The Silver Rose (13 page)

Second Prize: A case of Organic Feijoa Wine.

Third Prize: A selection of homemade jams and pickles.

All proceeds to go to the building of a new playground for Raven's Creek Playcenter.

The advertisement took up half the front page of the
Raven's Creek News
. A newspaper that was delivered to every household and business in the town and surrounding districts.

“According to the Festival Organizing Committee, Alanna has, uh … ” Ruth's voice petered out as she finally registered Rosa's genuine discomfort.

“Yes.” The word was clipped, but Rosa needed to know everything. For once, the woman had not said enough. “Alanna has what?”

Ruth hesitated. Looked at Rosa. Back to the paper, and then blushed profusely. This was going to be bad.

Ruth spoke and confirmed Rosa's suspicions. “Ah, that you, ah … need all the help you can get.” The words rushed out, and she looked everywhere but directly at Rosa.

“All the help I can get? Do I look like I need help?” Rosa waved a hand up and down the length of her body in a rapid movement. “I'm attractive. I'm single. I can find a man on my own without having to resort to advertising.”

“Of course you are. Of course you can.” Ruth stepped backwards, a hint of trepidation in her eyes.

Rosa checked her growing anger. There was no point antagonizing the woman with all the information. “I'm curious to know exactly when my sister began canoodling with the festival committee.”

Reassured Rosa wasn't about to bite her head off, Ruth unwittingly added additional fuel to the fury brimming inside Rosa. “Just the other day, I believe. Alanna told us you all wanted to assist in any way you could to raise funds for the community. She's been very accommodating and generous with her time.”

“I bet she has!”

Now Rosa understood why she hadn't seen much of her sister since her revelation about the bells. The girl was brimming with complicity. Instead of working on her commission upstairs she was busy canoodling with committee's and carving a jade pendant instead. What else was that recalcitrant witch up to?

“So, just how accommodating would you say she's been?”

Super Sleuth Ruth was more than happy to clarify. “Alanna offered to, personally, visit each and every residence within a hundred-mile radius if necessary to aid the selling of all the tickets.” Ruth stopped, but it was clear she had more to impart.

“Come on. I'm going to find out eventually, so it might as well be now.”

“No use being delicate then,” Ruth continued. “She also said you'd decided it was time to find a man and settle down and start a family. She said you thought the raffle would be an excellent way to get the ball rolling, as it were.”

Rosa almost yelled, no longer caring what Ruth thought. “That's not the only thing that will be rolling!” A loud noise came from above, as if something had fallen on the floor in the studio. Both Rosa and her informant caught the faint sound of an “uh-oh!”

Rosa glared upwards, a sense of betrayal reverberating in her heart. She felt sick to her stomach with anger with Alanna for putting her in this situation.

“You didn't know about the raffle?”

“Do I really need to answer that question? Does this face — ” Rosa pointed to herself, “ — look happy to you?”

Ruth took another backward step. “Oh, dear!”

“Did my extremely manipulative sister mention, by any chance, just how she is going to accomplish the remarkable feat of visiting everyone in the town and countryside whilst working at the gallery and on a deadline for an overseas commission?”

That flummoxed Ruth for all of five seconds. “No. But I imagine she could cook up a spell.”

“We
do not
cook spells.”

“Make a potion then. Isn't that what witches do? Brew stuff?” She was nearly at the front door. Her hand reached out for the door handle, ready to make her getaway. “So, then. Is it true?”

“Is what true?”

“Your search for a husband? It's too late to renege on the offer, dear. Too many tickets have been sold.” Ruth looked genuinely apologetic. “Think of the playground for the little ones.”

“How many did you say have been sold?” Ruth's mention of the children was a masterstroke. It was a small community. She knew most of the children in the playcenter as a good proportion of them were the children of people she had grown up with.

“I'm not exactly sure, but, as I mentioned, Aden has bought three.”

“Three tickets? That was nice of him.”

“No. Three books. Ten tickets per book.”

