‘No.’
‘Okay.’ Gwen was going to hang up, sibling duty done, when Ruby said, ‘Has Katie been by today?’
‘Nope. Not yet.’
‘She keeps asking questions I can’t answer. Like why you’ve been away for so long. Why you haven’t been here for Christmas and stuff.’
‘You can answer that. Just explain that you told me to stay away, that I wasn’t allowed—’
‘I can’t believe you’re still going on about that. I’ve said I was sorry.’
‘You didn’t actually, and it’s not about a crappy soft toy rabbit from a kid’s conjuring set. It’s that you don’t trust me. You’ve never trusted me.’
‘That’s because you don’t respect my feelings. My therapist says—’
‘You’ve got a therapist? Is that as well as the yogi, or are they the same lecherous guy?’
‘Marcus isn’t lecherous. That’s a horrible thing to say,’ Ruby snapped. ‘You’re so prejudiced.’
‘Oh yes, I’m the one with the closed mind. Absolutely. Uh-huh,’ Gwen said.
‘Well, you do have some very set ideas. And you’re unforgiving. I made one mistake and it was a really long time ago and you just won’t let it go.’
‘I’d find it a damn sight easier if anything had changed, but it hasn’t. You’d react in exactly the same way.’
‘I wouldn’t,’ Ruby said. ‘I was frightened and I was angry.’
‘What on earth did you have to be angry about? I was the one getting arrested.’
‘I just wish you’d tried harder to, you know, not use it. If you’d just left well alone, the police wouldn’t have questioned you.’
‘Arrested me. Suspected me of murder.’
‘Whatever,’ Ruby said. ‘Have you, though? Seriously. Have you ever really tried to be normal?’
‘But I knew where that boy was. I just knew. You think I shouldn’t have told the police? I mean, I didn’t know he was already dead and it didn’t matter anyway. You think I should’ve kept quiet even though there might’ve been a chance I could’ve saved him? And what about the closure for his family; did you even think about that?’
Gwen heard Ruby breathing. ‘Okay, maybe not for that one. But I just mean usually. In like … everyday life.’
‘It’s not a bloody switch, Ruby. I don’t get to choose. I’ve spent the last ten years trying really hard not to use it, to ignore every little sign, to pretend I don’t know things that I shouldn’t know, but it’s impossible and I’ve been miserable.’ As soon as Gwen said the words, she felt the truth of them. She’d been miserable. Really fucking miserable. ‘It’s like trying to wear shoes that are a size too tight. They pinch all the time and to begin with you think it’ll be fine and you’ll get used to it and the leather will give a little but, by the time you’ve walked around for an hour or two, every step is agony and all you can think about is ripping the bloody things off.’
‘Please don’t tell Katie,’ Ruby said in a rush.
‘I’ve already promised. I won’t talk about finding stuff or—’
‘No. I don’t mean that. I mean the way I’ve been. I’m not proud of it.’
‘That’s okay,’ Gwen said awkwardly.
‘She hates me enough already without her finding out that I’ve been a total bitch to her new favourite person.’
‘You’ve not been a total bitch,’ Gwen said, smiling. ‘You have to do me a favour in return, though. Come to the pub with me tonight.’
‘In Pendleford?’
‘I’m trying to settle in, meet people.’
‘Did you hit your head? That doesn’t sound like you.’
‘Very funny.’ Gwen tried to organise her thoughts. ‘I’m probably just going stir crazy. I need to get out of the house for a bit.’
‘You’re just hoping to bump into Cameron Laing.’ Ruby’s tone was teasing, but Gwen felt like she’d been slapped.
‘What?’ Ruby said. ‘What’s happened?’
‘Nothing.’
I used the Finding in front of him and he ran away and then I fed someone a de-hexing charm and he probably thinks I’m certifiable.’
‘Fine. I’ll come out. I’ll meet you there. But no weird stuff, okay?’
The Red Lion was just as cosy as Gwen remembered. A fire was blazing in the hearth and there was a comforting murmur of conversation. Bob the barman was on his own and it was busy on both sides, so she hoisted herself onto one of the high stools to wait for Ruby. A couple were debating the merits of getting two glasses of wine or a whole bottle. A stocky man slid into the narrow gap between Gwen’s stool and the couple. His tie was loose, the top button of his shirt undone and his face was red from either alcohol, excitement or from sitting too close to the fireplace. Gwen tucked her legs as close to the stool as she could, and fixed her gaze on the optics.
