48

Someone had swept most of the bracken and brush away from the doors, and Meryn's garden appeared untouched. The -cottage felt relaxed and safe. The evening sun was moving slowly down into the bank of mist in the valley as he reached at last for his phone and picked up the message from Dai Vaughan. Then he answered the call from Cadi. She wasted no time on small talk. ‘There's no sign of Ifan but he must be around here somewhere. Meryn, is it possible Charles saw Branwen in the garden? There was someone out there. Gemma barked at her.'

‘I've no idea.' He sighed. He wanted nothing more than to relax into the gentle nurturing space that he had created up here on his mountainside, but he was going to have to climb back into the car yet again and head south through the mountains. That was where the danger lay.

He had not even got as far as unpacking the car. He grinned ruefully as he eased himself stiffly back into the driving seat. ‘If Branwen is there, I would say it can only be helpful. I'm on my way.'

‘Branwen again?' Sally took a gulp from her wine glass beforebending to unclip Gemma's lead. ‘You said she's a -colleagueof your uncle Meryn? I take it she's nothing to do with Ifan.'

‘She's our ghost.' Cadi bent to rumple the little dog's ears. Had Gemma recognised her from her sojourn in the distant past? ‘Long story. Nothing to worry about. The important thing is that it wasn't Ifan, and Meryn is on his way.'

By the time he arrived in time for their improvised supper a couple of hours later it had begun to rain.

They were all too stressed to enjoy their meal and it was only an hour later that Sally asked Charles to see her back home.

‘Poor Sally,' he said as he reappeared five minutes later. ‘She's still in quite a state. I've told her to ring us if she's the slightest bit worried. At least she has Gemma to warn her if there's anyone lurking around.' He walked over to the window and checked the blind before throwing himself down on the sofa. He was clearly exhausted.

Cadi was worn out too. They could hear the rain -spattering on the terrace outside and she found herself shivering. Meryn had gone to sit down at her desk and she watched as he absent-mindedly pulled a file of papers towards him and glanced down at the contents.

‘Those are Rachel's latest sketches,' she said slowly. ‘For the poem.' After the shock of Ifan's reappearance in their lives it was a relief to go back to Elen's story.

Meryn shuffled through first one and then another. ‘They're beautiful.' He looked up. ‘I have two very talented nieces.'

‘And Ifan has tried to ruin her life as well as mine,' Cadi said sadly. ‘I can't believe the damage that man has done.'

‘What's happened about her cottage?'

‘Nothing. The owner's giving her three months to think of something and then he says he'll have to put it back on the market.'

Meryn nodded. ‘Cadi, I've had an idea about that,' he said after a moment's hesitation. ‘I've thought of a way of helping Rachel. I've been thinking about it for some time, and I wanted to discuss it with you first.' He chewed his lip. ‘As you know, I have no children, so when I pop my clogs in this world and go on to better things, I would be leaving you and Rachel to share my worldly goods. I've never had much need for stuff, but I have savings from my books and my teaching career. Quite a lot of savings. If I were to make a gift to you both, now, of your inheritance, that would enable her to buy her cottage and, if I live long enough, it would be a tax--efficient way of disposing of the bulk of my estate.' He paused, studying her face. ‘It would give her the security she needs and take the worry off her shoulders. I know you have this house from your marriage to David, so you're set up, or you will be once Ifan's behind bars, so I'm assuming you don't need any cash now, but if I do it, I would want you to have your fair share.'

Charles climbed hastily to his feet. ‘This is clearly personal family stuff. I think I should leave you two to discuss this on your own. I'll wander up to bed, if you don't mind. See you in the morning.'

Cadi gave him a grateful smile. She watched as he disappeared upstairs and then she turned back to Meryn. ‘That is incredibly generous of you, Uncle Meryn. I think it's a wonderful idea for Rachel. But as you say, I don't need it. I think you should keep the rest of it. To do it for me as well isn't necessary. You might want it one day yourself and I would hate to think of you being left short.'

He gave her an impish grin. ‘Don't worry. It won't leave me short and it would make me very happy. I've spoken to my accountant. It's all settled. All I need are Rachel's bank details.'

She stared at him, speechless. Meryn had an accountant. He was a rich man. It didn't seem possible.

He let out a yelp of laughter. ‘I know exactly what you're thinking. That's my mystique gone for good. I only wish I could wave a wand to do more for you, but our problem here is -altogether more complicated, I fear, than money.'

