by Benson, Tom
“I’m sure every one of them enjoyed the comfort of these cushions having got this far.”
“Do you know which building you want to check out while we’re here?”
“After we’ve eaten, I’ll get up on the roof of the station. From there, I ought to be able to see if there is a suitable building with a structure to support a relay antenna and solar panels.”
“There can’t be that many houses in a village this size.”
“No, I don’t think there will be, so it should be easy to see the best one for the job.”
The companions enjoyed their snack and a second cup of tea before going outside. Flint located the ladder that Bill had used on his visit, and a few minutes later, he was on the roof looking around.
Not wishing to be left out, Imogen climbed the ladder and joined him on the roof.
16. Observations
“Ahoy there,” Quincy called when the two kayaks were within range of the boat shed.
“Ahoy,” Imogen called back to her partner. She glanced over her shoulder and said, “They’ll be wondering why we’re both in one kayak and towing the other.”
Flint said, “Let’s just tell them we were lonely in separate kayaks.”
Imogen laughed and then shouted, “Open the shed, and we’ll go straight in!”
The pair continued to paddle against the current, and when the door slid open, they eased their kayak inside. When they were against one of the wooden decks inside, Flint leant back, gripped the tow rope and pulled the second kayak alongside so that the door could be closed again.
“Are you both okay?” Quincy said.
“We’re both fine,” Imogen said, as she climbed out and gave her man a quick hug. “The route south was easy, but some of the tight stretches on the way back were difficult. Flint suggested we’d have more power and control if we worked together and pulled the equipment in the second kayak.”
“The river doesn’t look too bad as far as we can see from here,” Emma said.
“Yes, it’s good for a couple of miles,” Flint said. “Farther along, there are a few bends where it might not be white water, but the banks are steep, and the currents increase in power by quite a margin. There’s a stretch not too far back that would be challenging in a rowboat.”
While Flint and Imogen pulled on some clothes over their stripped-down rowing outfits, the others unloaded the second kayak and then lifted both crafts out of the water.
“I’m looking forward to hearing how it all went,” Amber pressed the button on her radio.
“Hello Eagle’s Nest, this is Amber—the wanderers have arrived back safely, over.”
“Roger that,” Sandy said. “I’ll get a brew on, out.”
When the evening meal was out of the way, and later, the children were put to bed, the group had a discussion.
“Importantly,” Flint said, “the two kayaks proved their worth and thanks to the amount of baggage we were stowing in the front cockpits, they were stable.” He nodded towards Imogen. “I know Imogen said she had difficulty with the current on the way back but trust me, it was pretty rough here and there and she did bloody well.”
Emma said, “How did you manage to double-up?”
“We allowed the current to push us back and then we turned and found a small inlet to rearrange ourselves and the two craft.”
Imogen said, “It also gave us a few minutes respite from fighting the river.” She grinned. “I have to admit I didn’t let it spoil our day—I was more determined when we were working together and pulling the other kayak.”
Flint said, “Suffice to say that kayaks were the ideal way to do the job today, but they’d be no good for transporting the relay equipment. That task would have to be done in a bigger craft. We used yellow and pink strips to flag the route. The colours are alternated, and all ribbons are on the left bank. Our theory about the steep bank and the wide track on the left was accurate, but as usual with good fortune, we have pros and cons.” He nodded for Imogen to take part as he’d told her he would.
Imogen said, “It was easy to get close to the bank, and it was sandy. After we’d secured the kayaks, we tied off pairs of yellow ribbons a short distance apart at the landing spot, so it will stand out. There is nowhere else on the route where consecutive ribbons of the same colour appear.” She sipped her tea and grinned. “Flint made the climb look easy, but the track is bloody steep. It’s a good thing because it’s easy to see from the water and it’s not going to be flooded, but you don’t walk up—you climb.”
Emma and Amber stifled a laugh at their friend’s description.
Imogen smiled and went on to explain how they’d used pink ribbons when they changed direction here and there. She explained about the cross-country hike and climbing one of the hills to get a better appreciation of the area. “It was great to see Dalwhinnie, even if it was still a couple of miles away. From up there, Flint was able to mark a better route for getting back. We also removed all the pink ribbons from our alternate routes to avoid confusion.” She turned to Flint who nodded that she’d done well.
Flint continued the story and explained that the remaining journey to the station was more manageable from the hill. “We had a lunch break and then climbed onto the roof to take a look around. The surviving houses in the village are mainly old and solid. From our vantage point, there was a good view of some of the back gardens.” He grinned as he drew out the news of the important find.
“Come on,” Sandy said, “enough of the suspense.” He laughed.
“Somebody must have been working on an extension or building a conservatory. There was a back garden with a large stack of metal pipes and other bits and pieces, so we left the station and went to investigate. In the rear garden of one of the houses in Perth Road is sufficient scaffolding, brackets and planks of wood to build our own aerial tower.”
“I’m sure Bill mentioned scaffolding during his briefing—it must be the same garden.”
