by T A Williams
‘So why aren’t we going there?’ This was a fair question.
Without revealing who Marco was or her relationship with him, Anna explained what he had said last night and she saw Ruby do a double take.
‘I thought my father said our presence on the island was supposed to be a secret? How could that have happened?’
‘I honestly don’t know. Charlie and I have been doing this sort of thing for years now and we know how to keep a low profile. I’m sure there’s nothing we’ve said or done that could have given us away.’ She smiled as she pointed to the corporate brochure under Ruby’s arm, presumably brought along so as to identify herself. ‘For instance, we would never walk around brandishing an NMM brochure if we were trying not to attract attention.’ She saw two little red spots of colour appear on Ruby’s cheeks.
‘Oh, God, of course. How stupid of me. It seemed like a good idea so you’d recognise me.’ Ruby hastily folded the brochure and stuffed it into her rather fine-looking leather handbag. ‘I’m sorry, Anna, I wasn’t thinking. My brain’s still in New York, I’m afraid.’
‘Don’t worry. It sounds as though the cat’s out of the bag already, so it doesn’t matter.’
‘So who do you think the news has come from?’
Anna heaved a sigh. ‘I have no idea, but, however it got out, this means we need to be extra careful. The last thing we want, or your father wants, is for us to be unmasked.’
‘I bet. I can see why you decided to head off in the opposite direction today. My father would be furious if we got caught.’ That same uneasy expression crossed her face. ‘And neither of us want that.’ She caught Anna’s eye. ‘Mind you, he’d be bound to blame it on me.’
Anna offered a bit of reassurance. ‘Of course it can’t be anything to do with you. This all blew up yesterday, long before you set foot on the island.’
‘That wouldn’t stop him blaming it on me.’ She sounded remarkably bitter and Anna had a sudden insight into Ruby’s no doubt troubled world beneath the extrovert exterior. Being Sir Graham’s daughter couldn’t be easy in spite of all the perks, and she couldn’t miss the fact that Ruby had so far only ever referred to him as ‘my father’ – not the most affectionate of names.
‘Anyway, we’ll just have to do our best to ensure we don’t get caught.’ Anna waved towards Ruby’s dress. ‘I love the dress, but seeing as we’re going prospecting, you might like to think about changing into something a bit more suitable.’
She saw Ruby’s eyes run down over her own shorts and trainers. ‘Of course. Just give me two minutes.’
‘Take your time. I’ll wait for you here.’ A thought occurred to her. ‘By the way, don’t forget sun cream. It’s going to be hot out there.’
Five minutes later Ruby reappeared in shorts – satin shorts, but still shorts – along with a Gucci T-shirt and designer pink trainers, although still with the flashy handbag, and Anna led her over to the car.
‘I’ve got tools and overalls in here, along with some bottles of water. We can find ourselves a light lunch on the coast. Where we’re going is hopefully sufficiently far from where the Save Elba patrol will be lurking.’
‘I do hope so.’
As they drove along she and Ruby chatted, mainly about generalities, and Anna found herself beginning to enjoy having company again. Anna could tell Ruby wasn’t overjoyed to be here, but the main thing was that she wasn’t taking it out on her.
When they reached the quarries, she pulled on her overalls and offered the spare pair to Ruby, who wrinkled her nose and refused the offer. She did, however, accept Anna’s advice to put on thick gloves although it was unlikely her long, manicured nails would survive for long all the same amid the rocks.
They spent several hours scouring the area for signs of interesting minerals and it was hot, laborious work. A squeal from Ruby at one point indicated that she had come across a snake of some description but it had disappeared before Anna got across to identify it. There appeared to be very little here apart from granite and, apart from a few uninspiring quartz crystals, they came away empty-handed.
As they finally gave up and returned to the car, Anna gave a little shrug. ‘I’m afraid this is pretty much par for the course with my job. It’s mostly disappointment, interspersed with an occasional worthwhile find, but at least we’re up here in the daylight.’ She went on to relate her recent experiences in wet and windy Cornwall and detected considerable sympathy on her new partner’s face.
