I Put a Spell on You (18 page)

There was a quiet knock on the door and Louise peeped round.

“How’s it going?” she said.

“I’ve got as far as the day she started working for me,” I said, my voice cracking. “She was fine, Louise, and then she started working with me and it must have all gone wrong.”

Louise came over and sat down next to me. She put her arm round me and rubbed my shoulder just like Mum would have. I rested my head against her cheek and wished I could stay there forever. We sat there for a few minutes, not talking. I was just enjoying her closeness, trying very hard to control the attraction I felt for her, and wondering if she felt it too. But I knew I had to carry on reading. I sat up.

“I need to read the rest,” I said.

“You do,” Lou said. “I’ll leave you to it.”

She squeezed me tighter then stood up. Without her next to me I felt cold suddenly and I shivered.

“Cold?” she said. “Have this.”

She shrugged off her hoodie and handed it to me. I pulled it on – it smelled of her Jo Malone Grapefruit – and smiled at her.

“Thank you,” I said.

She winked at me and closed the door, as I picked up Star’s diary once more and started to read…

Chapter 27

June 3

I love it. LOVE it. Just organising for now – putting ads in the paper, and dropping off flyers at all the wee cafés nearby. There’s still building work going on – the therapy rooms are all finished, but the floor still has to be laid in the yoga studio, and Harry’s planning a sort of indoor garden too, which sounds amazing.

And today I met Xander. Phew. He’s something else. He knows it though, which puts me off him a bit. Harry and I had been going through some CVs for yoga instructors – she’s v fussy, which is probably why she’s so successful. Lots of them I thought would be okay, she just discarded. Anyway, it was lunchtime just about, and she’d told me Xander was starting today but he’d not turned up. And then there was a hammering at the front door – obviously we’re not open yet so you have to ring the bell to come in. This person, though, was really bashing it. I thought Harry would be cross – she’s a right control freak and anyone doing things different from how she planned is treated to her super-scary mean face – but instead she said, “Xander!” and flung open the door.

The man who came in was easily – easily – the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in my whole life. He was wearing jeans and a black T-shirt that hugged his broad shoulders. For a minute, I couldn’t speak. Or breathe. He slung his arm around Harry’s shoulders and kissed her on her temple. Then he introduced himself to me and kissed me too. He had a soft Irish accent that I loved. Harry shrugged his arm off her shoulders, but she looked pleased to see him.

Didn’t stop her pointing out how late he was, of course. Xander didn’t even say sorry. He just shrugged, then leaned over and drained Harry’s can of Diet Coke. I got the impression Xander could do pretty much whatever he wanted and Harry wouldn’t mind. I know his type, though. I was married to one for twenty bloody years after all. Handsome, charming, makes you feel like you’re the centre of his world. As long as he wants to. Then it’s on to someone else who interests him.

Wondered, briefly, if Xander and Harry are a couple, but even though he’s touchy-feely with her, there’s no chemistry between them.

Anyway, must crash out. Opening day at the spa is just over six weeks away.

July 29

Opening day! And what a day. It was brilliant. Edinburgh seems to be in the grip of an unexpected and unnatural heatwave so abandoned the suit I’d laid out and put on a flowery tea dress with some nude peep-toe heels. It was exactly right. Harry was wearing cropped black skinny trousers and a floaty, chiffon blouse with heels just like mine, only in black. She smiled when she saw me, though I could see she was nervous. There was a banner across the door of the spa, welcoming their new customers and balloons directing people down the little mews the spa sits in. There were yoga classes, Reiki massages, aromatherapy sessions – all sorts going on and everything was free. Harry wafted around chatting to guests. Her cousin Esme popped in during her lunch hour. She’s a looker too, though nothing like Harry. Small and neat and blonde, with wavy hair and a cheeky smile. Didn’t get to chat though as she didn’t stay long. I sat at my new desk, booking customers into classes or for massages – the next few weeks are already jam-packed.

