by Olivia Swift
Spirit Magic
Olivia Swift
Copyright © 2019 by Olivia Swift
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Afterword
About the Author
Also from Lirios Publishing
Chapter 1
Magda opened the bottle of special Old Pulteney Scotch whisky which had just been delivered. She sniffed. It smelled very good, so she took a small spoonful to test it out.
“It should be good at the price,” she murmured. A taste of the smooth liquid told her that it was worth it. Magda was a chocolatier and truffle maker. The chocolate café which she had opened a short time ago was proving to be a wild success. To help her make the truffles and other treats, she had Katie, a talented artist, but who also needed to work. Rula, her best friend, ran the café itself, however, it was still a phenomenal amount of work.
Magda’s truffles were each handmade and therefore a bit on the expensive side. She had discovered that whenever the chocolates had a story behind them, they sold much better. The alcohol-related ones were very popular and she was incorporating Scottish stories into the new one being made.
When she was trying out a new variety, it was easier to work in her kitchen at home. The smaller chocolate vat that she used to make all the stock before the café opened was still there, and it presently had a small amount of chocolate waiting to coat the new truffle. She mixed a spoonful of the whisky into the soft chocolate center, covered it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to set.
“I could treat myself to a coffee and a rest,” she thought and took the mug into the living room. The cats all looked up to see if there was anything edible arriving but ignored her when there was not.
“You are spoiled brats,” she told them. “Psychic cat, indeed,” she said as she moved Crystal along on the couch to find a space. “Lazy cat, more like it.”
Crystal was a lilac tortie Birman and very beautiful with fluffy cream fur and slightly darker ears. Her sister, Abigail, was a darker Birman and both had attractive blue eyes. Crystal always knew when the phone was about to ring and had proved uncannily accurate about other things in the past. They were joined on the couch by Pushkin and Irina, two black and white kittens that had been dumped on her doorstep.
Irina was supposed to be living with Sam, but as Sam was at Magda’s most of the time, the kitten had joined the others. Sam and Magda had known each other all their lives and had fought and argued for almost all that time. Their group of friends were used to the constant disagreements. If Sam said “white,” Magda would say “black.” Magda loved old-world things. Sam loved slick and modern, but Katie had remarked many times that opposites attract.
Sam had designed the café with an insight that belied the arguments, and the two of them had admitted, in the end, that they did love each other. Making everything work, planning a wedding, and running two businesses was proving to be quite a tall order.
The third kitten was with Declan, the carpenter who worked with Sam and who already had three other cats.
“Oh heavens.! I have such a lot to think about,” she said to the cats. Then hearing the door open, she added, “And here is one of the reasons,” then turned her head to see Sam Barnes drop his folder on the table and go off to find a coffee.
“I just needed a few quiet minutes,” he said as he dropped beside her on the couch. The cats obligingly moved over. Crystal made her way onto his knee.
“Me too. I’ve made up the new center and stuck it in the fridge.” Crystal kneaded her paws on Sam’s knee. “That little villain won’t go to anyone else but you.”
Sam laughed and stroked the cat.
“Is this the whisky truffle?”
“I’ll get you a small taste of the hard stuff,” she said and went to find the bottle.
“That is good,” he said and she handed him a small piece of the mixture that had the whisky incorporated. “Mmm. That is a winner, Magda.”
“The people with the distillery in the north of Scotland are helpful and willing to do a deal. The stuff is wildly expensive, but I think different from anything else around here. They sent me a photo of the distillery.” Sam saw the small, and to American eyes, quaint, door in a stone wall. It looked like what it was, an historic building which was still operating today in the twenty-first century.
Crystal stretched and swiped at the photo on the tablet and then settled back on his knee.
“Oh no, you little minx,” Magda cried, “We are not having any of this psychic stuff now.” She took back the tablet and saw that the next picture had come up on the screen. It was the ruined walls of an old castle on the headland.
“That’s the ruins behind the distillery,” she told Sam. She flicked on to the next one, “And that is the drop down from the walls to the rocks and the sea. Must have been a good place to defend.”
“So, is this one good to go?” Sam asked.
“I’ll make this batch as samples and write up some of the history.” She stood up. “I had better finish them and then get back to the café.” He caught her arm as she moved away and pulled her back down.
“Not very often we get a few minutes like this.”
“Mmm, I’ll give in and take the chance as well,” she said. Then her conscience pulled her away and back to work.
Sam picked up the folder.
“I am meeting Declan at the café later to talk about this tree house.”
She knew that he was enjoying designing this unusual tree house for a client. It was to be hung between trees and move slightly in the wind. The entrance stairway would be hidden from view and people would suddenly see what looked like a giant wooden teardrop suspended in the forest.
