by Ivy Ferrari
She had to turn away from his chilling stare. He seemed about to reply, then changed his mind and started the car. A silent journey began.
CHAPTER FIVE
As soon as he had garaged the car Adam disappeared into his office. Tina drank a cup of tea with Isa, then lay on her bed for an hour. She slept, but woke heavy-eyed.
Supper was a restrained affair, even Isa sensing the tension in the atmosphere and refraining from quoting texts. Instead she went gloomily to and fro with occasional sharp glances at Adam and Tina. Her dress was one Tina had not seen before, a plum-coloured marocain with beige frilled, modesty vest. As she left the room with the used plates Adam murmured:
‘Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these!’
It was a determined attempt to lighten the atmosphere, Carrie laughed. Tina did not respond Adam threw down his napkin with one of his frightening displays of controlled anger. ‘I shan’t take coffee, Carrie.’ His voice was like a slammed door.
When he had left the room Carrie said: ‘And just what have you cone to upset him?’
Tina was silent. Carrie saw the tears in her eyes and began to talk briskly of the day’s work on the dig.
For a few days Tina was utterly dejected, nursing her hurt. Her work on the dig was mechanical, half-hearted. She was glad when the week-end came, with its opportunities of being alone. She declined an offer to go shopping in Hexham with Carrie and set out for a walk instead.
There was a needle-sharp wind which made her choose a westward path through the woods. She guessed it would eventually bring her out at the dig but walked idly, uncaring of her destination.
It was pleasant in this sheltered way, the occasional sunshine gilding the greenery of the larches. Everywhere underfoot was new growth and overhead the trills and chatter of nesting birds. She saw and heard these things, bet was still locked in her own misery.
For so many weeks there had been, if not exactly a suspended truce, at least an unspoken understanding between Adam and herself that they could at least come to some kind of amiable compromise. Their working hours together would have been impossibly difficult otherwise.
Now, in a few words at Housesteads, he had shattered that illusion.
She was angered that he expected her to lay down her arms while he refused to alter his opinion of Bruno by one jot. Perhaps, though, she persuaded herself, this new resumption of hostilities might be no bad thing. Wasn’t it true, she asked herself guiltily, that she had lately permitted the situation to drift; had allowed that physical fascination of his to distract her from her search for the truth?
She found herself at a fork in the path and took the one plunging left and deeper into the woods. The white scut of a rabbit disappeared into a tangle of brambles. The path dipped into a dell where a small burn chattered over its pebbly bed. She took it at a jump, climbed the rising path beyond and found herself unexpectedly in a clearing where stood a trim one-storey stone cottage, its blue smoke a straight column against the trees.
She hesitated, wondering if this was private ground, yet admiring the cottage with its snowy paint, creeper-bowered doorway and a well-tilled garden inside its rough stone wall. A sound of sawing from the rear ceased and a voice called her name. To her relief it was Sandy who came forward, his hand extended in welcome.
‘By, I didn’t expect such a bonny visitor! Where are you off to, pet? There’s nowt doing on the dig, is there?’
‘I was just walking. Is this your cottage?’
‘Aye, this is Quarry Cottage. I was just sawing up a bit of kindling wood, nothing that can’t wait. So what do you say to a cup of tea? I’m old enough to be your father, or it wouldn’t be proper to ask.’
Tina accepted, glad to be jerked out of depression. The inside of the cottage delighted her, giving every evidence of the care of a methodical man, yet obviously masculine, with a gun or two about and a side table covered with evidence of some carpentry work.
‘I’m making Carrie a cabinet for her aeroplanes. Only don’t tell her, will you?’ Sandy carefully poured water into a brown tea-pot. ‘But if I get many more visitors it’ll be the autumn before I’ve finished it.’
‘Have you anyone coming this week-end?’ Tina asked, as he handed her a heavy white cup.
‘Not this week, no. I’ve a Scottish schoolteacher for two days next week-end. Then in about a fortnight I’ve an Aussie bloke coming, though where he got my address beats me. But yon guesthouse up the village is listed in the Wall guide, so they probably put him on to me, being full up themselves.’
