Mystical Circles by S. C. Skillman

opportunity to live alongside the group members. So long as you don’t take it too far, of course.”
    “No, Toby.”
    “This documentary should be good stuff. I’ve every confidence in you. Catch up with you again tomorrow.” And he was gone.
    With this conversation still preying on her mind, she headed towards the staircase. She was developing a different agenda to the one Toby had set. Was she up to it? And how would all this affect her sister? She needed to find Zoe, and try to put things right.
    To her delight she got her chance almost immediately, down in the entrance hall, when her sister appeared before her.
    “Zoe!” Juliet cried. “Sorry about this morning.”
    Zoe looked relieved. “That’s all right. Been thinking about it too. Difficult for you to understand. But it’s still great you’re here. And hey, I know the others have been working on you. Laura told me all about what happened at lunch.”
    Juliet said nothing. What had Laura’s slant been on that conversation? She dreaded to think.
    “You won’t believe what Craig can do for you,” Zoe rushed on. “Just trust him, Juliet. Wait and see what he’s like this evening.”
    Pointless to tell Zoe her forebodings about Craig. Yes, thought Juliet ruefully. See what the evening held. That was all she could do.
     
     
    The buzz of conversation from the other side of the inner door increased. Juliet knew the group were already taking their seats at the dining table, ready to start the meal. She glanced through the doorway, entranced by the many candle flames. How sensuous the room looked in this light; the gleaming timbers held even greater depth and richness. And the fragrance of the roses and apple logs in the fireplace seemed more intense.
    At that moment, Craig appeared before her, hand outstretched, a smile of greeting on his face. She stopped short, disconcerted by a tingling sensation in her stomach. If not for the evidence of her eyes, she could have sworn she’d just brushed against a lightly charged electric fence.
    “Welcome to your first evening meal with us, Juliet.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Come in, come in,” he said robustly. He took her arm. “Do sit here, close to me.”
    Juliet was still recovering from her initial reaction to his appearance. She wondered whether her being invited to sit near Craig would upset Zoe. But not at all. Instead, her sister touched her shoulder. “I’ll slip in, opposite you.”
    “Sure,” said Juliet. She looked for Don. Perhaps pinpointing his location would ease her mind and her nerves. Then she saw the Yorkshireman, near the top of the table. Zoe was already seating herself.
    Juliet followed Craig past The Lady and the Unicorn . Craig moved with a fluid grace. For her part, she hoped her manner gave no clue to the insecurity she felt. This would be her first official introduction to the group. As she glanced around those sitting at the table, it suddenly occurred to her that the only non-speaker was the large, hand-carved wooden Buddha which sat in the chair opposite where she stood. How bizarre, she thought.
    Now she sensed a change in the atmosphere. All eyes were upon her. Juliet almost expected everyone to push back their chairs and rise to their feet. Yet nobody did.
    The table was laid with blue-and-white china and silver cutlery, together with ivory church candles set in wrought-iron candlesticks. At each place appeared a large wine goblet. Interspersed between three bowls of roses, she counted at least seven bottles of red and white wine.
    Craig showed her to her chair, and waited until she was in her seat before taking his. Then he raised his voice. “May I officially introduce our new arrival to you all?”
    Everyone fell silent.
    “A few of you,” Craig went on, “had the good fortune to meet our visitor earlier: Juliet, Zoe’s sister. You’ll remember from my explanation last night, Juliet’s a freelance journalist, and has asked my permission to come and make recordings for