The Ondine Collection

by Ebony McKenna

  “Stop fighting it, you know you want it.” His lips continued to make a mess of her face.

  “This isn’t going to happen,” Ondine said, surprised at how confident she sounded. A girl of her years should have been revelling in the intimacy, but instead it felt . . . not wrong, because that would mean she felt something. No, this was more of a sad hollowness, a disappointing sequel to their earlier encounter.

  How quickly her emotions had changed. She would have sworn she’d heard birds singing in her head when she’d first laid eyes on Lord Vincent. Now she felt a bit grubby as he continued his Braille conversation.

  “That’s enough.” Ondine pushed Vincent backwards, so that their faces were a good few centimetres apart and she could breathe properly without having him pressed so tightly against her.

  “Now you’re going shy on me? Take what you can get, honey, I won’t offer again.”

  Anger bubbled in Ondine’s veins. “And I won’t accept either. I’m going back inside.”

  She took a sideways step to get past him, but he blocked her exit, his nostrils flaring. “No you don’t. Not until I get what I came for.”

  Cold, horrible, paralysing fear glued Ondine to the spot.

  Her words came out as a squeak. “L-leave me alone.” She said it again, hoping it would come out stronger. Nope, still a squeak.

  “Where is it?” Vincent said, closing the distance again so they were almost nose to nose, body to body. Each time Ondine took a breath, her breasts touched his chest.

  No more squeaks. All she could do was whisper, “Where’s what?”

  “Don’t play dumb with me. Where’s the money?”

  “I d-don’t know what you’re –”

  Slap! Lord Vincent’s palm came down hard across her face. His voice took on a growling demand. “Where’s the money?”

  Jupiter’s moons her cheek burned! But it didn’t hurt as much as her heart, which felt like it could shatter into a million pieces.

  Ondine whispered, “I’m going to scream,” but her squeaky voice made the threat completely pathetic. All the while her pulse hammered in her ears.

  “You have one sister damaging the piano and the other’s howling at the moon. Nobody will hear you out here. Now tell me where the money is.”

  Trapped. Utterly trapped. In the quiet, between the thudding of her own heart, Ondine could hear loud music from inside the pub. Vincent was right; they wouldn’t hear a thunderbolt out here, let alone one sad girl’s screams.

  Her face stung from his slap, but it was more a pain of disappointment. She thought she’d been a fairly decent judge of character until now.

  “We’ve spent it,” Ondine confessed.

  For a second Lord Vincent’s face fell, before a nasty sneer took hold. “Nice try. I almost believed you. Tell me where it is.”

  “I’ve told you we sp –”

  His hand flew up, ready to smack her again.

  “– It’s inabox underthefloorboards inthepub,” Ondine blurted. With a burst of strength she didn’t know she had, she pushed him away and made a run for it.

  A hard hand gripped her arm, swinging her back so sharply her shoulder felt like it would pop out of the socket.

  A growl came from deep within Ondine. “Get your hands off me!”

  The back door swung open and a murderous scream erupted. “Arrrrgggghhh! Hands off what’s nawt yers!”

  Familiar black fur blurred past Ondine. Relief washed over her at Shambles’s timely intervention.

  “What the . . .” Vincent stumbled backwards in shock as something raced up the leg of his trousers. A howl of pain sprang from his throat as he fell down with a thud, hard on his bottom. Then he battered madly at his leg with his hands. “Get off!”

  “Nowt until ye leave her alone!” Shambles cried out.

  “I am, I am.” Lord Vincent swatted at the rapidly moving lump under his trousers. He managed to hit himself a few times, which made him wince. Changing tactics, he stood up, crazily shaking his leg to free him of the demon possessing it.

  With a battle cry of victory, Shambles rolled away from Vincent’s leg. Then he rounded on his victim and gave him a nasty swipe against the ankle. It drew blood.

  “Stitch that, Jimmy!”

  “It talks!” Vincent gasped at the sight of his pint-sized enemy.

  “I don’t just talk, pal,” Hamish said, swiping at Vincent’s ankle again and making another cut.

