Chapter One
Let’s get one thing clear from the outset. Ondine de Groot is not now, nor will she ever be, psychic.
Smart? Yes.
Prone to blurting out the wrong thing at the wrong time? Certainly.
But psychic? Hardly.
However, as she held Hamish’s warm hand in hers and walked towards the train station in West Venzelemma, she felt something momentous might happen.
Very soon.
Possibly in the next few pages.
Hamish was about to take on a job with the Duke of Brugel, who lived two boroughs away in the poshest part of Venzelemma.[77]
It would take nine train stops to get there, which meant the next hour could be their last together for a long, long time. In fact, Ondine might not see him again for a whole week! That was far too long to go without seeing the boyfriend she’d only just found.
Giving his hand a squeeze, she steadied her bubbling emotions. In return Hamish gave her his trademark lopsided grin, making her insides go squishy.
“Yer up tae something, lass, I can tell.”
“I was just thinking we might not have to say goodbye, once we reach the Duke’s place.” Naughty flurries spun in her head as a plan to stay together began to form.
“I thought ye looked crafty.”
Ondine grinned. “You know how I promised my parents I’d see you to the Duke’s, then come home. And then I also had to promise I wouldn’t ask the Duke for a job . . .”
“Och, hen, there’s a ‘but’ coming any minute now.”
“But!” And here Ondine beamed with how cleverly she could get around the promises she’d made to her parents without actually breaking them. “It doesn’t mean you can’t ask the Duke for a job on my behalf.”
“Yer sure yer nae stretching yer arm farther than yer sleeve’ll let ye?”
A few cranks and cogs shifted in Ondine’s head before she figured out what he was getting at. “I’m not overreaching. We’ll be fine. What could possibly go wrong?”
“I wouldnae want tae get yer parents off-side. When they find out they’ll be fair affronted.”
Ondine’s hopes crumpled. “You don’t want us to be together?”
“Ye cannae look at me like that, it breaks me wee heart. Ye know I love ye more than anything and I’ll do what I can for ye, lass.”
The tenseness in her shoulders eased. “I love you so much. If the Duke says ‘no,’ then I’ll wear it. But if he says ‘yes,’ then we can stay together.”
The cool autumn breeze blew her brown hair over her eyes, spoiling her view. Hamish tucked a stray tendril behind her ear. He gave her such a loving smile she forgot how to breathe.
“Yer sure this is what ye want?” he asked. “I’ll be right busy, what with all the important things the Duke has planned for me. Havtae admit, I’m right jumpy about ma first real gig.”
Ondine could have sworn his chest puffed out with pride. Fair enough, too. The Duke wanted Hamish – and his particular talents – to spy for him.
“I am absolutely sure. Oh, Hamish, we’re going to have such an adventure.”
“Aye. I cannae wait.” He grinned at her again and she felt lightheaded with relief.
Fresh emotions bubbled in her heart. “Hamish, you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“Aw, hen, yer all that and more tae me.” He gave her a quick kiss. “But time’s wasting, let’s nawt keep the Duke waiting.”
Just as they were asking for a couple of City Saver tickets a familiar voice called out, “Yoo-hoo”.[78]
Turning around, Ondine saw five suitcases cludder into a neat pile on the ground, as if they’d been levitating not a moment earlier.[79] A lead weight dropped in her stomach at the sight of her Great-Aunt Colette Romano standing beside the luggage. How on earth had she packed it, then carried it, then caught up with them so quickly? Oh, that’s right, she was a witch.[80]
“What’s she doing here?” Ondine said to Hamish behind gritted teeth.
“There you are! Hamish, help me with these? There’s a good boy.” Old Col bustled up to the counter in front of them.
Ondine saw Hamish’s brows rise in confusion.
“Col, we are just paying for our tickets,” Hamish said, putting money on the counter. The older woman’s hand slammed down hard on his. He winced. Ondine winced in sympathy. For an old bird, she sure packed a wallop.
Old Col grew stern. “Put your money away, I do not travel second.”[81]
“I’m not asken ye to.”
