Epilogue

‘WHAT HAPPENED? DID it work?’ cried Jonathan, bounding into the chapel, his face blanched and wild.

Belinda felt a reassuring squeeze, Michiko’s strong arm supporting her and revivifying her, and with a quick glance at the Japanese woman she said, ‘I think so.’

‘Yes, it worked,’ said Michiko quietly, her face radiant beneath its white cosmetic mask. ‘Completely. My friends are free now.’ Belinda saw her shoot an enquiring glance at Jonathan. ‘There is nothing more to fear.’

‘Are you all right?’ he enquired, moving towards the table where Belinda was sitting supported by Michiko. She had André’s starry cloak around her, and she felt cold and more than a little shaky, but she could not say that there was anything really wrong with her. She was suffering from mild shock, she guessed, but otherwise all felt well.

‘I’m OK,’ she replied, giving him a smile, but not sure it would convince him. Then, looking more closely at her boyfriend, she frowned instead. ‘But what about you? You look terrible!’

Jonathan’s face was still unnaturally pale, and his hair was standing up in tufts, as if he had run his fingers through it again and again. His clothes were rumpled and half unfastened, and he was barefoot. His eyes were almost starting out of his head.

‘I’ve never been so scared in my life,’ he said, a slight quiver in his voice as he sat down beside her. ‘One minute, I’m getting it on with Paula –’ He flashed Belinda a shamefaced look, but she touched his arm to reassure him ‘– and the next minute, she’s leaping up off me and she isn’t Paula at all. And she’s screeching and whirling about, almost as if she was on fire or something. Then suddenly, “poof”, she disappears! I was so terrified I damn nearly wet myself!’

Belinda could feel his arm shaking beneath her fingers. She squeezed it gently. Jonathan’s experience obviously hadn’t been quite the lyrical one she had participated in. Not that she knew properly what had happened. She had woken up a few minutes before, cradled in Michiko’s arms, but of André and his spirit lover there had been no sign at all.

‘She is gone for ever now, Jonathan,’ said Michiko calmly, beginning to gather up the paraphernalia of the freeing: the grimoire, the crystal flask, the limp silk ribbon. ‘Her original spell bound her existence to André’s. So when he went, so did she.’ She shrugged her kimono-clad shoulders. ‘But not, I’m afraid, to quite the same place.’ Wearing a wry smile, Michiko continued her task.

Belinda looked at Jonathan and they exchanged a glance of tacit agreement, then both got to their feet to help. Belinda felt slightly rubbery at the knees at first, but after a moment, she regained enough strength to move around carefully.

‘What will happen to Oren, and Feltris and Elisa?’ asked Jonathan, a little while afterwards, as they were walking back towards the moonlit house. Michiko had left the accoutrements of the ritual gathered together on the table for Oren to collect later, but in her arms she was carrying the great grimoire.

‘I will take them into my service, if they wish it,’ the Japanese sorceress said. ‘I am thinking of making a home in England. Perhaps I will even settle here at the priory. That way they can continue to live here undisturbed.’

‘Good,’ said Belinda, ‘I’m glad about that. I didn’t like the idea of them suddenly being left on their own.’

When they reached the house, Michiko bade them both retire to their beds and get some sorely-needed sleep, while she went down to the servants’ quarters to break the news.

Functioning with the same sense of mutual understanding that they had experienced earlier, Belinda and Jonathan both made their way to Belinda’s red room. Deep in a thoughtful but companionable silence, they got ready for bed, then snuggled up together underneath the covers. They were both naked but Belinda felt no urge to make love, and neither, it soon became obvious, did Jonathan. The peculiar events of a peculiar night had taken their toll.

Although she hadn’t expected to be able to sleep, Belinda soon found her thoughts losing focus. She felt loose and drowsy, and Jonathan’s presence at her side was warm and calming.

The descent into refreshing sleep was more welcome than it had ever been, and she embraced rest with a relief that was almost blissful – seeing André’s smiling face as she succumbed.

The next day, in the afternoon, Belinda and Jonathan left Sedgewick Priory. Not for ever, because they had promised to visit its new châtelaine in the future, but it was good to be heading back to a normal life.

A normal life where life’s appliances worked as normal.

The Mini started first time, and Belinda, who had chosen to drive, felt convinced it had never run so smoothly.