  Vincent made to stomp on his attacker, but Shambles darted out of the way, then doubled back and charged up Vincent’s leg.

  “A ferret?!” Vincent tried to shake him away before he could reach anything sensitive. “You set a ferret on to me? Say goodbye to the hotel, I’m going to close this place down!”

  With her heart beating a tattoo in her chest, Ondine’s body trembled all over from fear and indignation.

  “Yer all pish and wind,” Shambles said as he leapt free of Vincent and then made for the safety of Ondine. When he reached her shoulder, he made ready to launch himself at Vincent’s stricken face.

  “That’s enough, Shambles. I think he’s got the message.”

  “You’re finished, witch!” Vincent said. “I’ll have you charged with treason.”

  “Oh really?” Shambles asked. “Exactly how’re ye gonna explain what ye were doin’ when ye got cut, eh?”

  The colour drained from Lord Vincent’s face. The shock value was priceless. Courage stirred in Ondine. “Everyone knows Shambles is always with me, and I’m happy to tell people what you tried to do to me. So go ahead, tell everyone you came off second-best to a ferret.”

  They stared at each other for a moment, but it was Vincent who blinked first.

  “Watch your back,” he said and made to leave. The words carried a veiled threat, but his voice cracked in the middle, exposing it as nothing but bluff.

  “I’d watch yours if I were you, and your legs,” Ondine said as Vincent walked out of the side gate of the garden. “We’ll send the dinner bill to your da.”

  Shambles yelled out, “And ye’ll need ten rabies shots, all of them in the a–”

  Ondine slapped her hand over Shambles’s mouth. “No need to be rude.”

  “Ah, yer a feisty one! I’m real proud of ye.” Shambles gave Ondine a wet, whiskery kiss on the cheek.

  Proud of her? Well, that was about the best thing she’d heard all night. “Thanks, Hamish. I can’t thank you enough for arriving when you did.”

  What a mess she’d made of things! Why, when she had someone as beautiful and funny as Hamish to look forward to, did she even contemplate an idiot like Lord Vincent?

  Because, said a scared little voice said in her head, he may never be proper Hamish again!

  “Did he hurt ye, lass?”

  There were so many different levels of hurt a person could feel. “I guess not, but . . . oh, Hamish, you tried to warn me about him, but I wouldn’t listen. Go on, say ‘I told you so’.”

  “Nay, hen, you don’t need to be told anything. You’re far smarter than me.”

  “You’re just saying that.” Ondine brushed off the comment as she made to return to the kitchen. She was still grounded; any prolonged absences would make her mother suspicious.

  “No, I’m nawt just saying that. It’s true. And thanks for calling me Hamish, it’s nice to be treated like a person again, even if I’m living in reduced circumstances.”

  Something made Ondine stop at the back step. Here she was, growing older by the day, feeling frustrated because everyone treated her like a kid. All the while the adult male on her shoulder fared little better because of his present ferrety incarnation.

  “If it helps any, you’re a real person to me. And I hope the spell wears off permanently soon so you can be yourself again.”

  Please be you again, Hamish.

  Shambles gave a wickedly deep chuckle as they walked down the hall. “Sure, yer just saying that, lass, cos ye want another kiss. I wouldn’t mind another meself. Yer very good
at it.”

  No heat of embarrassment this time, but a wide grin split her face at the thought.

  Shambles chuckled, then stopped suddenly. “What are we doing in the laundry?”

  “I’m pretty sure this is your room and, as I’m grounded, I’m not allowed to have anyone in mine. That includes you.”

  “Nobody will notice. And you can’t expect me to stay down here, it’s all reekie.”[69]

  For a moment Ondine stood still, wondering what to do, but then Shambles made her mind up for her. “Ye were giving it laldy on that eejit, but yer still in shock and I think someone should keep an eye on ye, and as I was there, it may as well be me.”[70]

  “Why am I regretting this already? You’re sleeping on the end of the bed, OK? Above the covers.”

  “I wouldnae have it any other way.”

  As they approached the kitchen, Shambles peeled off Ondine’s shoulder and begged Chef for leftovers. Things were winding down for the night, with only a few tables left to receive their desserts.

