Read The Shade of Hettie Daynes for Free Online Page A

her daughter, spoke softly. ‘What’s up, Bethan? You
know
what’s up. I told you Hettie Daynes was my great, great auntie. She was an actual person, not somebody out of a silly tale. She lived here in Wilton, just like you and me. Something terrible happened to her, and she lost her mind. She wasn’t something to
dress up
as, in the hope of winning a competition. It’s like dressing up as one of those poor starving toddlers in Africa, or somebody who’s been maimed by a bomb. You just don’t
do
that sort of thing, Bethan. It’s . . . it’s in bad taste.’
    ‘But, Mum . . .’ Bethan looked stricken. ‘Aly was so excited when she told me – how can I tell her she’s got to forget the whole thing?’
    Her mother shook her head. ‘You must just
tell
her, Bethan. Unless you’d rather
I
told her.’
    ‘Uh . . . no thanks, Mum – I’ll see to it.’

TWENTY-THREE
    FIRST THING TUESDAY morning, Bethan found her friend in the yard. ‘Hi, Aly.’
    ‘Hi yourself.’ Alison studied Bethan’s face. ‘What’s up – you look like you lost a solid gold bangle or something.’
    Bethan sighed. ‘It’s worse than that. Listen. I’ve something to tell you, and a favour to ask.’
    ‘Go on.’
    Bethan told her friend what happened yesterday tea time. When she’d finished, Aly said, ‘Oh heck – I can see why your mum’s upset. You’re going to ask me to drop the idea, aren’t you?’
    ‘No.’ Bethan shook her head. ‘I was awake half the night thinking, and you won’t need to drop it – just change it a bit.’
    ‘Change it
how
?’
    ‘Well, you think the
ghost
is Hettie, don’t you?’
    ‘Ye-es.’
    ‘So don’t go as Hettie Daynes, just go as the ghost.’
    ‘That’ll make a difference?’
    ‘ ’
Course
it will. Mum doesn’t believe in the ghost – says it’s only a tale, so if you go as the ghost she’ll have no objection.’ She gazed at her friend. ‘Do it, Aly – for me. It’ll still be original.’
    Alison was quiet for a moment, then she nodded. ‘Yes, OK.’ She pulled a face. ‘I’ll need a long black skirt instead of a torn one, and lots of white make-up instead of dirt.’ She grinned. ‘I’ll be like a Goth. And I’ll stand pointing down like she does. It’ll be
dead
dramatic.’
    Tea time, Bethan said, ‘Mum, I talked to Aly. She’s changed her mind, she won’t go as Hettie Daynes. She’s going as the ghost of Wilton Water.’
    Christa nodded. ‘That’s much better, Bethan. And what about you – what will
you
go as?’
    Harry grinned. ‘She could go as
herself
, Mum – scare everyone to death.’
    ‘Yes,’ snapped Bethan, ‘or I could go as
you
– I don’t think anyone’s been as the village idiot before.’

TWENTY-FOUR
    NOTHING MUCH HAPPENED in the next few days. Thursday, Harry and Rob took a detour on the way home to check out Wilton Water. The level was down a bit, but the main change was that the footpath round the reservoir had been sealed off at both ends by high mesh fences.
    ‘Bummer!’ growled Rob, hooking his fingers through the mesh and shaking it. ‘I was dying to see what’s left of Hopwood Mill. Now we can’t get near.’
    Harry shook his head. ‘I don’t know why old Well ’ard bothered sending that note round, it’s like a flippin’ prison camp. Only needs towers with lights and machine guns.’
    Rob pulled a face. ‘Probably putting them up tomorrow.’ He hacked at the turf with the toe of his shoe. ‘We could tunnel under though – the mesh doesn’t continue underground.’
    Harry tried a bit of hacking himself. He grinned. ‘Sound idea, my friend. Got to get in somehow – I promised my sister an adventure.’ He gazed through the fence at the darkening water. ‘
The Phantom of Wilton Water
, starring Harry and Bethan Midgley. Best supporting actor, Rob Hattersley.’
    ‘Clown.’ Rob turned to leave, and groaned. ‘Oh no.’
    Carl Hopwood was leaning in the gateway with his hands in his pockets, watching