Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (22 page)

‘Is your magic back?’ I asked. Binding spells could stop witches for weeks, months even.

Harry waved her hand experimentally and we both ducked as sparks flew across the hallway.

‘Yes,’ she said in relief. ‘Mum’s so weak, she can’t have bound me too tightly.’

She looked at me.

‘Where is Mum?’ she said, panic in her eyes. ‘Is she OK?’

‘Harry,’ I began, but she was already shoving me out of the way and running downstairs and into the living room.

‘Mum!’ she gasped and went to Suky’s side. Cradling her tiny frame, she looked like the mother and I felt so sorry for her. Eyes wide, Harry looked round the room, taking in the magic hanging over our heads.

‘Oh shit,’ she whispered. ‘This is all my fault.’

Mum shushed her briskly, as they lifted Suky’s frail body on to the couch.

‘Let’s not worry about that now,’ she said, like an old-fashioned matron. ‘Here.’

She passed Harry the blanket that always hung over the back of the sofa and tenderly, Harry tucked it round her mum. She was so pale she looked almost translucent and her breathing was shallow. But she was breathing, that was something. Mum and Eva bustled around, collecting things and talking to each other in low voices.

I was no wiser about what was going on. I cleared my throat.

‘What’s happening?’ I said in a small voice.

Mum looked at me over her shoulder as she arranged candles.

‘It’s voodoo,’ she said. ‘Black magic.’

I shivered.

‘Is it bad voodoo?’ I asked.

Harry looked grim as she hugged her mum.

‘It’s really bad, Esme. Can’t you feel it?’

‘Suky has invited spirits into the house,’ Mum explained. ‘You can do deals with the
dead, if you know what you’re doing.’

I shivered again, more violently this time. Eva picked up a cardigan that was lying on a chair and wrapped it gently round my shoulders.

‘Does Suky…’ I was scared to even ask the question. ‘Does she know what she’s doing?’

Eva was tight-lipped as she deftly avoided answering. ‘It’s dangerous and it’s not our kind of magic. I don’t know why she thought it could work.’

‘It doesn’t matter why she did it,’ Mum was abrupt. ‘She did it.’

I shot a look at Harry. She stroked Suky’s hair and didn’t meet my eyes.

‘We’ve been researching it for weeks,’ she said, her voice quiet. ‘We’ve been reading the Book of Shadows.’

Mum looked shocked.

‘Where did you get one of those?’

‘You can get anything you want these days,’ she said. ‘I’ve got a contact in Haiti.’

‘What were you thinking, Harry,’ Eva asked. She was looking at Harry as though she’d never seen her before.

‘I knew we were playing with fire, but I thought it was worth the risk. Mum wanted to try and I wanted to feel useful.’ She let out a long, shuddering breath. ‘But all the time I was trying to find a good way of using the magic, Mum was plotting to use a much more powerful – and dangerous – spell. We were about to start the casting when she said she wanted to check something in my room. What a lame excuse – I can’t believe I fell for it. As soon as I walked in, she cast the binding spell, grabbed my bag and locked me in.’

She looked down at Suky.

‘And now look at her.’

A single tear rolled down her cheek. She didn’t wipe it away.

‘It’s not your fault, H,’ I said. ‘This wasn’t what you meant to happen.’

Chloé was backing towards the door, clearly spooked by the talk of spirits, but Mum held her hand out.

‘We need you, my love,’ she said. ‘This is powerful stuff. We can’t do it alone.’

I took Chloé’s hand.

‘Sorry,’ I whispered. She squeezed my fingers.

‘Erm,’ she sounded very young. ‘Can I just… It’s just… Is it dangerous? The kids…’

Mum put her arm round her.

‘I won’t let anything happen to you, Chloé,’ I watched her carefully to check she wasn’t lying. Her eyes were clear, though her voice shook. ‘We just need more of us working, that’s all.’

Together we knelt on the floor by the coffee table. Mum had found a tiny spell book underneath Suky’s well-thumbed tome. She put it on the table. It was bound in something that looked like…

‘Is that skin?’ I almost gagged.

Mum nodded grimly and even Harry looked shocked.

‘Where did she..? I didn’t get this…’ she began.

Eva put her hand on Harry’s shoulder and she stopped talking.