Eventually, when all the customers had gone, Harry opened some bottles of champagne and handed out glasses to me and the other staff. She told us all how pleased she was with how the opening had gone and toasted us all. Then we all sat round and chatted and drank fizz for a while.

Right before I went home, Harry appeared at my side. It was quieter now. All the guests had gone and most of the staff were starting to gather their bits. Harry chinked her glass against mine. Her eyes were shining and for a minute I had a tiny flash of envy that she had so much while I had so little. Then reminded myself that I didn’t know anything about her. She’s not married, she doesn’t have kids and she’s only a couple of years younger than me. Her story could be similar to mine – who knows? Anyway, I forced a smile and she beamed back and then she took my hand and told me to be careful.

Was shocked, I tell you. First I thought she meant while I was going home – you get all sorts on those late-night buses. But that wasn’t what she meant. Instead she told me she’d had trouble in the past from people who didn’t like witchcraft and warned me to keep quiet about what we did.

She was squinting at me slightly and I realised she was drunk but still what she was saying made me a bit nervous. I could see Xander watching us out of the corner of my eye. Wonder if he knows what sort of trouble Harry’s had in the past. They’ve not been friends that long, which surprised me. They’re thick as thieves.

Anyway, I was surprised, by Harry’s warning and thought she was being a bit OTT. But she looked so worried, I patted her manicured hand in what I hoped was a reassuring way and told her she could trust me.

August 12

When Harry took me aside at the opening and warned me to be careful, I thought she was being a bit overdramatic. I already adore Harry but there’s no denying she’s a bit of a drama queen, and she definitely plays her role magnificently.

So I kind of put it to one side and carried on. I’ve only been there two weeks, but I already feel at home. It is frantically, madly busy and brilliant.

Last week, Harry offered me some free spiritual counselling – it’s her way of describing the spells she prescribes. Today I had my first session and it was, well, inspirational, I guess. Harry is very clever at getting you to talk and I found myself telling her all about Mark and the miscarriages. She listened and when I’d finished, she handed me a tissue and scribbled something on a notepad. She told me she normally does spells for clients herself – she’s the witch after all, and that’s what they’re paying her for. I wasn’t sure what she was getting at; did she want me to pay?

But actually what she was telling me was that she’d written a charm for me, and she wanted me to cast it! Me. She knows I want to learn about witchcraft of course, so she thought it would be a good way to start. She handed me the piece of paper, and I put it in my bag.

I didn’t look at the piece of paper she gave me until I was at my desk. Then I unfolded it. A spell to say goodbye, Harry had scrawled in her trademark turquoise ink. Felt like crying because I was so grateful she’d understood what I’d told her about the babies I’d lost and never properly mourned.

I put it in my bag, planning to do the spell that evening. Think it was Harry’s kindness and the feeling that she’d ‘got’ me that made me feel so protective of her.

A little later I was signing clients in for a yoga class. Reception was busy with women waiting for appointments and the yoga people. When the rush died down, I noticed a white envelope on the top of my desk. It said Harmony McLeod in thick, black handwriting. I picked it up, wondering who’d left it and when, and put it next to my phone. I meant to pass it on to Harry but I picked up my mug of tea and – wham! – spilled it all over the letter. The name on the front was illegible, so I quickly opened it, thinking I could save what was inside at least. I spread out the soggy paper, which was drenched, but still readable, and gasped. Could NOT believe what was written there.

“Leave this place,” it said in thick, black ink. “Or you will suffer.”

It wasn’t signed.

My first reaction was to laugh, show it to Harry, laugh some more and bin it. But something made me stop. I dried it off with a tissue, then folded it up and slipped it into my bag.

August 22

The last couple of weeks have been a blur. Did my goodbye spell and feel better already. Like I’ve finally closed a door and now I can move on. I’ll always grieve for my babies, but now I feel they’re in my past. I owe Harry for that.

And I’ve been practising other spells, learning the booking systems, starting yoga, and haven’t even thought about the letter. Then yesterday, I arrived at work to find Xander nailing plywood over a window. I asked him what had happened and he told me it had been smashed, he thought by local kids messing about. He wasn’t worried, but in a flash I remembered the scary note I’d opened. Went inside wondering if it hadn’t been kids at all. If, perhaps, the letter writer was to blame.

