by June Wilson
Alice swallowed. Her throat felt tight and she wasn’t sure she could get any words out. Certainly nothing that would make sense to Molly.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” she managed.
“Told you she was good,” Molly said with satisfaction. The audience had settled down since the dramatic appearance of Madam Varia’s daughter. The whole thing had only lasted seconds, but it felt like an age to Alice. She had seen Jess and Jess had seen her. Which meant that Jess had come through the breach. Or Jess’s ghost had – or spirit, or whatever.
But how did Madame Varia fit in? Alice couldn’t tell if the medium was Hilderinc or human – she needed to get closer to her for that. Would she get the opportunity, or did she need to engineer one? She tossed out one idea after the other as the audience members filed one by one onto the stage.
Madame Varia was certainly convincing. Alice could see Molly was completely spellbound, her fist to her mouth as she watched the medium summon any number of spirits. First a young woman was reunited with her sweetheart, a dark outline in a mirror, who spoke of love and death in so heartrending a way the audience was in tears. Then an elderly man made contact with his wife, only a month dead, who recited her recipe for shortbread – a secret the man vowed had never been shared outside the family.
“Go on,” Alice whispered, as the old man tottered back to his seat. “You should go next.”
“Right.” Molly got up, face determined, then hesitated. “Come with me?” she said. “For support, like. I don’t know what she’ll say.”
Alice didn’t know whether Molly meant her mother or Madam Varia, but it was a good excuse to check out the medium. Taking Molly’s hand in hers, she followed her onto the stage.
“Now then my dear, who are you trying to reach today?” The medium addressed her question to Molly but she was looking at Alice, her heavily lidded eyes searching her face. Alice had glamoured herself but now she could tell it wasn’t necessary. The woman was a good actress –and possibly a con artist – but Hilderinc she wasn’t.
“My mother.” Molly shoved a velvet pouch across the table. “This was her brooch. If it helps find her.”
Madam Varia nodded and closed her eyes. “Not necessary,” she said, her voice dreamy. “Your mother is very close, Molly Watson. She’s been waiting for you.”
Molly gave a little squeal. “How did you -?” she started, but Madam Varia put a finger to her lips.
“Do not speak, my dear. We must not break the connection.”
Alice had to admit she was impressed. If Madame Varia knew Molly’s full name, someone had to be feeding her information. But she couldn’t see how – especially when Molly had sneaked in without paying.
Suddenly the table began to shake. Madam Varia smiled and folded Molly’s hands in hers.
“I’m here Miss Molly,” she said in a soft, high voice – completely different to her own. “I’ve been watching you all this time.”
Molly sucked in her breath, her eyes round. “Ma?” she whispered.
“Yes, Molly, it’s me.”
“Are you – are you an angel?”
“A good spirit my darling – always by your side.”
Molly swallowed hard. “I’ve been good,” she said, darting a look at Alice. “I’m looking out for Will, like you asked.”
“I know you are. Oh –oh!” Madam Varia began to tremble. She pulled her hands away and held them to her head. “Gone – she’s gone!” she wailed, her voice her own once more.
“Gone where?” Molly asked, looking bewildered.
Madame Varia smiled. “I’m sorry my dear – the spirits come and go. I may not compel them, merely give them voice.” She switched her gaze to Alice.
“And you my dear? Have you lost someone dear – a friend perhaps?”
Alice started. The medium was still smiling, but there was coldness beneath her gaze - and knowledge in her eyes. Horrified, she realized Madam Varia knew what she was, despite her attempts with the glamour. And worse, she was talking about Jess.
“No,” she said, meeting the medium’s look head on. She would just have to brazen it out. “I haven’t.”
“Then you are fortunate.” Madam Varia lowered her voice, so only Alice could hear. “But things change, Alice Morgan.”
Alice recoiled. It felt as if the medium had slapped her across the face. But before she had chance to make any kind of response, she found herself being ushered from the stage by the man in the striped suit, who had one arm fastened on hers and one on Molly’s.
