Seeing Stars Read Online Free Page B

why you asked him to collect her from the station.
     Asking for trouble, that is.’
    ‘Don’t be daft, Ida,’ Gwyneth said quickly. ‘Zillah don’twant to hear that sort of thing. Did you bring out any custard creams? Ah good, there’s nothing better for dunking, I don’t
     think.’
    Pike crunched Bonios at the speed of light then slurped messily at his water bowl, and the cats shoved their heads under his
     dripping jowls to join in. Silence reigned as custard creams were dunked and devoured.
    ‘And what time is … is Amber actually arriving?’ Zillah took a swig of tea and asked the question with a nonchalance she was
     far from feeling.
    Gwyneth wiped her mouth. ‘Could be anytime now, I reckon. But you know what the trains are like.’
    They all nodded. Not that any of them really knew from experience. Late-running trains were like motorway gridlocks and binge
     drinkers causing weekend mayhem, and unfaithful footballers – something they heard a lot about on the news and read about
     in the papers. All a bit exciting and rather pleasant in a safe voyeuristic way as none of it had actually reached Fiddlesticks
     yet.
    Zillah really, really wanted to change the subject away from Amber’s arrival even if it meant discussing a doubtful saint
     and his ludicrous centuries-held beliefs. ‘So, apart from my costume, are we all ready for St Bedric’s, then?’
    Big Ida eased custard cream crumbs into her mouth with a large grubby forefinger. ‘Ah, all done. Should be a good ’un this
     year if this weather holds. We needs a clear sky to get the full effect.’
    ‘No worries on that.’ Gwyneth creakily put down her colander and her mug and stretched. ‘We’re in the middle of an Azores
     high according to the wireless. Oooh, I’m getting stiff. Maybe I should join the Hazy Hassocks keep fit class …’
    Despite her misgivings, Zillah grinned at the idea of Gwyneth – four foot ten in her stockinged feet, and about as broad as
     she was high – leaping and stepping and stretching and skipping.
    ‘Don’t you laugh, young lady,’ Gwyneth said sternly.

    ‘You know me and Big Ida have already had a go at kick boxing and Tai Kwon Do and we did OK. I’ll have you know at eighty
     I’m fitter than most people half my age, but sitting in one position for any length of time just plays ’avoc with me knees.
     Maybe I’ll pop into Winterbrook and see about buying meself a leotard.’
    Zillah bit her lip and said nothing.
    ‘I’d join you,’ Ida said, ‘but they never do ’em in my size. I’d have to wear me vest and knickers. Anyway, more importantly,
     the pub’s doing the food for after, on Saturday, is it? Timmy Pluckrose ’as got the message this year, has he? Proper St Bedric’s
     Eve food – none of that foreign stuff on sticks he tried to fob us off with last year? Even if it were green it weren’t
right.
’
    ‘I’m sure Timmy’s got the message, yes,’ Zillah said shortly. ‘He’s contracted the catering out to Hubble Bubble. You know,
     Mitzi Blessing and her herbal stuff, in Hazy Hassocks, this year.’
    ‘Oh, nice idea,’ Gwyneth sucked damp custard cream from her fingers. ‘Young Mitzi’s cornered the market in old-fashioned cookery
     stuff. She won’t make no mistakes. She’ll be just right for the first of our big astral celebrations. I hope she remembers
     to make a proper St Bedric’s cake. With green cheese.’
    Mitzi Blessing, Zillah thought, hadn’t simply cornered the local foodie market, although of course there were still those
     who were a bit reluctant to indulge in her kitchen-witch dishes thinking that some of the more, well, magical results after
     eating them smacked of paganism; Mitzi had also cornered the Life After Fifty market too.
    Zillah and Mitzi, being much of an age, had become good friends, and Zillah envied her not only the up-and-coming herbal cookery
     business, but also her ability to sort out other people’s lives – not to mention her