She drove them back down to the village, intending to have lunch in the same restaurant she and Charlie had eaten in before, but today it was absolutely packed. In consequence they bought a couple of bananas from a nearby shop and drove a bit further along the very exposed coastal road until they found a little lay-by where they could stop. Below them the sea lapped against the cliffs, while above them the terrain rose steeply towards Monte Capanne. It was a very calm, peaceful scene, apart from the ubiquitous seagulls, but Anna could imagine it would look a whole lot different at the height of an autumn gale. In many ways it was almost as remote and desolate as the southern coast of Chile where Charlie and she had spent a cold, wet August two years ago.
As they ate their bananas and sipped tepid water from the bottles which had been gradually warming up in the car, Ruby told her more about what she had been doing in the States.
‘My father sent me over there with strict instructions to familiarise myself with the company’s operation in the Americas, and that comprises everywhere from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. I feel as if I’ve spent more time in the air than on the ground.’
‘All sounds very familiar. I’m even beginning to recognise some of the cabin crew on the long haul flights.’
‘You and me both. Now he tells me it’s the turn of Europe and all places east, so don’t be surprised if I show up in China or Thailand alongside you one of these days.’
‘Sounds like he’s got your career pretty well mapped out for you.’
‘All my life there’s only been one thing in my father’s head. He wants me to take over when he’s gone. He built NMM up from scratch and I suppose in many ways it’s like a child to him and he’ll never let it go. To be honest, the company’s probably the son he never had.’
‘Haven’t you got any brothers or sisters?’ Although she already knew the answer, Anna thought it best to plead ignorance.
Ruby shook her head. ‘No, there’s just me – and don’t I know it!’
‘Pressure?’
‘You have no idea. If I hadn’t managed to get a good degree and an MBA, I think he would probably have committed hara-kiri – after strangling me first.’
‘And is this what you want to do with your life?’
Ruby managed to produce a little smile. ‘Crawling around on my hands and knees among the scorpions and snakes, no, not really. I admire you for it, especially when you have to do it in what are undoubtably some of the more dangerous parts of the world. My father says you’ve been all over and that’s why he partnered me with you, so I could learn from the best.’
‘That’s good to hear.’ Anna registered the compliment and managed to resist the urge to break into a little jig of delight, ‘But apart from the scorpions and snakes, is mining in your blood the same way it is in his?’
Ruby grinned. ‘Nobody’s got mining in their blood the same way my father has. It’s his whole life.’ She glanced across at Anna, suddenly serious. ‘And I certainly haven’t. At least, not to the same extent. He lives it and breathes it. I like it and I know I don’t have the option of turning my back on it, but I’d never want to become obsessed in the same way he is. I don’t know if you know that my mother’s his third wife. The fact is the other two couldn’t put up with his fixation and left. That’s what happens when you let your job take over. It breaks people up. What about you, Anna? You aren’t married to your job, are you?’
Conscious that this was the boss’s daughter alongside her, Anna chose her words carefully. ‘I love my job,
but I’d be lying if I said there weren’t times when I tire of the constant travelling, never being able to put down roots, never having the time in any one place for a relationship to develop. It can be pretty lonely sometimes.’
‘Isn’t there a different position in the company that would allow you to do all that? From the way my father talks about you, I’m sure he wouldn’t want to lose you.’
While this was very good to hear, Anna knew where the real crux of the problem lay. ‘The fact is, Ruby, it’s the rocks I love. I love prospecting, I love discovering untapped sources of minerals, and I even enjoy the pitch-black mineshafts and the snakes and spiders – well, maybe not those so much. Somehow I think I’m destined to carry on doing this all my life.’ And ending up all alone like Jack, was something she didn’t choose to articulate. Instead, she turned the conversation back onto Ruby. ‘So, do you see yourself spending your life in London or will you go back to the States?’