“Oi, watch it!” Molly yelled, almost falling down the steps.
“Come on Molly – don’t make a fuss.” Alice glared at the man. He was swarthy close up, his complexion dark beneath waxed moustaches. There was something odd about him – a kind of suppressed energy beneath the Victorian regalia. And whilst she wasn’t done with Madam Varia, there was no point getting into a fight.
The fracas had unsettled the audience. People had started to point at them and whisper so she propelled Molly towards the entrance, not wanting to attract any more attention. Madam Varia had completely fooled her, but Alice was still convinced the medium wasn’t Hilderinc. Nevertheless, she knew about her and Jess and - assuming Alice hadn’t been imagining things – she’d been able to summon her dead friend from Middengard. As she ran from the tent, dragging a surprised Molly with her, she realized she felt quite sick. Events had taken a horribly unexpected turn and she couldn’t explain any of it. She needed to find Toby and Josh and take counsel.
*
“Toby – you’ve got to try this. It’s awesome.” Josh crunched into another piece of toffee. It was dark and sweet and full of treacle, tasting like caramel but somehow better. He was no doubt ruining his teeth and Gina would have a fit, but it was possibly the best thing he’d ever eaten. Besides Martha’s pies of course.
“Nah – don’t think so.” Toby patted his stomach. “Got to keep in shape for the championships.”
“Like you’re not,” Josh said, eyeing Toby’s lean frame. As far as he could see, Toby had nothing to worry about. He’d kept his training up, running through the narrow streets after dark. Not to mention the fight sessions he’d been having with Daniel. Josh wondered whether it would start some early craze for kickboxing. That would be a hoot – Toby O’Donnell – the forerunner of martial arts in Victorian England.
Josh amused himself sometimes by trying to work out if anything they did now would affect the future. Some days he thought it would and other days not. It was like one of those spiraling arguments that once you started you couldn’t stop and in the end it just did your head in. A bit like being in 1856 generally, now the novelty had worn off. It wasn’t like anything was even happening. At least in Middengard there had been proper battles. All they seemed to do here was wait – but for what?
“Hey – is that Alice?” Toby said, breaking his train of thought.
Josh looked up to see two girls pushing their way through the crowd. They were certainly in a hurry, knocking into people and ignoring the cries of protest.
“She must be in trouble – come on.” Toby shot off before Josh could comment. He looked longingly at the toffee stall but followed anyway. He could buy more toffee later.
“What’s up?” Toby asked as he reached the girls. Josh saw Alice was looking agitated but he was more interested in her companion. If this was Molly, she was wearing enough make-up to rival his stepmother and a dress that was too big for her.
“You’ll never believe it,” Alice said. “I saw…”
“Ghosts,” Molly broke in. “Loads of ‘em - didn’t we Alice?”
“Yes – and I thought it was all a trick at first. That she was a fraud – Madam Varia that is. And I don’t know how she did it Toby, but…”
“Alice – calm down. Did what?”
Alice swallowed. “Conjured up Jess somehow. It was her Toby, honestly. And Jess saw me, I know she did.”
Josh gave a low whistle. No wonder Alice looked agitate
d - the ghost of Jessica Westwood. He had never met her but he knew there was a long story there.
“No way,” Toby said. “I don’t know what this Madam whatsit’s playing at, but you can’t have seen Jess. She’s buried in Middengard.”
This time it seemed Alice didn’t have the strength to scold him for mentioning the unmentionable. “I know, I know,” she said. “And Isolde told me she could never come back. But I swear it was her.”
Toby put his arm round her. “Alice, you’re getting upset about something that can’t be true. If you like, I’ll come with you to see this Madame Varia. But let’s go on the merry-go-round first – it’ll cheer you up.”
Toby dragged Alice away before Josh had time to say anything. Which was fine, except he was left with Molly.
“Um – do you fancy the merry-go-round thing too?” he said.
“You bet I do,” she said, taking his arm. “Long as you’re paying.”
Josh fingered the coins in his pocket, the hope of more toffee fading fast. They walked in silence for a while and he was searching around for something to say when Molly saved him the trouble.
