‘But not the children,’ Joss whispered. ‘The children came from the past.’
‘That house is not good for children,’ Paul said thoughtfully. ‘You should be careful. Laura was full of superstition about it. Coincidence is strange. It attracts more coincidence. The expectation of people is liable to be fulfilled. Once the expectation changes, then slowly the mood will change and the coincidences will no longer be there.’
‘You sound very wise.’
He let out a crack of laughter. ‘That is probably the only good thing about being as old as me. Age gives a spurious sense of experience and wisdom. Now,’ with a groan he levered himself to his feet, ‘I shall stop being pompous and I shall go and look for a bottle of wine while you ring grand—mère and check that your babies are well. When you have done that we can all relax and talk of what we shall do tomorrow.’
Luke waited until he had left the room before he spoke. ‘What an incredibly nice man. Your mother was so lucky to have found him.’
‘Wasn’t she.’ Joss curled up on the sofa, hugging a cushion. ‘I’m so confused, Luke.’
‘But happier, I hope.’
‘I think so.’ As he reached for the phone and began to dial she rubbed her eyes wearily.
Katherine
A medieval Katherine with long wild hair and flowing gowns. And a modern Katherine. A Katherine in high heels with soignée artfully tumbled hair and red lipstick; a Katherine who could fly to Orly just as they had, not on a broomstick but on a plane. Were they different women or the same? She would never know now.
Katherine
The echo in her head would not go away; it was an echo from the past, an echo that was tinged with laughter …
Luke had, she realised, put down the phone. He looked thoughtful. ‘Lyn took the boys back to Belheddon yesterday,’ he said slowly.
Joss went white. ‘Why?’
He took a deep breath. ‘Mum says she was getting more and more resentful and possessive; she didn’t want any help or advice and contradicted everything they tried to do.’ He raised an eyebrow.
Joss scowled. ‘That sounds familiar. The stupid, stupid girl! How dare she! Luke, what are we going to do?’
‘Ring her presumably. No –’ he raised his hand. ‘Let me. You’ll rush in and make things worse.’
‘She can’t stay there, Luke. She’s got to take them out of the house. Tell her to go to Janet. She won’t mind – ’
‘Let me speak to her, first.’ He was dialling, lifting the receiver to his ear.
Katherine
The echo in her ears was louder; the laughter wilder; a medieval Katherine and a modern Katherine. Two women with the same eyes, the same red lips, the same wild hair, two women out for revenge.
Scrambling to her feet Joss went to stand beside Luke. She could hear the phone ringing on and on. No one answered.
Behind them Paul appeared with a small tray. He stood for a moment in the doorway, then he put down the tray. ‘What is wrong? Can’t you get through?’
‘Lyn has taken the boys back to Belheddon,’ Joss was biting her lip hard. ‘There’s no reply.’
Paul frowned. ‘Is there a neighbour you can ring? I am sure there is no need to worry.’ He put his arm round Joss’s shoulders.
‘Janet. Ring Janet.’ Joss dug Luke in the ribs.
‘OK. OK. Wait.’ He put the receiver down and picked it up again.
In Janet’s house too, the phone rang on and on unanswered.
37
Cuddled up on the end of Lyn’s bed Kat stood up. Staring with huge eyes towards the half open door she arched her back and spat in terror. In a fraction of a second she had leaped from the bed and disappeared through the door and down the stairs in a blur of yellow, black and white fur.
Lyn woke very suddenly and lay staring at the ceiling, her heart thudding beneath her ribs. She listened hard, focusing on the doorway. Had one of the children stirred? She had left all the doors between them open a little so that if one of them cried she would wake up.
The house was very silent. Her gaze went to the window. She had left a crack open between the curtains and beyond them she could see the sky, bright with moonlight. There must be a heavy frost out there; there didn’t appear to be a breath of wind. For several moments longer she lay still then, reluctantly she pushed her feet out of the warm bed and reached for her dressing gown.
She had left the landing light on. Padding across it she went through Joss and Luke’s empty room. The curtains there were open and moonlight flooded across the floor. Standing still for a moment she stared round, half expecting to see something out of place. But there was nothing wrong that she could see. Pulling her belt a little tighter around her waist she tiptoed through towards Tom’s room. He was asleep, his thumb in his mouth, having kicked off all his bedclothes. He seemed warm enough though, his small face pink and relaxed in the glow of the night light near him. Pulling his covers up Lyn tucked them in, careful not to disturb him, then she turned towards Ned’s room.
The cot was empty.
She stared at it for several seconds, her stomach tying itself in knots, then she flew back across to Tom’s room.
‘Tom? Tom wake up! Tom what have you done with your brother?’ Oh please God let him be all right! She was shaking like a leaf. ‘Tom, wake up!’
The little boy opened his eyes slowly and stared up at her sleepily, his eyes blank.
‘Tom!’
There was no recognition in his gaze.
‘Tom, wake up!’ She shook him. ‘Where’s Ned?’