‘London, I imagine, but who knows? My father’s seventy-four now and my money’s on him still being at the helm when he’s ninety-four. A lot can happen in the meantime.’
Considering what a beautiful location they had picked in which to have their lunch, their mood was subdued.
Anna checked the old map again and found two crossed pickaxe symbols in the vicinity, so she decided they should spend the afternoon investigating them. Alas, the results were no better than at the quartz quarry. The temperature had been rising steadily and when they finally returned to the car, she could see Ruby looking quite weary. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was half past four.
‘Let’s head back to the car. I think we’ll call it a day now. All right by you?’
‘More than all right. I’m feeling worn out.’ As if to emphasise her remark, Ruby yawned.
‘How’s the jetlag? Are you sleeping all right?’
‘So-so. I’m still a bit out of kilter. I was wide awake last night at midnight when I got here, but now I could just curl up and sleep. All this fresh air plus the sun are a killer. I feel bushed.’
‘What would you like to do this evening? There’s a little beach just below the place where I’m staying. You’re welcome to come back with me for a swim and then stay for dinner if you like. I can drop you back to Portoferraio afterwards.’ As she suggested it, Anna realised she had actually enjoyed her future boss’s company more than she had expected. Maybe it was the unusual experience of having a female companion for a change. But Ruby shook her head, a brighter expression appearing on her face as she reached across and squeezed Anna’s hand gratefully.
‘Thanks for the offer. That’s very kind, but I think I’ll just have a shower, a few hours in bed and then, if I’m wide awake at midnight again, I might check out what Portoferraio has to offer in the way of nightlife.’
Conscious of Sir Graham’s orders to ensure his daughter didn’t get into any trouble, Anna did her best to sound like a big sister. ‘Just you be careful. If something happens to you, I know I’ll find myself being thrown out of your father’s office – and I don’t mean by the door, and it’s a long way down to the ground.’
Ruby grinned back at her. ‘I promise I’ll be sensible. You don’t need to worry.’
Anna started the car and they drove back along the coast until they came to a little village with a cafe and a parking space outside. She pulled off the road, glancing across at Ruby.
‘I need to write up today’s report while it’s still fresh in my head. It shouldn’t take too long. Feel like an ice cream?’
‘Now you’re talking. I’d kill for an ice cream and a big glass of cold water.’
The report didn’t take long to compose. Unless the north-east coast or the area around the big mountain threw up some surprises, there now seemed little doubt that the only part of the island that might have produced positive results was the south-east, the very area that Marco and his band of vigilantes were now patrolling, and Anna’s brief initial survey there hadn’t found anything of interest. At the end of the report she mentioned that a local conservation group had apparently got wind of her presence on the island and that this was making her job even harder. She sent it to Douglas indicating that tomorrow she and Ruby would concentrate on Monte Capanne and then on Thursday or Friday she would rent a boat so they could check out the last bits of the north coast she had yet to inspect, and then that would be that.
On a personal level, tonight was Tuesday and she was having dinner with Jack, tomorrow with Toby, and then Marco on Friday night. She asked Ruby to keep Thursday night clear and invited her to the old stables that evening for a swim and then dinner with Jack and George.
Anna planned to set off on the long drive home early on Saturday morning, hoping to get back to London at a reasonable hour on Sunday so she could throw some stuff into the washing machine and tidy herself up before heading into the office on Monday to be given the brief for her next assignment. Her Elba adventure was fast drawing to a close, but at least it looked as though Charlie’s replacement was proving to be far more pleasant than she had feared.
She delivered a visibly sleepy Ruby to her hotel, and then drove back down to Jack’s place to prepare a small evening meal for the two of them. She was greeted by the Labrador and it felt good to have somebody with a wagging tail waiting for her. She knew she was going to miss that and wished, yet again, that she had the sort of lifestyle that would let her have her own four-legged friend. She changed into her bikini and she and George went down to the sea for another wonderful refreshing swim. When she got back she found a note slipped under her door inviting her to Jack’s house for an aperitivo before dinner. After showering and changing she went over and, as always, he looked delighted to see her.