‘Excuse me?’
With some reluctance Gwen turned to the man.
‘I’m hoping you can settle a bet.’ A gust of lager breath accompanied his words. ‘Are you a model or an actress?’
‘That’s a terrible line. Very unoriginal,’ Gwen said. ‘In fact, it’s so bad I’m guessing you don’t even want it to work. Which is just bad manners.’
The man’s goofy smile faded slightly. ‘No. I’m serious.’ He attempted a leer. ‘Let me buy you a drink.’
‘No, thank you. Why don’t you head back to your friends now?’
Gwen had spotted the group of similarly clothed office boys. They were looking in her direction with absolutely no subtlety at all. A guy with a thick thatch of black hair and a purple shiny shirt nudged his friend and burst out laughing.
Unfortunately, her would-be-suitor was now looking at her with increased interest. Bollocks. She’d tried to be funny. That was never a good idea. Now he thought she was a challenge.
‘At least talk to me for a bit.’ He spread his hands wide. ‘I mean, we’re both human beings, right? Let’s pass the time together.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Gwen said. ‘I’m waiting for someone and I really don’t feel like company.’ She angled her body away and began fishing in her bag for her phone. If she pretended to write a text message, perhaps he would leave her alone.
A hand appeared in front of her face. ‘Jason. Pleased to meet you.’
Gwen didn’t take the hand. She pressed the middle button on her phone and pretended to read the screen.
‘Don’t I know you from somewhere?’ Jason wasn’t giving up.
‘I don’t think so,’ Gwen said without looking up. There was a brief, blessed silence, but she could feel Jason staring at her.
‘Gwen Harper,’ Jason said. ‘It is. It’s Gwen Harper. Christ, I thought you looked familiar.’
Gwen looked at him. Pink cheeks, small beer gut straining the front of his tucked-in shirt, polyester suit trousers, sweaty forehead. ‘How do you know—’
‘God…’ Jason was shaking his head. ‘You’ve got balls.’
‘Excuse me?’ Gwen’s stomach swooped.
Jason’s voice seemed to have got much louder suddenly. ‘Crazy Gwen. My God, I never thought you’d show up around here.’
Jason had not aged well, but she remembered him now. She had always thought he was decent enough, which just went to show that she didn’t have her mother’s intuition.
‘Crazy Gwen Harper…’ Jason was shaking his head as if she were some kind of mythical beast. ‘Do you know what we used to call you?’
Gwen felt frozen and hot all at the same time. Her eyes pricked.
Jason started counting names off on his fingers. ‘Freak show, Loony Tunes, Harptard. You know, as in re—’
‘Hiya, Gwen, how are you?’ Bob had appeared. Confusingly, he was leaning forward, his arms resting on the bar, smiling at Gwen like she was his long-lost sister.
‘I’m fine, thanks,’ Gwen managed.
‘Pint of Fosters,’ Jason said.
Bob’s gaze flicked to Jason. ‘You’re barred. Get out.’
‘W
hat?’
Bob straightened up. ‘You’re not getting served here, mate. Get out.’
‘Now,’ Bob turned back to Gwen, ‘what can I get you, my love?’
‘Southern Comfort, please. Ice.’
‘You can’t do that,’ Jason said, his pink face flushing deep red. ‘I haven’t done anything.’
‘My pub, my rules,’ Bob said. ‘Either you go quietly or I call the police. Up to you.’
Jason mumbled something, but he must’ve seen something in Bob’s expression because he retreated to his group.
Gwen tried to formulate a ‘thank you’ while Bob poured her drink.
‘Here you go. Don’t let idiots like that get to you.’
‘Thanks,’ Gwen said, confused.
‘I knew your aunt,’ Bob said, as if this explained everything.
‘Great-aunt,’ Gwen said automatically.
‘Yeah, she was,’ Bob said. ‘She helped me out when my dad died. I took over this place from him, you know, and some big-shot on the council tried to stop the licence from being renewed. There’s been a pub here for over a hundred years and then a committee decides it’s not allowed. Anyway, Iris sorted it.’
‘What did she do?’ Gwen said.
