by Nicola Ford
He beamed a relieved smile.
Margaret peered over her glasses and widened her eyes at Peter. ‘Haven’t you got something else to tell us?’
Standing beside Margaret, he turned to survey the small group. David, sporting the M & S blazer that had served him through all of the formal occasions he had so far encountered in his academic career, was sandwiched uncomfortably between Sally and Clare. Jo stood on Clare’s other side, the impact of her ordeal now barely visible except for a small white scar on her forehead.
Peter said, ‘I’ve been offered a partnership in the States.’ Clare was aware that he was looking directly at her. ‘And I’ve decided to accept. So I’m going to sell the manor.’
Clare was surprised at the relief she felt, but she managed to return Peter’s smile.
‘And I’ve given some thought to what Gerald would have wanted to come out of all this.’ He turned to David. ‘Margaret tells me you’ve been trying to get the finance together to set up a research institute at the university.’ David nodded. ‘If you’d let me, I’d like to donate the funds from Gerald’s estate. Once the Inland Revenue has taken its whack, it won’t be as much as I would have liked. But Margaret says if you could take on some commercial work as well it should be enough to get you started.’
David opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish. Sally gave him a prod. ‘Say thank you.’ Then she added in a whisper, ‘That’ll keep Muir off your back.’
‘Bugger that little runt! It means we can get stuck into some real research for a change.’ For just a second, Clare thought he was going to hug Peter, but at the last moment he extended his arm, shaking Peter vigorously by the hand. ‘It’s incredibly generous of you, mate.’ Then David spun round on his heels to face Clare and Jo. ‘Well, how about it? Do you fancy being the Hart Research Institute’s first employees?’
Jo nodded enthusiastically, but Clare stood stock-still. She felt Jo’s elbow in her side. ‘Say something, dope. Before he changes his mind.’
Clare looked into David’s steady grey-green eyes, his expectant expression reminding her of Gerald’s words. Archaeology gets in your blood. Once it’s running through your veins, you can’t escape.
It would be a struggle. She’d barely earn enough to scrape by on an archaeologist’s salary. She hesitated, acutely aware that everyone’s attention was focused on her.
A broad smile erupted across her face. ‘Yes.’
Margaret stepped forward, swallowing her up in a voluminous hug. Over Margaret’s shoulder, Clare could see David looking directly at her, a satisfied grin stretching across his broad features.
She returned the smile and David opened his arms, herding the little group towards the tables between the glass cases. ‘Now can we please get stuck into some of that free bubbly?’
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This is a work of fiction and the characters, events and organisations within it are imaginary. The places are a blend of the real and the imagined, and Hungerbourne, though fictitious, is inspired by a hamlet in the Marlborough Downs. The ancient goldwork is based on discoveries unearthed from one of the burial mounds in the Stonehenge landscape. Today, they form part of the collections of the Wiltshire Museum, Devizes; at the time of writing, they are on display in the Stonehenge visitor centre exhibition.
Many people have helped make this book happen, but any faults or errors that remain are my own. I would particularly like to thank my publishing director Susie Dunlop and publishing manager Lesley Crooks and all the staff at Allison & Busby. And I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Diane Banks, for having faith in both me and this book, and to Kate Burke and the team at Diane Banks Associates Literary & Talent Agency.
Few writers’ journeys are straightforward and mine was no exception. My writing would never have seen the light of day without the friendship and encouragement of Mari, Mo and Carole.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
NICOLA FORD is the pen-name for archaeologist Dr Nick Snashall, National Trust Archaeologist for the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site. Through her day job and now her writing, she’s spent more time than most people thinking about the dead.
nicolaford.com
@nic_ford
By Nicola Ford
The Hidden Bones
COPYRIGHT
Allison & Busby Limited
12 Fitzroy Mews
London W1T 6DW
allisonandbusby.com
First published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby in 2018.
This ebook edition published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby in 2018.
Copyright © 2018 by NICOLA FORD
The moral right of the author is hereby asserted
in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All characters and events in this publication other than those clearly in the public domain are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent buyer.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978–0–7490–2372–0