by Pat Spence
“Have you moved in to Hartswell Hall?” I asked Violet. “It’s just no-one’s mentioned a family living there and turning it into a luxury hotel. Only this morning, I heard a rumour that a local rock star was interested in buying it.”
“We’re in the process of moving in,” explained Violet. “The sale has just gone through and there’s a lot of work to be done on the house and grounds before we can open it as an hotel.”
“It sounds very exciting,” I said. “I’ve only ever seen Hartswell Hall from the outside, but it looks like a fabulous place.”
“You must come round and have a look.…” Violet started to say, then hesitated. “Well, I’ll have to check with my mother and father first. I’m not sure they want people seeing inside until all the work’s done. It’s a bit of a mess at the moment.”
The bell for the next lesson sounded and any thoughts of looking round Hartswell Hall were put to one side, as we made our way to History, with the world’s most boring teacher, Mr Greaves. I sat next to Tash, who muttered: “Enjoy break time with Blondie?” before studiously reading her History course book for the entire lesson, in a way that was most unlike her.
At the end of the lesson, she gathered up her books and disappeared through the classroom door before I’d even realised she was gone. I saw her walking down the corridor with Seth, heading for the cafeteria, and was aware that there had been a major and unpleasant shift in our friendship. It didn’t make me feel good, but I had no time to dwell on it, because Violet was there at my elbow, smiling her radiant smile and asking if I’d like to have an early lunch. Being in her company was like bathing in brilliant sunshine. It made me feel alive, relaxed and energised all at the same time, and I was soon engrossed in her stories of Egypt and a lifestyle I could only imagine.
That afternoon, we shared the same classes and she sat next to me on the bus home. I vaguely noticed Tash sitting with Seth towards the back of the bus, but Violet pulled me into a seat at the front.
“Come on, let’s sit here,” she said. I sat where she indicated, feeling as if the situation was out of my control.
“Where’s your brother?” I asked. “Wasn’t he at college?”
“No, he couldn’t come today,” she answered. “He’ll start tomorrow. You’ll probably meet him.”
When the bus stopped outside Hartswell Hall, Violet got up and flashed another of her radiant smiles. “My stop. I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye.”
I watched her walk up the drive way, a jacket thrown nonchalantly over her arm, her beautiful golden hair catching the afternoon sunshine. She seemed to shimmer, barely disturbing the air as she moved, and as the bus started up again, I felt strangely dreamlike and serene.
My stop was next and I was barely aware of Tash and Seth walking past me down the centre aisle. As he passed, Seth turned to me. “Are you getting off, Em? It’s our stop. What’s the matter with you?”
“Nothing,” I murmured, “I’m right behind you.” I quickly followed them off the bus.
“Have you and Tash had a disagreement?” asked Seth, “It’s not like you two to avoid each other.”
“No, we’re fine, aren’t we Tash?” I spoke to Tash’s back.
She turned and said in a flat voice, “Yeah, absolutely fine.” We carried on walking down the hill, the conversation stilted and awkward, despite Seth’s best endeavours to keep things going.
The next day proved no different. Tash and I seemed to have little to say to one another and I found myself looking forward to seeing Violet with undue interest. As the bus approached her stop, I looked in vain for her golden hair, but she wasn’t there and I felt disappointed.
Our first class was once again English Literature with Miss Widdicombe, but the desk next to mine remained empty and I began to wonder if I had imagined meeting her the day before. Then, at break time, as I walked into the locker area, I saw her mass of blond hair. She was standing talking to a striking blond-haired boy, who had to be Theo, I reasoned, and for a few seconds, I stood watching them closely.
