The Guardian Stones by Eric Reed Page A

They’re casting their evil over Noddweir. Their curse. There’s things in the forest as well. The stones is reaching out, using evil hands.”
    â€œYes, thank you.” Green spoke loudly. “Your theory has been noted.” He looked directly at Grace. “And how about you, Grace? What does my deputy think about all this?”
    Grace flushed, then inhaled and very slowly exhaled. “I will be of assistance if I can, Constable Green, but I am not your deputy.”

Chapter Sixteen
    â€œThe nerve of the man,” fumed Grace. “His deputy, indeed!”
    â€œMaybe you’re overreacting,” Edwin followed Grace out onto the High Street. The residents of Noddweir had spilled into the twilight and were on their way home. Grace hung behind to talk with the publican, mostly, Edwin suspected, to make sure Green was well away on his blackout patrol. “He probably didn’t mean anything more than he sees you as his unofficial deputy, just like you were when your father was constable.”
    He was trying to convince himself as much as Grace. Constable Green’s attitude irritated him intensely.
    â€œYou can see the way he looks at me.” Grace screwed her face up in disgust. “Ugh!”
    As they walked slowly up the street Edwin said, “You can’t blame a young man for looking. If I were younger…well, I’m not, of course.” He stopped himself. What a stupid thing to say. What was the matter with him lately?
    Grace’s expression was unreadable in the growing darkness.
    When they reached the house, Grace cried out in dismay. The door was ajar.
    The front room was dark but the door to Martha’s room was wide open.
    Grace stuck her head through the doorway. “Grandma’s not here. Damn! She’s taken to wandering at night. Green had to bring her home the night before you arrived.”
    â€œMaybe she’s visiting a friend?”
    â€œPerhaps.” Grace sounded dubious. “She just gets it in her mind to wander.”
    They went out to look for her. It was dark. Houses, blackout curtains drawn, were masses of black. There was no sound except for the atonal music of summer insects. A door slammed somewhere.
    Their search dragged on, Edwin now wondering if adults would start disappearing.
    A dim flash of light drew their attention as they came back up the High Street. Susannah Radbone gestured from her open front door to the kitchen where Martha sat at the table, a black cat on her lap.
    â€œWhen I pulled the curtains I saw her walking in the street, talking to herself,” Susannah whispered. “I persuaded her to come in for a visit. I was about to fetch you.”
    Grace shook her head wearily. “Thanks, Susannah.”
    Susannah gave a wave of her hand that meant never mind. “No one should be out walking by themselves after dark with what’s been going on, let alone Martha. Whatever it is that’s going on.”
    Martha frowned as Grace came into the kitchen.
    â€œYou have to stop going about at night, Grandma,” Grace scolded.
    â€œSo now my little granddaughter is ordering me around?”
    â€œYou had us worried. What were you doing?”
    â€œJust gathering plants for my persuasions.” She tapped at a bunch of greenery on the table in front of her. Edwin could only recognize foxgloves. “And visiting.”
    â€œWith Susannah?”
    Martha smiled. “Oh, and others. And others. They was calling me, you see.”
    Grace closed her eyes for an instant. “All right, Grandma, but we need to be getting home now.”
    â€œI only just got here! I was explaining about my persuasions to Susannah.”
    â€œAnd a lot of old rubbish it was too, Martha!” Susannah said.
    Martha scratched the cat’s ears. “You may think so, but you don’t know country ways. I could tell you a few things that would surprise you. I’ve got my suspicions about what’s