The Ondine Collection

by Ebony McKenna

  Draguta stared daggers at Ondine. “I said no pets!”

  Gulp. Ondine grabbed Shambles and took him outside, so they could chat in private.

  “Is it the Duke? Is he all right?”

  “Aw, lass, ye’ve never seen so much sick. Col’s doing her very best tae get him through it.”

  “And Kerala’s not here while everyone else is throwing their guts up.”

  A thoughtful look crossed the little ferret’s face. “Now that ye mention it . . .”

  “Do you think – but no. It can’t be her. Do you think? I mean, why would she harm him? She loves him. And if anything happened to him, it would all go to Vincent anyway. She’s not in line. Maybe . . .” Ondine kept thinking out loud. “Maybe it’s Vincent making the Duke sick?”

  Just thinking about Vincent turned Ondine’s stomach. She had once fallen for his charm. What if Vincent was working his charm on someone here at the palechia? Someone young and naive like Ondine had been.

  “Aye, Vincent’s a dirty wee bast –”

  “H’hem!” Ondine cleared her throat as she saw laundry workers approaching with clean washing from the line.

  Shambles kept his voice low. “And another thing, the teacher is giving ye a test first thing tomorrow. Overheard her the day before yesterday at afternoon tea with the Duchess.”

  “You’re taking afternoon tea with the Duchess? Half your luck.” Ondine looked at the laundry flapping in the breeze and wondered what had happened to her plans for a grand adventure with Hamish.

  “Dinnae be angry with me, lass. I would have told ye earlier only I’ve been busy with all me responsibilities.”

  Ondine couldn’t help thinking Hamish loved having such an interesting job, with all those responsibilities.

  Shambles gave Ondine a scratchy kiss on the cheek. “I know ye’ll give it yer all. It’s maths and yer a big win at that.”

  If only it were proper Hamish, not ferret Shambles, kissing me, Ondine thought with a sigh. “Thank goodness it’s not a history test. I’d suck at that.”

  “I thought ye liked history?”

  “Not any more.” Ondine felt guilty taking a break while everyone else was working so hard. “Sorry, Shambles, I need to get back to work.”

  Shambles gave her another hurried kiss.

  “Thanks for the warning, I’ll swot up tonight,” she said.

  “Yer welcome. Oh, and I nearly forgot another thing. So much going on, so little time. Tomorrow, yer invited tae afternoon tea.”

  “Really?” Ondine felt the rush of excitement. Finally, something more interesting than laundry! “Wow, that is such an honour to get an invite. Oh dear! I’ve nothing to wear.”

  “Col has something for ye. It will look well on ye, too.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  The next morning, Ondine arrived a few minutes early at the school barn door. Hetty was already there, smiling as Ondine approached.

  “It’s so nice to have another girl my age at school. I’m so glad to have a best friend again. Someone to share my secrets. You’ll share all yours too, won’t you?” she said, smiling, her cheeks plump and round.

  Something caught in Ondine’s brain. Sharing secrets reminded her of lazy summer afternoons with Melody, pretending to read their futures in a pack of cards as they divulged all sorts of family stories. Now with Hetty, the rules were different, but she had to pretend everything was normal. Putting on her best secret-sharing grin, she said, “Sure.”

  “I probably sounded a bit desperate just then. Sorry about that. It’s so weird, this place.” Hetty gave a hesitant smile. “There are so many people, but it’s still lonely at times.”

  Ondine found herself nodding to the truth of it, but then wondered if Hetty had some kind of agenda. Immediately she slapped that thought away. Since coming here she’d been off-kilter. Hetty was just being friendly, in an anxious, lonely kind of way.

  Ms Kyryl arrived and opened the barn door for the students. Hetty talked all the way to their desk. She seemed so desperate for friendship. A bit naive. What if Vincent had convinced Hetty to do his bidding? Ondine mentally shook the thought away. Hetty might be immature, but she wasn’t silly. Or at least, not as silly as Ondine had once been. Then again, she lives on a chicken farm, Ondine thought. Chickens were a fine source of salmonella if they weren’t handled with the utmost care. Perhaps the illness ripping through the palechia originated with the chickens?