No doubt about it, Theo was absolutely gorgeous. Just like his sister, he too could be a model. He was tall and well proportioned, wearing faded jeans and a white T-shirt, and exuded a grace and style that came straight from the pages of a fashion magazine. Even his hands, I noticed, were elegant and expressive, giving him a sophistication way beyond his years. I hovered uncertainly, unsure whether to approach them. They seemed to be deep in conversation and while I didn’t want to interrupt them, I was conscious that break time would soon be over and I might not get another opportunity to meet him on my own. If I left it until lunchtime, he’d probably be surrounded by adoring girls and wouldn’t notice me. At least now I would have his undivided attention. So, heart beating loudly and with a sudden rush of excitement, I walked over to them.
“Hello Violet,” I said, excitedly, “I wondered where you were.”
Too late, I became aware they were in the middle of an argument. They both stopped talking abruptly and you could have cut the atmosphere with a knife. Violet turned and looked at me with a look so cold it took my breath away.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, backing away and feeling confused. Then the coldness disappeared and she gave me a dazzling smile.
“Emily,” she said, in her crystal clear voice. “How nice to see you, I was just telling Theo that there was one girl he simply had to meet.”
“Were you?” I said, going red with embarrassment. “Er, who’s that?”
“You, of course,” cried Violet, laughing at my awkwardness. “Theo, this is Emily. Emily, meet Theo.”
The blond haired boy opposite Violet smiled at me.
“Very pleased to meet you, Emily,” he said, in a voice similar to Violet’s in its clearness and clarity, but with a depth and resonance that sounded like pure music. “Violet’s been telling me all about you.”
He went to shake my hand.
I looked into the face of the most beautiful boy I had ever seen and was instantly captivated by the tousled blond hair, the ivory skin, the even white teeth and the perfect features. Gazing into his eyes, I was lost in their intensity. It was like looking into the bluest sky and carrying on to infinity. I felt mesmerised, hypnotised and transfixed all at once.
Time slowed to a standstill and became a series of freeze frames, enabling me to recall every facet of our meeting in detail. I remember the hustle and bustle of the locker area as students hurriedly got out their books ready for the next lesson, and someone nearby laughing abruptly, their voice sounding muffled and faint, as if they were far away. I remember feeling mild panic in case my handshake was too sweaty, as my nerves kicked in big time and adrenalin flooded my system, and then feeling relieved that my hand was actually quite dry. But more than anything else, I remember his hand touching mine and feeling the soft warmth of his skin, the firmness of his grip and the slight pressure from his nails as they touched the palm of my hand. It was one of those perfect moments and such was its intensity I felt I’d lived my whole life just to come to this point.
No sooner had our hands joined and I was experiencing the most wonderful sensation of well-being, than I felt what I can only describe as a bolt of electricity shoot from the centre of his palm into mine, white-hot and burning, searing my skin with a scalding pain. I cried out immediately, registering the sensation and shock with disbelief, and then, as my reflexes took over, jerked my hand upwards out of his reach, forcing us apart. For a split second he stared at me, seemingly as shocked as I was, unable to speak and trying to comprehend what had just passed between us.
I looked down at my hand, expecting to see some kind of mark, a burn maybe, some evidence of the scorching pain I’d just felt, but there was nothing. No wound, no redness, no indication that anything out of the ordinary had just occurred.
“Sorry….” I gasped, feeling stupid and embarrassed, rubbing my palm with the index finger of my other hand.
Recovering quickly, he laughed awkwardly and said, unconvincingly, “St
atic electricity – that’s what comes of wearing the wrong shoes on a nylon carpet. That was quite something, wasn’t it?”
“It certainly was,” I murmured faintly, glancing up at him again and feeling a little weak as I looked into his perfect face.
While his words offered a seemingly rational explanation, his eyes told a different story. There, I saw pure panic swirling amidst the deep, hypnotic blue, and he seemed to struggle to control himself. With a huge effort he broke his gaze and looked down at his watch, saying, almost too quickly, “Hey, look at the time. I must fly. I have a tutorial. Don’t want to be late on my first day.”
