by Rob Keeley
“And how did she get back to us so quickly?” Mum demanded. “And without the boat? Did she fly?”
Ellie fell silent.
“I don’t know,” Mum said, “why you persist in telling me these lies. Honestly, Ellie, I’m starting to wonder if I can believe anything you tell me. This is the worst day we’ve had since your Dad left.”
Ellie was surprised. Mum had never said anything like that before.
“I suggest you go to bed,” Mum finished. “Right now. I’ll bring you some tea, or something, in a bit… oh, just go to bed. I’ve done with you.”
She made her exit.
“The rest of the house is out of bounds to you, until I tell you otherwise. And that includes those tunnels.”
She banged the door shut.
Ellie decided to do as she was told. She got into bed – fully clothed – and pulled the covers right up to her. After exploring the cold, dark tunnels, it felt surprisingly good.
What was happening? Why was Moira lying? And how could Mum have seen Moira, when Moira had been with Ellie?
It all felt too much for her, all of a sudden. She sank back onto the pillow, trying to forget Edward and Moira and ghosts and tunnels and things that had happened far, far too long ago…
Ellie sat up abruptly in bed.
She hadn’t actually meant to sleep. But it seemed she had.
Now, she was awake again. And it was dark.
She knew straight away that something was wrong. The flat was silent. Even at night, she could hear the fridge humming in the kitchen, or Charlie’s snoring. She could hear nothing. The place was like –
Like the grave.
A smile crossed Ellie’s face. This sort of thing didn’t scare her any more. She was used to it now.
She glanced at her watch. Five minutes to twelve.
There wasn’t long to wait.
She sat, hands folded in front of her. Somehow, she knew what to expect.
Sure enough, five minutes later the clock in the next room began to strike midnight. On the final stroke, her door started to swing open.
And Miss McKendrick stepped into the room.
“There you are,” Ellie said. She looked at her watch again. “You’re fifteen seconds late.” She remembered Edward’s words of earlier. “What kept you?”
“You really are the most insolent little girl.” Miss McKendrick came and stood by Ellie’s bed. “And despite my earlier warning, you persist in interfering.”
“It was you, wasn’t it?” Ellie asked. “You transported Moira away from the island. And what about that mist? Did you want to strand me out there? Or just make it look like people couldn’t trust me? You didn’t want anyone messing up your plans for Edward, did you? I’ve found out too much.”
“Too much?” The governess smiled. “My dear, you know nothing.”
Her voice softened a little.
“Whatever you may think of me, my work was to take care of children. I wish you no harm. Very soon, Edward and I will be gone. And you will continue with your life. Until the time comes for one of my associates to pass final judgment on you.”
She met Ellie’s eye.
“Though I would advise you not to bring that date forward.”
“Edward belongs here,” Ellie said. “And I’m not going to let you take him away.”
She stared right into Miss McKendrick’s eyes.
“I’m not frightened of you.”
Miss McKendrick vanished.
Without a flicker of fear, Ellie turned to see the governess standing on the other side of the bed.
“And you can forget all that stuff. Even Edward can do that one. I’ve seen it all, now.”
“How brave you are,” Miss McKendrick said. “Clearly I underestimated you.”
She took a step closer to Ellie.
“You are determined to persist with your actions? There is no way I can prevail upon you to change your mind?”
“I told you,” Ellie said. “Edward’s my friend. I’m going to help him. And nothing you can do will frighten me off.”
Miss McKendrick stepped away from the bed.
“I see.”
From nowhere, she produced a massive book similar to the one Ellie had seen before.
“You may not be aware, but a considerable amount of information has already been recorded on you. As with every living being. I know everything about you. I know where you attended school, the names of your friends. The illnesses that you’ve suffered. The good things you’ve done. And the bad.”
She opened the book, and glanced down a page.
“I even know your nightmares.”
She smiled.
“I see that when you were six years old, you attended a school fair. And someone was giving you a glimpse of the animal kingdom. Specifically, snakes.”
She looked up from the book.
“And you didn’t like snakes, did you? The way they… slithered. The way they looked cold, and slimy. And were watching you. Ready to lunge. Ready to bite…”
She held out a hand towards Ellie’s bed.
“And for months afterwards, you lay and read until after midnight. Forced yourself to stay awake. Because you knew that as soon as you fell asleep…”
Ellie sat, motionless.
She didn’t dare to look left, or right.
Because she could hear hissing.
And she knew what she would see.
“I’m not frightened,” she repeated loudly. “They’re nightmares. They’re not real.”
“Real enough to you when you were six,” Miss McKendrick said. “Don’t you understand? All those fears, the nightmares that lie buried forever within your mind. I have the power to make them come true.”
The hissing grew louder. And Ellie was no longer able to look away.
From the base of the bed, six small, green heads appeared, fixing their hypnotic gaze on Ellie. Six long, green bodies followed, emerging as one from the mattress where they had made their nest.
Ellie shrank back into bed as the six snakes slithered across her, their eyes taunting her as they prepared to bite.
“I’m not afraid!” Ellie cried. But the pitch of her voice seemed to have gone up. She sounded much younger – and much less sure. “What do you really want with Edward?”
