ã€ŠChrysalids Revisitedã€‹


 PART I â€”â€” Chapter 1 - Aftermath

    MICHAEL stood stock-still in the middle of the clearing, watching the flying machine gather speed and dwindle in the sky until it vanished behind the clouds.

    On board were his friends David and Rosalind, and David¡¯s young sister Petra, who, he knew, were being whisked to safety far far away. The ¡®Sealand woman¡¯ (she had said ¡°Zealand¡±¡ªperhaps that was the correct name for her country?) had appeared on the scene, dea ex machina-like, in the nick of time¡ªnot merely to rescue the fugitives, but also to put an end, once and for all, to the pitched battle raging between the Fringes people and the Waknuk raiding party.

    How she had achieved that last result, however¡ªthe cold, cruel, utterly ruthless weapon she had employed¡ªhe had tried to blank that vision out of his mind. Not only that the mere thoughts filled him with stark horror, but he had, understandably, wanted to conceal his emotions about the whole scene from his friends until they were out of range of his thought-shapes¡ªespecially from Petra, who was surely too young to fully understand the implications. At least, he hoped she was too young, because she would never be out of range.

    At present, he could sense Petra¡¯s thought-shapes as she babbled to her companions. Yes: she seemed unperturbed. All her thoughts were about the thrill of flying, and about the promise of a fantastic new land to discover. David¡¯s and Rosalind¡¯s thoughts, on the other hand, were already too faint to be discerned, and would soon be completely out of range. Michael thought to himself: that¡¯s all for the best. There were things beginning to surface in his mind once more, that he could no longer suppress¡ªthat he did not wish to share. Possibly David and Rosalind wouldn¡¯t have wanted to share their feelings either.

    What the Zealand woman (she had never given a name) and her crew had done, that terrible and unanswerable death-blow, was merely to scatter thin sticky white threads all over the clearing. Harmless enough, one might have thought. But these threads were very sticky¡ªimpossibly strong and sticky¡ªwherever they had touched a human being or an animal, they had trapped them in a web from which, no matter how much force they exerted, they could not escape¡ªa web in which they could only struggle, and eventually succumb to asphyxiation. As far as he could see, no-one had sur-vived this slaughter. Nor had the horses. No-one but he¡ªand he was unhurt. The Zealand woman had sprayed him with some kind of solvent to dissolve the sticky threads, saving his life.

    The corpses lying around the clearing were already becoming distorted and unrecognisable¡ªbut he knew who they were. He had calmly watched them die in the heat of battle, but now the battle was over and he could reflect. Many of them were his friends¡­

    Already feeling sick, he urgently needed to get away from the clearing and the carnage. As he stumbled his way between the corpses, being careful to avoid the white threads (¡®plastic¡¯ was the word the Zealand woman had used to describe them, but the word meant nothing to him), he noticed a slight movement out of the corner of his eye.

    A young woman who had lain, seemingly dead, at the edge of the clearing, just out of range of the sticky threads. A woman whom he recognised, even though he had never met her. A woman who had played a part in saving his companions¡¯ lives¡ªhe did not need to see her feet to know who she was¡­

    Sophie! She was still alive!

    In spite of the nausea which was almost consuming him, and the danger of lingering too long in this place, Michael made up his mind instantly. Of all the Fringes people, he could not abandon this woman. He made his way towards her. As he did so, he passed the body of her lover Gordon¡ªthe ¡®spider-man¡¯ David had called him¡ªwho was certainly dead, enveloped in the threads. Two arrows had struck Sophie. One had certainly pierced her arm, but the other had scarcely grazed her. David had, wrongly, reported that the second arrow had caught her in the neck and killed her outright¡ªbut no: it had lodged in the shoulder and the wound did not look too severe. The arrow had struck on her shoulder blade and not penetrated too deeply, but the shock had knocked her unconscious. There was a good chance that both wounds would heal.

    Michael took the decision to pluck out the arrows straight away, while Sophie was still semi-comatose. As he did so, as gently as possible, Sophie groaned but did not call out. The arm wound bled freely: Michael tore up his shirt to fashion a makeshift bandage. Blood quickly soaked through the first bandage, so he hastily took it off and put on a second one. To his relief the bleeding seemed to have now been stemmed. He fashioned a rude sling for her. Then he gently peeled off her bodice, and, feeling rather embarrassed, trying not to look at her breasts, he carefully wrapped the remainder of his shirt around her shoulder and under her armpit.

