She laughed.
Trelawney dropped witch and familiar home, encouraging Amanda to rest so as to be fresh for later.
‘I have to admit, efficient as our trip was, I am exhausted. I’m not used to shopping. Although considering what we’ll be doing later, I shouldn’t think I could sleep a wink.’
Nevertheless, once she had consumed a cup of tea and a gingernut and had Tempest’s example of profound slumber beside her, Amanda fell into a doze and did not awaken until 5 o'clock. The room felt stuffy. She opened a window, but the air outside was no better, damp and warm under a lid of dark cloud.
Amanda showered, dressed, put on subtle makeup, cut the tags off her new clothes and put them all into one bag. She sat on the sofa, cuddling Tempest and watching the clock, until Senara and Perran appeared either side of her. Amanda looked at them with relief.
‘Oh, I’m glad you’re here.’
‘You’ll be fine once you’re on stage, bian,’ said Grandpa hearteningly.
Granny was more frank.
‘I’m not going to tell you you’ll be all right. Because we don’t know. But if you’re careful and look for your chances, you may come out of it alive.’
‘The important thing,’ replied Amanda, ‘is that I come out of it with the knowledge of what happened,’ replied Amanda.
‘Well, both are good,’ tempered Grandpa, ‘but if you can only do one thing, then bring yourself back out of there.’
‘Are you sure you don’t know anything about what happened at Growan House?’ Amanda asked.
‘I told you, love, it happened long after your granny and I ran off into the sunset, and we didn’t come back here until you were about to be born.’
Granny folded her gloved hands and turned to face her granddaughter.
‘You can always tell Michael Hogarth that you’ve changed your mind and he can sort out his own love life!’
‘But it isn’t just that, is it?’ responded her granddaughter. ‘I need to know where that grimoire is, if I’m to have any chance of a cure for my asthma. But no. It isn’t even that. Lucy deserves to know what happened that night. And I’m the one person that can give that to them.’
Senara had known full well that suggesting to Amanda that she abandon her purpose would serve to strengthen her resolve. ‘It’s no good, Granny. I’m going to do this.’
‘Sure, bian?’ asked Perran.
‘Yes, and the inspector will be here in a minute. I must put on my coat and shoes.’
‘We’ll be off then.’
Amanda nodded, feeling she must reassure her grandparents.
‘You’ll see. I’ll be fine.’ She stood up, Senara and Perran melted into the ether and Tempest reluctantly roused himself. They were standing at the open door when Trelawney drew up.
It was growing darker, even though it was some time until sunset.
The inspector came to meet her, took Amanda’s bag, put it in the boot and opened the car doors for her and Tempest. Her familiar was snoozing in his blanket before they reached the end of the road.
‘Rested?’ he asked Amanda.
‘Yes, thank you. Feeling rather excited. Not sure I can eat dinner.’
‘Have a little now and the leftovers afterwards,’ Trelawney suggested.
‘You think there’ll be an afterwards? You sound very sure.’
‘Let’s expect the best. You’ll have Tempest with you. And you’ll have me,’ Trelawney pronounced with mock grandeur. That provoked a small smile.
‘How right you are. We cannot possibly fail!’
By the time they arrived, the sky was a livid yellow and purplish charcoal, the wind moving the rack towards the Moor.
‘Don’t worry if you can’t eat much before the show,’ Hogarth said jauntily.
‘Sorry, Uncle Mike, it isn’t that I don’t like it …’
‘We can warm it up afterwards.’
That cheered Amanda.
‘That’s what the inspector said.’
‘And he’s a good judge of risky situations,’ remarked Mike.
Amanda periodically checked the time. Hogarth put a comforting hand on her arm.
‘We must wait till everyone is abed. We don’t want to be seen about our business.’
The sun set by degrees and the hour drew close.
Once Amanda began getting ready in the spare room, while Trelawney used Hogarth’s chamber next door, her nerves began to abate, and her sense of level purpose grew.
Inevitably she received another visit from her grandparents.
‘Really not your style, dear,’ commented Granny, in her guise of fashion police. Tempest, from the bed, would have agreed with this statement had it not been uttered by Granny, whose opinions he dismissed as a matter of one of the very few principles he possessed.
‘I like the coat, bian,’ countered Grandpa encouragingly.
‘But the skirt,’ exclaimed Senara. ‘And dear me, is that supposed to be a blouse? I know what Coco would say.’
‘Cocoa?’ queried Amanda.
‘Chanel, dear.’
‘Well, anyway, it’s costume, Granny,’ Amanda responded patiently.
‘Hm. Well. Try to not to kill either of your parents while you’re there, dear, regardless of the temptation, which has no doubt been felt by many.’
‘Yes, Granny.’
‘It could be extremely inconvenient if you were never born.’
‘You’re going to be fine, bian. Just remember ….’
‘Yes, Grandpa, “a witch does not strike out”.’
‘That’s my girl.’
Hogarth came in to see Thomas.
‘Good work, lad.’ He could see his friend was troubled. ‘What is it? Tell me.’
Trelawney looked him in the eye. ‘This was always your intention, wasn’t it, Mike? From the beginning of telling Lucy’s story. That Miss Cadabra should do what she is about to do, risking her life.’
‘It was my hope.’
‘So somehow Lucy — Elodie — could be absolved and you could be together? It all seems … well, dare I say…?’
‘Machiavellian?’ Hogarth asked gently.
Thomas raised his hands, palm up, not wanting to say any words of actual accusation.
‘You underestimate your Miss Cadabra, Thomas. Young for
