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Id want a house like that, said Ellie. You make me see it, feel it Yes, this would be a lovely place to live. Everything one has dreamed of come true. One could live here and be free, not hampered, not tied round by people pushing you into doing everything you dont want, keeping you from doing anything you do want. Oh I am so sick of my life and the people who are round me and everything!
Thats the way it began, Ellie and I together. Me with my dreams and she with her revolt against her life. We stopped talking and looked at each other.
Whats your name? she said.
Mike Rogers, I said. Michael Rogers, I amended. Whats yours?
Fenella. She hesitated and then said, Fenella Goodman, looking at me with a rather troubled expression.
This didnt seem to take us much further but we went on looking at each other. We both wanted to see each other again but just for the moment we didnt know how to set about it.
Chapter 5
Well, thats how it began between Ellie and myself. It didnt really go along so very quickly, because we both had our secrets. Both had things we wanted to keep from the other and so we couldnt tell each other as much about ourselves as we might have done, and that kept bringing us up sharp, as it were, against a kind of barrier. We couldnt bring things into the open[21] and say, When shall we meet again? Where can I find you? Where do you live? Because, you see, if you ask the other person that, theyd expect you to tell the same.
Fenella looked apprehensive when she gave me her name. So much so that I thought for a moment that it mightnt be her real name. I almost thought that she might have made it up! But of course I knew that that was impossible. Id given her my real name.
We didnt know quite how to take leave of each other that day. It was awkward. It had become cold and we wanted to wander down from The Towers but what then? Rather awkwardly, I said tentatively:
Are you staying round here?[22]
She said she was staying in Market Chadwell. That was a market town not very far away. It had, I knew, a large hotel, three-starred. Shed be staying there, I guessed. She said, with something of the same awkwardness, to me:
Do you live here?
No, I said, I dont live here. Im only here for the day.
Then a rather awkward silence fell. She gave a faint shiver. А cold little wind had come up.
Wed better walk, I said, and keep ourselves warm. Are you have you got a car or are you going by bus or train?
She said shed left the car in the village.
But Ill be quite all right, she said.
She seemed a little nervous. I thought perhaps she wanted to get rid of me but didnt quite know how to manage it. I said:
Well walk down, shall we, just as far as the village?
She gave me a quick grateful look then. We walked slowly down the winding road on which so many car accidents had happened. As we came round a corner, a figure stepped suddenly from beneath the shelter of the fir tree. It appeared so suddenly that Ellie gave a start and said, Oh! It was the old woman I had seen the other day in her cottage garden. Mrs Lee. She looked a great deal wilder today with a tangle of black hair blowing in the wind and a scarlet cloak round her shoulders; the commanding stance she took up made her look taller.
And what would you be doing, my dears? she said. What brings you to Gipsys Acre?
Oh, Ellie said, we arent trespassing, are we?
Thats as may be. Gipsies land this used to be. Gipsies land and they drove us off it. Youll do no good here, and no good will come to you prowling about Gipsys Acre. There was no fight in Ellie, she wasnt that kind. She said gently and politely:
Im very sorry if we shouldnt have come here. I thought this place was being sold today.
And bad luck it will be to anyone who buys it! said the old woman. You listen, my pretty, for youre pretty enough, bad luck will come to whoever buys it. Theres a curse on this land, a curse put on it long ago, many years ago. You keep clear of it.[23] Dont have nought to do with Gipsys Acre. Death it will bring you and danger. Go away home across the sea and dont come back to Gipsys Acre. Dont say I didnt warn you.
Were doing no harm.
Come now, Mrs Lee, I said, dont frighten this young lady.
I turned in an explanatory way to Ellie.
Mrs Lee lives in the village. Shes got a cottage there. She tells fortunes and prophesies the future. All that, dont you, Mrs Lee? I spoke to her in a jocular way.
Ive got the gift, she said simply, drawing her gipsy-like figure up straighter still. Ive got the gift. Its born in me. We all have it. Ill tell your fortune, young lady. Cross my palm with silver and Ill tell your fortune for you.
I dont think I want my fortune told.
Itd be a wise thing to do. Know something about the future. Know what to avoid, know whats coming to you if you dont take care. Come now, theres plenty of money in your pocket. Plenty of money. I know things it would be wise for you to know.
I believe the urge to have ones fortune told is almost invariable in women. Ive noticed it before with girls I knew. I nearly always had to pay for them to go into the fortune-tellers booths if I took them to a fair. Ellie opened her bag and laid two half-crowns in the old womans hand.
Ah, my pretty, thats right now. You hear what old Mother Lee will tell you.
Ellie drew off her glove and laid her small delicate palm in the old womans hand. She looked down at it, muttering to herself. What do I see now? What do I see?
Suddenly she dropped Ellies hand abruptly.
Id go away from here if I were you. Go and dont come back! Thats what I told you just now and its true. Ive seen it again in your palm. Forget Gipsys Acre, forget you ever saw it. And its not just the ruined house up there, its the land itself thats cursed.
Youve got a mania about that, I said roughly. Anyway the young lady has nothing to do with the land here. Shes only here for a walk today, shes nothing to do with the neighbourhood.
The old woman paid no attention to me. She said dourly:
Im telling you, my pretty. Im warning you. You can have a happy life but you must avoid danger. Dont come to a place where theres danger or where theres a curse. Go away where youre loved and taken care of and looked after. Youve got to keep yourself safe. Remember that. Otherwise otherwise she gave a short shiver. I dont like to see it, I dont like to see whats in your hand.
Suddenly with a queer brisk gesture she pushed back the two half-crowns into Ellies palm, mumbling something we could hardly hear. It sounded like Its cruel. Its cruel, whats going to happen. Turning, she stalked away at a rapid pace.
What a what a frightening woman, said Ellie.
Pay no attention to her, I said gruffly. I think shes half off her head anyway. She just wants to frighten you off. Theyve got a sort of feeling, I think, about this particular piece of land.
Have there been accidents here? Have bad things happened?
Bound to be accidents. Look at the curve and the narrowness of the road. The Town Council ought to be shot for not doing something about it. Of course therell be accidents here. There arent enough signs warning you.