Limbo Lodge by Joan Aiken

Author:Joan Aiken [Joan Aiken ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2010-08-31T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

AS THEY WALKED DOWN THE HILL, THE MIST rose again and swirled about them.

“How very lucky we were to have that interval of sunshine,” said Herodsfoot happily.

He seemed unaware of any atmosphere, other than the mist. But Dido, walking between Yorka and Talisman, noticed Yorka give a quick, glancing look upwards at the doctor; Talisman’s face remained completely blank.

“Yes; that was a piece of luck,” she said after a moment.

“I suppose,” Herodsfoot teased her, “now that my name is written up on that rockface in your handwriting, you’d say that put me in your power?”

“Would I say so?”

“Because of your being a Kanikke. And that being such a sacred place.”

“Are you trying to make fun of the things the Forest People believe? I thought you sympathised with the Forest People? And understood their beliefs?”

“I do understand them. And I go halfway – well, one-third of the way – to sharing some of their beliefs. Isn’t that enough? Nobody can share all of anybody else’s beliefs. I know that one must be respectful; and on no account must one make fun of them. Isn’t that enough?”

Suddenly his voice, his face had grown very anxious. “Dear Talisman, I’ll believe in the fairy queen and Robin Goodfellow and – and King Oberon and the whole bag of tricks if only you won’t be cross with me.”

“It was never my intention to – oh,” she cried out impatiently, “how I wish we had not been obliged to come here! The Forest People are quite right, it is a bad-luck place.”

The mist had dispersed by the time they reached the grove where the horses had been tethered, and they saw there was a woman, one of the Forest People, waiting there. When she saw Talisman she made a deep bow and then fell on her knees beseechingly.

“Wise One, will you come to my wocho? It is my son – my little Oynat—” She spoke the Dilendi language; by now Dido understood enough to follow, and it seemed the doctor did too. “It is his eyes, Excellence. He sees nothing but devils. He is very much afraid. So are we all . . .”

“Yes, of course I will come.” Talisman picked up her medical bag which she had left with the horses. “How far is it?”

“In the forest – two, perhaps three hours from here.”

Herodsfoot began to protest. “But what about our plan to go to Limbo Lodge?”

“I must see what I can do for this woman’s son,” Talisman said patiently. “When I have done that, I will either join you this evening – where do you spend the night . . .?”

“It is at the house of a man called Ruiz – an Angrian, but he lives by himself in the forest,” Herodsfoot said. “Tylo has been telling me about him.”

“Well, if I can get there by midnight I will find somebody to guide me. Or I will come tomorrow morning.”

Herodsfoot seemed wholly dissatisfied with this plan, but Talisman had already mounted her mule. “Yorka, will you come with me? In case there is anything I don’t understand?” Yorka nodded.

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