‘Ifan?'

‘Ifan.'

‘But you're here in person, which makes me feel safe.'

‘Oh, sweet Cadi, if only you knew how much it cheers me to hear you say that. Most people think that the trouble starts once I appear.' He sobered. ‘But seriously, you know you have someone very special up there.' He nodded towards the stairs. ‘He adores you, you do realise that.'

‘But we hardly know each other.' Instinctively her voice had dropped to a whisper.

‘That's not quite true, Cadi. Besides, it only takes a few minutes, so I'm told.'

‘What, love at first sight?' She shook her head. ‘I've cocked that up twice now after testing the water for much longer than a few minutes. David divorced me, and look at the mess my relationship with Ifan ended in.'

‘Third time lucky?'

Cadi shook her head. ‘No. If we're going for the clichés, it's twice bitten, thrice shy. I like Charles very much. I trust him. I hope we'll always be friends, but that's it.'

Meryn shook his head sadly. ‘OK. We'll change the subject. Sorry.'

‘Can I go back to being an eccentric lady author in your eyes, please?'

He laughed. ‘Why eccentric?'

‘I believe I'm taking dictation from a woman who's been dead for sixteen hundred or so years. Don't you think that's eccentric?'

‘Ah.' He shook his head. ‘You forget who you're talking to. To me such things are normal. All right, let's do a deal. You go back to being an eccentric lady author and I'll go back to being a penniless, mystical Druid.' He grinned. ‘I'll ring Rachel in the morning and tell her what's happening.' He stood up wearily. ‘It's been a long day. I suggest you go up to bed. I assume, from what you say, that you and Charles aren't sharing a bedroom, and I've seen the state of your boxroom so it will be easiest if I kip down here on the sofa. There's plenty of room and I'll be able to keep an ear open in case anyone's prowling around outside.'

Madelaine's house was in darkness. It was after midnight as Ifan crept up the drive. He groped in his pocket for the keys. Behind him the whole village seemed to be asleep; there were no signs of the police anywhere. There were no lights on in Cadi's house, nor his father's. He had held his breath as he tiptoed past Sally's in case the horrible little dog barked, but all had been silent there too. Quietly he inserted the key in the lock and let himself in, thanking his lucky stars he had not thought to set the alarms when he had left the house what seemed a lifetime ago. He pushed the door silently closed, listened for the reassuring click of the lock, and crept down the hall towards the kit-chen. He was exhausted and his head was splitting. He needed painkillers and he needed sleep. Cautiously he turned on the lights and reached for the blinds. The house was isolated, but he couldn't afford to risk anyone glimpsing signs of life through the trees from the road. He found the tablets the hospital had given him when they discharged him still tucked in his inside pocket. Grabbing a glass of water he emptied several tablets out of the packet into his hand, swallowed them and headed for the door. Upstairs in the room he thought of as his own he was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow. He had not even had the strength to remove his shoes.

Gwen arrived next morning full of apologies. ‘No sign of him. I've made it known how angry I am that it was decided to release him from the hospital. The CPS in their wisdom felt there wasn't enough evidence to charge him. So much of it was hearsay and without witnesses, without his wife's corrob-oration, we couldn't hold him. How is Mrs Davies, by the way? Has anyone heard?'

Charles nodded. ‘I spoke to my sister this morning. No baby yet, but her midwife friend thinks it will appear fairly soon.'

There was a moment's silence. They had been sitting round the breakfast table, finishing off the last of the coffee. Cadi invited Gwen to sit down and she gratefully accepted a cup. ‘-Obviously Ifan came back here soon after that. Your neighbour Sally says he sounded very angry when he banged on her door. He hasn't been seen since. Which means,' Gwen sighed, ‘that we'll have to circulate his details again and you'll all have to maintain the highest caution. I see no point in searching the countryside round here. I doubt he would have stayed anywhere close by. You don't think he could have got wind of where his wife is now?'

‘Arwel knows, of course. But somehow I think he would have guarded that information with his life,' Cadi said at last. ‘I don't think anyone else knows apart from us.'

‘Well, if anyone is going to visit her, please make sure you're not followed. I suspect if he is still around here, he'll assume someone will go to see her sooner or later.' Gwen drained her mug and stood up. ‘And if anyone hears that he's arrived on another planet, please be sure and let me know.' She glanced at Meryn.

