The Irish Witch rb-11

by Dennis Wheatley

  Many of the expressions actually used by the Sagamore Roger found difficult to understand, but in the main he absorbed their meaning; and, recalling the journeys he had made in the Midlands and north of England, where the Industrial Revolution had taken place toward the end of the previous century, he felt bound to agree.

  After a moment's silence, the Sagamore resumed, 'But it is not of these things that Morning Star wished to speak to the noble one. It is clear that, although a Christian, he recognises that form of worship to be new compared with others. Therefore, he cannot believe that the Christian Father God created the world.'

  'No,' Roger replied. 'He was simply adopted by the early Christians from the Jehovah of the Jews, and there were many other beliefs far older than theirs.'

  'The noble one speaks truly, and the origin of all is embodied in our totem pole. Does he know its meaning?'

  'Leaping Squirrel told me that the eagle at the top represents the Spirit of the Air, the wolf the Spirit of the Land, the whale the Spirit of the Sea, and the frog at the bottom the union of Earth and Water.'

  'The Frog represents more than that, for he moves by leaping, so he is also symbolical of Air. Thus he is the basis of all things. I cannot confer upon the noble one the ability to leave his body at will, but I am a son of the Frog and can confer his power on one other person before I die. This way Morning Star will pay his debt.'

  'I...' Roger hesitated. ‘I ... no, Sir. No, this should go to your heir, Leaping Squirrel.'

  The Sagamore's heavily-lidded eyes showed a gleam of appreciation, but he shook his befeathered head. 'Leaping Squirrel is wise and brave. He will make a good Chief and Morning Star has no fears for him; whereas his spirit tells him that a time may come when the noble one's need may be great. I have spoken. Now, bare your right arm.'

  As Roger obeyed, the old Indian drew a sharp knive from his wampum belt, bared his own left arm and made a slight nick in it, then he nicked Roger's arm. Globules of blood welled up from both arms and they held them together for a minute so that their blood mingled. Then the Sagamore rose, and said, 'Come with me.'

  Outside the Longhouse the village was now very quiet. All but a few braves, squatting by the watchfire, were sleeping. The moon was nearly full and only occasionally obscured by small, scudding clouds. By its light Roger followed Morning Star out into the woods, and along a winding path through them for about half a mile until they came to a big lake. On the shore the Sagamore halted and made sounds like the croaking of a frog.

  A moment later a large frog jumped out of the water. It was followed by others, until the whole shore for yards round was covered with a mass of them, leaping and croaking, and Roger marvelled that so many could come up out of one lake. Morning Star then addressed them:

  As he began to speak, they all fell silent, and their pro­truding eyes stared up at him. Roger never knew what he said, because he spoke in his own language; but when he ceased speaking, the frogs all gave one loud croak, then tumbling over one another, jumped back into the lake.

  Morning Star's lined face broke into a smile. Putting an arm round Roger's shoulders, he said, 'The noble one is now my brother and my equal. The Frog People have accepted him. Henceforth, when evil threatens, he can thwart it by calling on the great spirit that embodies the Power of the Frog.'

  10

  Plot to Supplant a Rival

  On the morning of the day that Roger and Leaping Squir­rel got Mary across the St. Lawrence, Jemima came downstairs grimly determined to face Susan and learn her reactions on being given the letter received the previous night.

  While taking her morning chocolate and fresh rolls in bed, Jemima had had a running footman despatched to Berkeley Square, and he had just returned to report that Miss Brook and the Duchess were not at Newmarket, but at the latter's old home, Stillwaters, near Ripley in Surrey.

  Jemima was already dressed for the road, and had a night bag with her. The Luggala coach had been ordered round from the nearby mews, and by eleven o'clock she was on her way out of London.

  Very soon she had left the streets behind and was cover­ing the miles of semi-open country to the south of the capital where, between ancient villages, numerous man­sions standing in small parks were scattered among farms, orchards and market gardens. Gradually the buildings grew fewer and fields separated by patches of woodland lined the road until they reached Ripley.