  “Lord Vincent had to leave,” Ondine told her mother. It wasn’t exactly a lie. “We’re to send the bill to the Duke.”

  Her mother’s face took on an air of concern. “What happened out there? You don’t look so good.”

  “And I don’t feel so good either. Da was right, Vincent’s a total pain in the . . . neck.” She wanted to say worse, but good manners turned up in the nick of time.

  “You should go to bed,” Ma said, touching the back of her hand to Ondine’s forehead.

  “Vincent knew about the jewellery, and the money. I don’t know how, but he did.”

  “Oh dear.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Right.” Ma was quiet for a while, as she thought what to do next. At the same time, she put the coffee on and set up cups and saucers. Not only could she talk about five things at once, she could practically do them as well. “Things won’t settle down out front for another hour at least, and you look ready to drop. Your father’s retired early for once, Thomas is doing a great job at the bar. You get some sleep, then we’ll talk about it in the morning.”

  No second invitation needed. Ondine was only too glad to head to her room and collapse.

  SOMETIME DURING THE night, Shambles arrived and made good on his promise to stay at the end of the bed.

  “Settle, lass. I cannae sleep with yer feet kicking me all the time.”

  “Stop fidgeting then.”

  A knock came on the door. “Ondi, are you in there?”

  “Quick, Hamish – under the bed, Ma’s coming in,” Ondine whispered, then called out to the door in a louder voice, “Where else would I be?”

  Instantly she wished she’d kept her mouth shut. Already in enough trouble, answering back to her parents again could make things worse. Especially if Ma walked in and found she had company. Ondine couldn’t think of a worse punishment than being stuck in her room whenever she wasn’t needed for work, but her mother had no such lack of imagination and would be bound to come up with something more heinous. The furry black streak disappeared under the bed, his claws skittering on the floorboards as Ma opened the door. Thank goodness for creaky hinges drowning out the sound!

  “Ondi, I’m sorry things went so badly with Vincent tonight. I thought your father was overreacting about him. Turns out his instincts were spot on,” Ma said, positioning her well-cushioned self on the end of the bed, right where Hamish had been. “I told your da everything that happened –”

  “But nothing happened!” Ondine protested.

  “Sweetheart, it’s not your fault, and you have nothing to feel embarrassed about. Vincent’s the one with the problems, not you.”

  “But . . . how do you know what happened?”

  “Hamish told me, because he was concerned for you.” Ma embraced Ondine in a hug and gently rubbed her back. “We all think you’ve been very brave and Vincent’s going to get what’s coming. Aunt Col’s looking into it. She could turn him into a toad or a slug. Which would you prefer?”

  Ondine smiled in relief. And hey, Ma had called Shambles “Hamish” again.

  “It’s good to see you smile. I have some more good news. I was going to wait until the end of your grounding to let you know about school, but you need cheering up. Ondi, we do have the money. You can take the classes you want.”

  Hope sparkled in Ondine’s veins; she would have a life again! Then confusion made her head turn fuzzy. “But . . . but why did you say we didn’t?”

  “Because I wanted you to think about your actions, and to realise that they have consequences,” Ma said.

  After the altercation with Lord Vincent, Ondine hardly needed a reminder about consequences, but she was also intrigued by their sudden return to wealth. “So . . . how much money do we have?”

  Ma gave her a knowing smile, then kissed her on the forehead. “Enough. Not enough to be silly with, but enough. It’s getting late, you should go to sleep,” she said, closing the subject.

  Part of Ondine wanted to give her mother a good old-fashioned yelling at for scaring her so much. Another part wanted to wrap her arms around her and hug her till they both dissolved into tears. The second idea won out.

  Tears poured out. “I love you, Ma.”

  “I love you too, sweetheart. But better save your tears for the morning, Ondi. Aunt Col is leaving and she’ll be taking Shambles with her, so they can work out a way to reverse the spell for good.”

  Cold dread snaked around Ondine’s heart and gave a squeeze. “Tomorrow?” she croaked.