“That's thirty tickets!” Wasn't that excessive? “Can he do that? Isn't there a law about that kind of thing?” There was a good chance she might win a date with him. Was that what she wanted? More importantly, was that what he wanted?

“There's no rule limiting the number any one person can purchase. More tickets are being printed. They've sold so many there's going to be police supervision when they draw the raffle. Apparently the men in town, young and old alike want the chance to dine and dance you at the gala. How's that for popularity?”

Rosa ignored the question, knowing Ruth did not expect an answer. “Just how many tickets would that be?”

“I thought I mentioned that.” Ruth frowned. “Another two hundred and fifty. If all of them sell, and I've no doubt they will, that will make five hundred all together.”

“Five hundred?”

“Uh-huh.” Ruth nodded enthusiastically. “The raffle alone will raise all the funds required to build the playground and more.” She checked her watch. “Oh, my. I must rush. I'm late for lawn-bowls.”

And another chance to spread the word, Rosa thought uncharitably as the older woman surged out the door and virtually ran up the hill toward the bowling green.

Rosa locked the gallery door, turned the
Back in Five Minutes
sign over, and sprinted up the stairs two at a time to Alanna's studio. Exasperation wasn't even close to what she was feeling right this minute. She wanted to twist Alanna's arm behind her back and wring every warped word out of her. Then she would concoct a brew just as Ruth had suggested and throw her sister in, put the lid on, and let her stew awhile.

“Alanna!” she yelled when she reached the landing. “A word in your ear?”

Rounding the corner, she flung the studio door open, stood framed in the doorway, and fixed her gaze directly at her sister who was pretending to be immersed in her work. Rosa's anger crackled about her, her long, unbound hair flying in every direction. For once she didn't care about the lack of control she was experiencing when it came to magic. Her sister needed to know she'd gone too far.

“Alanna,” she growled, lower this time, with a warning she knew her sister would not ignore. “What have you done?”

Five foot seven of guilty witch paused, sculpting tool in hand. Slowly, she straightened, squared her shoulders, and turned to face Rosa with a schooled look of indifference in her eyes. “Sculpting, of course. What do you think?”

“Don't even pretend you don't know what I'm talking about! What did you swear to me on a Witches' Promise only a few days ago?”

“I have not contacted Marylebone.”

“Don't prevaricate! I asked you not to interfere.”

“You asked me not to contact them. That's where my agreement with you ends.”

“What about sister loyalty?”

“I'm loyal to my bones and beyond. How can you question that?”

“You told everyone I was looking for a husband!”

“You
are
looking for a husband.”

“I am not an object to be put on display!” Rosa enunciated each word just in case Alanna didn't understand. “I'll do things my way.”

But Alanna wasn't easily deterred. “You're skirting the issue big-time. This is your future you're playing with.”

“That's right.
My
future. I'm not playing with it. I'm living it as best I can. Do I interfere in yours?”

Alanna hooted with derisive laughter. “What kind of question is that? Alanna, do this,” she mimicked Rosa cruelly. “Alanna, don't do that. Alanna, don't work through the night. Alanna, you're sleep deprived. Sound familiar at all?”

Hurt more than she could say, Rosa knew arguing with her wasn't going to get her anywhere. Her anger was diminishing. In its place was … she didn't know what it was. “OK. OK. I get the picture. Believe me, I'm never going to tell you what to do again. Or rescue you when one of your diabolical plans blows up in your face. You're on your own.”

“What I've wanted all along.”

“So now you've no excuse to interfere in my life. Got it?”

“I'll stop interfering when I see you taking action.”

Rosa could not believe Alanna's audacity. “I am taking action!” Rosa seethed with indignation. “Just because I don't tell you everything doesn't mean I'm doing nothing! You're not helping with your meddling.”

Alanna actually snorted. “Yeah, right. Anyhow, I don't know what you're worried about. The whole town is applauding your ingenuity.”

That gave Rosa pause. “They are? Why?”

