Frost Hollow Hall (2 page)

We followed the road for a mile or so and then, quite suddenly, the gates to Frost Hollow Hall loomed before us. They were great tall things, the ironwork all twisted leaves and queer-looking flowers. And they were very definitely shut.

‘It in’t very welcoming,’ I said.

Will looked at me like I was a complete hare-brain. ‘
Exactly
. That’s why it’s a dare.’ And he led me to a hole in the hedge, the sort made by badgers on their travels. ‘This is our way in. Now stay close.’

But I didn’t fancy tucking right in behind him, so I waited ’til he’d elbowed his way through.

‘Thought you’d done a runner,’ he said, as I eventually emerged from the hedge.

‘Just keeping me distance, so you don’t get no ideas,’ I said.

And though he laughed, I was glad I’d put him straight. Girls had this habit of swooning over Will Potter and if he thought I would too, only to mock me for it, then he could blinking well think again.

We now stood in a gloomy thicket. It was quiet as death; even the birds weren’t singing. I didn’t care for the place, and felt the shivers go through me, though I did my best to hide it. When Will set off again, I stayed close this time. We followed a narrow path that twisted and turned between the trees. Soon enough, the woods thinned and we slithered down a hill and out onto open ground. No sign of those men with dogs, though I kept my eyes peeled just in case. We went through a gate and over a field to the crest of another hill. Here we came to a halt.

‘Look at that,’ said Will, gazing at the view below.

Spread out before us was the thickest, most marvellous frost I’d ever seen. The grass was so pale it might’ve been snow, the trees all white like bones.

‘It’s a frost hollow,’ said Will, smugly. ‘Catches the cold air and hangs onto it. That’s how the house got its name.’

‘Oh? Is that right?’

I had to admit it was a sight to behold.

‘Where’s the house, then?’ I said.

Will pointed to a stand of yew trees. ‘Behind there. You can’t see it from this side.’

My spirits sank. I’d been hoping for a peek at the creepy old place. Then I saw the lake itself, spread out like a great metal platter, just visible through a copse of bare trees. Of a sudden, I couldn’t keep still. I hitched up my skirts and set off down the hill.

‘Hang about!’ Will called, which only made me go faster.

I didn’t stop ’til I’d reached the lake edge. Down here, the air felt heavy and chill; it hurt my chest just to breathe. All along the banks were old stone urns and statues with their arms missing. Frost covered everything in a thick white fur.

One look at the lake and my heart beat faster. It was frozen right across. I had this sudden urge to be out in the middle of it. All by myself, where no one could get on my nerves.

‘Can I have a go? ’ I said to Will when he’d caught me up.

He shook his head. ‘I’m first.’

‘Oh go on, please.’

He ignored me. Crouching on the grass, he pulled the skates from his jacket. They were odd-looking things, part wood, part leather, part blade. The wooden bit was shaped to fit snug against a boot sole; on Will’s great feet, they did fit perfectly. He then fastened the two leather straps over his toes and at his ankle to keep them firmly in place.

‘If the ice holds me, it’ll hold you,’ he said, flexing his feet. ‘It’s safer to let me try it out first.’

‘Bit late to worry about that now.’

This was a dare, wasn’t it? Will had made that perfectly clear. We were sneaking about on private land. If we got caught a thrashing would be the least of our worries. Since when did
safe
come into it?

Straightening up, Will wobbled and grabbed my arm. I stood still while he got his balance.

‘You don’t mind me really, do you?’ he said, a smile flitting over his face.

Actually, I minded him very much. He was an irksome wretch. And I’d seen that look before; he used it on all the girls. Very firmly, I prised his hand off my arm.

‘I’m only here for a go on them skates,’ I said, though in truth they looked way too big. Not that it’d stop me. Heck, I’d get out there in my bare feet if I had to.

The very second he was on the ice, Will started acting the clown. He skated first on one foot, then the other, flapping his arms like he was about to fall, only to right himself in the nick of time. What a daft lummox he was. I wished he’d get on with it so I could have my turn. And then, as if just to vex me, he darted off across the ice.

I was by myself.

It had got colder. By now the sun was low and red in the sky, and the air so still not even the trees stirred. High above my head, rooks circled and cawed to each other. At my back, the copse grew darker.

