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I refused to let the mutterings of protests and warnings from the others cloud my mind. I’d made a decision, and I was sticking to it. I didn’t know how long I had left with Johnnie. I was going to make the most of every moment.
Chapter 7
Lowen
By focusing on Sirius, Keely, Emrick, Sky and I found ourselves in the churchyard of St Mary’s on the cliff top at Whitby.
As Keely and Sky hurried towards the church, I gazed down on the jumble of red-roofed cottages below us, the River Esk, and the sea beyond, and for an unaccountable reason I found myself shivering. I could sense such sadness here that I was almost suffocating in it.
‘Lowen?’
Emrick’s voice was gentle in my ear, and I forced myself to turn away from the view below me and focus on him.
‘Are you all right, my boy?’
‘I—I don’t know,’ I admitted. ‘I had such a funny feeling come over me. I felt such despair.’
He eyed me compassionately for a moment and nodded, placing his hand on my shoulder. ‘Come away now, Lowen. We have work to do.’
I glanced over his shoulder and stared up at the church. ‘What are we doing here?’
‘I expect Sirius is inside, asking people if they’ve seen Trinity,’ Emrick said with a sigh. ‘It’s fruitless, of course, but if it gives him something to do…’
‘You don’t think he’ll find her?’
‘Not that way, no. But then, neither do you, do you?’
I hesitated, but what was the point of lying? ‘No,’ I said heavily. ‘I don’t.’
‘Yet here you are, determined to help him.’
‘What else can I do?’ I asked helplessly. ‘It’s not as if I have my magic to help him, is it?’
‘But I do, and I have connections,’ he said, suddenly smiling. ‘Come on now, don’t give up hope. We’re not done yet, and the longer there’s no news the more optimistic I feel.’
‘You do?’
‘Of course. Look what they did to Zephyr. Now, he would have been a superb bargaining chip, but for some reason they didn’t use him. We’ve heard nothing about Trinity. No blackmail demands and—most importantly—no body. I believe if someone had taken her with bad intentions we would have had one or the other long before now.’
‘Then where is she?’
‘I’m not sure,’ he admitted, ‘but I’m hoping Sister Agnes will have an idea. And on that note I shall find her. Stick with Sirius. Make sure he doesn’t do anything reckless.’
I nodded and he squeezed my shoulder.
‘I’m very proud of you, Lowen. I hope you know that.’
‘I don’t see why,’ I said. ‘I haven’t done anything.’
‘Remember the frightened solicitor who was so terrified when he heard the word witches that he spilled his tea? That wasn’t so very long ago, was it, and look at you now. You’re going to be amazing.’
I didn’t feel amazing, or anywhere near it, but before I could voice my doubts Emrick had moved off, striding purposefully towards the hundred and ninety-nine steps. At least he was travelling the normal way for once.
I shook my head then turned back to the church. Time to find Sirius and see if he’d made any progress, as doubtful as that was.
He was, as Emrick had predicted, inside the building, asking visitors if they’d spotted Trinity on their travels and showing them her photograph. Judging by the desperate look on his face he was getting nowhere fast.
My heart sank as I saw how tired and scared he looked. He’d been at this for hours and I doubted very much that he’d stopped to eat something, or even have a drink. The July sunshine was hot, and he needed to take care of himself. How much longer could he keep doing this? I just hoped Emrick had some news for us at the end of the day.
