Chapter 17. Ophelia


    The books in the window had been a good trick, but


    Yolanda didn''t want to push her luck.


    The local policeman she was paying to turn a blind eye


    to her fortune telling told her that she was starting to attract


    too much attention. It was time to pack up and go north


    to the mid-lands where the army camps were the size of


    small towns. There would be plenty of opportunities for an


    enterprising woman such as herself to make some money.


    There was a knock on the door.


    It was a young man who wanted to buy a book out of


    the window. Yolanda hid her surprise - the books all had


    prices on them, but she''d never actually sold one.


    She gave the books to the pigeon''s after they paid for a


    reading, that way if the law was to get involved laterThe tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    she had an out. She could say she was selling the books


    and giving free demonstrations of the craft.


    No laws broken here your Honour.


    The young man introduced himself - Finn. He was quietly


    spoken and polite, which made it easy for Yolanda to talk


    him into a card reading he didn''t want.


    Another pigeon and some extra money for the road.


    Yolanda lit the scented candles on the sitting room table.


    She told Finn to deal out six cards face down.


    ''''The first pair will represent your past, the second pair


    your present and the third pair your future."


    She let her words hang in the air to add some drama.


    ''''Before you turn the cards, show me your hands."


    Finn put his hands on the table palms up and Yolanda


    placed her hands on top of his. "Close your eyes."


    Sitting like this she could usually pick up clues about the


    pigeon and weave them into the reading for good effect.


    His hands were soft - a young man who hasn''t had to do


    hard physical labour, from a wealthy family perhaps.


    An unsettling feeling of losing her balance started to come


    over her. Yolanda tried to let go of Finn''s hands.


    She became frightened when no matter how hard she tried,


    she couldn''t. Finn''s eyes were still closed.


    A woman''s voice spoke.


    "You have flown in the wrong window little bird."


    Yolanda screamed as an aura of darkness began to bloom


    behind Finn. It grew and grew until it filled the room and


    Yolanda was lost in it.


    An ice cold hand touched her shoulder.


    "If you ever want to feel the warmth of the Sun on your face


    again, you will do exactly what I tell you."


    *


    Days later, down stream from the Osney bridge, a lock


    keeper saw a body in the reeds. He recognized who it was


    straight away - the gypsy woman Yolanda.


    She was floating face up in the reeds with her eyes open.


    With the War going badly and the lists of casualties growing,


    his wife and other ladies from the parish went to Yolander asking


    about their loved ones fighting in France.


    All desperate for hope the lock keeper thought.


    The river water was cold and it made his bones ache as he


    pulled her body to the bank.


    "I wonder if you saw this coming, in those cards of yours?"


    *