The Macbeth Prophecy (30 page)

With a high keening note the Smith twins flung themselves across Philip's body and somewhere on the edge of the crowd Eve screamed, “Break the trance for God's sake! Douglas – Douglas wake up!”

Blinded, numb with horror, Madeleine was aware of people running forward, bending over the three motionless bodies; aware, too, that they had no need of such ministrations. The drama was played out, and any power the Circle might have contained was draining harmlessly away into the waiting earth. And she knew instinctively that from this day forward, twins in Crowthorpe would be no different from any others. They had had their chance and lost it, for all time.

Incapable of movement, she continued to stand there, her mind fretting at the edges of concepts too vast for comprehension, and it was Jason's ringing call, clear above the confused babble within the Circle, that finally broke through her paralysis. Sobbing with terror and relief, she threaded her way through the milling crowd and ran stumbling to meet him.

Epilogue

 

 

St Botolph's Vicarage, Crowthorpe. 30th August.

Dear Jason,

I'm sending you under registered cover an incredible document which has come into my possession. It was deposited in a bank safe by Matthew Selby about a year ago, with instructions that in the event of his death it should be sent to me to deal with as I think fit. No doubt it would be of interest to psychiatrists but I'm reluctant to let it “out of the family”, since it deals with a part of all our lives. I'm inclined to think that the best course would be to give it, like its author, a decent burial.

I think you'll agree that the Selbys emerge from it as the closest and also the most susceptible of all the twins, and we're left with the unanswerable question of whether or not events would have taken the course they did, had they not been subjected to Janetta's fatal “Macbeth prophecy”.

Regarding their mental state, Eve is convinced that after the Carters' proclamation of divinity – how incredible it feels to write that! – they actually identified themselves as the bear gods. The one fact that emerges from the whole sorry business is the danger inherent in these old superstitions and the power they can still exert.

Things here are teetering back to normal. The post mortem confirmed that Matthew's death was due to heart failure, brought on no doubt by extreme fear. The Hardacres, I'm glad to say, have left Crowthorpe, and the Smith boys have been taken into care. We can only pray that no irreparable harm has been done to them.

I hope that Madeleine has now recovered from her ordeal. Please give her our regards, and we hope to see you both again one day, in much happier circumstances.

With best wishes from Eve and myself,

DOUGLAS BRAITHWAITE.