    Then he hastily replaced her bodice, which although torn and bloodstained was still wearable, and carefully lifted her¡ªshe was no great weight¡ªand carried her across the clearing, through the cleft and out to the river bank. There he laid her carefully on the ground. He turned away from her, moved forward a few paces, and vomited.

    It took him many minutes to recover himself.

    The river bank seemed as devoid of life as the camp. But he could see no bodies lying on this side of the cliff. He took a deep draught of water from the river, then filled his water-bottle and turned to Sophie once more. She was now conscious, and surprisingly well-composed in spite of the pain she must have been in. He gave her a drink of water. She looked at him, puzzled.

    ¡°I¡¯m Michael. I¡¯m a friend of David and Rosalind¡¯s¡­¡±

    She was instantly alert¡ªand alarmed. ¡°David! David¡ªand Rosalind¡ªand Petra! What¡¯s happened to them?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re safe. They¡¯re now far away from here. That¡¯s all I can tell you for now.¡±

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    ¡°You¡¯re another of those people? The ones who can ¡®talk¡¯ with their thoughts?¡±

    ¡°Yes I am.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re one of them! Them¡ªwho brought the norms to this place to murder my people! Why the hell should I trust you?¡± She tried to lift herself, but was still too weak.

    ¡°You saved the lives of my friends. I owe you everything for that. And you were David¡¯s friend. That makes you my friend. Is that enough?¡±

    Sophie lifted herself on her good arm, and thought about it for a long time. ¡°They murdered him. Gordon. He¡¯s dead, isn¡¯t he¡­¡± she finally said.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m afraid he is. I know about Gordon. Gordon and you.¡±

    She seemed to accept that. ¡°So where are the rest of my people?¡± She became suddenly agitated. She attempted to sit up, and stared at the cleft leading back into the clearing and the camp¡ªthen she weakly sank back to the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Michael, quickly. ¡°You¡¯re still too weak. And you can¡¯t go back there. You really can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Why not? What about my people? Did your people¡ªyour norms¡ªkill them all?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t explain. Not now. Please understand. But it¡¯s too danger-ous for you to go back there. If you stay with me, I can take you to somewhere where you can rest¡ªwhere you can get food and drink¡ªsomewhere where you can live, even. Somewhere away from the Fringes.¡±

    ¡°But what about¡ª?¡± She pointed to her bare feet. ¡°How can I possibly live anywhere but the Fringes¡ªlike this?¡±

    Years earlier, when Sophie was a mere child, she and David had met by chance. Michael knew the story. David¡ªthen also only a child¡ªhad discovered by accident that she had six toes on each foot. Her parents had been carefully concealing this fact. In the district where they lived, where anyone with a genetic mutation was per-secuted: sterilised and ruthlessly cast out to fend for themselves in the Fringes, such knowledge was perilous. For several months David and Sophie had managed to keep the secret¡ªbut eventually they had been found out, David had been punished, and Sophie had been consigned to the Fringes. Only there could she live without being persecuted, but it was a life of abject deprivation and poverty, and with no future to look forward to.

    Michael wondered if, should she be offered a chance to return to ¡®civilised¡¯ country, safely, she would leap at it.

    Or she might not. She might resent being amongst ¡®norms¡¯ after they way they had dealt with her.

    And he had another plan, too¡ªbut only David and Rosalind, and Rachel back at Waknuk, knew about it. He wasn¡¯t about to share that with Sophie.

    ¡°Listen, Sophie,¡± he said¡ªthinking ahead and mindful of the fact that the spiritual leader of Waknuk, the puritanical and tyrannical Joseph Strorm, David¡¯s father, was dead. ¡°It may be that things will have changed at Waknuk, since you were there. You may be able to lead a normal life without ever being found out. And there may be other places, less authoritarian than Waknuk. I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s worth trying. Will you come with me?¡±

    Sophie paused and considered. Did she trust Michael? He looked like a norm, but his friends had been persecuted by norms¡ªand he too would have suffered, if he had been exposed. If only she could penetrate his thoughts, as the others could! She remembered how her mother had had some sort of ¡®understanding¡¯ with David. Perhaps she might be able to acquire some sort of this power too¡ªmaybe it was nascent in her and not yet developed. Could it come to any-thing? She strained her thoughts hard, wondering what one had to do to ¡®project¡¯ them¡ªbut Michael appeared not to react.

