Part 24 (1/2)

Lily could no longer deny the urge to escape, which had been building within her since Emma had revealed her knowledge. Emma's vivid presence filled Lily's head. It was impossible to think about what she'd heard while she was with Emma. I have to go,' she said, taking a few steps back, dragging her eyes away from the house towards Emma's bland, beautiful face. Emma had taken a packet of cigarettes and a slim, ladies' lighter from her skirt pocket and was lighting up. The sun flashed on the chased silver casing of the lighter. The air, momentarily, smelled of petrol.

Of course you do,' she said. I quite understand. This must be... a shock to you. You must go away and think about what I've told you.' She paused, exhaled smoke in a silvery plume, smoke which had touched the inside of her body. Perhaps you should not mention any of this to Owen, just yet.'

Why not?' In fact, Lily hadn't yet considered telling her brother. But she might tell Peverel Othman.

Tell no-one,' Emma said firmly. You are being welcomed into the ways of women, Lily, certain ways. I must ask you to trust me.'

Hadn't Othman asked that of her too? Lily shrugged. All right.' She had no intention of keeping to it.

I mean what I say, my dear,' Emma continued, her eyes fixed unblinkingly upon Lily's. Especially, you must not speak to any of your new friends. If you want Peverel Othman - and I know you do - you must keep silent for now. This knowledge is your tool of control over him. He must not realise you know.'

Lily looked away, felt herself blush. I don't want him,' she said.

Emma came towards her on light feet, touched her hair. Lily, my dear, don't lie to me. He has spoken to certain people here in Little Moor. He knows about you. Othman is more than he seems, a very powerful, dangerous man. You don't realise how close you are to being burned, which is why you must trust me. I know how to handle his type, how to wield the whip to keep the jaws at bay. This is a simple truth.' She smiled. I know you are wondering how I have the right to say these things to you, but all I can tell you is that I am aware of your mother's history, and your own, and really do know what's best for you. It is no coincidence I have come back here now, just as your world is beginning to change. And it is changing, isn't it? I've come back here especially to help you. As a test, I will say this: he will not come to you tonight, nor tomorrow. The next night he may well come to you, but not before.' She stepped back into the shadow. Now go. We shall talk again soon. I look forward to it.'

Lily stared at her for a few moments, and then turned, ran without stopping all the way back down the drive. At the gates, she looked back as she squeezed herself through the rust, but there was no sign of Emma Manden. The shadows seemed to have swallowed her.

Chapter Nineteen.

Friday 23rd October: Cresterfield and Little Moor Daniel Cranton was both embarra.s.sed and delighted to find that Owen had come in the old car to meet him from school. They had not seen each other since very early Thursday morning when Owen had sneaked out of the house; it felt like an eternity to Daniel.

As he walked down the school driveway with a group of friends, one of them said, My G.o.d, who's that?'

Owen had parked the car just beyond the gates, and was leaning against the bonnet, dressed in his city evening clothes of leather and black linen, wearing a pair of shades, his hair a yellow-white mane around his head and shoulders. He was smoking what appeared to be a cigarette, but Daniel knew Owen well enough to suspect it might be more than that. Daniel kept silent during the interminable stroll to the gates, while his friends, who suddenly seemed absurdly young and naive, conjectured about which girl might be the one for whom this outlandish interloper was waiting. In the manner of young males finding themselves in the presence of a superior specimen of their kind, who was clearly a member of a different youth culture to their own, they began to make insulting remarks, which grew ever louder as they approached the car. Daniel cringed inwardly. In a way, he wanted to run, so that no-one would know that Owen was waiting there for him. Another, braver part of him, welcomed the moment of surprise when this fact became obvious.

f.u.c.king weirdo!' one of the boys said loudly, the proud owner of a haircut seen only in places where alternative culture never ventured.

Owen raised his shades. To make matters worse, he was wearing smudged eye-liner, obviously already dressed for this evening's entertainment. Fancy a lift, boy?' he drawled in a fake American accent.

