Page 113 of Under Your Spell

‘Noooo,’ Serena says slowly, ‘but if they’re what I think they are then you should definitely listen to them.’

Then, understanding finally dawns. ‘Oh.’ A chill tingles up and down my spine. ‘It’s his album, isn’t it?’

‘Actually,’ – Serena hesitates – ‘I don’t think it is.’

‘Why are you all being so cryptic? What’s going on here? Did you know Theo was in town?’

Lil caves first. ‘We knew he had a gig in London tonight. We were going to tell you about it yesterday.’

‘Did you know he was coming here yesterday?’ I ask, my eyes wide. ‘Did you know David was going to send me this?’

‘No!’ Serena jumps in. ‘Theo definitely shouldn’t have come here. He was supposed to be on the bloody One Show, announcing the new album, and he ended up being insanely late, squishing on the end of the sofa next to some bloke from Love Island. The fact that he went AWOL drove everyone at the office out of their minds. I set my phone on mute the second he appeared. I can’t deal with any more Theo nonsense. My work is done; I wash my hands of him.’

‘But, about the music…’ Lil starts then trails off, looks at Serena and the two seem to have a fraught conversation using only their eyebrows.

‘I was going to give you a copy myself,’ Serena finally says, grudgingly. ‘Even though I could have been sacked for doing so,’ she adds, shooting Lil a filthy look.

‘You’ve heard it?’ I say.

Serena rolls her eyes. ‘Of course I’ve heard it, Clemmie. What sort of a question is that? If you know how to produce a record without listening to it then please do fill me in. We’ve signed some cartoon frog off YouTube and I’d love to get out of that one.’

‘Your job is gross,’ Lil mutters. ‘What about artistic integrity?’

‘It’s not a crime to make money. What about getting off your high horse and letting people just enjoy stuff,’ Serena snaps. ‘It doesn’t have to be that deep.’

‘Stop it!’ I exclaim. ‘Now is so not the time for this!’ My sisters appear chagrined for thirty seconds before sending each other death stares once they think I’m not looking. ‘What about you?’ I turn to Lil, bringing us back to the matter at hand. ‘Have you heard this album?’

Lil’s eyes slide away from mine. ‘Not all of it.’

‘And it’s not the album,’ Serena says again.

‘I’m so confused.’

‘Look, Clemmie,’ Serena says breezily, ‘instead of asking us about it, why don’t we just listen to it? Then we can talk about it… after.’

I instantly feel like I’m going to throw up. Of course I want to listen to it. Of course I do. But I’m also scared – scared because the combination of music and Theo is a DEFCON 1 nuclear threat to my emotional safety. I know David wouldn’t have given it to me, and my sisters wouldn’t be acting like demented, shifty-eyed weirdos, if it didn’t have something to do with me, and how can I ever, ever prepare myself for that?

‘Clemmie.’ Lil cups my chin between her two hands. ‘You need to hear it. Trust us. Just press play.’

So I do.

Immediately the room is filled with a song that I recognize – the one Theo played for me, the one I called pretty. But it’s so much more than that now. It streams from the speakers, lush and beautiful. It’s not just Theo and his guitar anymore, but a whole band – an orchestra maybe, because I can hear strings too, soft and romantic. It’s overwhelming, but not as overwhelming as when Theo’s voice joins in.

That voice.

That smoky, sultry voice that burns through me like good whiskey, diffusing into softness and heat. And the song he’s singing… it’s about me.

Met her at a funeral,

Good thing I don’t believe in signs,

Cause the moment that I saw her,

I knew that she was mine.

Oh, my Darling,

Oh, my Darling.