by Katie Penryn
I sighed as my spirits sank. “When?” I asked, conscious of the fact I hadn’t yet filled in my half yearly progress report and would have to give up precious family time to get it done, with Felix’s help, of course.
“Midnight on Friday.”
I sighed again. “That’s not much notice. We’ll be busy all week with the brocante. We’ll need a break by Saturday, but we’ll get back home in the early hours of the morning and will be too tired to enjoy the weekend. I wish they would consider how busy my life is before they demand my presence.”
The dove looked up from his preening. “I wouldn’t complain too much if I were you. You don’t want to be turned into a toad, do you?”
“Witches don’t do silly things like that nowadays,” I said, hoping my assessment of modern day witchcraft was correct.
The dove flapped his wings and launched himself off the wall. I swear he said, “Don’t count on it,” as he jumped into the air.
He flew out over the sea before turning inland again. Felix and I shrugged our shoulders at each other.
Felix took my arm. “As you said, boss, it’s going to be a busy week.”
Chapter 3
We were late for our appointment with the mayor on the Thursday morning. We’d lost one of the new kittens, the little tortoiseshell one, the female called Floss. Felix and I had been planning on taking them both to the vet for their second round of inoculations after our trip to the mayor. In the end we had to cancel the appointment with the vet and rush off for fear of annoying Monsieur Bonhomie. We left a distraught Gwinny behind searching for the little mite.
It was another glorious day in early spring, the air fresh and crisp but with the sun shining down out of a clear blue sky. Not a cloud anywhere. I considered that a good omen as we took the steps up to the mairie and walked in the front door beneath the tricolore. The mayor’s secretary showed us straight in to Monsieur Bonhomie’s office and left to fetch us a tray of English tea and madeleines.
Monsieur Bonhomie pushed himself up from his chair which was a tight squeeze round his ever increasing girth.
“Ah, my friends,” he said as he held out his hand to shake mine and then Felix’s. “Good of you to come even if you are late.”
“Our apologies, Monsieur le Maire,” I said taking a seat on the opposite side of his enormous desk. “What can we do for you? You said it was nothing to worry about.”
“Exactement. What have you been doing with yourselves over the past few weeks with no mysteries to solve, eh?”
“We’ve been settling into our new house and getting to know the townspeople and the surrounding countryside. Life was a little hectic last year as you know.”
He tapped the side of his nose with his index finger. “A little bird told me—”
The door opened and his secretary came in with a tea tray. He continued, “—Perfect weather for the time of the year.”
She placed the tray on the corner of his desk. As soon as the door closed behind her, the mayor said, “As I was saying, a little bird told me you will by now have received your just rewards for the work you did last year in solving the case of the murdered oyster farmers.” He tapped his nose again. “But the fewer people who know about that the better. My question is what are you going to do with yourselves for the rest of your lives. To be so rich—”
My dismay must have shown on my face for he went on, “No, no, Penzi, relax. I don’t know how much. Just that it was a lot. More than most people can dream of. And I will never give your secret away. But what are you going to do now? Will you stay here in Beaucoup-sur-Mer?”
As was our custom when we visited the mayor, I was busy pouring out the tea. I handed a cup to him while I considered my answer. In truth, I didn’t have one. Felix and I were still mulling over our options, but one thing was certain, we weren’t about to leave Beaucoup-sur-Mer. We’d only been there seven months or so. Jimbo had settled into his new school and was making friends. Sam’s friendship with the mayor’s daughter Emmanuelle hadn’t waned. They met every weekend when she came home from Bordeaux University.
“We haven’t made any plans yet, monsieur. However, we don’t want to leave your lovely town. Yes, it was a stressful beginning but life has quietened down now. My two brothers are happy here as is my mother. I’m considering qualifying as a French advocate but am still uncertain.”
Felix offered the mayor the plate of little sponge cakes and the naughty man took three. No wonder his bulk was greater every time we saw him.
“Merci, Felix. And what about you? You have any ideas for the future? Will you be staying on with Penzi and her family?”
“It’s my duty to guard Penzi. Her father Sir Archibald was my mentor and I owe him my life. The least I can do is fulfill his request to take care of his family. Not that I wouldn’t want to. The family has been welcoming to me. Penzi and I get on well most of the time.”
“Most of the time?” I asked.
Felix turned to me with a rueful smile. “You have to admit. You’re a bit of a handful when you go tearing off fighting evil and forgetting about your personal safety.” He turned back to the mayor. “For the time being, I’ll stay here and carry on with my business consultancy.”
“Very wise. It doesn’t pay to make important decisions in a hurry. I’m glad to hear you have no plans to leave our town. That being so, I have a proposition to put to you.”
I slotted my cup back onto its saucer and sat forward to show him I was paying attention.
The mayor took the last bite of his third madeleine and wiped his mouth on his ample handkerchief. He leaned his elbows on the desk and steepled his fingers in his customary power pose.
“Our little town has had a miserable few months. The murders that took place here last summer and autumn depressed our citizens and blighted our reputation as a top tourist spot with both French and foreign visitors. Our local Chamber of Commerce has asked me to do something to restore the town’s good name and arouse interest once more in our way of life.”