This invoked a babble of outraged and confused braying from Daniel's companions.

Give it a rest, O,' Daniel said, and walked round to get in the pa.s.senger side of the car, before anyone could say anything else.

Owen got in, grinning, and started the engine.

Thanks,' Daniel said. Remember I have to come back here on Monday, and explain myself.'

Only a few more months,' Owen said airily. You could leave now, if you wanted to.'

Daniel declined to respond. And live with you after my father and sister go berserk? he thought. He couldn't bear to look at his school friends, who had all stopped to gawp at Daniel sitting in the car. He could feel his face was bright red. They must know, he thought, they must all know. Oh G.o.d!

What a bunch of p.u.s.s.ies!' Owen said, grimacing at the school boys. Prematurely middle-aged. From school to Daddy's curse of terminal adulthood in a single step, no doubt.' He swung the car around, dangerously close to where the group stood.

Daniel stared at his hands, mortified. We don't all have the benefit of a private income,' he said sourly. Not everyone has the freedom you have, me included.'

True. Can't say it bothers me particularly.' Owen pushed a tape into the ca.s.sette deck, thus precluding further conversation. He drove recklessly through Patterham town centre, narrowly missing pedestrians. Daniel could tell Owen was in a dangerous mood. What this signified in respect of himself, he couldn't guess. Owen had never picked him up before, so what had happened on Wednesday night must have changed things. However, there was no sign that Owen had been desperate to see Daniel. Perhaps a talk was presaged, a request to forget their brief, fumbling intimacy. That might be best, Daniel thought. He wasn't sure he could cope with anything else, even though he yearned for it.

Owen gave no explanation as to why he'd driven over to Patterham, although Daniel noticed some bags from music shops on the back seat, indicating Owen had been treating himself. Perhaps it was a coincidence he'd been about to go home at school closing time. Daniel took off his tie, loosened his s.h.i.+rt collar. He didn't like Owen seeing him in uniform. It made him feel young and conventional.

They drove without speaking until the countryside spread out to either side and the road climbed towards the hill tops. Then Owen said, We'll call in at yours so you can get changed.'

Where are we going?'

Cresterfield. I thought we'd go to Marlene's tonight.'

Daniel frowned. It's a bit early, isn't it?' The club didn't open until ten.

We can eat in town. I'll treat you.'

What about the others, Ray and everyone?'

Owen didn't answer for a moment. They're busy tonight.'

Daniel had never known Ray and the others to be busy', unless Owen was involved. Surely this was a good sign rather than a bad one. Owen clearly wanted to be alone with him. Daniel felt a little encouraged, though more nervous. How could they possibly speak about what had happened? It seemed like a vaguely prurient dream now.

Little Moor appeared empty as they drove up the lane. Owen turned the car onto Low Mede's drive. Daniel noticed him glance quickly at his own cottage before he swung the vehicle beneath a convenient screen of willow branches that drooped across the gravel. Did Lily know that Owen was here? How much did Lily know?

Be quick,' Owen said. He leaned back in his seat and lit a cigarette.

Aren't you coming in?'

No. Go on, then!'

In the attic room, Daniel dressed carefully, outlined his eyes in black, messed up the hair he was not allowed to dye or grow. The house was quiet around him, not even Verity was at home. Perhaps she'd gone out with Louis. Daniel left a note on the kitchen table, paused to stroke Raven's head, plucking up the courage to go back outside. He felt that by donning his other-life attire, he was making some kind of obvious invitation, which Owen would scorn. Presently, he heard the car horn being sounded, forcing him to leave the sanctuary of the house.

Owen made no comment as Daniel got back into the car, pulling on a leather jacket adorned with careful paintings of band logos. They left Little Moor the way they'd come in, without pa.s.sing the cottage.

