Page 3 of Blue Moon (Book One in The Blue Crystal Trilogy)

PART TWO: DESIRE

  8. A Change of Heart

  The first day of the summer term was sunny and warm. I woke up with the 7am alarm, drew back the curtains and let the bright rays of sunshine fall on my face. The sunrise was amazing; red, yellow, purple and golden hues streaked across the sky like a crazy Impressionist painting. I stared for a moment enrapt, bowled over by the beauty of nature. Things might not be great for me, but you couldn’t deny the sheer magnificence of the morning sky. I pulled on my new skinny blue jeans and pale blue sweatshirt, relieved on the one hand to be going back to my regular routine, seeing my friends and getting back to normal, nervous on the other about seeing Violet and Theo, and wondering how they’d be with me, what to say to them, if indeed they deemed me worth talking to.

  I must have been quiet at breakfast because my Granddad gently put his hand over mine and said comfortingly, “Never mind, Emmie, if he’s not interested in you, he’s not worth bothering with. Concentrate on your studies and your friends. Someone else will come along who doesn’t play games, you wait and see.”

  I smiled at him sadly. The problem was I didn’t want anyone else. I only wanted Theo. How could anyone else compare to him? Those deep cornflower blue eyes, that flawless skin, the tousled hair, the perfect looks. I pulled myself up short. What was I doing? They were his physical attributes. I knew nothing about him at all. We’d scarcely spoken more than a few words. Talk about shallow. Since when had I gone on looks alone? I’d always said personality was more important, the ability to laugh and share a joke. I had no idea if Theo even had a sense of humour. He might be a prize idiot for all I knew. And yet, I knew, instinctively, that he and I would be a perfect match. I felt with every particle of my being that we would be good together, would share the same sense of humour, belonged together.

  “Stop it,” I told myself. “He’s not interested. Get over him. It never even got started, so there’s nothing to even get over.”

  Still that niggling voice in my head refused to be silent, reminding me that he had been watching me from the upstairs window at the hall, had even told his mother about me. I had made an impact, I knew. I just couldn’t work out why it was so problematic for him. What was it he’d said to me, that day by the tennis courts? “Stay away, for your own sake.” What was that all about? It seemed a touch over-dramatic. I sighed. There was something here I couldn’t fathom.

  “I’ve just heard the most amazing story on the radio,” said my mother, walking into the breakfast room and breaking into my thoughts.

  “What’s that?” I asked, blankly.

  “A local woman has been found dead,” she answered. “Apparently, she was in her forties, but when they found her, she looked as if she was over 100. Her husband said she’d been full of life and energy one moment, then suddenly started ageing and died the next. The coroner said he’d never seen anything like it.”

  “Yuk. Sounds like something out of a horror movie,” I said.

  “Probably overdid the anti-ageing products and they backfired,” suggested Granddad.

  “That’s very funny, Granddad,” I said, laughing. “You’d better watch it, mum, you might be next.”

  “Not funny,” said my mother, pretending to be upset. “By the way, have you seen the time? It’s ten to eight. If you don’t go now, you’ll miss the bus.”

  “Alright, I’m out of here,” I said, grabbing my backpack and making for the door.

  “Just for the record, Emily,” she called after me, “You’ll be old yourself one day.”

  “Not me,” I called back.

  I met up with Tash and Seth, walking up to the bus stop.

  “Alright?” said Tash.

  “Yeah, sorry haven’t been around over the hols, I felt pretty bad. I think it was a virus,” I glanced at her. She looked back, not smiling, which wasn’t encouraging.

  “You better now?” she asked.

  “Yes, have you done your assignment on love poetry?” I ventured.

  “Don’t even mention it,” she sighed.

  “No don’t,” said Seth, “I don’t want you two quoting love poetry at each other again.”

  “Seth!” we both exclaimed at the same time, and as we laughed, just like that, it seemed we were back to normal.

  Tash sat next to me on the bus and I was hugely relieved when neither Violet nor Theo was waiting at the bus stop by the hall. With any luck they wouldn’t be at college today and I wouldn’t have to address the problem of what to do about them. They seemed to take days off with alarming regularity and I couldn’t understand what they did or why the college allowed it.

  “No Blondie,” Tash said pointedly.

  “No,” I agreed, “I don’t know what’s going on there. It’s all a bit strange.”

  “Told you I thought there was something about her that wasn’t quite right, didn’t I?” Tash laboured the point.

  “Yes you did, but as I haven't seen anything of her, can we just drop it? Please? It’s getting humungously boring.”

  “Okay. Consider the subject dropped.”

  “Did you hear that story on the radio, this morning?” Seth called over.

  “What about the local woman who’d aged and died?” I asked.

  “Yeah. Weird or what? How can that be possible? She was in her early forties but apparently looked over a hundred when she died.”

  “I reckon she’d lied about her age,” surmised Tash. “Probably was older than she said, then she got ill and suddenly started looking her age.”

  “My Granddad reckoned she used too many anti-ageing products and they backfired,” I said.

  “Ha ha,” laughed Seth. “Let that be a lesson, Tash, not to overdo it. You’re always using some cream or other. You’ll wake up one day all wizened and shrunken, looking like a mummy. That’s what they reckon she looked like.”

  “Oh, totes hilaire, Seth. You are so not funny. Do you see me laughing?”

  “No, heaven forbid you might get laughter lines,” he taunted.

  He ducked as Tash threw an exercise book at him.

  I beamed. It was good to be back with my friends. I felt as if life had resumed some degree of normality, and so it had until lunchtime, when events took a very unexpected turn. We’d had an uneventful morning. English Lit and Business Studies had gone past in a blur, and I felt slightly disembodied, the after-effects of the virus still with me. Violet did not appear and I allowed myself to relax a little.

  At lunchtime, I sat with Tash in the cafeteria, enjoying a pepperoni pizza and salad, both of us looking forward to Double Art in the afternoon and chatting about our Abstract Art project for the summer term.

  “I was thinking about using light and dark and shadow,” I said.

  “I thought I might do something with broken glass and newspaper,” said Tash, “you know, experiment with different textures. Oh no…” She broke off suddenly and focused on the opposite side of the café. “ It’s the terrible twins.”

  “What d’you mean?” I asked, turning round and following her gaze.

  There, standing against the opposite wall, the sunshine framing them in a glow of bright light, stood Theo and Violet. My stomach lurched and my heart flipped. I felt the blood rush to my face and was conscious of going bright red. I turned back rapidly.

  “What’s with you?” asked Tash, incredulously, staring at me. “You’re as red as a tomato.”

  “Nothing. Nothing,” I muttered, looking down, desperately trying to calm down and stop blushing.

  “Yeah, it looks like nothing,” said Tash sarcastically. “OMG, they’re coming over. Don’t look.”

  It was too late, I’d already turned, and, like an idiot, I felt my hand rise up waving at them, as if someone was pulling my arm like a puppet on a string. Never had I felt more gauche and awkward, and totally not up to the situation.

  “Hi, mind if we sit with you?” asked Violet, her crystal voice friendly and reassuring.

  “No, not at all,” I said, in total shock
.

  “Hi,” said Theo, his beautiful smile lighting up his face, his eyes blue and dancing.

  “I’m Theo,” he said to Tash, going to shake her hand, “pleased to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” said Tash, allowing her hand to be shaken, and gazing into his eyes.

  I felt a stab of jealousy and watched for any sign of static electricity between them. Was he flirting with Tash? He couldn’t be. It was me he was interested in. Tash appeared to be spell bound, overcome with the iridescent beauty before her.

  “Do you have a name?” asked Theo.

  “She’s called Natasha,” I said loudly, causing Theo to break his gaze with Tash and look at me. I saw with alarm that she continued to stare at him. “Tash for short, isn’t it?” I almost shouted at her, forcing her to break her gaze.

  “Yes, yes, it is,” she said falteringly.

  No. This was not going well. The last thing I wanted was for Tash to fall for Theo. If I couldn’t have him, I most certainly didn’t want her to succeed.

  “How are you, Emily?” asked Theo, his voice tender and full of care. He looked into my eyes and I felt an involuntary shudder go down my spine.

  “I’m good, thank you,” I said primly. “How are you?”

  No, this was far too formal.

  “Yes, I’m good as well.”

  “Oh good,” I looked at Violet in a panic, and unable to think of anything else to say, asked, “How are the renovations coming on? Is everything finished?”

  “Yes, why do you ask?” she answered, which completely threw me. This was one totally weird situation.

  “Just wondering,” I said lamely, explaining to Tash, “they’ve been renovating Hartswell Hall. It looked fabulous when I saw it over Easter.” I regretted the words as soon as they were out and couldn’t bear to look in Theo’s direction.

  Tash snapped out of her spellbound dream and said in a spikey voice. “You were at Hartswell Hall over Easter? What about your virus?”

  “Er, it was when I was feeling better. I went for a walk and ended up at the hall,” I mumbled. “I didn’t go in or anything. I just stood in the driveway and saw the renovations from the outside.”

  This was now mega embarrassing. I’d just admitted to Theo that I’d been standing outside his house. Even if it hadn’t been him at the window, he now knew for definite I was stalking him. Violet regarded me with amusement and I felt like an insect wiggling on the end of a pin.

  “Look, I’ve got to go,” I stood up quickly, banging into the table and knocking over a bottle of water. Thankfully, the top was still on. “I have to see Mrs Pritchard. She wants to talk about my essay. I’ll see you all later.”

  I quickly picked up my backpack and walked out of the cafeteria as fast as I could, without a backward glance. I didn’t want to see the expressions on their faces.

  I saw Tash in Art, but she barely acknowledged me, and although she sat next to me on the bus home, our conversation was minimal and strained. I was glad to see Theo and Violet weren’t on the bus. Judging by the gleaming black Jaguar that was parked outside the college gate, I guessed their horrible chauffeur had come to collect them.

  Good. I didn’t want any more embarrassing scenes. If I’d stood any chance with Theo, I’d most definitely blown it now. I’d behaved like an awkward adolescent, with absolutely no social graces. He was plainly light years out of my grasp. Too old, too sophisticated and all round too god-like for the likes of me. I slunk home, feeling pathetic and small. If this is what love was all about, you could keep it. It wasn’t making me feel great at all, just a great mass of uncontrolled emotions. Never had I been so glad to see mum and Granddad. Sometimes, all you needed was the bosom of your family, I reasoned. Theo could go take a hike. I was way out of my depth with all this.

  The next day, Tash was polite but distant, while Seth was irritatingly cheerful, trying to joke us back into familiarity. It wasn’t working, and both Tash and I were relieved when we arrived at college and could go our different ways, her to Geography and me to Business Studies. At break time, I went to my locker, putting away the books I’d just used and getting out the textbooks I needed for my next few lessons. I was turning the key in my locker door, when I became aware of someone standing behind me. I didn’t need to see who it was. I knew. I could feel his energy surrounding and caressing me, his presence strong and powerful. I turned slowly and looked into his eyes.

  “Hi,” said Theo gently.

  “Hi,” I said back, my legs feeling like jelly, my heart beating rapidly.

  “Would you like to take a walk?” he asked.

  I pinched the inside of my wrist, just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. A walk? With the god-like Theo? What was going on? Was he about to warn me off? Ask for Tash’s details? Declare undying love?

  “Yes, of course,” I answered, trance-like. “Where do you want to go?”

  “Follow me,” he said, mysteriously, and I had no choice but to do as he said.

  He led the way past the lockers, down the stairs and out of ‘A’ Block. Outside, he walked through the quadrangle and continued on towards the netball courts, close to the scene of our previous strange encounter. All the while, he didn’t say a word. There was a small private area close to the Games Block, where the wall curved back, and it was here that he stopped and turned to face me.

  “Emily, you must know how I feel about you.”

  “Well, not really,” I admitted. “You’ve been sending out rather mixed signals.”

  “I suppose I have,” he sighed, “it’s just that…”

  He looked into my eyes and I felt as if I was looking into eternity. Flecks of blue and steel grey granite flew towards me as I was drawn into his mesmerizing gaze. I experienced warmth, love, passion, pain, suffering and the utmost longing, all in a fraction of a second, and I found it hard to breathe.

  “What?” I asked softly, “What is it…?”

  He hesitated. “It’s just that … so much has happened… I just want to keep you safe…” He paused and seemed unable to continue. It was still making no sense to me.

  “I know a lot has happened,” I said, reassuringly. “You lost your home in Egypt, you’ve moved over here, you’ve had to start again…” I was trying desperately hard to understand him.

  With a huge effort, he seemed to gather his thoughts and focus. “Yes, you’re right, I’m feeling unsettled with all that’s happened. The thing is…”

  “Yes?” I whispered, leaning closer towards him.

  “I really like you, you know that, don’t you?”

  “I guess so…”

  “Emily, you know there’s a huge attraction between us, don’t tell me you haven’t felt it…”

  “I have felt it,” I said softly, aware that my whole future lay in the balance with my choice of words. If I said the wrong thing, I knew instinctively I would lose him. “I’ve never felt anything like it before,” I admitted.

  So far, we hadn’t touched. There was an odd formality to what should be an intimate occasion and again I felt way out of my depth. I didn’t have the experience to know what to do, and so I let him take the lead. He touched my face gently with his fingertips and I closed my eyes. A sensation of immense peace and what I can only describe as ‘togetherness’ filled my being. Was this love? Was it lust? I didn’t think so. This seemed almost transcendental, a deep, intense spiritual fulfilment, allied with total confusion.

  I opened my eyes and gazed into his beautiful face. Surely this was the moment when we kissed?

  He backed away again, and a look of torture passed over his face.

  “I don’t want to hurt you, and I don’t want to lose you… ever again,” he said more to himself than to me.

  “You won’t,” I said uncertainly. “Look, why don’t we just take this slowly, see what happens?” I decided to take the lead, aware that this intensity, although delicious in its painfulness, was getting us nowhere. He stared at me and smiled, a glorious, rad
iant, sun-warming smile that transformed his face. “You’re right, sorry, I’m getting heavy… Not used to feeling like this.” Now he was the one who was uncertain.

  Suddenly, his arms were around me and I was enveloped in an all-consuming embrace. It felt like a velvet cloak around me, safe, protective and warm, and I relaxed into it. Yet still, he didn’t kiss me. He seemed so unsure of himself, so nervous, it gave me confidence.

  “Why don’t we just hang out together and see what happens?” I suggested, pulling back, aware that lessons were about to start again, and I needed to get going.

  “Okay,” he said, laughing. “Let’s hang out together. Starting with lunch. Let me buy you lunch today.”

  “Great,” I smiled at him, and suddenly my world was transformed. In the space of a few seconds, I had a boyfriend. And not just any boy. It was Theo. Gorgeous, sophisticated, model-like Theo. I couldn’t wait to see the looks of the other girls when we sat down to have lunch together.

  He took my hand in his and we walked back together. I was floating on a cloud of euphoria and hardly heard a word my tutors uttered over the next two hours. My thoughts were filled with one thing only. Theo. His eyes, his smile, his skin, the feel of his arms around me.

  Later, on the school bus I played my favourite Lumineers’ song, ‘Ho Hey’, loudly on my iPod all the way home, mouthing the words over and over, and grinning from ear to ear. This song was meant for me. I was totally hooked.

  9. Surveillance I

  Just outside Hartsdown College, at number 27 Gillyflower Lane, which formed the eastern boundary of the school and college grounds, Mrs Henforth was enjoying her usual mid morning tipple.

  She took the crystal decanter out of the sideboard and poured herself a generous schooner of Tio Pepe sherry. Raising the glass to a photograph of her late husband, which held pride of place on the crocheted mat on the top of the sideboard, she said, “Cheers, Harry, here’s to you, darling. Just a little snifter to see me through the morning.” She picked up an old pair of binoculars that lay on the coffee table and lovingly caressed them. Somehow, it seemed to bring her closer to Harry. She remembered all those happy days when they’d packed a picnic and taken off across the woods towards Hartswell-on-the-hill. Harry had liked nothing better than to sit in the bushes, watching the bird life, while she sat on the picnic blanket and read a book.

  “Look,” he would exclaim, excitedly, “a Tree Creeper” or “a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker”, as some feathered wonder flew into view, and out would come the binoculars. “Yes, dear, that’s lovely,” she would say, on autopilot, lost in the intrigue of her latest whodunit novel. He’d spend ages oohing and aahing over each find, pulling out his battered old sketchbook and avidly sketching them as fast as he could.

  The book was full of his drawings: chaffinches, green finches, blue tits, long tailed tits, wrens, blackbirds, thrushes, robins and, best of all, a kestrel. She vividly remembered the day he’d seen the kestrel. It had sat on a branch so close to them you could see every feather of its mottled back and underbelly. Harry hadn’t needed the binoculars it had been so close. That had been a very exciting day.

  Now, she idly picked up the binoculars and put them to her eyes, twiddling the knobs to get the lenses into focus.

  “Never could work these things,” she said to herself crossly. “It’s down to having an astigmatism, that’s what it is.”

  She walked over to the front bay window and trained the binoculars on the trees opposite, turning the knob furiously in an attempt to focus the blurry mass of green that met her gaze.

  “Ah, that’s better,” she exclaimed, “l can see a branch, and I can make out the leaves, and… oh…”

  She gasped in surprise as a large beak and a pair of glittering black eyes came into view. She put down the binoculars and rubbed her eyes. Then she raised them again and took another look. There was no mistaking it. A huge bird sat in the tree opposite, looking at her malevolently, its black feathers ruffling in the breeze. A glance down its body revealed a long, sleek breast and two massive taloned claws.

  “Oh my, Harry, I wish you were here to see this,” she exclaimed. “What a beauty. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was an eagle. Let me find that bird book so’s I can identify it.”

  She put down the binoculars, opened the sideboard door and rummaged around, looking for Harry’s old Collins Book of Birds. A sudden movement caught her eye and she looked up, just as the bird took flight. For a brief second, it flew towards her front window and she saw clearly its cruel, hooked beak, its glinting, gleaming eyes and powerful, outstretched wings. Its gaze locked with hers and she shuddered involuntarily, as if someone had just walked over her grave. Then it was gone, skimming silently over her house and creating a momentary dark shadow as it flew across the sun.

  10. Getting close

  I was right. My relationship with Theo was the talk of the college. Groups of girls would whisper fervently as I approached, then fall silent as I walked past, staring at me with looks of envy, admiration and disgust. How could I, insignificant Emily Morgan, have possibly ensnared the best catch in the college? Theo stood head and shoulders above all the other boys, if not actually, then figuratively. He was, quite plainly, more handsome, more rugged and more athletic than any of his peers. He was charming, funny, intelligent and thoughtful. He was certainly more sophisticated than all the other boys put together, with a knowledge of the world they could only guess at. And yet, for all that, he was popular. Boys and girls alike seemed drawn to him, willing to be charmed by him, falling prey to his easy manners and social graces, like moths to a flame. It was an analogy I used all too frequently when I thought of Theo and made me realise my wings were already scorched and burnt.