  “I’m afraid so. Just as well he’s back to being a ferret, otherwise I’d be worried you might try something stupid. And then I’d have three weddings to plan instead of two. I’d best be getting back to the kitchen. Goodnight, dear.” With that Ma closed the door behind her, leaving Ondine feeling confused and frustrated.

  Old Col would be taking Hamish with her? Then another thought smacked her. Three weddings? Her parents were so stuck in the past!

  The minute you’re interested in a boy they want to marry you off.

  From underneath the bed, she heard, “Want to try something stupid?”

  To her shock and delight, she saw Hamish looking up at her. The real Hamish McPhee, not the ferret but the man. With a devilish grin on his face.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “You’re . . . you’re you again!” Ondine said, although she fought to keep her voice down in case she alerted anyone else to Hamish’s sudden change in circumstances.

  A roguish smile split his face. “Aye, and I’m all skin and no fur, so throw me a coat, will ye? And ye might want one for yerself, yer looken peely-wally.”[71]

  Ondine leapt from the bed, half in shock, half in excitement. Her mind ran through several scenarios.

  “You’re human again, so that means you don’t have to leave with Old Col tomorrow. You can make your own decisions. I mean, you can still go with her if you want, but you could just as easily stay. I’m sure Ma would appreciate the extra labour.”

  “Draw breath, lass. Yer sounding just like yer mither, jumping from one thing to the next. Now give me a coat, I don’t intend to spend the night under yer bed with fluff bunnies in me jacksie.”

  Ondine trod softly to her wardrobe to fetch her biggest coat. The last thing she needed now was her mother back at the door, wondering who she was talking to.

  Except her mother would say “to whom she was talking”. Gah! Even in her thoughts she could hear the corrections.

  “You look ridiculous,” Ondine whispered, as she covered a giggle with her hand. Her biggest coat barely fit over Hamish’s broad shoulders. Two long, hairy legs poking out underneath completed the silliness.

  “We’ll need to get yer da, borrow his clothes for a while until I can get some more of me own.”

  “At this time of night? I don’t want to be the one to wake him. It’s his first night off in ages. You’ve seen him grumpy. If you rouse him now it’ll be like poking a wasps’ nest. I’ll find you a
spare room for the night and we can see him in the morning.”

  At that, Ondine reached into her jacket pocket for her bunch of keys and found them missing. She checked the other pocket as a rising sense of panic made her hands tremble. “I can’t find my keys! I must have dropped them outside or left them in the kitchen or something.”

  “Or that toerag took them.” Hamish practically spat the words out. He stripped the bed covers, grabbed the top sheet and wrapped it around himself like a bad kilt. In the process he gave Ondine a quick flash of firm upper thigh. Just how a girl was supposed to concentrate with such a distraction was beyond her.

  “Think about it,” he said, tucking the fabric around his waist. “Why else would he want to get ye alone?”

  Picking her ego up off the floor, Ondine wondered why else indeed? Her heart staggered at how completely stupid she’d been.

  “I didnae mean to say it like that,” he added.

  So he could read minds now? Ondine shook her head. The man was blunt, but he was also right. The whole thing with Lord Vincent smacked of a set-up, perhaps from the night she first laid eyes on him.

  “The night we warned the Duke . . .” she started.

  “Eh?” Hamish interrupted.

  “Vincent was there in the palace – he was listening to us when we spoke to his father. And now he knows about the jewellery and the money. Maybe he knew all along?”

  “Aye, nawt much gets past ye.”

  Ondine slumped on to the side of her bed, and Hamish sat close beside her. Too close, making the hairs on her arms stand up.

  “Be honest with me. You saw all of this coming, didn’t you?” she asked.

  For a moment he was quiet, then he turned to face her, taking her chin in his fingers. “I didn’t know at first, but I knew I didn’t like him. He told his da his friends had been sick after eating here, and the Duke believed him, and that’s when he set the health inspector on to us.”

  A furrow crept over Ondine’s brow. “You told me to be careful, and I didn’t listen.”

  Hamish swallowed as his gaze bored into Ondine. “There was a lot going on. We’ve all been pretty busy.”