A Is for Abigail Read Free

sun reaches that same spot in the sky tomorrow. Come to the place where we travellers camp and all will be revealed. If Bufniță does not keep her promise, you may call the police and report that Bufniță stole your watch from you. Look, the lady in the Post Office sees everything from her shop. She will have noticed that you are sitting with Bufniță and Sergei. She will back you up.”
    Abigail looked across the green to the Post Office in the distance. Jayne Fairweather was sorting a display outside the shop. Abigail waved, and Jayne waved back.
    Abigail wasn’t really the impetuous type. She liked to think about all her decisions, weigh them up, and consider them from all angles. But for some inexplicable reason, she was ready to take a risk that day.
    With one smooth movement, she unclasped the watch and pressed it into Bufniță’s dirty hand. Bufniță’s claw closed round it. Sergei’s fingers resumed their crazy dance on his lap, but his expression never changed.
    “You have done well, Abigail Martin,” whispered the old woman. “You have chosen the right fork of the crossroads.”
    Abigail was in shock.
    As she walked back over the green, past the mothers collecting their children now that the school bell had rung, she shook her head. Had she really just struck up a conversation with a gypsy woman? Had she really handed her the Tiffany watch Aiden had given her last Christmas?
    Crazy!
    The remainder of the day crawled by and that night she slept fitfully, visions of Bufniță’s craggy weather-worn face entering her dreams. The next day was no better, and Abigail kept catching herself checking the time.
    Aiden phoned, as he did most days, although Abigail couldn’t help noticing that his calls had become shorter and shorter.
    Perhaps that’s because he’s coming home very soon, she thought, her stomach flipping with excitement at the thought.
    “So, any news in the village?” he asked.
    “No, not really. Just one strange thing happened when I went for a walk yesterday, but I’ll save it until you come home, then I can tell you about it properly.”
    “Strange thing?”
    “Yes, I met an old gypsy woman.”
    “Sorry, Abs. I have to go. I’m looking forward to hearing the whole story when I come home this weekend. Must go, love you, bye…”
    Abigail leaned back in her chair, her hands around the coffee mug decorated with two intertwined A s that Aiden had given her last Valentine’s Day. It was only two-thirty, and her appointment with Bufniță was not for another half hour.
    What was Abigail expecting? A box of treasure? She certainly wasn’t short of money. Did she want some abstract wish granted, like happiness? Abigail wasn’t normally the type to believe in the supernatural.
    No, she told herself, when she met Bufniță in the woods, she’d ask for her watch back, give her some money, and that would be the end of the whole silly business.
    The phone rang again. It was Daisy.
    “Abigail, sorry to be a pest, but can you give me that carrot cake recipe again, please? I can’t find it and I’ve searched everywhere.”
    “Oh, like the lawnmower?”
    “Oh, that was embarrassing!” laughed Daisy. “It wasn’t the gypsies at all! Which reminds me, I saw them leaving this morning.”
    “You what?”
    “The gypsies left Sixpenny Woods this morning. I saw their convoy go past my house. Simon is delighted, and I bet all the villagers...”
    “Daisy, I’ll find you the recipe. Something’s come up. I must fly.”
    Abigail slammed the phone down, her hands shaking.
    Gone? The gypsies had gone? She was furious with herself. How could she be so gullible?

Chapter Five
     
    “Sam! Come on! Walkies!”
    Sam couldn’t believe his luck. He jumped up thrashing his tail, and together they left the house. At the gate, Abigail turned right, heading for Sixpenny Woods, and Sam’s tail beat even faster.
    Resisting the urge to break into a run, she marched along the track that led into the woods.