It was on their sixth foray that they hit trouble. This time Roy was in the cinema alone and got out the same way as before, some time after starting an argument about where he was sitting. He walked into three houses through unlocked doors while the occupants were watching television. He only stole money. No point taking risks on other property, he’d never talk his way out of anything like that.
Coming back with the intention of starting another fight to make sure he was remembered, he darted through the garden of Seventeen Wall Street, down the alleyway which would take him out into Davis Gardens, and around the corner to the picture house. But something was wrong. The end of the alleyway was blocked and voices warned him there was something wrong. There was a crowd of people gathered there, and flashing lights warned of some official activity, an accident perhaps. What filthy luck, he complained silently.
He moved away and went back on himself before walking as casually as he could down the main shopping thoroughfare and into the side gate of the cinema. The door was locked and it was almost time for the film to finish!
Desperately listening and hoping not to hear the National Anthem being played, he climbed up on to the low roof of the toilets, and squeezed himself into the small frame. He only just succeeded in getting through. He reached his seat just in time to trip someone who was hurrying out early, trying to avoid standing to attention during the Anthem. An argument led to a few blows being struck and he heard someone say he was the man who was causing trouble earlier. Making sure a few people would remember him, he went out still arguing. Satisfied his alibi was safe, he went home and told Gillian that he was getting too fat.
‘I won’t be able to get myself out of tight corners if you and your Mam feed me up any more,’ he said, adoration and appreciation for his supper in his blue eyes.
He found out later that the cause of the blocked alleyway was an object suspected of being an unexploded bomb.
‘Blimey, Dave,’ he laughed. ‘A bloody bomb and nearly nine years after the war. That Hitler was determined to be a flamin’ nuisance, wasn’t ’e, eh?’
* * *
Amanda had several replies to her advertisement for a room. She collected them one lunchtime and when she saw Heather James waiting for Helen and Jane, she showed her the addresses.
Looking through them, Heather gave her opinion on each.
‘That one would be small. This one is a rather boisterous family, I don’t think you’d get much peace. The third I don’t know. Perhaps Mrs Falconbridge will recognise the name.’
‘I’ll ask her. If she doesn’t know, Philip probably will.’ Amanda saw Heather’s expression change when she mentioned Philip and she asked, ‘Don’t you like Philip either?’
‘No. He isn’t a very nice man. I knew him well, once.’
Amanda guessed there was a broken romance there and asked no further questions. But she was puzzled by the intensity of the dislike some held for the man. She had always found him kind and thoughtful.
‘He should never have come back here!’ Heather said vehemently. ‘I’d avoid him if I were you!’
‘Not easy when he’ll be my neighbour at the end of the year,’ Amanda reminded her.
It was bitterly cold that February, and every day children and parents injured themselves on the treacherous roads. Hurrying down the road from school, Amanda slipped once or twice on the icy surface that hadn’t thawed for several days and she intended to ask if Catrin needed anything to save her going out in the dangerous conditions.
Catrin was at the gate when Amanda came in sight of the cottage and it was clear she was not well. She was leaning on the gate as if depending on its support. Her head hung low and she looked very tired.
‘Catrin? Are you all right?’ Amanda ran the last few yards and helped her along the path and into the house.
‘I’m a bit tired, dear, that’s all,’ Catrin replied. ‘I’ve been standing for a while, hoping you’d come.’ She shivered inside her coat.
‘You shouldn’t stand around in this weather. The temperature is so low the school playground is unusable. You should stay indoors. Look, I’ve brought us a couple of buns to have with a cup of tea.’ Bustling her inside Amanda was concerned at the slowness of Catrin’s steps. She made her comfortable in a chair near the fire and handed her the crocheted blanket. ‘Keep your coat on for a while,’ she instructed. ‘What were you thinking of, standing out there in this cruel weather?’
‘I didn’t want to miss you, dear.’