Bob shrugged. ‘Sorted it. I didn’t ask questions.’ He smiled, flashing white teeth against his sun-tanned skin. ‘And now we’ve got Iris Mark Two. That’s good news.’
‘I’m not like Iris,’ Gwen said quickly.
‘Give it time,’ Bob said.
‘No. I’m really not.’
Bob held his hands up. ‘Whatever you say. That drink’s on the house, anyway. Just in case.’ He flashed her a final bright smile and moved down the bar to serve somebody else.
Gwen had just bagged a table when Ruby arrived.
Ruby didn’t look convinced. ‘Well, this is colourful,’ she said, making a show of dusting off the bench before sitting down.
‘You’re funny,’ Gwen said. ‘And you’re buying.’
‘I suppose you’re broke,’ Ruby said.
Gwen declined to answer. She pointed to the bar. ‘Quick. Bob is round our side.’
Ruby went to get the drinks and Gwen leaned back, enjoying the smell of beer and woodsmoke and the pleasant anticipation of a glass of red wine. Then she heard a familiar voice and she straightened up. She glanced casually in the direction of the back room and, sure enough, caught sight of Harry. He had a pint glass in each hand and a packet of crisps between his teeth.
‘Cam’s here,’ Ruby said, plonking down their drinks.
‘Is he?’ Gwen said in her most casual voice.
‘Ha,’ Ruby said. She took an appreciative sip of wine while eyeballing Gwen.
‘What?’
‘Ha,’ Ruby said again.
‘Would you please stop saying that?’
‘I give you two five minutes, tops.’
‘You’re clearly delusional.’
‘Five minutes and you’ll be canoodling in a dark corner.’
‘I don’t canoodle. I’m a grown-up.’ Gwen said as primly as she could manage.
Ruby opened her mouth.
‘Don’t say “ha”.’
‘I’m thinking it, though,’ Ruby said.
Gwen decided to take the moral high ground but, before she could think of something clever and cutting to say, she caught sight of Cam. He was walking up the passageway, heading for the gents, no doubt. That’s right. Keep on walking; ignore your old friends. Bastard.
‘Good evening, ladies.’ Cam paused at their table. ‘Hello, Ruby. It’s been a while.’
‘Hello, Cam. Long time, no see.’ Ruby grinned at Gwen and looked meaningfully at her watch.
Gwen ignored her. ‘Don’t let us keep you.’
‘Right.’ Cam looked surprised. If she didn’t know better, she’d say that was a flash of hurt she’d seen cross his face.
‘It was nice to see you again, Ruby.’
And he was gone.
‘Well, that wasn’t very friendly,’ Ruby said.
‘You’re just pissed off because you were wrong.’
‘I wouldn’t say that; you’ve still got another two and a half minutes.’
‘Drop it,’ Gwen said.
‘You’re very touchy today. I’m just remembering the way you two used to be. Joined at the hip. And the lips. And everywhere else—’
Gwen glared at her.
‘Fine, fine.’ Ruby grinned, then said with exaggerated politeness, ‘What would you like to talk about, then?’
An hour later, and Gwen was feeling very proud of herself. She had hardly thought about Cam at all. Well, she’d certainly done an excellent job of pretending not to think about him. And she’d hardly glanced in his direction. Okay, so there was a wall in the way and she couldn’t see him anyway, but it was good going, she thought.
Harry appeared at their table. ‘It doesn’t seem right.’
‘What doesn’t?’ Gwen said.
‘You through here, us back there. It isn’t very friendly.’ Harry stuck out his hand to Ruby. ‘I’m Harry.’
‘Cam’s friend,’ Gwen supplied.
Harry smiled easily. ‘For my sins.’
Gwen opened her mouth to say we’re fine, but Ruby was already getting up, gathering her coat and drink.
Gwen glared at her behind Harry’s back. Ruby shrugged and mouthed what?
‘Hello, again,’ Cam said.
Gwen sat down reluctantly.
‘I don’t think I ever met you, Harry,’ Ruby was saying. ‘Back in the day.’
‘These two didn’t do much socialising,’ Harry said. ‘By all accounts, they were permanently attached to one another.’
‘Don’t I know it,’ Ruby said, rolling her eyes. Which was very unfair considering she had been exactly the same with David.
Gwen started to peel the label from her lager bottle.
