Chapter 49
‘That was delicious,’ Eve says.
‘It was.’ Oxana sighs contentedly. ‘Thank you.’
‘My pleasure.’ Philippa smiles.
It’s ten days later, and the three of them are sitting at Philippa’s kitchen table, in the house in Cranborne. Pyewacket is winding himself adoringly around Oxana’s legs.
‘Did Eve tell you?’ Philippa asks Oxana. ‘We did a ritual together when you were… away.’
Oxana looks at her uncertainly. ‘What kind of ritual?’
‘Black magic,’ Eve says. ‘To get you and me back together.’
‘That’s what it took?’ Oxana asks.
Eve nods. ‘That’s what it took. So you be careful.’
‘Don’t listen to her.’ Philippa smiles. ‘It was all very loving and benevolent.’
‘So…’ Oxana frowns. ‘Are there many witches around here?’
‘More and more people are going back to the old ways. It’s a fight-back.’
‘Against?’
‘The puritans. The scolds. The people who want to tell us what to think, what to feel, what to believe… I’d say join us, but I sense that you’re on your own path.’
Oxana opens her mouth but says nothing.
‘Angel,’ Eve says. ‘Do me a favour. Go for a walk round the town for half an hour. There are things I need to discuss with Philippa.’
Oxana looks at them. ‘Um… Yeah. Sure.’ She stands up, walks through to the front room, and stops to examine Philippa’s collection of ritual objects. She lifts the dagger, weighs it thoughtfully in her hand, and experimentally pricks her fingertip. She nods. ‘I’ll see you in a bit.’
The door closes behind her. Philippa stands and takes two mugs from a shelf. ‘So,’ she says. ‘That’s her. That’s your panther.’
‘That’s her,’ Eve says.
Philippa fills the kettle. ‘Big appetite, I couldn’t help noticing.’
‘Mmm.’
‘She’s quite something. I like her. So does Pye, and he doesn’t like anyone, not straight away.’
‘They’re two of a kind, Pye and Oxana.’
‘Yet you call her your angel.’
‘She is my angel.’
Philippa spoons instant coffee into the mugs. ‘It’s good to see you happy, Eve.’
‘You too.’
‘They arrested several members of that drug gang. Just local dealers, but it’s a start.’
‘I heard.’
‘It was strange. The day after the arrests someone pushed an envelope under the front door. Inside was a note, unsigned. “Apologies for what happened to the boy. You will not be hearing from us again.” And a thousand pounds in cash.’
‘Ah.’
‘I don’t suppose you’ve any idea what that was about?’
Eve smiles. ‘I did say I had my own witchcraft.’
‘Which you can’t…?’
‘Not really, no.’ She smiles. ‘How is Tom?’
‘Much better. Helping Jack Demerell with his charity. Jack’s very pleased with him. Started teaching him to drive. Says he might even be able to start paying him.’
‘And… Jack, how’s he?’
‘Jack’s a survivor.’ She walks to the fridge, takes out a carton of milk, and places it on the table. ‘He loved you, you know. Probably still does.’
Eve drops her gaze. ‘What can I say?’
‘Nothing.’ She sits down. ‘You’ve made your choice, and you’ve chosen your dark angel.’
‘What do you mean, dark?’
Philippa lifts Eve’s hand, glances at the Medusa ring, and smiles faintly. ‘You know exactly what I mean.’
A couple of hours later, Eve and Oxana are sitting on a grassy hillside, overlooking the town. Eve is absently chewing a sorrel stalk.
‘It’s so strange,’ Oxana says.
‘What?’
‘You growing up here. Going to school here. All those years of your life. And you never mentioned it.’
‘You never asked me.’
‘I know, I wish I had. Did you know Philippa then?’
‘No.’
‘And that business with her son that you told me about. Did Johnny fix that, like you asked?’
‘Seems like he did, yes. A favour for a favour.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘I told him it was a condition of my going out to Greece. Of the three of us working together again.’
Oxana stares at her. ‘Right. I see. Ballsy move.’
‘Are you surprised?’
‘No.’
‘Good.’ Eve rolls onto her back. She takes off her glasses and squints at the sky through half-closed eyes.
Oxana watches her for a moment, then plucks a stalk of foxtail grass and tickles Eve’s face with the furry flower head.
Eve endures this for a few seconds, then wrinkles her nose and grabs a handful of Oxana’s hair. They stare at each other.
‘Tell me,’ Oxana says. ‘Tell me everything. Right from the beginning.’