“The committee thinks the raffle was all your idea. With the tickets already sold, the playground will be built, and it's all thanks to you. And what better way to hunt down a husband?”

“They won't think that anymore. I was stunned by Ruth's announcement. It was obvious I didn't know.” Rosa was hurt beyond words. Alanna had not come to her to ask if this was what she wanted. Was she really that selfish? Where had Rosa gone wrong in guiding her into adulthood? Rosa had been too young to be a mother. Too wound up in her own grief to truly understand or handle Alanna's wilful nature.

“No. They're thinking you're a good sport. And still will so long as you go along with it all. Come on, Rosa. We need more prospective potentials. There's so few of them. This raffle will hopefully draw a few of them out.”

“I've already met most of the potentials available thanks to your advertisement. I'm assuming that was you too. What were you thinking? Now the entire valley knows we're witches.”

“I'm not afraid to admit it was all my idea. Don't go blaming Beth for any of it either. She didn't play any part in this plan whatsoever.”

“I never thought for a single moment it was her.”

“Well you wouldn't, would you? It's only me that gets it in the ear when something goes wrong.”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“You've always preferred her to me.”

“This isn't about you. I love you both.”

Alanna snorted. “Prove it!”

“I shouldn't have to prove anything.” Had she favoured Beth more than Alanna?

“No you shouldn't. But you only ever tell me what I've done wrong. What about all the times I've been right?”

Rosa struggled to answer her sister on that score. “I've never treated you differently. You're feisty. I love that about you. You're braver than me. I often wish I were more like you.” Rosa's eyes filled with moisture. “It's you with the chip on your shoulder. I don't know how to make things better with you. I just ask that you trust me. This is my future. My decision.”

“The bells have tolled, Rosa. This is an ideal opportunity to attract the attention of the opposite sex. The Fates have revealed a way.” Alanna's eyes pooled with moisture. “I won't apologize for interfering. I'm scared I'll lose you. You might frustrate the hell out of me, but I won't lose you like I lost Mom and Dad.”

“Oh, Alanna.” Rosa hiccupped and held out her arms. “I'm not going anywhere. I'll give up my magic before the dragons take it if I have to.”

“We can't let that happen.” Alanna flew into Rosa's arms, and they hugged tight as tears streamed down their cheeks. “We're nothing without our magic. It's our soul. I can't imagine you without it.”

“I'm your sister first. Never forget that.”

“I'm still not sorry I interfered.” Alanna sniffed as she pulled away to swipe away her tears with the back of her hand. “I'm not going to promise not to, either.”

Rosa knew defeat in that moment. She wiped away her own tears. “OK.”

Alanna paused. “OK? Really?”

“Really.” What was the point? Alanna would do what she would do and Rosa knew it. “Just promise you won't contact Marylebone?”

“I've already said I won't.”

“Just so we're clear.”

“Clear as a bell,” Alanna punned. “So, what else did Ruth have to say?”

“She wants to know why we don't just conjure up a man from a cauldron.”

Alanna blinked. Mischief and calculation returned to replace her sadness. “Now, there's a plan.”

“No!” Rosa held out her palm in a ‘stop' motion. “No brewing.” She heaved a sigh. “I might be in need of a mate, but going public was not part of the plan. I could have been silently searching, and no one would be the wiser.”

“Give me a break. You've done virtually nothing.”

“I'm going to turn you into a dozen frogs.”

“A dozen,” Alanna mouthed in false wonder. “You can do that?”

“You'll be hopping off in all directions never to be rejoined again if you dare to interfere again!”

“You must teach me how to do that.” Alanna ignored the threat, knowing it was hollow.

“I'm not teaching you anything. Teaching you has only brought me trouble.”

“But you love me anyway.”

“I love you regardless.” All Rosa wanted to do was hide, especially now she was the focal point of the entire town. “I can't believe you told the committee I was looking for a husband!”

Alanna shrugged. “Desperate measures for desperate times. It's because I love you that I won't promise not to interfere.”