  There Jemima's coachman pulled up at the Talbot Inn, to enquire the whereabouts of the house, and was told that they had passed the entrance to the estate half a mile back. The man then remembered noticing the handsome iron gates described. Ten minutes later, they had been opened by a lodge-keeper, and the coach was rolling up a long drive, bordered on either side by woods.

  In the Spring sunshine, the country was looking its best, and Jemima had enjoyed the twenty-mile drive. Now she looked about her with special interest, for she had often heard of Stillwaters and how, in the latter years of the previous century, its beautiful mistress had held fabulous parties there, entertaining royalties, ambassadors and ministers.

  Among the trees there were big patches of primroses and, farther on, glades in which hundreds of daffodils were in bloom. As the coach emerged from the drive, Jemima caught her first glimpse of the stately mansion and the terrace, with its stone urns and statues, which ran the whole length of it. Through the other window of the coach, she saw the close-cropped lawns running down to the lovely lake that gave the place its name. At this sight, the bile of covetousness almost choked Jemima. If only her hopes that Charles would marry her had been better grounded, not only would she have become the mistress of his mansion in Berkeley Square and his seat at White Knights Park but also, when his mother died, of this mag­nificent domain.

  The footman on duty met the coach at the door. Jemima learned from him that Susan was out riding, but he offered to take the visitor's name in to the Duchess; and five minutes later she was being received by Georgina.

  When Jemima wished to please, she was an adept at it; her manners were admirable and her conversation intelligent. On these grounds and her dark good looks Georgina, being confident that no woman could replace Susan in her son's heart, had thought Jemima very suit­able to provide him with a temporary amusement, par­ticularly as her psychic sense told her that the girl was very far from being a prude, and was therefore just what Charles needed as an outlet for his urges until the time came for him to marry.

  In consequence, she gave Jemima a smiling welcome, and said at once, 'My dear, I can guess the reason to which we owe the pleasure of seeing you here. Only this morning one of my grooms brought me from London a packet from Charles. In it there was a letter for myself and one for you. The foolish boy must have sent it with mine instead of one for Susan, and you have received the one for her. Am I not right ?'

  'Indeed, Your Grace has guessed aright.' Jemima curt­seyed again and, with a flourish, produced the letter for Susan from her reticule.

  Smiling again, Georgina took'it. 'How very sweet of you to have brought it all this way yourself. Susan is out riding with Lord Bellsavage and Mr. ffoulks. But they will soon be back. You will stay and dine, of course. And after­wards, if you prefer not to make another twenty-mile journey this evening, we should be happy for you to stay the night.'

  'You are most kind; and, unaccompanied, I'd be a little scared of falling a prey to a highwayman after dark. So I brought a night bag, meaning to get myself a room at the inn. Naturally, I'd liefer accept Your Grace's hospi­tality.'

  'That's settled then.' Georgina sent for Madeira and biscuits to refresh her guest and shortly afterwards Susan came in, accompanied by the two men. Mr. ffoulks was quite young and evidently a beau of Susan's. Lord Bellsavage was in his thirties and, Jemima guessed, having an affair with the beautiful Duchess.

  The two girls went into the adjoining room and there exchanged letters. Jemima read hers with some degree of satisfaction. It was much shorter than the one to Susan, and contained no expressions of fervi
d attachment; but it showed sufficient warmth for Jemima to believe that if Susan was secretly averse to marrying Charles she might yet get him for herself.

  For Jemima to have known that the letter she had received was intended for Susan she would have had to read it to the last paragraph. Realising this, Susan said to her:

  'Jemima, dear. This letter has apprised you of the secret that Charles and I have long been engaged; but we also agreed to indulge ourselves in the pleasure of flirtations for a while before entering on married bliss, so I do pray you breathe not a word to others of our intentions.'

  'You have my word that I will observe your wish,' Jemima replied, a little coldly, 'although I fear you must both have found food for laughter in my having such a predilection for your Charles.'