They drank their tea companionably and Sandy, after courteously asking permission, lit his pipe. ‘And where’s Carrie off to?’
‘Hexham, shopping. She said she really had to get something new to wear for the spring. She forgot last year.’
‘Aye, that’s just her, now! That’s just her! For half the time she isn’t inside her skin at all, let alone her clothes ... Looks like she’s changing, then. You wouldn’t know if she—if she has anyone in the offing?’ His voice was so dismayed Tina smiled.
‘I’m sure she hasn’t.’ She felt soothed by the peace of the cottage, the sleepy tick of a wall clock, the scent of Sandy’s tobacco. ‘You’re, very fond of Carrie, aren’t you?’ she ventured.
‘Well, now it’s not hard to spot, is it? Aye, I think the world of her, though she’s an odd little body when you get to know her. It’s just as if summat got snarled up in her life, all those years ago. She told me a bit about this Air Force bloke—at the time I think she did it to put me off—and it seems to me she’s tried to spread that one bit of happiness too far and too thin. They talk of Wall Fever—why, hers is no ordinary Wall Fever. It’s all tied up with yon chap she loved. And as long as she’s so set in the past, why, Sandy’s chances are about even with winning the Pools!’
‘Unless Lofty came back, perhaps?’
‘Came back, pet?’ he exploded. ‘Why, that would be the end of it.’
‘No, I mean if he came back and things didn’t work out—’ Tina broke off. ‘But Carrie’s right. Miracles don’t happen.’
‘You could be right. But it’s a miracle I’m needing, if ever she’s to look twice at me. I know she thinks I’m some kind of a clown or a fool, always joking on and ribbing her about the Air Force.’ He set down his cup, looked suddenly despairing. ‘It’s just that I’m no good at any other kind of approach. That’s the way I always chatted up the lasses and I’m too old a dog to learn new tricks ... Why, if she but knew it, she’s more than welcome to dig for yon old brick oven. But I pretended I was against it so that—well, one day she might do something for me in return.’
‘Like going to the fancy dress dance?’ Tina asked.
His vivid blue eyes brightened. ‘She’s not coming, is she?’
‘I don’t know—but she did mention it. I wish I could help, Sandy, but she’s a very determined person.’
Talk became general again. Soon Tina got up to go. She noticed a book on the dresser, gave it a closer look. It concerned the Roman occupation of Britain and was open at a page of military costume.
‘Why, Sandy, I thought you weren’t interested in Roman things?’
‘Oh, that! It’s a library book I got in Hexham.’ She detected embarrassment in his face and thought she understood. Had Sandy, tired of waiting for a miracle, decided in desperation to become a second Lofty, to study and try to understand what made Carrie tick? She was touched by the thought, pathetic though it was.
Thanks for the tea, Sandy. I think I ought to go now.’
‘You’re welcome, pet.’ He hesitated. ‘And—if there should be another mention of the dance, you’ll put a word in for me?’
‘I promise.’
He walked with her to the gate, then returned to his sawing. Poor Sandy, she thought as she walked home. She would gladly find him a miracle if any were going. Come to that, she could use one herself...
No miracles, however, were forthcoming. Relations between hersel
f and Adam continued cool, though she had recovered her spirits a little, determined to show him he had no power to make her permanently forlorn.
On Monday morning she remembered that it was Rosie’s day to see the school doctor. She mentioned it to Adam during her morning’s work. Disconcertingly, he already knew about it.
‘Don’t forget I’m on the school board of governors. And the health visitor is going to make certain both twins get a good going over.’ He paused. That is, if they manage to catch them first.’
Tina stared. ‘You mean—’
‘I was referring to the twins’ habit of staying away from school when anything unpleasant is in the offing. Let us just hope Francey will lead them there by the ears. Come to that we can soon find out how things are.’ He whipped up the telephone receiver and dialled a local number.
‘Miss Purvis? Adam Copeland here. I just wondered if the Finch twins had turned up for their medical ... What? Oh, I see. Bobby did, but not Rosie ... I half expected it No, I don’t suppose there’s a dog’s chance of her turning up until after school hours. Thanks, anyway.’
