Zoe drew a deep, calming breath. She’d managed to control her trembling lips while speaking to Cynthia. The effort of hiding her true feelings had stirred nausea in her stomach. Theo’s refusal to confront Jessica hit her again with full force. And Jessica’s high opinion of James baffled and angered Zoe.
For half a minute she stood torn by indecision, debating whether to rush back into the study and make it up with Theo, or fly downstairs and find out where Jessica and James were meeting. The second option would be best, she decided. A few seconds later she walked into the sitting room, looking for them, and instead found herself face-to-face with Natasha.
The healer had draped herself across the sofa. She’d twisted some sprigs of autumn leaves into her hair. She seemed to have detached herself from the misty landscape and floated in.
But as Zoe looked at her she remembered Alice’s image of the tarantula crawling over the jewelled mask, together with all that it meant for her: the glitter and light and glamour of a masked ball; and the silence and poise of the spider, its stealth, its watchfulness, its gracefulness… and its murderous intent towards its prey. Zoe’s breathing became quicker and shallower.
Once again, Natasha’s eyes reminded Zoe of a woodland pool which reflected a rapidly changing sky; one moment dark clouds massed overhead then they vanished to be replaced by translucent sapphire.
Natasha gazed at Zoe. Zoe struggled to break the eye contact, yet she was held against her will. Indeed, even while her mind rebelled, she could hardly bear to stop looking at her, because Natasha was so enchantingly beautiful.
“How’s poor Theo?” asked Natasha softly.
Zoe started. “Poor Theo? What do you mean?”
“He’s not well at all,” Natasha said. “I know it. And so do the other guests.”
“He’s been a bit low. But he’ll be fine tomorrow.”
Natasha raised her eyebrows.
The words Zoe had planned to say swirled into a marshy wasteland. Instead, she opened her mouth and said something unexpected.
“Natasha, what do you do with Theo when you meet him alone?”
Natasha smiled. “What a curious question,” she said. “We chat. What else do you think we do? He’s such a sweet man. You’re very lucky to have him, Zoe.”
But not for much longer if you have your way, thought Zoe. A white-hot flame seared up through her, as if she’d spoken those words aloud. Then she felt a heavy pressure on her chest.
“I feel your fear and your uncertainty, Zoe,” said Natasha. “Why don’t you let me set you free? I can heal Theo of his depression too. All you need to do is ask me first.” Her eyes began to draw Zoe in.
Zoe started perspiring. She flexed her fingers and they slithered against her moist palms. Her breathing became shallower. She felt Natasha’s psyche reaching out to her.
She made a desperate effort to pull herself away.
“Let go of me, Natasha,” she gasped. “I’ll never put myself in your power.” At this, she spun round and ran out of the room. In the hall she stopped to try and calm her ragged breathing. She’d lost all track of time. Glancing at her watch she saw it was half past seven; the guests would all be in the dining room right now. That scene with Natasha had destroyed any appetite she herself might have. She covered her mouth with her hand as she asked herself yet again why nobody but she and Alice saw the evil in Natasha. She dropped her hands and scrubbed them two or three times against the sides of her trousers, then, taking some calming breaths, set off upstairs, intending to return to the study.
As she turned along the first-floor passageway, she drew her breath in sharply. Theo lay on his back on the floor outside the study door, eyes closed.
“Theo!” she cried, rushing over to him and falling onto her knees beside him. “What’s happened?”
He didn’t respond. She slid one arm under him, held him close and listened to his breathing. She sat back on her heels, hand clamped to her mouth. She was shaking. There would be no-one around to help. She pulled out her mobile.
Griff was just going into the dining room.
“Of course, Zoe, I’ll come at once,” he said.
Zoe crouched beside Theo, repeating his name, but getting no reply. She could see no sign of injury and his breathing was regular. With a tremendous effort, supporting his head and shoulders, she lifted him into a sitting position and held him in her arms.
“What’s happened, Theo? Speak to me.”
