Read Online Every Woman for Herself by Trisha Ashley - Free Book Online Page B

bait.
    ‘Yes, wasn’t Elizabeth Barrett Browning lucky, having such a clever husband to write her work for her?’ I said innocently. ‘I wonder how on earth she managed before he came along? Perhaps one of her brothers?’
    ‘You mustn’t tease,’ Jessica said earnestly. ‘Ran researches very thoroughly. He works very hard.’
    ‘He has to research thoroughly to find scraps of evidence that can be twisted into proving what he wants,’ Em said.
    ‘And you, of course, are a great writer and know all about it?’ he said sarcastically. ‘My dear Em, I don’t think writing doggerel for greeting-card manufacturers quite qualifies you as a literary critic.’
    ‘No, but I don’t just write for greeting cards – I’m also Serafina Shane.’
    While this was a bit of a damp squib as far as Father and myself were concerned, Jessica laid down her fork and stared.
    ‘What, Serafina Shane out of
Women Live!
magazine?
Womanly Wicca Words of Spiritual Comfort
? I’ve ordered the book!’
    ‘Advance orders
have
been very brisk,’ Em said complacently, and bestowed a slightly warmer gaze on Jessica than I had ever seen before. She might just live, after all.
    ‘Well done, Em,’ I said. ‘If I’d known I’d have read them, but I never buy women’s mags – they’re all
New Woman
, and
Never Admit You’re Forty Woman
, and
Rich Bored Bitchy Woman
, when all I ever wanted was something like
Skint Old Northern Woman
.’
    ‘You’re right,’ Em said. ‘Weren’t you going to start one?’
    ‘Yes, in fact my hobby during the last few weeks has been writing articles for the sort of magazine I’d really like to find. I’ve got quite a lot.’
    ‘Do I understand, Emily,’ Father broke in, ‘that you’ve been writing your ghastly doggerel for a women’s magazine, and it’s now coming out as a book?’
    ‘Yes – inspirational verse and prose. I’m very popular.’
    ‘Serafina what?’ I asked.
    ‘Shane.’
    ‘At least it isn’t Rhymer!’ Father said.
    ‘Well done, Em!’ I enthused.
    ‘So what were you plotting with your abnormal friends when I came in this morning?’ enquired Father.
    ‘We were trying various means to discover where Anne is. There’s something the matter with her, and I can’t get any reply from her flat. Xanthe tried the crystal pendulum.’
    ‘And Xanthe knows everything?’ He frowned. ‘And why does she look so familiar?’
    Em ignored this. ‘The crystal showed us where she was – somewhere near her flat. Then Freya did a reading, and discovered that Anne’s had an operation, but she’ll be here soon to recuperate.’
    ‘I suppose you know this because Anne’s phoned,’ he said sceptically.
    ‘No. You know Anne, she’ll phone when she’s nearly here. Gloria Mundi’s turning out her room, now she’s finished Bran’s.’
    ‘What makes you think the Three Witches got it right?’
    ‘They always get it right. That’s why I’m joining their coven. I’ve been pussyfooting round the mealy-mouthed edges for long enough, and now I’m going to wholeheartedly embrace the Ancient Arts.’
    ‘Prostitution?’ suggested Ran. ‘I hear it’s very well paid.’
    Em gave him a look. ‘The Ancient
Black
Arts,’ she said.
    Jessica gasped, her eyes widening in alarm. ‘You mean – black magic? Oh, my God! The children!’
    But the little girls, bored with the conversation, had crept away unnoticed. One of the dishes of meringues from the sideboard had gone too.
    ‘Oh, Emily – promise you won’t say anything about it in front of the girls! Don’t they sacrifice little children, and sell their souls to the Devil?’
    ‘Hands up all those present who’ve read the entire oeuvre of Dennis Wheatley and believe every word?’ I said. ‘Really, Jessica, grow up!’
    ‘Charlie’s quite right. I wouldn’t harm
any
animal, even your children,’ Em assured her.
    ‘Thank you!’ Jessica said, slightly hysterically. ‘Ran, are you going to sit there and—’
    Father