I began to feel uneasy again.
A boy died out here
. I pulled my shawl tight against me and shivered.

Somewhere behind me, a twig snapped. I spun round. A blackbird flew past, squawking. Except for my heartbeat, all went still again. Then, thirty or so yards into the copse, a dark shape flitted through the trees. It was a woman. She moved fast and low, away from me. She hadn’t seen me yet. I held my breath, praying she wouldn’t look back over her shoulder; we were done for if she did. Thankfully, she kept moving. Then she ducked behind an old stone wall and disappeared.

Bit by bit, my breathing slowed to normal. But I didn’t fancy being here much longer. It was giving me the creeps. I waved to Will, though it was an age before he saw me. He was right over the other side of the lake; I wondered if he’d forgotten me completely. Then little by little the black dot that was him got closer, ’til he slid to a halt in front of me.

‘That was grand!’ Will said, his face all lit up.

I pointed to the trees. ‘Someone was there just now.’

His smile vanished.

‘Don’t fret, they didn’t see us,’ I said, a little bit pleased to see him rattled.

‘Who was it?’

‘How the flip should I know?’

‘Well, it’s getting late. Perhaps we should . . .’

‘Oh no.’

I knew Will Potter’s game, all right. If we went home now, he’d think he’d won the dare. I wasn’t going anywhere ’til I’d been on the ice too.

‘I didn’t come all this way for nothing. Now give me them skates.’

‘Tilly . . .’

I held out my hand. ‘Skates!’

He pointed at the ice and said something about the middle, but I wasn’t really listening.

‘Sit down,’ he said, coming back onto the bank. ‘I’ll put them on for you.’

‘I’ll do it myself, ta,’ I said.

‘No, you won’t. They have to be on properly.’

So I bit my lip and sat down on the frozen grass. Will took his time, tutting because my own boots were smaller than the skates themselves, and then fussing over the buckles. I reckoned he was doing it on purpose.

‘Oh come on!’ I said, as the frost soaked through my skirts. ‘It’ll be summer at this rate.’

He offered me his hand for a pull up but I waved him off.

‘Suit yourself,’ he said, and stood back as I got to my knees, then to my feet. Blimey, it was hard enough just to stay upright on the grass! As I stepped onto the ice, my feet shot out in front of me, my arms whirling like mad.

‘Steady there!’ laughed Will.

I wished he’d just clear off. His blasted skates didn’t help much either; they were easily three sizes too big. With my heart in my mouth, I tried to go forward but tipped back, arms flapping like a goose. This was no fun at all. I gritted my teeth. I’d show Will Potter. And I’d wipe that stupid grin right off his face.

I focused on my feet. Though it pained me to admit it, Will had a knack to how he moved his –
down and out
,
down and out
. Somehow, I managed it too. And I stayed upright. I leaned forward, wobbled a bit, went faster. The skates began to glide like they had a life of their own. My hair lifted off my shoulders. Ice-cold air stung my cheeks.

This was it! I was skating!

A great rush of joy came over me. I kept going. Faster and faster. Everything around me was a blur. I grinned like a mad thing ’til the cold made my teeth hurt. And when I saw how far I’d gone, I finally turned back for the bank. There was Will. He waving both arms over his head, calling something; I didn’t hear what. The sight of him soured my mood.

‘What you on about?’ I yelled.

‘Stay away from the middle! You’re too far out!’

What an old woman he was!

With a whoosh, my feet went from under me. I fell flat on my backside. I couldn’t get up again. My hands and feet slithered like a drunk’s. I didn’t dare look at Will, though I heard him all right, laughing his ruddy head off.

‘Nice linens!’ he shouted. ‘Show us some more!’

My face went hot. I’d had enough of his smart jibes. ‘I’ll throttle you, Will Potter! Just you see if I don’t!’

All around me, the ice looked rough. There were lines criss-crossing it and I began to feel uneasy, for these weren’t skate marks; these were cracks. As I scrambled to my knees, the ice gave an almighty groan. I froze to the spot.

Oh no! This in’t right!

The ice seemed to shift beneath me. I fell forward onto my hands. Right in front of me, the ice turned dark. My heart began to pound. I staggered upright, fell down again.

‘For God’s sake!’ cried Will. ‘Get over here! Quick!’