He began to open his eyes then clutched at her with both hands.
“Zoe, I tried to stop you and make you come back. Then my head started whirling. The room spun round and round.”
She heard footsteps running upstairs and soon Griff appeared.
“Griff, thank you!” she cried. “I need your help.”
He hurried to join her. Theo’s weight against Zoe grew heavier, though he was a slim man. She struggled to support him.
“Come on, let’s lift him back onto his feet,” said Griff. “You take that side, Zoe, and I’ll take this. He needs to be in bed. Then we can call Natasha.”
“Natasha?” It took all Zoe’s self-command not to swear at Griff. “No, he needs a doctor!”
Griff looked at her sceptically.
“But…” he began then stopped.
With them both to help him, Theo managed to get himself to a standing position, but then clasped both hands to his head.
“God, I can’t see. My head’s spinning. And my neck… it feels so stiff.”
“Come on, Theo,” said Griff. “Let’s get you into the bedroom.”
They guided him through the doorway and manoeuvred him across to the bed. He fell onto it and lay still. Zoe reached over to switch on the bedside lamp.
“No!” he gasped. “Can’t bear it; turn it off.”
Trembling, Zoe did as he asked. He pressed both hands over his eyes. Zoe sat down on the bed beside him, stroking his hair.
“I really do believe Natasha would…” Griff began.
“No!” rapped Zoe.
Griff looked startled.
Theo moved his hands from his eyes then groaned. “The ceiling won’t stop whirling. I can’t bear to look at it. It’s making me seasick.” He covered his eyes again.
Sweat trickled down Zoe’s forehead. Her heart raced.
“Theo, this doesn’t make sense. You were fine in the study an hour ago.” Then Natasha’s recent words came to her: How’s poor Theo? The truth was he hadn’t been fine at all. And Natasha knew. Theo’s health had been steadily worsening over the last few days. And Zoe had been in denial about it.
“I feel terrible; can’t seem to control my thoughts. Zoe, tell Jessica. I’ve let everyone down. I’m the wrong person for this job.”
“That’s crazy, Theo. You’re perfect for the job.”
“I’m not. Zoe, someone’s watching me.”
“Yes. Me. And I love you!”
“No, not you,” he said. “I mean someone else. All the time.”
“I’ll go and get Natasha,” said Griff.
“Shut up, Griff!” flashed Zoe. Ignore him, ignore him, she repeated to herself.
“The guests know I’m a fraud,” muttered Theo. “They believe in Natasha, not me. I’m hopeless. I wish I could die.”
Zoe’s heart was hammering.
“I’m no good and I’ve never been any good,” said Theo. “I’ve always been depressed and I’ve messed up my life. I want to hide away. I’m so ashamed, so guilty…”
Zoe snatched at fragments of information about clinical depression, bits and pieces she’d picked up from the internet: A descent into a smooth-sided black pit; no way to get out. This could be a relapse. But worse, much worse than that, it could instead be something Natasha had done to him.
Conviction flooded through her. Natasha could very well have done it. From all Zoe had seen of Natasha’s activities – and from her interpretation of these – Zoe had no trouble at all believing Natasha could launch such an attack. Natasha had cursed
Theo!
Zoe threw her body around Theo and pulled him in, as if trying to shield him. Then Theo screamed and rolled over, hurling Zoe off again.
“My head! My head!” He slammed his head into the pillow and started biting the pillowslip. His body jerked as if he was going into convulsions.
“Griff, call an ambulance,” sobbed Zoe.
“I will, I will.” Griff, white with shock, pulled out his mobile and obeyed.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The following events passed in a dream for Zoe and she remembered very little of what happened before she found herself sitting in the ambulance, holding Theo’s hand, as they sped away from the centre and headed for Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
It was eleven o’clock by the time Zoe’s taxi drew up at the centre that evening. She felt numb. In the past few hours she’d swerved and lurched between terror, panic and bewilderment. Although it seemed Theo was now being ‘stabilised’ at the hospital Zoe believed he still remained under Natasha’s curse; and she felt convinced that the whole situation was being manipulated by Natasha’s dark psychic power. On the way home in the taxi she had several times asked herself if she was going mad.
