Read Online Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine - Free Book Online

you should not expect too much on this occasion.” He grinned suddenly. “Or too little either, Miss Clifford. You may indeed be a hard subject—I’m sure with your cooperation, though, I can achieve something. And I have a feeling you would be an interesting case.” He smiled boyishly. “Quite a challenge, in fact. But I don’t wish to talk you into this if you still have any reservations. I think you should take a little time to consider—”
    “No!” Jo surprised herself with the vehemence of her reply. “No, let’s do it. I’d like to.”
    “You are quite sure?”
    “Quite.” She reached for her bag and pulled the recorder out of it. “What shall I do?”
    He walked toward the window and half pulled one of the curtains across, shading the room. Above the roof of the opposite building a huge purple cloud had appeared, threatening the sun. He glanced at it as he went back to Jo.
    “Just relax. You are very tense, my dear. Why don’t we have a cup of tea or some more coffee perhaps while we talk about what is to happen.”
    Jo shook her head. “I’ll be okay. I suppose it’s natural to want to resist giving your mind to someone else.” She bit her lip. “Can I just ask you to promise one thing? If anything happens, you’ll do nothing to stop me remembering it later. That’s important.”
    “Of course. It will all in any case be on tape.” He watched as she set the tape recorder on the floor next to his couch.
    “Shall I lie down?” she asked, eyeing it nervously.
    “If you wish. Wherever you feel most comfortable and relaxed.” He glanced at Sarah, who had quietly seated herself at the table in the corner before the tape deck. Then he turned back to Jo. “Now, Joanna—may I call you Joanna?”
    “Jo,” Jo whispered.
    “Very well, Jo. I want you to relax completely and close your eyes.”
    Jo felt the panic overtaking her. Her eyes flew open and she sat upright. “Oh, God, I’m sorry. I don’t think I can do it.”
    “Just as you like. Try leaning back against those cushions. Why don’t we try a light trance first, just to make you feel more relaxed, shall we? There’s nothing to worry about. Just something to make you feel good. You may have seen Bill Walton do it. It’s a very usual way of testing people’s reactions.”
    Behind him Sarah smiled grimly, recognizing the tone of his voice as she saw Jo make herself comfortable against the cushions, her ankles crossed on the soft hide of the sofa. Jo closed her eyes once more and visibly tried to make herself relax.
    “That’s fine.” Bennet moved toward her on silent feet. “Now, the sun is filling the room once more, so I’m going to ask Sarah to pull down the blinds, but meanwhile I want you to keep your eyes tightly closed.” He glanced at the window. The sun had gone. The narrow strip of sky visible from the room was a livid bruise of cloud. There was a low rumble of thunder as he began speaking again. “That’s right. You can feel the light burning your eyes. Keep them tightly closed. That’s fine.” He touched her face lightly. “Now you want to open them but you can’t. The light is too bright.”
    Jo did not move. She could hear him clearly and she knew she could open her eyes if she wanted to, but she could sense the glare behind her lids. There seemed no point in moving until Sarah had shut out the sun, the dazzling white shape that had appeared over the rim of the house on the other side of Devonshire Place, shining directly into the room.
    Bennet took her hand gently. “Jo, can you hear me? Good. Now I’m going to tickle your hand slightly, just enough to make you smile. Can you feel me do it?”
    Sarah gasped. He had taken a small pin from his lapel and driven it deeply into her palm. Jo smiled, her eyes still closed, still wondering why he didn’t shut out the sun.
    Bennet glanced at Sarah. Then he turned back to Jo. “Now, my dear, I want you to go back to when you were a little girl…”
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