Mum opened the tiny book. It was crammed full of small writing. She and Eva held hands and exchanged a glance that I couldn’t read. Then Mum took my hand and Eva took Harry’s and Chloé’s. Together Mum and Eva breathed the words written in the book. It was like a cloud had passed over the sun. The room darkened and straight away I felt heavy and hopeless. Chloé was crying, silent tears running down her freckled cheeks. The air in the room was so thick I struggled to breathe, like I’d been on a ten-mile run. Suky moaned and I instinctively went to reach out to her, but Mum held my hand tightly and stopped me with a look.

When they reached the end of the page, the room lightened slightly, but the oppressive feeling stayed. I looked at Suky. She stirred but didn’t open her eyes.

Chapter 46

‘Did it work?’

Mum shook her head, I could tell she was close to tears. Harry let out a sob. I put my arm round her.

Eva rubbed her forehead, then gently stroked Suky’s hair.

‘We’re not strong enough,’ she said.

‘Why not?’ I said, my voice shrill. ‘There are four of us witches here. Why aren’t we strong enough?’

Harry’s eyes flashed with anger.

‘It’s Brent, isn’t it?’ she said. ‘Brent’s hatred – and the bad feeling of the town – has weakened us.’

Mum nodded.

‘I think so,’ she said. ‘We can’t work while there’s all this negative energy around. It’s just making things worse.’

I thought of the women I’d watched walking into Brent’s meeting. The one where, even now, he was probably telling them how we deserved to be driven from our homes and business.

‘How much time do we have?’ I asked Mum.

She shrugged. ‘A while, I guess,’ she said, watching Suky. ‘She’s not getting any worse, for now.’

I tugged at Harry’s sleeve.

‘Let’s go,’ I said softly. She knew exactly what I meant. She kissed Suky’s forehead and got up. Chloé got up, too.

‘I’m coming,’ she said.

As we walked down the hill, Jamie and Nell drove past in Jamie’s Land Rover. Jamie pulled over when he saw us.

‘What’s happening?’ he said. ‘How’s Suky?’

‘She’s not good,’ I said, avoiding his eyes. ‘Go on up, we’ve just got to see someone.’

‘Who are you going to see? What’s going on?’

I looked at my feet.

‘I’ll explain it all later,’ I said. ‘Please, just go.’

His face stony, Jamie turned the key and started the car again. Then he drove off without a word. I wondered if that was it between us. I suspected I’d pushed him too far this time.

I stewed over Jamie’s grim face as we walked down the hill and by the time we reached the church hall, I was ready for a fight.

We paused outside the hall. My bravado deserted me and I almost turned round, but Harry and Chloé were next to me and I knew they wouldn’t let me down.

‘I can’t do it,’ Harry said. I stared at her in surprise. She was never scared. ‘It’s too important,’ she said, starting to cry. I hadn’t seen her cry since we were children. ‘What if it goes wrong – I can’t lose my mum, Ez.’

Chloé looked at me.

‘I’ll stay with her at the back,’ she said. ‘You go.’ She shoved me towards the door. Gently, but it was definitely a shove.

With my heart pounding, I pushed open the double doors to the church hall and slunk inside. The hall was packed; jammed with just about everyone who lived in Claddach – all the women at least. Every seat was taken and there were women standing at the sides, leaning against the walls, watching Brent. He was on stage, lit by a spotlight in front of a microphone. He looked like he should be singing ‘My Way’, but instead he was speaking.

‘Ladies,’ he said. His voice was soft, but I could hear every word. ‘This is not the world your children should be growing up in. We need to cut out this cancer and we need to cut it out, now.’

There was a murmur of agreement across the audience.

Brent stood very still until the crowd fell silent once more. Then he straightened up and seemed to loom over the mic. ‘Until this family leaves Claddach…’ He paused. ‘Until this whole family goes, we are not safe in our beds.’

Behind him was a white board with the plans for his hotel on it. He was so clever – stirring up bad feeling against us to build his own business. Clever, but evil. The women, though, were lapping it up. They cheered as he spoke.

I gasped. I knew things were bad, but I hadn’t realised the strength of feeling against us.
Was I stupid to even consider this? Tears filled my eyes and for a second all I could think about was leaving that horrible, claustrophobic hall. I turned back towards the door, then a picture of Suky’s pale, thin face filled my mind and I knew I couldn’t back out now. I took a step down the aisle, feeling like Johnny coming into Kellerman’s at the end of
Dirty Dancing
.

‘No one puts Esme in a corner,’ I whispered.