He darted away and reached the double doors at the end of the corridor in less than two seconds. I watched him go, wondering what on earth had just happened between us, willing him to turn round and look at me one last time. Just as he went through the doorway, he turned and our eyes locked once more. For a split second, we stared at each other, both unsure what had just happened. Then, he was gone, the double doors swinging violently against an empty space, and I turned back to find Violet staring at me, but with quite a different look. This was one of suspicion and mistrust and, if I wasn’t mistaken, fear.
I smiled at her weakly but she was clearly shaken by what she’d just witnessed and, making some excuse about needing to go to the school office, she picked up her bag and jacket and abruptly left the locker area. There was no doubt in my mind she was going after her brother.
For some minutes after she’d gone, I stood going over in my mind what had just happened, trying to rationalise it and failing totally. If I’d thought Violet had a powerful effect on me, it paled into insignificance compared to the connection I’d felt with her brother. This was like nothing I’d ever encountered before. It was all-consuming, all-powerful and quite simply beyond my sphere of experience. Some deep inner instinct warned me it might also be dangerous, but this simply added to his attraction and, if I’m honest, gave me the greatest thrill of all.
Hearing the bell, I reluctantly went to my next lesson and tried to concentrate as best I could on double History. But I may just as well have been trying to get my head around time travel as the dissolution of the monasteries, my mind felt so unsettled.
At lunchtime, there was no sign of Violet or Theo and so I sat in the café with Tash and Seth.
“We’re honoured,” said Tash sarcastically. “Where’s Blondie?”
“I don’t know,” I muttered. “Look Tash, what’s the matter? Are you jealous of Violet, is that it?”
“What’s there to be jealous of?” quipped Seth, “Perfect skin, gorgeous hair, looks like a fashion model. Can’t see why Tash would be jealous of that…”
“It’s not the way she looks,” said Tash slowly, “it’s something else… I can’t put my finger on it. She’s too perfect, somehow. There’s just something that’s not quite right about her. And look at the way she zoomed in on you. It was almost as if she chose you out of the rest of us.” She faltered and started playing with her silver bracelet. “Look, I don’t know why I’m saying this, but don’t get taken in by all her golden charm. Just be careful, that’s all. What d’you know about her and her brother? Have you checked them out on Facebook, or googled them?”
“No, of course not. I’ve only just met them. Why should I?” I asked indignantly.
“Good thinking, Tash,” said Seth, taking out his laptop. “Let’s see what we can find out.” He quickly opened his Facebook page and typed in Violet De Lucis. He pressed the search button.
“Nothing,” he said. “Okay, let’s try her brother.” Again, there was nothing.
“So, they’re not on Facebook,” I said. “A lot of people aren’t. And they have just come from Egypt, maybe it was safer not to be on Facebook.”
“What about Twitter or Instagram or MSN?” suggested Tash.
Seth tried them all, every social networking site we could think of, but every time he drew a blank. There was nothing.
“Okay,” said Seth, “let’s try googling de Lucis. See what comes up about the family.”
I kept quiet, feeling protective of Violet and her brother, but not sure why.
Once again, his search brought up nothing. There wasn’t even a mention of the family.
“Try Hartswell Hall,” suggested Tash.
This proved slightly more successful and a holding page appeared on the screen informing us that Hartswell Hall was undergoing a massive restoration programme and would be opening for business as an international conference venue mid-May. It said nothing about the new owners of Hartswell Hall.
“All very strange,” said Seth. “You’d think there’d be something about the family, particularly the parents. After all, they are supposed to be international business people. I would have thought Google would throw up something. It’s like they didn’t exist before they came here.”
“Maybe they’re just very private people,” I said, defensively. “Honestly, I think you’re making a mystery where there is none.”
“Seems to me you’re being very defensive, Emily,” said Tash. “I still think there’s more to Violet than meets the eye. I don’t like her and I don’t trust her. Anyway, I have to go. I have some library books to take back.”
She got up quickly, throwing her bag over her shoulder and leaving her lunch tray behind. Without looking back, she walked quickly out of the café.
