Helen Speaks

Olive Framley Entry 20 27^th August

Dear Talia,

I haven’t yet recovered from the shock of everything that has happened this week, but I’ll give you this – your turning up unannounced and my finding out that Hatty – my housemaid! – is your daughter certainly shocked me out of the funk I was in.

You’ll want to know what happened when I spoke to Maksym’s father. I was a most undignified wretch which probably softened him. I explained I’d been trying to teach Maksym magic. I told him that I hadn’t understood entirely why he needed the bands to suppress his magic. I hadn’t realised that sudden noises would upset him. Maksym’s father frowned and took pains to explain that Maksym needed his magical bands. “He learn magic when older,” he said. He still doesn’t speak English very well, which was frustrating when I was trying to confess all.

He seemed to find it frustrating too. “Maksym – he disappointed when not see you. Parties are too much. But…”

He looked thoughtful as I waited in suspense.

“You come for dinner. Once a week. I practise English. Maksym practise magic. I watch and make sure is safe. You want Maksym be safe?”

“More than anything,” I said.

“Maksym say you look after kitten for him. Cannot have kitten in flat. But he can see kitten. No magic outside though.”

Then he asked for the shoes, the ones we had used in our act. He tutted when they floated right up to the ceiling and he realised what we had done – what I had done. At least I had never cast that spell on Maksym!

“And no more flying shoes,” he said.

I hoped I’d been honest enough, despite the language barrier, for the disillusionment spell. I said it in the most earnest hope I could find within myself – and they floated back down to the ground.

Maksym came out and looked disappointed, but he hugged me.

“Dinner tomorrow?” Maksym’s father asked me.

It felt like he’d forgiven me because he saw it all as a mistake, the kind of mistake a young, foolish, well-meaning witch might make. That bruises my ego a little, Talia. But I can’t be magnificent straight away.

Did Hatty tell you she’s helping me learn a few more practical skills? I don’t know if I’m excited or dreading it.

Anyway, yesterday night I went over to Maksym’s flat. His father is called Artem, I don’t know if I ever said. Probably not because I only found out yesterday. There’s a rooftop garden on the stop of the block of flats, and Artem brought up a crackpot with soup, dumplings and stuffed cabbage rolls. I contributed some more cupcakes. I suspect Hatty’s first lesson will be cleaning an oven. Maksym carried up some children’s games like pick-up sticks and jacks, and we ended up playing them until it was dark.

I hoped it wouldn’t be as bad as I feared, Talia, but I was surprised at how lovely it was. Artem and I practised with his phrase book. He taught me a little of his language too. I feel like my family has grown this week.

I should go and see Lucy. After everything that happened when you came, I realised I didn’t see Lucy at dinner at Dune House, and Aunty E mentioned some kind of problem. She came to see me when I was really down – I should do the same for her.

Thank you again for visiting, Talia. I needed a push to go in the right direction.

Yours sincerely,

Olive.

PS Thank you for the kind gift of Gwyneth La Roe’s Philosophy of Magic. I’d always assumed it would be a dry sort of book but it’s very engaging. I have tried the exercise of creating a bubble of light as she suggests but I am not very good at it yet. It also didn’t exactly bring calmness and focus but I will try again.