That night I found it hard to sleep, so I was wide awake when it happened.

At first I thought it was a sudden storm. There was a roar and a whoosh and the whole house seemed to shake and tremble as if buffeted by a great wind. Something struck my window with terrible force and I clearly heard glass crack. Alarmed, I knelt up on the bed and pulled back the curtains.

The large sash window was divided into eight thick, uneven panes so you couldn’t see that much through them at the best of times, but there was a half moon and I could just make out the tops of the trees, bowing and writhing as if their trunks were being shaken by an army of angry giants. And three of my thick windowpanes were cracked. For a moment I was tempted to use the sash cord to raise the bottom half of the window so I could see what was happening. But then I thought better of it. The moon was shining so it was unlikely to be a natural storm. Something was attacking us. Could it be the Bane? Had it found us?

Next came a loud pounding and ripping noise from somewhere directly above my head. It sounded as if something was beating hard on the roof, thumping it with heavy fists. I heard the slates begin to fly off and crash down onto the flags that bordered the western lawn.

I dressed quickly and rushed downstairs two steps at a time. The back door was wide open and I ran out onto the lawn, straight into the teeth of a wind so powerful that it was hardly possible to breathe, never mind take a step forward. But I did force myself on, one slow step at a time, battling to keep my eyes open as the wind pounded my face.

By the light of the moon I could see the Spook standing halfway between the trees and the house, his black cloak flapping in the fierce wind. He had his staff held high before him as if ready to ward off a blow. It seemed to take an age to reach him.

What is it? What is it?’ I shouted, as I finally made it to his side.

My answer came almost immediately, but not from the Spook. A terrible, menacing sound filled the air; a mixture of an angry scream and a throbbing growl that could have been heard for miles. It was the Spook’s boggart. I’d heard that sound before, in the spring, when it had prevented Bony Lizzie from chasing me into the western garden. So I knew that down there in the darkness amongst the trees, it was face to face with something that was threatening the house and gardens.

What else could it be but the Bane?

I stood there shivering with fear and cold, my teeth chattering and my body aching from the battering the gale was giving it. But after a few moments the wind subsided and very gradually everything became very still and quiet.

‘Back to the house,’ said the Spook. ‘There’s nothing to be done here until morning.’

When we reached the back door I stood looking at the fragments of tiles that littered the flags.

‘Was it the Bane?’ I asked.

The Spook nodded. ‘Didn’t take long to find us, did it?’ he said, shaking his head. ‘No doubt the girl’s to blame for that. It must have found her first. Either that or she called it.’

‘She wouldn’t do that again,’ I said, trying to defend Alice. ‘Did the boggart save us?’ I asked, changing the subject.

‘Aye, it did for now and at what cost we’ll find out in the morning. But I wouldn’t bet on it succeeding a second time. I’ll stay on watch here,’ said the Spook. ‘Go up to your room and get some sleep. Anything could happen tomorrow so you’ll need all your wits about you.’

CHAPTER 17

The Quisitor Arrives I came downstairs again just before dawn. The clear sky of the night was now overcast, the air perfectly still and the lawns dusted white with the first real frost of the autumn.

The Spook was near the back door, still standing in almost the same position as when I’d last seen him. He looked tired and his face was as bleak and grey as the sky.

‘Well, lad,’ he said wearily, ‘let’s go and inspect the damage.’

I thought he meant the house but instead he set off towards the trees in the western garden. Damage there was, certainly, but not as bad as it had sounded last night. There were some big branches down, twigs scattered across the grass and the bench had been overturned. The Spook gestured and I helped him to lift the bench and position it again.

‘It’s not that bad,’ I said, trying to cheer him up for he looked really glum and down in the mouth.

‘It’s bad enough,’ he said grimly. ‘The Bane was always going to get stronger but this is much faster than I expected. Much faster. It shouldn’t have been able to do this so soon. We haven’t much time left!’

The Spook led the way back towards the house. We could see slates missing from the roof and one of the chimneypots had been toppled from the stack.

‘It’ll have to wait until we’ve time to get it fixed,’ he said.

Just then there came the sound of a bell from the kitchen. For the first time that morning the Spook gave a faint smile. He looked relieved.

‘I wasn’t sure we’d be having breakfast this morning,’ he said. ‘Perhaps it’s not quite as bad as I thought…’

As we entered the kitchen the first thing I noticed was that the flags between the table and the hearth were spotted with bloodstains. And the kitchen was really chilly. Then I saw why. I’d been the Spook’s apprentice for almost six months, but this was the first morning there’d been no fire burning in the grate. And on the table there were no eggs, no bacon, just one thin slice of toast each.

The Spook touched my shoulder in warning. ‘Say nothing, lad. Eat it up and be grateful for what we’ve received.’

I did as I was told but when I’d swallowed my last mouthful of toast my belly was still rumbling.

The Spook came to his feet. ‘That was an excellent breakfast. The bread was toasted to perfection,’ he said to the empty air. ‘And thank you for everything you did last night. We’re both very grateful.’

Mostly, the boggart didn’t show itself, but now once again it took the form of the big ginger cat. There was just the faintest of purrs and it appeared briefly close to the hearth. However, I’d never seen it looking as it did then. Its left ear was torn and bleeding and the fur on its neck was matted with blood. But the worst thing of all was what had been done to its face. It had been blinded in one eye. Where its left eye used to be there was now a raw vertical wound.

‘It’ll never be quite the same again,’ said the Spook sadly when we were outside the back door. ‘We should be grateful that the Bane’s still not regained its full strength or we’d have died last night. That boggart’s bought us a little time. Now we’ve got to use it before it’s too late…’

Even as he spoke the bell began to ring down at the crossroads. Business for the Spook. With all that had happened and the danger from the Bane, I thought he’d ignore it but I was wrong.

‘Well, lad,’ he said. ‘Off you go and find out what’s wanted.’

The bell stopped ringing just before I got there but the rope was still swaying. Down amongst the withy trees it was gloomy as usual but it only took me a second to realize that it wasn’t a summons to spook’s business. A girl in a black dress was waiting there.

Alice.

‘You’re taking a big risk!’ I told her, shaking my head. ‘You’re lucky that Mr Gregory didn’t come down here with me.’

Alice smiled. ‘Old Gregory couldn’t catch me the way he is now. Ain’t half the man he was.’

‘Don’t be too sure about that!’ I said angrily. ‘He made me dig a pit. A pit for you. And that’s where you’ll end up if you’re not careful.’

‘Old Gregory’s strength has gone. No wonder he got you to dig it!’ Alice jibed, her voice full of mockery.

‘No,’ I said, ‘he made me dig it so that I’d accept what has to be done. That it’s my duty to put you in there.’