‘I'll check with my sources,' Meryn answered gravely.

‘She probably thought you were joking,' Cadi said after she had gone.

‘She probably thought she was, as well.' He sighed.

‘I tell you what.' Charles was obviously restless. ‘Why don't the three of us go out into the meadow and scout around. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a bit claustrophobic. Ithink Gwen's right. I doubt Ifan's still anywhere round here and if he was, would he take on all three of us? He's probably miles away by now, and anyway, it's not us he wants at this point, it's Sue.'

It had rained itself out long since and the early morning mist had dispersed. The day had warmed up considerably. The air smelled rich and sultry and there was a haze over the top of the hill. The padlock on the gate was hanging open. Walking in, they stopped to look round.

‘No sign of anyone,' Cadi whispered after a moment.

‘You can almost hear the meadow holding its breath,' Meryn nodded. ‘Too much has gone on here.'

They began to walk slowly towards the stream. The grass was crisscrossed with car tracks and trampled paths. The tent had gone, Cadi noticed, and it looked as though the grave had been filled in; there was a mound of soil where it had been. There had obviously been some activity there while they had been away in North Wales. She looked about her nervously.

Meryn stopped suddenly, holding out his arms to block their path. ‘Look.'

The heat haze had deepened, it was getting harder to see the perimeters of the field.

Cadi caught her breath. The ground, some fifty metres ahead of them was beginning to shimmer. ‘Oh God! It's happening,' she breathed.

‘You two stay exactly where you are,' Meryn commanded. ‘I'm going a bit closer.'

No! Cadi didn't actually cry out. It was too late, he was already walking determinedly towards the flickering light.

Charles reached out for her hand. ‘He knows what he's doing,' he said.

‘Does he?' She rounded on him. ‘I don't think he does. I think he's like an excited schoolboy jumping off a cliff to see if he can fly.'

Meryn was very close to the strange phenomenon now and they saw him stretch out his hands towards it as though testing for heat. And then as suddenly as it had appeared it had gone. The mist around the field cleared and sunlight was pouring down on every corner of the grass. The silence was broken by a burst of song from the skylark high above them. Cadi stared up. ‘I hadn't realised how quiet it was, but now listen.' The little bird soared higher until it was invisible against the glare of light.

Meryn turned and walked back towards them. ‘Interesting.'

‘Obviously,' Cadi said tartly. ‘It could have sucked you in and we might never have seen you again.'

‘I was careful,' he reprimanded her gently. ‘Please give me credit for some common sense.'

‘Did you see Ifan?' Charles asked. He realised he was still holding Cadi's hand and released it, embarrassed.

‘No. I saw no one. It was opaque at the centre, a bit like steam, but it wasn't hot. I don't think it opened fully, maybe because I was there.' Meryn turned and walked back to where he had been standing, staring down at the ground. The other two followed him. He moved on a few paces. ‘Look, here,' he said. ‘This is where it was. Can you see anything?'

‘Nothing.' Cadi stopped beside him. The grass was undisturbed.

‘Fascinating.' Meryn beamed at them. ‘Have either of you got a mobile phone on you. I'd like to have a picture of this exact place.'

Charles groped in his pocket. ‘Here.'

Meryn held up his arms to demonstrate.

Charles clicked off several photos.

‘Now. Show me.' Meryn went over to stand beside him.

‘Nothing there,' Charles said after a moment. He scrolled down the pictures. Then he stopped. ‘No. Look. That was the first. You can see something. A shadow.'

‘The camera has caught the echo,' Meryn said, nodding. ‘Excellent. The wonders of modern technology, eh?' He beamed at them both. ‘I'll get you to email them over to me later.'

Charles was still gazing at his phone. ‘Message from Steve. I had it on silent. It sounds as though the extra tests they ordered have produced quite a few new results. He wondered if I would like to go over to discuss them.' He glanced up at Cadi. ‘He knows I love visiting the lab and how much this whole affair fascinates me.' There was a moment's silence. ‘Would you mind if I went over there? I'd be back this afternoon.' They had turned towards the gate. ‘I'll email those pics before I go,' Charles went on, glancing across at Meryn. ‘Ah.' He grabbed his phone again. ‘Another message. This one is from Margo.' He read it then beamed at them. ‘Sue's had a little girl. Both doing well. Sue has asked us to tell Arwel. She doesn't dare phone him in case Ifan goes there.'

