I sat at my desk and wrote Alice a note and included Justin’s address. Then, I decided I’d be extra nice and give it to her tonight instead of tomorrow. I took it to her bedroom and taped it to the outside of her door, so she’d see it when she came home.
Then I went back to my room and wrote Nora a postcard, telling her about my last days in Paris where I met a nice girl named Cherry and found a lovely antique. There wasn’t much room for details, but I wanted her to know I was thinking about her and missing her. Our time in Paris together had been so much fun. If only she could be here to help me go around London and do the items in the letter.
Good old Ned would have to do. Though I bet if Nora were here, she wouldn’t have had to go home early because of a dirty room.
So where are we going?” Ned asked when I met up with him at the Tube station. His hair was messy and his windbreaker was buttoned up wrong.
“Are you all right?” I asked, pointing to his jacket.
“Tired,” he said, stifling a yawn. Then he looked up at the sky. “We might get wet today. Mum said it’s supposed to rain later.”
“Then we should hurry. Before the rain comes.”
“Where to first?” Ned asked as he redid his buttons.
“I’m not sure. There are probably quite a few churches with clocks and steeples.”
“But how many of them have crypts?” he asked.
“That I don’t know,” I replied. “And I’m not sure how we find out without visiting them all. We don’t have time to do that.”
“Maybe you should just pick one and hope it’s the right one.”
“And risk the magic not working because of that one wrong move?” I shook my head. “No. We have to get it right. If you’d seen Alice yesterday afternoon, the way I did, you’d understand why it’s more important than ever that we get this done properly.”
“Let’s work through the possibilities,” said Ned. “As if we’re detectives.”
“All right. Name a church.”
“Westminster Abbey.”
“Can’t be that one,” I replied. “It doesn’t have a steeple, really. More like … towers.”
“All right. How about the Strand in Westminster?”
“I’ve never been there. It has a clock?”
“Yes.”
“Well,” I said, recalling where we were yesterday, “I think it must be St. Martin-in-the-Fields.”
He looked at me curiously. “Why do you think that?”
“Because it’s in Trafalgar Square, the same place we were yesterday. Go to the empty pedestal—”
“Plinth.”
“Whatever, and then hop across the street to the church. It makes sense, doesn’t it?”
“But Pheebs, if it’s a spell, how close or far apart the places are from one another doesn’t matter. It’s how they all work together to create the magic.” He scratched his head. “At least, I think so?”
Suddenly, I was worried. How could we know for sure which one was the right one? And it didn’t seem like we had time to go to both.
I pulled out my phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Texting Dad. I’m going to ask him if St. Martin has a crypt.”
Ned scowled. “Isn’t that using technology? Something we agreed we wouldn’t do?”
I looked around at the people who were nearby in the station. I could have asked one of them, but asking my dad would be so much quicker. One of the things he’d taught me about antiques shopping is that every situation is different, and a good shopper will size up the opportunity and do what’s best under the circumstances. Like, if you know a certain vendor is tough to deal with and doesn’t let things go for cheap, offering up a really low price is not going to be very smart. Of course, you can’t always know what might work best, but if you do, you have to make the most of it.
And right now, what I knew for sure was that we didn’t have any time to waste.
“Just this once. Please?” I pleaded with Ned.
He let out a harrumph. “Fine. But only because we need to finish this up so we can move on to the thing I need help with—finding my mother the perfect birthday gift.”
I sent the text and waited. The train came so we hopped on, and I crossed my fingers Dad would reply soon so we could figure out what stop we needed. A moment later, it came through.
“What’s it say?” Ned asked.
I read it aloud. “Yes, there’s a crypt at St. Martin. Robert Boyle, a pioneer chemist, is buried there. I’ve never heard of anyone shopping at a crypt for a birthday gift. Sure that’s wise? Be safe. I’m going to hoover the shop now.”
Ned smiled. “Your dad is funny.”
“At least he didn’t ask me why I wanted to know. Not sure what I would have said. I really don’t like lying to them about this.”
He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. “You could tell them what you’re doing, you know. They might get a kick out of it.”
“I don’t think so,” I said. “I think they’d say it’s silly. Childish. Besides, when I say we’re going into London to find your mum a birthday present, I’m not really lying, am I? We are going to do that. Eventually.”
“I suppose you’re right.” He leaned back even more and closed his eyes. “Now if you don’t mind, I think I’ll catch a few winks before we get to our stop. Wake me when we get there, will you?”
“Ned, you can’t do that.”
He scowled at me. “Why not?”
“Because we’re in this together. And we need to figure out where we go after St. Martin.”
“I’m sure you can figure it out on your own. Just a few minutes, Pheebs. I’m so very tired.”
With that, he rolled his head over to the side and closed his eyes. And I pulled Sheila’s letter out of my pocket, and read it for about the fiftieth time.
