The Chateau. Karen Aldous

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      ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do, Gina,’ she said, seeking her daughter’s eyes for answers.

      ‘Would you like to come back to London with me for a while?’

      ‘No. No. I couldn’t do that. I want to be here, in case.’

      ‘In case what?’ Gina blurted out with more irritation than she’d intended.

      ‘In case Dad comes back. He could change his mind or regret leaving. Realise it’s not what he wants. I don’t know.’

      Gina sighed.

      ‘Well, it’s up to you. You’re more than welcome,’ Gina replied in her softest approach. It was hard to imagine her father coming back so soon but her mother was obviously living on hope just now. ‘Think about it. I’m going to try Dad again.’

      Gina gently rubbed her mother’s arm and stood to get her phone, which she’d left on the breakfast bar. Again, he didn’t answer so she text him another message with even more urgency. As she read her mother’s face, she could see the disappointment.

      ‘Let’s go and have something to eat,’ Gina said in a more upbeat tone. ‘I’m starving.’

      Adrienne shook her head.

      ‘No darling, you go. I’m really not hungry.’

      ‘You have to eat, Mum. You haven’t eaten all day, have you?’

      Gina heard a text message bleep from her phone. She quickly read it.

      ‘It’s from Ollie.’

      ‘What, Ollie, Gabriella’s cousin?’ Adrienne looked at her in surprise.

      ‘He’s just...asking about the villas. I went to see the first one.’

      ‘When did you speak to him?’ her mother sat forward with panic in her voice.

      ‘I met up with him earlier, while I was walking. Then, when I returned and you’d gone back to bed, I nipped up to his site.’

      ‘You didn’t tell him why you were home, did you?’

      ‘No,’ Gina lied but felt an uncomfortable stiffness in her throat.

      Gina now wished she hadn’t said anything. She knew her mother was proud and would feel humiliated. Rubbing her forehead she felt as if she’d betrayed her mother. Not that she’d revealed much.

      ‘Well, don’t breathe a word. He’ll tell his family and it’ll be all over town. James doesn’t even know yet. What if he hears it from someone else?’ Adrienne closed her eyes and blew out a big sigh as she sat back in her chair. ‘Don’t get me wrong, sweetie, I like Ollie, but it’s private. I will have to ring James soon though. I don’t suppose for one minute your father will, but, well, he’s still on his honeymoon. I couldn’t do it, not until they’re back.’

      ‘Yes, I agree. I’ll speak to James if you’d rather. I’d wait until he gets back, of course.’

      ‘I think it would be better coming from me.’

      ‘If that’s what you prefer.’ She tried to reassure her mother but realised she was really trying to assure herself.

      She tried to convince herself that Ollie would exercise discretion but was well aware of his loudness, particularly after a few beers. Oh, fuck!

       Chapter 8

      Agnes-Francesia gave herself a satisfied smile. Seems to be going well, she thought. Gina wasn’t actually that phased by her, which was surprising. She pondered as to whether she was getting better at her contact or whether the world was changing. She preferred to think it was the former. It could be her efforts were more refined with the practice she’d had over the years but it was always possible people were more in touch with their spiritual side or had less fear of it.

      The main thing was that Gina was emotionally reacting to this man. He seemed perfect, attractive, single and, without doubt, close to the Château quite regularly. But her movements were, she felt, scaring Gina. Maybe she should try something gentler, less invasive. She’d caught her attention though.

      She understood this girl was not from her own homeland. But that wasn’t important. Her own life had begun in Switzerland, in a village not too far away but her marriage had taken her to be with Luca in Italy. People adapt even when the languages differed. Gina was from the British Islands. That was a long distance, but she had felt so fortunate to have found her in Switzerland especially near to the Château. The problem had been trying to get her back. It really wasn’t pleasant, unforgivable, in fact. She just hoped she could right that wrong later. It was a fact of life. Men easily succumbed and it was the only way she could manipulate the situation.

      This travel was a problem now too. For over a hundred and fifty years the long tubes on tracks carried people. Not horses like she had after she married Luca. They didn’t have to walk from town to town like she did when she was young. In fact, mamma mia, they flew in carriages like birds now. Even food was transported in them. Luca would laugh, to think his merchandise could be carried through the air when he had had only boats and horses to rely on. Her poor Luca and her poor boys. She had to get this right this time and be back where she belonged.

      ***

      Gina woke rigid and unable to move from fear. It was still dark. She’d been floating back down in the bleak dark cavern. The sulphuric stench hung heavy in the air while the same woman was chained to the wall. Again held the package out to Gina. She reached out to catch it but then a guard ran at the woman. Gina had then tried to move but every limb, every muscle locked. Only her heart pounded and on waking her breath raced like she’d cycled up a mountain. Braids of sweat drenched her hairline.

      Scrambling with her fingers as darkness still hung around her, she reached out and fumbled for the lamp and pressed the switch. Relief washed over her and she sat up. Everything around her seemed normal but the acrid odour still hung under her nose and the vision was all too clear in her head.

      OK, she told herself, swallowing quickly. These are just nightmares. Very vivid, very repetitive, nightmares. The strangest she’d ever had in her life. And so real, like she was part of them. Why? After some minutes, she could only rationalise them occurring due to the stress of arguing with Max, her parents’ break-up.

      But where was this woman? It seemed like a familiar place. She’d recognised the arched ceiling this time. It seemed too elaborate for a dungeon or prison. And why was the woman trying to hand her the package again? What was she trying to tell her? Did she want help? How could she? This woman seemed to be dressed in clothes from another century, several centuries ago maybe. Was she a poltergeist? Maybe she never found peace and…Oh fuck no.

      You’re being stupid. Probably going bloody mad! Gina pushed off her covers and dug into her cabin bag for her tablet computer. She began searching the internet, looking for anything which may be of relevance to her dreams: woman in dungeon, spirits, even poltergeist. Apart from some obvious suggestions that she was under stress or that a lit dungeon is a warning of a threatened entanglement of which her better judgement should warn her, it was useless. The poltergeist search only really purported to affect pubescent girls, СКАЧАТЬ