‘Then you should have phoned the school. The Head doesn’t mind taking a message.’
‘Was that your advertisement in the post office?’ Catrin asked.
‘Yes. I think it would be better if I live nearer the school, for after-school activities for one thing. I’ve had a couple of replies, look.’ She gave the letters to Catrin who ignored them completely.
‘I have a better idea. Why don’t you move in with me? There’s plenty of room.’
Amanda smiled at her. She had thought of it of course, but she didn’t want to suggest it in case Catrin was embarrassed by having to saying no.
‘I’d love to live here with you,’ she said, kneeling beside her friend. ‘But are you sure? Is it really what you want?’
‘I’d be glad of your company, especially when I feel unwell.’
‘I wish you’d think about it for a while though. You’d lose your privacy and the freedom to do with your day as you wish. To a certain extent that’s impossible to avoid, although I’d try not to disrupt your life too much. But will you talk it over with someone – Rhys or Philip, preferably both – before offering me a room?’
‘I’ll ask their opinion, yes.’
‘If you still think it’s a good idea a week from now, we’ll discuss it fully. And thank you.’
After a brief talk about school and other matters, Amanda drove back to town, a bubble of excitement threatening to burst out in a shout of delight. Since first seeing Firethorn Cottage she had longed to live there. Waiting for the year to pass was agony and this was a perfect solution.
She had hardly taken off her coat when the phone rang.
‘Amanda?’ Rhys said. ‘Are you busy this weekend?’
Her heart sang at the sound of his voice. ‘Oh, nothing important,’ she said casually.
‘I need an assistant for a couple of days,’ he explained.
‘I might have guessed it wasn’t for the joy of my company!’
‘I’m taking some film of dippers, so could you be ready for an early start?’
‘What d’you call early?’ she asked in trepidation.
‘I’ll collect you on Saturday morning at four.’
‘Oh, that’s marvellous! D’you mind if I’m still asleep?’
‘Not at all. The walk will wake you.’
‘A long walk?’
‘Only about three miles. Oh,’ he added, ‘you will bring sandwiches and a flask, won’t you?’
In fact it was three-thirty when Rhys arrived. She answered the door still tousled from sleep and he made coffee while she completed her preparations.
The drive through the lanes was eerie. They saw no sign of life in the buildings they passed. No lights shone through curtains and they didn’t meet another vehicle.
‘Do you often come out this early?’ she asked, when they had been driving about thirty minutes.
‘I work shifts in a way,’ he smiled, showing a glint of white teeth in the darkness. ‘If I want to record something at dawn I have to be in place well before the sun begins to show. In fact, I’ve spent days and nights in a hide to get the footage I want, on many occasions.’
‘What are you hoping for today?’
‘Wait and see. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.’
‘It’s certainly different from my usual Saturdays!’
Leaving the car in a farmyard, she was guided through a gate and across a field. She followed blindly, holding a scarf around her face as some protection against the icy air. There was no moo
n and the shadows thrown up by the occasional light from his torch were distorted, blending with objects they passed and confusing her eye. He stopped, and in that strange hush of the darkest hours she heard the sound of a stream.
‘Almost there,’ he whispered. ‘Hold my hand and keep right behind me so you don’t fall into the water. I don’t want this to be a wasted journey,’ he added unsympathetically. ‘The hide isn’t far now.’
The stream became louder and Amanda realised they were walking on the precarious edge of the bank. Thank goodness the earth was being held firm with frost, she thought. A canvas structure covered with branches and dead leaves emerged out of the darkness, into which they crawled. There was very little room, and she presumed it was probably intended for one person.
‘Kneel beside me,’ Rhys whispered. He bent forward, his arm on her shoulder, his face close to hers, guiding her to look through the observation slit. The water was close and just visible, moving like dull metal with an occasional glint of white.
‘See where the stream falls over those rocks?’ he whispered. ‘Tucked underneath is the nest site of a pair of dippers.’
