress and fix my hair, she left in a huff and slammed the door.
When I looked back at myself in the mirror, I saw Cassie standing behind me. She wore that Cassie look of self-satisfaction.
"Well? Have I ever given you bad advice?"
I tried to ignore her. I finished fixing my hair and doing my makeup, and then I rose and went to my closet. I was determined to wear something a lot more conservative than the dress I let Ellie put on me last time. Ethan would be arriving any moment.
"Don't get your hopes up, Semantha," Cassie said when I took one last look at myself in the mirror. "When he finds out about you, he'll disappear faster than I do."