“Then how am I to be Ondine’s chaperone if we are not all in the same carriage?” She made a tisking sound, shook her head and turned her attention to the confused ticket clerk. Then she said in a too-loud voice, “Three first tickets to Bellreeve, thank you.”
Ondine thought, Chaperone? For a train ride across town?
Hamish said, “That is very generous of you, but . . .”
The sound of rusty brakes screeched inside Ondine’s head. “Bellreeve? What are we going all the way out there for? The Duke’s right here in Venzelemma.”
“We are going to Bellreeve because that is where the Autumn Palechia is.”[82]
“But –” started Ondine.
“But –” started Hamish.
Old Col breathed in deeply and squared her shoulders. “Enough!” Just in case they didn’t get it, she held her palm up in a stop sign.
Silently, Ondine gave Hamish’s hand another squeeze to let him know, We’re in this together, we’ll be OK. Judging by Hamish’s pale face, he wasn’t so sure. Col had a way of messing up his life. He’d be numpty to think she’d go easy on him now.[83]
“Come, children.” Old Col had that air of command about her.
Ondine and Hamish could only shrug and follow. All the while Ondine kept wondering about the sudden change of plan. Then Old Col turned and glared at them, which had the effect of chilling the air by five degrees. “The suitcases aren’t going to carry themselves, are they?”
An empty feeling stole over Ondine as Hamish let go of her hand and retrieved Old Col’s cases. They looked back-breakingly heavy and there were five of them. Why didn’t Old Col levitate them instead?
“Aunt Col, I appreciate your concern for my welfare, but you really don’t need to come. I know the way to the Duke’s city palace, it’s not that far from here,” Ondine said. “Hamish and I have been there before, you know.”
“You would say that, child.”
Patronising old . . . It didn’t make sense to travel all the way to Bellreeve when the Duke lived so close by. If Ondine were honest with herself, she would also admit that the thought of travelling to the country and being so far away from home made her nervous. Having grown up in the bustling streets of Venzelemma, the city felt familiar. The countryside was another matter entirely. With its dark spooky woods and big noisy animals lumbering about, travelling there felt a bit scary and intimidating.
“Clearly you have not thought beyond your hormonal urges, Ondi. There is a bigger picture here and you are blind to it. You may recall that when the Duke of Brugel graced your parent’s hotel several weeks ago,[84] he asked me to work for him, and I accepted.[85] He also invited Hamish into his employ, and Hamish accepted. He has not, however, extended any such invitation to you. Were the two of you to arrive at his city doorstep together, you, Ondine, would be returning alone.”
The luggage weighed Hamish down. Ondine’s back hurt in sympathy and she grabbed one of the cases to lighten his load. A few paces on, her shoulder felt ready to give out, plus she had a burning strain in her lower back, but she bore it.
Ondine said, “The Duke will find something for me to do. I’ll work for free if I have to.”
“Don’t debase yourself like that!” Old Col tisked for good measure. “Clearly I arrived just in time, before you made a total fool of yourself. If you followed politics at all, you would know the Duke and his family always spend the autumn in Bellreeve before parliament opens. He’ll be there so
on enough, so we’ll be spared the hassle of relocating. If anything, we could scout the area for anything untoward.”
“Oh!” That threw an entirely new light on things.
“When the three of us arrive in Bellreeve tonight, we will have travelled so far and for so long that our gracious host will feel obliged to offer you some kind of employment. No decent person would send a young girl on such a long return journey alone.”
It was almost as if Great-Aunt Col was going out of her way to help Ondine. The thought should have been reassuring, but instead it made her uneasy. A few moments ago she and Hamish had been in charge of their destiny. Or as in charge as you can be when you’re relying on a duke to give you a job. Now her great-aunt had taken over and Ondine didn’t like it one bit.
Chapter Two
The train’s first-class carriage was at the very end of the platform, directly behind the engine. Negotiating the crowd involved lots of “sorrys”, “s’cuse mes” and “did you have that bruise alreadys?” as they squeezed their way through. Finally they arrived and Hamish dumped the cases on the ground with a satisfying cludder. Joints clicked and creaked as he stretched his back.