‘They can’t be nesting this early? It’s only February.’
‘It’s almost finished,’ he assured her.
‘Can I have some coffee?’ she asked, but he shook his head.
‘We might be lucky enough to see a fox or even a badger but they’d smell coffee, mistrust it and stay away.’
They knelt very still and Amanda found it difficult to concentrate on the thought of seeing a pair of dippers, beautiful birds though they were. Rhys’s cheek was warm against her own and the glow was invading every part of her body. She moved slightly and his grip tightened.
‘Not too uncomfortable, are you?’ he asked.
‘No, I’m fine,’ she replied, wondering if he could hear the beat of her heart so close to his own.
‘I’ll just check the camera,’ he said, moving slightly away from her. He seemed satisfied all was well and returned to his original position.
Amanda wondered whether his nearness was of necessity or whether he wanted to feel her moulded against him. Although the light was gradually increasing she couldn’t see his face to read his expression but hoped it was as satisfying for him as for her.
The sky lightened, the banks of the stream were no longer black but shone brown, touched in places with patches of ice, and with a strengthening outline. The water became lighter too and shone dully in the wakening day. They saw a water rat go down and touch the water as if testing to see if it was too cold for a bathe. He strolled on, hoping for an unwary insect or small animal to fill his empty stomach.
‘Watch that rock near the nest,’ Rhys whispered. ‘They’ll land on there any moment now.’
Amanda watched and beside her equipment began to hum quietly. A small brown bird with a white breast and reddish-brown underparts landed where he had said, bobbing with what looked like impatience. In no more than seconds, an identical bird had joined it. She had seen dippers before, strolling in and out of a stream turning over stones looking for food as if the water didn’t exist. But never this close.
She was enchanted to see them greet each other with a loud and cheery song. They stood facing each other as they sang, very close, so their beaks seemed to touch in a kiss. After a moment they flew off and soon began returning regularly with nesting material. She was dreadfully cramped but she didn’t move until the machine beside her was shut off.
‘That was magical!’ she whispered, and in the restricted space she hugged him. ‘Thank you for letting me come.’
His arm reached around her and his lips touched hers in the friendly darkness. He looked at her, his face mysterious in the closeness of the hide. ‘You really enjoyed it? Being cramped and cold and having to wait perhaps for nothing? Didn’t you hate it?’
‘It was worth everything to see them bid each other good morning.’ But she was thinking more of his lips so close to her own than the kiss of the dippers.
‘Coffee next, I think. We’ll take a chance on missing a sight of Mr Fox!’ His words brought her down to earth.
She fumbled in the bag she had brought and they struggled to make themselves comfortable in the confined space.
‘I didn’t design this for two,’ he said, pulling her to lean against him as they sipped their coffee.
‘I think it’s perfect,’ she said boldly. ‘More room would be a terrible waste.’ She heard him chuckle.
‘What next, more photographs?’
‘I might get some extra footage if something interesting turns up but it isn’t really necessary if you’ve had enough.’
‘I’d like to stay.’
For two hours they waited, Rhys watching through his camera lens as the birds flew back and forth, resting occasionally to stand bobbing on the rock above their nest. It was eight o’clock when they began to pack up.
‘Now you’ll realise why I invited you,’ Rhys said, pointing to his equipment. ‘I’ve left all this stuff here for a week but I need to take it home today.’
‘Oh, Rhys; and there’s me thinking you wanted me for my fine intellect, not my muscles!’
‘I rarely invite anyone to join me,’ he said seriously. ‘If they’re bored it ruins the day.’
‘No chance of that.’ She held up a hand to be helped from the tiny hide. He didn’t release her when she stood beside him but pulled her closer. Her arm slid around his strong back and she stretched up to meet his kiss. He stared at her, a soft, loving expression in his eyes.
