Read Julia for Free Online

while their daughter fought uselessly for breath, had frantically decided to attempt an emergency tracheotomy. Kate had bled to death by the timethe ambulance arrived. By Magnus’s report, Julia had been very calm, very controlled throughout: only the next day did she get funny. Even now she looked flushed and breathless; and was drinking far too much gin.
    “Well, tell me about this house of yours,” Lily said. “What number in Ilchester Place is it?”
    “Twenty-five.”
    “How odd that you should move to that street. Perhaps it is not odd at all, given that London is the sort of place in which all sorts of recurrences and coincidences occur.”
    “Lily, what are you trying to say?”
    “My brother used to visit a house in Ilchester Place, a long time ago. It was while he was at Cambridge. I believe he had a friend there.”
    This comment fed a familiar stream of bitterness in Julia, who said, “Magnus and his friends. How boring all of that is. Maybe it comes from his having such an old, powerful soul.”
    “Yes, it does,” said Lily, who seemed to be a little hurt.
    “Lily, I’m sorry,” Julia quickly said. “Can’t we two be friends, without any relationship to Magnus? I want to begin a new life, I have to live on my own, I can’t stand to think of Magnus and I’m afraid to see him, so that’s done, but I want your friendship very much.”
    “Why, my dear,” said Lily, “of course you have it. I want what is best for you. We
are
friends.”
    Julia felt close to tears. “I’m going to have a new life,” she said, almost defiantly. “I want your help.”
    “Of course,” Lily said, reaching out and taking Julia’s hand. It was cold from her icy glass, and some grains of sand still clung to it. She allowed Julia to weep for a few moments in silence.
    “You need something to do, you know,” she said afterJulia’s noiseless crying had ended. “Only bores suggest their interests to other people, but how would you like to attend our next gathering? Mrs. Fludd is our new interpreter. She was a real find, the most
sensitive
sensitive I’ve met since poor dear Mr. Carmen died. Not personally, of course. She is a real old cockney, tough as a boot. But she has the gift to an astounding degree. I am very enthusiastic about her—but if you scoff at these old-fashioned performances, my feelings won’t be bruised. It would be something for you to do, however.”
    Ordinarily Julia would have made some excuse, but she was touched by Lily’s kindness, and this made her feel guilty for her earlier deliberate rudeness. “Just tell me where and when,” she said. “It might be fun.” Then a troubling thought occurred to her. “They won’t … she won’t … do anything about getting in touch with … I mean …”
    “There’s no question of it,” Lily said firmly. “Really, people have the most obsolete idea about what we do. I suppose you expect ectoplasm leaking from shadowy cabinets.”
    “Okay,” Julia said, smiling. “Just call me whenever your gang has its next meeting.”
    “Fine,” Lily said, clearly pleased. “Now I think I want to give you a present. In return, I hope you will allow me to snoop enviously through your house as soon as possible. Now excuse me.”
    Lily left the terrace, and Julia closed her eyes for a moment. We make a wonderful pair, Lily and I, Julia thought, we’re both out of our tiny minds. She thought of going round to see Mark, and then she ceased to think of anything at all.
    Lily awakened her by stroking her shoulder. She was carrying a large yellow book under her arm, and had a pair ofscissors in her other hand. “My dear, you’ve been asleep for half an hour,” she said.
    “I’ve just been thinking about Mark,” Julia said. “I’d like to see Mark.” She felt once more full of energy.
    “That might not be very clever, dear,” Lily immediately said. “You’d be far wiser to leave Mark alone.”
    Lily, having lost one brother to Julia,