‘Do you think Natalie’s really a witch?’ Luke raised an eyebrow. ‘Not quite my image of what a witch should be. I can see her commuting on the 7.40 to the City far more easily than I could see her dancing naked round a bonfire with a broomstick!’
‘Sounds to me, old boy, as if you’re guilty of some fairly serious stereotyping, if not chauvinistic and politically incorrect something or other there!’ David put in amiably. He winked at Joss. ‘What do you think? Can she sort it all out?’
Joss shrugged. ‘I hope so for all our sakes.’
‘I’m going to see what she’s up to.’ Luke headed for the door.
‘Luke! No!’ Joss called.
‘Let him go for a minute, Joss.’ David caught Joss’s hand. ‘A word quickly, while we’re on our own.’ His tone was serious.
She raised an eyebrow. ‘What is it?’
‘Joss, I wanted to tell you. I’ve decided to leave Dame Felicia’s at the end of next year.’ It sounded so easy, so matter of fact. She would never guess the sadness behind those words; the loneliness. ‘I’ve accepted a post, teaching in Paris.’ He forced a grin. ‘A complete change is always good, as you know. After all, my research fellowship with Belheddon Enterprises will be over soon. When we know all there is to know, then what will I do with my spare time?’
‘David – ’
‘No, Joss. My mind is made up. Don’t worry I won’t lose touch. After all, I have to keep an eye on my godson. And you’ll be coming to Paris more often too now you’ve discovered Paul.’ He grimaced. ‘Pastures new, Joss. Always a good idea.’ He held her eye for a moment then looked away. Did she, he wondered, even suspect how fond he had become of her? He hoped not.
‘We’ll miss you, David.’ Her voice was very quiet.
He nodded, unable to trust himself to speak for a moment. ‘Well, you’ll see plenty of me before I leave, I promise. I’m not going for months yet.’ He gave her hand a squeeze. ‘And now, back to the fray. Let’s call old Luke back before our witch spots him and turns him into a toad!’
In the great hall Natalie was standing in front of the fireplace once again. She could see it clearly now. The power which was surging around her – uncontrolled, random power – coming up from beneath the cold flags. She frowned, holding out her hands, palm down, allowing herself to sense its origin. There was something there, deep beneath the ground.
Frowning with concentration she moved slowly across the floor towards the hall and the staircase and put her hand on the door to the cellar. It was locked. She shook the handle. Before, the feelings from the cellar had been negative, unhappy but gentle. The grief which had surrounded the small crumpled body of a little boy had permeated the walls, but that had disappeared. Even through the door she could feel something else.
Making up her mind she turned on her heel and marched back to the kitchen. ‘I need the key to the cellar, please.’
‘The cellar,’ Joss echoed. ‘Again?’
‘Please. There’s something down there. No,’ she raised a hand as Joss stood up. ‘Please, stay in here. All of you. Just tell me where the key is.’
With it in her hand at last she stood for a minute in the middle of the study, taking slow deep breaths, feeling herself centred and strong, surrounding herself with an armour of light. Pushing the small niggling core of fear which was worming its way into her stomach firmly to one side, she moved resolutely back to the cellar door and put the key into the lock.
The blast of cold air which rose from the damp darkness was the same as before. Switching on the lights she stepped through the door, onto the top step.
And began to walk down.
At the bottom of the stairs she stood still every sense alert. She was not seeing the wine racks, or the dust or the festooned pipes and electric cables which the twentieth century had introduced. Her eyes were focused on medieval vaulting, and in the farthest corner of the cellar, beneath the great hall, the shadows cast by long dead candles.
Silently she stepped closer. She could feel it more strongly now: a feral, sweat-sharp scent of danger and excitement.
Joss shivered. ‘I can’t stand it any more. I’ve got to go and see what she’s doing.’
‘She’s told you not to, Joss.’ Luke shook his head. He was uncomfortably tense, every nerve in his body stretched.
‘I have to. This is my house, Luke. I have to be there.’ She said it gently without challenge, but both he and David heard the steel in the tone.
‘Be careful, Joss.’
Her smile was absent-minded. ‘I will.’
She paused at the top of the cellar stairs and looked down. The lights were on but the first cellar was empty.
Biting back a shout to Natalie she carefully and silently began to descend the stairs into the cold, holding her breath as she strained her ears for any sound. The silence was intense; solid. At the bottom of the stairs she waited a moment, looking round. ‘Natalie?’ The call under her breath was barely more than a whisper. ‘Where are you?’
There was no reply.
Cautiously she stepped towards the archway which led into the second cellar. Natalie was standing near the far wall, staring at the stone. She appeared to be listening intently.
Silently Joss stepped up beside her. Natalie gave no indication that she knew she was there. Her eyes were focused on the wall, her hands out in front of her, fingers spread as if searching for something she could not see.
‘It’s here,’ she murmured. ‘The focus. Can you feel it?’
Joss stepped a little closer to her. She could feel every nerve and muscle in her body clenched.
‘What is it?’ she breathed.
‘I don’t know.’ Natalie was shaking her head. ‘There’s a lot of energy under ground here. I think a dowser might tell you there was an underground river or spring or perhaps just earth energy. But it’s been tapped. Someone has used it, and they’ve used it wrongly.’
Joss swallowed hard. She could feel her skin prickling. ‘Can you do anything?’