Since St. Martin is open to the public, walking through the door while holding my breath wasn’t a challenge at all. I walked in, I walked out, and that was that. It’s a glorious old church, with huge columns along the front and blue-faced clocks that adorn the steeple on every side. As I looked for Ned, I wondered if it looked the same when Sheila was here. Had it been harmed during the war at all? To me it looked like it had stood a thousand years, strong and true, and could stand a thousand more.
Ned was leaning against one of the stone pillars, looking pale. “Are you all right?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Feeling a bit … wonky.”
“Do you need something to eat?” I asked. “I bet that would make you feel better. There must be a place around here where we can pop in and get you a little snack.”
He shook his head. “No. I don’t want anything to eat. Let’s just get on with your spell. Where to next?”
Now I was even more concerned. “You don’t want to eat? Ned, that is not a good sign.”
He pushed himself away from the pillar. “I’m fine. Now, what’s the clue again?”
I pulled out the list and read the fifth item. “Blow a kiss through the window of the Indian restaurant where Winston Churchill once dined.”
“We’re never going to figure that one out on our own,” Ned said. “We need to ask someone.”
“But who?” I wondered, turning and staring out at the mass of people in the square. “We need someone who knows London really well.”
“Yes,” Ned agreed. “That’s going to be the difficult part. I bet a lot of these people are tourists.”
I searched the crowd until I saw an elderly couple walking slowly up the steps toward the church. I nodded my head toward them. “There. Let’s give them a try.”
A lot of older people like to come into our shop, hoping to find vintage items they grew up with. My friend Kiki was at the shop once and Dad was busy with someone, so I stepped over to help an elderly couple. They’d been looking for an old hand eggbeater. “One with a wooden handle,” the woman had said. “It has to have a wooden handle. It’s much more comfortable
to hold than one made of all metal.”
I ended up talking with the couple for a while, because they were so nice. After they left, Kiki had said to me, “You were so good with them. I’ve never told anyone this, but old people kind of scare me.”
I must have looked at her like she’d admitted she didn’t like sweets. “But it’s not like they’re spiders with eight legs or something creepy like that. They’re just people.”
“I know,” she’d said. “I know it’s strange.” She’d looked so ashamed, and I instantly felt bad for making her feel bad.
“I’m sorry,” I’d told her. “It’s hard when you’re afraid of something other people might not be understand. The thing is, someday we’ll be old, too. Maybe if you think of that, it’ll help you relate to them a little more? Like, imagine you’re talking to me, just seventy years from now.”
She’d smiled. “Hey, that’s a great idea.”
As I approached this elderly couple on the stairs of the church, I remembered my own advice. I pretended I was about to talk to Ned and myself seventy years from now. And of course, we wouldn’t mind being asked for help.
“Excuse me,” I said. “Hello. My friend and I are wondering if you happen to know London very well?”
“Lived here for over eighty years,” the woman replied in a soft, husky voice. “Do you need help finding something?”
“Yes,” I replied. “We have a puzzle we’re trying to solve. We’re supposed to find the Indian restaurant where Winston Churchill ate.”
The old man looked at his wife. “What’s the name of that place? Do you remember?”
“Have we eaten there?” she asked.
“I think so. Haven’t we?” He paused. “Yes, we’ve been there. We ran into your friend. The one who always wears the funny hats. What’s her name?”
“Gladys?”
“Yes, that’s right. Gladys.”
I glanced over at Ned, and he raised his eyebrows as if to say, “Isn’t this fun?” And actually, I thought it was. Old people are cute, poor memories and all.
They both stopped talking as if they couldn’t quite remember what they’d been discussing before Gladys. But then the old man remembered.
“The restaurant. What’s the name? It’s not far from here. I think it starts with a V.”
“T?” she asks.
“No, V.”
By now, Ned was no doubt wishing he’d just let me text my dad like I did for the last clue. But it was too late to back out now.
For a moment, they were quiet, thinking, and I held my breath as I waited to see if one of them would finally come up with the name. When the woman said, “I’ve got it! It’s Veeraswamy,” I let out a sigh of relief.
“Oh, thank you both so much,” I said.
Ned extended his hand to the old man, and he took it. “Yes, thank you. You said it’s not far from here. Is it close enough to walk?”
“Most definitely,” the old man said. “Go through Odeon Leicester Square to Coventry Street, and after a couple of blocks, you’ll want to get onto Regent Street. Should only take you about ten minutes or so to get there. Maybe less, since the two of you probably walk a whole lot faster than we do.”
The woman looked at her gold wristwatch. “It’s early,” she said. “They may not be open yet.”
“And if it is open,” the man chimed in, “it’s rather expensive. Are you sure you have enough to pay for a meal there?”
“We’re not going to eat there,” I explained. “We just want to see it.”
The woman smiled. “Brilliant. Well, enjoy yourselves, then. And do be safe walking over that way.”
“We will,” Ned replied. “Don’t worry. Thank you again.”
“Good-bye!” I called out as I skipped down the steps. But when I got to the bottom of the stairs, I realized Ned wasn’t next to me. I turned around to find him walking very slowly toward me. The old couple probably could have walked faster if they’d been going this way.
“What’s the matter?” I called up to him.