The mobile phone also functioned perfectly, even though they had never actually got round to charging it. Jonathan rang Paula’s mobile number and got through on the first try. He spoke to a nurse and discovered that their friend was in hospital in the nearest big town.

Paula had been found unconscious in a hotel room, it seemed, but she had come round now, and apart from remembering nothing whatsoever about the last couple of days, she was completely unharmed and resting comfortably. It also turned out that she had been most concerned at missing her meeting with her friends, and that her car had been stolen. Belinda smiled as she listened to Jonathan instructing the nurse to tell Paula not to worry, and that it was probably just a joy-rider and the car would soon be found, most likely in a lay-by on some quiet country road.

Jonathan’s sense of direction and his ability to read maps had been reinstated too. Without the slightest problem, they located the hospital where Paula was sequestered, but as it would be too late to visit by the time they got there, they made their way to the hotel instead. As luck would have it there was a room vacant for the night.

‘You know, these last few days,’ Jonathan said, as Belinda walked naked into the room after her shower. ‘It was all so weird, so different, like a dream somehow.’ He was lying on his back on the bed, wearing only his jockey shorts, staring up at the ceiling as if its tiled surface held an explanation of some kind. ‘I keep wondering if any of it really happened.’

Belinda looked at him sharply and closely, and found her body reawakened by the view.

Jonathan’s limbs were strong, his torso lean, and his groin full of bulging erotic promise. She experienced a jolt of yearning at the sight of his cock so snugly contained in his close-fitting briefs; and his face too, cast in lines of thought, had a sweet allure. Her familiar boyfriend wasn’t a patrician, mysterious André, or a massive, golden Oren, or even a Michiko, so female and exotic; but he was truly hers, he was always willing, and he loved her. In repose, he was an innocent male temptation.

‘Oh, it happened all right,’ she said in answer to his musings. Turning away, she stood before the mirror and studied her own shape.

Her breasts, her waist and her hips she found pleasing. It had never before occurred to her that she was beautiful, but now, with a clear new perspective, she saw she was. Or at least, she had certain possibilities. She ran a slow, searching hand over the curve of her belly until it reached the fragrant grove at her rousing crotch.

‘Lindi?’ Jonathan’s voice held a new note, and as she turned, still touching her vulva, she discovered him watching her.

Smiling, she withdrew her fingers and looked down to see them glistening. Without conscious thought, she raised them to her lips and tasted desire.

‘Oh, Lindi,’ said Jonathan again, his lust undeniable as he moved up from the pillow and held out his arms.

Belinda went to him, lying down at his side then rolling towards him. His skin felt warm yet somehow invigorating where their bodies touched.

‘You’re cold, sweetheart,’ he muttered, pressing himself lovingly against her breasts and against her belly. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll soon warm you up.’ He slid his hands around her and stroked the swell of her bottom, while between her legs he rubbed her genitals with his thigh.

Belinda moaned, grinding herself against him, humping the taut muscle and feeling a familiar pleasure bloom. Reaching around behind herself, she took Jonathan’s hand and drew his fingers to her anus.

‘Oh yes! Oh yes yes yes!’ she shouted out joyfully, while she rode him – and he industriously stroked. Within seconds she was coming against his skin.

‘Oh Lindi, you are really something special,’ he crooned to her as she fell back against the pillows, slack and sated for the moment. ‘I didn’t think you’d be interested just yet, what with … I dunno … André and all –’

‘But of course I am,’ she said, smiling and opening her eyes, reaching up to touch his face and make him look at her.

Jonathan complied, his own eyes filled with affection, then suddenly, with abject puzzlement.

‘Oh dear God,’ he whispered, his voice almost nothing, his body trembling furiously against hers. His cock was still hard, but the strange shaking wasn’t sex.

‘What is it?’

‘I –’ he began, ‘It –’ He faltered again, then sat up, climbed across her, and slipped off the bed. Taking her hand, he drew her with him towards the mirror. Then, making her face it, he stood behind her and said ‘Look!’

‘What at?’ she demanded, although deep inside her the answer was rapidly dawning.

Reaching around her, Jonathan brushed her fringe from her brow, then slid his hand under her chin to move her a little closer to the glass.

Belinda blinked. And blinked again.

‘Oh, I see …’ she murmured, studying the change she had half-expected with fear and wonder.

Her eyes, which had once been hazel, were now bright blue.