  I knew I was getting in too deep, too quickly, but was powerless to do anything about it. I felt exhilarated, yet out of control; my feelings and emotions like alien beings that had taken me over. I welcomed this brave new world that had opened before me and wouldn’t have changed a thing, yet part of me longed to go back to the tried and trusted world I knew, where my feelings could remain hidden and I had the comfort of my friends around me.

  That was part of the problem. Tash and I had fallen out since I started seeing Theo. I would like to think it was just plain old jealousy, but I didn’t think it was. I trusted Tash’s judgment implicitly, after all she was my oldest friend. She’d detected something about Theo and Violet that she didn’t like and she felt mistrustful of them. It hurt her that I wouldn’t listen to her doubts and warnings and I knew she worried about me, rather than being envious. But what could I do? I couldn’t stay tied to Tash’s apron strings forever. I felt instinctively that Theo was my future, and that had to come first. But I also felt the pain of our separation keenly, and wondered if we would ever get back that cosy intimacy we’d shared for so many years.

  When she saw us together in the café that first lunchtime, holding hands and gazing at one another over the table, Tash had been quite unpleasant.

  “So, how long has this been going on for?” she demanded, sitting on the seat next to me and throwing down her backpack on the table.

  “It’s just started…” I began to say, but she cut me short.

  “Oh, save it. D’you think I’m an idiot? It’s obviously been going on for a while, and you didn’t have the guts or the decency to tell me. Well, it’s obvious who comes first, isn’t it? And it’s not your friends.”

  “Tash, why are you being like this?” I failed to understand her animosity.

  “It’s okay,” said Theo, diplomatically, “I understand. You feel let down and…”

  She cut him short. “Let’s get one thing straight, Blondie,” she said nastily to Theo. “You don’t understand how I feel and you never will. I don’t feel let down. The problem is I don’t trust you. We don’t know anything about you, and you might have pulled the wool over Little Miss Naivety’s eyes here, but you don’t fool me. There’s something about you and your sister
that doesn’t add up. And I am determined to find out what it is.”

  Theo attempted to placate her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I will never hurt Emily, she’s too important to me.”

  Tash shot him a venomous look. “Save it, Blondie, I don’t want to hear it. I’ll be watching you and as soon as you put one foot out of place, you’ll have me to answer to. D’you understand?” She spat the words into his face and I sat speechless, too shocked by her words to know what to say.

  Again Theo smiled, but I sensed a chilliness beneath his outward demeanour.

  “Like I said, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I warn you, Tash, don’t cross me or my family.” He let go of my hand, folded his arms defensively and stared at her.

  “Like I’m really scared,” she mocked him. “Gotta go, some of us have work to do.”

  She looked at me dismissively and grabbed her backpack, swinging it violently over her shoulder. “See you around, Emmie.”

  With that parting shot, she tossed her long red hair over her shoulder and walked out of the café with her head held high.

  Theo looked after her, a worried expression on his face.

  “Sorry about that,” I said softly. “I don’t know what’s the matter with her. She’s not normally like that. I think either she’s jealous, or more likely, worried about me.”

  “Yes, I’m sure that’s it,” said Theo, smiling, but there was no mistaking the coldness in his eyes.

  We didn't fare much better with Seth. He wasn’t as bad as Tash, but he certainly wasn’t over-friendly. He eyed us holding hands with suspicion and before I had chance to speak to him, muttered something about rugby practice and having to go.

  He accosted me later on that afternoon, as we walked to a tutorial together.

  “So, what’s going on Emmie?” he asked. “This is all very sudden with Theo, isn’t it? You never mentioned anything to me or Tash.”

  “Well, I suppose it is very sudden, but it’s not like I’m getting married to him. We’re only dating, and it’s only just begun. There’s been nothing to tell.” I failed to understand why my friends were making me feel so defensive. I had nothing to feel guilty about. This was their problem, not mine. If they didn’t want to see me happy, they knew what they could do.

  “Okay,” said Seth, “just don’t forget us, will you?”

  “Of course not,” I answered, feeling very perplexed with it all. “He’ll probably get bored with me after a few dates.”

  Seth just looked at me and walked into the tutorial, silently finding his seat and sprawling in his chair. I sat down and once again failed to take in anything, so disturbed were my feelings and thoughts.

  As I turned the key in my locker and took out my coat, ready to get the bus home, Theo was there once again.

  “Hi, Emily,” he planted a light kiss on my forehead. “I thought you might like a lift home…”

  “Oh,” I said, startled, “You mean, in your car…?

  “No, on the front of my bicycle. Yes, of course in the car. What else would I mean?” he grinned at me.

  “Okay,” I laughed, trying to gather my thoughts. “Is Violet alright with this?”

  “I don't have to get permission from Violet for everything I do,” he pointed out.

  “No, I know, I didn’t mean that,” I said awkwardly. Yet again, he was making me feel naïve and gauche. “I’m just not sure she approves of you seeing me.”

  “You leave Violet to me,” he said sharply. “Now, do you have everything?”

  “Yes,” I answered, closing my locker door. I saw Seth at the end of the corridor and called after him. “Seth, can you tell Tash I’m not catching the bus? I’m getting a lift with Theo…”

  I know he heard me, because he turned and looked at me. But he didn’t respond, just turned on his heel, his expression unreadable, and walked away. I stared after him.

  “Guess your friends don’t think much of me, do they?” said Theo.

  “Oh, they’ll be fine,” I said, trying to convince myself. “They just need a bit of time. Don’t worry about them.”

  “I don’t,” said Theo, with arched eyebrows. “It’s you I’m interested in, not them.”

  The way he looked at me made my stomach flip and goose bumps run down my spine. I shuddered, feeling completely weak in his presence. I would do anything for this boy. Even give up my friends.

  “Come on,” he said, taking my bag, and I followed him down the stairs, past the main hall, into the reception area, and out into the open air. As we walked through the college gates, I saw the gleaming black Jaguar and the unpleasant chauffeur lounging by the car door.

  “Hi Aquila,” said Theo, walking up to the car. “One more to take home today. This is Emily.”

  “Hi, Aquila,” I muttered shyly from behind Theo’s back, aware that this odious man didn’t like me.

  His black eyes glittered at me. “Yes, we’ve met,” he said dismissively, asking Theo, “Do your mother and father know about this?”

  Theo laughed shortly. “And what are they going to do about it? We’re only giving Emily a lift home, what’s your problem?”

  “No problem,” he answered through gritted teeth, and opened the door roughly, saying to me, “Get in, please.”

  I slid onto the smooth leather seats looking around me. This was the kind of luxury I could get used to. Theo sat next to me, placing his leg close to mine. My insides flipped again and I felt frozen to the spot, my body tensing in anticipation of things to come. Should he be doing this? Was it appropriate? Appropriate or not, it felt fantastic, and I grinned at him, feeling like the cat who’s got the cream. He smiled back, his wonderful, sunny smile, and I knew, whatever happened, whoever disapproved, I didn’t care. I just wanted to be with him. There was a slight commotion outside as Violet arrived and was ushered into the front seat by Aquila. She turned and looked at us angrily.

  “Hi Emily, did you miss the bus?”

  “Er, no…” I stuttered, “Theo said I could have a lift home.” I glanced at Theo for support.

  “It’s okay, Vi, don’t get in a sweat,” he smiled sweetly at his sister. “Emily only lives down the road from the hall, it’s no problem to drop her off.”

  “If you say so,” said Violet, frostily and turned, staring very deliberately through the front window. “Can we have some music on, Aquila?” she asked, without even looking at the chauffeur, who by now was sitting in the driving seat, with the engine idling. “Elgar’s Salut d’Amour would seem appropriate,” she added sourly.

  “Sure. Why not?” he said stonily, not looking back at her and pressed a button on the console.

  Beautiful music filled the cabin, and it would have been perfect had not the atmosphere been so chilly. I sat, feeling perplexed. What was with this weird family? I couldn’t get their measure at all. Surely Violet wasn’t jealous of me being with Theo? And why did the hook-nosed Aquila seem to dislike me so intensely? He looked at me as if I was a piece of meat on a plate, and I felt very uneasy in his presence. Frightened, even. If he was a servant, he had no business having opinions about me. Surely he was there to do his job? Something didn’t add up, but I couldn’t work out what it was.

  Then Theo took my hand in his and all my doubts and insecurities melted away. I felt safe and protected. The haunting melody of the violin filled the air and I sat back against the smooth, cool leather, losing myself in the experience. I’d come a long way in the last few days. From being a sad no-hoper without even the glimmer of a love life, I now had the best-looking boy I’d ever met as my boyfriend, and I was being taken home in his chauffeur-driven car. Who’d have guessed at the beginning of the week that life could take such an upward turn? I squeezed Theo’s hand and he squeezed it back, making me smile. I didn’t need to look at him, I knew he was feeling as happy as I was. I purposefully didn't look in the driver’s rear view mirror and risk seeing Aquila’s scowling, angry face. Why spoil a perfect moment with
his unpleasantness?

  It hardly seemed to take two minutes before we’d arrived back in the village and I was giving Aquila directions, although I got the sense he already knew where I lived, for all the attention he gave me. The sleek black Jaguar pulled up outside my house, and Aquila unwillingly got out of the driver’s seat and opened my door, looking at me coldly.

  I swung my legs out and turned to say goodbye to Theo, but the seat was empty. Amazingly, he was already standing alongside Aquila, taking my hand and helping me to get out of the car.

  “How did you get there so quickly…?” I started to say, but he put his finger to his lips conspiratorially.

  “I’ll walk you to your door,” he said gallantly, picking up my backpack.

  I turned to say thank you to Aquila, but he was back in the driver’s seat and I was glad I didn’t have the opportunity to speak to him. He was one nasty individual.

  As we walked up the driveway, the front door opened and my mother and Granddad peered out, looking intrigued at the sleek black car outside the house and the stunning boy who stood next to me.

  “Mum, Granddad, this is Theo,” I introduced him proudly, and Theo stepped forward to shake their hands.

  “Mrs Morgan, pleased to meet you… Granddad… delighted…” He beamed at them and I knew my mother was instantly sold, judging by the slight flush that crept into her cheeks. Gramps was a little more reticent, taking Theo’s hand with a curt “likewise”, and obviously sizing up the beautiful creature that stood before him.

  “Would you like to come in for a cup of tea, Theo?” asked my mother. “Perhaps your father would like to come too, and is that your sister in the car?”

  “Yes, that’s my sister,” smiled Theo. “But that’s not my father. Aquila is our chauffeur, and he most definitely doesn’t take tea.”

  “Oh, your chauffeur… of course …” My mother looked visibly impressed and I stepped in to spare her or Theo further embarrassment.

  “I don’t think they can come in today, mum, they need to get back, don't you Theo?” I looked at him pointedly.

  “I’m afraid so,” said Theo, taking the hint. “Perhaps another time?”

  “Of course, any time,” said my mother, more than a little flustered, “any time at all, Theo…”

  “Yes, pop in,” said Granddad. “It’ll be good to have a chat with you….”

  “Goodbye, Theo,” I said, determined to put an end to this doorstep charade. Talk about embarrassing families. These two were impossible.

  “Bye, Emily,” said Theo, giving me a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll call you later. Lovely to meet you, Mrs Morgan …. Granddad…”

  Once the front door was closed, the questions came.

  “How long has this been going on for?” “How old is he?” “Is it serious?” “Where do they live?” “How rich are they to afford a chauffeur…?” My mother couldn’t get her words out quick enough. Granddad stood by, watching, saying nothing.

  I put my hands up. “Stop, Mum. Just stop. His family have bought Hartswell Hall, so yes they’re wealthy. He’s nineteen and we haven’t even had a date yet, so please don’t worry. It’s not serious. We’re just getting to know each other.”

  “Sorry, Emmie, I can’t help it,” said my mother excitedly. “He’s so gorgeous, and so charming. Almost too good to be true… Those blue eyes, and that skin… He’s beautiful. And to think his family are renovating Hartswell Hall. How exciting.”

  My Granddad was a little more circumspect. “Good looks and wealth are all very well, Emmie, but you know as well as I do they’re not important. I hope there’s a bit more substance to him.”

  “Of course there is, Gramps,” I said defensively, but in my head, a little voice still asked awkward questions. What did I know about Theo? Was there any more substance to him than good looks and money? Could I trust him? What did he want from me? And why was everybody so against this relationship?

  I had to admit, I didn’t know the first thing about him. I didn’t know where he came from or what his intentions were. I didn’t understand why he’d selected me out of all the girls he could have dated. And I had no idea why he’d been so against me initially, then suddenly changed his mind. None of it made sense. My Granddad was right to be concerned. There were too many questions and not enough answers.

  But there again, did I have the sense to heed his concern?

  I didn’t think so.

  11. The Hall Reborn

  Some of my questions were answered that weekend, when I received an invitation to visit Hartswell Hall and meet Theo’s mother and father on Sunday afternoon.

  By this time, he’d already been to our house, visiting after college on Friday, to meet my mum and Granddad, which had been every bit as cringing and embarrassing as I knew it would be, but had to be endured, as a rite of passage. He handled my mother’s flirting and Granddad’s third degree with good grace, and was in every sense the perfect boyfriend. He spoke of his life in Egypt and how they’d had to leave in order to escape the unrest that had come with political reform, of his parents’ diverse property interests and plans to turn Hartswell Hall into a luxury hotel and conference centre. He spoke of the private tuition he and Violet had received while in Egypt and their excitement at being able to attend college and meet other people of the same age. He even put up with my mother asking about his beautiful skin and beauty routine. Asking a boy about his beauty routine! How much more embarrassing could you get? But he took it all in his stride, answering candidly and politely, explaining that he followed a strict vegetarian diet and always avoided sunbathing.

  “When you’re living in such a hot country, it’s more important to cover up than go out in the sun,” he explained, “especially when you’re as fair skinned as we are.”

  My mother hung on his every word and totally monopolised him. I could hardly get a word in edgeways, but a few smouldering glances from Theo while my mother re-filled the tea cups more than made up for the lack of words between us. I could almost feel the air crackling with electricity, such was the connection between us.

  My Granddad asked more down to earth questions, like where they’d lived in Egypt, what was happening out there, what had happened to their Egyptian properties, and why they’d chosen Hartswell-on-the-Hill. He questioned Theo with all the thoroughness of a seasoned interviewer and I prayed he wouldn’t start asking where they got their money from and how much they paid for Hartswell Hall. Some things needed to remain private. Thankfully, he desisted, eventually sitting back and beaming at us both. I breathed a huge sign of relief. It seemed Theo had passed the preliminary stages of the interview with flying colours, and we were free to get to know one another a little better.

  Afterwards, Granddad said, “A very nice young man, Emmie. Polite, well turned out, articulate. Couldn’t really fault him on anything. That’s my only concern, really. A bit too perfect, a little too composed for someone of his years. It was as if he’d heard all my questions before and knew all the answers off by heart.”

  “Granddad,” I exclaimed, “if being too perfect is Theo’s only fault, I don’t really think there’s a problem. What do you think, mum?”

  “I think he’s gorgeous,” she said wistfully, “and I think you’re very lucky. I just hope he doesn’t hurt you.” She looked suddenly sad and I put my arm around her.

  “What’s the matter, mum?”

  “Oh, it’s nothing,” she said, forcing a smile. “He reminds me of someone I used to know many years ago, that’s all.”

  “D’you mean dad?” I asked, curiously.

  “No,” she laughed. “Just someone I fell for many years ago. He broke my heart at the time.” She looked at me closely. “I hope Theo doesn’t do the same to you.”

  “Mum, don’t pour cold water on it before it’s even begun,” I remonstrated. “You obviously think he’s going to dump me at the first opportunity. Thanks very much.”

  “Of course I don’t, darling,” she said.
“I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “Be glad for me, mum,” I instructed her. “I have a boyfriend. A gorgeous, good-looking, lovely boyfriend. If it ends, it ends. But at least I’ll have fun, and I’ll be living, rather than hanging around here all the time.”

  “Okay, I take your point,” she said, laughing. “Enjoy yourself, Emmie, just don’t get too involved with him.”

  Her advice was good, I knew. But it was too late. I was already far more involved than she could ever know. And a great big alarm bell was ringing loudly in my head.

  The day I was due to visit Hartswell Hall it was bright and sunny. A perfect spring day. The sky was an unbroken blue, the breeze warm and gentle and the gardens a mass of colour, as late spring flowers came through, polyanthus competing with primroses and early bluebells to create a vibrant backdrop.

  I told Theo I’d walk over to Hartswell Hall and meet him there, and as I walked up the main driveway, my feet crunching on the new gravel under foot, I began to feel anxious and nervous. What if Aquila was there glowering at me? What if Violet was unfriendly? What if his parents didn’t like me? I’d already met his mother and she seemed lovely, although impossibly glamorous. What if she thought I was too awkward and young for Theo?

  The closer I got to Hartswell Hall, the more exposed and inadequate I felt. It was one thing meeting your new boyfriend’s parents, but when they lived in a place as imposing as this, and were so obviously rich, it was a whole different ball game. These people lived a totally different lifestyle to me. They had poise, finesse and beauty; they were people of the world, with a sophistication I could only dream about. I began to feel sick with nerves and nearly turned round and walked back down the driveway, so acute was my sense of dread the closer I got to the big oak front doorway.

  Then the door was opening and Theo was standing there, looking fantastic in a white shirt and faded jeans, a huge smile on his face, radiating happiness. I relaxed. I was here because Theo had invited me and wanted me to meet his family. What could be so bad? He entwined his fingers in mine, looked into my eyes and kissed me on the cheek. Once again, his magic started to work and as his energy flowed into me, I felt instantly refreshed and strong, his glow and radiance transforming me from a gauche adolescent to a creature of confidence and style. I had no idea how he did this, only that he did. And I also knew that only he could make me feel this way.

  “You look divine,” he whispered in my ear. “Come on, they’re waiting to meet you.”

  He led the way across the black and white tiled entrance floor, through another oak doorway and into a huge foyer, tastefully decorated in cream, lilac and maroon. Stunning works of modern art adorned the walls and a glittering silver sculpture of a woman held pride of place by the reception desk, contrasting with the bas-relief coats of arms set into the old stone walls. A dark plum carpet felt thick and luxurious under foot and a resplendent chandelier hung from the elevated ceiling, its crystalline elements sparkling and glinting in the sunlight that streamed through the main window.