As they stopped outside Cadi's gate Sally's door opened. She looked pale and worn out. Gemma dived between her feet and rushed to the gate, her tail wagging. ‘I was wondering if it was safe to go for a walk in the meadow,' Sally said. She stooped and picked up the dog.

‘I wouldn't.' Cadi reached across to tickle Gemma under her chin. God forbid that the little dog race off down the tunnel again. ‘We've just been up there and there isn't anyone around as far as we could see, but no one knows where he's gone.'

Sally nodded. ‘I'll walk down to the village instead. Gemma loves meeting everyone so it won't be a hardship for her. She's her old self again, don't you think? She seems to have forgotten her ordeal.'

‘Come over this evening and we can have some more of your lovely French wine,' Cadi called after her.

‘I could feel the dog's aura,' Meryn said as they let themselves into the cottage. ‘Sally's right. It is much stronger.'

‘I'm so pleased.' Cadi threw herself down on the sofa. She in contrast felt completely drained.

‘Shall I go and tell Arwel the good news before I leave?' Charles followed them in.

Cadi nodded. ‘Please, Charles. I think it would come better from you as she's with your sister.'

‘Say hello to the bones from us,' Meryn added drily as they watched him collecting some books from the table. ‘You must know them quite well by now.'

Charles stopped in his tracks. He had picked up on the undertone. ‘You're sure you don't mind me going? You'll be safe with the doors locked, and you've got Gwen's number.'

‘Of course we don't mind.' Cadi put in sharply. ‘In fact it will give me a chance to get on with my writing.' She leaned back against the cushions with a groan.

‘Great.' He hesitated, in two minds about whether to drop a kiss on her head, reluctantly decided it would be a dreadful idea and headed for the door. ‘I'll come straight back, I promise.'

And he was gone.

Meryn sat down opposite her. He refrained from commenting on Cadi's expression as she watched the door close behind him. She looked almost lost. ‘Cadi, I haven't had the chance to speak to Rachel yet. Are you still OK with what we discussed yesterday?'

‘You know I am.'

‘Then I'll give her a ring now and tell her what I've decided. The sooner we get it sorted, the better as far as I'm concerned.' He walked over to the kitchen and retrieved his mobile from the charger.

Standing up she wandered across to her desk and looked down at the piles of notes and sketches, listening with half an ear to the conversation as she shuffled through Rachel's illustrations. It was clear they were trying to decide whether Meryn should drive over to the coast to see her or whether she should come here. She frowned, pausing at the picture of Macsen. How was it possible for Rachel to have drawn him so accurately, or was it, she looked up and stared at the ceiling, that Rachel had somehow picked up her own thoughts.

‘Problem?'

She realised that Meryn had finished his call and was standing behind her. ‘No. I just wondered how she had drawn him so true to real life. Or at least the real life as I saw it.'

‘Did you describe him to her?'

‘Yes, of course I did.'

‘And did she read your manuscript?'

‘Yes.'

‘So, accept the fact that you're a good writer and she's an intuitive artist.' He sighed. ‘You really must give yourself a bit of leeway, Cadi. You have tremendous talent. Acknowledge the fact.'

‘I think Ifan had something to do with the fact that I don't have much confidence. He regarded my work as rubbish.'

Meryn let out a snort of derision. ‘And you rate his opinion why?'

‘I know. That was his way of destroying people.'

‘Don't give him the satisfaction, Cadi. Seriously. Every time you doubt yourself, admit you're letting him win. Now,' he went on determinedly. ‘Rachel and I have decided that I will drive over there this afternoon and I'll spend the night. We can then go to her bank and check with her solicitor about buying her cottage and set the whole thing in motion. Much easier to do it all in person. Charles will be back to keep an eye on you— No, sorry, I realise that is a sexist statement implying you're a weak and feeble woman.' He smiled. ‘I only meant in the nicest possible way that, if you're fighting off any intruders, a bit of backup from someone who has a black belt would be helpful. I'll return tomorrow with more of Rachel's sketches, so you have no more than a few hours to produce more verses of your epic poem.'