Her one source of reassurance was the knowledge that in a few minutes, so long as she could be sure no-one else was listening, she’d call Alice and share all this with her; she felt Alice was the only person right now who could convince her she was still sane.
As she walked into the entrance hall Griff hurried to meet her.
“How is he?” Griff asked.
She gathered herself together. There was no way she’d share her fears about Natasha’s curse with Griff.
“Bad,” she said. “Terribly depressed, Griff. But thank God it’s not an aneurysm as you suspected. They found no evidence of that.”
“What a relief,” he said, drawing her through into the sitting room which was empty of guests. “Come and sit down. You must be exhausted. How long will he be in?”
“I’ve no idea,” she said, sinking into an armchair, as Griff took the one adjacent to hers. “The doctors said a period of inpatient care will be the best thing for him right now, to stabilise him with medication. Do any of the guests know about this?”
“No. I kept quiet about it, as you asked me to. I’ve told Bernie and Miles, of course. Obviously we’ll have to tell the guests something tomorrow.”
“Yes. But I don’t want to frighten them.”
“Of course not,” he said, eyeing her narrowly.
“Griff,” she said, “what’s going to happen? Who’ll manage the centre while Theo’s gone?”
“Jessica,” said Griff.
Zoe felt deflated. “But she has a business to run in Birmingham. I could do it, until Theo gets back.”
“You?” A line appeared on Griff’s forehead. “It’s not my business to say. The trustees will decide.”
“I know. But what do you think, Griff?”
“What do I think? Come on, Zoe. Your time’s fully taken up with the administrator job. They’ll have to find somebody to act in Theo’s role.”
Zoe bit her lip. Griff was going to be no help at all. He didn’t believe in her, Zoe told herself. And neither did anyone else. That was bad enough. But what she really feared was that she might be judged insane before she had a chance to unmask Natasha to everyone.
Once she was back in her bedroom, and alone, she’d ring Alice.
The next day, Thursday, at ten thirty in the morning, Zoe was trying to concentrate on the spreadsheet on her computer screen in the office. But the figures danced before her eyes. She had just returned from visiting Theo in hospital. He seemed worse than last night. The drugs had deadened his reactions. She’d been in tears all the way through her drive back to the farmhouse. And now, having walked from the car park, let herself into the house and gone straight through to the office to rejoin Alice, she’d answered the phone to further bad news.
Jessica, she learned, had contacted the other six trustees. She’d managed to get four of them to make themselves available for a meeting that morning in the Corinium Hotel in Cirencester. The meeting had taken place at nine o’clock, while Zoe was visiting Theo. And James had been invited to it.
Zoe boiled with fury. James had no right to be involved at all. She deeply mistrusted him and could not guess what his motivation might be. But at the meeting he had, she discovered, outlined his career, background and experience to the satisfaction of them all, explained his present situation and availability, and convinced them that he could take on the role of acting centre manager in Theo’s absence.
Zoe ended the call and put the phone down. Then she covered her face with her hands.
Alice jumped from her seat and went over to her at once.
“From your side of the conversation, I can guess what that was about. Zoe, remember I’m on your side. When you’re ready to act against Natasha and James, I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
Ten minutes later the door opened and Jessica stood there. James was behind her.
“With the greatest possible respect for Theo,” James said as he walked in behind Jessica, “I do feel it was careless of him not to consider the possible consequences of a relapse, and to leave Zoe unprotected and at risk, together with the safe operation of the centre.”
He followed Jessica into the office and closed the door behind him.
“How dare you criticise Theo, James,” burst out Zoe.