Felix uncrossed his legs and sat forward with his hands on his knees. “You’re planning a public relations exercise?”
“Something along those lines, yes.”
“Where do we come in?”
The mayor shifted his attention from Felix to me.
“Penzi, I thought you would be the perfect person for this job.”
“What job, monsieur? You haven’t explained.”
“True. You are a foreigner, one everyone likes, but still a foreigner.”
I sat back not sure whether to be offended or not.
“No, no,” the mayor said holding up his hand. “That is an advantage for us. You will see everything as a stranger with fresh eyes. You will know what to tell people to make them interested in our little town and its surroundings.”
“Monsieur, I’m happy taking care of my brothers. Also, we’re planning on opening up the brocante. That’ll keep us all busy. And Felix has his consultancy clients as he said.”
The mayor chuckled. “I can’t see that keeping your interest for long, Penzi. You need external stimulus, preferably of an intellectual kind.”
“What do you have in mind for me?”
“For you and for Beaucoup-sur-Mer. I would like you to write a series of articles about our town and our département.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but the mayor stopped me. “Penzi, I’m aware of your reading and writing difficulties. Felix can help you with this and you have access to all the latest in modern technology: recording devices, speech-to-text and so on.”
My flight or fight mechanism was kicking in. I didn’t want to do this. I drew in several deep breaths while the mayor watched me anxiously. I was doing my best to avert a panic attack.
Felix leaned over and took my hand. “Calm down, Penzi. No one’s going to make you do something you don’t want to do. Why don’t you give the mayor the chance to explain before you close your mind to his proposition?”
I raised my head to find the mayor
staring at me with concern, his eyes wide and his features frozen. He didn’t understand why I was reacting the way I was. For that matter, I didn’t either. Was it that I felt pushed beyond my capabilities? Was it that I felt I was under attack?
I gave Felix’s hand an answering squeeze before pulling mine away and straightening up in my chair. What had come over me I didn’t know. Maybe I’d grown used to the smooth way our lives had been progressing since our Christmas adventure, and I didn’t want anything to disturb the flow. But I owed it to the mayor to hear him out if only as a courtesy.
I ventured a weak smile. “Monsieur, forgive me. You took me by surprise. Please explain what you would like me to do then I can give you a rational response.”
“You are sure? Would you like another cup of tea first? I hadn’t expected my proposition to be distasteful to you?”
“Not distasteful… challenging and, possibly, threatening. Please explain.”
“The Chamber of Commerce is setting up a new website. They will be sending out newsletters, some of which will be printed in a monthly publication available at all information desks both here and on all the Channel ferries. What they need is content: articles about our way of life, our industries, our culture. Do you get the idea?”
“Aimed at encouraging tourism?”
“Exactement. You see why you came to mind?”
I nodded. The mayor had a point.
“You have an inquisitive nature. You are new enough to find wonder and interest in our way of life. And Felix fancies himself as a photographer, I’ve heard.”
“Both of us take photos,” Felix replied. “My area of expertise is underwater photography.”
The mayor laughed. “I hope we won’t be needing any more of that. Although an article on local wrecks would be interesting.”
Felix turned to me. “What do you think? It could be fun.”
True. But it would depend on the time I’d have to give to the project.
“How often would you want these articles, monsieur?” I asked the mayor.
A broad smile spread across the mayor’s face. “Aha, I have hooked you, no?”
“Not yet. How often? And do you have a few suggestions for the first articles to give me a head start?”
“We are thinking one a fortnight so that we can build up a portfolio before the summer season. And, yes, I do have a subject in mind for the first article. One I’m sure you will enjoy. I’d like you to write about our famous Cognac industry. Tell people about our vineyards and what makes them so special. Describe the distillation process. Give details of the guided tours that are available and so on. Could you manage that?”
Felix answered for me. “We’d love to do that. It would be interesting, boss, don’t you think?” he asked me taking my hand again to underline his enthusiasm for the project.
I’d had time to consider the mayor’s proposal while he and Felix had been talking. It went against my character to turn my back on new opportunities. I’d been panicked at first, my fear going right back to my childhood when few people understood my learning difficulties, especially my mother. As the mayor had said, I was intelligent, diligent even, and had all the tools I needed. I was beginning to feel ashamed of my earlier hasty refusal to accept the mayor’s proposal. And on a lighter note, we needed to top up our cognac supply. Our meetings with the High Council of the Guild of White Witches took a heavy toll.
“You are both right. I was being a silly scaredy cat. Felix and I have been looking for something to do with ourselves. This idea would give us something to concentrate on in the meantime. And it needn’t interfere with our preparations for the opening of the brocante if we schedule carefully. But I see a problem: we don’t have any contacts in the cognac industry.”
The mayor removed his arms from his desk and levered himself out of his chair to fetch some papers from a credenza standing under the window. He returned to place them on his desk. One was a large scale map of the region. The others were advertising pamphlets from a variety of distilleries. I leafed through them out of politeness, but would have to wait for Felix to go through them with me.
