by Nigel Seed
“What you are seeing here is effectively a heat map. We were quite surprised at how much heat we picked up from the caves. We are assuming that comes from the illumination inside and the body heat of the visitors. I will draw your attention to five very small lighter spots that you can see on the hillsides above the caves. We have a theory about that which I will come back to.”
The slides marched across the screen. Colors changed, angles changed, magnification changed and they learned more about the topography of the Hope Valley than the people who had lived there all their lives.
“This next batch is my favorite. These are simple photographs taken at low level in the very early morning with the sunlight striking the ground at a shallow angle.”
The first picture of the next set came up and suddenly they could see shapes and patterns that had not been visible before. As each of the series of six photographs appeared the laser pointer highlighted the five depressions in the ground that could be described as a ‘bowl.’ Tracks that had not been visible on previous slides now led to each of them.
“The interesting thing about these five bowls is that they correspond exactly with the five low heat signatures that we found on the early slide. Initially that did not make sense. Since hot air rises the bottom of the bowls should have been cold, but they aren’t. We puzzled over that one for quite a while until we remembered that you had said there had been mine workings in this valley for the best part of two thousand years. We think that is what we are seeing here. The bowls are the remains of very old surface mining.”
Geordie sat up and said, “I’ll buy the bowls being the old mine’s surface traces, but why the heat? A mine that is being worked is hot, but not once the working finishes.”
“We puzzled over that too. Our best guess is that the very old tunnels link up with later shafts and eventually they link to the show caves where the tourists visit. What we think we are seeing is the warmth from body heat and breath that has crept up the old shafts and is just enough to show a temperature difference on our very sensitive equipment. We did think about putting in a ‘TA-DA!’ at that point, but suffice it to say we think we have found you five viable targets for further investigation.”
The three engineers stared at the screen with the five locations highlighted. Jim was the first to speak.
“Geordie, you worked in the mines before you joined the Army, does that theory make sense to you?”
“It does. A blind gallery at the top end of a mine can get bloody hot, even if the working areas are on levels far below. The depression in the ground makes sense too. If they were mining by hand they would not want to waste effort creating spoil heaps. The earth and rock they dug out would be chucked into shafts they had finished with. I think we might be there, boss.”
Jim stood and walked across to the JARIC Commanding Officer who was still standing at the dais. He reached him and shook his hand.
“Thank you, sir. That is a remarkable piece of work by you and your team. We may never be able to tell you what this is all about, but I can tell you it’s important at a national level.”
“You’re very welcome, we quite enjoyed the challenge. We have a pack of information for you with all those slides produced as 8x10 glossies and a detailed map with the locations marked. The only drawback is that I think your coffee is cold by now.”
They left the building with the information pack and headed along the neat pathways back to the car.
“Looks like Castleton is our next stop then, boss,” said Ivan. “Do we need to book a hotel?”
“We do. Maybe we can use the computers in the Education section over there?”
As they turned towards the drab flat roofed building with the Education Center sign outside it, Jim’s mobile phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and said, “You go on. I’ll join you in a minute.”
His two companions went on to the Education section and were soon set up at an internet terminal searching for accommodation in Castleton. They were about to confirm the booking when Jim walked in.
“Can you order another room? We’re having company.”
Chapter 28
As they walked into the old coaching inn on the main street in Castleton they were greeted by the sight of polished horse brasses against the old oak beams. The carpet was worn in places where the regular drinkers usually stood, but the log fire burned in the grate and the whole room had a welcoming air. They walked to the bar that doubled as a reception desk and announced themselves. The landlord checked the computer behind the bar and returned looking worried.
“I’m sorry, there seems to have been a mix up. I’ve only got two rooms available, a double and a twin.”
“I don’t think that’s going to work,” Jim said, “we need a minimum of three, even if these two share the twin room.”
“Oh you are old fashioned, Mr Wilson,” said the voice from behind him.
He turned and looked into the steady green eyes of Helen Jennings. He swallowed and turned back to the landlord.
“It seems that will be fine.”
Ivan and Geordie stood at the bar trying hard not to grin and failing miserably.
“Hello, Mrs. Jennings,” said Ivan, “I don’t think you’ve met the third member of our little band of hope. This is Geordie.”
Helen greeted Geordie with a sunny smile and the three of them turned to continue enjoying Jim’s discomfort. The booking-in completed, they moved to a table near the open fire. They ordered drinks while they studied the menu on the blackboard above the fireplace. Selections made they placed their orders and settled back to wait for their meals.
“I suppose I should have mentioned that Mrs. Jennings would be the person joining us,” said Jim, “since she already knows what we are looking for there is no added security risk and an extra pair of eyes might help.”
“Yes of course, boss. Sound thinking. Don’t know why I didn’t suggest it myself,” said Ivan, struggling not to grin.