  Ms Kyryl said good morning and announced the maths test. The class groaned. Ondine groaned, too, because she had to pretend she was just as surprised as everyone else. In fact it was a convincing groan, because she’d studied into the night and still felt half-asleep.

  The test itself hurt her brain, but she felt pretty confident she’d done a good job. There were a few questions where she didn’t have a clue. The ones involving parabolas. They always turned her brain to concrete.[137]

  It was over soon enough and they took out their textbooks to work though the next chapter of maths problems while Ms Kyryl marked the papers.

  “I love maths,” Hetty said to Ondine. “When my sister was at home, she used to help me with my homework and I really got the hang of it. I’ll definitely be doing things with maths when I’m older. How about you?”

  When Ondine thought about her future, she suddenly realised she hadn’t given it much consideration. “I’m not sure what I want to do. I guess I . . .”

  “Don’t leave me hanging. What is it? You can tell me. I’ll keep your secrets.”

  There was that word again, secrets. Secrets Ondine couldn’t share, no matter how relieved she’d feel if she could unburden herself. Ondine couldn’t deny the bond developing between them. Hetty was the only other girl her age in the whole palechia. They had to be friends, otherwise she’d have nobody. And perhaps if they became really good friends, Ondine could find out if Hetty was working for Vincent.

  “OK. The thing is, I’m not really sure what I want to do. Probably work in my family’s hotel and then maybe later I’ll branch out. I guess as long as I’m with Hamish I know I’ll be happy.”

  Hetty’s eyes grew round in surprise and she made a little squeak. Just as suddenly, her voice dropped lower. “You’ve got a boyfriend already? Oh, my gosh. You city girls grow up fast!”

  An opportunity revealed itself. “What about you? Any handsome boy caught your eye?”

  Hetty blushed furiously and lowered her head in embarrassment. “I don’t know the first thing about boys.”

  “But there must be one you like?”

  Hetty shook her head.

  At that moment, Ms Kyryl handed back the test results. There in the top right corner of Ondine’s paper was “D+” in green pen, followed by the number fifty-eight.

  That sinking feeling of failure pulled her down into her seat.

  “Dee plus? But I –” Just in time, Ondine reeled in the words that threatened to fly out. She couldn’t admit she’d studied, because it was supposed to be a surprise test. But to get less than sixty per cent? What a burn. All that studying for nothing.

  “But you what?” Ms Kyryl asked.

  “But . . . I thought I got most of them right,” she said. Oh, how embarrassing, her voice sounded so whiny.

  “You did very well considering your lack of formal education. Your great aunt tells me you attended a psychic camp during your summer holidays, which I understand was not a great success.”

  Giggles rippled through the classroom. Embarrassment raced up Ondine’s neck and face. Even her ears burned.

  “It was Ma’s idea,” Ondine started. Sure, she’d thought it a great waste of time, too, but now the class was laughing at her, she felt strangely protective of her family’s choice. After all, regular school terms are mandatory, but surely what you do in your holidays is free choice? Otherwise why call them holidays?

  Ms Kyryl asked the students to open their textbooks to a set page and they embarked on a new set of quadratic equations.[138]

  Hetty lea
ned over and whispered, “Don’t feel bad. We went to maths camp over the summer.”

  “Oh.” That would explain why they were all so good at it.

  “But I bet you had more fun,” Hetty said.

  AFTER SCHOOL ONDINE dashed to Old Col’s room in the hope of seeing Hamish. To her continuing disappointment, she found him in Shambles form, sitting atop a small table crammed with platters of food. Old Col sat beside him, making notes.

  “Smells great, I’m starving.” Ondine reached for a slice of cheese.

  “Not so fast.” Old Col’s hand slapped her on the wrist. “We haven’t approved it yet.”

  Shambles piped up, “Hullo, lass. Pavla’s goat us taste testing. Best job in the world. That lamb’s tae die for.”

  “You’re tasting his food now? But what if someone really is out to get him and they put something in it!” Fear twisted her tummy.

  “That is the whole point, dear child,” Old Col said. “Considering how sick the Duke is, we should have done this earlier. He’s turned the corner now, thanks for asking. Although he’s a long way from being at his best.”

