The next days after her meeting with Cedric, Gwynna spent reading the notes in the book because she couldn't read the old, original manuscript. As far as she now knew, five herbs, required for each spike of the pentagram, a magic formula and the right place to full moon. Cedric had not translated many passages, but in the last pages of his handwriting it was written that it was dangerous to use the spell, because one could never know where one would go.
Gwynna saw herself running away from a Tyrannosaurus Rex, should the time tunnel lead her into the Cretaceous period.
But did she really want to think about doing the same like her uncle? She was about to complete her specialist training. And she'd given up so much for that. A small circle of friends, mostly colleagues, no partner, no children, a tiny apartment and the feeling of never getting enough rest for yourself. All this she sacrificed and she did it gladly, because it gave her life a meaning. Gwynna realized how little family she still had and how rarely she saw her grandparents. Who knows how much longer she'd have them? She decided to go to the Hamptons more often in the future, even though it was difficult.
Two days later, her grandmother called. She told her enthusiastically about Italy. Especially Pompeii and Herculaneum, which they had visited the day before.
"Are you all right, sweetheart? Do you eat enough and rest? Did Elizabeth leave you enough in the fridge?"
"It's all wonderful. She's taken good care of me, Gran. I can't eat that much," Gwynna laughed. She preferred not to tell her grandmother about her nocturnal adventure.
"Why don't you go out for a while, Gwynna? You know, the son of the Petersens is a respected lawyer, and as far as I remember, he used to keep an eye on you."
"Yeah, but I don't like him. He's not called Mr. Valium for nothing."
"Better a boring man than a womanizer. Remember, kid. He wouldn't cheat on you."
"If you're alluding to David, he didn't cheat on me." Gwynna twisted her eyes. "He just didn't understand the long hours of my work and his roommate was a disaster." After a break, she added. "It just didn't fit."
She heard her grandmother sigh at the end of the line.
"Whatever you say. I still think you should try Roger. Why don't you go out with him at least once? Maybe you're pleasantly surprised."
"Well, that would surprise me. But if you insist..."
"Wonderful. Should I call the Petersens?"
"Don't you dare! I am an adult and can organize my dates myself!"
"It's all right. Then I'm counting on you to do the same. Oh, your grandfather's waving, I gotta go. Have fun, sweetheart! Kiss!" And that's what her grandmother hung up on.
Gwynna's scolding angrily. Now she had to organize a date with Roger Petersen, otherwise Gran would be in her ears forever. But maybe she wouldn't be able to call them, but could drive by and then make a detour to the health food store to inquire about the herbs in Cedric's book. Wouldn't it be interesting to know if these herbs were for sale?
5 hours later Gwynna was back again, with three of the five herbs, at the end of her nerves and the firm will never to face Roger's mother, Angela Petersen, again. The house of the Petersens was located in Montauk and was three times the size of their grandparents' house. Roger's father was a very wealthy real estate agent who built the house in the mid-eighties and stupidly had his wife furnish it.
Because Angela had unfortunately been in the Louvre in Paris in the apartments of the last French emperor shortly before and had declared red plush and dark brown wood panelling for the summit of taste. Therefore the house had become very plush. You could choose between dark red, orange red, pink red and light red plush.
When Gwynna rang the doorbell to fulfill her grandmother's wish, Maisy the maid took her to the dark red plush salon to wait for the landlady. Gwynna had put on a long jeans skirt with a light blue Carmen top and was now sitting on a monstrosity of armchairs, also in style of the Second Empire, looking at the photos standing in silver frames on the black mantelpiece. She bounced with her black pumps on the red oriental carpet. She wore her hair open this time and so her long silky strands fell down almost to her waist. Gwynna had applied make-up only discreetly: some eye shadow and lip gloss.
As she looked at the pictures - the Petersens at their wedding, Angela with Baby Roger, Angela and Fred with Roger and Baby Helen, Roger at his high school graduation, etc. - she suddenly heard from above first rumbling, then an outcry and finally loudly stomping footsteps on the stairs. Angela Petersen appeared in the large double door to the salon and, annoyed, pushed a strand of her light brown, shoulder-length hair behind her ear.
She saw Gwynna, who had just risen from her armchair, briefly looked at her from top to bottom, and then approached her to greet her.
"Oh Gwynna! What a charming surprise! I didn't even know you were with your grandparents. I thought they were just making a tour of Italy?"
"They do, too, that's why I'm looking after their house."
"Like this? Don't they have employees for that? There used to be someone..."
"Elizabeth is also out of town. And I'm happy to do it."