August 23

Silly to be worried about a mean letter. Obviously just coincidence that the window was smashed.

August 24

Today there was another letter on my desk. Same thick black writing on the same paper. Addressed to Harry. This time I didn’t even hesitate. I just opened it straight away.

“Leave this place,” it read again. Glanced round to make sure Harry wasn’t nearby, then shoved it into my bag. Can’t believe someone is targeting Harry. She is a bit prickly, but also kind and thoughtful. And she’s given me the best job I ever had. Definitely don’t want her to know about the letters; can totally deal with this myself.

August 25

Not sure what to do. Worried something else bad will happen. Shall I tell Harry?

August 26

No. Definitely shouldn’t tell Harry. She is v busy and stressed. This will make things worse. Could tell Xander?

August 27

No. Not Xander. He would def tell Harry. Anyway, no more letters so perhaps worrying unnecessarily?

August 28

Arrived at work early today because it was my turn to open up. I had the keys in my hand, jiggling them. Was enjoying the walk in the late-summer sunshine. But as I turned into the mews, I stopped. The two windows either side of the front door were smashed and on the door itself, in glaring red spray paint, was scrawled WITCH.

I was horrified! Dropped my bag and the keys. But then thought should record it, so I picked my bag up again and found my phone, then snapped a couple of photos. My heart was thumping. Could only think about getting rid of it before Harry saw. Ran inside, got a bucket of water and started scrubbing – and that’s where Xander found me fifteen minutes later. Had smeared the writing so he couldn’t read it but he could see there had been something there.

I lied and just said it was one of those tags that kids graffiti all over the place. He didn’t ask any questions but he looked a bit suspicious. Has been watching me all day.

I stopped reading and hugged Star’s diary to my chest. I hadn’t realised she’d been so grateful to me for her spiritual counselling. I didn’t do it for thanks, generally. I did it because I knew how powerful and helpful witchcraft could be, and I wanted to share that with other people. That was why I started the website in the first place – it had struck me as the perfect way to reach out to as many people as possible. And I’d been blown away by how accepting and enthusiastic everyone had been. But I couldn’t lie, I did enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling I got when something really worked out. I had received lots of emails over the years, thanking me for helping someone. Recently, I’d started getting cards from clients I’d met at the spa for counselling. I kept every single one – tucked them away in a folder in my desk drawer. I was really proud of what I’d achieved and reading how much I’d helped Star, made me feel very happy. And yet, I’d never asked for anything in return. If I’d known she’d feel so beholden to me – like she owed me – then I would have been really clear that she didn’t owe me anything. And if I’d known she had felt so protective of me, so concerned about me, that she kept these horrible letters, and the graffiti – I shuddered – from me, then I would have stepped in pretty quick.

But though I could sort of understand why Star didn’t tell me about what was happened, I couldn’t understand why she didn’t tell Xander. He’d have come straight to me, I thought, if he’d known. Poor Star, dealing with it all by herself. I felt guilty all over again, thinking about how worried she must have been, and how she did it just because she was looking out for me. I hoped there was something somewhere in the diary that would lead me to whoever was responsible. I didn’t want her to have gone through all this in vain. Taking a deep breath, I opened the diary again…

Chapter 28

August 29

Urgh. Xander knows everything. He came to find me earlier. He pulled up a chair and sat down next to me and asked me what was going on. Lasted all of thirty seconds before I caved and told him someone wanted Harry’s business to fail.

He looked thoughtful for a minute. Then he leaned forward like he was about to speak, but just as he was about to tell me what he thought, Harry walked into reception holding a box of aromatherapy oils.

Xander grinned at her and told her we were going through some scheduling stuff. I was half impressed, half shocked at how easily he lied. Harry smiled back at him and asked if she could borrow him for a second and Xander stood up. He gave me a look that told me he wasn’t finished, and asked me to find him later.