Lunch came and saved Jim from more gentle ribbing from his team. The food was substantial and tasty as it is in most pubs in the north of England, where the weather lends itself to good, no nonsense food. They exchanged a few pleasantries as they ate, but did not discuss their objective for fear of being overheard. As the rest of the diners finished their meals and drifted away they were left in peace near the fire. Jim produced the folder they had been given at JARIC. He spun the map round to face Helen and explained briefly the five targets they were going to examine. She looked at the map for a few moments before speaking.
“Judging by these contour lines, all of them are at the end of fairly steep tracks and if they haven’t been maintained they could be quite rough.”
“You understand maps?” said Geordie “You’re the first woman I’ve met who could even follow the roads in the right direction.”
Helen smiled. “Ivan, thump the sexist will you? Geordie, I’ve been hiking the mountains since I was eighteen and you don’t do that without being able to read a map properly. The point I was making is that, unless you have the right equipment, even close to the village, it’s going to be uncomfortable. I took a walk round before you arrived and there is a good hiking shop at the back of the village, unless you brought your kit with you?”
“Sounds like a plan, boss. The weather does look a bit dicey for wandering the hills.”
“OK, let’s drop the bags in the rooms and go and see what they have in this hiking shop.”
They went out and grabbed their bags from the car and brought them back into the Inn. Helen was standing at the foot of the stairs waiting for them with her overnight bag over one shoulder. They climbed the stairs and found their rooms. As he opened the door Jim paused and looked at Helen.
“Are you sure about this?”
“I told you back in Henfield I don’t have time for pretense in anything. So, yes, I’m sure. How about you?”
“I think I feel very comfortable with you and yes, I’m sure. Unless of course you snore?”
“We’ll find out, won’t we? Hurry up or your two reprobates will start thinking we have become distracted.”
She slung her bag on the bed and waited for Jim to do the same. As he headed for the door she stopped him with a hand on his chest. Stepping forward she planted a gentle kiss on his lips. His hands slid naturally around to the small of her back and then slid down to cup her firm buttocks as he pulled her into a more serious kiss.
“Whoa, steady Tiger! We have some other things to find first.”
She gently disentangled herself and pushed against his chest. Jim stood stunned for a moment. It was a long time since a woman had generated this urgency in him. He pulled himself together and followed her out of the room.
As they walked down the stairs back to the bar, he took her hand and it felt the most natural thing in the world. They met up with the other two and together they walked through the narrow streets of the village between the stone cottages and gift shops to the hiking shop that Helen had found.
The shop turned out to be well stocked with good quality equipment suitable for hiking and even had some for caving. Jim paid for all of it on his credit card and made sure to take the receipts to claim the costs back later.
“Glad he took my sort of credit card, I need to build up my air miles for my summer holiday.”
Helen said quietly, “Where are we going then?”
“I’m thinking of going off to see a couple of old friends just outside Boston. You’ll certainly like him and his wife can guide you round the shops.”
“For a second I wasn’t sure you were inviting me along.”
“Oh, if I go, you’re invited never fear. I’m sure they’ll like you.”
They wandered slowly back towards the pub with their bags of purchases. Jim felt Helen’s hand slip into his again. He felt a lightness that had been missing for a long time. He saw his two men look back at them and grin, but he just didn’t care.
Chapter 29
The full English breakfast the next morning was exceptional, with all the trimmings and pots of hot tea. The four of them ate together and Jim and Helen studiously ignored the small jokes being made by the other two.
Breakfast over, they moved to a clean table and studied the detailed map again.
“We have five possible sites, where do we start looking?”
“Well boss, Mrs. Jennings here was brought along as a fresh pair of eyes so why not let her pick? We don’t have any special leads so any one of them could be right,” said Ivan looking across the table.
“It’s Helen, not Mrs. Jennings and I pick that one.” She put her finger on the site furthest from the village.
“Why that one?”
“Because I have just had an enormous fried breakfast and I need to walk it off. That one is the furthest away. Plus, of course, it means we can call in at that other one if we have time on the way back.”
“Good logic. Any objections? No? Then that’s a plan. Back at the foot of the stairs in about ten minutes. Booted, spurred and ready to go.”
They retired to their rooms to put on the clothes needed for the gentle drizzle falling through the mist and returned to the foot of the stairs.
Ivan smiled and said, “Err, boss, you might want to wipe your cheek a little.”
Helen turned round and giggled a little as she wiped the smudge of lipstick from his cheek.
“Have to be more careful with your eagle-eyed companions along.”
They stepped out of the door and each of them shrugged their jacket up and lifted the collar to avoid the drizzle as it reached their necks. The walk along the high street took only minutes before they were clear of the village and walking along the main road beside the ‘dry stone walls’ that had stood there for centuries despite being built without cement. Helen had never looked properly at boundaries built using the ‘dry stone wall’ technique and Geordie explained it to her as they walked.