Josh said, “Would a scaffolding tower be taller than the houses?”
“I didn’t measure everything and calculate a height,” Flint said, “but I’m pretty sure we’d be able to build a simple structure twice the height of the houses. It would be suitable for attaching the antenna for a relay, and we’d also be able to fit the solar panels on their poles.”
Glen said, “All we have to do is make sure that the whole thing is set up securely and then it can be left to do its job, the way it was done on one of the local hills. There wouldn’t be any need for us to visit and maintain it, would there?”
Sandy said, “There’d be no need for anyone here to maintain it. I think we already have some people in Auchcarn who’d be keen to make the trek and settle in Dalwhinnie. Once we have folks in residence there, we’ll see the place becoming an established community.”
For a moment nobody spoke.
Sandy continued. “Auchcarn is a solid base and the source of our energy. You guys have a working environment with the farm. If we had a few people in Dalwhinnie, it would give us a third worthwhile location to build upon.”
Imogen nodded. “Flint and I had a look around at some of the houses—they’re solid, and some still have the windows and doors in place. We got to talking about all the things the Auchcarn guys have achieved, and I think if we all helped, we could fix up a few of the houses. These others who’ve been through so much could teach us the skills we need—we could eventually locate and work on houses nearby in Aviemore.”
Josh murmured, “That is quite a vision … but absolutely feasible.”
Sandy and Flint both went on to expand on what they thought about the idea. Dalwhinnie had come up in conversation since they’d been in the farmhouse. The younger people had been focused more on the communication relay than anyone moving to live there. It created an interesting conversation for some time before everyone started heading for bed.
Sandy and Flint took their weapons, binoculars and water bottles to spend the night upstairs in the gristmill a
gain. It was accepted that neither of them would be happy unless they were in a position to take an occasional look around from the ideal vantage point—whatever time of night.
Sandy said, “Amber asked me to update you on something but out of earshot of the others.”
“She was unusually quiet this evening—is there a problem, mate?”
“In the morning when you and Imogen went to the outdoor shop, Amber went with Emma and Quincy to the police station to copy the map.”
“Yes, I remember, and all went well as far as I know.”
“It all went well, and it was only later that Amber opened up to me about her concerns. When the other two were in the main part of the police station using the copying machine, Amber went off to find the route up to the roof. She didn’t have binoculars so was unable to confirm anything. Using the magnification sight on her rifle, she checked out something that had occurred to her.”
Flint was no longer interested in sleep. “Go on, mate.”
“She said that it’s not obvious from anywhere close to Aviemore railway station or the river. Somewhere upstream, however, there might be a waterway branching off on the other side of the River Spey.”
“What made her think that?”
“From the police station roof, she was casually looking out across town and the river when two birds caught her eye.”
“We see loads of birds around here—we’ve often said how the birds and insects have thrived—”
“Amber watched these birds for a few minutes because she hadn’t seen them for years—it was a pair of swans. When they spread their wings to land together, she realised that they were landing in water.”
“What relevance would that have for us here?”
“These guys have walked along the riverbank in both directions on this side. As far as we know, so too has Bill, but nobody has gone across the river because the currents are strong, and there are no bridges near here.”
Flint nodded slowly. “I’m sorry, mate—I’m with you now. We’ve been bloody short-sighted about the threat. Our concerns have been focused on this side of the river because of the missing lamb and the possibility that Patsy might be camped-out somewhere not far from here.”
“Exactly,” Sandy said. “From the town, the railway station or the riverbank, it looks like miles of fields, and a few trees on the opposite side as far as the eye can see. The river is at least five hundred metres broad for quite a distance in both directions. It wouldn’t occur to anybody that a certain person might be living a couple of miles away on the other side.”
“Are we saying that there might be a new inlet and a flooded stream leading in on the opposite bank?”
“Yes, mate—possibly.”
“If it were Patsy, she could easily cross the river by boat some distance upstream. She could conceal the boat, do whatever she wants and then go back and not worry about being seen. I know we’ve agreed on it before—she may be crazy, but she is not stupid.”
“I agree, and I have a plan, but I don’t want us to do anything until our people arrive tomorrow.”
“Would it only involve the two of us?”
Sandy grinned. “Amber has asked if she can join us in any secret adventures, and personally, I think she deserves a place if one of us goes exploring.”
Five minutes later, both men were lying staring up at the ceiling of the mill, unable to sleep.
.
Tuesday 23rd August
Late in the morning, Flint went out to the barn to see how Glen and Josh were getting on with Josh’s latest invention. Emma was baking bread and the children were out with Imogen, Amber and Quincy. They were walking to the local woodland and around the fields where the cattle and sheep grazed.
Sandy sat alone at a picnic table in the large rear garden. He had a map spread out before him and made light pencil markings at certain places along the river. The main focus of his attention was the fine blue line shown to the east of the River Spey. The line was marked as a stream. That was why both he and Flint had so far overlooked it as anything more substantial.