The mayor waited until I’d finished before selecting one of the unknown distilleries and passing it to Felix.
“That is the one you should visit. They are a small private family run business but their vineyards are in the most sought after terroir. The cognac vineyards are graded according to the quality of the grapes the land produces. The cognac from this vineyard is highly prized. Even better, this year it has made the final three for the award of the Médaille d’Or, the Gold Medal, which takes place this week. I know Hélène and Jean-Claude de Portemorency well. Hélène’s father was a friend of mine. Their château is hosting the ceremony this year. I’ve procured invitations for you. If you attend the prize-giving, it will give you a chance to meet them both and set up a later visit to get material for your article.”
“What day?” I asked.
“This Saturday… at 6 p.m. Cocktails and Cognac. What could be better?”
I shook my head with regret. “My little brother will be off school. He won’t like it if Felix and I disappear off on a jolly leaving him at home.”
The mayor stroked his mustache and thought for a moment. “Ah,” he said. “The de Portemorencys have twins about Jimbo’s age. Although Jimbo would not be able to attend the function, I’m sure Hélène would be happy for him to play with her children. Let me find out.”
He collected his phone from his desk and walked out into the corridor. Felix and I had a quick exchange about the mayor’s proposition. Felix urged me to accept saying it would broaden our social lives and give me something to soak up my spare time. I was asking him, “What spare time?” when the mayor returned smiling broadly.
“All settled. Hélène suggests you arrive early, at about five so that she and her husband can meet you and set a date for a proper visit to the distillery which is set on the banks of the River Charente.”
Felix murmured his approval and looked across at me to make the final decision.
I didn’t like being put on the spot like that and wasn’t sure I’d be able to make my articles enticing enough to boost the tourist industry, but I didn’t see how I could get out of it gracefully.
“Monsieur, we’ll meet the de Portemorencys and I’ll give it my best. However, if I’m not satisfied with the quality of my work… or you either, we’ll call it a day after the first article. Is that acceptable?”
The mayor winked at Felix. “We know our Penzi well enough to know she’s something of a perfectionist, don’t we?”
“Unfortunately,” Felix replied. “She will give it her best, but I’m not happy about her spreading herself too thin.”
Now, that riled me. Who was Felix to decide what was too much for me? As I bridled and considered saying something sharp back, I caught him smirking. He’d known how to push me into taking on the job. I could never resist a challenge. Not that the visit to a beautiful château in the French countryside would be unpleasant.
The mayor rose to his feet and handed over the map and the tourist pamphlets, suggesting we should do some preliminary research on the internet before visiting the château.
I took the material from him and we said our goodbyes and left.
Neither of us spoke as we walked back to our car. Once I’d turned on the ignition Felix looked at me and said, “A new chapter in our lives here in Beaucoup-sur-Mer. Change is good, Penzi. Stops you getting stuck in your ways.”
I indicated and eased out into the traffic without replying. If this was to be such an exciting undertaking, why did I have a sensation of unease in the depths of my belly?
Chapter 4
Felix and I spent all Friday working in the brocante. The decades’ worth of dust on the frames and the surface of the artwork transferred itself to us. By the end of the day we were grimy all over. Even though we’d worn gloves most of the time, greasy black dirt had embedded itself in every crease in our hands and und
er our nails. We hadn’t stopped for a break apart from a quick snack at lunchtime. I was dead on my feet and only too conscious of our summons to the High Council at midnight. And I hadn’t finished writing up my half-yearly report
As we left the brocante locking the door behind us, I mentioned this to Felix.
“Do it now it won’t take you long. You’re up to date as far as Christmas, aren’t you?”
I nodded. I’d filled in the forms after our encounter with Santa Claus, but I hadn’t done anything to improve my witchcraft since then. I hadn’t even used it.
“Felix, they aren’t going to be pleased with me. I haven’t made any progress since Christmas.”
“You’ve been spending quality time with the family. That’s important, too.”
“They won’t see it that way.”
Felix put his arm around me and shepherded me up the front steps.
“How about learning a new spell now, before we go to see them? You could add it to your report. You could backdate it.”
I stopped with my hand on the front doorknob.
“I suppose I could, but I’m tired out.”
Felix leaned across me and opened the door.
“You can do it. I’m here to help. If it means the High Council will leave you alone for a few months to get on with your natural life, it’d be worth the effort. Even supernaturals deserve some down time.”
I stepped into the hall and gave myself a shake. I’d have to find the mental energy and do as Felix suggested.
“Right. Showers first. I’ll ask Gwinny to bring us supper on a tray in the study. I’ll meet you there in half an hour with the Book of Spells.”
Felix set off up the stairs while I spoke to Gwinny. I was crossing the hall to the stairs when I realized I hadn’t a clue what spell I should learn. I ran up after Felix hoping to catch him up before he reached his bedroom.
“Felix,” I said grabbing hold of his shirt. “What spell should I learn? Would you give it some thought while you shower?”
He laughed back at me. “We’ll think of something. In fact, I seem to remember there was a spell we said we should learn sometime, but I can’t put my finger on it. See if you can remember?”