  'Nay. I know him to be too honest a man to have led you to suppose that he had serious intentions toward you; that being so, I can hardly think you would expect more of him than admiration and affection. Life at our age would be dull without kisses. And, believe me, I do not grudge those Charles may have given you, any more than he would me those I have let Harry ffoulks and others take off me.'

  'Dear Susan, we are at one in our ideas,' Jemima laughed, 'and I pray that you may enjoy many a warm embrace before Charles returns to claim you.' But secretly she was thinking, 'You self-confident little fool. With luck, you'll overplay your hand and find yourself desperately enamoured of one of the men you toy with so lightly. Then, if Charles finds out, he'll repudiate you and be easy game for me.'

  Georgina had invited some neighbours, mostly young people, over for dinner that day, so Susan lent Jemima an evening dress, and they sat down eleven to table. It proved a gay meal, and afterwards, to the music of a still-room maid who played the pianoforte and an under-gardener who was a good fiddler, they danced. Jemima thoroughly enjoyed herself and, the following morning, drove back to London in a much more optimistic frame of mind than she had left it.

  However, she had been badly shaken by learning that Charles, far from looking on Susan as a sister, was secretly her fiance, and gave the impression in his letter of being deeply in love with her; so, having told Maureen Luggala all that had occurred at Stillwaters, Jemima decided that afternoon to consult her mother.

  When she arrived at the house in Islington, the foot­man told her that his mistress had a gentleman with her, but he would let her know that Miss Luggala was asking to see her. After Jemima had waited for a few minutes in the hall, the man returned and showed her into the pleasant room at the back of the house where the Irish witch had first acknowledged Jemima to be her daughter and in which they had since frequently spent several hours together.

  On this occasion there was a short, tubby, middle-aged gentleman with her mother. He had rubicund cheeks and a genial manner. Jemima was introduced to him as Miss Luggala, and her mother went on :

  'My dear, this is Mynheer Cornelius Quelp, a Dutch gentleman, but French on his mother's side. It is he who carries the information we gather to Paris, by means of a smuggler's craft that runs cargoes between England and Holland. It was only last night that he landed in Essex, and is giving me the latest news from the Continent.'

  To the plump man she added, 'You need have no apprehension, Mynheer, regarding the discretion of this young lady. She and her mother, Lady Luggala, are among my most valuable sources for collecting useful tittle-tattle in high society, and both are as devoted as you or I to the Emperor's cause.'

  The Dutchman kissed Jemima's hand and expressed his pleasure at meeting so charming an ally; then they seated themselves and, speaking fluent English with only a slight accent, he went on:

  'I was just saying how happy I am to be able to report that His Imperial Majesty's affairs are in far better shape than any of us had reason to expect after the terrible disas­ter he met with last winter. His vitality and resource are truly inexhaustible. The negotiations for an armistice, which were begun in February, are still proceeding and if one can be arranged that will be all to the good, since it will give him more time to equip and train the new army he is forming.

  'Fortunately, last September, while still in Moscow, he had the forethought to send orders back to France for the call-up of the class due for conscription in 1813, and it is estimated that will bring him some one hundred and thirty-seven thousand new troops. Further levies are being raised in Italy, the Netherlands, Westphalia, Bavaria, Saxony and other German lands. Including those he is withdrawing from Spain, he should have under his hand nearly six hundred and fifty thousand men by the summer. A great part of these have yet to be embodied and trained, and he still has a heavy commitment in Spain, but already over two hundred thousand are available in the army of the West, and they hold all the fortresses on the Elbe, the Weser and the Oder.'

  'That is indeed good news’ smiled the beautiful witch. 'But what of our enemies ?'

  'The pursuit of the Grande Armee cost the Russians dear, Madame. They suffered almost as severely as the French from campaigning in such intense cold and living on starvation rations. So poor is their condition that General Kutusov is known to favour entering on a peace, as opposed to the Czar, whose ambition has been fired by his success in driving the French from his country. He has ordered the formation of a reserve army, but the Russians are poor organisers and have great distances to cover, so it will probably be many months before these new con­scripts are available for operations. In the meantime, it is believed that the Russian army in the field has been reduced to not much more than one hundred thousand men.'

