The Golden Acorn - Catherine Cooper [3]
Jack wondered what kind of things Nora knew about him. If she knew his Dad she’d know he was an archaeologist working in Athens; they’d lived in Greece since he was five. He didn’t remember Nora. He was sure that if he’d met her before he wouldn’t have forgotten her. He didn’t remember much about Grandad either. How could his Dad have sent him to England? He’d had to leave the school he loved and the little white house on the top of the hill. He’d probably never see his friends again. He didn’t want to live in Grandad’s creaky old house. He wasn’t sure Grandad really wanted him to be there either. His thoughts were interrupted when Nora stopped in front of a huge wooden door with an arched top.
‘This is my herborium.’
‘Herborium?’
The door creaked loudly as Nora pushed it open.
‘It’s where I prepare my lotions and medicines.’
The sunlit room smelt strange. There were shelves, filled with bottles and jars, which went from the uneven stone floor to the low-beamed ceiling. Everything had been labelled neatly in small flowing writing. Bunches of dried flowers and herbs hung down from hooks. By the door was a bookshelf filled with leather-bound books of all shapes and sizes. A large umbrella and broom stood in a huge plant pot on the other side of the door. Jack felt as if he’d stepped back in time. There wasn’t anything modern in the room at all, not even an electric light. Candleholders with half-burnt candles of all shapes and sizes were dotted around the room. Nora pointed to the long wooden table with four high-backed chairs on either side. It was covered in bowls and bottles.
‘Sit yourself down. I’ll have those hands sorted out in no time.’
In front of Jack, lying on the table was a large square book. It looked heavy. The edges of the pages were ragged, as if they’d been torn to size instead of being cut. On the outside, in between two moonlit trees, he could see the words Book of Shadows written in beautiful silver writing. Nora hurriedly picked it up and returned it to one of the bookshelves before taking a dark brown jar down from the top shelf. She spooned out two blobs of green goo onto two pieces of lint and brought them over to where Jack was sitting.
‘Hands out.’
Jack held out both palms and Nora strapped the pieces of lint onto them. The green goo felt wonderfully cool. Within seconds the prickling and burning sensation had stopped.
‘Is that any better?’
‘Yes, thanks.’
‘A compound of dock and rosemary leaves works every time.’
‘I didn’t know that,’ Jack replied politely, trying to sound interested.
Nora laughed and smiled at Jack.
‘I’d be surprised if you did. Now, tell me, why were those boys chasing you?’
Jack explained and ended by apologising for coming through the hedge. Nora nodded and smiled when he’d finished.
‘You are always welcome here Jack. The hedge knows that, otherwise it wouldn’t have let you in.’
Jack had no idea what Nora was talking about. Maybe the boys were right and she was nutty after all.
‘I was sorry to hear about your mum,’ she continued.
A lot of people had said this to Jack since his mum had died. If she’d still been alive his life wouldn’t have changed so drastically. It wasn’t fair. He should have been spending his half term holiday in Greece with his friends. Instead it had been decided he was to live in England with Grandad. His Dad thought it would be a good idea for Jack to spend the last few weeks of term at the local school. It would give him chance to make some new friends before starting at the secondary school in September. He’d only arrived the day before and so far none of the boys he’d met had been very friendly. He hoped they weren’t going to be in the same class.
Nora was looking at Jack intently, as if she was reading his thoughts. He wasn’t quite sure what to say.
‘I think