He replaced the receiver. ‘Francey set out with both of them, but Rosie gave her the slip. She’ll be hiding up like a little vixen gone to earth.’
‘But surely Francey must have some idea where to find her?’
He shrugged. ‘The twins have their own secrets, though I certainly know about the tree house. But that isn’t their only bolt-hole, you may depend on it. Just think of the woods, acres of them, full of old thickets. Then there are at least three disused quarries, overgrown for twenty years. Think of all the crannies in the moor ... No one in their right senses would even start looking.’
‘Poor Rosie.’ Tina said softly.
Adam cocked a sharp glance at her. ‘Would you like to elaborate on that remark?’
‘Well, it’s not Rosie’s fault, is it—that she’s scared, I mean.’ Tina began recounting the story of the hospital visit, but Adam waved an impatient hand.
‘I know all about that. I still think they’ve given in to her far too much. Girls like Rosie need a firm hand. If I’d known she’d really give Francey the slip I’d have driven them to school myself ... Oh, they’re a feckless lot!’
He turned again to the letters. ‘No sense in your fretting over the child. She’s not your responsibility.’
‘Nor yours.’ said Tina.
His gaze was intimidating. ‘Only in that they’re tenants and distant relations of mine. One tries to do one’s duty.’
‘I suppose so. And I was just trying to be friendly. I think Rosie’s sweet.’
‘Most people do, until she turns and rends them, like a wildcat. But I admit she’s an endearing little savage.’ He permitted himself a slight smile. ‘But we shan’t waste another minute over her ... Where were we? Oh yes. To John Forbes, Agricultural Contractors—Dear Sirs...’
Tina felt deflated, more than a little annoyed. Yet she suspected Adam was more concerned than he admitted. She reflected too that Adam was surely the last person to criticise over-indulgence where Rosie was concerned. What about his own sister and her neurotic ways? Or this could be the very reason he saw the danger, possibly having paid bitterly for past mistakes of his own. She would never really know. He was as much of an enigma as ever.
She planned to run down to Quarry Farm after the dig work was over, just to see if Rosie was safely home. But when Carrie joined her for lunch all thoughts of Rosie were temporarily banished.
Carrie had an exalted look. ‘Well, we think we’ve solved the mystery in the south-west grids! Chris is almost certain now we’ve stumbled on another Mithraeum temple. The signs and the measurements are beginning to add up, though there’s evidence of earlier work having been rebuilt.’ Carrie paused, her eyes shining. The earlier stones would seem to be third century ... You know, Tina, Chris has just told me Bruno always had a hunch about that south-west corner. Of course the excavations hadn’t reached that point when he—’
She paused again. ‘If we’re right, and of course we can’t divulge anything yet, it’ll be as spectacular a discovery as the one at Rudchester in the mid-fifties.’ She sat staring into space, her lunch forgotten.
‘A Mithraeum temple!’ Tina was no less excited ‘Chris did say Bruno had a hunch about that corner. He was always terribly interested in the cult of Mithras. He read a paper on it at Padua University ... I remember him saying it was the popular religion of the common soldiers and N.C.O.S of the Roman occupation.’
She sat there musing on this strange religion, the central figure of which was the mythical Mithras, who after a miraculous birth slew a giant bull, from which came all the fruits of the material world He thus typified the taming of wild nature to the needs of the common man. She remembered too that there was initiation by ordeal, followed by its members passing through successive grades of knowledge, in many ways similar to the freemasonry cults of the present day.
Carrie spoke again, still in that tranced voice. ‘Chris seems to think there’s evidence of deliberate destruction in a later century, which would fit in with the idea published in the Rudchester report, that the worship of Mithras ended abruptly all along the Wall, due perhaps to a new wave of worship or a general order from the authorities.’
Tina nodded ‘Bruno thought that too, after studying all the evidence.’ She said softly: ‘Oh, Carrie, I hope you’re right. Not only for our sakes, though it’s wonderful to be in on something like this at the beginning. But I was thinking of Bruno. It’ll justify all his work, all his ideas ... And somehow’ I feel he’ll know...’