“Stay away from matters you don’t understand, Eleanor,” Miss McKendrick said. “This is your final warning. I wish you no harm, as I said before. But Edward is now my property. He’ll be gone from here before another night has passed.”
Ellie flinched. One of the snakes had its head right up to her neck. But still she battled on.
“No – no!”
“Shall we try another nightmare?” Miss McKendrick’s voice grew louder, as if amplified from every corner of the room. “The one you had in hospital? The one where the walls were closing in to crush you? Or what about the one after the burglary, where there was someone in the house again… and this time, he had a gun…”
Ellie could feel it all – she could sense the gunman in the room – knew the walls were coming in towards her – and the snake was opening its mouth –
“A last warning, Eleanor!” Miss McKendrick bellowed. “Leave Master Edward to me!”
“I won’t!” Ellie screamed.
The forked tongue of the snake was brushing her cheek.
“I won’t!”
Ellie sat up abruptly in bed.
She was breathing very fast. And the sweat was running down her face. Her clothes were soaked.
It was daylight.
Very carefully, she looked around the room, then down at the bed. She moved her hand very slowly to feel the edge of the mattress.
She flinched as someone hammered on the door.
“Ellie! Can I come in?”
Ellie caught her breath. “Yeah?”
Charlie opened the door and entered.
“Hello, small person.” There was a smirk hovering around his lips. “Mum wants you. You’re still confined
to the flat, though. She says you’re to come and eat. You were already asleep when she came in last night.”
He gave her a sour look.
“Cheers for the swim yesterday.”
He noted Ellie’s appearance.
“Euww. You look nice. Sleeping in your clothes now? I’ll go and turn the shower on.”
Ellie remained in bed a moment longer, staring at the spot where Miss McKendrick had stood.
Chapter Thirteen
Saturday morning was dull and cloudy. Ellie could hear rain tapping at the tiny windows of their flat.
She ate her cereal and toast in silence. Charlie was texting. Mum was looking at paperwork, and said nothing. Ellie was left in no doubt that she was still in disgrace.
First thing after breakfast, Ellie sat with her sketchbook, drawing furiously. Snakes appeared. Then the man with the gun.
As soon as she had drawn the pictures, she ripped them out of the book and tore them into fragments, the smallest she could manage, before crumpling all of them into one lump of waste paper.
Once Mum and Charlie had left for the Site Office, Ellie put her easel up. She set to work at a ferocious speed on a painting of Inchwood Manor. The outline appeared, then the timbers. By noon, the hydrangeas had been added, and the rose-trees that grew near the edge of the lawn…
“Boo!”
Ellie jumped, and smeared red paint right across the picture.
“Edward –!”
“Edward?” A familiar voice sounded puzzled. “My name’s Jon. Last time I looked.”
Ellie turned.
“Dad!”
For a moment, she forgot everything, her painting, Miss McKendrick, Edward. She might have been that six-year-old again as she ran to hug her father.
Dad grinned. “Who’s Edward, then? Got a boyfriend now? Hope he’s rich.”
“Just a friend,” Ellie said.
“Oh.” Dad noted the damage to the picture. “Sorry.” He took a closer look. “And how’s my talented girl? Another masterpiece coming up.”
“We’re doing OK,” Ellie said.
She really wanted to tell Dad everything… all the things that had happened the last few days. But how?
“Where is everyone?” Dad helped himself to an apple from the bowl of fruit on the table. “Where’s your mother, and Charlie?” He sat down and put his feet up on the tabletop. “Some fella in a high-powered suit showed me in. Gave me a right snooty look.”
“That’s Marcus,” Ellie said.
She was already smiling. It was impossible to take anything seriously when Dad was around. Even the sight of him made her feel better. While Mum and Charlie were all work and responsibility, Dad was always looking for fun, thinking up the next game, planning the next party… or outing… or birthday surprise…
Dad put the half-eaten apple down on the table and started to make another raid on the fruit bowl.
“Hey!” Ellie made a grab for his hands. “You’ll spoil your lunch!” She started to laugh as Dad picked out two oranges and started to juggle them. “Hey, don’t muck about –”
The green baize door opened. Mum stood there.
An orange hit the floor.
“Oh,” Dad said. “Hi.”
“Made yourself at home, I see,” Mum said. “You’re early. But no matter. I’ve got a meeting at two, anyway. And they’re putting a new fire alarm in, I’ve got to supervise. The meal’s going to be cut short, I’m afraid.”
Dad stood up.
“Nothing changes, does it?” He turned to Ellie. “The sun’s coming out. Are you going to show me some of this great estate, then, while your mother cooks the lunch? I always knew you’d end up lady of the manor somewhere.”
“Yeah, sure.” Ellie moved to find her fleece. “I can show you the rose garden… maybe the lake…”
“She was grounded,” Mum put in.
“Well, I’ve just un-grounded her,” Dad answered. “I’m only here for a few hours. ‘Least you can do is let Ellie show me round.”
He headed for the door.
“Lunch at one, was it?”
