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 later

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

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 her 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.

" Did you see this coming in those cards of yours?"

*