Carrie descended from her exalted sphere to give Tina a gentle glance. ‘I’m sure he will, somehow, somewhere ... But we’ve lots of work ahead yet. Mustn’t let our imaginations run away with us. Oh, and by the way, keep this to yourself. Chris hasn’t told any of the dig workers yet—we don’t want advance news to leak out and then find we’ve somehow put up a black. But he said I could tell you, under promises of strict secrecy.’
Later at the dig Tina managed, during all the heightened activity, to congratulate Chris. He gave her a calm smile. ‘We’ve some way to go yet, but Carrie and I are sure as can be, even now. You may be sure I’ll see Bruno’s name is mentioned with honour when we publish the report.’
‘I know you will.’ They seemed suddenly back on their old friendly footing and spent the next ten minutes in intense discussion, while he displayed fragments and photographs, detailed the evidence so far and again cautioned her to immediate secrecy. There followed a busy afternoon of excavating, with what Tina’s knowledge told her held several further exciting clues. It was only as the students and amateur archaeologists began to drift away that she straightened her back and realised how tired she was. And then she remembered Rosie. It was coming up to five o’clock. If she skipped tea for the present she could be down at Quarry Farm in fifteen minutes.
A light spring shower veiled the moor as she ran down the track, primrose scarf over her hair. As she approached the back door a babble of raised voices reached her. Her knock was unheard. She walked in to find Adam already there before her, a commanding figure on the hearthrug. Matt sat hunched in an armchair, his face sullen, and both Francey and the errant Rosie showed signs of tears.
A silence followed her entrance, the voices cut off in mid-air. Matt made the first effort to greet her. ‘Hallo, Tina. A pity you came just now. We’re all at sixes and sevens.’
‘Think she cares?’ Francey stormed.
‘It so happens that she does.’ Adam’s voice was now menacingly calm. ‘It’s obvious she has come to see if Rosie’s safe. You ought to make a show of appreciation, at least.’
‘I call it plain nosiness.’ Francey sulked.
‘I think you’d better be quiet.’ Adam spoke on a low key but with such authority Francey slumped on to the sofa, snatched up a magazine and opted out of the conversation.
Rosie sidled up to Tina and reached for her hand. Matt scowled. ‘Tina doesn’t want to ta
lk to naughty girls.’
Rosie now cried in earnest, and again it was a look from Adam that quietened her.
‘Where were you, Rosie?’ Tina asked.
Rosie’s eyes hardened. ‘I’m not telling. I was in my secret place.’
Matt stood up to face Adam. Tall as he was, the older man topped him by at least two inches. ‘You’ll do no good here, Mr. Copeland. I’ve told you, Francey already slapped her and I’ve given her a good talking-to. We can manage our own affairs.’
‘Can you? I very much doubt it on the evidence.’
Rosie, after a cautious glance at Adam’s grim expression, stole into the parlour and closed the door. Adam instantly lowered his tone.
‘You’ve admitted you were worried over Rosie and that doctors frighten her. Right, I’ve made special arrangements to fit her case. The health visitor will call here in the morning to look at the child. It’s not her job to follow up fugitives from the school medicals, but in the special circumstances she has agreed. All I ask now is that you keep Rosie strictly indoors until the health visitor has been. It shouldn’t be too difficult for you, Francey?’
His words rose to a pistol-shot suddenness which made Francey jump.
‘Oh, all right. But she won’t have to get wind of it, or she’ll be off.’
‘In that case, I shall hold you entirely responsible.’ Adam said smoothly. ‘And now, as Rosie is safe and sound, we needn’t disturb you further.’ He looked at Matt. ‘Unless of course Tina has any personal business with you?’ His tone was gently sarcastic.
Tina’s face flamed. ‘No. I’ll go back with you. And I came to see Rosie, not Matt.’
Matt’s eyes, as they met hers, were resentful. She guessed he disliked her going off in Adam’s company. Francey ignored her ‘Good-bye’ and Adam and Tina left the house in silence.
As the Land-Rover bumped and clattered up the track Adam said: ‘You know, there’s quite a change in you since you came to know the Finches. At first you were entirely self-absorbed, both in grief and resentment, and with little consideration for others.’