“Horrible stomachache,” he said.
“Do you think you can make it to the restaurant?”
He stopped and stared out at the city. “I hope so, Pheebs. That’s all I can say. I hope so.”
It took us an hour, although it should have taken a fraction of the time. Ned kept having to stop and rest. Where is Snakeman when you need him? was what I wanted to know. Once we finally saw the signs, I was really worried about him.
“I think after this, we need to get you home,” I told him as he wiped the glistening beads of sweat from his forehead.
“But I haven’t shopped for my mum’s gift yet,” he said. “And we’re running out of time.”
“It’s Wednesday,” I replied. “You still have two whole days. The party isn’t until Friday afternoon, right?”
“I know, but …”
He really didn’t look very good at all. And as much as I wanted him to stay and help me finish the tasks for the list, I knew he needed to get home. I walked a little farther up the sidewalk to the bright purple sign that said VEERASWAMY, but something wasn’t right. The flag hung above a shoe store. And next to it was a clothing store. Regent Street was filled with shop after shop, but there was no restaurant here that I could see.
So where was it?
Ned joined me and asked, “What’s going on?”
“How come it’s not here?” I asked. “Why is there a flag hung above a shoe shop?”
Ned backed up and looked around. “I bet it’s on the second floor. You must enter around the side or something.” He pointed to a big archway down the sidewalk a little bit. “Maybe there are stairs or a lift around the corner, to get you up to the restaurant.”
“Wait here,” I told him before I scurried over to where he’d been pointing. When I saw that he was correct, I let out a huge sigh of relief.
I returned to Ned and looked at the windows on the second floor. “So I blow a kiss up there, then?” I asked.
“I suppose you do,” he said.
I imagined Sheila, standing in this spot doing the same thing. Did it feel as strange to her as it did to me? I looked around and waited until there was a break in the people passing by us before I put my hands to my lips, let out a kiss, and blew it up to those windows.
Ned glanced down the street. “There are lots of shops here, Phoebe. We should go in some of them. See if we can find something for my mum.”
“Do you feel up to it?” I asked.
“Not really. But I need to get it taken care of.”
I looked down the sidewalk, hoping there might be a bench we could sit on for a bit, but there wasn’t a single place to rest.
“Do you want to get her some shoes?” I teased, looking at the shop right in front of us.
“Too expensive,” he said. “Besides, I wouldn’t know her size.”
I was about to reply when he mumbled, “Uh-oh.” He stumbled backward a couple of steps, turned around, and vomited at the base of a lamppost.
“Ew,” I whispered as I glanced around. A few people looked at us with pity on their faces. This couldn’t be happening. My friend was not getting sick on the streets of London. So horrifying! The only thing that would have made it even more horrifying was if Kate Middleton herself showed up at that moment to do a bit of shoe shopping.
I couldn’t bear the thought. I also couldn’t go near Ned and the … mess.
He leaned up against the lamppost for a few minutes while I paced up and down the sidewalk. Finally, he said, “I need to go home, Phoebe. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” I said, my back to him. “I shouldn’t have made you walk all that way. And now we have to get to the Tube.”
“You should stay,” he said, coming up to me as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of gum. He popped a piece into his mouth before he offered me one.
“Glad you brought gum along today instead of your compass,” I told him.
“See? I don?
??t always do things that make absolutely no sense.” I smiled as he asked, “What’s next on the list?”
“A cemetery. One where songbirds apparently sing. I have no idea where that might be.”
“Once you figure it out, you could go there by yourself,” he said. “You’re already out and about, and your family won’t be expecting you for a while.”
“Ned, you’re ill. I can’t leave you alone like that. What if you pass out or something? I’d feel awful. No, we have to get you home, straight away.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely positively.”
“But what if you don’t get a chance to finish everything?” Ned asked as we walked down the sidewalk. “What if this is your one and only chance?”
I felt my stomach lurch at the thought. We’d come so far and there were only two places left to visit. It couldn’t be over now. It just couldn’t be.
“What’s the place after the cemetery?” Ned asked as he rubbed his stomach slightly. “I’ve forgotten.”
“The tea shop. I’m sure it’s Twinings. There’s a gold lion statue above the doorway, remember?”
Ned stopped. “I wonder how far it is from here?”
“Why?”
“Because we could do that one. Before we go. Then all you have left is the cemetery to visit.”
“But you’re in no condition to walk, and if I remember correctly, it’s quite far from here. Besides, up to this point, I’ve done everything in order. What if I mess everything up?”
He smiled. “You’re not going to mess anything up. Does it state anywhere they have to be done in order?”
I shook my head no.
“I think it will be fine. We’ll take a taxi and you can hop out and do what you need to do. When you’re finished, we’ll have the driver take us to the nearest Tube station.”
“I’m not sure I have enough money to do that, though.”
“I’ll help you pay,” he said. “I’ll use some of the money I set aside for the birthday gift.” He took a deep breath. “I really need to sit down, Pheebs. Trust me. This is the best thing for both of us.”