‘Amanda, if only we could—’ Words were on his lips but he hesitated to speak them. She held her breath. Was he going to tell her she was important to him? That Jessica Maybury was not a threat? He shook off the moment of intimacy with a laugh that sounded forced.
‘Good heavens, girl! Your nose is like an iceberg!’
Feeling rejected and wondering why, she began to collect the equipment he wanted her to carry back to the car. Her magical time had ended.
The uneasiness lasted until they were back at the farm. There the once silent place was filled with activity, with people hurrying to and fro, a tractor moving off and machinery whining in the distance. A couple of men waved to Rhys and he called a friendly greeting.
‘I have an idea this morning was a successful one. I’ll take the films to Haydn straight away and tell him to hurry. I’m impatient to see what we’ve got.’
‘Does Haydn do all your work?’ Amanda asked, anxious to return to their former comradeship.
‘Most of it. I develop some stuff just to keep my hand in, but Haydn is much better than me. He’s a professional, I’m the amateur.’
‘It’s mostly films you make, but you take stills as well, don’t you?’
‘I’d like to write a book one day, on wildlife of course, but I can’t decide on a subject. Bugs maybe. They’ve always had bad press.’
‘Why not write about all you see on your stream? You could include bugs as well as the better-known creatures.’
They had reached the outskirts of a village and he stopped the car and stared at her, excitement deepening the colour of his eyes.
‘I think that’s it! A book about my stream! It is mine, at least, the part of it that runs through my garden. I’ll discuss it with my agent on Monday!’
Amanda felt vibrations of excitement flowing out of him. He smiled at her and restarted the car, then he became vague and she knew he was already working out ideas in his lively mind.
‘Do you mind if we drop these films off before I take you home?’ he asked.
‘The day’s my own,’ she smiled. ‘Shall I go with you or stay with Catrin until you’ve finished talking?’
‘Come. Heather will be pleased to see you.’
Returning to Tri-nant they passed close to the house where Jessica Maybury lived and Amanda mentioned calling a second time.
‘She wasn’t at all helpful. I think she was expecting someone else and was afraid we’d be in the way
.’
‘We?’ Rhys queried. ‘Who went with you, Aunt Catrin?’
‘No, it was Philip’s idea.’ She saw at once he was displeased.
‘Why Philip? Wouldn’t Aunt Catrin have been more suitable?’
‘She wasn’t keen to go. And I thought Jessica Maybury was the type who might open out more readily to a man,’ she said with a hint of asperity. ‘I didn’t think she’d be as keen to help a woman!’
‘Did you learn anything?’
‘She reacted to the name, then closed the door firmly in our faces.’
‘That’s odd.’
‘A detective might have learned more but I had the impression she wasn’t interested enough to help.’
‘Why should she if she isn’t involved?’
‘No reason, but most people at least hear me out.’
‘Perhaps you were right, the moment was inopportune.’
‘Perhaps.’ Amanda was not convinced.
They drove through the slowly wakening village, where the shops were preparing for business. A delivery van was dropping off crates of vegetables at the greengrocer’s. They passed a van smelling so strongly of fish it didn’t need to advertise its business on the side. There were few people about.
When they reached the James’s house next door to the Cwm Gwyn Arms, Heather was pleased to see them. After Amanda and Rhys had explained to her how they had spent their morning, she handed Amanda a book on birds and they settled down to talk about her experience with the girls.
‘And you didn’t have breakfast?’ Jane asked, her eyes round with concern.
‘We had coffee, sandwiches and biscuits. Not the usual breakfast is it? And we ate it in a camouflaged tent right on the bank of a stream.’
‘Can we do that one day, Uncle Rhys?’ Helen asked.
‘Not at four in the morning, I hope,’ Amanda laughed.
When the six of them were sitting round the large table, Heather asked Amanda about her search for accommodation.
‘Did you have any luck with those addresses?’
‘New accommodation? What’s happened, have you been thrown out of your bedsit for unruly behaviour?’ Haydn teased in his gentle way.
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