‘Oh, they were completely crazed,’ Ruby said to Harry. ‘They used to snog for hours and hours,’ she said, warming to her theme. ‘I thought they must’ve developed a way of breathing through their ears.’
Gwen aimed a kick at Ruby under the table.
‘Ouch,’ Harry said.
‘Harry was after Gwen’s time,’ Cam said. ‘We met housebreaking.’
Gwen raised her eyebrows and Harry said, ‘Not breaking. House borrowing. It was strictly temporary.’
Ruby frowned. ‘And then you became lawyers? Just like that?’
‘Hey, hey.’ Harry put his hands in the air. ‘I’m no lawyer.’
‘He’s worse,’ Cam said, smiling. ‘Police.’
‘You wish. The ladies love the uniform,’ Harry said in a cheesy voice.
‘That a fact?’ Gwen said, extremely grateful they were no longer reminiscing about her and Cam’s sex life. Actually, she could see Harry being a hit with or without a uniform. There was something incredibly sure and solid about him. Something unruffled. Something that said: Hey, everything’s going to be okay. Let’s have a beer in the sunshine. Cam, on the other hand, broadcast something like: Everybody is up to something and I’m going to find out what it is. Come to think of it, they were clearly in the wrong jobs.
‘I’m a solicitor, to be strictly accurate,’ Gwen tuned back into the conversation to hear Cam saying.
‘Which is like a lawyer, only more boring,’ Harry supplied.
‘Thanks for that,’ Cam said, ‘but, essentially, yes.’
‘So you don’t do all that exciting courtroom stuff?’ Ruby sounded disappointed.
‘Barristers do the big-ticket stuff. They go to High Court and argue criminal cases. Solicitors deal with the big three.’ Cam ticked them off his fingers. ‘Divorce, death and The Council.’
‘That sounds depressing,’ Gwen said.
Cam shrugged. ‘Pays the bills.’
‘Divorce, though. Must be full of people arguing.’ Gwen shook her head. ‘Sounds like a nightmare.’
‘Put it this way, I’m not exactly desperate to get married.
I’ve seen how people behave to each other. And that’s people who once loved each other enough to say “I do”.’ He shuddered.
Harry clapped him on the back. ‘Ignore Mr Grim, Gwen. I’m sure he’s got a sensitive, romantic heart underneath his hard exterior. I bet he’s like a caramel. All gooey inside.’
‘I am not gooey,’ Cam said, looking disgusted.
‘Sure you are,’ Harry said, smiling as if Cam wasn’t about to hack him to little pieces with a letter-opener.
‘I just can’t imagine you having the patience …’ Gwen trailed off as she realised Cam was glowering at her. ‘Sorry,’ she said hastily.
‘It’s definitely one of the skills you’ve learned,’ Harry said. ‘When I met you, you were more likely to deck someone that annoyed you.’
‘I tried that.’ Cam managed a sort-of smile. ‘But it turns out it’s frowned on by the Law Society.’
‘Spoilsports.’
Cam brightened. ‘Now I just hit ’em in the wallet.’
Later on, Ruby was deep in conversation with a friend of Harry’s and Gwen was waiting at the bar, admiring the different colours that alcohol came in. She was just planning a rainbow-themed drinking game, when she felt Cam next to her. Without turning, she knew it was him. Great. She had Cam-sense. That was a helpful power. Not.
‘Can I talk to you about something?’
Gwen closed her eyes. His voice really was gorgeous. It made something thrum deep inside her, like she was attuned to its frequency.
Bob appeared and she gave him her order, changing her mind from red wine to Southern Comfort at the last moment. She needed a stiff … drink. She needed a stiff drink.
‘What’s up?’ she asked, finally looking at Cam.
He paused while Bob placed a Southern Comfort on the bar.
‘I’ve been thinking about us.’
‘I’m sorry about Ruby,’ Gwen said. ‘She’s got no tact.’
‘That’s okay.’ Cam was smiling at her. He looked like his old self: that gorgeous lopsided smile, the devil’s touch in his eyes. ‘I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m having trouble keeping away from you.’
‘Really?’ Gwen said, brilliantly. She concentrated on staying upright.
‘I was so angry with you for so long, but now you’re here it’s not my primary emotion.’
The Language of Spells Page 13