“You can tell your friend it wasn’t a trick. Madam Varia knew stuff about the dead people see. My ma’ - she was the only one who ever called me Miss Molly. How could Madame Varia know that? So she must have talked to her, mustn’t she? And then there was this old man - Madam Varia knew all about his wife’s biscuit recipe. You could even smell the biscuits! She’s amazing, that woman is.”
Josh didn’t doubt it – amazing at conning people out of their money. As much as he liked to joke about it, he didn’t really believe in ghosts. He believed in things you could prove – like a nice math formula or a neat computer program. But it didn’t hurt to play along.
“What about the dead daughter – the one that spooked Alice?” he said.
“Yeah well – like I told you – you could see her. She was the only one who actually appeared. She was a bit shimmery, like she had bits missing or something, but she was thin, with long blond hair. She wasn’t there for long, but she was there all right.”
“Well, that does sound amazing,” he said, still sceptical. The description fit, from what Alice and Gawain had told him, but it wasn’t like skinny blond girls were a complete rarity.
“Anyways, I’m glad you’re here.” Molly squeezed his arm and smiled up at him.
“Um – why?”
“I’ve heard about you from Will. You’re right strong, you are.”
For a minute, Josh found himself lost for words. He could tell from the look on Molly’s face that she was impressed. It was flattering but a bit freaky - he wasn’t used to getting attention from girls. And anyway, if he liked anyone it was Orla. He missed her and he wasn’t about to flirt with someone who could be his great great grandmother for all he knew.
“Yeah well, it’s probably because I never stop eating,” he said, looking round desperately. Toby and Alice had completely disappeared from view and the queue for the merry-go-round was way too long.
“In fact, there’s this great toffee stall over there. I won’t be a minute.”
He extricated himself before Molly had chance to protest and made his escape. He felt mean but he could always say he’d lost her in the crowd.
*
“It was Jess, Toby. I know you don’t believe me, but I know what I saw.”
Toby sighed. They’d had fun on the merry-go-round but it had been short-lived. Alice was like a dog with a bone about Jess. He wanted to believe her but he definitely remembered Isolde saying there was no possibility of resurrection for Jess, as she’d died at Mathilde’s hand.
“It was probably someone who looked like her,” he said, “You told me you weren’t that close to the stage when she appeared.”
“I know, but it wasn’t just the Jess thing. Madame Varia knew my name! How is that possible?”
She had a point he supposed. But Toby knew that magicians often planted people in the audience – maybe someone else from the mill had fed information to her.
“Look, I agree that’s odd. But maybe she’s just really good at conning people?”
“Maybe. But she gave me the creeps. I’m pretty sure she was human, but even so.”
He looked over at the medium’s tent. There was no longer a line outside and the poster advertising the session had been taken down.
“It looks like they’re packing up. If Madam Varia’s finished her performance, we might be able to talk to her. Ask her how she does it or something.”
“I doubt she’s going to tell us that. She’s not going to give away her stage secrets, is she?”
“Got a better idea?” he grinned, trying to keep it light. She still looked really upset. He’d do anything to set her mind at rest, even if he had to threaten the woman.
“I just hope we don’t run into the ticket guy,” Alice said, looking round. “He was a bit weird too. He might be guarding her or something.”
“Only one way to find out.” Toby wasn’t worried about some bouncer type – if it came to a fight, he’d take his chances. He lifted the tent flap and pulled Alice in after him.
It was dark in the tent – darker than Toby expected, given there was a full moon as well as the lights from the other stalls. But even in the gloom it was clear it was completely empty: there was no seating, no stage – and certainly no sign of Madame Varia.
“See – I told you there was something strange going on,” Alice paced the tent, pointing here and there. “There were at least five rows of seats - and a platform where Madam Varia sat, with velvet curtains and a huge mirror. I can’t believe it would be that easy to clear – and look, the grass isn’t even flattened.”
