Shaman of Stonewylde (51 page)

There was complete silence as everyone tried to make sense of this news. Finally Sylvie spoke, a frown on her face.

‘So . . . so we don’t need Buzz’s money – or anyone’s money? We’ll have enough for everything we want to do at Stonewylde?’

‘Exactly,’ beamed Clip. ‘Everything we need to start the healing centre, and much more besides. Your dream will come true, Sylvie!’

Leveret put in a few hours of study and then went to find Magpie, hoping they could go up to Mother Heggy’s cottage together. He was working in the Art Room with David, who had a class of younger students there too. Magpie was in his own corner with a canvas before him, painting a seascape. Leveret could tell immediately that something had upset him, as his eyes were cloudy and his expression troubled. She watched him for a while, as he put tiny glints of light onto the peaks of water to make the green-blue sea in his picture come alive.

‘What’s wrong, Magpie?’ she asked eventually.

He laid down his brush and took her hands, and she saw an image of Rainbow. The woman’s eyes were exactly the colour he was using for his painting now.

‘Rainbow’s gone,’ said Leveret, but he shook his head at this. Then she saw Rainbow clearly up in Yul’s apartments, and sitting in the window seat behind her was the shade of a tall man with blond hair.

David came over and looked appraisingly at the painting.

‘Did you hear Rainbow’s back?’ he asked Leveret. ‘She was in here earlier, and she wants to take some of Magpie’s work to show someone in London. She’s trying to get him exhibited.’

‘She can’t!’ snapped Leveret. ‘I don’t want her taking anything of Magpie’s away. I don’t trust her.’

David nodded in agreement.

‘I know you’re the best one for getting through to Magpie. Please, can you try to find out how he feels about it? I can’t help but think she’s only out to exploit him – I don’t trust her either.’

The meeting in the Galleried Hall disbanded and everyone dispersed to discuss the exciting news. It was very difficult for the Elders to settle down to any work after such portentous events, and they were all keen to spread the news. Martin stomped down to see his mother in the Village in a complete rage, and luckily for her, Mallow was already back home so wasn’t forced to bear the brunt of his bad temper.

The news that Stonewylde’s financial problems were over and there was to be a special healing centre created when Clip left in two weeks’ time, spread like heath-fire through the community. Yul and Sylvie stayed behind to have a word with Clip when everyone had left, and she threw her arms around her thin father and hugged him tight. When they finally released each other, Sylvie was in floods of tears.

‘Don’t cry, my darling girl,’ said Clip softly. ‘This is everything you dreamed of, isn’t it? And it’s your grandparents’ chance to put right all their wrongs.’

‘I know, I know,’ she sobbed. ‘It’s just too good to be true! Oh Yul, isn’t it wonderful?’

He’d hung back, not wishing to intrude, but came forward now and handed her a handkerchief.

‘It’s . . . so unexpected. I’m finding it hard to take it in immediately. But yes, it is wonderful and I’m sure it’s the right thing for Stonewylde. It certainly feels right.’ He looked at Clip’s grey careworn face and into his pale eyes. ‘Clip, all that you said about Stonewylde – her needs, how we’re only guardians and not owners – I’d never really understood that before. But now I feel enlightened and it’s put me to shame. Some of my past behaviour—’

‘We’re all learning, Yul,’ said Clip, patting his arm. ‘We all do our best and hopefully we get there in the end. It wasn’t till I saw Buzz in action today that I realised just how little like Magus you actually are. You’re strong and you’re a leader, but you’re not in the same mould as Magus or Buzz. You’ve always acted with the best of intentions, not because you enjoy power for its own sake. I’m sorry if I’ve ever misjudged you in the past.’

Now Yul was a little bright-eyed with unshed tears, and unexpectedly, Clip opened his arms and took the young man into a heartfelt embrace, while Sylvie looked on in utter astonishment.

Later on, still feeling emotional and unable to settle to anything else, Sylvie and Yul decided to take the girls for a walk up to the Stone Circle. It was a lovely clear October afternoon with a couple of hours before twilight, and the leaves were well on the turn after such a dry summer. Bluebell was growing up and could now manage much longer walks than before, and because in the past Yul had always worked such long hours, they’d missed out on little family outings such as these. The four of them wrapped up in jackets, although the sun was shining, and set off out of the Village and up the track leading to the Long Walk.