  “It’s beautiful,” I said, looking round in wonder. “So pretty and so tastefully done.”

  “Thank you, my dear, it’s always nice to have your handiwork admired.” A soft, shimmering voice sounded behind me and I turned to see the most exquisite, beautiful woman I had ever encountered standing in the doorway to one of the rooms that led off the foyer.

  “Emily, this is my mother, Viyesha,” said Theo proudly.

  “Yes, we have met once before, have we not?” asked the beautiful vision.

  “Er, yes,” I stuttered, feeling inadequate and ill at ease, “when I came to have a look, a couple of weeks ago…”

  Seeing my discomfort, his mother held out a slim, white, perfectly manicured hand.

  “I am so pleased to meet you properly, Emily, I’ve waited a long time for this.”

  I went to shake her proffered hand and simply cannot put into words the sensation I experienced when our hands touched. Her hand was cool and smooth, her touch light yet strong, and I felt warm and happy, without a care in the world, as if I were bathing in a pool of amber nectar.

  I looked into her face. Her beauty was breath taking and I recalled the last time I’d seen her she was wearing large sunglasses. Now I was able to see everything. If Theo was beautiful, his mother was out of this world. I struggled to find the words to describe her. She radiated light, warmth and serenity. Her skin was alabaster smooth, with an even, ivory complexion. Her nose was small and perfect, her cheekbones high, and her lips full. Her blond hair was swept up, giving prominence to her large blue eyes, which shimmered and twinkled, like beautiful sapphires. Her figure was amazing, as slender and well proportioned as a Vogue model, and she was wearing a long, clinging blue dress that emphasised her perfect curves. That was it. She was perfect, not a hair out of place, like an airbrushed face in a magazine. And yet, despite the perfection, she seemed kind and friendly. Looking into her eyes, it was like gazing in to a summer’s day, full of golden sunshine.

  I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by her, but at the same time, she made me feel at home and at one with the world. Now I could see where Violet got her amazing looks. I had truly never encountered anyone like this ever before. On her wrist was a silver bangle, decorated with blue gemstones, and round her neck a pendant bearing a large blue crystal, both emphasizing the blue of her eyes and creating an overall impression of luminous blue. I couldn’t help myself, I stared, unable to take my eyes off her.

  “It’s all right, Emily, my mother always has this effect on people,” said Theo, breaking the spell. “She can’t help being so beautiful.”

  “I’m sorry,” I gasped, suddenly aware of how rude I was being. “I’m very pleased to meet you, Mrs de Lucis.”

  “Let’s not be formal. Call me Viyesha, please,” said the vision before me.

  “Okay… Viyesha…..” I felt like I’d stumbled on to a film set, so unreal was the whole situation.

  “Come and meet the family,” Viyesha instructed, and led the way through one of the many doorways leading off the reception area.

  Theo gestured for me to go first, his hand brushing against mine, and as it did, I felt a spark of electricity flash between us, rendering me powerless and passive. I found myself in a large room, possibly a ballroom, beautifully finished in delicate shades of mauve and lilac, with enormous windows looking out onto the grounds. Sunshine streamed in, giving a warm glow to the room, and my eyes took in heavy purple velvet drapes, a large, ornate fireplace where logs burned brightly and a magnificent chandelier that gleamed and sparkled. A white grand piano stood to one side, its lid raised high, and fabulous pieces of modern art adorned the walls. It was contemporary, luxurious and quite simply, magnificent. Around the fireside were three sofas of immense proportions, each in a light purple fabric, and it was here that the family sat.

  They each stood up as I entered the room and a tall man with tousled blond hair stepped towards me, offering his hand.

  “This is my husband, Leon,” said Viyesha.

  “Emily, pleased to meet you.”

  My hand was gripped in a powerful handshake and I knew instantly if I ever had a problem, Leon would take care of it. He emanated strength, power and position. I looked into his face and was met by the same intense blue eyes, slightly darker than Viyesha’s and Theo’s, flecks of grey combining with dark blue and black. I had the immediate impression that this was one man you did not want to cross.

  “Hi, Leon,” I said shyly, taking in the physique, the muscles and the handsome features.

  This truly was like being on a Hollywood film set. He reminded me of at least three leading men all rolled into one. I couldn’t decide between Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig and my mum’s heart throb, a young Robert Redford. He was an older version of Theo, as you’d expect, although he didn’t seem old. He had Viyesha’s youthfulness about him, the same smooth ivory skin, the chiselled features, the amazing blue eyes that sparkled and sho
ne, making me feel important, wanted, valued… putting me at ease, yet drawing me in.

  I broke my gaze with him, afraid of being hypnotised by the intensity. Leon seemed to be studying me curiously, looking into my face as if searching for something and I felt an intimacy that was somehow premature, as if I was being pulled towards him.

  “Hi Emily,” said Violet, from behind her father. “How are you?”

  I was glad of the diversion and pleased to see Violet looking friendly again.

  “Hi Violet, I’m good,” I answered. “I can’t believe this place, it’s magnificent.”

  “That’s mainly down to my mother,” she said, “and Joseph, of course. He’s seen to the grounds.”

  On cue, the third person who was sitting around the fireside stepped forward to shake my hand and I found myself looking at a boy possibly in his early twenties, with the same alabaster skin, blond hair and twinkling blue eyes, and the biggest smile I had ever seen. He was lovely.

  “Hello, Emily, I’ve heard all about you. I’m Joseph, Theo’s cousin.”

  As our hands touched, I felt kindness, gentleness and friendliness, as if I could tell this boy anything and he would be my friend for life.

  “Hi Joseph, I’m sorry, I didn’t realise you were here, Theo didn’t say…” I felt momentarily confused. Why hadn’t Theo mentioned a cousin staying with them?

  “It’s okay, don’t worry, I haven’t been here long,” Joseph grinned at me. “I’ve been overseeing the renovation of the grounds from a distance, a sort of remote landscaper.”

  “Well, from the little I’ve seen, you've done a fantastic job,” I said. “I can’t believe how you’ve transformed the gardens in such a brief time. When we were kids we used to play in the grounds. It was jungle-like, great for hide-and-seek and making dens. Now I imagine it looks how it did in Victorian times.”

  “Yes, I followed the old photographs and plans carefully,” he explained. “We wanted authenticity, combined with every modern comfort and extravagance the hotel could offer.”

  “You’ve succeeded from what I’ve seen,” I complimented them all, asking, “When will you open for business?”

  “Soon,” said Viyesha. “We have a private function to host first before we open our doors. But enough of that, will you take tea with us?”

  She went to pull a bell rope that hung at the side of the fireplace and, as if by magic, a tall, elegant, dark-skinned woman wearing a royal blue robe appeared with an ornate silver tray, on which were placed a white china teapot, cups, saucers, milk, sugar and a plate of delicious looking biscuits.

  “This is Pantera, our house-keeper,” explained Viyesha.

  Pantera didn’t say a word. She just stared at me with a look that was so cold and hostile, it completely threw me. Placing the tray on a coffee table in front of the fireplace with barely concealed contempt, and ignoring me totally, she addressed Viyesha. “Will you be requiring anything else?”

  “No, thank you, Pantera. That will be all.”

  Throwing me a further disdainful look with her black, glittering eyes, Pantera left the room. She moved with an arrogant, slow grace that was both beautiful and mesmerising, and I watched her go with fascination. She was like a sleek, black cat, mesmerising and deadly, and one thing was very clear. She did not like me one bit.

  We took tea and, for a while, everything became more ordinary and manageable. Theo’s parents asked me about college, university and career plans. They asked how long I’d lived in the village, about my mother and father and what I wanted to do with my life. I let them take the lead, answering their questions as politely as I could, exactly as Theo had done with my mother and Granddad.

  Afterwards, Viyesha suggested that Violet play the piano, which was unexpected, as I’d no idea she was the slightest bit musical.

  “Just one piece,” she reluctantly agreed. “Chopin’s Nocturne in E flat?”

  “Perfect,” said Viyesha, and for the next few minutes we listened, transfixed, while Violet played exquisitely, her hands moving effortlessly over the keys, filling the room with sublime cadences and trills. When she finished, there was silence for a moment, before we all applauded, Leon calling out, “Bravo, just as Chopin played it.”

  “How we imagine Chopin played it,” corrected Viyesha.

  “I don’t know about that,” I admitted, remembering my own half-hearted attempts to play piano when I was younger, “but it was beautiful, Violet. You are so talented.”

  “Thank you,” she said, grinning. “Just don’t tell anyone at college. I don’t want to get roped in to any end of term productions. Now, I must get on. I have a Philosophy project to finish. ‘Discuss the idea that free will is an illusion’. Mr Harrison, you know? Apparently he’s a stickler for deadlines…”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard. Fortunately, not my subject,” I said. “I wouldn’t know where to start.”

  “Neither do I,” said Violet, “which is why I must leave you. I’ll see you at college.”

  “Okay, see you tomorrow,” I said as she left the room, pleased that we seemed to be friends again.

  “Theo, why don’t you give Emily a tour of the hall,” suggested Viyesha. “Show her the renovations.”

  “Great idea,” said Theo, grabbing my hand. “Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.”

  “And when you’ve done that, I’ll give you a tour of the grounds,” said Joseph, beaming at me.

  “Thanks, that’d be great, Joseph,” I beamed back, liking him immensely.

  “Have fun,” said Viyesha, “but do remember to stay away from the old servants’ quarters.”

  “It’s unsafe up there,” explained Leon. “We have structural work to do. Wouldn’t want you coming to any harm.”

  He winked at me, which threw me somewhat. I felt every gesture, every word and every look had a nuance that I couldn’t quite understand, that nothing was quite as it seemed and there was another subtle, underlying agenda that I couldn’t fathom. Theo’s family might be beautiful, but they were also mysterious. Perhaps it was their money or their film star looks that made me feel ill at ease, but I felt instinctively it was something else. Tash was right. Everything was just that little bit too perfect, as if their veneer of perfection was masking something else beneath the surface. I didn’t feel threatened and I didn’t feel frightened, but I knew I must be on my guard.

  We toured the ground floor rooms first and I realised I’d never appreciated Hartswell Hall’s vast scale. As I thought, the large room in which we’d taken tea had once been the ballroom and was now designated for conferences. Other rooms led off the main foyer: the old library, a glorious, olde worlde room, furnished in red, with a vast collection of books; the old billiards room, now a private dining area, gloriously finished in blue; and a light airy drawing room, furnished in yellow and cream, with a wonderful old carved fireplace.

  An inner courtyard had been transformed into a fabulous dining area by adding a large glass atrium, where exotic plants grew alongside wrought iron sculptures, and the blend of old and new worked perfectly.

  There was no denying, Viyesha had impeccable taste. My only concern was the speed with which it had been done. Surely it wasn’t possible to achieve all this in such a short time span? I asked Theo, but he just smiled and said beguilingly, “Once my mother has set her mind to do something, nothing stands in her way.”

  After the downstairs tour, Theo led the way up the enormous carved central staircase. I remembered looking through the old rotten window frames as a child, peering in at the dark interior, thinking how scary and dirty it looked, and how one day soon it would start to fall down. Who would ever have thought it could be transformed into this light, luxurious country house hotel?

  There were thirty bedrooms in the main house, with further ‘overspill’ rooms in the old stable block. Theo led me to the left of the main stairway, where a galleried landing led to fifteen stunning rooms, each more decadent and luxurious than the last, finished i
n beautiful fabrics and materials, and providing a level of luxury I’d only seen in magazines.

  We explored the rooms one by one, until we arrived at the hall’s piece de resistance, the Bridal Chamber. It was a sumptuous room furnished in pink and red, and I glanced at the imposing four-poster bed, with its deep red brocade eiderdown and fresh white sheets, my colour rising when I thought of future possibilities. I quickly put such thoughts out of my head, realising how little I really knew Theo and how, so far, he’d been the perfect gentleman. As yet, we hadn’t even kissed, just a quick peck on the cheek. That was all. I wasn’t in any hurry for intimacy, things were moving fast enough as it was. But I was concerned how fragile Theo seemed to think I was, as if I would shatter into a million pieces unless he took great care of me.

  I’d never met a boy quite so attentive or chivalrous, and sometimes it seemed like we were embarking on an old-fashioned courtship. Certainly this whole ‘meet the parents’ scenario was like something from a bygone era. What had happened to simply hanging out, listening to music and watching DVD’s together? I was pretty inexperienced in all this, but didn’t the ‘meet the parents’ stage happen when things got a more serious? We’d only been seeing each other for a couple of weeks, and that had consisted mainly of holding hands and having lunch together in the college cafeteria. I was baffled by this strange boy and his perfect family.

  There again, life had become a whole lot more interesting now he was around and I knew there was no going back. Theo only had to look into my eyes and touch my hand for every sinew of my being to become alive with an intensity I’d never experienced before. Whatever was going on, I was well and truly hooked.

  As we left the Bridal Chamber, he turned to me.

  “Thanks for coming to meet the family, Emily,” he said quietly. “You have no idea what it means to me.”

  I looked up at him, his eyes full of tenderness and love.

  “It’s no big deal,” I shrugged. “Just wanted to have a sneaky peek at the hall and see what you’ve been up to…” I grinned at him.

  “And did you pick up some good tips on interior design?” he asked, smiling.

  “A few. Now I want some tips on gardening.”

  He looked at me closely and for a moment, I thought he was about to kiss me. I savoured the anticipation with excitement. At last! But then the moment was gone and he turned away, saying briskly, “Let’s go and find Joseph and see the gardens before the afternoon sun disappears. There are plenty more rooms, but I guess you’ve seen enough furnishings for one day.”

  Just like that, the intimacy was replaced by the commonplace, the tenderness by formality. We were back on neutral ground.

  We walked back towards the main stairway, Theo leading the way, passing a narrow flight of stairs I hadn’t noticed earlier. It appeared to lead to the upper floors and looked dark and mysterious, the bannister peeling and chipped, old plasterwork and dust littering the steps. Original gas lamps on the walls were festooned with dusty cobwebs, draped between them like spooky Halloween bunting.

  “What’s up here, Theo?” I called, peering up the dark stairway.

  He turned abruptly, a flash of anxiety crossing his features. “You can’t go up there, Emily. It’s not safe.”

  “It’s okay,” I placated him, surprised at his tone of voice. “I wasn’t about to. I’m guessing this leads to the old servants’ quarters?”

  “Yes, it does, but the floorboards are rotten and your foot could go through. There’s nothing to see up there. Just empty rooms.”

  “Okay, it’s no big deal,” I laughed, “Let’s go and find Joseph. Lead on McDuff….”

  As he turned away, I couldn’t help but take one last look at the creepy old stairway, gazing up the steps into the inky blackness, convinced there was another reason why they were warning me off. A sudden cold draught wafted down the stairs onto my face, as if the house was sighing and I shivered involuntarily, the goose bumps rising on my flesh.

  Feeling suddenly afraid, I ran after Theo.

  12. Danger in the Gardens

  We let ourselves out of the huge oak front door, lifting the massive iron latch and stepping into the courtyard that would soon double as a car parking area. The afternoon was still warm and sunny, giving a sleepy, lazy feel to the grounds and the gravel crunched beneath our feet. As Joseph was nowhere to be seen, we walked round the outside of the hall until we were at the rear, where a swathe of vibrant green grass formed the centrepiece of the formal gardens. We walked up to the ha-ha, a concealed low-lying wall that formed the edge of the gardens and stood admiring the panoramic vista that opened before us. This was English countryside at its best, a patchwork of fields and farmland cascading away in front of our eyes, disappearing into the horizon.

  “It’s beautiful, Theo,” I said, mesmerised by the view. “You are so lucky to live here.”

  “I know,” he answered, “but it didn’t always look like this. Joseph has worked magic on the grounds.”

  I turned to face the rear elevation, thinking how stunning the hall looked since it had been renovated.

  “What’s that over there?” I asked, noticing a strange tower positioned to right of the hall. “Come on, Theo, show me.”

  Without waiting for him to reply, I ran across the lawn, towards the tower.

  “Emily, wait,” called Theo. “I wasn’t going that way. Wait for Joseph.”

  But I was ahead of him and took no notice, giving him no choice but to follow.

  I ran round the side of the hall and there before me, forming the building’s most easterly point, stood an intriguing hexagonal tower about five stories high, made of honeyed Cotswold stone. It was a true Rapunzel tower, complete with a turret room at the top and a black slate roof that sloped steeply downwards over three decorative gabled windows, giving it a gothic fairy-tale look. On the middle level, three of the six sides featured long, narrow, arched windows, while the alternate sides were each adorned with a beautiful ornate clock, finished in burnished gold. Beneath each clock face, strange symbols had been hewn into the stonework.

  Theo caught up with me and grabbed my hand.

  “Come on, Emily, let’s find Joseph.”

  “No, wait, I want to have a look at this tower,” I remonstrated. “It’s amazing. What are those symbols?”

  Before he could answer, there was a noise behind us.

  “I see you’ve found our mysterious Clock Tower,” said a voice, making me turn round sharply.

  It was Joseph, the sun behind him lighting his tousled blond hair so that it shone like a halo, giving him an almost ethereal look.

  “Hi Joseph,” I said with a smile. “This is fantastic. I’ve never seen anything like it. ”

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked, looking up at the tower. “Quite a tricky renovation project. But I’m pleased with the results.”

  “What’s it used for?” I asked, and noticed a glance between Theo and his cousin.

  “It’s just decorative, said Theo, dismissively, “an embellishment to the main hall.”

  “A typical Victorian extravagance,” explained Joseph. “It has no use, other than looking nice.”

  “Can you get in?” I asked, noticing steps leading up to a small wooden door at ground floor level.

  “Not via that door,” said Joseph. “The wood’s swollen and jammed into the doorframe. It needs replacing, my next job. There is another way via the old servants’ staircase, but that’s closed off at the moment.”

  Yet again, the old servants’ staircase had been mentioned, rousing my curiosity. I was intrigued and longed to explore the upper regions of the house and take a look inside the gothic tower. As a child, I’d always loved exploring old castles and country houses, relishing stories of dungeons, priest holes, murders and ghosts. Now, childhood memories stirred and I felt a compulsion to see inside the tower.

  “There’s nothing in there,” said Theo, reading my mind, “just a bare, empty room at
the top and another smaller chamber on the floor beneath.”

  Once again, I detected a quick glance between them, so brief, I almost missed it. A mere flicker of the eyelids and a slight look askance. But it was there. And it was enough to arouse my suspicions. There was something they weren’t telling me, and I wanted to know what it was.

  “Come on,” said Joseph, “I want to show you my new project.”