He saw she was right. There was no trace of anything – not even so much as a discarded ticket. Toby wrinkled his nose. There was a funny smell too - kind of like rotting vegetation. Maybe the canvas was damp. He ran his hand over one of the panels. Yes definitely damp and…
“Ugh! That’s disgusting!”
“What is it?” Alice raced over, a look of alarm on her face, and Toby held out his hand. It was covered in thick slime, threaded with silver, as if a giant snail had left it behind.
“Revolting is what it is,” a new voice said. “It’s his leavings, as he likes to call them.”
“Jess!” Alice shouted and Toby spun round. Jessica Westwood was standing barely two feet away, hands on hips. She looked different in her Victorian gown – grown-up even - but there was no mistaking her beach blond hair, which was piled high on her head in elaborate plaits.
“Told you,” Alice said. She grabbed his hand despite the slime and he could tell she was shaking. Which was hardly surprising – he was shocked himself, but a small part of him still wondered if it was an elaborate trick.
“Look, it is me, if you’re wondering,” Jess said. “And I haven’t got much time. So you’d better tell me what you’re up to.”
“What we’re up to?” Alice spluttered. “What about you? I thought you were dead!”
“And there was me thinking you’d be pleased to see me.”
Toby felt Alice stiffen. “Don’t tease her,” he said. “She feels awful about what happened to you.”
Jess sighed. “Sorry Alice. I wasn’t trying to upset you. Things always come out wrong when I’m, you know, emotional. I’ve missed you – I’ve missed everyone. Even Gawain. He tried to help me.”
Alice swallowed. “I know he did. I know everything now – about Mathilde and what she did, but... I just can’t believe you’re alive. I’m so glad you are,” she added hurriedly. “But you know what I mean.”
Jess grimaced. “Ah, well, it does depend on your definition of alive, I suppose. But I’m definitely here and…” She broke off and looked over her shoulder.
“What is it?” Toby couldn’t hear anything but Jess was frowning.
“Him,” Jess said. “Or I should say, it. They don’t have genders, as far as I can make out. He thinks I don’t know when he�
��s lurking around, but I do.”
“Jess – who on earth are you talking about?”
“Murdo – the ticket collector. Except he’s not a ticket collector – he’s not even a man. He’s a Nifl demon. Not like the ones that nearly got us Toby. He’s much uglier than that,” she said, raising her voice. “Like a giant slug, in fact.”
“Oh – that explains the trail.” Toby pulled a face. “Disgusting.”
“Hear that Murdo – you little spy!” Jess giggled suddenly. “Except he’s not so little. And he can turn really nasty, when he’s in a bad mood. It’s a good job Madam Varia likes me.”
“About Madam Varia,” Alice started, but Jess put a finger to her lips and shook her head.
“Not here,” she whispered. “I’ve already been away too long. Tell me where you live and I’ll come and see you later.”
Toby exchanged a quick glance with Alice. Of course they trusted Jess, but she was in the company of a Nifl demon. And as for Madam Varia, who knew whether she was an enemy or a friend? But after only the briefest of hesitations Alice reeled off Martha’s address and begged Jess to come soon. And then, before they even got a reply, Jess disappeared as suddenly as she’d arrived.
The street was in semi-darkness by the time they got back to Martha’s house. Alice had been suspiciously quiet on the way home and Toby hadn’t pressed her – he guessed she was still recovering from the shock of seeing Jess. And until they knew the full story from Jess herself, there was no point speculating as to whether her appearance was connected to the breach – though logic told him it was.
They headed straight for the kitchen, expecting to find Josh there, but there was no sign of him. There was no sign of Martha either and whilst Toby hoped she was enjoying her evening out, he wished she were there. She might have something to say about Madam Varia or even know the best way to handle a Nifl demon. Plus he was hungry and wished he’d sampled the food stalls whilst he’d had chance.
“Can you light a fire?” Alice said, shivering. “It’s freezing in here.”
“Your wish is my command,” he said, but his attempt at humour didn’t even raise a smile. As he busied himself with the fire, Alice sat at the table and stared into space.