“How do you know so much about it, Geordie?”
“Well, I used to be a miner and like a lot of people who work in the pits I used to get out into the country on my days off. I got friendly with a farmer who let me help him around the farm in return for a home cooked dinner. He taught me the technique with the walls and how to look after sheep. Made a nice change from the noise and dust of working underground.”
“Did you join the Army to get away from the mines?”
“Not really, the mines closed down around my hometown and the Army was a way to avoid being unemployed. Worked out well for me, it’s given me a good life and the chance to walk along this road in the rain.”
The map told them that they were now coming up to where the aerial survey had spotted the old trackway. At ground level there was nothing to show that a track had ever been there until Geordie went to the other side of the road and looked back with his head tilted to one side.
“It’s there,” he said, pointing. “That piece of the wall was put up later than the rest. You can see it was another person who did it, the technique is different.”
The other three stood and looked at the wall, but could see no difference. Then again Geordie was the only one of them who had ever built one of these walls and he agreed with the map they had been given by JARIC, so they climbed over and headed across the field to where the edge of the valley rose up the hillside. Ivan knelt on one knee and looked upwards towards the top of the hill.
“You know what? Those photo recon people know their business. If you look up here, you can just make out that there is a flattened part of the land. It’s the trackway they showed on their pictures.”
Now they had found the old track it was relatively simple to follow it up the hillside until it turned away from the valley and they found themselves looking down on a jumble of stones that had once been a hut. It had once stood next to the shallow depression in the ground that stretched away to their right. They walked slowly, scanning the ground for any indication that this was a very important site.
After the initial walk across the bowl and back, Ivan and Geordie set to work rolling over the stones of the ancient hut while Jim and Helen continued to criss-cross the depression alongside it.
After half an hour of fruitless search they assembled at the old hut site.
“Anything?” said Jim.
“No sign that this was used in the last couple of hundred years,” said Ivan, wiping his face with the back of his hand, “but there are a couple of nice fossils on those stones over there.”
“And we found nothing by tracking backwards and forwards out there. So the initial look is a bust on this one. I think we still have some bacon and eggs to work off, so let’s head for the next one.”
They walked back over the brow of the hill and down the remains of the old track, with Helen making a point of walking as close to Jim as possible. They walked across the flat valley bottom and turned back towards the village along the road. Ivan was following the map very carefully until he stopped and checked his bearings from the landmarks around the valley.
“According to the map we should turn off and head that way.” He pointed.
They climbed over the wall and walked in the direction Ivan had indicated. There was no sign of any track, but years of farming in this field could explain that.
“So, Ivan,” said Helen, “why is it always you or Geordie with the map?”
Ivan cleared his throat and looked at Jim before answering. “You see,” he said, “it is a well-known fact in almost all armies that the most dangerous creature on a battlefield is an officer with a map. So we try to keep the boss out of trouble by doing the map reading for him.”
Helen looked at Jim. “I take it that is some kind of Army joke?”
“Nearly,” he said.
They climbed the side of the hill as it rose out of the valley bottom. This slope was steeper and they all leaned forward as they moved. The brow of the hill appeared without any sign of the track, as far as they could see. They stopped at the top to draw breath and to look around.
Once again the stones showed where a hut had been.
“What do you make of this, Geordie?”
“Well, boss, if I was guessing I would say that this is the remains of a very old mine. The Romans probably had people up here digging by hand and the huts were for shelter when the weather got bad. They may even have lived up here for part of the time.”
“You really think these ruins could be that old?”
“Why not? Dry stone walling has been around for a very long time and rocks don’t rot away.”
“OK then. Same search technique as the last one.”
They spread out and started scanning the ground. All they got for their trouble was more tired and a lot wetter. As Jim straightened from searching through the wet grass he looked at a higher part of the hill and saw a figure standing very still and watching them. As he looked, the man turned slowly and walked away. Jim shrugged.
“That’s enough for me for this morning. That log fire back at the pub needs a bit of company and I could certainly do with drying my trouser legs.”
Chapter 30
Geordie was the last to reluctantly pull himself away from the log fire and to slip back into his waterproof jacket as they set out for the next of the possible sites. He stepped out of the front door of the pub to find the three others waiting for him in the watery sunshine. The drizzle had stopped and the street was glistening as they walked.
They walked in a different direction as this site was on the hillside above the famous Peak Cavern. Secretly, Jim thought this one to be the most likely of the identified possibilities.
They walked past the entrance to Peak Cavern as the few tourists turned in.
“If it’s still open when we get back I’d like to go and have a look around that,” said Helen.
“If we don’t find anything on this hill top I don’t see why we shouldn’t do just that to end the day.”