  There was nothing more I could do, so I followed Joseph around the outer wall of Hartswell Hall, Theo walking behind me. Almost like being escorted away, I thought, as if they’re guiding me in a different direction. It was only later that I realised Theo had never answered my question about the strange symbols hewn into the stonework.

  “Look, Emily, what do you make of this?” asked Joseph as we came to a small clearing, containing a low circular stone wall, covered in moss, encompassing a circle of grass, with the base of a statue at its centre.

  “This was where the old carriages used to turn around, rather like a Victorian roundabout. The statue in the middle was once a fountain. It must have looked amazing with the water cascading down, as horses and carriages drove around it. I’m going to get it all working again. And this pathway here,” he pointed to a small, overgrown path leading into the undergrowth, “is an ancient walk-way to the village church. I’m going to open it up again.”

  “It’s all so impressive,” I said, “I can’t believe how much you’ve done.”

  “Come and see the rest of the grounds,” said Joseph, excitedly. We followed him around the side of the hall until, once again, we were standing at the front entrance, with the gravel beneath our feet.

  For the next half hour, he showed us the gardens, revealing pathways cleared and statues cleaned; the lake dredged and parkland reinstated; floral borders and wonderful topiary shapes created; vistas and terraces reclaimed: and the kitchen gardens, planted with every kind of succulent fresh produce you could imagine.

  My gardening knowledge was next to zero and I didn’t know the first thing about trees and plants, but I knew a beautiful garden when I saw it. Hartswell Hall grounds were truly magical. It seemed as if spring had suddenly burst upon the forgotten gardens and Joseph had brought the overgrown grounds back to life, creating order amidst the chaos in an incredibly short amount of time.

  “You must have had an army of gardeners to achieve all this, Joseph. Where are they all?” I asked him, puzzled, seeing no staff at all as we walked round the grounds.

  “Sunday is their day off,” he explained. “They need to have one day of rest from my tyrannical rule.”

  “Why don't you show Emily your Rose Garden?” suggested Theo, and Joseph led us towards an archway, specially created in the neatly clipped privet hedge. As we stepped through, I exclaimed in amazement as a sea of roses met my gaze. There were pinks, reds, yellows, oranges and whites, in every shade imaginable, and the scent was intoxicating.

  “Joseph, this is beautiful,” I said, taking in the sight before me.

  He took out a pair of secateurs and cut off a stunning red rose. “For you Emily. A red rose. Symbol of youth and beauty.”

  “Why, thank you,” I said, blushing at his sudden and unexpected gesture.

  “It’s my own hybrid,” he said. “It’s called Eternal Youth.”

  I put the rose to my nostrils and inhaled its sweet scent. “It smells divine. Thank you.”

  “Have we done now?” asked Theo sharply, and I had to smile at the jealousy in his tone. “It’s time we went back.”

  “One more thing,” said Joseph. “I want to show you my secret garden.”

  He led us to an old red brick wall, about two and a half metres high, partially hidden by a tangle of ivy climbing its surface. The bits of wall that could be seen revealed weathered, mottled bricks, with discoloured lime mortar coming away in chunks. Joseph pulled back a large piece of overhanging ivy, to reveal a wooden door, decorated with carvings. Joseph took a large, ornate key from his pocket and, with some effort, unlocked the door and pushed it open. We stepped inside to discover a wild, mysterious world waiting to be discovered. Trees, shrubs and bushes competed with one another for space, an overgrown pathway disappeared into the wilderness, and the crumbling stone arches of a forgotten folly rose through the confusion of greenery.

  “I’ve only just found the key,” explained Joseph, “that’s why nothing’s been done here yet.”

  “This is amazing. Can we go exploring?” I asked.

  “Of course,” beamed Joseph. “Why don’t we follow the old pathway and see how far it goes into the undergrowth.”

  “Don’t you think we should be getting back?” said Theo, “It’s getting late.”

  “There’s plenty of time,” said Joseph, starting down the pathway. Reluctantly, Theo followed, holding back branches to make it easier for me to follow.

  We’d gone no more than twenty metres or so along the pathway when Joseph turned to us and said, “Sorry folks, I’ve left the key in the lock. It’s the only one and I don’t want to lose it. I’d better go back and get it.”

  “I’ll go,” I offered, “I’m closest to the door. I won’t be a minute.”

  I retraced my steps along the overgrown woodland path and retrieved the key. I tried to push the old door shut, but it caught on the uneven ground and refused to budge. I gave it a sharp shove, trying to force it, and as I did, I heard a muffled noise above me. Looking up, I saw the wall over the door lintel move precariously, tilting for a moment before falling.

  I had no time to think or shout. I saw the wall coming towards me and in the same split second, I was aware of Theo scooping me into his arms and carrying me out of danger. I heard the bricks crash to the ground, causing dust, mortar and soil to billow up in a cloud and for a brief moment all was still. Then I heard Theo saying urgently, “Emily, are you okay? Are you hurt?” He held me in his arms, and I could feel his heart beating against my shoulder.

  “No, I’m fine,” I said in a shocked voice. “What happened?”

  “The wall over the door frame gave way,” said Joseph, picking his way through the broken bricks and examining the large hole that had appeared above the door. “The movement of us opening and closing the door, combined with the dried out mortar, must have weakened the wall and caused it to collapse.”

  He looked at me. “Emily, I’m sorry. I would never, ever have placed you in danger. You know that, don’t you?”

  “Of course, Joseph,” I answered shakily. “It was an accident. You weren’t to know the wall was about to fall.”

  “No, you weren’t, were you Joseph?” Theo spoke with an edge to his voice, and again I caught a look between them.

  “I swear it, Theo, I didn’t know the wall was unsafe. Why would I want to hurt Emily?”

  “Why indeed?” said Theo coldly. “Come on Emily, let’s get back to the house. Are you okay to walk?” He still held me in his arms and seemed reluctant to put me down.

  “Theo, I had a near miss, but I’m fine,” I assured him. “Please put me down.”

  He carefully placed me on the pathway and although my legs were a little wobbly, I felt okay to walk. It was only as I stepped over the broken bricks that I realised how close to injury I’d come. If Theo had not acted so quickly, I would have sustained a serious head wound and could even have been killed.

  I turned, and saw Joseph, picking the red rose he’d given me, bruised and broken, out of the rubble.

  “Joseph,” I said gently, “I’m okay. It’s not your fault.”

  He looked up and smiled weakly.

  Theo firmly took my hand and led me over the broken bricks, through the old doorframe, now surrounded by a ragged edge of bricks.

  “Come on, we’re going back to the hall and I’m getting you a sweet tea or a brandy. I don’t want you going into delayed shock.” He looked straight ahead and I puzzled that his reaction seemed more of anger than concern, once he knew I was unhurt.

  “Theo, don’t w
alk so quickly. I’m okay. That’s all the matters. Thanks to you, the wall didn’t even touch me.”

  He turned and looked at me briefly. “Sorry, Emily. It’s my job to keep you safe and I nearly failed.”

  “What do you mean, it’s your job? You’re not responsible for me. And I’d like to know how you managed to move so quickly. One minute you were over by Joseph, a good twenty metres or so down the pathway, the next you were saving me from a falling wall. How did you do it?”

  “I wasn’t that far away,” he answered. “Memory plays funny tricks when accidents happen.”

  Maybe he was right, I wasn’t sure. I was starting to feel a little weak and was glad when the hall came into view.

  “Where’s Joseph?” I asked, looking back.

  “Sorting out the wall if he’s got anything about him,” said Theo angrily, pushing open the great oak front door.

  As I looked back, a movement in the bushes caught my eye. A dark figure stood looking at us from some distance away, in the same direction as the secret garden. It was Aquila, the chauffeur. I could just make out his features: the hooked nose, the cruel, curling lips and the heavy, dark eyes. I only looked at him for a brief second, but his expression was so malevolent it made my blood run cold.

  “Come on Emily,” called Theo, causing me to turn.

  I looked back once again, but Aquila had gone and although I strained my eyes, I couldn’t see him. It seemed improbable, but I couldn’t help thinking that maybe he’d had something to do with the falling wall. Perhaps Joseph had been in on the arrangement, purposefully leaving the key in the lock? It seemed implausible and I couldn’t believe Joseph would want to harm me. He seemed genuinely to like me. Aquila, on the other hand, plainly disliked me. But there again, disliking someone was a long way from trying to kill them. And what was his motive? He hardly knew me. And how did Theo manage to move so quickly? He was twenty metres down the pathway, and couldn’t even see the door.

  I recalled Theo’s words that it was his job to keep me safe and shook my head in disbelief. This was all too ridiculous to contemplate. I was letting my imagination run away with me. And yet, deep down, I knew that something wasn’t right.

  Perhaps I should have left at that point, walked away and never looked back. My instincts were telling me to run, to get as far away from Hartswell Hall and this strange family as fast as I could.

  But I didn’t.

  I followed Theo into house and in doing so, closed my escape route forever.

  13. Face on a Necklace I

  Theo led me to a small room adjacent to the reception desk. It was a warm, welcoming room, with a bar and large square sofas positioned around low black glass coffee tables, where guests could enjoy a pre or post dinner drink or a morning coffee. I sat on one of the sofas and Theo plumped up the cushions behind my back. My legs were feeling pretty shaky now the adrenalin had stopped pumping round my system and I felt glad to be sitting.

  “Wait here,” he commanded, “I’m going to get some sweet tea organised.”

  He heard him speaking to someone in reception, then he was back, sitting next to me and holding my hand.

  “Pantera’ s seeing to it,” he said. “You look very pale. You’re not feeling faint are you?”

  “No, I’m fine. It was just a shock, that’s all.”

  I sat back amidst the huge cushions and forced myself to breathe slowly.

  A couple of minutes later, Pantera walked in, bearing the same silver tray I’d seen previously. It contained one white teacup and saucer, with a small white teapot, a milk jug and sugar bowl. She looked at me with contempt, not a shred of concern in her dark eyes, and put the tray down on the coffee table with such force, the china rattled.

  “Thanks, Pantera,” said Theo, and she scowled back him.

  “Anything else?” she said in deep, husky tones, barely moving her lips.

  “No, that’s all. Thank you.”

  She left us, darting one last malevolent look at me that made me feel even more insecure and shaky.

  Theo poured the tea, adding milk and three generous spoonfuls of sugar. I wondered whether I dared drink it, or whether Pantera had added a generous touch of poison. It was clear the servants here had no respect for me and were making it quite clear I was unwelcome. Well, tough. They were the servants. I was the guest. It wasn’t up to them who Theo brought into the house. They needed to know their place, I reasoned.

  I sipped the tea and looked at Theo, whose eyes hadn’t left my face. He looked white-faced and drained.

  I smiled at him. “I’m okay. Please don’t worry. Thanks to you, not a single hair on my head was touched.” I put my hand on his arm, trying to reassure him. He seemed close to tears.

  “If something happened to you, I would never forgive myself. Never,” he said, with force.

  He leaned forward and kissed me gently on the lips. Near miss or not, I wasn’t so traumatised, I couldn’t react to the touch of his lips. I’d been waiting all day for this. It didn’t last long and it wasn’t what you’d call a romantic kiss. But it was electric. My stomach turned somersaults and I felt a surge of energy pulse across my body. I felt weak and energised at the same time, if that was possible.

  I opened my eyes wide, trying to understand the emotions that were stirring within me, feeling the faint imprint of his lips on mine, as if I’d been seared by hot metal. His deep blue eyes gazed into mine and I was lost, hypnotised by the intensity of the occasion, the strangeness of the day and my dice with death. Something unspoken had just passed between us and I knew there was no going back. Every fibre of my being needed this boy. I had never felt this way before, and was never more sure of anything in my life. He smiled at me and I knew that as long as I was with Theo I would be safe. He would never let anything happen to me.

  As he sat back into the sofa, I noticed for the first time a silver chain around his neck, with a pendant attached to it. Previously, it had been hidden beneath his shirt. Now I could see it clearly.

  “What's that round your neck, Theo?” I asked.

  He instinctively put his hand to the chain and held it protectively.

  “This? Oh, nothing, just a chain I wear.” He was about to tuck it beneath the neck of his shirt.

  “Can I see it?” I asked, and put my hand up to his.

  “It’s probably not a good idea,” said Theo, trying to take my hand away.

  “Let me see, please…?” I asked.

  He relented and gently I took the pendant in my hand. I saw immediately it wasn’t a pendant at all. It was a delicate and unusual piece of jewellery; a white cameo on a blue crystal background, showing a woman’s head in three-quarter profile. It was almost feminine and certainly not what I would have expected a 19-year old boy to be wearing.

  “It’s beautiful,” I started to say, then exclaimed in surprise, as I took a closer look. “Why Theo, it looks a little like me. Where did you get it from?”

  “I’ve had it for a long time,” he said, pulling the chain out of my hands and tucking it firmly beneath his shirt. “It’s very old, an antique. I guess it does look a bit like you. What a coincidence, eh? Now, would you like some more tea?”

  “No, thank you, I’ve had enough,” I said, watching him closely. He was suddenly defensive and I wanted to know why. If it was an antique, the cameo couldn’t possibly show my picture, it was far too old. But how odd it should look like me and what a strange choice of jewellery for Theo to be wearing.

  Yet again, something didn’t add up.

  There were too many questions surrounding Theo and his family. Nothing was as it seemed and I didn’t know what I was getting into. This was not your average teenage relationship. There were issues here that went way deeper than hormones and physical attraction. As yet, I couldn’t work out what was going on, but I would find out. My antennae were on high alert, and I was determined to uncover the secrets of this strange, beautiful family.

  Had I known the truth I wo
uld later discover, I would have stopped there and then.

  But sometimes the truth is beyond your wildest imagination, and so far removed from your own sphere of existence, it is impossible to comprehend.

  So I blundered on, setting in motion a course of events from which there would be no return.

  14. Face on a Necklace II

  That evening, the de Lucis family assembled in the old library, where Viyesha addressed them in low, chilled tones. No one doubted the seriousness of the situation, nor the fury of the woman who stood before them.

  “The situation is getting out of hand. We have only just arrived and already our safety is compromised. We are only ever as good as our weakest link, and Theo, you have introduced a weak link direct into the heart of the family.”

  She paused and walked over to the window, looking out at the evening sun setting blood red over Hartswell Hall grounds. On any other night the beauty and drama of the twilight sky would have calmed and grounded her. But not tonight.

  She took a deep breath and said, more to herself than the family behind her, “What was I thinking to allow a stranger in? I was momentarily distracted by innocence and love and the potential for something good to develop. But it is ultimately down to me that the threat now exists, and for that I must take full responsibility. I should have stopped things while I had the opportunity. Now, I fear, it may be too late.”

  “Mother…” Theo started to say, but his father, standing behind him, put a warning hand onto his shoulder, and indicated by a shake of his head that he should remain silent.

  “Let me think this through,” said Viyesha, walking again towards the window. She found the motion comforting, allowing the movement to give shape to her words.

  “Theo and Joseph, I’ll come to you in a moment. Aquila, you are my primary concern.” She turned to face the lounging chauffeur, who sat sprawled on one of the leather Chesterfields, his legs angled towards her. His black eyes were slits, seeping anger and insolence, his lips curled in a sneer.

  “Let me finish what I started…” he began to say in low, guttural tones, but Viyesha held up her hand.

  “Enough,” she hissed at him. “You have done enough damage. You were behind the falling wall. You were seen, you cannot deny it.”

  “Why should I deny the truth?” he spat his words out ferociously. “He…’ he pointed angrily at Theo, “has put everything we hold precious in danger. Our very existence is now threatened. And it is up to me to clean up.” He faced Theo. “Have you learned nothing over the years, you imbecile? I should deal with you also.”

  “Aquila, you go too far,” hissed Viyesha. “I forbid it. If and when the time comes, I will deal with things in my way.”

  “If and when?” said a low voice to Viyesha’s left. It was Pantera and she now stood up, tall and magnificent, angrily facing Viyesha. “Aquila is right. The threat is here now and must be removed as quickly as possible. The girl has seen too much, she has started to question. She will bring others. We must eliminate her as soon as possible.”

  “No,” shouted Theo, “Mother, tell them, they cannot do this.”

  “Pantera, sit, please,” said Viyesha, in a slow calm voice, waiting until Pantera sat once again, “Violence is simply not an option. You cannot use your usual methods, not in a civilised country. That, more than anything, would bring others here. Perhaps we were wrong to come to this place, but we had to settle somewhere and after everything that has happened to us, it seemed peaceful here. Safe. Just what we needed. And the alignment was right. There was nowhere else we could go.”

  “It was safe until he started bringing strangers in,” said Aquila in his low, rasping voice.

  “Silence,” demanded Viyesha. “This is not helping. It was I who gave permission for the girl to visit. If you must put blame at anyone’s door, lay it at mine. Although, Theo and Joseph,” she turned to look at the cousins, who were sitting side by side on the other leather Chesterfield in the room, “what were you doing showing Emily the tower?”

  Theo hung his head. “Sorry mother, she wanted to have a look. It’s so magnificent, you can’t miss it. She was only asking the questions other people will ask.”

  “It’s true, Viyesha,” said Joseph. “She didn’t come to spy. She was just showing a healthy interest in the work I’ve done.”

  “So healthy, you felt you had to present her with a red rose,” pointed out Theo. “What was all that about? I bring my girlfriend here and you come on to her?”

  “I wasn’t coming on to her,” countered Joseph. “It was a spur of the moment gesture…”

  “And it was you who suggested Emily go back for the key,” said Theo, angrily. “Were you working with Aquila? Was it all part of the plot to get rid of her?”

  “No,” shouted Joseph. “She offered. I swear I knew nothing about it.”

  “Stop it, both of you,” said Viyesha, holding up her hands. “Violet, what do you make of this girl? You know her as well as anybody here. Do you think she’s a threat?”

  Violet’s eyes sparkled blue and a small triumphant smile appeared momentarily on her face at being consulted. She sat apart from the others and had observed the bickering with some amusement, waiting for her turn to speak. Now she chose her words carefully.

  “I don’t think Emily is so much the threat, as Theo,” she smiled icily at her brother. “He seems unable to contain his emotions and stay in control. I find that more worrying than anything.”

  “You’re only jealous, Violet, because you thought you’d found a new friend and she prefers to be with me, rather than you.” Theo turned on his sister.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” she started to say, but Theo interrupted her.

  “All that time when you only had me for company and longed for a female friend,” he said, “when you’d gaze out of the window and curse being in Egypt, with the fear and the curfews and the paranoia. When you met Emily, you thought you’d found a soul mate, didn’t you? A girl you could relate to, who was as pretty as you. It was only natural you’d be jealous when Emily took up with me.”

  “Mother, don’t listen to him,” pleaded Violet. “He’s just trying to be hurtful.”