He stood at the edge with his arms outstretched. I was too far out to reach him.

3

The Other Side

Black, stinking water spewed over the ice. It sucked at my skirts. And it was cold. So cold it knocked the breath clean out of me. Another great cracking sound and the ice gave way. I clawed like a mad cat, but there was nothing to get hold of. The water kept tugging. My clothes grew heavy. Slowly, gently, the lake closed over my head and all went quiet but for the blood pounding in my ears. I went down and down into blackness. My chest was too tight. I couldn’t breathe. Then my feet touched something soft. I stopped sinking.

Panic kicked in. I thrashed and flailed. Mud got in my mouth, my eyes. Then, somehow, I was swimming up towards daylight. I saw sky and trees, all blurred through the ice. My lungs felt fit to burst.

Help me! Help me!

I lashed out madly. But there were no cracks or holes here. The ice stayed solid as marble above me. Dark spots danced before my eyes. Arms, legs, head, everything went heavy. All I wanted was to sleep. I pictured Pa, come home at last and wondering where I was. And Eliza and Ma looking at the clock and starting supper without me.

The queerest feeling came over me.

Something warm like a person’s breath tickled my cheek and I was no longer fighting for air. The water now seemed full of the strangest pearly light. A boy in a billowing white shirt floated towards me. I wondered if I was dead, if I’d crossed over to the other side and this was an angel coming to meet me.

He was the most perfect creature I’d ever seen. His golden hair moved gently with the currents, and his eyes were strange, beautiful things coloured like lavender. As he came closer, the light followed, as if it was coming from right inside him.

I stared. I couldn’t move. He stared back, his eyes all wide at the sight of me. He reached for my hand. His skin felt icy cold, but his hold was steady. If I was dead now, it didn’t matter. Here was my very own angel, beautiful and full of light.

He took my other hand and pulled me away from the deeper water. I let him take me. I knew I’d go anywhere with him. Then as grey daylight came through the ice again, I saw we were heading towards the bank. I pulled back.

I didn’t want to face Will Potter, or Ma or Eliza. Right now, I didn’t even care about Pa. I wanted to stay right here with this beautiful boy. Yet before my very eyes, he began to fade ’til he was no more than a speck of brightness in the water. I tried to swim after him, but my skirts got caught in the weeds, and I couldn’t break free.

He was gone.

Next I knew, I was up on the bank. I saw a pair of feet, then heard Will saying, ‘Tilly? Can you hear me?’

Blackness.

I sensed I was a bird high up in a tree, looking down on the lake. Somewhere near the middle was a person-sized hole, all dark like a stain. And over on the bank was a girl – me – sprawled lifeless across the grass. Will Potter was crouched beside me, calling and calling my name. Steam rose off my skirts, and my hair, worked loose, lay wet against my face. Suddenly, my whole body jerked into life. I retched water and weeds and goodness knows what all over Will’s boots, and he didn’t so much as flinch. He thumped my back and kept talking, though his face was stricken and pale.

I came back to myself.

Head, legs, arms, everything hurt. I swore I’d been jabbed in the ribs a thousand times. It was agony even to draw breath. My eyelids were stone-heavy. All I wanted was to stay still and sleep. But I grew aware of a tugging at my feet. Rough fabric pressed up against my cheek. I was jolted this way and that. I sensed darkness, then daylight, then dark again. I came to on a strange doorstep, with Will’s arms wrapped tight around me.

A buzzing noise filled my head. Everything started to spin. The darkness came back.

I woke to the sound of voices. I was lying down on a hard surface. My chest was on fire. As I rolled over to cough, a pan was thrust in my face, ready to catch the foul-tasting water as it streamed from my mouth and nose. The room tipped sideways. I reckoned I was about to throw up. I shut my eyes until the tipping stopped. Everything went quiet.

Next thing I heard was a woman’s voice. ‘We’ll be for it if
she
comes in.’

‘But look at the state of the child. We can’t just fling her back out in the cold,’ said another.

‘Can you get us a ride to the village?’ It was Will, sounding far away.

I tried to focus my eyes but it made my head hurt, and I drifted off again.

‘Quick! Mrs Jessop’s coming!’

The voices were back. This time they sounded sharp and loud. I wondered if I should be scared. But it was too much effort. I slipped back into sleep.