The Knapthorne Conspiracy by Malcolm Ballard (best english novels for beginners txt) 📕

he was just stating a plain fact. “I’ll be lookin’ forward to your order, then, ladies.” Jane made a face at Bella as he left them.

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“Well, that put me in my place, darling, didn’t it!” Bella couldn’t help laughing.

“I’d more or less asked him the same thing and been given a similar answer.” She looked suddenly thoughtful. “Didn’t you feel that Samuel didn’t want Alfie to talk to me?” Jane didn’t reply immediately, thinking back to what had happened.

“Not especially. Seems to be the boss just doesn’t want him out here around people who don’t know him.” She took a drink from her glass. “You sure you’re not getting paranoid?”

“Probably,” Bella agreed. “Ok, let’s have a look at this,” she said, opening the menu. “What do you fancy for lunch?”

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They placed their order and the food came within fifteen minutes. Over lunch, the talk turned, once again, to the matter of Bella’s next book and the problem she was facing.

“The only reason I said to put the deadline out of your mind, darling, is that it tends to have such a restricting influence, creativity-wise. Free your mind up and let it range over topics and situations rather than have it blighted by a distant date. Once you start writing, the deadline factor should become more manageable.”

“I understand what you’re saying, Jane, and it does make sense but it seems as though I’m staring into a black hole!” The idea seemed to amuse Jane.

“It will happen, believe me,” she laughed, “and when it does, you won’t be able to get the words on paper quickly enough. Look at your strengths, from Lingering Doubts. The way you drew people into that experience, so it became their situation and they could identify so closely with it. It had me in tears and that doesn’t happen too often.” Bella thought about that, and how personal the whole episode had been for her. So should she look for something closer to home for inspiration? A personal drama with a topical flavour. She didn’t know, and that was the problem. She let out a sigh of frustration, wanting to get on with it yet unable to. It was very disconcerting. Jane sensed Bella’s mood and decided to mention something that had been on her mind although, originally, she had intended to keep it to herself.

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“For what it’s worth,” she began, without emotion, and secured Bella’s immediate attention. “I wasn’t going to say anything about this because I didn’t know how you’d take it.” Much to Bella’s annoyance, Jane picked up her glass and drained it.

“Say anything about what, for God’s sake?” Bella said, impatiently, as Jane put her glass down.

“It’s just that I’ve noticed an atmosphere in the cottage…” Bella went to interrupt but Jane held her hand up to prevent her. “…and before you say anything, I’m not making this up, and it’s difficult to explain precisely what it is.” Bella looked incredulous.

“When did you notice it?”

“Yesterday evening, and I felt it this morning, too.” Bella’s eyes narrowed and she studied her editor’s face a little more intently.

“I think you’re winding me up! I haven’t noticed anything and I’ve been there often enough now. Tell me more. What do you mean by an atmosphere? Explain yourself!” Most unusually, Jane looked somewhat sheepish.

“Would that I could. I don’t know, Bell, it’s like a sixth sense, I guess. Like another presence. “Bella’s interest was suddenly heightened although she wasn’t certain she liked the implication of what she had heard.

“A presence?” she repeated. “What sort of a presence.” Jane tried to lighten the conversation, not wanting to upset her friend.

“Look, we’re not talking The Exorcist, here. There’s a feeling I get. It wouldn’t put me off coming to the place or anything, sweetie.” Knowing Jane only too well, Bella couldn’t make up her mind whether she was pulling her leg or not.”

Are you sure you’re not trying to get my brain kick-started with this?” Placing a hand on her chest, Jane feigned astonishment.

“Me, darling? Never! I assure you.” Leaning closer, in a conspiratorial manner, she lowered her voice. “You started this, remember. ‘I felt that Samuel didn’t want Alfie to talk to me.’ Wasn’t that what you said?” It was true that, from the moment she and Ben had walked into the saloon bar of The Lamb, Bella had detected a reaction to her association with Willow Cottage. Or imagined as much, anyway. And she had related the fact to Jane. Then a memory from long, long ago came back to her. Dim recollections of an evening at her mother’s house in Tuscany.

“My mother had a friend, once. A psychic.” The look on Jane’s face revealed more than a little scepticism. “Don’t laugh, Bentley. I’ve witnessed the woman at work and she was no charlatan.”

“What’s your point then, darling?” she asked, playing with her ear.

“This woman maintained that many people had similar powers to hers, often to a lesser extent, but most were unaware of their gift, as she called it.”

“So?” Bella inhaled, noisily.

“If you'll just be patient, I’ll tell you!” Bella finished her drink and ran her tongue over her lips. “I’d love a coffee in a minute.”

“Just tell me about this psychic, will you, then I’ll see about the coffee!” Jane exclaimed. “Though Christ knows what you’ll get in here,” she added, as an afterthought. Bella’s mind was working along the same lines as she returned to her tale.

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“Rhonda, this woman, told me that people often had experiences like the one you’ve just described and shrugged them off when, in reality, they had been exposed to some kind of psychic phenomenon.” Jane stared at her, for the briefest of moments, without speaking.

“Bullshit!’ she commented, dismissively. “I think that sort of thing is a load of bollocks, darling, if you want my opinion.” Even as she spoke, Jane recalled having felt the same way before, on occasion, and tried to cast her mind back to think of exactly when.

“You don’t look entirely convinced, if I might say