    Anyway, Michael was being cagey about the happenings in the clearing, but it was clearly no use for her to try and go back there and discover for herself. Whatever had happened must have been terrible¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me I can¡¯t stay here.¡±

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t. I can tell you, most of the men in the posse are dead, but others may come later. And when they see the remains of the¡ª¡± Michael caught himself just in time¡ª¡°the battle, they¡¯ll be wanting to kill any Fringe dwellers they come across.¡±

    Sophie thought some more. She believed Michael¡¯s warning, and realised that to stay in the camp meant death. What was the alter-native? Perhaps the most puritanical, the most doctrinaire of the norms had been in the posse¡ªhad been killed. Those left behind might be more liberal, more forgiving. Michael had hinted that there might be a chance of a ¡®normal¡¯ life back in civilised parts. The only option, perhaps. She put a last question to Michael.

    ¡°David¡¯s father? You know, the preacher man: the one who was the most fanatical campaigner against Mutants in the whole of Waknuk. David told me a lot about him. Was he in the posse? What became of him?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he was with us. He was killed.¡±

    Sophie made her mind up. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you,¡± she finally said.

    ¡°Good,¡± said Michael. ¡°I¡¯m honoured¡ªand delighted. We¡¯ll have to find you some shoes, of course. Now, the first thing we need is a horse. You wait here while I go to look for one.¡±

    With that, he turned to the river, and walked upstream until he recognised the place where they had crossed, near to the pear-shaped tree. Testing the water, he found that it was not at all deep, and he could easily wade across. Climbing to the far bank and following the path for another mile, his luck held out. There was a horse quietly grazing on the verge, while its fallen rider lay dead on his face on the path. Clearly one of his party: turning the body over, he recognised one of the Waknuk farmers. He had been killed by a sniper¡¯s arrow fired from the forest. The horse looked unhurt and in good shape. Hoping that the sniper¡ªone of the Fringes people, he guessed¡ªhad long since moved on, Michael caught the reins and tied the horse to a tree. Then he searched the body, stripping the shirt off it to replace his own. He could find no gun, but there was a bow and a few arrows, and some food in the horse¡¯s saddlebags. Untying the horse, he mounted and rode quickly back to the river.

    Sophie was now sitting up and seemed in better spirits. She evidently had amazingly rapid powers of recovery¡ªa consequence of the hardships of Fringe life no doubt. Together they ate some of the food: then Michael lifted Sophie up on the horse¡¯s back and mounted in front of her, instructing her to cling on as tightly as she could.

 Chapter 2 - Retreat from the Fringes

    ¡°WHERE are we going?¡± asked Sophie, after they had ridden without speaking for several miles. ¡°To Waknuk?¡±

    ¡°For the moment, yes, back towards Waknuk¡ªor at least the surrounding district. It¡¯s dangerous for you, but less dangerous than staying back there.¡± He pointed back along the path. ¡°I know the area well and it¡¯s our best chance of getting you¡ªand me¡ªto somewhere really safe. And there¡¯s something else. There¡¯s someone back at Waknuk¡­¡±

    ¡°A girl, is it? I might have guessed!¡±

    Michael decided to be open with her. ¡°Yes, Sophie, a young woman. One of us.¡± He emphasised the ¡®us¡¯ so that she understood.

    ¡°Another one who can give you babies, when I can¡¯t give anyone¡­¡± she said bitterly, her voice trailing off. Michael felt embarrassed, but quickly recovered himself when he saw that she was close to tears. Was she showing him some affection? Aside from Rachel¡¯s half-concealed thoughts, nothing like this had ever happened to him. But he quickly collected himself.

    ¡°Please, Sophie, try to understand. Yes we¡¯re all terribly sorry about what happened to you, when you first came to the Fringes. But we can¡¯t undo that: no-one can. You must try to come to terms with it. There are women in Waknuk and the surrounding district, and Kentak too, who can¡¯t have babies. Not because of ¡­ what happened to you. They just can¡¯t. I learnt something about these things when I was at school. Many of them go on to lead happy and loving married lives. It¡¯s not the best, but it¡¯s a reason for living. Surely you can see that?¡±

    Sophie made no reply. She was clearly unconvinced. But she held back her tears for then.

