Their faces caught in the lamplight made Ollie forget his pain for a second. The pair were identical twins.
The next sentence brought the pain back. “Let’s return to the girl,” the first one said. “They’ll be here soon.”
The twins wandered back the way they came.
When their footsteps could be heard no longer Nicky whispered, “Wasn’t that the guy in the vault?”
Ollie nodded excitedly. “They must mean Rion! Should we go after them?”
“Judging by your ankle I don’t think we’re going anywhere,” Jake looked around the dark cavern. “Don’t move.”
“Is that a joke?” Ollie asked but Jake had already gone.
Nicky and Ollie watched as he ran across the darkness to the tunnel through which the twins had vanished. They saw Jake creep up the sloping sides to a small ledge of rocks, which he ducked behind.
Within seconds he was back at their side.
“Come on.” They half-carried Ollie across the floor and up to the ledge of rocks, “You should be out of sight up here.”
Ollie shifted about until he found the position that caused him least pain. With his back against a rock he found he could peer through a gap in the ledge to get a good view of almost the entire cave.
“I’ll go look for Rion.”
Nicky looked concerned, “Be careful Jake.”
Voices echoed into the cave as Jake made his way down the slope. Some were singing, some laughing, but all joined in a sense of excitement. Jake hurried back up to hide behind the ledge. “Too late!”
They watched as the McGraths entered at the head of a crowd of perhaps twenty people. Mary was dressed all in white. On top of her head was a simple crown. Her husband wore a frock coat and a black box hat. The people behind carried a tree trunk on their shoulders which they placed beside the bubbling pool. Under Ted’s directions the trunk was raised, its top nearly touching the ceiling. Mary looked at the open wellshaft above and nodded in satisfaction.
Others followed, many – but not all – in white. The worshippers carried flowers and small branches which they scattered around the upright trunk, creating a semblance of a garden in the ancient cavern. More torches were lit and placed in grooves in the rock hands had carved for them centuries before. Soon the vast space trembled with a flickering light.
Hidden behind the ledge Ollie, Jake and Nicky watched as Mary and two women, also dressed in white, entered the tunnel beneath them.
32
CEREMONY
The twins tensed as people approached, their shadows dancing along the wall before them.
Beck kicked the floor. “I don’t like it.”
“You’ll do as you’re told,” Senior ordered. He moved near the young girl but saw the drug was already taking effect. Communication was impossible.
Mary came up to the flimsy wicker door. “Is she ready?”
“Ready for you,” Senior let Mary in, her two companions close behind.
“And she’s had the drink?”
“About ten minutes ago.” Although he had not wanted to give Rion the blue-tinged tablets Senior knew it was best she be drugged. The girl hadn’t struggled this time. It seemed she had resigned herself to whatever fate lay in store for her.
Mary beamed, “Good!”
As the women removed her clothes Rion had a last musing before the ketamine overwhelmed her: maybe this is what death is like, she thought, everything a blur, vaguely awake but unable to move, unable to do anything. She always thought she’d be cleverer than this – maybe her parents had been right afterall.
“She is perfect,” one of the women said as Rion stood naked before them.
“Just exquisite,” her companion caressed the girl’s long hair. Rion gave no reaction. She just stared at the middle distance, oblivious to everything around her. “And intact?”
“Of course,” Mary replied primly.
Rion was dressed by the three women in a simple white dress that touched the ground. Her long hair was combed to fall loose around her shoulders. A crown of woven flowers was placed on her head.
Mary couldn’t hide her pleasure. “She is perfect isn’t she?”
At that point Rion gave a loud throaty cough before flopping back into her semi-conscious pose.
Mary whipped round, the smile ripped from her face. “She’s supposed to be in excellent health!”
“She is, it’s just the cold in here,” Senior said hurriedly
“It won’t work unless she’s 100%,” Mary put her face to Rion’s and looked her level in the eye. Satisfied the cough was a one-off her smile returned. “It’s time.”
Her two companions went either side of Rion. They linked their arms through hers and stood behind Mary who moved out of the cell, Rion and the companions two steps behind.
“It’s not right,” Beck complained again.
“You’re right,” Senior agreed. “It’s not right.”
“I don’t mean that,” Beck frowned at his twin who had an annoying habit of changing his words around and giving them a different meaning. “ That’s what we’re meant to do.” Beck shook his head unhappily, “We’ll never get away with it.”
“ We will.”
Mary and the other dancers waited for them where the tunnel joined the main area. Mary glared at the twins as they got into line behind her. She took one last look to check everything was in order before she nodded at Ted and smiled.
The procession began.
Holding hands Mary and Ted stepped into the large cavern. Gorby followed, a fool’s hat jangling on his head, the tom-toms under his arm.
The crowd hushed upon seeing their King, Queen and Fool move at a stately pace to the well, the starry night sky visible through the shaft above them. On one side of the spring stood the tree surrounded and bedecked with flowers. Colourful ribbons radiated out at six points from the trunk. On the other side was the cot bearing the shrunken figure of Gorby’s mother. With her head wrapped in a bonnet the poor woman gazed with blank eyes at those assembled, spittle dribbling from the side of her mouth.