"Really? I don't know. I never would have allowed my employees to travel if we left. Where'd you get that? But well, you're gonna get some money for that, aren't you? What's your nurse training? It was, wasn't it?"
Angela rushed past her and draped herself picturesquely on a kind of throne.
"I'm a doctor, Mrs. Petersen, and no, I don't get paid for it." In Gwynna, anger was boiling.
‚Arrogant bitch,' she thought.
"Doctor, nurse - it's the same thing. How terrible to have only sick people around you... They must smell. And then there's blood and everything. Luckily, my Helen got married right after school. And now I have two lovely grandchildren."
Gwynna sat down again. She wondered how she could disappear as quickly as possible, but without asking about Roger, it wouldn't work.
"How nice for her. And how is Roger?" How's his office? Or isn't he a partner yet?"
Gwynna couldn't resist the top as she knew that Roger was only employed.
Angela looked at her piquantly: "Well, it's not that fast either. After all, he's only recently been admitted to the bar."
After failing the test twice', Gwynna added in thought.
"But I'm sure Weylan, Trevor and Harris will offer him a partnership soon. I'm convinced of that." Angela was interrupted when Maisy appeared with a large silver tray, coffee pot, cups, plates and French macarons in all colours and placed it somewhat louder than necessary on the coach table. In her face one could clearly see the imprint of a hand.
When Gwynna saw the maltreated maid, she just wanted to jump up and run away.
But Angela had already filled her cup and put three colourful macarons on her plate. "The Macarons will be delivered to us by the deli on Third Street. You know, Lecoanet. They're delicious."
Angela took sweetener and stirred her coffee intensively. "Frederick would like to spend next summer in France. Three months at the Cote d'Azur. We're gonna rent a villa extra. Maybe Roger will visit us too. But he's so busy. Did I mention he has a new girlfriend? A very charming girl named Priscilla."
Gwynna looked up surprised. Angela liked the girlfriend of her holy son ? Really? We don't know. Signs and miracles still happened.
The relief was clearly written in her face, because Angela looked at her with her eyes pinched.
"I know you two have been in closer contact..."
"Not that tight now. We've been to the movies once or twice."
"Well, the young women today have only their careers in mind. No time for family and household. But I think Priscilla will make an excellent wife. She has an education and wants to settle down now. Oh, I'm looking forward to the engagement party!"
Gwynna smiled. "I'm sure it'll be splendid in this house." She swallowed the last Macaron and got up.
"All I wanted to do was give my grandparents their regard anyway, and now it's time for me. Thank you so much for the coffee."
Angela also stood up and accompanied her to the front door.
"If you can spare time, I'd be happy to invite you to the party. Then you will get to know Priscilla personally."
"Thank you, that's very kind of you. But as you have already said, as a studied woman I have only my career in mind and for nothing else time. Good bye!" And so Gwynna marched quickly out the door before Angela could answer something else.
During the trip to the herb shop Gwynna hummed relieved. At least she had solved the problem with her grandmother about dating now. Arriving at the store, she picked up the note with the herbs from her pocket and went into the store. The shopkeeper was behind the counter. If one had had to depict a herb witch in the fairy tale book, she would have been a good role model. Long white hair, light hump, pointed nose and a clearly visible wart on the chin.
"What can I do for you, miss?"
"I'm looking for these herbs. Do you have anything like this in stock?" Gwynna held the note in her face. The old woman took it and studied it carefully. Then she looked Gwynna in the face. "But these are extraordinary herbs. Rare herbs. Do you realize they're so-called witch herbs?"
"Witch herbs?"
"Yes, it has been assumed in earlier centuries that witches used these herbs in their circles for spells. Wait a minute." She turned to her wall shelf and walked down the rows of glass containers. "I should have some of that even there."
She read the names on the glasses and finally stopped in front of one, took it out and put it on the counter.
"That's Actaea or Christoph's cabbage. How much do you want?
"A pound." Gwynna had no idea how much of it to use.
She watched as the Actaea herb was filled into a plastic bag and weighed. Then the woman stuck a piece of paper on the bag and labeled it. "I have Euphorbia lathyris there too. The same?" Gwynna nodded.
"The last one is Viscum album. I'd have to order the other two. It'll take three days. Would that be all right?"
"Yeah, sure. I'd love to. I'll come by in three days." Gwynna paid, greeted and left the shop while the woman thoughtfully looked after her. ‚I wonder if there's a new coven in the neighborhood,' she thought.
Then she went to the phone and ordered Asarum europeum and Atropa belladonna for her customer.