Shadows at Stonewylde (29 page)

She broke off as Leveret began to cry again, sounding small and pathetic, uncomforted by either her mother or brother as she stood sobbing into her hands.

‘She’s kept up this blubbing for most of the night but quite honestly I don’t believe it,’ said Maizie. ‘’Tis all for effect – she’s a liar and a deceiver and I’ll never trust her again. I feel nought but dislike for her and I never thought to say that about one o’ my own children.’

‘But what did she do?’

Yul couldn’t believe this was Maizie, the most loyal, caring mother in Stonewylde.

‘We were working in the Barn last night – I were on the food committee working out the baking rota and she were with the group making Yule lanterns. I’d only said earlier how proud I felt that she were helping me every night with such a cheerful heart. Since the boys left home I’d been looking forward to just the two of us spending time together, me and my last child without all the bustle of a big family around us. And I thought—’

‘
Mother please don’t! I’m sorry – I love you, I really do!
’

Maizie completely ignored the heart-wrenching words of despair as if Leveret hadn’t spoken.

‘Anyway, then I noticed that she weren’t with her group but I never thought she’d deceived me again. Then I began to wonder because she still wasn’t back and they said she’d gone to fetch her snips so Rosie and I started to worry and went home to see if she were there.’

‘And was she?’ asked Yul.

‘No she weren’t!’ said Maizie bitterly. ‘She’d never been there at all – that was just more of her lies. So Rosie and I went back to the Barn, and I were starting to worry all the more what could’ve happened as I
still
didn’t think she’d let me down again. And then Sweyn and Gefrin came marching in, with Jay as well, dragging her all screaming and kicking. She were making such a noise! Like a pig at slaughter, all that squealing and wriggling she did! I nearly died o’ shame in front of all those people in the Barn – all my friends, all the committees, all the people I have to work with day in and day out. I wished the earth’d swallow me up to see my daughter hauled in like that in such shame!’

Yul eyed Leveret with the same look of disgust as his mother had.

‘I don’t believe I’m hearing this,’ he said, his voice turning curt with cold dislike.

‘She’d sneaked out when I weren’t looking and she’d been collecting mistletoe in a bag, when I’d particularly told her she was
not
to roam about the estate, she was
not
to collect things for her remedies or whatever it is she makes, and she was
never
to go wandering off at the Moon Fullness. Neither were she to meet up with that Magpie, but she did! There was no denying it – she were caught red-handed by her brothers with a flaxen bag full of mistletoe, skulking around under the trees in the Village Green with the boy. And somehow she’d got hold of some cider and she were drunk! That must be Magpie’s fault, for Jay said he’s known to knock back the cider whenever he can. We all know he’s not right in the head but this girl should know better.’

They both turned to look at her as if she were something nasty on the sole of a shoe. Leveret was as white as a swan and seemed unable to speak, her breathing raw and convulsive.

‘And worse still, she’s tried to deny it all and blame her brothers! She
always
tries to wriggle out of it. She told me the most terrible lies about them last night that nobody in their right mind could swallow.’

‘I find it extraordinary that she’s behaved like this,’ Yul said, shaking his head, ‘after all the promises she made to us both last time.’

‘I know! You see why I don’t want to deal with her any more. She’ll be fifteen at Imbolc and I know ‘tisn’t the custom to board until September when she’s in her last year at school, but I want you to arrange for her to move up here now. I don’t want her at home.’

‘I’m not surprised – who would, after the way she’s betrayed your trust? Of course she can move up to the Hall. She’ll have me to answer to and I won’t make her life easy. I’m so sorry, Mother.’

He put his arms around the plump, dark-haired woman who barely reached his chin and gave her a big hug. She squeezed him back gratefully and left the room without a backward glance at her sobbing daughter.

So now Yul was lumbered with Leveret too, who moped about like the world was coming to an end. He really didn’t need that as well, not just now. And tomorrow was the Rite of Adulthood day and he must spend it up in the Wildwood with the boys … Yul sighed, his head in his hands, and then realised with a jolt that the sun had come up and he hadn’t even noticed. He leapt to his feet on the stone, frowning with puzzlement and shock. He’d felt nothing at all, no Earth Energy, no green magic flowing through him. What on earth had happened? He felt a clutch of fear at his heart – was this the beginning of the end for him? He recalled how Magus’ power had waned and shivered at the prospect of Stonewylde rejecting him too.

