I wondered what Lizzie was ranting on about. Great teacher, she was – always went to great pains to explain what was going on.
There was a tall man with a shaven head walking behind the coach, a big dog on either side of him. I crossed my fingers they didn’t sniff us out, for they looked like huge wolfhounds.
‘It’s William Arkwright, the spook I told you about,’ Lizzie said excitedly. ‘He’ll be off hunting our slimy sisters further north. Could be away for days. He’ll certainly need the tide to be right before he can cross the bay again. His place will be deserted – couldn’t be better!’
Lizzie didn’t bother to explain anything, but once the party had moved on, reaching the shore at least half a mile further south, she led us forward again.
‘Are we going to the mill where he lives?’ I asked.
‘We are that, girl. There’s a marsh behind the mill that he keeps free of our slimy sisters. But it’s a place that’s sacred to them. While the cat’s away, the mice will play, I’m sure of it. Every water witch for miles around will head for that marsh. And we’ll be there to meet ’em!’
We journeyed on through the night until we came to the canal again, and turned south along its western bank. Before dawn we left the towpath lest we encounter bargemen or anyone else who might identify Lizzie as a witch. But we didn’t rest; if anything, Lizzie drove us on at an even more furious pace. By now the sky was overcast and a light drizzle was wafting into our faces.
At last, about an hour before dusk, we reached the mill that was home to the spook. It was hidden by trees and surrounded by tall iron palings; a ditch marked the boundary of the garden.
I didn’t like the look of that ditch. Lizzie was dragging me into danger again. I wished we could go home. ‘It’s like the moat that encircles Malkin Tower!’ I exclaimed.
‘Aye, girl, that’s exactly what it is, but it’s a very special kind of moat. Arkwright dissolves tubs of salt in it to keep the water witches out.’ I wondered how we’d make it, but Lizzie didn’t seem too bothered. ‘That won’t stop us. Not as difficult a crossing as that big river. You could easily carry me across. Love to explore that old mill, I would. Old Jacob Stone had that leather egg. No doubt Arkwright’s got something hidden too. That’s what spooks do. If they find something useful to the dark, they either destroy it or hide it away from us!’
Lizzie led the way round to the gate and stared at that broken-down old mill for a long time. I kept thinking she’d ask me to carry her across the moat, but finally she shook her head. I breathed a sigh of relief.
‘I’m tempted, but I’ve decided it’s not worth the risk, girl. Do you know what the biggest danger is?’
I thought for a moment, and then the answer came to me. ‘The dogs,’ I said. ‘If we cross the moat, they’ll get our scent. Arkwright would be able to use those big dogs to hunt us down!’
For a minute Lizzie seemed almost proud of me. ‘That he would, girl. If those wolfhounds can follow the trail of our slimy sisters across a marsh, they’d have no trouble at all finding us. And we need to stay here until our business is done.’
With that, Lizzie turned her back on the mill and led us along a narrow path through the marsh. Slimy bogs with clumps of reeds and marsh grass made up most of it; there were also dark, stagnant pools of water that looked really deep. It was slippery, and I was scared of falling in. And what if there were water witches hiding just below the surface of the bog? It was all very well Lizzie saying that she was going to work with them and form a temporary coven. But they didn’t know that yet, did they? They might just attack anything that moved through their territory. And because Arkwright was away, lots of ’em could be on their way right now! Some might already be here!
Fear heightened my senses, and I kept thinking I saw things out of the corner of my eye, or heard the faintest of ripples or other minute disturbances of the water. Maybe it was just my imagination. Or perhaps it was some small nocturnal insects or water creatures. I could see nothing, but it would be so easy for a water witch to hide beneath that murk and slime, and I half expected a hand to come up out of the bog and grab my ankle. However, soon the footing became less slippery and squelchy; we were walking on dry land again. As we climbed a small hill, I saw a couple of stone walls and the foundations of a building at its summit.
‘This is called Monks’ Hill,’ Lizzie told me. ‘This was once a monastery – until the monks were taken and drained of their blood one by one. This marsh used to be home to scores of water witches who did as they liked. Until the spooks grew stronger in the County, that is. Even now, but for Arkwright and his dogs they’d soon be back for good. Ain’t no doubt about that, girl.’
Lizzie led the way to the top of the incline and hunkered down with her back to the wall, facing the marsh. I settled down at her side and followed her gaze. Nothing moved, but I felt very uneasy. There wasn’t even a breath of wind, and a mist was starting to rise, its snake-like tendrils twisting up onto the lower slopes of the hill.
Suddenly Lizzie sniffed three times before giving me an evil grin. ‘They’ll be here shortly, but I’d as soon watch ’em for a while without being seen.’
Didn’t bother sniffing myself, did I: I was sure Lizzie was right – I could sense danger approaching.
She began to mutter under her breath, and I recognized the cloaking spell.
‘That should keep us hidden,’ Lizzie said.
I was confused. ‘I thought you wanted to form a coven with them?’
‘It all depends which of our slimy sisters show up here,’ she replied. ‘Most water witches are stupid – little better than animals. In return for a bit of blood they’ll help me capture the seven children I need. But there’s one sister who is really dangerous – I don’t want any dealings with her: she’d want the egg all for herself. Her name is Morwena, and her father was the Fiend himself. No, we don’t want her to see us!’
As Lizzie spoke the name ‘Morwena’, a ripple of cold fear ran right up my spine. I felt sure I’d heard that name before; it was as if someone had walked over my grave.
I was surprised to see fear in Lizzie’s eyes too. ‘How dangerous is she?’ I asked. ‘Has she powerful dark magic?’
‘Aye, that she has, girl. She’s stronger and faster than any of her sisters, and she has a deadly weapon – a blood-filled eye. One glance and you’re paralysed, rooted to the spot like a defenceless tree before a forester with a big sharp axe. You’re helpless while she sinks her sharp fangs into your throat. So, if we see her here tonight, we’ll leave and look elsewhere for the help I need.’