‘Anna, my dear, thank you for coming.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Perfect timing. It’s almost six so how about a glass of wine?’
‘I’d be just as happy with a cup of tea, to be honest. I’ve been out in the sun all day and I’m afraid alcohol might make me fall asleep, and I’ve promised you dinner.’
‘Well, in that case I’ll happily join you in a cup of tea, but as far as dinner’s concerned, just a snack will do. Please, don’t go to any trouble. Now, let me make that tea…’ He started to get to his feet but she gently pushed him back down again and went into the kitchen to make it, leaving him to keep the wet dog outside. When she returned she settled down alongside him, looking out to sea, and sighed.
‘A penny for your thoughts, Anna.’
‘It’s already Tuesday and I’m only here for another few days. I’ve got to leave first thing on Saturday and that’s just around the corner. I’m going to miss you and George so much.’
‘And we’re going to miss you, too. It’s been wonderful having a young person around, and such a kind and generous one too.’ He looked over and caught her eye. ‘I had a dream the other night that I was at your wedding.’
This made her sit up and take notice. ‘Me getting married? Who to?’
‘You know dreams – it was all a bit blurred. I suppose it might even have been Marco. Seeing you two together last night made me think you might be the girl to make him change his ways.’
Anna felt she knew Jack well enough by now to be honest – as far as her job allowed her. ‘There was a moment when I thought you might even be right, Jack, but to tell the truth there’s another guy – a really old friend – that I’m seeing again tomorrow night. He’s sailing all the way from Sardinia to see me. Besides, Marco lives here while my home’s in London. Add to that the serious question mark over just how deeply into monogamy he is and his obsession with conservation. I wouldn’t want to play second fiddle to another woman or an orchid – however beautiful either of them might be.’ She didn’t mention the other even more important reason why this wedding could never take place: her chosen profession. ‘But I’ll do my best to come back to see you when I can. I’ve still got a bit of holiday entitlement I need to take before the end of the year or I’ll lose it.’
&n
bsp; He nodded. ‘I was hoping you’d say you’d like to come back. I want you to know that you’ll always be very welcome here and you can stay in the old stables for as long as you want any time you want. Come whenever you can. It’ll always be available for you. It would bring joy to my heart to have you here. Seriously, this is an open invitation and I’ll be bitterly disappointed if you don’t take me up on it.’
Anna suddenly felt tears spring to her eyes and she leant across to kiss him on the cheek. ‘That’s so sweet, Jack, but surely you must have family or friends who’ll be coming to see you from time to time?’
He shook his head sadly. ‘My few close friends are mostly even older and more decrepit than I am and they no longer travel. I have nobody left in Canada now, apart from a couple of second or third cousins I’ve never seen and who probably don’t even know I exist. No, there’ll always be a warm welcome here and a room waiting for you for as long as you want.’
Chapter 16
From a rare metals point of view, Wednesday’s tour of the mountainous area around Monte Capanne with Ruby turned out to be as unsatisfactory as the previous days. While it was very beautiful up there, with stunning views down across Elba and over to the Tuscan mainland to one side, and towards the islands of Pianosa, Montecristo and even Corsica in the far distance in the other directions, from a geological point of view there was nothing particularly stimulating. They took the cable car up to the top and wandered about, clambering over the rocky outcrops around the summit but without finding so much as a sniff of any rare metals.
The sky was cloudless and the temperature still high although it was now the middle of September, and they soon decided to give up the search and sat down in the shade of a large rocky outcrop to cool down. From here there was a wonderful view out over the broad blue expanse of the sea, and it was very relaxing. Ruby was looking much brighter today and the colour she had picked up on her face from being in the sun the previous day suited her. When she had emerged from the hotel – on time today – she had given Anna a big hug and seemed genuinely pleased to see her.