Jessica hurried round Zoe’s desk and took both her hands. A wave of her Dior perfume swept over Zoe. Her warmth and sympathy seemed so genuine, Zoe momentarily softened. “This has been a terrible shock for you. We’re determined to support you in every way possible.” She smiled at Zoe. Chic and poised, she appeared in control. She wore a straight navy skirt, a crisp pearl-buttoned blouse and tailored jacket.
She went to take one of the easy chairs. James seated himself in the one diagonally opposite. Alice remained behind her own desk, watchful and alert.
Jessica addressed herself to all three of them. “I’ve always held Theo in the highest regard…”
“As indeed have I,” interjected James smoothly, “ever since I first met him.”
Zoe drew some deep, calming breaths, and willed herself not to jump up and punch James in the nose.
Jessica went on. “Theo had the backing of every trustee. But we didn’t know the full picture. And now – we hope he gets well as soon as possible, of course, but meanwhile, I’m so grateful to have James here. Your connections are impeccable, James; you’re experienced in handling people at every level and we’re convinced of your managerial skills.”
“Thank you, Jessica,” said James.
Zoe tried to speak, but her voice cracked and she swallowed two or three times.
“I assure you”, said James smoothly, “that I’ll do all in my power to guide the centre through this crisis.”
A crisis which Natasha created with a curse, thought Zoe bitterly.
Now was not the moment to tell James exactly what she thought of him. It would have to wait till later. She turned her head away from Jessica and James to hide the tears in her eyes.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
At a quarter past eight the next morning, Zoe crossed the courtyard beneath a dismal, overcast sky. But as she headed for the office, her eye was distracted by a flash of movement to the south. In the distance, beyond the barn, she saw Alice vault over the woodland fence. She smiled. Alice didn’t often bother to unlatch the gate and walk through. She’d done gymnastics as a teenager and always took the more energetic route from the car park.
“Hi, Alice,” she said, as the familiar figure in a burgundy jacket and black trousers ran towards her.
“Zoe,” said Alice, “it happened again. Last night.”
“What did?”
“I saw the child again.”
Zoe drew in her breath sharply. “You’re joking.”
“No.”
“Look,” said Zoe, “come into the offic
e. Tell me there.”
They both went through the office doorway. Zoe shut the door behind them and they sat behind their desks.
“Tell me what happened,” said Zoe.
“Last night: in Cirencester. I was walking up Gosditch Street just as James and Natasha came out of Graze Bar and Brasserie. It was eleven o’clock.”
Zoe stiffened. Alice touched her hand then continued. “I saw the child with James.”
“What?”
“I blurted out, ‘James! Where did you find Poppy?’ I don’t even know why I said that, and why I identified the child as being called Poppy. James and Natasha both gawped at me. James said, ‘What are you talking about?’ I said, ‘The little girl’. And he said ‘There’s no little girl’.”
“Did the child speak?” asked Zoe.
“No.”
“And James denied she was there?”
“Yes.”
“How long did you see the child for?”
“Less than a minute; then she disappeared. I was rambling, I was so shocked. They both looked at me as if I was mad. James then suggested I get checked out by a doctor. I said I was as sane as the next person. I’d now seen the child three times. Then I left them.”
“I guess you haven’t come across James or Natasha yet this morning?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Right; when you do see one of them, say nothing about this.”
Silence fell between them. Then something seemed to snap inside Zoe.
“Oh my God, Theo’s not here and I need him!” she cried.
Alice seized hold of Zoe by both shoulders and fixed her eyes on her. “Zoe, Theo’s not coming back any time soon. Don’t you see? There’s just one person to get a grip on this: you.”
Zoe stared at her, pulse racing, fists and teeth clenched. “Me? Why? They don’t believe I’m good enough to run this place!”
She realised this reaction was out of all proportion to what Alice had said; because deep down Zoe knew Alice was right. Her palms felt clammy.
“What’s this ghost child trying to tell us?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” said Alice. “But one thing I do believe: until we sort out what she’s trying to say to us, she’ll keep coming.”
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