‘Don’t leave me now, Goddess!’ he called out loud in anguish. ‘Please don’t you abandon me as well!’

The cart full of paints and brushes, lanterns and evergreens arrived at this moment and the men and women who came with it stared at their magus strangely. Yul barely noticed them but strode distractedly out of the Stone Circle and back down towards the Hall.

‘And bright blessings to you too, Master Yul!’ muttered one of them.

Clip wandered out of the kitchens with a bag of fruit and some hazelnuts, the provisions he intended to take with him that evening to the Dolmen for his personal Solstice feast. It was early morning but he needed to bathe and prepare himself for the Solstice tomorrow. He crossed the entrance hall, absent-mindedly brushing into a small person on the way.

‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘Oh, Leveret!’

He’d barely recognised her – she looked terrible and seemed to have shrunk in on herself. Her pointy little face was even sharper than usual, the usual healthy glow replaced by a wan waxiness. Her black curls were bedraggled and unkempt and she regarded him with sunken eyes, the green dulled.

‘Blessings, Clip,’ she muttered.

‘What’s happened to you? Are you ill?’

She merely shook her head and tried to continue across the hall. He took her arm and noticed how thin it was.

‘Leveret, tell me what’s the matter? You look awful. Have you been eating?’

She shook her head again.

‘But you mustn’t fast too much, never more than a couple of days. Especially not at your age when you’re still growing.’

She shrugged and looked listlessly at the floor.

‘How long since you ate anything?’

She shrugged again and he stared at her perplexed, at a complete loss as to what to do. Then he led her to a large oak settle by the fireplace and sat down with her. She sat next to him like an automaton.

‘Does Yul know you’re not eating?’

‘He doesn’t care. He hates me,’ she whispered. ‘Everyone hates me and I’m nothing. Worse than nothing.’

‘Oh Leveret, you know that’s not true. What about Maizie? I know your mother cares about you.’

Her face crumpled at this but no tears came. She shook her head. Clip frowned, then awkwardly put an arm around her narrow shoulders, pulling her into his side and holding her gently.

‘Leveret, I’m sure they care. I know everyone’s busy at the moment but they do care.’

‘No they don’t! Mother said she’s finished with me once and for all and she sent me to live up here. She won’t let me stay in the cottage and she wants nothing more to do with me, ever. Rosie won’t speak to me at all – she thinks I’m nasty and selfish. Yul said I’m a thorn in his flesh and he hates me because I upset Mother. Then Sweyn and Gefrin said they’re going to do something really awful to me, worse than they’ve ever done before. Now no one cares about me at all, they know they’ll get away with it. And Jay says he wants to join in as well.’

‘I spoke to your mother about Sweyn,’ said Clip. ‘I told her what he did to you at Samhain, with the apple-bobbing barrel, so—’

Leveret laughed bitterly at this; a horrible sound entirely devoid of mirth.

‘That was kind of you, Clip, but pointless. Mother confronted him and of course Sweyn told his usual lies and she believed him. She always chooses to believe him and Gefrin before me. Why’s that? Why does she love them and not me? What have I ever done so she won’t believe me but always —’

Her voice cracked and Clip squeezed her shoulders, feeling so inadequate.

‘Leveret, you mustn’t think that way. I’m sure she loves you as much as your brothers. I’ll speak to her again and convince her you’re telling the truth about them. I know what I saw in the Barn.’

Leveret shook her head and sighed heavily.

‘Really, there’s no point. Mother isn’t interested in the truth. She’s only interested in what she wants to hear. She said some horrible things about me and Magpie too. There’s nothing – absolutely nothing – I can do to make her see the truth. Poor Magpie …‘

She broke off, her voice fading to nothing.

‘What about Magpie? He’s Starling’s son, isn’t he? The mute boy? I thought he was your friend – I know I’ve seen you together.’

She nodded.