  “I meant to but . . . I’m glad he’s feeling better. That’s such a relief.”

  Col said, “He’s banned all seafood since it rained fish and he’s banned coffee. He very nearly banned soup as well, but then they’d have nothing to feed the staff.”

  “There’s sandwiches,” Ondine said, wishing she had something solid to eat. Then the reality of the situation hit home. “But what if you get really sick?”

  “Aye, goat it worked out too,” Shambles said with his ferrety mouth full. “Ye noticed how me neck injuries all healed when I changed. If there’s anything wrong with the food, I’ll change intae meself and I’ll be all better.”

  “Does this mean you don’t have time to open his mail anymore?”

  “Not in the slightest,” Col said, then laughed. “We’re very busy, keeping the Duke hidden in his sickbed, opening mail and eating all day.” Taking up a knife and fork, she cut a morsel from the edge of the hard cheese and gave it to Shambles. The two of them chomped away happily.

  Squelch. A cramp of hunger twisted Ondine’s tummy. The need for food overrode her fear of what might be in it. She snatched a hunk of cheese and wolfed it down.

  “There you are! Where have my teeth gone?” a voice demanded from the doorway.

  The three of them turned to see Infanta Anathea standing there with that ironing-board-smooth face of hers, holding no-teeth-Biscuit under one arm.

  “That spell must be reversed,” Anathea said. She had a look on her face that was hard to read. “And that thing on the table needs to be put down.”

  Calm as you like, Col said, “Do you have the teeth?”

  Guilt made Ondine gulp. She’d had the teeth. But she’d thrown them away.

  The Infanta said, “Do I look like the kind of person who has a set of dog teeth in her bag?”

  Ondine thought she looked like the kind of person who carried around all sorts of crazy things in her bag. And a fair bit of it had to be emotional baggage.

  “I can’t do much without the teeth,” Col said.

  Was she baiting the Infanta? Surely her great aunt would not be so rude.

  “Fix it, now, or so help me something will be done!”

  “Yes, yes.” Col held her hands out. “Give me the dog.”

  “Ru-ru-ru-ru,” Biscuit wailed.

  Shambles tensed.

  Anathea held on to Biscuit tightly. “No, he will not be abused again.”

  With a resigned voice, Col said, “I’m not going to abuse him. I’m going to help him. I’m sure he has more teeth in his gums that can come through soon –”

  “He’s a champion breed, not a shark!” Anathea protested, handing the dog over.

  Col said, “Ondine, will you get my travelling bag, it has some nifty potions in there.”

  Doing her great aunt’s bidding, Ondine fetched the carpetbag. The medicine bottles clinked and rattled as she picked it up. She handed the bag to Col, who passed her Biscuit. Ondine really didn’t want to hold the dog who’d nearly killed her dearest love, so she gave him back to Anathea.

  “Ru-ru-ru-ru.”

  In a flash of fur, Shambles dashed off the table, raced over to the bed and climbed to the top of the bedhead. Then he leapt even higher and balanced on the lampshade. Ondine didn’t blame him wanting to be out of reach when Biscuit got his teeth back.

  “It’s all right Shambles, his bark’s worse than his bite,” Ondine said.

  “How dare you!” Anathea said.

  “Ooops, sorry.” Ondine found something interesting on the floor to look at.

  “Let’s have a look,” Col said, taking Biscuit back into her arms and not caring that he snarled and wriggled. “There, there. Kleine denta wachsen, kleine denta wachsen.”[139]

  “What is being said?” Anathea demanded.

  “I’m encouraging his little teeth to grow. Now, Ondine, my hands are full. Grab me the tin marked ‘salamander’.”

  Rifling through the bag Ondine found bottles and boxes and an assortment of strange things. “Found it.”

  Tucking the dog under one arm, Col flicked open the tin and shook a little powder into Ondine’s palm. She dabbed the tip of her finger in the powder and proceeded to rub it on the dog’s gums.

  A wince of disgust creased Ondine’s face. “It’s not real salamander, is it?”

  “It’s their dried eggs. Right, that should do it.”

  “The teeth have been fixed now?” Anathea said as she took her dog back.