  “She’s right, Theo,” said Viyesha. “This doesn’t help at all.” She turned to her husband, who had remained silent throughout, observing all that had gone on, his face impassive. “Leon, help me. What do we do?”

  Leon took a deep breath and looked around the room before he started to speak.

  “Okay, first things first. No more violence.” He addressed this primarily to Aquila, who uttered a snort of derision. “It goes against our principles to show violence towards a creature of youth and innocence. We have never overtly killed those who are weaker than ourselves. The girl herself poses no threat. It is others who threaten us and my fear is that they may use her to get to us. In which case, she is the one in immediate danger, not us.”

  “Wisely said, my love,” uttered Viyesha. ‘I knew you would see clearly. So what is our best course of action?”

  “We have no choice,” answered Leon. “We have to draw her in for her own protection. For the immediate future, we must watch over her carefully. Her safety may be paramount to our existence. So for now, we watch, we wait and we protect. But never doubt it,” and now he addressed Aquila, “our existence takes priority, and if necessary, we will do anything to protect ourselves. Even disposing of an innocent, if the situation arises.” Aquila’s eyes glinted at the prospect.

  Leon continued. “This girl has had an effect on every one. She has touched you all in one way or another, and that is something I have never seen before. She has unsettled and destabilised the family, which gives me cause for concern. Remember, division breeds weakness and leaves us open to attack. We must remain united at all costs.”

  “I’m not so sure she is an innocent.” Theo spoke slowly, looking at Viyesha.

  “What do you mean?” she asked anxiously.

  “She saw my necklace,??
? he answered. “She saw the face on the cameo and recognised it as herself.”

  “Could it be possible?” murmured Viyesha, “She certainly has a look about her. ”

  “I don’t know, mother,” he answered, and looking round the room, he added, “If she is who I think she is, it changes everything. You have to let me find out.”

  “What about you, Violet?” Viyesha addressed her daughter. “What did you see that made you befriend this girl? Tell me the truth.”

  Violet paused before replying, “She has a bright blue aura. I’ve never seen one so bright on a mortal being, it’s as bright as ours.”

  There was a silence as everyone took in the implication of her words. The silence seemed to ripple and move outwards, like rings in a pool when a pebble has been thrown in, and the air itself seemed to quiver in anticipation.

  Then Viyesha spoke, “Let us pray that it is she. With all my heart I hope she has returned to us, for all our sakes, but most of all for yours, Theo. You have waited too long for this.”

  15. Unusual Powers

  I saw Theo at college on Monday morning. As I closed my locker, he was standing there.

  “Theo!” I exclaimed. “Don't creep up on me like that. You made me jump.”

  “Sorry,” he grinned, “just wanted to make sure there were no after effects. You know, after your near miss yesterday.”

  “I’m fine,” I said, putting my locker key into my jacket pocket and picking up my backpack. “I may look fragile, but I’m made of strong stuff. No after effects to report.”

  “Good, I’m glad you’re feeling okay. I’ve told Joseph to get the wall sorted. I don’t want a repeat of that happening. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to you.”

  “But why should it, Theo? You’re making it sound like my life is in danger. It does sound a bit over dramatic.”

  “Sorry, just being protective, that’s all.”

  He smiled at me and I felt my insides melt, but before I could say anything a bell rang, followed by the sound of feet running and people talking

  “I’ve got to go,” I said to Theo. “History seminar. Thomas Cromwell: Able administrator or agent provocateur?” I grimaced, then reaching up, I pecked his cheek, saying, “Thanks for looking after me, Superman!”

  I grinned at him, luxuriating in the energy flow that ran from his body to mine.

  “All part of the service, ma’am,” he said, mock saluting me. “Catch you later, probably lunchtime, I have a tutorial this morning that will likely run over.”

  “Okay, see you in the café for lunch.”

  He called after me as I hurried down the corridor. “Agent provocateur. He was always the spider in the web.”

  I glanced back. For a split second, I had the impression he spoke from experience. I smiled to myself and pushed the strange thought from my mind.

  Now we were at college, I was glad to get back to normality following my unnerving afternoon at Hartswell Hall. To say I felt out of my depth was to put it mildly. I fancied Theo like mad and there was no denying there was a very strong connection between us, but it was all so strange and intense, and so different to anything I’d encountered before. Why couldn’t I just fall for someone like me? Someone who lived in an ordinary house, with normal parents and no mystery surrounding them. Why had I fallen for someone with a millionaire lifestyle, who lived in a stately home, with servants at his beck and call, and parents who looked like film stars? And why did I get the impression that all was not as it seemed, that the house and the money and the beautiful looks were all smoke and mirrors?

  Something was not right about Theo’s family and, although I was intrigued and determined to uncover their secret, all I really wanted right now was a healthy dose of normality.

  On cue, Seth came lounging up the corridor towards me, his black hair falling across his face.

  “Hi Emmie, how’s it hanging?” he asked.

  “It’s hanging out of kilter, actually,” I said, very glad to see him. I’d missed the bus that morning and my mum had driven me in, so I hadn’t seen either Seth or Tash since the previous week.

  “Don’t tell me. You and lover boy have split up. I knew it wouldn’t last.”

  “No, Theo and I are fine,” I said. “It’s just his family that’s a bit strange.” I felt disloyal talking about Theo’s family, but my need to feel grounded outweighed my need for loyalty.

  “Tell me about it at break time,” suggested Seth, “and make sure you include Tash. She’s been missing you. I think you should both make up.”

  “Okay,” I agreed, “I miss her too, but she was pretty nasty about Theo.”

  “Probably jealous,” said Seth, “I mean, he is the heart-throb of Hartsdown. After me, he’s the one all the girls want to go out with.”

  “Delusional as ever, Seth. See you later.”

  “Yeah, see ya,” and he slouched off down the corridor.

  I felt better for our brief interchange, as if reality had come back into my life and I looked forward to seeing my friends at break time.

  There was a slight atmosphere when I sat down with Tash and Seth in the café mid morning. Things had been very strained between us for the last two weeks, but Tash was the first one to apologise, which made life easier.

  “Sorry, Emmie, I’ve missed you,” she said sadly. “It wasn’t that I was jealous, truly, whatever Seth says.”

  She shot him a ‘button it or else’ look and he adopted a ‘who me?’ look. I beamed at them both. It was good to see them.

  “It’s just I was worried about you. This whole Theo thing is very sudden and intense, and we don’t really know anything about him.”

  “Far too good looking, if you ask me,” said Seth, hanging over the table, his body almost too big for the chair he was sitting on. “No-one can be that handsome without having a seriously defective personality.”

  “Seth, shut up. As usual, you’re talking rubbish,” I said to him, playfully. “And yet, there is something in what you’re saying.”

  Both my friends leaned closer over the table.

  “What d’you mean?” asked Tash.

  “Tell,” said Seth.

  So I told them of my strange visit to Hartswell Hall, about meeting Theo’s impossibly beautiful family, how they’d renovated the old house in an unfeasibly short time span and how Joseph had totally transformed the grounds.

  “Honestly,” I said, “you should see the place. It’s fantastic, like a palace, no expense spared. And how Joseph has managed to clear and tend the grounds in just a few weeks, I don’t know. It’s just not humanly possible.”

  Tash and Seth exchanged glances.

  “Maybe that’s it,” said Tash, ominously, “They’re not human.”

  I felt goosebumps all over my body and shuddered.

  “What do you mean, Tash? If they’re not human, what are they? D’you think they’re aliens? That’s a ridiculous thing to say. You’ve been watching too much Doctor Who.”

  “Tell us more, Emily,” said Seth. “What happened while you were there? Did they make you feel welcome?”

  “Yes, very welcome,” I said. “His mother and father and his cousin, and even Violet, were absolutely charming to me. His mother seems to have this amazing knack of making you feel totally relaxed, even though she looks like something out of a fashion magazine. And his father conveys this immense protective strength, as if he’d do anything to keep you safe. And Joseph is just plain lovely, well, at least I thought he was….”

  I tailed off, wondering whether to tell them about the wall incident.

  “Yes, carry on,” instructed Tash. “Obviously Joseph did something that upset you.”

  And so I told them about looking round the grounds, how Joseph had suggested we look at the walled garden, and how I’d gone back for the key. I recounted how the wall had collapsed and it was only Theo’s amazing reaction that had saved me.

  “OMG,” said Tash, “you really are in danger. Emi
ly, you can’t go back there. What if something else were to happen? Do you think they’re trying to lure you in?”

  “Thank goodness Theo is such a fast mover,” exclaimed Seth, sarcastically. “”You said he was at least twenty metres down the path when the wall started to collapse?”

  “I think so,” I said.

  “So how did he manage to get back to the wall and carry you out of danger so quickly? Does he have super human powers?”

  “I don’t know, Seth. Maybe he was closer than I realised.”

  “And how come the wall collapsed in the first place?” asked Tash.

  “I’m not sure,” I answered, “but I do have a theory, which is a bit unnerving. The servants seem to hate me. Aquila, the chauffeur, is the most evil character you could ever meet and looks daggers every time he sees me. Pantera, the house-keeper, barely acknowledges my presence and makes it quite clear she’d have more respect for a piece of dirt.”

  “Sounds bizarre,” said Tash.

  “Bizarre having servants in the first place,” added Seth.

  “The thing is,” I continued, “after the wall collapsed, Theo and I were walking back to the house, when I saw Aquila hanging round the grounds. If looks could kill, I’d have withered on the spot.”

  “D’you think he had something to do with the wall collapsing?” asked Tash.

  “I don’t know,” I said. “There’s something very strange about the whole place. I get the feeling anything is possible there.”

  “I’ll tell you something that is strange,” said Seth, looking shiftily around for dramatic emphasis.

  “What?” said Tash and I in unison, leaning forward.

  “You remember the woman that died? The one who aged rapidly? Well, according to my mum, she was the estate agent who sold Hartswell Hall to the de Lucis family.”

  “Meaning what….?” asked Tash in a low voice.

  “I don’t know,” said Seth in an equally low voice, “but remember, she went from looking like a twenty-year old with awesome energy levels to a shrivelled old crone in just a few weeks. Apparently, she started turning to dust when she was at the Coroner’s.”

  “So, maybe she had a premature ageing condition,” I suggested.

  “Or…” said Seth, raising his eyebrows.

  “Or what?” I asked.

  “Think about how the family looks,” said Seth. “You said they all have beautiful white alabaster skin and clear blue eyes?”

  “Yes,” I said, “their skin is amazing, it almost seems to glow. And they all have gorgeous blond hair. Violet and her mother have perfect figures, Theo and his father and cousin have the most incredible physique.”

  “And they all have different powers…” continued Seth. “His mother makes you feel calm and relaxed, his father conveys tremendous strength and Theo is obviously faster than the speed of light …”

  “Joseph is green-fingered and makes things grow,” added Tash.

  “And Violet,” said Seth, looking misty-eyed into the distance, “well, Violet is just perfect, let’s face it. I wouldn’t say no if she asked …”

  “Pigs and flying come to mind,” I said to Seth. “Can we get back to the point please?”

  “The point being,” said Seth slowly, spelling it out to us, “is that these people are not normal.”

  “Er, yes, I think we’ve worked that one out,” said Tash. “Tell us something we don’t know.”

  “Have you ever seen them eating?” asked Seth.

  “No, I haven’t seen the family eating anything,” I answered. “They only had cups of tea when I was there. Mind you, Theo and Violet are always in the café.”

  “Yes, and what do they eat?” demanded Seth.

  “Now you mention it, not much,” I admitted. “Just a salad here and there.”

  “Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it?” said Seth.

  “Is it?” Tash and I said in unison.

  Seth stared at us. “Come on, keep up, creatures who drain the life force out human beings… “

  We both looked at him blankly.

  “Vampires,” he said triumphantly. “Speaking of which …”

  He looked over to the cafeteria door behind us and we both turned round. Violet had just come into the café and stood, looking around. Seeing us, she started to walk towards our table.

  “Act normal,” said Seth as she approached, an instruction that was just about impossible, given what he’d just said.

  “Hi Violet,” I said brightly, as she sat down in a spare chair at the table. “How are you? Did you get your philosophy project finished?”

  “Hi guys,” she said in her clear voice, smiling at us, “yes, I did. Just handed it in.” And looking at me, she asked, “How are you, Emily? Recovered from your little scrape yesterday?”

  I was surprised that she was bringing it out in the open. If the family really were trying to do away with me, surely she would be keeping things quiet. I tried to avoid looking at Seth, who was doing fang impressions behind Violet.

  “Yes, I’m fine,” I said. “It was nothing. Luckily, Theo was on hand and I wasn’t hurt in the slightest.”

  “Emily had a close call with a falling wall,” Violet explained to Seth and Tash, “as I’m sure she’s told you.”

  “Yeah, she might have mentioned it,” said Seth, in an off-hand manner.

  “Well, I thought you’d like to know that Joseph’s had a look at the wall,” she said. “Apparently, it’s unsound all the way along. It was an accident waiting to happen and you happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s having the entire wall rebuilt. We certainly don’t want an action replay when we start having paying guests.”

  “No, killing off your guests won’t be good for business,” said Seth, with a straight face, causing Violet to reply, “I can assure you, Seth, we have no intention of killing off any of our guests, paying or otherwise.”

  “Glad to hear it, Violet,” he answered, and I was relieved to hear the bell go for lessons. I felt very uncomfortable seeing Violet after we’d just been discussing her family. And Seth’s statement about vampires seemed completely ridiculous.

  We walked out of the café and made our way upstairs for Double English Literature, Violet staying close to me and preventing further discussion.

  Just as Miss Widdicombe entered the classroom, Seth turned to me from the row in front and mouthed ‘vampires’ to me once again, doing his ridiculous fang impression. I frowned at him and shook my head, glancing nervously across to Violet. I wasn’t sure if she’d seen or not.

  It was only later I realised I’d never mentioned the face on the necklace to my friends. For some reason, I didn’t feel I could. There were things, for the moment, I would keep to myself. I owed Theo that at least.

  At lunchtime, I sat with Theo, as had become my custom over the last week. He entwined his fingers in mine, sending shivers down my spine, and looked into my eyes. He didn’t need to speak, I felt immediately overpowered by the intensity of his gaze and was powerless to resist him. He did things to me no one else was capable of, and all I wanted was to be close to him, to touch him, to feel him near me.

  “How are you feeling today?” he asked.

  “I’m absolutely fine,” I answered. “Never better. Violet said the wall was unsound right along and that Joseph is rebuilding it.”

  “Yes, he is,” said Theo. “You have to be so careful in these old houses, they can be death traps, and the last thing I want is for something to happen to you.”

  “Don’t worry about me,” I laughed, “I’m indestructible, as long as I have some kryptonite handy.”

  “Speaking of which,” said Theo, his face absolutely serious, “I have something for you that I want you to wear.”

  “Yes?” I answered, not quite sure what was coming next. Surely, he wasn’t buying clothes for me?

  Theo pulled a small black velvet drawstring bag out of his pocket. I leaned forward, intrigued.

  “What is i
t?” I asked.

  He opened the top of the bag and emptied the contents into his palm. It was a necklace, a small blue crystal on a silver chain, similar to the one he wore, but smaller and without the cameo. As Theo held it in his hand, it caught the light, sparkling and shimmering, shining a spectrum of different colours.

  “It’s lovely, Theo,” I said, totally taken aback, “but I can’t possibly accept it. I don't want you to buy me gifts.”

  “For a start,” said Theo, “I haven’t bought it. It’s something we’ve had in the family for years. And secondly, I’m not open to negotiation. I want you to have it.”

  “You mean accept a family heirloom?” I said, aghast. “I couldn’t possibly. Do your mother and father know about this?”

  “My mother and father have nothing to do with this,” said Theo firmly. “This is my necklace and I shall do with it as I will.”

  “But who did it belong to?” I asked. “I’m assuming you inherited it?”

  “Yes, from a distant relative,” he said, a little evasively, “and I’d much prefer you to be wearing it, rather than leave it in a drawer where no-one can see it.”

  “I’m not sure, Theo, it doesn’t seem right, somehow. I’d feel happier if your parents knew about this.”

  “Emily,” he said urgently, “I said I wasn’t open to negotiation and I’m not. I need you to accept this necklace.”

  “Need?” I asked.

  “Yes, I need you to wear it. The blue crystal will keep you safe and if you’re ever in danger, I’ll know about it.”

  “Theo,” I said incredulously, “this is starting to sound like a fairy story. A magic crystal that will keep me safe from danger…? Are you for real?”

  “You don’t know what’s out there,” he said enigmatically, “and I need to keep you safe.”

  “You keep talking about keeping me safe,” I said, “it’s starting to freak me out. What do you mean? I don’t understand…”

  “I don't expect you to understand. It’s just there are things in my world that can be dangerous. Please don’t ask me to explain, just wear the necklace.”

  “What things?” I asked. “Am I in danger? What do you mean ‘your world’? You have to tell me, Theo. You can’t just give me a beautiful necklace, come out with all these cryptic comments and expect me not to ask questions.”

  He looked at me blankly, not knowing what to say.

  “I’ll do a deal with you Theo,” I said. “I’ll wear the necklace as long as you tell me what’s going on.”

  “Great,” he said, sound relieved. “Let me put it on you.”

  I allowed him to stand behind me and bending my head forward, felt him doing up the clasp. The blue crystal swung down on top of my T-shirt, sparkling and gleaming. It was beautiful and I had truly never seen anything like it before. I tucked it inside my neckline, so that it wasn’t on display for all to see.

  “Okay, that’s my side of it. Now it’s your turn. Tell me ……..”

  I broke off, unable to continue speaking. As the crystal touched my skin, I experienced the most extraordinary sensation. It felt as if something very cold had touched my chest, but was generating an incredible heat within me. It wasn’t unpleasant. On the contrary, as the warmth spread outwards from my chest, into other parts of my body, I felt the most wonderful peace come upon me. I’ve never taken drugs or alcohol, but this is how I imagined it would feel. Immense love flowed from me to Theo and to the rest of the world. I was at one with everything; energised, refreshed and reborn. I felt radiant, as if rays of light were shining forth from my fingertips and my body was emitting starbursts of energy. It was the most heavenly, beautiful, amazing feeling.

  “Theo,” I whispered, “it feels incredible. What is this crystal?”

  He looked at me kindly.

  “Hush, don’t ask any more questions. There are some things it’s better you don't know. Keep the crystal hidden and never take it off. If ever you need me and I’m not around, hold the crystal tightly and mentally call my name. I’ll know straightaway you’re in trouble and I’ll be there as quickly as I can.”

