Siren Spirit (4 page)

Thursday, 6 May

A most curious thing happened today. Pa went out to the inn after he had finished at the forge for lunch, and said there would be three of us for supper. It seemed as though his thoughts were elsewhere, and so I didn’t press him further on it.

So, there I am, folding linens in the sunshine and he brings home a young Mr Joe Thatcher to meet me. It seems they’d known each other a while too. Mr Thatcher lives down the road in Harbury and is looking for a wife, Pa says, and I am astonished.

Lord knows, I know that Pa wants to see me married. We have had such conversations before, but to actually bring someone home for me? Well, I was most shocked. I didn’t know half of what to say.

Mr Thatcher seems a nice enough gentleman, and I was polite and courteous to him, of course, but I am of no mind to be married to him. He left directly after supper and then Pa sat me down and asks me what I think of him.

Well, I was forced to tell him that I wasn’t so pleased by him trying to arrange things for me, and that I should be allowed to do this in my own way. In the end, I became quite cross and blurted out that Mama would never have done such a thing to me.

He went straight to bed in a terrible rage and I am here, sat with the candle almost gone and unable to sleep for worry. I have never argued with Pa this much before, especially not since Mama passed on. I know not what I shall do.

Monday, 17 May

Pa has been very quiet since our argument. I am sad that I have hurt him so but I do not wish to make him think I am happy for him to meddle in my affairs. How can I tell him I have no wish to marry any man?

Suzanne has been visiting more often, which has raised my spirits. She says that Pa only wants for me to be happy. He likely wants me out of the way so he doesn’t have to look at me and be reminded of Mama, is what I say in return. She scolds me, then, for saying such things, but I am still angry, and so she takes my hand again, and all my woes depart, leaving me carefree and breathless in my happiness.

Lucy has been courting James a lot. Suzanne reckons they are very much in love and will be married before the year is out. I say my Lucy is not so daft but we shall see soon enough.

Saturday, 4 June

Suzanne and I have had a most pleasant day out. Pa gave me a little money and encouraged me to take her into town. She had never been to Stratford-upon-Avon, and so he said I was to make sure she saw the town. I thought that he had a mind to get us both out of his way for the day for some reason, but we gathered our bonnets and off we went.

The carriage ride was uneventful, although Suzanne felt uneasy. She had not taken many carriage rides since her parents’ accident, but I sat right next to her for comfort and she took to smiling by the time we reached the town.

We took a walk along the river and found a tea room. Suzanne insisted on cream scones and then bit so hard into one she got a splodge of cream all over her nose! I gasped, as we were in such a fancy place, but then we both laughed so hard I thought we would be asked to leave the shop. But the woman behind the counter smiled on us and we stayed to finish our tea.

After our tea, we walked some more and came upon the birthplace of William Shakespeare. It’s truly amazing to think that he was walking around the town just over two hundred years ago, just as Suzanne and I were walking around this afternoon.

Mama used to talk of a book she once had, with his plays inside. I remember saying to her that a play should be acted out upon a stage. What use is it inside a book? But then she would say only the rich would ever see the plays and the rest of us had to make do without. She would look wistful then, so I asked no more.

A strange and wonderful thing happened as we walked about the town. Suzanne was strolling next to me and, come to think of it, was fiddling with the ribbon of her bonnet, as if to untie it there and then. I put out my hand to stop her and, imagine my surprise when she took my hand and kissed it. My heart was beating so loudly I felt sure she must hear it. It was fit to burst right through my chest. I wonder if she had those same feelings that I did at that moment. Certainly I am the happiest girl in Fosbury tonight as I write this!

Sunday, 19 June

Suzanne and I walked in the fields again today. The weather was very warm indeed and Pa did the right thing to warn us of the strong sunshine. I remembered to bring my bonnet and to sit underneath the trees. We spent all afternoon outdoors, so long that when we saw the sun bobbing down behind the trees, we felt sure it would be late and past our suppertime. Pa was not best pleased when we came home so late, but all was forgiven when Suzanne smiled at me and said that I needed to spend more time outdoors for my complexion.

Wednesday, 6 July

Oh, it has been so long since I have written, but I could not have missed a single moment without my Suzanne.

