Joseph Delaney - The Spook's Mistake

With those words Arkwright staggered out, closing the door behind him, but I could hear him singing 'A-hunting we will go,' as he struggled drunkenly to unlock his own door. So, without getting undressed, I lay down on the bed. I might be a sound sleeper but I was good at knowing the time, even when asleep, and if I put my mind to it, I'd wake up just before the bells began to chime.

I was tired after our long walk to Coniston and slept soundly for the two hours, but I woke up suddenly just before the church bell began to peal. Instinctively I knew that it was midnight but I counted out the chimes just to be certain.

However, when I reached the outer door, Arkwright wasn't there. I checked outside, then went back to his room. I paused outside and listened: I could hear the sound of snoring. I rapped softly on the door, and when there was no answer, eased it open very slowly. Claw and Tooth gave simultaneous low growls as I stepped into the room but then their tails began to wag.

Arkwright was lying on the bed, fully-clothed. His mouth was wide open and he was snoring very loudly.

'Mr Arkwright,' I said close to his ear. 'Mr Arkwright, sir, it's time to get up. '

I called his name several more times but to no avail. Finally I shook him by the shoulder and he sat up very suddenly, his eyes wide, face twisted with anger. At first I thought he was going to hit me so I spoke quickly.

'You asked me to meet you outside at midnight but it's well after that now. '

I saw understanding flicker into his eyes; he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and came unsteadily to his feet.

There were two lanterns on the bedside table and he lit both and handed one to me. Then he staggered out of his room and down the steps, clutching his head and groaning a little. He led the way through the back yard onto the moonlit slope beyond. I glanced up at the rear of the tavern; all the upstairs windows were in darkness but the downstairs ones still cast bright shafts of light onto the ground. From within I could hear raucous voices and someone singing tunelessly.

The clouds had dissipated and the air was crisp and sharp. The two dogs followed at our heels, their eyes gleaming with excitement. It was a steady climb up the southern slopes of the Old Man until snow crunched under our feet. It wasn't very deep and the surface was just starting to freeze.

Once we reached the shore of Goat's Water, Arkwright came to a halt. The small lake had been well-named: a mountain goat would have been far more at home on its steep banks and overhanging crags than a human. The near shore was dotted with large boulders, making access difficult. But Arkwright had not stopped to look at the view. To my surprise, he bent forward very suddenly and began to vomit violently, gushing ale and hotpot onto the ground. I turned my back on him and walked away, my stomach heaving. He was ill for some time but then the retching stopped and I heard him sucking in big breaths of night air.

'Do you feel well, Master Ward?' he asked, tottering towards me.

I nodded. He was still breathing very heavily and there was a film of sweat on his brow.

'That hotpot must have been off. I'll be giving the landlord a piece of my mind in the morning, make no mistake about that!'

Arkwright took another deep breath and wiped his forehead and mouth with the back of his hand. 'I don't feel too well. I think I need to rest for a little while,' he said.

We found a boulder close by for him to rest against and sat together in near silence, save for his occasional groans and the odd whimper from the dogs.

After ten minutes I asked if he felt a little better. He nodded and tried to stand, but his legs seemed to buckle beneath him and he sat down again heavily.

'Should I go on alone, Mr Arkwright?' I suggested. 'I don't think you're well enough to search round here, let alone make it all the way to Coniston Water.'

'Nay, lad, you can't go off alone. Whatever would Mr Gregory say, with Morwena in our midst? Another five minutes and I'll be right as rain.'

But in another five minutes he was throwing up the last of the ale and hotpot and it was clear that he wasn't fit to hunt for Morwena that night.

'Mr Arkwright,' I said, 'I think I'd better leave you here and take a look round myself — or we could go back to the inn and search for Morwena tomorrow night.'

'We've got to do it tonight,' Arkwright said. 'I want to get back to the mill as soon as possible. I've been away way too long as it is.'

'Well, let me search round Coniston Water then,' I said. 'I'll take one of the dogs with me — I'll be fine.'

Reluctantly he agreed. 'All right. You win. I'm not well enough to make it to Coniston Water tonight. You head back the way we came towards the north-west of the lake and search there. Keep your lantern shielded so you won't draw any unwelcome attention. If you see Morwena — or indeed anyone else acting suspiciously — don't take any chances. Just follow them at a distance. Beware of that bloodeye and just try to find out where they go to ground. Apart from that, do nothing. Just watch and report back to me here.

'If I feel better, I'll have a look around here; then, later, we can check out Lever's Water together. And take the bitch with you,' he commanded. 'It'll give you a better chance if you run into trouble. Reckon you can find your way back to Coniston Water from here?'

I nodded. The map was fixed inside my head.

'Right. Good luck and I'll see you back here.'

Without waiting for a reply, he bent down and whispered into Claw's ear, then patted her three times. After pulling the wooden shutters across the lantern, I headed for Coniston Water, Claw walking obediently at my side. I'd only gone a few steps when I heard Arkwright retching and groaning again. I was sure there was nothing wrong with the hotpot. The ale must have been very strong and he'd downed it far too quickly.

So with Claw at my side, I headed towards Coniston Water and the moon, which was climbing slowly above the trees.

As I walked down the hill, retracing my steps towards the village, an eerie cry came from directly ahead. I waited, tense and alert, sensing danger. There was something familiar about the sound. It could well be some sort of warning cry or signal. But then the strange call came again, almost directly overhead, and suddenly I remembered that I'd heard it before — on the marsh just minutes before I met Morwena and she'd dragged me into the slime. Immediately I glimpsed something flying back towards Goat's Water.

Without doubt it was some sort of bird and I resolved to ask Arkwright about it just as soon as I got the chance. It might be linked to the water witch. Some witches used either blood or bone magic, but others used familiars — creatures that became their eyes and ears and did their bidding. Maybe the strange bird was Morwena's?

Eventually I came to the village and passed quickly through its deserted streets, Claw padding at my heels. Just a few lights gleamed at upper windows. Once beyond the last house, I skirted the lake to the north shore, where I settled down within the shelter of some trees with a clear view of the shore, the lake beyond gleaming silver in the moonlight.

Time passed slowly, and although Claw and I searched high and low, I neither saw nor heard anything of note. I began to think about Alice, wondering what she was doing and whether she was missing me as much as I missed her. I thought about my master, John Gregory, too. Was he safely tucked up in his bed at Chipenden or, like me, out in the dark on spook's business?

Finally I decided to return to Goat's Water and Mr Arkwright — there was no sign of Morwena here.

The climb seemed harder this time, and although the path gradually levelled out, it was still some way around the Old Man. Soon I was crunching across snow again, following our footprints towards the lake. At last I came within view of the place where I'd left Arkwright. I was moving as quietly as possible so as not to attract the attention of anyone or anything that might be lurking on the fells, but suddenly, to my dismay, Claw started to howl and then bounded ahead of me.