After a brief hesitation, Ellie followed him.
She left the flat to the sound of Mum crashing about among pots and pans.
The sun was just breaking through the clouds as Ellie and her father crunched their way across the gravel path towards the lawns.
Dad looked back at the house.
“You’ve really got this place spot-on, in that painting,” he said. “You’ve even caught the way the sunlight shines off those windows.”
He paused.
“Are you happy here, Ellie?”
Ellie shrugged.
“Yeah.”
“We’re a long way from our old lives, aren’t we?” Dad said. “Remember? – I used to pick you up in the car after Book Club? Then there was Charlie’s football team… I don’t think he ever plays now, does he?”
Ellie smiled.
“He’s not a footballer, any more. He’s an “entrepreneur”. Suits, ties, meetings, mobiles. Going to make us all millionaires.”
“I suppose he knows what he’s doing.” Dad caught Ellie’s eye. “Try and remember something for me, will you?” He gave the front windows of the house another glance. “Don’t forget about the sunlight.”
Ellie shook her head.
“Where’s this lake, then?” Dad went on. “Should have told me. I’d have brought the yacht. Unfortunately, I lent it to the supermodel next door, you know, so I’m having to make do with a toy boat ‘til the butler gets back from his holiday.”
As ever, Ellie laughed.
They stayed out for ages. Ellie showed Dad the lake and told him about the island and the folly. They went on to the rear lawn, then walked beneath the chestnut trees.
By the time they returned to the house, they were half an hour late for lunch.
Ellie picked at her food.
She wasn’t enjoying the meal. Mum’s lamb chops had practically had to be scraped off the pan, yet the courgettes in her ratatouille were still rock hard.
Ellie had expected it to be fun. The family, together again.
Everyone was eating in silence.
Finally, Dad spoke.
“When do you two start school, then?”
“Next week,” Charlie answered. “Pleased to see they’ve got schools out here, at least. This is an important year for me. I’m carrying on with Business Studies. And Information Systems.”
Ellie looked down at her plate.
“I’m hoping my school’s got a Book Club.”
“You’ve got terrific surroundings here, anyway,” Dad said. “And I hear you’re already making yourselves useful around the house. When the guidebook comes out you can autograph one for me, Ellie.”
“We should get together more often,” Ellie said. “For meals… picnics…”
She avoided Mum’s eye. She addressed her father.
“You could come down every weekend, in the summertime.”
“I’d rather come to you, Dad,” Charlie put in. “I could come up to London at weekends, maybe.” He drained his glass of water. “I mean, after the divorce.”
There was a sudden, terrible silence.
Charlie met his parents’ gaze. Then he looked at Ellie.
“You mean – you still haven’t –”
Ellie looked from one parent to the other.
“Ellie…” Mum said. “We were going to tell you. Before we left London. But we all thought it might be better to let you get settled, before –”
Ellie flung her plate aside and ran from the room.
Ellie refused to leave her bedroom for the remainder of Dad’s visit. She continued with her painting of the Manor, slapping on every last drop of grey and black, making the sky darker and stormier.
Eventually, Dad tapped at the door, entered. He’d brought an apology, of some kind. Words floated over her head… sometimes, when two people… still be a family… just want you to be happy…
She couldn’t take them in.
When the time came to see Dad off, she could barely look at him, or at Mum. When she stood in an awkward family group of three to wave to him, and she saw his battered white car disappear down the drive, she could have cried.
It felt like forever.
She did little for the rest of the day. She stayed in her room, painted a bit more. When teatime came she told Mum she wasn’t hungry.
She went to bed early. There didn’t seem to be much to stay up for.
She wasn’t afraid of bed, or the snakes, now. They didn’t matter any more.
As she finally started to drift off, she suddenly remembered what Miss McKendrick had said about Edward.
He’ll be gone from here before another night has passed.
The bedroom light flicked on.
Ellie woke up, blearily.
“Ellie?” A woman’s voice spoke. “Are you all right?”
Ellie focused.
“Moira? What are you doing here?”
“Working late,” Moira answered. She came and sat on the edge of Ellie’s bed. “I had to come and see you before I left.”
Ellie sat up.
“I thought you weren’t coming today. What happened to you? On the island?” She frowned. “And why did you lie? Mum said –”
“I’m sorry about that.” Moira’s voice was low and urgent. “But I had to put them off the scent, for a while. Ellie, I’ve discovered something. About what really happened here. And I need your help.”
Ellie blinked.
“How do you know what’s been happening here?”
“Keeping my eyes open,” Moira answered. “Looking into things. You’ve been led astray, Ellie. Everyone’s been deceiving you. Including Marcus.”
Ellie’s eyes grew.
“Marcus?”
Moira nodded.
“Remember the portrait? But I know what he’s up to, now. I know how I was transported off the island – and why. The answer lies in the tunnels.”
She stood up.
“Come with me.”
Ellie rose. She put her fleece and her trainers on.
“Where are we going?”
Very quietly, Moira led Ellie out of her room and across the living room. The clock on the wall said eleven-thirty. Charlie and Mum had gone to bed.
They stepped out of the flat.