couldn’t think where until just now.”
“It’s the tunnel under the castle,” said Callie. “I should have worked it out before. I’ve been hearing the tunnellers. That’s why all this started when it did.”
“Callie, you have to tell Rose what’s been happening. You can’t possibly sort this out; even I can tell it’s much too strong. Sorry.”
She sighed. “You’re right. I’ll go and see her in the morning.”
“Do you want me to come, or would you rather I didn’t?”
“Come, if you’re sure you don’t want to bail on me.”
“How often do you have to be told, you idiot? I’m not bailing on you.”
Callie gave a smile of relief. “Mum,” she shouted, “Josh is staying.”
***
It was already growing light by the time anyone tried getting back to sleep. Julia and David eventually wentback to bed, and Josh and Callie curled up in their blankets on the sofas. To everyone’s surprise, they did sleep.
“Nervous exhaustion,” said Julia, when they sat bleary-eyed over toast and coffee at breakfast time.
“Will your mum be up by now?” Julia asked.
Josh looked at the clock. Eight fifteen. “I expect so.”
“I’ll give you a lift round then, and explain what’s happened.”
“Builder’s coming at nine thirty,” said David as he came in. Both he and Julia had taken the day off work to deal with the crisis. “The insurance office is just on voicemail. I’ll try them again at nine.”
***
Anna opened the cottage door.
“Josh – what happened to your face?”
“It’s been a long night,” said Julia. “Can I come in and explain?”
When the explanations were over and Julia had gone, Anna sat looking at her grubby son.
“You could have been killed.” She touched his cheek gently.
“Mum, I’m fine. Don’t fuss.” He got up. “I’m going to have a shower.”
“Good idea. Your face isn’t too bad but your hair looks as though you’ve just finished a shift in a coal mine.”
If she only knew
, he thought.
***
At half past ten Josh and Callie met at the corner of the field by The Smithy.
“Did you have any trouble getting away?” Josh asked.
Callie shook her head. “No. They’re engrossed with builders and roofers and insurers.”
Josh started for the gate. “Just a minute. I want to talk to you before we go in,” Callie said.
They both sat on the dusty verge.
“I haven’t told you everything,” she said. She pushed up her sleeve, so that Josh could see the dark patch on her wrist and the angry, inflamed skin that now surrounded it. “It appeared just after we went into the tunnel that day. It’s been getting bigger and itchier ever since.” She covered it again. “I’ve known all along it had something to do with things, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself, never mind anyone else. I thought if I was the only one who knew, maybe it wouldn’t be true.” She grimaced. “I know how lame that sounds.”
“Something else happened to you in there, didn’t it? Not just claustrophobia or a panic attack?”
“When the lights went off, I heard voices,” Callie admitted after a moment’s silence. “Someone saying my name. Telling me to stay in there in the dark. Something touched me.” She shivered at the memory. “There was something down there.”
Josh’s mouth was suddenly dry. “I know,” he said. “I saw it, but I’ve only just realised. When you bolted, I thought I saw you crawling up the tunnel just ahead of me, and then you’d gone when the lights came backon. I thought it was you, but it wasn’t. I think it was whatever you heard down there. Maybe we brought it out with us and into your house.”
There was silence again as they went over in their heads what had happened that day.
“It all fits,” Callie said slowly. “But why now? Why us? Think how many tourists must go down there every year.”
“Ah, but how many witches go down?”
“Oh no… then it
is
my fault.”
“Callie, that’s not what I meant.
“It’s the tunnel under the castle,” said Callie. “I should have worked it out before. I’ve been hearing the tunnellers. That’s why all this started when it did.”
“Callie, you have to tell Rose what’s been happening. You can’t possibly sort this out; even I can tell it’s much too strong. Sorry.”
She sighed. “You’re right. I’ll go and see her in the morning.”
“Do you want me to come, or would you rather I didn’t?”
“Come, if you’re sure you don’t want to bail on me.”
“How often do you have to be told, you idiot? I’m not bailing on you.”
Callie gave a smile of relief. “Mum,” she shouted, “Josh is staying.”
***
It was already growing light by the time anyone tried getting back to sleep. Julia and David eventually wentback to bed, and Josh and Callie curled up in their blankets on the sofas. To everyone’s surprise, they did sleep.
“Nervous exhaustion,” said Julia, when they sat bleary-eyed over toast and coffee at breakfast time.
“Will your mum be up by now?” Julia asked.
Josh looked at the clock. Eight fifteen. “I expect so.”
“I’ll give you a lift round then, and explain what’s happened.”
“Builder’s coming at nine thirty,” said David as he came in. Both he and Julia had taken the day off work to deal with the crisis. “The insurance office is just on voicemail. I’ll try them again at nine.”
***
Anna opened the cottage door.
“Josh – what happened to your face?”
“It’s been a long night,” said Julia. “Can I come in and explain?”
When the explanations were over and Julia had gone, Anna sat looking at her grubby son.
“You could have been killed.” She touched his cheek gently.
“Mum, I’m fine. Don’t fuss.” He got up. “I’m going to have a shower.”
“Good idea. Your face isn’t too bad but your hair looks as though you’ve just finished a shift in a coal mine.”
If she only knew
, he thought.
***
At half past ten Josh and Callie met at the corner of the field by The Smithy.
“Did you have any trouble getting away?” Josh asked.
Callie shook her head. “No. They’re engrossed with builders and roofers and insurers.”
Josh started for the gate. “Just a minute. I want to talk to you before we go in,” Callie said.
They both sat on the dusty verge.
“I haven’t told you everything,” she said. She pushed up her sleeve, so that Josh could see the dark patch on her wrist and the angry, inflamed skin that now surrounded it. “It appeared just after we went into the tunnel that day. It’s been getting bigger and itchier ever since.” She covered it again. “I’ve known all along it had something to do with things, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself, never mind anyone else. I thought if I was the only one who knew, maybe it wouldn’t be true.” She grimaced. “I know how lame that sounds.”
“Something else happened to you in there, didn’t it? Not just claustrophobia or a panic attack?”
“When the lights went off, I heard voices,” Callie admitted after a moment’s silence. “Someone saying my name. Telling me to stay in there in the dark. Something touched me.” She shivered at the memory. “There was something down there.”
Josh’s mouth was suddenly dry. “I know,” he said. “I saw it, but I’ve only just realised. When you bolted, I thought I saw you crawling up the tunnel just ahead of me, and then you’d gone when the lights came backon. I thought it was you, but it wasn’t. I think it was whatever you heard down there. Maybe we brought it out with us and into your house.”
There was silence again as they went over in their heads what had happened that day.
“It all fits,” Callie said slowly. “But why now? Why us? Think how many tourists must go down there every year.”
“Ah, but how many witches go down?”
“Oh no… then it
is
my fault.”
“Callie, that’s not what I meant.
Similar Books