  I entwined my fingers with his, cocooned in a bubble of wellbeing, and looked into his deep blue eyes. Eternity stretched out before me, deep and clear and blue, and I knew I was lost. I was irrevocably linked with this boy and whatever he wanted, I would do. I was utterly and completely in love with him. Body, mind and soul were totally ensnared.

  “What are you, Theo?” I asked faintly, afraid to speak and spoil the moment. “I have to know. You’re not – a vampire, are you?”

  My words were so quiet I hardly made a sound. He looked at me and for a moment, I thought he was angry. Then he threw back his head and laughed, looking at me with amusement.

  “Is that what you think I am? Oh Emily, you’ve let your imagination run riot. No, I can assure you I’m not a vampire.”

  “Oh,” I said, feeling stupid, “it’s just something Seth said…”

  “This has come from Seth, has it?” Theo’s voice sounded a little cold. “I think Seth would be better concentrating on his college work, rather than spreading ridiculous rumours.”

  “Oh, he hasn’t,” I stuttered. “He hasn’t said it to anyone else, only me. I think it was probably more a joke than anything.” I looked down at my hands. “Sorry, Theo, I know it sounds ridiculous. Please forget I ever said it.”

  He looked at me tenderly. “Okay, I’ll forget it. One day, I will explain things to you. But not yet. For now, can we just be happy together?”

  “Of course.”

  “And no more awkward questions?”

  “No.”

  “Good.” He glanced at his watch. “ I have to go. I have a tutorial that I can’t miss. See you later?”

  He stood up and bent over the table to kiss my forehead.

  “Yeah, see you later.”

  As I watched him leave the cafeteria, my fingers unwittingly went to the crystal lying just beneath my T-shirt. My fingers felt its outline and once more, feelings of peace and love filled my being.

  That afternoon, I didn’t travel back with Theo and Violet in their car. However good the crystal made me feel, I didn’t relish the thought of seeing Aquila again, and I told Theo I needed to sit with Tash and discuss a new assignment we’d been given. It was almost true.

  As we were sitting on the bus, Tash turned to me and asked, “Are you using a new foundation cream, Emily? Or was it that beer facial I gave you? Whatever it is, it looks good. Your skin has a real glow to it.”

  “No, I’m not wearing foundation,” I replied. “And I still haven’t got round to using the facial.”

  “Maybe it’s because you’re in love,” said Tash, enviously. “Your pheromones are activated or something like that, making you look all bright-eyed and glowing.”

  My hand went to the crystal and I wondered whether to tell Tash about it. There again, we seemed to be back on an even keel and I didn’t want to spoil anything. If she thought Theo was giving me expensive gifts, she might just get angry again. I decided to keep quiet about it for the present.

  “Tash, you don’t half talk a load of rubbish sometimes,” I said with a grin. “You’re nearly as bad as Seth wittering on about vampires. Theo thought it was completely ridiculous.”

  “What, you told him Seth thought they were vampires?”

  “It sort of came out,” I said, feeling silly.

  “Oh, smart, Emily. Now they know we’re suspicious of them. Why couldn’t you keep your mouth shut?”

  “It’s okay,” I said defensively, “he thought it was funny. It’s not a problem.”

  “No?” said Tash, frowning. “He would try to fob you off, wouldn’t he? I still think there’s something not right about them. He might have pulled the wool over your eyes, but not us. Seth and I are going to keep a very close watch on them. And if we see anything strange or out of the ordinary….”

  “What?” I asked, looking at her with amusement. “What are you going
to do? Sprinkle them with holy water or call for Van Helsing? Come on, Tash, you don’t know how ridiculous you sound.”

  Tash looked studiously out of the window. “Okay, I agree vampires sounds a bit far-fetched, but I still don’t trust them. Especially after what you told us about your visit yesterday. Surely you haven’t forgotten that already?”

  “No, I haven’t, I just think maybe I over-reacted a little. I don’t think Theo would put me in any danger,” I said.

  “What’s happened to you?” Tash asked. “You’ve changed your tune since this morning. Are you on happy pills or something? I still maintain, we don’t know anything about them and we need to keep an eye on them.”

  “Okay, Sherlock,” I acquiesced. “Let me know if you find anything out, and I’ll do likewise. But if we don’t get up now, we’re going to miss our stop.”

  I felt dreamy and other-worldly, and when I got home, I took off the necklace and placed it in my pocket. Immediately, the drugged feeling lifted and although I didn’t have quite the same sense of peace, I felt more in control again. I decided to keep the crystal in the breast pocket of my SuperDry jacket; close at hand should I need it, but not close enough to be under its spell.

  Later that afternoon, after we’d had an early tea, I received a text from Theo:

  ‘Hi Em, Missing u. Fancy going 4 a walk? Your favourite vampire.’

  I texted back:

  ‘Dear favourite vampire, Why walk when u can fly?’

  He texted back straight away:

  ‘U r muddling us with witches. Shall I come over?’

  I answered:

  ‘Yes. C u in a bit(e). Ha Ha.’

  At last. This felt more normal. This is what you were supposed to do. Hang out. Send silly text messages.

  I went up to my room and changed into my faded blue jeans and new Hollister top. As I did so, the blue crystal necklace fell out of my pocket and onto the floor. I picked it up, staring into its many facets and thinking how pretty it looked. I wondered how old it was and what kind of crystal it was. Some crystals were supposed to have certain properties, which might explain why it had such an effect on me.

  My mum was in to all this sort of thing, attending a meditation circle, using Angel cards, dowsing with crystals, looking for orbs and so on. I’d grown up with it and while I’d occasionally dabbled, I hadn’t embraced it in the way my mother had.

  Granddad thought it was all a load of ‘New Age baloney’, to quote his exact words, but there again, he didn’t believe in anything. ‘When you’re dead, you’re dead’, he would say, not wanting to contemplate the possibility of a great hereafter. He maintained all religions were simply a means of controlling the masses, and worship of gods had nothing more to it than agriculture and fertility. ‘Food and fornication,’ he said, ‘the basic requisites for survival, that’s why the old gods were revered and worshipped.’ It was a very black and white viewpoint, with little room for discussion or manoeuvre, and was the complete antithesis to my mother’s beliefs.

  I’d grown up amidst these two opposing camps and, as a consequence, had taken on a little from each, which meant I basically didn’t know what I believed in. I found it easier not to think about such things, preferring to concentrate on the here and now. Books, films, music, make-up and technology were the mainstays of my world, and maybe I was shallow, but at least I wasn’t deluded or bigoted.

  The crystal glinted in my hand and I felt compelled to put it on. It would complement my blue Hollister T-shirt very well, I reasoned. As soon as I’d done up the clasp, I felt the same mellowness and peace flow through me, although not as powerfully as before. This time I felt more in control and, while I was still aware of the crystal’s presence, it didn’t seem to dominate me so much. I decided to leave it on.

  “That’s a pretty necklace, Emily,” said my mother, as I came downstairs. “Where did you get that from?”

  “Theo gave it to me,” I answered.

  “Did he?” she said, with a glint in her eye. “I’m getting to like that boy more and more.” Taking a closer look, she asked, “D’you know what it is? Would you like to look in my crystal book?”

  “There’s no need, mum,” I said. “Theo will be here in a moment. We can ask him.”

  Right on cue, the doorbell sounded, and I ran to answer the door.

  There he was. Beautiful, gorgeous, radiant Theo, standing on my doorstep.

  “Hi, Theo,” said my mum, in a flirtatious voice that was totally embarrassing, hanging over my shoulder, desperate to feed her eyes upon him.

  “Hi, Mrs Morgan, how are you?”

  “Come in, Theo,” I said, smiling at him.

  His eyes went immediately to the crystal round my neck and he looked relieved.

  “I see you’re wearing it. It looks good on you.”

  He stepped in the hallway and I closed the front door behind him.

  “It’s a beautiful necklace, Theo,” said my mum, “and a very unusual crystal. I was going to look it up in my crystal book, but Emily says you can tell us what it is.”

  He looked momentarily reluctant, then gathering his thoughts, said, “It’s a crystal called Celestite, the celestial crystal. Very powerful, creates feelings of inner peace and harmony, facilitates telepathic communication, brings balance and purity. It’s very calming, but also sharpens the mind, it creates openness to new experience, and provides a channel to universal energies… Is that enough?”

  We both stared at him, wide-eyed.

  “Wow, no wonder I feel good when I wear it,” I joked.

  “You’ll have to let me borrow it,” said my mum, winking at me. “I could do with some universal energy.”

  “No,” said Theo sharply. “Nobody else can wear it. Sorry. Emily is the only person…”

  “It’s alright, Theo,” said my mum, seeing his discomfort, “I was only joking. Emily doesn’t let me borrow anything of hers. It’s quite safe.”

  “Okay,” said Theo, relaxing slightly. “Sorry, Mrs Morgan, I didn’t mean to jump down your throat. It’s just…”

  “I know, it’s okay, I get it,” said my mum. “The crystal’s attuned to Emily’s energy, you don’t want a different energy field messing things up.”

  Sometimes my mum’s new age crankiness does come in handy.

  “Something like that,” said Theo. “I’ve told Emily to wear it all the time and it will protect her.”

  My mother looked fit to burst that I should have found such a wonderful boyfriend who not only looked divine, but also shared her off-the-wall beliefs. In her eyes, he was perfection personified. And in my eyes, he came pretty close too, despite his slightly weird family.

  “So, what are you two going to do this evening?” asked my mum.

  “I thought we could take a walk,” said Theo. “It’s a lovely evening and it seems a shame to waste it inside. What d’you think, Emily?”

  I would walk anywhere with him, whatever the weather.

  “I think it’s a great idea,” I said, grabbing my jacket off the coat stand in the hallway.

  “Be back by around half nine, will you?” said my mother, “It’ll be getting dark by then.”

  “We will,” said Theo, adding, “Don’t worry, Mrs Morgan, I’ll take good care of her.”

  My mother had started to look starry-eyed and love-struck, and I quickly got Theo out of the house before she embarrassed herself further.

  “This old car has seen better days,” he commented, as we walked past my sad old Mini, marooned on the driveway, its once cream paintwork concealed beneath layers of grime.

  “Watch what you say about Martha,” I cautioned him, with mock alarm.

  “Martha?” he teased. “You’re joking.”

  “No,” I said defensively, “Martha was very useful until she fell into disrepair. She was my first car when I passed my driving test. She took us all over the place, ‘til her age caught up with her.”

  “You should let Joseph take a lo
ok,” he suggested. “He’d soon bring her back to life.”

  “He’s not just green-fingered then?” I asked.

  “No, Joseph’s fantastic with anything mechanical. He’ll have her roadworthy in no time.”

  “Brill,” I beamed at him. “It’d be great to give her a new lease of life.”

  “Why don’t we drive her over to the Hall and let him work his magic?” suggested Theo. “That is, supposing she’s still driveable.”

  “Of course she’s still driveable. She only failed her MOT. Although doesn’t that make it illegal to drive her?”

  “Technically, yes,” said Theo, “but we’re only going to the hall and I guarantee no-one will see us. Do you have the key? Let’s see what this old girl’s capable of.”

  I found the key at the bottom of my bag and we were soon sitting in Martha, Theo at the driving wheel. I had thought her battery would be flat, but amazingly she sprang to life as soon as Theo turned the ignition. He reversed her out of the driveway and on to the road.

  “I have something I want to show you when we get to the hall,” said Theo mysteriously, as we pulled on to the High Street.

  “What’s that?” I asked, intrigued.

  “It’s something I’ve bought for Violet,” he explained, “but I wanted you to take a look first, and then we can give it to her together.”

  “Okay,” I said, a little surprised. It wasn’t quite what I’d been expecting to hear.

  “She’s been a little out of sorts recently,” said Theo. “I think us getting together might have had something to do with it. You should have seen her when she came home from college that first day. She couldn’t stop talking about you, how she’d made a friend, how great you were, how good it was to have someone to talk to.”

  “Oh dear,” I said. “I hadn’t realised.”

  “What you have to understand,” said Theo, “is that when we were in Egypt, she didn’t have any friends. We did our schooling together and nobody else was around. Joseph was always visiting, and he and I would go off together, but Violet had no one. She was on her own. So for her to make a friend at her new college was a big deal to her. And then I came along and took you away from her. She still hasn’t forgiven me.”

  He looked at me. “Don’t worry, it’s not your fault…”

  “I had no idea, I was just trying to make her feel welcome.”

  Suddenly I felt awful. It had never been my plan for anyone to get hurt.

  “If it’s any consolation, Tash was just as jealous of her those first few days,” I informed Theo. “She thought Violet had become my best friend. It’s all a bit of a mess, isn’t it?”

  “Don't worry,” he said, squeezing my hand, “Violet will come round, as will Tash. Deep down, Violet really likes you. And there’s no reason why you can’t be good friends with her and go out with me.”

  “I hope so,” I said, feeling confused. The situation was more complicated than I’d realised, but at least it explained why Violet had been so cold towards me. And perhaps that was why the servants were so dismissive of me. They saw me as a threat to family unity. Loyalty to their family came first, and I was perceived as the interloper. Suddenly, our theory about vampires and strangeness appeared very far-fetched. I’d allowed myself to read far more into the situation than was actually there. I began to feel rather stupid.

  “So, what you have bought for Violet that will make things better?” I asked Theo.

  “Wait and see,” he answered.

  By this time, we’d arrived back at the hall and Theo parked Martha in the courtyard in front of the house. As we got out, right on cue, Joseph appeared.

  “Nice wheels, Theo,” he commented, drily.

  Theo threw him the key.

  “A little renovation project for you, Jo,” he said. “This is Martha, Emily’s car. Failed her MOT. Think you can do anything?”

  “I should think so,” he said, running his hand over Martha’s bonnet.

  I stared. Martha looked immediately brighter and cleaner.

  “How did you do that, Joseph?” I asked, astounded.

  “Do what?” he asked, looking puzzled.

  “Make her glow like that?”

  He grinned. “A trick of the light, that’s all. Leave her with me, Emily, I’ll soon have her as good as new.”

  “Thanks Joseph, I really appreciate this.”

  “Come on, Emily,” called Theo, opening the hall’s huge oak front door and holding it open for me. I followed him inside, turning to give Joseph and Martha a final look. If I wasn’t mistaken, she was really beginning to gleam. Joseph beamed at me.

  Inside, no one was about, which made me feel better. I certainly wasn’t up to meeting Aquila or Pantera. The sounds of Clair de Lune wafted on the air from the ballroom. Violet was playing the piano.

  “Come upstairs,” Theo whispered, and I followed him up the enormous carved central stairway. He led the way along the corridor, stopping by one of the bedroom doors.

  “It’s in here,” he said conspiratorially, turning the brass doorknob and opening the door. It was one of the rooms he’d shown me on my previous visit, a large airy room, beautifully decorated in shades of red and pink.

  “Over here,” said Theo, indicating the sofa, where a large cardboard box had been placed. Now I was intrigued.

  He carefully opened the box and lifted out the most gorgeous grey kitten. It was tiny, no more than about seven or eight weeks old, a small fluffball of grey and white fur, that sat in the palm of his hand. He looked up at me.

  “What d’you think?” he asked.

  “It’s beautiful, Theo,” I said, totally taken aback. “What a lovely surprise. Violet will adore it. What is it? Girl or boy?”

  “It’s a boy,” he answered, “I call him Grey Boy for the moment, but I’m sure Violet will give him a name.”

  “Can I hold him?” I asked, and Theo placed the small bundle of fur into my hands.

  He was the prettiest little kitten I’d ever seen. A tiny little face looked up at me, with a small pink nose, long white whiskers and huge dark eyes. He made a plaintive little cry as he looked up at me and I held him close to my jacket, giving him warmth and comfort.

  “Oh, Theo, what a brilliant idea,” I said, thinking what a kind, thoughtful person he was. Who else would have thought of doing something like this?

  “Can we give him to Violet now?”

  “Stay here with Grey Boy and I’ll go and get her,” he said, walking to the door, then turning to me and saying, “Remember, he’s from both of us.”

  He closed the door behind him and I looked at the tiny little creature before me, playfully trying to catch the toggles of my jacket. He was perfect, a friendly, playful little kitten that represented a gesture of friendship between myself, Theo and Violet.

  “Let’s hope you smooth things over, Grey Boy,” I whispered into the soft fur on his head.

  A few minutes later, the door opened and Theo appeared with Violet.

  “Oh, hello, Emily,” she said in surprise, “I didn’t realise you were here. What’s this about?”

  She suddenly saw the little grey bundle in my hands and squealed.

  “A kitten! Oh, he’s so cute. Where did he come from? Can I hold him?”

  “He’s yours,” said Theo. “A present from Emily and me. Go on, take him.”

  I placed Grey Boy in her arms and she cuddled him, looking up at us.

  “He’s gorgeous. Thank you. I wasn’t expecting this.”

  The kitten mewed at her and tried to paw her hair hanging over her shoulder.

  “Oh, look at him,” she beamed at us, “isn’t he just adorable?”

  Theo and I glanced at each other and breathed a sigh of relief. The plan was working. Hopefully things were on the mend and we could look forward to a new era of friendship.

  “Does he have a name?” asked Violet.

  “Well, I just call him Grey Boy,” said Theo, “but if you want to name him, it
’s up to you.”

  Violet looked at the kitten closely. “Grey Boy,” she said and he meowed. “He seems to answer to his name, doesn’t he?” she asked. “Perhaps I’ll just stick with Grey Boy. It’s to the point. He’s grey and he’s a boy.”

  We all laughed and I felt the iciness that had been around us for the last couple of weeks begin to thaw.

  “Come on, let’s take him downstairs,” said Violet. She cuddled the kitten close to her. “Thank you. He’s beautiful.”

  She carried Grey Boy downstairs, across the reception area and into the old ballroom, where Viyesha and Leon sat on the huge purple sofas, warming themselves by the fireside. A bottle of wine stood on the coffee table and they drank from exquisitely ornate, old-fashioned wine glasses.

  “Emily, I didn’t realise you were here,” said Viyesha, placing her glass on the table and rising from her seat.

  She looked stunning in a close-fitting cream shift dress, her hair pinned up, showing off ornate silver earrings and a matching silver necklace that bore a blue crystal similar to the one I was wearing. I was glad I’d tucked it beneath my T-shirt. I wasn’t sure Theo had told his parents about it yet, and didn’t want to place him in an awkward position.

  “Will you join us for a glass of wine?” asked Leon, looking once again like a Hollywood film star, with his straw blond hair, piercing blue eyes and pale blue linen jacket.

  “No thanks, Leon,” I said politely. “I should be going, really.”

  “Look, mother,” said Violet, holding up the kitten. “See what Theo and Emily have got for me. Isn’t he adorable?”