An hour's drive later, they reached the city. Nothing had been said as loud music had filled the interior of the car the entire time. Owen parked up in a multi-storey and they went to an American restaurant nearby that served Creole food. Daniel felt out of place. He'd never eaten out with Owen before, and their clothes invoked curious glances from the staff of the restaurant. Even the fact that the early hour meant the place was nearly empty didn't make Daniel feel any easier. Owen ate sparingly, drinking ice cold bottles of imported Mexican beer. It didn't feel natural for them to be sitting there like a boy and girl out on a date. It felt weird. What was Owen playing at? He didn't seem to care, sitting there, swigging beer, gazing around the place. Was this supposed to be a treat for Daniel? If so, it didn't feel like one. Not one word was uttered about Wednesday night, neither about the meal or the events after it. Owen talked about music, the CD's he'd bought, which bands he planned to go and see live in the near future. Was he nervous? He didn't seem so. The conversation was normal, how he'd be with Ray and the others, on the nights when they didn't visit the High Place, but now it seemed strained, false.

When Daniel had finished eating - he'd been surprisingly hungry, which was a blessing considering there was nothing else to do but eat as he listened to Owen - Owen paid for the meal with a credit card. Daniel had never seen Owen use one before. Everything was strange now, different.

We'll go to The Angus,' said Owen. This was a pub where the local alternative types met up before going out clubbing. At seven o'clock, it too was nearly empty, but the music was blaring. Owen put some money in the juke box, then a couple of girls he was acquainted with came in and joined them. Owen introduced them to Daniel, even though he must have met them before. Cressida and Letiel, a.s.sumed names, he presumed. They all used a.s.sumed names. Both were tall and skinny, dressed in lacy black rags, with much fishnet-clad thigh and bare cleavage exposed. Cressida had thigh length scarlet plaits, Letiel an astounding mane of green hair extensions. Both were talkative and flirty. Daniel had a feeling Owen had arranged for the girls to meet them there and his heart sank. Girls were always forcing their telephone numbers on Owen, but as far as Daniel knew, he'd never made use of them before. They were enthusing about some band they'd been to see the night before, and Owen joined in with their conversation, apparently fascinated. Daniel sat at the bar, frozen with misery and confusion, ignored by the others who were standing up around him. Owen was drinking too much. How would he drive home? That he might not intend to was unbearable to think about. Daniel decided he might as well get drunk too. He asked Owen to buy him a Jack Daniels, which he thought to be a sophisticated drink. Owen gave him a ten pound note from his jacket without even looking at him.

Do you want a drink?' Daniel asked the girls.

They asked for vodkas, scenting affluence, and downed their half pints of cider quickly.

Alcohol made the time pa.s.s quickly. A number of Letiel and Cressida's friends arrived in groups of two or three, and by the time they were due to move on to Marlene's, Owen and Daniel were in a crowd of about twenty people. Letiel had made an effort to talk to Daniel, and had been telling him about her college course in Fas.h.i.+on. When asked what he did, he waspishly told the truth, expecting mockery. Letiel only said, I wish I'd bothered to stay on at school, now. You can't wait to get out, can you? It's the environment, I think. Stultifying. Still, I wasted a couple of years. It's so much harder now. I wish I had your guts.'

Daniel didn't think it was necessary to have guts to obey the injunctions of his father and his sister. He was surprised by Letiel's reaction, but perhaps she was just being kind. As they left the pub, she linked her arm through Daniel's to walk up the road. He felt slightly drunk, at the stage when it still feels good. Perhaps a c.o.ke was in order once they reached Marlene's. He didn't want to be ill.

Letiel offered to buy him a drink, and laughed when he told her what he wanted, although not spitefully. You're very down to earth, Daniel,' she said. It's obvious you've got great self control!' She had seen him gulping down the Jack Daniels' in The Angus, seemingly with the sole intention of becoming unconscious as quickly as possible. Owen had moved away, chatting animatedly with a few of the people they'd come in with. Daniel felt ignored. Sod him, then, he thought. If Owen wanted to play games, he could get on with it.

Have you got a girlfriend?' Letiel asked.

Daniel caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror behind the bar. No,' he said. I'm gay.' It had been surprisingly easy to say.