  'And the Prussians? I recall that General von Yorck, who commanded the Prussian contingent in the invasion of Russia, ratted on his chief, Marshal Macdonald and, in the last stage of the retreat, slunk off to Poland without his men having fired a shot.'

  'That is true, Madame; and it has since been learned that he had been secretly instructed by his King to avoid giving aid to his French allies, wherever possible. It was the same in the case of General von Schwarzenberg, who commanded the Austrian Corps on the other wing.'

  'What shameful conduct!' exclaimed Jemima. ‘I only pray that events will enable the Emperor to punish both sovereigns for their treachery.'

  Cornelius Quelp nodded. 'The summer campaign may well enable him to do so, at least in the case of the King of Prussia; but at the moment the situation is extremely con­fused. Technically, Russia and Prussia are still at war, and King Frederick William is too cowardly a man to defy the Emperor by openly changing sides. Yet von Yorck and the army he commands have as good as done so, for he has made a pact with the Russian General Diebitch, which allows the enemy to advance along the Prussian coastal roads without opposition.

  'Still more embarrassing for the pusillanimous King is the attitude of his people. For years past, men like Fichte, Stein and Steffens have been inciting the German masses to revolt and drive the French from their territories. Even Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, the King's principal military advisers, are pressing him to break with France. But should he do so, it will be at his peril. It is doubtful if Prussia could raise an army of forty thousand men. The Danes are our staunch allies, also Bavaria and Saxony, and Marshal Davout holds Hanover in a grip of iron. After the retreat from Russia we still had a garrison of thirty thousand in Danzig alone, General Regnier retired on Warsaw with forty thousand, Prince Eugene lies be­hind him with a field army of sixteen thousand. In Brandenberg and the fortresses we have at least another thirty thousand; so, with the addition of the great reinforce­ments that the Emperor is sending across the Rhine, even supported by Russia what chance would those miserable Prussians have?'

  'So far, Mynheer, you have said naught of Austria,' the witch remarked shrewdly.

  'From that direction lies our only danger,' Quelp re­plied. 'She is still allied to France, but only keeping up an appearance of hostilities against Russia. She is known to be bringing her army up to one hundred and fifty thou­sand men and, did she once again turn her coat, that would give our enemies parity.'

  'You fail
to take into account the genius of the Em­peror’ put in Jemima.

  'No, no!' Quelp smiled. 'I am far from doing that. And, since the councils of the others would be divided, I doubt not he would emerge victorious.'

  For a further half-hour they continued to discuss the situation on the Continent, marvelling that Napoleon had made such a swift and remarkable recovery after his defeat in Russia, and with their confidence renewed that he would yet again defeat the combination which was forming against him. Then Mynheer Quelp took his leave.

  As soon as the door had closed behind him, Jemima told her mother about the letters from Charles, then said how shattered she had been to learn that he was engaged to Susan, and apparendy still deeply in love with her. When she had done, her mother said thoughtfully :

  'It is just possible that Maureen Luggala is right in that Charles now regrets having become affianced to Susan, but lacks the courage to break it off. Yet I am inclined to doubt that. Were it so, having no reason to suppose that Susan would ever see his letter to you, he would have expressed himself much more passionately in it.'

  Jemima made a grimace. 'Alas, that is what I also feel. And worse—his stating that he means to marry Susan the moment he gets back from the war sadly reduced my hopes. Charles has no streak of cruelty in him, so would never have confirmed her belief that he intends to make her his wife did he not consider his promise binding.'

  'Then we must find some other husband for you. What think you of Lord Broughton? It is a fine place he has in Yorkshire, and he is mightily good-looking.' .

  'Nay. He is a most consummate bore, and can talk of naught but dogs and horses.'

  'Everard Winstanley, then? Although he has no title, he is one of the richest men in England.'

  'He is so inveterate a gambler that he may not remain so for much longer. Tis said that but a se'nnight since he lost five thousand guineas wagering that one raindrop run­ning down a window in White's Club would reach the sill before another.'