  “I’m a witch, not a dentist. You’ll have to wait and see.”

  Anathea held Biscuit close to her chest. “I will not be made fun of! You mark my words, make an enemy of me and you will never know a moment’s peace!”

  With that, she stormed out.

  Shambles leapt off the lamp and landed on the bed. “She’s going tae the top of me list of suspects.”

  “Agreed,” Col said. “I’ve been looking at the line of succession. Vincent is too young to succeed but if anything happened to the Duke, Anathea could make a play for power.”

  “Is that such a bad thing?” Ondine said. “Surely anyone’s better than Vincent?”

  “No argument here,” Shambles said, climbing back on to the table, where he helped himself to a bite of roast lamb. He swallowed it in one gulp. “Mmmpfh, aw, very good, yeas.”

  “What about the salad?” Ondine asked. “Aren’t you going to try that?”

  “Aw no, lass. Ye know us ferrets cannae stand it,” he said.

  “Then perhaps you should be Hamish again, and then you could eat a bit of everything and –”

  Old Col chimed in. “I know what you’re getting at, child. You’d like to see more of Hamish, because you can’t think beyond your own needs. But we’ve got it worked out. He eats fat and protein, I eat the fruit and veg, and together we have all the bases covered.” Col picked up a leaf from the salad then took some red powder from a small metal box and sprinkled it over the food.

  “Is that a magic antidote?” Ondine asked.

  “Paprika. I love it. Mmm, interesting . . . I thought that was spinach but it must be something else. In any case, it’s fine, if a little bitter.”

  “Can you please take this more seriously!” Ondine wanted to stamp her feet. They were eating potentially poisonous food. When they weren’t eating they were opening potentially explosive mail. They didn’t seem the slightest bit worried.

  “Oh dear.” Shambles ducked away from the table and scurried into the bathroom. In a few moments he returned as Hamish, dressed in a shirt and dark trousers. “Bad news. I think the lamb is off.”

  Fear turned Ondine’s tummy to lead at the thought that her darling Hamish could be sick. But it was so good to see Hamish as his human self again. “Are you feeling OK?”

  Beads of sweat broke out on his brow but he smiled anyway. “All the better fer seeing ye.”

  “I worry abou
t you.” She reached forward and gave him a hug.

  “Oh dear, that’s turned,” Col said behind them as she sniffed the leftover lamb. “Hamish, I’m surprised you couldn’t smell it.”

  “Aye, weil, I could, only it smelled good because I was hungry.”

  “Hamish, you must be more careful,” Ondine said.

  Col pushed the offending pieces onto a side plate. “Not even the Infanta deserves that. Looks like lamb’s off the menu now as well.”

  Ondine hugged Hamish more tightly. “I can’t believe it, someone really is trying to poison the Duke.”

  “Perhaps,” Col said.

  Ondine turned to her. “You’ve got a bit of . . .” She touched her tooth.

  “Thank you.” Col removed the stray greenery from between her teeth. “But I hope it’s not as sinister as that. Maybe some well-meaning idiot in the kitchen has served up something they should have thrown out a few days ago.”

  Despite Hamish’s arms holding her close, a cold shudder rippled through Ondine. “This place is giving me the creeps.”

  Col folded her napkin and got up from the table. “No time for that, child. We must all ready ourselves for afternoon tea with the Duchess. Hamish, you know what to do.”

  It broke Ondine’s heart to watch him change into a ferret again. Maybe when afternoon tea was over, they might find some time to be themselves again?

  There I go again, wanting the impossible.

  Chapter Thirteen-A[140]

  Ondine felt like she had to pass another test as she and Hetty took their seats at one of the small tables in the conservatory that afternoon. She felt like a princess wearing the dress Old Col had picked out for her. It was made from floaty peach-coloured layers, which twirled and swished with each step. Her great aunt had even bought her the sweetest pair of low-heeled slippers, all sparkly and lovely. They were strapless shoes, so walking in them took a bit of getting used to, because they nearly slipped off her feet each time she took a step.

  Sunlight streaked through the conservatory windows. Outside, the autumn wind flickered through the row of liquid amber trees, making their orange and yellow leaves twist and spin into the air as they fell from their boughs.[141]