The girls ran ahead excitedly, examining conkers and chestnuts and laughing at the squirrels’ antics, whilst Yul and Sylvie strolled hand in hand.

‘What a day!’ said Yul. ‘In fact, what a few days! So much excitement and everything turned on its head.’

‘Oh yes,’ agreed Sylvie. ‘Everything has changed so fast. I feel quite exhausted by it all and I just want to catch my breath a bit.’

‘Well, Buzz should be off any time now, and then we can all breathe a big sigh of relief,’ said Yul.

‘You were very good with him last night and this morning,’ said Sylvie. ‘I was so worried you’d thump him.’

Yul chuckled at this.

‘Of course I wanted to! There were a few moments when it was a close thing, but really, it wouldn’t have solved anything and
I’d
have looked like some boy brawling in the street again. Clip handled him far better than I could have done.’

‘He was wonderful, wasn’t he?’

Yul agreed and they walked along in silence for a while, Sylvie wondering if Buzz had actually left yet. After the meeting, Clip had told him to have lunch, pack his stuff and be off as soon as possible. Buzz had nodded and swiftly left the Galleried Hall. Ever since his dramatic entrance the previous night in their old chambers, Sylvie had felt herself on the edge of a precipice, trying to put one foot in front of the other and not look down at the terrifying drop below. She’d been sure that Buzz was going to make some allusion to the ballet, especially when he’d winked at Celandine so conspiratorially. She was entirely blameless, but how awful it would look to have deceived Yul like that. But hopefully Buzz had now gone, and the moment of danger was past.

And as for her other secret . . . she was dying to tell Yul about the tiny curled-up being inside her. They’d transgressed, but she didn’t care; the thought of carrying his baby, conceived at the Blue Moon under their yew tree, was so magical that the two-children rule mattered nothing. Maybe she’d tell him today, in the Stone Circle. It was still early days but everything felt just right, and what a wonderful way to celebrate the events of the past few days.

The children raced up the Long Walk, russet leaves drifting down over their heads and crunchy beech mast underfoot. Soft golden sunlight streamed in shafts through the autumn leaves, and Yul glanced at Sylvie as they walked hand in hand. He felt deep inside that they’d finally reached a good place in their relationship and their marriage could start a new phase. The thought of Rainbow still filled him with guilt and dread, and he’d been terrified that Buzz might use it against him. But surely if he’d known about it, he’d have done so by now; Rainbow must have kept quiet after all. Yul decided the best option would be to bury the secret completely and just start again with Sylvie. They’d have to plan where to live as she clearly hated the beautiful
apartments
he loved so much, but that could all be part of their new beginning together.

The Stone Circle became visible through the stone portal and the girls paused at the threshold, well aware that thoughtlessly racing inside the huge, sunlit arena wasn’t respectful. Bluebell took Celandine’s hand and allowed her older sister to lead her inside. She scanned the area quickly, the stones even bigger to such a small person, and quickly located him. Today he stood leaning against one of the megaliths near the Altar Stone. He raised a hand to her and waved, and Bluebell swallowed and quickly looked away.

As she and Yul walked into the Circle, Sylvie thought for a second she saw someone already in there at the far end, but realised her mistake as her eyes adjusted to the brightness. The decorations of Autumn Equinox still graced every stone, and the girls started their usual autumn game of spotting the hidden dormice that Merewen always included for the children’s amusement. Bluebell still held on tightly to her sister, but then Celandine shook her off and began a leaping, joyful dance in the centre, her hair flying and her arms outstretched. Bluebell rushed over and clung onto Yul, her thumb in her mouth, and he picked her up and kissed her.

‘Come on, Suck-a-thumb! I thought you were going to stop that now you’re five!’

They watched Celandine for a while as she improvised the most beautiful dance, honouring every stone and becoming an autumn leaf herself, just as she’d done at the previous Samhain in the Barn.

‘She really is talented,’ murmured Sylvie. ‘It’s not just moondancing – this is actual dancing genius. I wonder if she’ll want to train and become a professional when she’s older?’

‘Maybe, and in that case we’ll back her all the way,’ said Yul, gazing at their child in wonder. ‘And the same if she doesn’t want to either. She can stay at Stonewylde and delight everyone here with her dance.’

‘What do you want to do, Blue?’ asked Sylvie, stroking the
younger
child’s curls as she clung like a bush-baby in Yul’s arms.