Mary rapped the ground three times with her wand. There was immediate silence. “We thank you all for attending this Honouring to my father,” she said regally, her voice reaching every part of the hall. Mary bent down to kiss the frail person in the cot.
Ollie sat up with a start. “Do you mean,” he whispered, “that’s her dad?”
“Must be,” Nicky said confused.
Mary continued in the same powerful voice, “This midwinter night of the moon we will strengthen our bond with the Gods through tribute and dance as has always been done.” She gestured to the trunk next to her, “As the tree appears dead in Winter before Spring weaves her spell so we call on the Gods to bring life to their trusted servant in this midwinter of his life and let Spring fill his body this year!”
Shouts of acknowledgement and support rang out from the crowd until Mary held up her hands for quiet. She cast her gaze over the assembled before bursting into a triumphant smile, “See what the Gods have provided on this most special of nights.” Mary nodded to the tunnel.
The crowd gasped as the two women companions stepped slowly from the shadows. Their arms were linked around Rion who shuffled unsteadily between them, her mind and body lost in a dense fog.
Nicky bit her clenched fist to keep from screaming.
Mary knelt by the pool in which the very edge of the moon was reflected. “Let Sister Moon add her power!” Mary scooped up a handful of water which she flicked gently over her father and then over Rion. Again she rapped the floor three times with her wand. At this signal Gorby began a solemn beat on the tom-tom he held beneath one arm.
Hearing the drum the six dancers entered. They were dressed identically in white shirt and breeches with gold buttons, red stockings and a red sash around their left arm. They had bells on their legs, tightfitting black velvet caps and white eye masks to further conceal their identity. Swords rested in silver scabbards on their sides.
As each entered they extinguished the flaming torches until only two remained.
The dancers formed a circle around Rion who was held against the tree by the two woman companions. Each picked up the end of the ribbon in front of him, giving it a short tug to check it was tightly secured to the trunk. At some hidden signal one dancer moved around the tree, his ribbon securing Rion to the trunk. He was followed by another going the opposite way and then another so that soon all six of the dancers were weaving in and out of each other as they went their different ways, dancing around the tree as they might a Maypole.
As one they ended. The dancers returned to their original points of the circle where they stood facing the centre, the points of their swords resting on the ground in front of them. The two women companions moved away from the tree leaving Rion there, her neck, body and arms bound to the trunk with the thick ribbon.
Mary looked on in satisfaction. She nodded to Gorby who slowly increased the beat on the drum.
The dancers moved slowly round the ring. They pointed their swords towards the centre, clashing the blades in time with the drum. Patterns of jagged angles were created with swords that the other dancers would jump into and out of. As the beat increased so did the speed of the dancers. They executed turns and half-turns, switching positions across the circle, sometimes dancing singly, sometimes in pairs, but all the time clashing swords that drew sparks in the cavernous space.
The patterns quickly changed. From the circle they moved to file formation performing a series of steps, their feet moving so quickly it was hard to follow without becoming dizzy. When they had finished one sequence it would be repeated in reverse order, the steps demanding perfect muscle control. Circles and spirals, weaving both inwards and outwards, were traced on the floor upon which feet battered as if trying to awaken Spring in the enfeebled old man.
As the tempo increased so the bells on their legs jangled ever louder, the dancers jumping higher and higher over swords in a kind of contest. A section of the audience started clapping in time with the drum. This spread and spread until everyone present apart from Ted and Mary, who retained their regal disposition throughout, were lost in the frenzy of the moment.
For a second or two Ollie forgot where he was, mesmerised by the spectacle before him. He was hypnotised by the speed and agility of the dancers, the clapping and drumming inducing a sense of euphoria in him. It was when he found himself tapping the ground that he suddenly woke up.
“This isn’t the last night of the Proms,” Nicky hissed in disapproval
“What are we going to do?” Ollie realised unhappily that with one ankle out of action it was fanciful to think he could do anything
Jake obviously had the same thought. “You can’t run anywhere – they’d soon have you tied to the tree next to Rion.”
“We’ve got to do something though.”
“Just wait until the time is right.”
“How will we know?”
“ We’ll know,” Nicky said decisively.
The full moon was now directly above the wellshaft. It sat atop the funnel so that, to the celebrants in the cave, it appeared there were two moons so perfect was the reflection in the pool.
This was the sign Mary had been waiting for.
“Stop!” her voice rising above the din brought immediate silence. All that could be heard were the panting dancers, their bodies exhausted, as they leant on the hilts of their swords.
It was time for the second and final phase.
In an exaggerated gesture Gorby plucked a quill from his pocket. He raised it above his head and thrust it through the centre of the drum, the taut skin making a loud crack as it was pierced. He now began to push in and draw out the quill, causing a horrid monotone sound, like a booming bullfrog, to fill the space.
The two women companions came out from the crowd to take their place beside Rion. They were joined by a dancer, his sword by his side. With a quick flick his blade cut the ribbons from the young girl. She was led to the middle of the circle then left alone, swaying like wheat in the breeze.