“I bet you’re not simply a narrow little stream now,” Sandy murmured as he traced the line east from the river. He marked where the water was supposed to end, and wondered if it had become a deep channel. Would it, for example, be deep enough for a boat to negotiate, and how far along might any craft be able to go? “We need to know.”
“Hey,” Emma said from the doorway, “are you talking to that map?” She laughed.
“I’m sorry, Emma, I do it all the time.” He painted on a smile for her.
“Would a mug of tea help you to concentrate?”
“Do you know something—I think it would, thank you.” Sandy looked again at the area where the stream ended. The contours beyond that point showed that there was a valley, and to his mind, it would make an ideal area to accommodate an expanded flow of water. The nearest tiny black square or oblong which would designate a building was at least four miles distant from Aviemore on the other side of the river. Usually, a small town would straddle a river, and a bridge would provide the physical contact of one side to the other. Aviemore was all on the west bank of the River Spey.
Emma placed a mug of black tea to the side of the map. “What are you up to?”
“Thank you.” Sandy lifted his tea. “I was wondering if there was anything of interest on the other side of the river.”
“There are no bridges anywhere within miles of here, so we’ve never considered going across. I know that from Aviemore Station you can see a bit of forestry but not much else.”
Sandy nodded and sipped his tea. “I might take one of the kayaks and see if there is anything upstream, you know, an inlet, a swollen stream or whatever.”
“Right,” Emma whispered and turned to go back to the kitchen. She paused at the door. “You don’t think our mystery—”
“Hello Eagle’s Nest, this is Helen, radio check, over.”
Both Sandy and Emma turned to the radio, and Sandy nodded for her to take the call.
“This is Emma at Eagle’s Nest, we’ve got you …” She glanced at Sandy. “… strength five, over.”
Sandy smiled as he thought about how everybody wanted to get their radio procedure honed.
“I’ve got you strength five,” Helen said, “we’re about three miles away, over.”
“Roger. The others are all over the place. We’ll see you soon, out.”
Sandy said, “I hope you’ve made enough bread for an extra four mouths.”
“I have, but I didn’t expect to need it so soon.” She went back to her baking, laughing.
Sandy was glad of the interruption. He looked back at the map. “If you’re over there, we’re going to find you.”
Patsy Mayne may not have been seen, but she was on the mind of several people.
When Sandy stepped outside the front door to await the arrival of the visitors from Auchcarn he was met by Josh and Glen pulling a peculiar structure towards the nearest fields. “Josh, I was impressed when I saw your millstone-driving device, but this one is beyond me.”
“It’s an adapted plough which we’re going to set in position in a field. We’ll perform our first trials this afternoon.”
“At first glance, it looks heavy, but the small wheels must be making it easy to move.”
“Yes, it is heavy, but we’ve fitted cogs to the inside of the wheels. Whether it’s being pulled to the fields or is in use, the gearing will make it easier to move. A single lever raises the two blades, so there are no issues when it’s on hard ground like this.”
“I look forward to seeing it in action.” Sandy paused. “By the way, we have visitors arriving soon, and Helen is one of them.”
“That’s great news,” Glen said. “We’ll be back shortly.”
Josh and Glen had just gone through the gate towards the field to be ploughed when Flint strolled out from the barn.
“Hi,” Sandy said, “what have you been up to?”
“Hi mate. I went in to watch those guys put the finishing touches to the plough and then I went up into the mill to survey the area. Our visitors are about ten minutes from the driveway now. I saw them clearly after they passed the sub-station along the main road.”
“Before they get here, I can give you a quick update.” Sandy glanced over his shoulder. “I’ve studied the map closely and considered what we discussed before. A boat could be secured against the bank quite far upstream, but it might be found. The idea didn’t sit well with me, because we’d be sure to see something. I followed up on what Amber talked about—a possible waterway over on the other side.”
Flint nodded. “What have you found?”
Sandy explained the tight contour lines and the tiny flashes of blue lines. “I think it would be worth investigating what should be a narrow stream about two miles upstream.”
“You don’t think it’s still a narrow stream?”
“No, mate—if everywhere else has seen water levels rising, why not the streams fed locally by the River Spey?”
“Hello, Sandy!” Helen’s tone was as cheerful as anyone had heard.
“Hello.” Sandy waved to the small group of visitors as they approached.
Flint winked. “Somebody sounds pleased to see you again. I think you should give me a look at your findings on the map and I’ll go upriver with Amber.”
They both walked forward to greet Helen, Calvin, Tracey and Archie.
Sandy embraced Helen briefly. “Welcome home.”
Helen looked from one to the other. “Thank you both for responding so quickly to the call from up here. This lot must have been happy to see you.”
“They’re a great bunch,” Sandy said.
“They’re also hard-working and willing to try anything,” Flint said.
“Nice place you’ve got here,” Calvin said as he gripped Sandy’s hand and then Flint’s.
