Chapter 24

The same evening - at Polly's - Thursday, 10-June [Sarah]

I heard the car in the drive. Car door slamming. Footsteps. Coming quickly. Hopeful. The front door. I couldn't move, or breathe. Life was poised on a knife-edge, the pendulum suspended at one end of the swing. Then he was in the room striding down, Barbara standing and being moved out of the way. He looked haggard; his beard untrimmed, hair untidy, wearing slacks and an old sweatshirt. Weary. The pendulum began to swing. I put a hand out to him and he took it, standing over me looking down.

"Robert?"

"Sarah!" Staring down at me. "Why didn't you tell me you were called Sally?"

What did it matter what I was called. A rose by any other name...

"You never asked. Just said 'You must be Sarah Franklin' on that first day. I'm Sarah here, Sally at home." Polly stepped forward, then thought better of if. "I thought it was a bit of a joke at first, then I got to like it. Does it matter?"

He shook his head looking at me in wonder, "Oh Sarah! You have no idea. Did Elizabeth know?" Polly came forward, anxious now.

"Polly! This is witch business." He was serious and Polly backed off.

Witch business? Never mind, I could feel love radiating from him. Swing away pendulum, I'm all on board.

"Of course she knew," I told him, "She thought it was joke too, you never asking what I was 'called' - rather than what was written on my registry papers. Does it matter?"

He sighed wearily. "Not any more... well yes it does, but it can wait... now. Why did nobody tell me."

Tears. Tears raining on my face. Tears for me this time.

"Polly, you were in charge of the bloody Mafia. Why didn't you know?" Polly looked hurt and puzzled.

"Oh, sorry! Just a minute. I can't think straight," he said.

Standing in front of me. "I thought you were dead. I knew you were dead! That bloody haunting - remember - I told you. And then again on Friday. But now I know that I can't live without you. It might be hard work, but will you try? Can I touch you?"

Pendulum just slow down for a while, so I can remember this moment for ever.

I stood up. Time seemed to have slowed down. Perhaps I was light-headed from the wine.

"I won't break and I'll try as hard as you need. No choice." Arms round me. Held against the big hard body feeling his warmth. Feet off the ground. Kissing me. Kissing him. Hands everywhere. My body quiet, no urgency. I shall sleep tonight. It would be nice to have you somewhere near me though.

"There's nothing of you!"

Heart's still here. Loving.

"Oh! Sarah," he went on, "When old Buckley was rude as we were leaving the Ball, I tried to remember what he'd said to Elizabeth last year. I wanted to tell you - before I went back to kissing you. It was funny. I wanted to share it. But I had another haunting instead. Everything was the same, place, Buckley, the dress, not that dissimilar in the dark, passion and promise. Exactly the same - well, near enough. Only the woman different. Then you were Elizabeth and Sarah was dead and I was holding a corpse. That ghastly light shining on your face and you were all pinched and frightened. It was a skull." Laying me on the settee, sliding under my head. Arm holding, hand stroking, head in his lap.

I could sleep here. Happy. Oh! more than happy. OK pendulum, off you go.

"Don't go, Polly. I'll tell her all the little things later."

"I'm gripped. Hoping to hear the end of the story. I was just going for some food - in case Sarah wants some more. I suppose you want some too."

"Thanks Polly... for everything. Especially for everything" he was hugging me possessively.

Oh! That's nice.

He called out, "Polly. While you're up, ring first witch and ask her why the hell she didn't tell me who Sally was."

He thought, then went on "And find out what on earth was more important. Something must have distracted her - apart from the whisky."

He turned back to look down at me, "Oh! Little pet. It's all going to work. Might take a while, but success is guaranteed. God! I'm glad you're safe."

"Did you get on all right with Dad?" I asked him, "He calls me 'Little Pet'."

"You're taking us all out to lunch tomorrow. Your mum and dad and me. We men are going to play snooker while you women gossip. Then you're buying us a pricey lunch. OK"

A twitch of fear before I remembered that I still had a pocketful of cash.

"I'm glad that's all right. Will you stay with me tonight?" I asked hopefully.

"I'll stick like glue."

Polly came in with sandwiches and the wine bottle. Gosh! I felt hungry again. Robert patted my tummy. Quite a little bulge there, but settled. A bit of shuffling around, then settled again, with Robert feeding me. Polly looked puzzled, her brow crumpled, thinking, about to speak.

Robert raised a hand. "Don't tell me yet. I think I know. Girl or boy?"

Polly was spluttering. "How the hell did you know? She's says its a girl. She says they've called her Sarah. How the hell... ?"

I looked up at Robert, enquiring.

Robert explained smugly, "Catherine thinks she's pregnant, thinks it's a girl and she'll be called Sarah after you."

He was looking at Polly. "And she thought I knew about Sally didn't she? And she knew it was important, but not why."

Polly looked really puzzled now. Me too, but limping along behind. Watching witches fight it out.

"Spot on. Word for word. Have you been talking to Catherine?"

"Witches don't need to talk."

"But you're no witch. "

"Exactly. If I had been, there wouldn't have been a problem. I'd have known. But Catherine knew! Elizabeth must have told her. And told her to make sure I knew. And she forgot! Hell, we went through the whole business, Sarah, the will, everything. I suppose it was the bloody whisky. We were both too drunk to make up a bed, so we slept together." Chuckling. His hand gentle, comforting, reassuring, promising. "I think she was even nervous that I might respond." Faint light dawning in Polly's eye.