It was Peblig who at last persuaded his mother that the time had come to move out of the fort altogether, leaving the commander's house to Cunedda, the king of the northern tribes. They collected the remaining members of their household and took up the offer of the king of the Ordovices to have their own round house within the great ramparts of Dinas Dinlle, their own home at last away from the malign atmosphere of the Roman legions. And they took Emrys and his mares with them. It was as though an overwhelming black cloud had been lifted. For the first time in her life Elen was living by the sea, able to stand on the high wall looking out over immeasurable distances, and feel the exhilaration of the wind in her hair and fizzing through her veins. The heaviness in her heart for little Victor was still there and always would be, but there was less of the sadness of loss now and more of the love and thankfulness for the time they had had together. She seldom thought about Macsen now but when she did she mourned the good times and the love they had experienced up here in this distant corner of the land.

Peblig had formed an intense and admiring friendship with the old king, listening to his stories of gods and heroes and days of long ago, so it was not all that much of a surprise when one day he called the young man outside to speak to him in private. ‘My son, I want you to come with me.' The old man had been listening to Peblig's excited descriptions of the clearance of the Mithraic temple and the preparations under way for the foundations of his church and at last he had come to a decision.

Peblig found that rather than going to sit in their usual sheltered spot beneath the walls, they were heading down to the shore where a boat was waiting. He hadn't been at sea since he had been a little boy and crossed to Rutupiae with his family after the deaths of his father and his brother, and then he had been scared, lost and lonely, even surrounded as he was by his remaining family, but this was different. The fishing boat hugged the coastline of the peninsula as they sailed south-west, and the weather was fine, the tide and winds in their favour, waves of spray from time to time drenching the boat as it dipped and shuddered ever onward towards their destination. Eventually, after turning away from the coast across a stretch of rough water towards an island almost lost in the choppy seas, they headed in to an anchorage in a sheltered bay. ‘Ynys Enlli,' the old man beamed. ‘From here you and I will go on alone.'

The cave entrance was hidden in a heap of boulders near the summit of a hill from which Peblig could see the entire island. He turned back to the old man who had seated himself on a rock to get his breath back. He grinned at Peblig. ‘Not as young as I was, but I needed to do this one thing myself. My last duty as lord of these lands.'

‘You still haven't told me why we are here.'

‘We have come to collect something very special. Your -mother has told you the story of Caledfwlch?'

Peblig caught his breath. ‘Indeed she has.'

‘Well, it has lain here, in this cave, these last centuries, except for the one time I brought it out to give to her. She took it in her hands, to acknowledge possession, and then she gave it back to me to keep safe until her children were grown.'

‘Yet it is not for me.' Peblig shook his head anxiously, then he sat down next to the king. ‘But you knew that.'

‘I know. It will go to another, but you are called to be its guardian for your lifetime. You must hide it under a stone in your church at Segontium until one day, in the country's utmost hour of need, a future king will come to draw it forth. Come on.' The old man stood up, groaning. ‘This is the hard bit. We have to crawl through the dark to the place I left it.'

Peblig followed him into the darkness, crawling close behind him down a narrow passage, aware of the oppressive silence all around them. When the king stopped at last he could only sense that the tight corridor had opened out into a much larger space. ‘Wait.' The king's voice in the dark was strange, disembodied. He heard the strike of flint on metal, saw the spark, and saw with relief the light flare and the shadows draw back as the candle steadied in the old man's hand. ‘See there. In the corner.' The king's voice echoed strangely. ‘There is a pool of water.'

Peblig moved forward cautiously and looked down into the still depths of the blackest water he had ever seen. ‘It is the purest water from the depths of Mother Earth.' The king was speaking in a whisper. ‘No metal can rust in there. Reach down. Bring it out.'

Peblig fell on his knees and pulled back the sleeves of his tunic. The water was ice-cold. He groped around for a few moments, then he found it: the long narrow blade with its intricate hilt, just as Elen had described it to him, lying on a smooth shelf of rock. Carefully he pulled it out and held it up in the candlelight, seeing the glitter of gems, the reflection on the blade with its strange markings, hearing the slow drips of water falling from the blade back into the pool.

‘We dried it and wrapped it up and I carried it back to the boat. Then we sailed home in the moonlight,' Peblig said as he presented it to his mother next morning. ‘You and I will take it today to Segontium and we will set it under the stone which is now the foundation of my church, and we will dedicate sword, stone and church to Christ. And no one will know it is there until the rightful king comes to draw it out.'