“What was all that about?” I said, looking after her.
“If you ask me,” said Seth, “it’s a question of two’s company, three’s a crowd, and she’s feeling a bit crowded out. How about I take Violet off your hands, Emily, and you can make up with Tash?”
“Thanks, Seth,” I grinned at him, “but what makes you think a girl like Violet would be interested in someone like you?”
“Hey, there’s more to me than meets the eye as well, you know,” he cried. “I have hidden depths, too.”
“Yeah, depths of depravity, more like, and you’d certainly be out of your depth with a girl like Violet,” I informed him. “She has high standards. Don’t even go there.”
For some reason, the thought of Seth asking out Violet was not an idea I liked. He’d always been there for me, as a friend, and so far there’d never been a serious girlfriend to come between us. I didn’t like the thought of that one bit. Besides, Violet was my friend and I didn’t feel inclined to share her with anyone.
“I gotta go, too,” said Seth, closing his laptop and putting it into his backpack. He stood up. “I’ve got rugby practice, and the way things are looking, I am going to get picked for the team this weekend. You watch, the girls’ll be crowding round me.”
“In your dreams,” I called after him, as he left the table and slouched his way out of the canteen.
After he’d gone, I sat and thought how things had suddenly changed in the last couple of days. Tash was not happy about my friendship with Violet, whom she clearly saw as a threat, and I was more than a bit put out at the thought of Seth getting friendly with Violet. And what had Tash meant about Violet being too perfect and selecting me? I remembered back to the moment she’d first come into the classroom and how she stood at the front, looking at us all, as if searching for the right person. But surely it was just coincidence she’d sat in the empty desk next to mine? Oddly enough, I couldn’t remember that desk ever being empty before, but as hard as I tried, I couldn’t recall who usually sat there. And what did Tash mean by telling me to be careful? Surely she was just jealous that Violet was so attractive and had chosen to make friends with me?
That was the thing when you were beautiful – you chose your friends, not the other way round. But why was there no mention of the family on Google? Surely there should have been something? Tash’s words had unnerved me, and she didn’t even know I’d met Theo yet. Now, that had been strange and I really didn’t know how I was going to tell her what had happened. If she thought I needed to be careful of Violet, what would she think about Theo?
That got me thinking about Th
eo. Beautiful, charismatic, handsome Theo. It took my breath away just remembering the look he’d given me, let alone the electric handshake. I’d never seen such blue eyes. They were the kind of eyes you’d look into and simply melt, the blue of a scorching summer’s day, smouldering, sensual and hypnotic. And what about that handshake? I didn’t buy his excuse of static electricity. I’d had static shocks before and they were nowhere near as intense as that. This was something more, there was some kind of connection between us and it had obviously surprised him as much as me, because after it had happened, he couldn’t wait to get away from me. And then there was the look that Violet had given me. What was that all about? Was she jealous? Had she seen what had happened between us?
Although I tried to put these thoughts out of my mind for the rest of the day, I simply couldn’t. And it wasn’t just the thoughts. It was the physical sensation, too. Again and again I ran through the handshake in my mind and could still feel the shock flowing into my palm. It was as if life had suddenly taken on a fresh intensity, as if I was suddenly living for the first time and seeing the world as a wondrous, vivid, intense place, full of vibrant colours and sensual feelings. Something had awoken inside me, or to be correct, Theo had awoken something inside me, because it had taken his touch to unleash this heightened awareness. One thing I knew with absolute certainty. I had to see Theo again, I had to see him soon and I had to see him alone, to find out exactly what was going on between us.
3. Out Damned Spot
Sitting in her office, flicking through a pile of files, the estate agent noticed a couple of small brown circular marks on her hand. Always particular about beauty routines and especially manicures – she was most proud of her smooth hands and long red tapered nails – she stared in disbelief. If she was not mistaken, they were age spots.