“Oh, look, there’s a trolley. Hamish, why didn’t you use that?” Old Col put her hand to the side of her mouth and laughed. It was supposed to come out as a giggle, but it sounded more like a cackle.
Although it would be impossible to be inside two people’s heads at the same time, Ondine knew she and Hamish shared a thought: That was deliberate.
A porter arrived and began loading the cases into the luggage van. It would have been nice if the porter had been somewhere near the ticket counter when they’d first arrived – he could have saved them a lot of backache.
“In you get, children.” Old Col pointed to the carriage door and they climbed aboard.
Inside looked like a plush lounge room. Correction, a series of plush lounge rooms, with leather recliner chairs and nifty little tables by the windows. It smelled like money.
When Ondine touched the nearest headrest, she felt the soft leather squish beneath her hand.
“It’s so lush!” she said. No rubbish on the floor, no graffiti on the walls, no missing light fittings or torn seats. The carpet was so thick she left dents in it as she walked.
“Aye, it’s Barry!” Hamish said as he walked behind her.[86]
The aroma of walnuts filled the air. Ondine could also smell coffee, honey and a sprinkling of nutmeg. Further up the carriage a passenger sipped a steaming mug of coffee and nibbled a delicate pastry.
They sank into their chairs – no hard bench seats in here – and Hamish smiled at Ondine. Fresh bursts of warmth flurried across her skin.
“Ahh, young love,” Great-Aunt Col said, giving them a stern look. “May I remind you, Ondine, you are only fifteen and not an adult, no matter how much you pretend to be one. Hamish would do well to remember that.”
Defying her great aunt, Ondine planted a kiss on Hamish. Zap! Electricity arced between them as their lips touched.
“Wow!” Ondine shook her head in astonishment.
Hamish pulled away and gave her a wicked grin. He rubbed his old borrowed shoes against the carpet a few times and kissed Ondine again.
Ping!
Static crackled across Ondine’s skin and made the fine hairs on her arm stand up. Every little kiss jolted her with bursts of electricity.
“Behave yourselves,” Old Col said, but she didn’t sound all that serious.
The electric kisses proved addictive and Ondine rubbed her shoes against the carpet again. She licked her lips and moved in for a kiss.
Pow!
“Ouch!” Hamish said. “That was really strong!”
“I’m so sorry!” Had she hurt him?
“Och, that’s all right. Kiss me better, then.” She received another delicious electric shock for her troubles.
“That’s enough now, both of you. Remember, you’re in public,” Old Col said.
Buildings moved past the window at increasing speed, taking them away from the city at an alarming rate. The summer with Hamish had been truly wonderful, but all too brief. Memories tugged Ondine into backstory, to the time when she and Hamish met. She’d been leaving Psychic Summercamp.[87]
He’d been a ferret. A talking ferret who, after an exasperating series of events, finally became a gorgeous lad. Which everybody, especially Ondine, agreed was a rather excellent turn of events. Ondine was happiest when Hamish was his handsome self instead of his animal incarnation. Over their summer together, the curse had pretty much worked itself out. Hamish could be human as long as he was near Ondine, which suited her just fine. Yet they were about to work for the Duke, and the Duke would probably prefer Hamish to remain a ferret as much as possible.
“This is going tae be so exciting I cannae wait tae make a start,” Hamish said. “And Col, at first I didnae like yer interfering, but now I can see ye’ll help Ondi get a job and then we’ll be working together and having adventures, so we will.”
Ondine loved hearing him talk. There was something magical and a little bit naughty in the way he spoke. Just thinking about how they could stay together and work together made her glow. It really felt like everything would turn out wonderfully.
The afternoon tea trolley arrived. Col ordered a pot of Darjeeling for herself and some nibbles for Ondine and Hamish.[88] The waiter made a few deft moves and extracted side tables from within the armrests.
“This is tha good stuff, eh, lass?” Hamish gave Ondine another of his lopsided smiles. The ones that made her go all silly in the head. The next moment he cut a small piece off his marinated artichoke and offered it to her.