Since that first day when she held my hand, I swear that I have been in love and now she tells me that she feels it too. What joy I have in my heart!

Just this very day, my word of honour, she kissed me on the lips, so now I know it is certain to be true!

We were out walking, as we do almost every day now, by the woodland area out in the fields behind the cottage. No one saw us together, I’m sure. We strolled down by the stream, running so full because of the recent rains. The grass was dry, though, thankfully, and we sat down on the banks and watched the water flowing in the sunshine.

Then she took my hand in hers, as she so often does nowadays. An expression crossed her face. I was worried for a moment, as she looked so serious. Was she ill, I asked?

No, she was quite fine, she said and smiled, asking me to be patient while she explained herself.

She said that she had begun to harbour a feeling more than friendship for me and that she felt embarrassed by it. That was when my heart melted and I grasped both her hands in sheer delight and admitted that I too had those same feelings and for some time.

It was at that very moment that she leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine. The world stood still, I swear. My heart pounded and I began to glow, such was the force of my passion.

She explained so much to me in that one kiss. I knew then why I had paid no interest in any of the men in the village, for I was not meant to be with any of their kind.

Poor Pa suspects nothing, of course. For shame, I do hope he never will. It would be too much for him to bear.

Friday, 22 July

Well, I’m sure my heart can take no more of this emotion or I shall go quite mad!

My beautiful Suzanne and I have now declared our love for each other, and I told her in that same instant that I had been in love with her all these past months since we first met. I am beside myself with joy, but also fearful for what the future may hold for us and I am in knots inside when I think of it.

I know not what we shall do about this. For sure, we can tell no one in the village. Unlike Lucy and James, we cannot be married. Indeed, we must not speak of it to anyone but ourselves for to do so would bring shame on both our households.

Perhaps we shall run away, but I would miss Pa so dearly and I could not leave him all alone. So, we must remain here though not live as lovers. Whatever shall we do?

Emma frowned to herself as she arrived back at the cottage. She had to return to work in another week and she didn’t want anything hanging over her and clouding her judgement. There would be enough catching up to do and distractions would be unwelcome.

Lewis’s face popped into her mind at that point. Now there was a distraction that was welcome indeed. Some relaxation in his company would be just the thing, but she didn’t want to come across as too forward and send the wrong signals.

His cottage was very much like hers. Indeed, the exterior had the same local stone and thatched roof with tiny windows in the upstairs rooms.

There was shouting coming from inside the cottage. Emma almost decided to go home but, on account of the fact that she could only hear Lewis’s voice, decided to stay put. She could only make out one word.

“Annabelle!”

She decided to wait until after she heard the telephone receiver being slammed down before knocking on the door.

“Hey, what have you been up to?”

Lewis looked exasperated. He opened the door just enough to let his head peep around and look at her.

“Is this a bad time? I can come back if it’s awkward?”

“Not at all. But can you give me a few minutes and I’ll come round to yours?”

Emma smiled. She had obviously embarrassed him, and should have gone back home after all and waited until later.

“I just wondered if you fancied another dinner. My treat this time.”

“I’ll be round in ten minutes when I’ve finished up here, if that’s okay?”

***

Lewis caught his breath as he closed the door. Damn her to arrive at such an inconvenient time! No, it wasn’t her fault. How could she have possibly known Annabelle would call at such a time? He cursed his ex-girlfriend. He was in no hurry to see her again, even if it was to pay him back some money. He certainly didn’t need it. Well, she could bloody well wait until it was convenient for him.

Moments later, Emma was answering her own door.

Lewis looked around the hallway and kitchen briefly as Emma fetched her coat.

“I see you’re making the place your own.” He was looking through her collection of cookery books when she returned. “Are you really a domestic goddess or are these all for show?”

“Is that a not-so-subtle hint that you’d like me to cook for you? Careful what you wish for!”

“Doesn’t have to be anything gourmet,” he teased. “Oh, and I don’t eat cheese, just so you know.”

“That’s weird! You don’t eat cheese. There must be thousands of different cheeses.” She looked at him quizzically.

“I like to be different. Shall we?”

He held open the door for her and they walked towards the pub, chatting with ease.