I took another step, then another. As I walked between the rows of chairs, heads swivelled towards me. I didn’t think I’d ever been so scared but knowing Harry and Chloé were behind me made me feel better.

I walked faster, ignoring the shouts and taunts as I passed. Brent stood still in the centre of the stage and I paused at the small steps leading up, wondering how to get past him.

Harry realised what I was thinking.

‘Ez,’ she hissed from the back of the hall. I looked at her, and she waggled her fingers gently. Of course.

‘How nice of you to join us,’ Brent said, looking down at me from the stage. ‘Have you come to accept my offer?’

I walked up the three stairs on to the stage. My legs were shaking so violently I wasn’t sure I could stand up.

‘We won’t be accepting your offer,’ I said. ‘Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. We belong in Claddach and this is where we’re staying.’

Someone in the crowd booed. I ignored them.

‘So you think we’re witches, do you?’ I asked Brent. His handsome face was twisted with hatred.

‘No,’ he said in disdain. ‘Of course not. But these women are so gullible they believed the first rumour they heard. They’ve got no minds of their own. A few whispers and suddenly they’re all believing it. After that it was easy.’

Someone else booed. I wondered if this time the abuse was meant for Brent. Claddach women wouldn’t like being told they were gullible. The thought made me braver.

‘The thing is, Brent,’ I said, beginning to waggle my fingers and watching as pink sparks surrounded him. ‘The thing is, you were right. We are witches.’

The sparks turned into glittering pink chains and wrapped themselves round Brent. There was a gasp from the crowd, but I couldn’t tell if it was approving or disapproving.

‘We are witches, and we’re very angry with you.’

Brent couldn’t move. He was completely wrapped up in enchanted pink chains.

‘Get me out of here.’ Brent was furious. ‘I will have you charged with assault!’

At the front of the crowd, someone stood up. It was Millicent Fry.

‘But there are no witnesses,’ she said. ‘So it would just be your word against Esme’s.’

I stared at her, wondering how I could have misjudged her so badly and she winked at me.

‘Go on, love,’ she said.

My confidence boosted, I stood behind the microphone. The noise from the audience grew as some of the women began pushing their chairs back and standing up, ready to walk out – even though Brent had annoyed them, it didn’t mean I was in the clear.

I coughed.

‘Erm,’ I said, in a tiny voice. ‘Excuse me.’

The noise grew and suddenly I was furious. My beloved aunt was lying, close to death and barely breathing and these women – who I’d always thought of as our friends – couldn’t even stay to hear what I had to say.

‘SHUT UP!’ I bellowed. The chattering stopped and everyone stood still and gawped at me.

‘NOW SIT DOWN!’ As one the women all filed back to their chairs and sat down meekly.

‘Thank you,’ I said, sounding like a primary school teacher. I felt exposed standing in the spotlight, so slightly awkwardly I took the microphone out of the stand and sat down on the edge of the stage.

‘You all know Suky?’ I started. ‘I know you know her. She’s funny and clever and kind and she’s helped all of you. And now she needs you to help her.’ My voice caught in my throat.

‘She’s done something really stupid and she’s really, really ill. But we can help her. I just need you all. I need you to stop hating us and to just wish us well…’ I put the microphone down next to me and buried my face in my hands. Was I wasting my time? What could I possibly say to these women that could persuade them to come?

Gathering myself, I saw Mary Barnes in the front row, next to where Millicent was sitting. I picked the mic up again.

‘Mary,’ I said, ignoring the other women in the room. ‘Suky helped you find a new job, didn’t she?’

Mary stared at me coldly. I carried on.

‘She did.’ I knew I had it right. ‘You asked her advice and lo and behold your job at the new tourist information centre just fell into your lap, didn’t it? I remember.’ I met her glance and eventually, reluctantly, she nodded.

Warming up now I scrambled to my feet and pointed at Liz McAdams.

‘She cured your morning sickness!’ I declared. ‘And you, Millie.’ I narrowed my eyes at a small tight-lipped woman further back. ‘You weren’t having much luck with your IVF were you? Until Suky stepped in.’ I ignored any guilt I felt at shouting about people’s personal problems and carried on, picking audience members at random, and pointing at them wildly, like a TV psychic.

‘Your husband doesn’t snore any more! Yours doesn’t chase after other women! You have a whole new career! Your brother didn’t go to prison for that tiny little embezzlement misunderstanding!’