There was something so tender and touching about the action, Ondine felt overcome. She accepted the morsel and chewed it as delicately as she could. “It’s heavenly.” She shut her eyes to savour the moment. When she opened them, she found Hamish gazing at her with adoration. They were lost in a bubble of love as she returned the favour, feeding him a tidbit from her plate.
“Easy on tha salad, hen.”
“Oh, sorry, I forgot you’re still not used to it.” Ondine picked the leafy greens off her fork and replaced them with chunks of chicken and ham.
“It’s taking a while tae adjust, like,” he said.
It sure was. As a ferret he ate nothing but protein and fat. Not through choice but necessity, because carbohydrates could put him in a coma. But now he was human, surely he could vary his diet?
As if reading her mind, he added, “Old habits die hard.”
“They certainly do,” Old Col said, interrupting them. At which point Col tipped the remains of her tea into the saucer and then studied the tealeaves. “Oh, look, we’re going on a journey.”
Ondine rolled her eyes – a safer option than going “Pfffft”, because she had another mouthful of scrumptious food. Since when did her great aunt look for signs in a teacup? Col had scorned her old friend Mrs Howser for doing just that at Thomas and Margi’s engagement party.
“No, really, look.” Old Col held out the teacup for Ondine to see.
To Ondine’s surprise, she saw the clear outline of a locomotive in the wet leaves. “That’s a . . . it really looks like a train. Mercury’s wings, I never thought you’d be into reading tealeaves. It’s even got a carriage and everything.”
“Really?” Old Col knitted her brows and had another look in the cup. She turned the cup this way and that, then shook her head. “That’s not a carriage, dear, it’s a coffin. What a shame, that means somebody’s going to die.”
Chapter Three
As much as Ondine didn’t want to believe in the power of tealeaves, she couldn’t shake the image of that small coffin outlined in Darjeeling in Aunt Col’s cup.
On their train chugged, through the valleys of Novorsk Kallun[89] and the dramatic Lake Obski, where sunlight glittered on towers of crystalline rocks.[90]
As the sun headed for the hills, they arrived in the northern borough of Bellreeve, wh
ere the air smelled like wet leaves. Judging by the puddles on the road, it had been raining. Judging by the dark clouds above, it would rain again soon. There were rows upon rows of buildings, but none of them over two storeys high. It looked like the kind of place that called itself a city, but was barely more than a town. Aunt Col waved a fan of banknotes at the porters to have their cases brought to the palechia.
Ondine wondered how Col had so much money. First-class travel and flashing the cash to get help had never entered Ondine’s mind. Not that her parents were poor, but with three children and a business to run, Ma and Da kept a firm hand on finances. Her great-aunt on the other hand must have pillows of gold.[91]
“It’s not far, we shall walk from here,” Old Col said in her best schoolmarmish tone.
With no bags to carry, Ondine slipped her hand into Hamish’s. In return, Hamish gave her a smile that made her knees go squishy. They walked through the quiet streets as shop owners packed up and closed their businesses for the day.
“I cannae wait fer our adventures tae begin,” he said.
Ondine squeezed his hand. Apprehension niggled at her as she silently hoped she could stay with Hamish and not be sent home.
Old Col led them up a tree-lined road that climbed a hill.
“Well, here we are.” She stopped at the top, where the landscape opened out before them. Ahead stood the centuries-old gatehouse with its cobblestone path. Ondine sighed as she took in the velvety green meadows, sprinkled with tiny white flowers. Towering trees dropped their yellow and orange leaves like confetti on the ground. In the middle of the loveliness sat an enormous mansion fit for a . . . well, a duke. Three storeys high and forty-five huge windows across, it dominated the estate.[92]
It had a pale yellow façade and manicured creepers wound around white columns.
“It’s beautiful,” Ondine said with a breathy sigh. On impulse, she leaned towards Hamish and rested her head on his shoulder.
“Aw, nawt this, Col, ye goiven!” Hamish said.[93]
“What?” Ondine couldn’t believe her ears. How could someone gaze upon such a pretty scene and not feel at peace with the world?
The Ondine Collection Page 17