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‘It certainly wouldn’t be easy,’ Winter agreed He swung his backpack off his shoulder and stuffed the bilberry inside it before reaching forto make you squeal’

I grinned ‘Sounds kinky’

‘Oh,’ Winter purred, ‘this is better than kinky’ He delved inside the bag and withdrew a flask

I gasped ‘Is that…?’

He winked at me ‘Hot chocolate’

Winter was right; I did squeal ‘That’s not all,’ he said He reached into his bag of tricks again and pulled out a plastic box With a flourish, he lifted the lid to reveal two sandwiches, clingfilm-wrapped to within an inch of their lives

I wrapped my arms round his neck ‘You’re brilliant’ And he was I’d stayed in bed an extra ten ot up to make snacks

‘Careful!’ he warned ‘You’ll squash them’

‘I’ood’ All the sa suspicious about the sandwiches I frowned and looked a little closer ‘Winter,’ I said, slowly ‘Did you, uh, use a ruler to cut the bread?’ It looked oddly perfect

‘Don’t be silly,’ he said ‘It was a set square’

His expression was so deadpan that I decided he was serious Rather than look a gift horse in the ratefully took one of the sandwiches

‘There’s a ested It wasn’t exactly warnarled oak, but there was less wind and the worst of the rain was shielded by the twisted branches overhead

Winter nodded and we traipsed over I plonked et comfortable Amused, Winter sat besidehot chocolate I carefully laid my half-unwrapped sandwich to one side then took the cup froet the full benefit of its heat Then I dipped roaned

‘Raphael Winter,’ I breathed ‘You ht be the best man in the entire world’

He glanced at ht” about it, Ivy Wilde’ He smiled ‘Nice moustache, by the way’

I rantheain ‘If I ever start taking you for granted, bring ain’ Then I took a bite and choked

The surface of the bread was coated in sohly unpleasant ‘What are you trying to do?’ I asked ‘Poison me?’

He blinked ‘Huh?’

There was a loud tut I didn’t need to look up to know that one of Grenville’s ghostly buddies had finally decided to show Where there was a tut, there was bound to be a spirit waiting to castigate me It was about time

‘It’s not his fault,’ a woh-necked white robe with frills that see up her neck ‘You’re the one who put your lunch in the middle of my remains’

Myas I looked at where I’d laid the sandwich There wasn’t a large pile of ash but there was enough I sprang todead people

Chapter Five