“ I can drop you off and pick you up later. We could get a pizza or something on the way back.”
“Sounds good. Saves cooking. Let me just collect this mixture,” Magda answered, and they locked the cats in the living room and left together.
Magda smiled as she walked down the narrow path between the hiking shop and the bank. There were lanterns strung overhead and wrought iron decorations on the walls. It still gave her a thrill when she stepped into the garden area with the colored tables. The double doors opened into the new extension, and the whole of the original stable was an enormous, shining, modern kitchen. The restored original stone slabs on the floor were polished and looked wonderful.
The whole picture of the building looked like an old miner’s cabin and the enticing smell of chocolate drew you in. It was exactly how she had seen it in her mind’s eye and Sam had instinctively reproduced what she wanted. Rula smiled as she saw her friend and now her boss, coming back to work. She was working the complicated coffee machine with the necessary skill, and Rita, the new assistant, was zooming about in her pocket-rocket way that never seemed to slow down.
Magda went over to Katie, who was stirring chocolate in the big vat, and took out the pieces of whisky fondant.
“Is that the new one?” Katie asked, and when Mag
da nodded and offered them, she popped one in her mouth. Magda waited nervously because Katie was not afraid to point out if something was not quite right. Then a smile spread across Katie’s face.
“That is a dream, Magda. An absolute dream.” Rula came over and tried one and agreed. Then Magda noticed that one of the regular ladies was at the counter.
“Mrs. Jarvis, you are an expert by now. Tell me your honest opinion of this flavor.”
The woman ate the fondant and smiled. “I need another to be sure,” she said and Magda handed the plate out.
“Absolutely perfect, Magda. What is it?”
“Proper Scotch whisky from the highlands of Scotland. I am going to write up the ingredients that they use to flavor it. It’s fascinating.”
“Tell me when they are ready to buy, girl. It’s a dead certain winner.”
Magda thanked her and let Rita try one as well.
“Yummy,” she said and went back to making sandwiches.
Katie brought Magda up to date on what had been made and what was still to do. Magda tucked her long, plum-colored hair into a hygienic white hat and tied on an apron.
I’ll do the violet ones and let you finish the rose fondant,” she said. “Sam is meeting Declan here later, to discuss the tree house design. It’s apparently very complicated.”
“Declan will work it out for him. I reckon he could build anything out of wood,” Rula called across.
“I did spot some of his sculptured pieces at the house once,” Magda said. “Sam keeps me away in case I remember that he hasn’t built the exercise area for the cats like Declan has.”
“What sort of exercise area?” Rula asked, and Magda told her that Declan had encased the decking in a beautiful wooden structure with fine wire netting.
“The cats can go outside but still be safe. They have tree branches to climb on and rest in the sun.”
“Maybe Sam would be better building the cat area at his own house. You are going to move there eventually, aren’t you?” Katie asked.
“Hmm,” Magda smiled. “I did think that his new roof terrace would be wonderful for the cats to use if it was enclosed. None of you say anything. He will have to be in the right mood to be clued in about it.”
“I like it when you two argue. It always seems like the old days,” Rula added. “Hello, Michael,” she added as Mikey from the hiking shop came in and stood at the counter. Rula started to make his usual hot chocolate without having to be asked.
“Everything okay, girls?” he asked.
“Yes, thanks, Mikey,” Magda answered.
“I really want this place to succeed,” he added. “My favorite drink is on hand and I have sold more stuff since your customers came through the door.”
“Glad to hear it,” Magda told him. “The vacation season is in full swing.”
Rula picked up the new whisky samples and passed around the plate.
“Try the new center and tell us what you think.”
Mikey bit into the fondant and let the flavor trickle over his tongue. “It tastes . . . this sounds daft. It tastes like the ocean.”
“But is it good?” Rula asked a bit impatiently.
He grinned. “Wait for it, girl. It is superb but there is definite taste of herbs and a wind off the sea.”
Magda came over and handed him the expensive bottle of single malt.
“Read what that says on the back.”
“Our twelve-year-old maritime malt is made where the sea sweeps the most northerly coasts of Scotland. It is brewed in ex-bourbon casks from America and made in traditional ways. We add honey, spices and other herbs to make the distinctive flavor of a smooth, amber, traditional single malt.”
“Wow, you were right on there,” Katie hollered.
“Well I never,” Mikey said. “Wanted to ask you something, Magda,” he added. Magda went around to the serving area and the two of them sat at a table. He grinned.
“You can just say no, but what about if I rent that piece of rock behind the café for a small training wall? It would not be very high. I know the land at the top of the rock wall belongs to someone but the practice wall would not go near to the top. Lots of the customers come for coffee anyway. You would get rent and I would charge them for using the wall.”