The first couple of drinks went down very easily indeed. Emma spent an hour wondering whether she should tell him about the ghost and the ring, while simultaneously trying to make small talk. Lewis saw right through her subterfuge.

“Now then, you didn’t ask me here to talk that kind of rubbish all night. What’s on your mind?”

She tried to look him in the eyes with confidence but her voice faltered. “Well,” she started, taking a large gulp of wine before continuing in a whisper, “I think the cottage might be haunted.”

There was a long pause, during which Emma felt that even Time was standing still and waiting for her to start laughing. She stared at Lewis, who took an equally large gulp from his glass, swallowed, set it down carefully on the table and took a deep breath.

This is it, she thought. He’s going to tell me the stress of moving has done things to my head.

He was clearly thinking what to say.

“Aren’t you going to say something?” She could bear his silence no longer.

He took another deep breath.

“It makes several things fall into place, for sure.”

Now it was Emma’s turn to be quiet. She hadn’t expected him to believe her.

“You see, the tenant before you was quite an elderly lady. She didn’t stay long, about a month, that was it. There was no notice when she moved out, apparently. I happened to spot a car from the agency that had let it out. They were trying to get hold of her. I wondered what had happened.

“Then I went to the shop to ask if they knew anything. The old lady used to visit the shop every day, you see. They said she’d told them there was this strange smell about the place. A perfume she couldn’t get rid of, no matter how hard she tried.”

“A perfume?” Emma stared in astonishment.

“Like flowers, she told them. Especially when the moon was around full.”

As if rehearsed, they both flicked their heads towards the night sky.

“Last night, I think,” Lewis said.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them for a moment.

“It’s lily of the valley,” Emma said.

“Sorry, what?”

“The perfume. My grandmother used to wear it. That’s how I know. I’ve smelled it too, in the house. It’s beautiful. And …”

He took her hand in his, for reassurance, she thought. “Jeez, you’re freezing cold!

“Lewis, I’ve seen her. I found a ring in the garden yesterday and I brought it inside to wash it. I left it by the kitchen sink, I know I did, and during the night, she came. She glowed, she was quite young but forlorn. As I watched her, I felt sad beyond belief, like she was making me feel her pain.”

“You mean there’s actually a ghost?”

“If you don’t believe me, that’s okay. I thought it was mad too, but this morning when I woke, the ring had moved next to an old perfume bottle I found when I moved in. The fragrance is the same, but it’s not stale at all. It’s fresh.”

He squeezed her hand gently. “Let’s just say I have an open mind about these things. I’ve had a couple of experiences myself that I can’t explain.”

They sat in silence for a while, Lewis still holding her hand. Emma was relieved that he hadn’t laughed at her. But having said it all aloud, she was giving it credibility in her own mind. She couldn’t pretend it wasn’t happening any more, now that she’d told someone.

“Well, sitting here thinking about it isn’t going to help. Let’s change the subject,” said Lewis.

The barman was calling time before she knew it. Lewis had made good on his suggestion. They had discussed everything from music and film to sport, current affairs and a whole host of things besides. Emma had laughed until tears poured down her cheeks, and argued until the same cheeks blazed with fury. She drained the rest of her glass. She swayed a little as she stood to put on her coat.

“I think, madam, you should probably not be alone tonight, the amount you’ve had to drink. I have a spare room at mine, you know, in case you don’t want to go home tonight, after what we talked about earlier.”

Emma grasped his hand and squeezed. It felt comfortable.

“That would be lovely.”

She grinned up at him. He really was rather lovely after all. He took her by the hand and led her out of the pub and all the way to his house. She wasn’t at all phased when, after closing the door behind them, he moved in to kiss her, nor did she so much as flinch when, while standing in his kitchen, his tongue entered her mouth, circling and caressing hers as she moaned in return.

She didn’t feel at all surprised when he started to remove her clothes, nibbling gently as he gradually exposed areas of flesh until she stood naked.

No, it all felt so natural and so perfectly expected that once he had undressed himself, he should take her up to bed and caress, lick and stroke every inch of her, bringing her to climax again and again, before entering her to find his own release.

***

Back at the blacksmith’s cottage, Lily was asleep on the sofa, no doubt dreaming about catching mice. Upstairs, an almost full moon shone down onto an empty bed.