‘I want to be a mummy,’ said Bluebell. ‘And I want to write stories. Can I do both of those?’

‘Of course you can,’ laughed Yul. ‘I haven’t seen your hare story lately, have I? How’s it coming on?’

‘It’s lovely!’ said Bluebell, pulling away from his shoulder so she could see his face. ‘Magpie’s done some drawings for it and it’s so pretty! Celandine’s not doing writing much any more but I still am, and I got another one too about the Bluebell Faeries. I’ll show you when we get home, Father.’

‘That’ll be wonderful,’ he said, kissing her on the nose.

‘You can really see Magpie’s influence here in the Circle, can’t you?’ said Sylvie, wandering around and gazing up at the paintings. ‘It’s always looked beautiful, but since he’s been involved the magic has somehow felt even stronger.’

‘That’s true,’ said Yul. ‘I must talk to Merewen before they start decorating for Samhain. I’m not sure if she’ll remember that the Death Dance won’t be held up here any more. I don’t want the normal ghoulish motifs in our Stone Circle.’

‘What did you have in mind then?’

‘The crows and other black birds are fine,’ he said. ‘It’s the skulls and images of death that I object to.’

‘But Yul, it is the Festival of the Dead.’

‘I know. But I prefer to think of it by its other name, the Festival of the Ancestors.’

‘Are they holding the Death Dance down at the other yew this year?’

‘I believe so. I think Clip’s spoken to some of the older folk about it.’

‘So will there be any kind of ceremony up here at all?’

‘No, nothing. I’ve said we’ll keep the bonfires and the labyrinth and wicker dome in the Village as usual. That works far better. This Circle, at Samhain, has far too many connotations and memories for me . . .’

She squeezed his hand, thinking back to the previous Samhain and the terrible night when that storm had brewed up out of
nowhere
. It was the first time the awful scent and presence of Magus had become really apparent. Just remembering the experience she’d endured in the chambers, with no electricity and that great slash of lightning, made Sylvie’s skin prickle. She snuggled up to his arm and closed her eyes.

‘Yul, I really love you.’

‘And I really love you, my beautiful Sylvie,’ he said, stooping with Bluebell still in his arms to kiss her.

‘There’s something wonderful I want to tell—’

‘Ah, very touching! What a perfect little family you are!’

They swung round to see Buzz coming through a gap in the stones. They froze whilst Celandine, dancing alone in the centre, stumbled and stopped. Buzz walked over to her, and Yul and Sylvie hurried towards them.

‘I thought you’d left!’ said Yul, heart pounding furiously.

‘I’m about to go,’ said Buzz, hatred veiling his face. ‘But I thought I’d have one last look at the old Stone Circle.’

His gaze swept around, taking in the great stones, the faded paintings, the golden trees beyond. Sylvie found she was barely breathing and felt dizzy. She clutched on to Yul’s arm and pulled Celandine in, so they formed a tight-knit little group. She couldn’t look Buzz in the eye but she felt Yul next to her blazing with hostility, glaring aggressively at the intruder. Her heart thumped loudly too, but with dread. Buzz’s next words confirmed her fears; why had she ever hoped he’d let her off the hook?

‘What beautiful dancing, Celandine! You told me before that you loved to dance but I had no idea you were so talented.’

‘What?’ Yul snarled. ‘What are you on about?’

‘Oh, didn’t Sylvie tell you?’

‘Tell me what?’

‘Or Celandine? Oh, Celandine, surely you told your daddy what a lovely time we spent together?’

‘Buzz, leave her out of it!’ cried Sylvie. ‘Don’t get the children involved.’

‘Involved in what? What the hell’s going on?’ shouted Yul, his
face
white and his eyes flashing fury. ‘Sylvie, what is he talking about?’

He turned on her and she read in his expression not only his anger at Buzz, but his wounded pride at being made to look a fool like this. She hung her head and Celandine turned to face her father.

‘It was when Mummy and I went to see the ballet. Buzz was there too and he bought me an ice-cream.’

‘I don’t believe this!’ spat Yul. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

Buzz laughed, and Yul started to peel Bluebell off his chest, trying to loosen the grip of her arms and legs and set her on the ground.

‘We knew you’d be cross,’ said Celandine, ‘so we thought we’d better not say anything.’

‘Yul, please! He just turned up and—’