“Let’s have a quick look at it,” Magda said, and they went off behind the café, followed by the inquisitive looks of the girls behind the counter.
The café had been the only building left of a whole complex that had burned down a long time ago. “Apparently the buildings grew up around this bit that was left and the new owners were not interested,” Magda told him. They both looked up at the rock face that shot upward behind the café.
“I would put a plastic wall against it with all the safety built in and an easy way back down,” Mikey added.
“I’ll run it past Sam and see what the others think and let you know, okay?”
“Fine,” Mikey answered as they headed back to the entrance.
“I’ve already called Sam and told him you are behind the café with Mikey,” Rula joked.
“That’s friends for you, Mikey,” Magda said, and Mikey took the truffles he had asked for, paid his bill, and strolled off back to his shop.
“Well?” Rula asked. Magda smiled and asked what they thought about Mikey’s idea.
“Should be okay,” Katie said, “It doesn’t hurt to help other businesses out.”
“A lot of his customers do come in here anyway,” Rula added as she smiled at the delivery man who brought a heavy box to the door and asked for a signature. Magda looked at the box and said that it was the whisky she had ordered from Scotland.
She slit open the box and pulled away the packaging. There were three bottles, some photos, printed sheets, some pieces of driftwood and swatches of tartan material. When she picked up the piece of driftwood, a sudden cold breeze blew the papers around and the girls rushed to catch everything flying about.
Chapter 2
“I think we just got a blast from northern Scotland,” Katie observed as they collected the fluttering papers.
Magda took out everything in the box and secured the whisky bottles in a safe place. She glanced at the papers and put the wood, tartan and information back in the box to read later. The truffles would not make themselves.
Sam and Declan arrived at more or less the same time as the girls were finishing off for the day. They settled at a table in the extension and spread out some plans. Magda brought them coffee and glanced at their work.
“Is this the big wooden tree house?” she asked, and Sam nodded.
“I hope Declan here can figure out how to make it, because the client loves it.”
Sam was an architect who also loved to be part of the actual building work. He and Declan often worked together.
“We need to try it out roughly to make sure it will be secure,” Declan observed.
Sam said that he was sure the client would let them do that.
“He has a landscaped garden around the house, but then it turns into wilderness and he also owns a separate huge piece of wild land. He wants the tree house to blend into the woodland so that the boys can go and enjoy themselves but still be safe.”
“Could we get the truck close to where you want to build it?” Declan queried, and Sam said that it wouldn’t be a problem. Declan took the plans and said he would look at them at home and work out what they would need to take to see if it would be possible. Sam spotted the newly delivered box and asked what it was.
“The stuff from Scotland,” Magda answered. “I thought I would look at it later.” She flicked open the box and picked up the piece of wood. There was a sudden cold breeze again and Rula grabbed for the papers on the counter. She laughed and started to tell the two men about Mikey being so right about the flavor when she saw Declan’s face.
“What?” she asked with a sudden surge of worry. Declan waved his hands.
“I see stuff all the time. Always have. Don’t worry about it
.” He took the wood from her and ran his hand over it. “I would say this was very old and probably oak. It’s very heavy and solid, and oak is like that. It would make a beautiful ornamental piece.”
“You are not getting away with that, Declan Coombs. What did you see?” Magda demanded and Sam backed her up. Rula suggested they all have another coffee and started to make them.
“I’ll close up,” Katie said, and Rita asked if she could go home. Magda told her that they were finished for the day. The rest all took a cup from Rula and sat around the box of papers, tartan, and the piece of wood that Declan had put back down.
“Spill it,” Rula told him. What do you mean, ‘see stuff’?”
“We know you were not bothered by the ghost cat,” Magda added. Declan sighed.
“I guess we all know each other well,” he started off by saying. “I have seen things all my life. I thought everybody did when I was a kid but I just don’t say anything. It makes life easier.”
“What sorts of things?” Sam asked and was genuinely interested.
“I sometimes go into a room and see somebody standing in the corner. Maybe they’re wearing clothes from another time, and to me they look quite real. Then they fade away.”
“Wow,” Katie said, breathing out. “That is fabulous. Can you describe them in detail?”
“You mean you could paint them?” Magda asked Katie, and she nodded.
“It would be so exciting.”
Declan smiled and said he would think about it the next time it happened.
“I sometimes see buildings that once stood on an empty spot,” he added. He looked at Magda. “You know where you turn off to go to Merle’s ranch?” Magda and Sam both nodded. “There was a small log cabin there once upon a time and a woman works in the garden. It was probably part of a community that has gone but I don’t see the rest of it.”