  “He’s gorgeous,” said Viyesha. “Bring him here.”

  Violet carried the kitten over to her mother, and she gently stroked his head, while Grey Boy tried to catch her fingers with his paws and we all laughed.

  Leon looked across at Theo. “Nice move, Theo,” he said.

  “Come and have a seat,” said Viyesha, indicating for Theo and me to join her on the sofa.

  For the next half hour, I enjoyed a pleasant family evening with the de Lucis family. Violet sat on the floor playing with the kitten, while Theo and I chatted with his parents. The servants were nowhere to be seen, which made matters easier, and the conversation bowled along, talking about Hartsdown College, their future plans for Hartswell Hall, life in the village and all manner of ordinary, everyday subjects. Viyesha, of course, had the gift of making me feel relaxed and at ease, and I found I was enjoying myself. I even allowed Leon to pour me a small glass of wine.

  As I laughed with them, I thought how normal it all seemed and how ridiculous our vampire theories were. The de Lucis’s were just different to me, that was all. They had a moneyed, cultured background I could only dream about, and that’s what had created the problems in my mind. They were friendly and welcoming, and I really couldn’t ask for more than that. Even their beauty seemed less overwhelming than last time. Theo looked across at me fondly and I suddenly realised how much I wanted to be part of this family. It was early days, but I was already starting to feel closer to them all.

  At 9.15, I decided it was time to leave. Viyesha fondly kissed my cheek and for a brief moment I caught a scent of her perfume. It was such a delicate, floral fragrance that instantly brought a picture of warm summer days and happy times into my mind. I made a mental note to ask her what it was. Leon kissed my cheek and, once again, the feeling of immense strength and power flooded into my being. I felt safe just standing next to him.

  “Emily, it’s been delightful,” said Viyesha, in her soft, well-spoken voice.

  “We look forward to seeing you again,” said Leon, twinkling at me and smiling.

  “Thank you for a lovely evening, both of you,” I said warmly, adding to Violet, who still sat playing with Grey Boy in front of the fire. “Bye, Violet, see you tomorrow.”

  “Bye, Emily,” she answered. “Hang on, I’ll come with you and see you out.”

  She scooped up Grey Boy into her arms and followed Theo and me across the ballroom and out into the reception area.

  “You’re going to love exploring this old house, aren’t you, little one,” she said, nuzzling her face into his soft face. “Thanks again, Emily, it was very kind of you and Theo.”

  I looked at Theo, an unspoken message going between us. Things were going to be all right.

  “I’ll walk you back,” he said, gallantly. “It’s getting dark and I don’t want you wandering through the grounds on your own.”

  I gladly accepted his offer. Hartswell Hall grounds were one area where I didn’t feel entirely safe, especially not at night, and even more so after the events of the other day. Once I reached the main road, I’d be fine.

  As Theo opened the huge oak studded door at the entrance, things seemed to occur very quickly. One minute Violet was holding the kitten in her hand, standing waving goodbye, the next moment Aquila was driving into the courtyard in the sleek, black Jaguar. He was driving fast and swerved to go round Martha, who was still parked there. Startled by the sudden movement, Grey Boy leapt out of Violet’s arms and within a split second had run into the pathway of the Jaguar. There was nothing Aquila could do. The wheels turned, the brakes screeched and the kitten disappeared under the car. Violet screamed, and Aquila, seeing that something was wrong, brought the car to an immediate standstill. Theo darted from my side, trying to save the kitten, but even for him, it had been too fast. He reached under the car and brought out a lifeless, bloodied, small grey body. It had been instant and the kitten had obviously felt nothing, but the shock was palpable amongst us all.

  “Grey Boy,” sobbed Violet, grabbing his tiny body from Theo. “Wake up, please wake up.”

  Her father gently took her arm and looked at the kitten.

  “Violet, it’s no good. He’s gone. Give him to me.” He took the kitten in his hand and Viyesha led Violet, sobbing and shaking into the house, murmuring words of comfort. I watched helplessly, aware that there was nothing I could do, and that our gesture of friendship had been instantly erased. Aquila scowled horribly and stormed into the house after them, muttering, “How did I know she had a kitten? And whose heap of junk is this parked here? If I didn’t have to swerve, it wouldn’t have happened.”

  “It’s best you go, Emily,” said Leon, holding the tiny grey ball of fur in one hand. “I’ll deal with this. Theo, walk Emily home, this has been a shock for all of us.”

  Theo took my hand, leading me silently across the courtyard. As we walked down the main driveway, he put his arm round me, drawing me close.

  “Don’t worry, Emily, Violet will be fine. Remember, we come from a country where death and disease are commonplace. She’s seen worse than this. It’s not as bad as it seems.”

  I looked up at him, tearfully, hardly trusting myself to speak.

  “What a horrible end to a lovely evening. Poor Grey Boy. He didn’t deserve that. He was only little. And poor Violet, she had him for less than an hour. If only I hadn’t brought my car over. This is all my fault. You were trying to make things better and I’ve spoilt it all. ”

  “Listen, it was my idea to bring your car here,” said Theo, “and it wasn’t your fault the kitten bolted. If anyone’s at fault, it’s Aquila. As usual, he was driving too fast.”

  “I still feel responsible.”

  “Emily,” said Theo, tenderly, “trust me. Things will be all right. I promise.”

  He kissed me gently on the lips.

  16. Surveillance II

  The large black bird skimmed through the night sky, riding the thermals and surveying the village below. Its wingtips were outstretched and flight feathers spread, smaller contour feathers overlapping to smooth the flow of air and ensure optimum performance. Its beak curved downwards in a cruel arc, ready to tear apart any fresh meat, while its sharp black eyes scoured the air and fields looking for prey.

  The nearly new moon was momentarily hidden behind a lone cloud, briefly concealing its light, so that fields, w
oodland and village were cloaked in darkness. The air was crisp and cold, and a light frost had already begun to coat grassland and trees, pavements and road surfaces, creating a sugared finish that twinkled faintly under the misty glow of the street lamps.

  The bird was hungry and needed to eat, and flew high over the fields to the south of the village. Spying the white bobtails of a rabbit family below, as the moon emerged, it swooped on its unsuspecting prey, silent and deadly, gathering speed as it neared the ground, talons outstretched and ready for the kill. Attacked from behind, the rabbit knew nothing and death came quickly, the bird rapidly gaining height with its bloodied meal suspended below. Carrying its prey to the safety of a large old oak tree, it quickly tore away the flesh with its large, hooked beak, forcing huge pieces of fresh meat down its throat until all was consumed.

  Then, satiated and re-energised, the bird took once more to the skies, flying upward with fresh intent, focused on its mission ahead. Like a dark shadow, it flew over the honeyed walls, slated roofs and turreted towers of the sleeping hall, circling twice as it scanned all below, then flying to the east for a short distance until it spied its target.

  Gliding through the night air on silent wings, it came to rest on the slim branches of an ornamental cherry tree that stood in the garden of a village house. The bird manoeuvred itself precariously, almost too heavy for the willowy branch on which it perched. Still bare after winter, with small brown buds only just appearing, the tree provided little camouflage or cover, but the bird seemed unaware, its attention rapt as it gazed through an upper window of the house. The curtains fortunately remained open, giving the bird a perfect view of the room within, where a girl lay sleeping on the bed. The bird’s eyes narrowed, and curling its beak down unwittingly, it gazed with dislike at the sleeping form.

  Inside, the girl tossed and turned in the throes of a disturbing dream, peace of mind destroyed by dark terrors within. As she threw her head back on the pillow, arms flailing backwards, the bird saw with a jolt the necklace that came to rest on her breastbone. It was a necklace the bird instantly recognised and had seen before many times; a silver chain bearing a pale blue crystal…

  In the dark grey, pre-dawn light, the crystal began to glow intensely, until its clear blue light was shining brightly. Nightmare over, the girl slept calmly, a serene expression on her face. The bird eyed the crystal with anger and loathing, only too aware of the protection it afforded the wearer. Gathering its wings closer to its body, it tightened its grip on the branch, sunk its head into its neck and prepared to watch.

  For the moment, intervention was prevented, but surveillance and patience would soon provide a chink in the armour, of that it was sure.

  17. A Beast in the Fields

  Watching from an upper window, which afforded the best view of the sheep and the field in which they grazed, Grace Wisterley took a sip from her hip flask and looked at her watch. Midnight. By her side lay her husband’s 12-bore shotgun, unused for the last five years, but with a full chamber should the need arise.

  “Just try it one more time, you horror, and I’ll have ya, see if I don’t,” she muttered into the night. “That’s the last of my sheep you’ll be taking. X-ray vision that’s what I’ve got, see better in the night than I do in the day.”

  She pulled on an old red woollen hat, making sure her ears were well-covered and tucked back straggling grey hairs with hands that were protected with fingerless black knitted gloves. Her ancient Drizabone coat covered her like a huge brown autumn leaf, making her look like a vast, overgrown toad, and her Hunter wellingtons left fragments of dried soil on the threadbare landing carpet.

  Picking up the shotgun and checking the hipflask was in her pocket, she walked down the stairs, along the hallway and into the old farmhouse kitchen. The ancient Aga kept things nice and warm, and for a second, she hesitated, unwilling to exchange the cosy warmth for the cold darkness. Then with sudden resolve, she quietly opened the back door and let herself out. The night around her was silent and dark, shrubs and bushes creating strange, eerie shapes, like tortured souls that raised their misshapen limbs in silent supplication to the sky. She shuddered involuntarily and tightened her grip around the shotgun.

  Purposefully, she strode down through the garden, out of the rear gate and into the field that adjoined her house. As the moon emerged from behind a cloud, she could see the silent shapes of the sheep, like small blocks of wood, dotted around the field.

  “It’s alright, my beauties,” she said under her breath. “Don’t take any notice of me. I’m here to protect ya. Nothin’ll attack ya while I’m in the field. An’ if they do, they won’t last long.”

  She sat down on an old upturned milk crate that lay in a corner of the field and settled herself in, pulling her hat down and her coat around her. This was going to be a long night, but she had to be ready. Slowly, she scoured the field, looking for any sign of movement, but all appeared still. Perhaps the creature wouldn’t come tonight. In a way, she hoped not. But if it didn't come tonight, it might come tomorrow, and sooner or later she had to take action. She couldn't go on losing sheep, that was for sure. How many of her prize Jacobs had she lost now? Too many. Four in the last week, three the week before. The flock was diminishing in front of her eyes and so far, she’d done nothing to stop it. The council had assured her that putting up posters would solve the problem, advising dog owners to keep their animals on a lead or pay the consequences.

  “I’ve seen sheep that’ve been attacked by dogs,” she’d told them, “and this ain’t the work of any dog. This is somat much more powerful, with far bigger jaws. Them sheep weren’t just savaged, they were torn apart, like somat ‘ad picked ‘em up in its mouth, shook ‘em around and ripped ‘em open. They were partially eaten… the remains were tossed around the field like old rubbish. That’s not the work of a dog, that’s a major predator.”

  But they’d refused to listen and now, rather than lose any more of her prize beauties, she was taking the matter into her own hands. Let the beast attack now and she’d blast it to kingdom come. She stroked the barrel of the shotgun, comforted by the cold, dark metal. “Don’t let me down, old friend,” she said quietly. ”I’m relying on you.” Once again, she surveyed the field, her eyes straining in the moonlit darkness to see the slightest movement. But all remained still and quiet.

  Out in the fields two yellow eyes watched her, saw her come into the field, muttering to herself, and sit down in one corner, holding the old gun. Two wide nostrils inhaled deeply, taking in the scents of the night, the damp hedgerow, the stench of the cowpats, the fresh blood of the sheep, pulsing through their veins, waiting to be taken. Saliva dripped from its mouth in anticipation, the lips pulled back revealing jagged white teeth, and a low growl emitting from its throat.

  Sensing an alien presence approaching, and their instincts warning them of impending danger, the sheep reacted, calling loudly to one another, legs stumbling in their panic to escape, desperately trying to form a group. Grace Wisterley moved quickly, raising her gun and looking across the field. She could see nothing, hear nothing except for the sheep’s noisy commotion.

  “Come on, show yersel, yer coward, get out in the open,” she muttered into the night. This was going to be harder than she thought, and possibly more dangerous. Old Tim Mastock from down the road had offered to help her but she’d turned him down, telling him she could manage quite well on her own. Now she began to wonder if her confidence had been a little misplaced. She knew something big was out there and had heard the low growl, but whatever it was, the beast was keeping a very low profile.

  Hidden by the hedge surrounding Grace’s field, the creature slunk along on its belly, its black fur rendering it virtually invisible. Slowly and silently it crept, circling the field until it was positioned alongside her. It watched her walk into the centre of the field, the sheep bleating and cowering to her left, and saw her raise the gun. Keeping low, the creature continued around her, until it
had Grace’s back clearly in sight. Slowly it crept, dropping to its haunches and getting ready for the kill, its yellow eyes never leaving its prey, every muscle in its sleek black body taut and tight, its concentration absolute.

  At the crucial moment, just as it prepared to pounce, it lifted its ears, detecting an almost inaudible sound. The animal cautiously raised its head and looked up, ears pricked, hearing once again the summoning call. With a regretful glance towards the field of crazed sheep and the woman in the centre, it turned round and bounded silently across the fields, intent now on one thing only, getting back to the voice that called it.

  Standing stock still, every cell in her body on high alert, Grace Wisterley sensed movement behind her and turning rapidly, swore she saw something large and dark moving speedily across the fields and she knew she’d missed her chance.

  “Yer’ll be back,” she muttered under her breath. “I might have scared y’off this time, but yer’ll be back. And I’ll be waiting for yer, whatever y’are.”

  She stomped back into the house, pulling off her old red woollen hat and kicking off her wellington boots. She carefully placed the shotgun in the cupboard and warmed her hands against the old Aga. She felt chilled through, and it wasn’t just the temperature of the night air.

  18. Party Preparation

  “I won’t be able to see you for a few days,” said Theo, sitting opposite me in the cafeteria, gauging my face for a reaction.

  “Why not? Are you going away?” I asked, a little surprised.

  “No, it’s not that. We have a big function coming up at Hartswell Hall, and it’s all hands on deck. I need to be there to help my mother and father.” He spoke in the matter of fact voice that I’d come to recognise. There would be no changing his mind, although I decided to have a go anyway.

  “What kind of function? Can I come and help you?”

  “Sorry, Emily, not allowed,” he said firmly. “It’s a private party for friends, colleagues and acquaintances of my parents, before we open to the public. … All very boring, but Violet, Joseph and I need to be there to help. Believe me, I’d much rather not be involved, but I’ve promised. Sorry.” He laughed nervously, and I knew he hadn’t been looking forward to telling me.

  “When is it?” I asked.

  “Two days’ time. We need to prepare the house.”

  “Must be some party if you need to spend the next two days getting ready.”

  “It’s important to my parents. They have friends coming from all over the world. Some are well known and expect total privacy. We can’t let it be known that famous people will be visiting, otherwise we’ll have the media swarming all over the place. So, I’m afraid it’s strictly no visitors until it’s over.”

  “Famous people?” I questioned him. “Like who?”

  “I can’t say, sorry. I’ve already told you too much.”

  “Can’t I even come and peek from the sidelines? Hide in the shrubbery?” I joked.

  “No,” he said sharply, “absolutely not.”

  “It’s okay, I was only pulling your leg. If you say you need privacy, I’ll respect that. I’m just intrigued, that’s all.” I smiled at him, surprised at his reaction, “No doubt you’ll be offering an exclusive to Hello magazine and I can read about it later.”

  He looked at me quizzically, not sure if I was still joking.

  “I can assure you, Emily, Hello magazine will most certainly not be there. These are very important people and it’s vital we assure them of total privacy.”

  “Is it like a Secret Ball?” I pushed him.

  “Sort of, now please don’t ask me any more questions. I can’t tell you any more.”

  That was as much information as I could get out of him and, for the moment, I had to be satisfied with that.

  Theo and Violet rode with me on the bus on the way home. Aquila was busy on family business and had no time to collect them, so for once they had to do what the ordinary folk did. Violet seemed to have made a full recovery from Grey Boy’s death and told me not to feel responsible.

  “It was a lovely gesture, Emily,” she’d said. “That’s what’s important. Sometimes accidents happen….”

  “Are you sure you can lower yourself to ride on public transport?” I teased Theo, as we climbed on board.

  “It’ll do me good to see how the other half lives,” he countered. “And anyway, it’ll be good to get away from Aquila’s ugly mug for once.”

  “I’ll second that,” I said. “I’ve never known anyone who scowls so much or is totally incapable of a pleasant word. Has he always been that bitter and twisted?”

  Theo laughed. “As long as I can remember,” he admitted. “He’s not one for pleasantries or smiling.”

  We sat near the back of the bus. Tash had gone home early for a dental appointment, and so Violet sat with Seth on the seat in front.

  “The thing about Aquila,” said Violet, turning round, “is that he is a very loyal servant. Wouldn’t you agree, Theo?” I noticed an edge to her voice and wondered if she was warning Theo not to say so much.

  “Yes, it’s true,” he answered, “Aquila has been with our family for many years and has always been there for us 100%. He looks out for us and we all feel safer for him being there. So, I really shouldn’t say anything against him.”

  “Except he looks like he’s continually sucking a lemon,” I said. “You can’t deny it.”

  “No,” agreed Violet, laughing, “but there again, we didn’t employ him for his personality. He’s there to do a job.”

  “That job being?” asked Seth, who had no idea who we were talking about.

  “Sorry, Seth,” answered Violet, “Aquila is our chauffeur. Emily’s met him a couple of times. He’s very efficient but not terribly amenable.”

  “That’s an understatement,” I said under my breath.

  “No, we had that problem with our chauffeur too,” said Seth with a straight face. “You just can’t get chauffeurs with good personalities, can you?”

  It took Violet a second to realise he was teasing her.

  “Ha ha, very funny,” she said, pretending to look offended, but I could see she secretly liked it.

  “And as for our house-keeper…” began Seth.

  She cut him off.

  “Don’t even go there. We have one of those as well.”

  “But of course,” said Seth. “Silly me. I should have guessed.”

  Violet pretended to tell him off. “You may mock. But it’s quite normal in Egypt to have staff, you know. And before you say any more, she’s every bit as uncommunicative and surly as our chauffeur.”

  “Isn’t that how servants are meant to be?” said Seth. “Not that I’d know…. Not living in a twenty-bedroom mansion…”

  “Thirty-bedroom mansion that’s about to become a leading conference venue,” corrected Violet.

  I listened closely to their conversation. If I wasn’t mistaken, they were flirting with one another. I smiled to myself, thinking about future possibilities.