To the sinister sound the dancers held the hilt of their swords to their shoulders with one hand, whilst grasping the tip of the sword belonging to the man in front with the other. With swords raised above their head they did a small turn and approached Rion, their hands opening and closing making it appear as if the blades were a giant scissor.
Coming closer the circle was made ever smaller until hands were linked with wrists, creating a hexagon of blades that was placed over Rion’s head.
Behind their masks two of the dancers exchanged glances.
Ted and Mary, the King and Queen, approached. Mary held a silver chalice in her hand. She looked with concern at her father who lay mewling in the cot beside the silvery moonlit pool.
The sinister monotone stopped.
All that could be heard was the slicing of swords as the blades scissored ever closer.
Ollie looked at the others, “We have to do something!”
“And how!” Nicky replied.
“And now!” Jake helped Ollie to his feet.
“Stop! Stop! Stop!” all three cried from the ledge of rocks.
After a second of stunned silence the most unexpected sound was heard: that of a walkie-talkie crackling into life followed by a man’s voice shouting, “Go! Go! Go!”
Ollie, Nicky and Jake watched amazed as uniformed police swarmed into the cavern beneath them. One of the officers rushed to Rion, protecting her with his body from any danger.
“It’s Auntie Em’s tame plod!” Nicky exclaimed. “The one who came to the cemetery that day.”
Angry shouts and screams filled the air as the celebrants were carried away. Huge flashlights flooded the cave, dazzling the worshippers further.
Blinded by the glare people staggered into the arms of officers waiting by the main entrance. Others dashed into tunnels hoping to escape the police who rushed everywhere, collaring and cuffing with alacrity.
Ollie, Jake and Nicky took one last look at the mayhem before easing their way down. They hobbled over to Rion who was being put on a stretcher. The young girl looked pale, glassy eyes staring blankly in front of her. Behind her Mary’s father was being attended to.
“Will she be ok?” Jake asked a paramedic.
“She’s suffering from hypothermia and has obviously been drugged but yes,” he nodded, “with attention and rest she should be fine.”
Ollie held Rion’s hands. Her fingers felt so cold against his.
“She can’t hear you,” the paramedic advised.
Ollie felt a tiny pressure against his thumb.
“It’s Ollie. Nicky and Jake are here too. You’re going to be ok,” he looked at the young girl’s face and could swear he could see tears welling behind her eyes. “You’re going to be ok.”
Choking up Ollie, Jake and Nicky watched Rion being stretchered through the melée and away.
“May I have a word?”
They turned to find Inspector Devine beside them. “You nearly ruined a complex operation.”
“But – ”
The policeman put up his hand to stop Nicky. “I said you nearly did.”
“I thought you didn’t believe me.”
“You were right. Then I checked to see if Lady Chessy could shed any light on the situation in the catacombs – ”
“And?”
“It turned out she died more than twenty years ago.” Inspector Devine looked at them earnestly. “You see I’m not such a plod after all.”
The three friends remained silent.
“And also, well – ” the policeman smiled, “ – what’s the betting we don’t find two of the dancers?”
“So you were tipped off?” Ollie asked.
“That would be telling wouldn’t it?” He made to leave then turned back. “By the way, where did you hide?” Upon seeing their confusion Inspector Devine continued, “When you jumped off the ramparts and ran into the bushes?”
“So it w
as you!” Jake exclaimed.
Ollie smiled. “That would be telling wouldn’t it?”
33
ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
Christmas Day dawned cold and got colder. The snow started to fall in big flakes shortly after nine fulfilling Yuletide wishes of children and grown-ups alike. It clung to the balconies of Trellick Tower giving the enormous block a softer, dusted feel.
By early afternoon the snow had been blown in to drifts that settled unevenly in the mews below. Inside the large house at the end Christmas lunch was slowing down. Rion had been released from St Mary’s the previous week since when Auntie Em hadn’t let the girl out of her sight. She couldn’t cope with a third bout of illness, especially not with the news she’d heard about Rion and the possible plans for the New Year. Fully recovered the young girl sat at the festive table between Auntie Em and Ollie. Opposite were Nicky and Jake. Auntie Gem was ensconced on the sofa captivated by the bumper edition of Eastenders.
Above them all, in her niche on the chimneybreast, Merlijnche de Poortje cast her calm gaze over the proceedings.
“When’s the TQ of the Year lunch Ol?” Nicky asked.
“On the 30th.”
“What are your chances?” Auntie Em asked.
“Hopefully fairly slim,” Ollie pushed his chair away from the table and undid the top button on his trousers. If there was one thing that would top off a miserable few months it would be by being voted Tragedy Queen of the Year. “I think Pete’s in the bag with that one.”
“What did he do?” asked Rion shyly.
“Oh his ex-boyfriend was getting married.”
“Ouch,” Nicky shuddered in sympathy.
“It gets worse,” Ollie stretched out and put his hands behind his head. “You know the part in the service where the priest asks, ‘Is there anyone here who knows of good reason why these two etc etc’?”
Auntie Em guessed what was next. “He didn’t?”
Ollie nodded. “Fell into the church – literally – belted out the first couple of verses and a chorus or two of ‘It Should Have Been Me’, before the bride’s brothers threw him out.”
Meanwhile Gardens Page 32