‘I’m forbidden from seeing him. The things they did to him … he can’t eat now. They forced him to eat raw rabbit but nobody believes me. And the only thing they cook in his house is rabbit stew and now he can’t eat it at all. He’s so hungry but nobody will listen to me and he’s getting sick. If Magpie can’t eat then neither can I so we’re both going to die.’

Clip shook his head.

‘No you’re not going to die, Leveret. That’s silly. How old are you?’

‘I’m fourteen. And it’s not silly – you just don’t understand, Clip.’

‘Look, it’s the Winter Solstice tomorrow and you’ll be taking part in the ceremonies and having such a good time at the party in the Barn. You’ll forget all this misery and woe.’

‘I won’t,’ she said mournfully. ‘I won’t be taking part in anything. I won’t even be here. Thank you, Clip, for being so nice to me. I like you and I’m sorry if I’ve ever done anything wrong to you. I must go now – I have things to do.’

She stood up, unsteady on her feet.

‘You were very kind to me at Samhain and I wish I’d had a father like you to teach me. All I ever wanted was to learn about plants and magic and to be the Wise Woman. I never wanted to hurt Mother or do anything bad. But everything’s gone wrong and I can never make it right again. Magpie and I … our lives are a misery and everybody hates us. We’re at everyone’s mercy and we can’t go on like this anymore. I just wish I could’ve been a Wise Woman.’

Clip had no idea what to do with her. She was clearly very distressed – maybe he should tell Maizie, or even Sylvie. But then he remembered it was the start of the Rite of Adulthood today and they’d both be under the willow tree with the women and the girls. Yul would be out too, in the Wildwood with the boys. There was nobody about today who could talk to the girl and help her. Nobody but him and he didn’t have a clue where to start.

‘Would you like to come up into the Solar with me?’ he asked. ‘Up in my tower? You’ve never been there before, have you? The views are really stunning and you could look at some of my books – I’ve a vast collection of them. And I’ll play you my gongs if you like. There’s nothing like a sound bath to put things in perspective.’

But she shook her head.

‘I’ve got to get some food from the kitchens for me and Magpie to take with us.’

That sounded more promising – at least she was intending to eat.

‘Are you going on a picnic then?’

‘We’re going on a journey and we’ll need some food or we’ll never make it there. It’s a long way to walk in the cold. I’ve been dreaming about it every night and I know Magpie and I must go there – it’s where we belong.’

Clip looked at Leveret in consternation. She really did look terrible and all the light had gone from her eyes.

‘You’re not running away, are you? Because Leveret, if—’

She shook her head impatiently, and stood up.

‘No, Clip. I’ve never wanted to leave Stonewylde and that’s half the problem. My life isn’t my own anymore – everyone else makes all the choices for me and I’ve had enough of it. I’m taking control of my own destiny and I’ve decided what we have to do. It’s the only thing we can do, with everyone hating us. Sorry but I must go, Clip. You’re a kind man and I liked you a lot.’

She left then, stumbling across the hall into the passage leading to the kitchens. Clip watched her go with a sad heart, thinking how he must do something to help her after the Solstice. Before he left Stonewylde he’d take her under his wing and try to nurture the magic he knew she possessed.

It was mid-afternoon when Magpie and Leveret finally reached their destination. The trek had been horrendous and many times Leveret doubted whether they’d actually make it. Even though they’d stuffed themselves with bread and cheese in the empty kitchens before they left, both were weakened by their lack of food over the past few days. She suspected that Magpie had at least one broken rib and he was limping badly too. Jay had obviously given him a good going over before the rabbit scene that she’d stumbled on, and then they’d all laid into him when he couldn’t get up. Poor Magpie – her heart ached for him. He’d retreated into himself after that terrible night, gone to a place where nobody could hurt him anymore. He was filthier than ever and she thought he must have just been curled up on his blanket under the stairs ever since that night, unable to do anything for the pain and unable to eat the food that was tauntingly offered by his mother, who probably knew all about the raw rabbit torture. Leveret realised how lucky she’d been to grab Magpie as he hobbled outside to use the lavatory at the bottom of the garden. She may not have had another chance.