Then I heard Cain’s voice behind me. “All right, lanky lass, enjoying the show?”

I turned round. I was shaking. I said, “You horrible murderer.”

Cain said, “Me? I think you’ll have to speak to the owlets about that.”

I didn’t mean to but I was so shocked I started to cry.

Cain said, “Stop carrying on. Come away with me a bit.”

I don’t know why but I followed him. He said, “So what’s wrong with you?”

I said, “You’re so brutal. . . . Everything you do is so cruel. . . .”

He said, “Is it? Mebbe I understand more than you think. Them owlets that you love so much—they’re not pets. They dun’t eat salad. They eat meece and shrews and grubs. That’s their nature. They’re wild.”

I couldn’t speak to him.

He went on. “And why should I care what you think? I know you hate me. I overheard you and Garyboy talking about me in the barn.”

It had been him. The noise Charlie and I had heard.

Oh.

“But for all that, you and I know there’s summat between us. I want to kiss you and you want to kiss me.” Cain pulled me to him suddenly. And as he looked at me with his dark wild eyes he brought his mouth down on mine.

But the Dark Black Crow of Heckmondwhite doesn’t know what I want.

I pulled free and stepped away.

When I got back, the bonfire was under control. Charlie was talking to Phil. He saw me and smiled. His lovely Charlie smile.

I smiled back. This was my dream come true.

Or a sort of nightmare really because by now most people were eating sausages and dancing to The Iron Pies. And wearing leaf hats.

Charlie came over and took my hand. And we walked to the Tree Sisters Special Tree. Charlie let go of my hand and leaned against it. “This is where it all began, didn’t it? I sort of knew when I first saw you that . . .”

He looked into my eyes and said, “Come here.”

He pulled me closer and got hold of the lapels of my velvet coat. He was taller than me and as he slightly lifted me up I stood on my tippy toes. My mouth was very near his. He said softly, “Don’t be worried. You’ll see, Lullah, this’ll be good between us.”

Then he actually picked me up so I was looking down at him.

He smiled. “Hello there. I’ve thought about this a lot. About doing this.”

And he let me down slowly, until our lips touched.

He brushed my lips softly with his. I shut my eyes and felt the lovely softness. It was like being half asleep and yet really alive. He started kissing me and let me down to the ground. Then he put his hands on the base of my spine. And I couldn’t help it, my mind said, Yep, that’s the right place to put hands, just above the sticky-out bit.