Charlotte Stone and the Children of the Nymet Read Online Free PDF Page B

certainly suited her mood but it also reminded her of the very last night she had spent with her family before disaster struck.
    Blocking out the real world she relived the joy of that balmy Andalusian night. In her mind’s eye she could see Edessa desperately trying to keep up with the beautiful Gypsy women, their skirts flaring and faces contorted with concentration and passion as their feet duelled skilfully with the guitarist, while their parents watched from their table at Casa Vargas.
    Her parents! The thought of them brought her down to earth with a bump. ‘Missing presumed dead’. That’s what the report had said. The morning after the fiesta they had departed on a plane to Ghadames where they planned to travel across the Sahara into Egypt. That was the last time she had seen her parents, her mother smiling and waving as she left, blowing them kisses.
    â€˜There we are, one hot chocolate,’ Etienne said, as Charlotte removed her headphones and wiped her eyes furiously on her sleeve.
    He had insisted on accompanying her and she felt it would be rude to refuse, considering. Besides she wanted him to tell her more about Brackenheath, Clarissa and perhaps, most importantly, the mysterious oak tree on the hill.
    â€˜I’ve interrupted you, haven’t I?’ Etienne gave her a pantomime sad face.
    â€˜No it’s fine.’ Charlotte attempted a smile.
    â€˜Alright then, well, as we are going to be travel buddies, how about telling me what brought you to our little village of Brackenheath?’
    Charlotte’s emotions threatened to engulf her again and she had to take a deep breath to steady her voice before she spoke.
    â€˜I’ve come from London to stay with my aunt,’ was all she could manage.
    â€˜Ah the infamous Clarissa Aherne I assume; life will never be dull in that household.’
    Charlotte was beginning to suspect Etienne knew more about her than he was letting on but before she could challenge him, he was already talking again.
    â€˜Judging by your presence in the park, I am guessing you were looking for some private time for reflection. Brackenheath is not measuring up to your expectations I suspect.’
    Charlotte shrugged. She didn’t really have any expectations; life had changed at such a dizzying pace recently it was all she could do to keep up.
    â€˜I shan’t pry my dear,’ Etienne continued, patting her hand reassuringly, ‘and if you do return, the park is certainly the perfect place to be alone. Most people think it’s haunted.’ He laughed as if the idea was preposterous. ‘Personally I think the Fey drove the humans off,’ he added with a whisper.
    Charlotte raised her eyebrows at Etienne’s last comments. He clearly didn’t think believing in imaginary creatures was as crackers as thinking the place might be haunted. She was intrigued.
    â€˜What exactly are “Fey”?’ Charlotte asked him.
    â€˜Oh, my dear girl, where have you been all your life? The Fey Nation lives all around us; they are sometimes known as the “Little People” or the “Lords and Ladies”.’
    â€˜You mean fairies?’ Charlotte couldn’t hide the sarcasm in her voice anymore; she just didn’t believe in such things.
    â€˜Not just fairies anymore: dwarves, drakes, trolls, sprites, selkies… the list is endless. They all come under the banner, and protection, of the Fey Nation. I guess it’s even more important they to stick together now.’
    â€˜And why would they want rid of humans?’ she humoured him.
    Etienne shifted in his seat uncomfortably. ‘Relations between Human and Fey have been less than amicable for a while, ever since the “Tinkerbell Scandal” in fact. They made a formal complaint after that, citing all human fairy stories as insulting and derogatory. As for the local Fey – they blame us for a great many things, not least the state of