  “What are you smiling about?” asked Theo, putting his hand over mine.

  Sparks of energy flew into my system and I tingled all over.

  “Oh, nothing,” I said, “just thinking that life’s become very interesting since you and your family moved into Hartswell Hall.”

  His hand tightened over mine.

  “It’s the best thing we’ve ever done,” he said. “We’re all excited about the future, especially me. I’m only sorry I won’t be seeing you for a few days.”

  “Well, you do have a big celebrity party to host,” I said. “I’m sure you’ll be far too busy to miss me.”

  “Of course I’ll miss you,” he turned and looked into my eyes, “I’d much prefer to be with you, but this ‘party’ needs to happen. It’s very important to us, to my parents…”

  “Hey, it’s only two days, I’m sure I’ll survive,” I said brightly. “I’ve got an English Literature project to do. …the metaphysica
l poetry of George Herbert…I can get on with that. At least you won’t distract me.”

  The bus stop by Hartswell Hall appeared ahead, and Violet and Theo prepared to get off the bus.

  “Why don’t you pop in now, just for a few minutes?” asked Theo.

  “I thought you were in the middle of party preparations,” I said. “You don’t want me in the way.”

  “It’ll be fine today,” answered Theo. “Come on, why don’t you?”

  The bus stopped and I made a last minute decision.

  “Okay, I’ll come with you.”

  “How about you, Seth?” asked Violet. “D’you want to come?”

  Seth looked very surprised and more than a little pleased to be asked.

  “Thanks for asking,” he said, his fringe flopping forward, “but I’ve gotta get back. It’s my mum’s birthday. I need to get home. Another time?” He raised his eyebrows hopefully.

  “Sure. Another time,” said Violet. “See you.”

  The three of us walked up the driveway and soon the hall came into view. Maybe it was the afternoon sunshine on the honeyed Cotswold stone, I don’t know, but it seemed to shine and pulse with energy. The thought went through my head, ‘It’s alive, it’s excited at the prospect of the party’, as Theo opened the front door. We walked into the reception area and everything had a freshness and sparkle about it.

  “Looks like Pantera has been busy cleaning,” laughed Violet.

  Viyesha walked into the reception area, calling instructions over her shoulder.

  “I want lilies on the big table ….” She stopped short when she saw me, and a flash of confusion crossed her features before she smiled charmingly.

  “Emily, what a surprise, I didn’t expect to see you today.”

  “It’s alright, mother,” said Theo, quickly. “I won’t be seeing Emily for the next two days, so she’s just popped in for a few minutes.”

  “Sorry, Viyesha, if it’s inconvenient…” I began, feeling in the way, but she held up her hand.

  “Nonsense, of course it’s convenient. I’ll get Pantera to make some tea.” She spoke quickly and efficiently, and I began to realise what a force majeure she could be where organisation was concerned. Disappearing down the corridor, she called, “Violet, could you come with me and help me sort out the room plans, please?”

  “Yes, mother,” said Violet. She looked at me quickly. “I’d better go. See you in a few days, Emily.”

  I glanced at Theo.

  “I shouldn’t have come. You obviously have a lot of things to get ready.”

  “It’s fine, Emily. Don’t worry. Come on, come into the ballroom.”

  We walked through the double doors on our right and, once again, a large fire was burning brightly in the huge fireplace. I followed Theo to the large purple sofas and sat where he indicated.

  “I’ll go and get the tea,” he said, when I’d sat down. “It’ll save Pantera a job.”

  “It’s okay, Theo,” I protested, “I don’t want tea. I’m fine.”

  “It’s no trouble, honestly.”

  He left the room quickly and I sat, feeling glad I wouldn’t have to encounter the housekeeper again. She gave me the creeps and was the last person I wanted to see, apart from Aquila, that is.

  Theo had only been gone for a few minutes, when the French windows leading to the rear gardens opened and Joseph walked in, carrying an armful of roses.

  “Emily,” he said, his face lighting up. “I didn’t expect to see you here. Come to check up on your car? It’s not quite ready yet.”

  “No, of course not, take as long as you want. It’s just a quick visit. Theo invited me back,” I explained, looking at the roses he was carrying and feeling more in the way than ever. “I know you have a party to organise and loads to do.”

  The scent of the roses assailed my nostrils and I breathed in deeply, adding, “They smell glorious, your guests will love them.”

  “I hope so. We’re really pulling out the stops. It’s not every day you have a Blue Moon Ball.”

  “A Blue Moon Ball,” I said, opening my eyes wide, “that sounds interesting.”

  “I probably shouldn’t have told you that,” said Joseph, grinning but looking rather awkward. “It’s a …”

  “Private party. I know,” I said.

  “No, you shouldn’t have said that, should you Joseph?” said Theo, pushing open the double doors and carrying in a tea tray. He looked at Joseph. “I think those roses need putting in water, don’t you?”

  “Yes,” said Joseph, taking the hint. “Yes, I must go and sort out the roses.” He looked at me briefly. “See you Emily. Bye.”

  He left the room through the double doors and Theo closed them firmly behind him.

  “So, the Blue Moon Ball,” I said, knowing that I shouldn’t push the point, but unable to help myself. “That sounds exciting.”

  Theo placed the tea tray on a side table and sat down next to me, choosing his words carefully.

  “Yes it is exciting. And it’s also very secret. As Joseph has unwittingly told you what’s happening, I’ll give you a little more detail, on the understanding you tell no one. Is that clear?”

  “Yes,” I said. At least I would find out what was happening.

  “The Blue Moon Ball happens every three years or so and has done so for many, many years. It’s like a family tradition, although it obviously extends beyond our family. We hold the ball in honour of the Blue Moon – I take it you’ve heard the phrase ‘Once in a blue moon’?”

  I nodded.

  “To put it in its simplest terms, a Blue Moon happens approximately every three years when two full moons appear within a single calendar month. Normally, you get one full moon in a month, but it just works out that every so often, there are two. The first of these is very powerful and is known as a Blue Moon.”

  “Yes, I think I’ve grasped the concept,” I said. “I have heard of this before.”

  “Okay,” continued Theo, “we belong to a kind of secret society, for want of a better description, that attributes certain powers to the appearance of the Blue Moon…”

  “Yes?” I breathed, leaning forward, hanging on his every word. I half wondered if he was making it up and at any moment would start laughing at me. But he remained serious and I continued to listen avidly.

  “At the time of the Blue Moon, we follow certain rituals that we believe harness its power. It’s not just family and friends, we have people coming from all over the world: famous sports people, film stars, pop stars, TV personalities, wealthy industrialists….”

  “Wow,” I said.

  “It will be the most incredible evening, particularly now we’re in Hartswell Hall,” Theo said. “This could be the biggest and best ball we’ve ever had. But you can see the need for total secrecy and privacy. And why you can’t come. If this ever got out, it would be disastrous.”

  This was bigger and far more serious than I could ever have imagined.

  I had to ask… “When you say rituals, Theo, it’s not devil worship, is it?”

  He laughed. “No, nothing like that...”

  He didn’t have a chance to say any more because the double doors were suddenly flung open and Aquila rushed in, looking angrier than I had ever seen him before.

  “Stop, you fool,” he spat his words at Theo, who sat white-faced and shocked. “What are you doing? You are breaking every code you have sworn to uphold. Do you want to destroy everything? Say no more. You have already said too much and will answer for your indiscretion.”

  “It’s okay,” I started to say, “he’s hardly told me anything…”

  “Silence,” shouted Aquila. “You are nothing. Nothing but an irritation that needs removing.”

  “How dare you speak to her like that,” commanded Theo, standing up and facing Aquila. “You know who she is, and yet you choose to deny it. She is far more important than you will ever be.”

  “You are wrong,” Aquila hurled out his word
s like firecrackers. “She is no-one. You are mistaken and your mistake could cost us everything. How can we trust her now you have chosen to divulge secrets you had sworn to protect? Does it all mean so little to you, that you would risk everything? You know I cannot allow her to leave now.”

  “She knows nothing of importance, Aquila. And if you lay a finger on her, you have me to answer to.” Theo positioned himself protectively in front of me, his anger vibrating and pulsing like an energy field, sparks appearing to fly from his body.

  They stood facing each other like two unexploded bombs about to detonate and I hardly dared move, at once fascinated and horrified by their words.

  “Move out of the way,” Aquila instructed Theo. “You leave me no choice but to act. You should have considered the consequences of your actions before you betrayed us.”

  He went to push Theo out of the way and I shrank as far back into the corner of the sofa as I could, feeling suddenly very afraid. Fortunately, salvation was at hand, as Viyesha burst into the room, the double doors crashing with the impact of her entrance.

  “Enough,” she said in an icy cold voice. “You have both said too much.” She addressed me, her voice quivering with urgency. “Emily, leave. Leave now, while you can. Run and don’t look back.” She held the door open for me and I needed no further bidding, I ran for the door. As I passed her, Viyesha put her hand on my arm, stopping me momentarily, as if suddenly realising the need to defuse the situation. “We can trust you not to say anything, can’t we, Emily?”

  As her hand touched my arm, my fear left me and feelings of calmness and serenity flooded my being. I looked into her beautiful face and big blue eyes, radiating kindness and concern.

  “Of course, Viyesha,” I found myself saying. “My first loyalty is to you. It always has been.”

  “Good. Tell no one what has occurred here this afternoon. Neither friends nor family. If you remain loyal to us, I can protect you. Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” I whispered, “I’ll tell no-one.”

  She smiled at me, and as she did, I noticed tiny wrinkles at the corners of her eyes that I hadn’t seen before, and furrows in her brow that had once been smooth.

  “Now go,” she said, taking her hand off my arm. I glanced down and was surprised to see her hand looking claw-like and frail, the veins lifted, the skin puckered and dry. She quickly crossed her arms, placing each hand within the wide sleeves of her gown, nun-like, so I was unable to see anything more. “Go,” she repeated and I needed no further bidding.

  I ran through the reception area, nearly tripping over something that darted from an open doorway. Stepping wide in an effort not to stand on it, I looked down to see what I had so nearly trodden on. There was no mistaking the fluffy grey bundle that sat on the black and white tiles looking up at me. It was the kitten, as alive and playful as it had ever been.

  “Grey Boy,” called Violet’s voice from the open door. “Come here, you naughty thing.”

  I didn't look back. Reaching for the latch of the oak door, I lifted it quickly, opened it and ran as fast as I could through the courtyard and down the gravelled driveway. I didn’t stop. I ran until I had no breath left. One thing I knew above all else, I had to get away from that house of horrors while I still could.

  19. Family Pow-wow

  The family gathered once again in the library. Theo and Violet sat on one Chesterfield, Joseph on another. Pantera and Aquila stood behind, and facing them all were Viyesha and Leon. They all looked ill at ease and nervous.

  Viyesha began by addressing them all.

  “As you now know, a situation has arisen which is extremely worrying. And it is all the more urgent, given its timing. We have just two days until the Blue Moon Ball, and just a day until our guests start arriving. Nothing can be compromised at this late stage. As you are only too well aware, our existence depends on the Blue Moon Ball taking place.”

  She paused for breath, looking stooped and tired, her usually luminous skin heavy and pale. Taking advantage of the break in her words, Aquila spoke in rasping, venomous tones. “You should have let me take care of the girl while I could. That would have guaranteed our safety, now we have a loose cannon out there. What if she brings others here? What happens then?” His dark skin creased into lines of worry, like deeply engraved grooves etched across his sour features.

  “She won’t,” said Viyesha, “I am confident that we have her loyalty.”

  “I’m sorry, Viyesha,” said Joseph, his usually curly hair flat and straight, streaks of grey intermingled with the lustreless blond tresses. “This is all my fault. If only I hadn’t mentioned the Blue Moon Ball, none of this would have arisen.”

  “That was bad enough, idiot,” exploded Aquila, “but it was this moron who did all the damage.” He poked his bony finger into Theo’s back as he spoke. “You had to tell her, didn't you?”

  Theo turned as if touched by an electric cattle prodder.

  “Don’t touch me, you filthy scavenger,” he said through clenched teeth. His face looked haggard and tired, jowls beginning to appear at either side of his mouth. “If you lay a finger on her, I swear I’ll kill you.”

  “You’ll have to get past me first,” hissed Pantera, still tall and majestic, but now looking thin and careworn.

  “This is getting us nowhere,” thundered Leon in a loud, commanding voice that shook them all. “We have no time for recriminations or threats. The question is what do we do now? We have such little time.” He paused, the exertion causing him to stop and catch his breath, his film star looks appearing tired and worn.

  “He’s right, mother,” said Violet, looking small and hunched. “I’m frightened. What if we don’t make it this time? What if Emily brings people here?”

  “D’you really think she would, Violet?” asked Theo. “You’re forgetting one very important factor. Her feelings for me. If she tells anyone or brings anybody here, she jeopardises her relationship with me. Do you really think she’d do that?”

  “Can we risk it?” rasped Aquila. “You should have let me take care of things while I could. Before you gave her the necklace.”

  “I gave her the necklace to protect her from creatures like you,” said Theo in disgust. “How do you know about it, anyway? Nobody else did.”

  “You forget I have eagle eyes,” said Aquila triumphantly. “You can hide nothing from me.”

  “Please, everyone, be quiet,” said Viyesha, sounding tired and old. “Theo, what is this necklace of which Aquila speaks?”

  “I gave Emily my Celestite crystal necklace,” said Theo. “It was the only thing I could think of to keep her safe.”

  “I see,” said Viyesha slowly, “I suppose we gave you no choice, but you should have consulted me first. I need to know what you’re doing.”

  She addressed the rest of the assembled family. “Listen closely. We cannot waste what remaining strength we have on argument and dissent. This is what I propose. We must carry on preparing for the ball. We have only two days, and limited resources left within us. I am confident Emily will not compromise our safety. If, as Theo believes, she is one of us, we truly have nothing to fear. If we find out otherwise, we may have no choice but to eliminate her. And Pantera, that task will fall to you. Not you, Aquila. I find your propensity towards violence disturbing and abhorrent. We are peaceful, we do not seek to destroy. That comes as a last resort only when all other avenues are closed to us and we are faced with a kill or be killed situation. Do I make myself clear?”

  She looked from one to the other, all around the group.

  “Yes, Viyesha,” said Joseph.

  “Yes, mother,” said Theo, sounding weary and hollow.

  “Yes, mother,” echoed Violet.

  “Pantera and Aquila, do I have your agreement?” asked Viyesha, looking at them with tired, watery eyes.

  “Yes, Viyesha,” said Pantera, quietly, not meeting her gaze.

  “As you wish,” said Aquila arrogantly, tossing his
head back. “But I hope you’re not making a huge mistake. For all our sakes.”

  Viyesha looked at Theo.

  “There is one more thing to discuss. Theo, if you truly believe Emily is who you think she is, if you are convinced she is ‘the one’, she has no other choice but to join us.”

  “But, mother, it’s too dangerous,” said Theo, looking anguished. “I can’t put her through that.”

  “You must, Theo, surely you see that?” said Viyesha quietly.

  “No!” he exclaimed. “I cannot inflict that upon her. It must be her choice. If she joins us it’s because she wants to, because she understands the risks. She may not survive. She has to understand the dangers involved and that the odds are against her.”

  He sat back, looking hunched and old, his brow creased, his problems weighing heavily on his shoulders.

  “Theo,” said his mother, kindly, “for now we must concentrate on the Blue Moon Ball. There is time enough to consider Emily’s fate after that.”

  Slowly, they filed out of the library, seven world-weary figures, their posture stooped, their faces tired and drawn, their energy levels all but extinguished.

  20. Arrivals

  Once more, the mist had descended on Hartswell-on-the-Hill, its tendrils curling around vegetation and trees alike, clothing them in a dark grey mantle. It was 2am and the mist combined with a cloudy night to reduce visibility to almost zero. The cloying heaviness pressed against windowpanes and doors and, had the sleeping residents attempted to look out, they would have seen nothing more than a thick grey wall encompassing and entombing them.

  While the village slept, tormented by wild dreams and fevered imaginings, strange things were occurring at Hartswell Hall. Aquila drove the sleek black Jaguar up the driveway, seemingly oblivious to the fog. The wheels crunched on the pebbled courtyard as he parked the car, then opened the doors for the occupants to disembark,

  A slim leg in a silk stocking appeared first, the sheer denier failing to hide the varicose veins, and an elderly, veined hand grasped the rear doorframe. Slowly, the old woman pulled herself out of the car, standing precariously for a moment. She was followed by an elderly gentleman with silver white hair and deep jowls, who slowly got out of the front passenger seat, leaning heavily on a silver-topped cane. Two further old ladies eased themselves out of the rear seat, one with the bobbed hairstyle of a much younger woman, contrasting incongruously with her heavily lined face; the other with grey-streaked auburn tresses and a tight red dress revealing a once stunning physique that was now hunched and stooped. Both wore large framed sunglasses, concealing most of their faces.

  A welcoming committee stood on the front step.

  “Viyesha,” said the woman with auburn hair, slowly walking towards her. “My dear, so pleased to see you again.”

  She went forward and they embraced with an air kiss.

  “Chevron, as always, you are most welcome,” murmured Viyesha.

  One by one, the guests climbed the front steps, each embracing Viyesha and shaking hands with Leon.

  “Rachael, lovely to see you. Sugar, welcome…. Roberto… do come in.”

  Viyesha indicated for Pantera and Aquila to collect the guests’ luggage and carry it into the house. Then she ushered her guests into the main entrance hall and reception area.

  “You are the first to arrive, which means you have plenty of time to make yourself at home. Your bedrooms are all prepared and may I suggest you rest as much as possible for the next two days, conserving your energy for what lies ahead. And on that score, please be assured everything is in place and all will happen as it should.” She cupped her hands in a circle in front of her solar plexus and crossed her thumbs, saying softly, “We hold eternity in our hands.”

  On cue, her guests each gave the well-practiced signal, cupping their hands and crossing their thumbs in a similar fashion, and echoing her words. “We hold eternity in our hands.”

  “Please,” instructed Leon, “follow Pantera up the main stairs and she will show you to your rooms.”

  The party began to ascend the huge, carved central stairway, each holding on to the polished mahogany bannister and moving slowly, pulling up their old bones step by step.

  Viyesha watched them go, murmuring to herself, “Perhaps an elevator for future years…?” She turned to Leon and smiled. “It’s begun, my love. We’ve made it and this time nothing can go wrong.”

  He put his arm round her shoulders and holding her close, said into her hair, “As always, you have led us to safety, Viyesha. We owe our existence to you, not one of us is in doubt of that.”

  She turned up to him, her eyes shining amidst her tired, lined face. “Soon we will party again with the vigour of youth, Leon. Not long now.”