The Ice People 40 - Imprisoned by time. Margit Sandemo

to approach the headland, because they may be paid an unexpected visit ...

      And having a ghost on board is the worst thing that can possibly happen to a ship.

      In fact, from Nataniel’s perspective the whole affair started much earlier, with that frightening old ferry. Long before he had ever even heard of Ellen. But back then he would never have been able to guess that he himself might one day get mixed up in that case.

      One day a couple of years before, when his car had been in for a service, he had taken a bus back to the repair shop to pick up the car. As he got off the bus he was practically knocked over by a middle-aged man wearing dirty clothes – presumably his only clothes – with a stained shirt collar and unwashed hair.

      Nataniel only registered these details subconsciously. It wasn’t his business whether or not people washed themselves. But suddenly he stopped in his tracks on the pavement, struck by a strange impression. He grabbed the man by the arm.

      “Beware of Stella,” he told him quickly. “Stay away from her! She will only bring death to you!”

      The man looked at Nataniel irritably: he was eager to catch his bus.

      “I don’t know who Stella is,” Nataniel continued. It was very important to him that the man understood him. “But she’ll take your life. And you won’t be the first. And probably not the last, either. It all has something to do with water. I see you drifting underwater, but I don’t think you’re drowning.”

      The man broke away from him. “You’re out of your mind,” he said as he rushed towards the bus. “I have nothing to do with any Stella! And what business is it of yours, anyway?”

      The doors of the bus shut after him with a sigh. Nataniel saw his agitated face through the window and then the bus disappeared into the traffic.

      But that kind of sudden impulse was something that Nataniel experienced frequently, and he had no choice but to warn the man he had happened to bump into. Before long he forgot the episode.

      Tova was contrary as always. They were sitting in the car as they gradually approached their destination.

      “So what kind of a mission is it that you’re dragging me along on?”

      “Your father’s asked me to go to Western Norway. He was contacted by a doctor there who has been having problems with a woman who is experiencing visions.”

      “My father? But that isn’t a case for the police!”

      “It might become one. There is a lot of money at stake. The family wants to declare her incapable.”

      “Hmm. Go on.”

      “Well, the woman claims that she has lived in a previous life and that she is in contact with Louis XIV. Receives messages from him and so on. Her husband is very upset about it, and the doctor can’t seem to get her to abandon this whim of hers. They have asked me, as a kind of expert in this area, to take a look at her. I am to examine whether she actually has lived in a previous era and whether she really is in contact with a king.”

      “I’ve always found the transmigration of souls to be interesting.”

      “I’ve never really looked into it,” Nataniel answered. “But I think it’s strange that whenever someone talks about the spiritual world or having lived in the past and being in contact with someone that someone is always famous. Had the person they were in contact with been an ordinary citizen without any historical reputation I would be much more sympathetic. But no, it’s got to be a king – nothing less will do!”

      Tova giggled. “Imagine, that you actually fell for the bait!”

      Her remark made Nataniel self-conscious. “Yes, well, I have another motive as well. It happens to be the town where Ellen is attending her course.”

      “Ellen?” asked Tova. “Oh, that’s right, the boring one from Valdres.”

      Ellen isn’t boring, Nataniel was just about to say, but he didn’t have the energy to get into a discussion about it. He knew Tova very well by now. He knew that she hated all girls who were attractive and satisfied with their lives, and that she considered Ellen to be a rival even though she wasn’t interested in Nataniel in that way.

      “Can’t you help me determine whether I’ve lived in a previous life?” she asked.

      “I most certainly cannot,” he answered, a little more sternly than he had intended because she had interrupted his daydreams about Ellen.

      He didn’t know where in the little town Ellen lived, only that she was there to pursue her studies in the field of social welfare. He wasn’t going to look her up; that was completely out of the question! But perhaps they might run into each other accidentally?

      After ploughing through the windy west-coast town in all directions numerous times, he finally, dejectedly, had to give up. It was time to head towards the car ferry that would carry them along the coast to the place where the lady with the visions lived. Tova had already sharply indicated several times the direction in which the ferry was located but he had just pretended that he hadn’t heard her.

      Then he caught sight of Ellen. She was coming out of a big building that must be the school. Nataniel hit the brakes so hard that it made Tova fly forward and then he jumped out of the car and shouted, “Ellen!”

      She was busy pulling up the fur-lined hood of her parka but stopped in her movement.

      It pierced Tova’s heart to see them. She felt a blunt anger towards them, and towards life in general because it treated her so unfairly. She saw Nataniel through Ellen’s eyes now – wearing a sheepskin jacket and short leather boots, his hair more dishevelled than ever – and an angry expression came over her face. Ellen came running, her cheeks glowing and her eyes radiating pure joy.

      Tova turned away. She didn’t want to see them reunite.

      But she could hear their voices. Nataniel sounded despairing. “Come with us,” he pleaded in a low voice, as though he knew that he really didn’t have any right to be asking her.

      “Do you really mean it?” asked Ellen.

      “You might not be able to come with me to the lady I have to visit, but at least we could have the chance to talk a little on the ferry. I promise not to make things difficult for you.”

      Ellen’s voice was sharp with pain. “Difficult? It couldn’t be any more difficult than not seeing you for all these months! But ... I didn’t bring any money with me.”

      He smiled tenderly. “It would be my pleasure to treat you. Come on, the ferry leaves in just a few minutes!”

      Ellen hurried into the car and they just managed to make the ferry in time.

      Oh, how wonderful it was! They were together again without any plans or any worries whatsoever!

      The wind was so bitterly cold and raw out on the fjord that they immediately sought shelter down in the ferry’s lounge, where the other passengers sat with their slopping cups of coffee and Danish pastries. None of them were hungry so Nataniel just found a table, offering the girls the sofa by the wall while he sat facing them with his back to the lounge. His and Ellen’s fingers crept across the surface of the table and found one another. With light, vibrating movements their hands sought one another, felt their way, caressed one another, squeezed one another ... they were playing a dangerous game, calling forth a yearning that would never lead to anything.

      “We shouldn’t have done this,” Nataniel whispered. “We shouldn’t be travelling together, I mean.”

      “I know. I’ve seen enough of your abilities by now and must believe in them whether I want to or not. I know that you’re right and that something terrible will happen to us if we give in.”

      “Yes,” he said, but his gaze was hazy, as though that terrible thing was no longer frightening in the way it had once been.

      Ellen