    What Michael had been searching for, of course, was the place where he had last been close enough to contact Rachel by thought-shapes. With every step they were drawing closer to being in range. So far, testing every few minutes, he had drawn a blank. And it was now getting dark.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to rest here. And we need to keep watch. Do you think you can manage that? Can you handle a bow?¡± He handed her the bow and arrows without even thinking.

    ¡°Are you out of your mind? Any other time, of course I¡¯d say I can,¡± replied Sophie, relieved to be offered a task that she might otherwise have fulfilled. ¡°How do you suppose we get food in the Fringes? We¡¯re taught to shoot almost as soon as we can walk. I think I¡¯m a good shot¡ªbut how on earth can I use a bow like this?¡± pointing to her bound-up arm in a sling.

    Michael apologised for his stupidity: for not having thought it through¡ªhis mind was so occupied with worries about Rachel. ¡°Oh well, we¡¯ll have to do the best we can,¡± taking back the bow and laying it on the ground. ¡°Will you take first watch? Wake me at once if you hear or see anything.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± said Sophie.

    Michael gratefully lay down on the ground and was fast asleep in minutes. A few hours later, Sophie woke him with the report that nothing amiss had happened; not a soul had come by; and he took over the watch for what was left of the night.

    The next morning, without having seen anyone, they mounted and resumed their journey.

    After little over an hour, to his infinite joy, Michael was able to re-establish contact with Rachel. She too was overwhelmed and delighted, and could not conceal her feelings towards Michael. For a while they exchanged frantic love-thoughts¡ªMichael at last realising that his feelings towards Rachel were more than just friendship and sympathy.

    It took quite a while before they were able to disentangle their emotions and turn to more mundane matters.

    Finally, Rachel became composed. She at once asked what had happened to him, and also what had happened to David, Rosalind, and Petra. Michael, once again, had to be cagey about this. Because they were using thought-shapes, he had to be even more careful than he had been with Sophie. He merely said that the other three were safe¡ªthey had been carried off to safety by the Sealand woman (not Sealand! ¡°Zealand¡±). Of the final scene at the Fringes clearing he kept his mind closed: he tried not to even think of what he had seen there, for fear Rachel might catch his nightmarish memories.

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    ¡°And where are you? Are you coming back?¡± asked Rachel. Michael was relieved not to have been pressed further on the scenes at the clearing. ¡°Yes, I am,¡± he replied, ¡°and I¡¯m bringing someone with me. One of the Fringes people. There¡¯s no risk. Please don¡¯t worry.¡±

    That seemed to satisfy Rachel¡ªafter all she was a very clear-headed girl, and knew that Michael would never have fallen in with someone who could be a danger to them. So instead she passed on all the news about Waknuk and the surrounding area. There wasn¡¯t much to report. No-one had yet returned from the sortie into Fringe territory, so no news had come from that direction. The farm-work was continuing as best they could manage with so many of their menfolk absent.

    They resumed occasional bouts of love-talk, but it dawned on Rachel that Michael had to devote all his attention to path-finding, so she left him in peace.

    Michael was suddenly aware of Sophie, behind him, having become very still, as if she were frozen. He reined in the horse and dismounted, turning to look at her. Still astride the horse, she was regarding him with a thoughtful expression.

    ¡°You were ¡®talking¡¯ to that girl, weren¡¯t you.¡± Sophie used exactly the same words as she had spoken to David, only a day or two previously. ¡°The one back in Waknuk? Talking with your thoughts. I could tell.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was. Please don¡¯t be upset about it. I needed to tell here we¡¯re on our way.¡±

    ¡°I think you told her a lot more than that! But I¡¯m not upset, not now. All right: I was a bit upset when I realised David was ¡®talking¡¯ to Rosalind even when she wasn¡¯t there¡ªback in the cave. But I¡¯ve got over that. You and your friends have something I haven¡¯t got¡ªat least not now. But I wonder if I¡¯m picking some thoughts up. I seemed to get some lovey-dovey thoughts coming from Rachel, besides those from you¡­¡±

    Michael was astonished¡ªand a bit embarrassed¡ªbut quickly composed himself. ¡°Try to send me a thought of yours,¡± he said. And quietly to Rachel: ¡°Please don¡¯t butt in!¡±

    He opened his mind to full reception and strained to pick up something from Sophie. Yes there was something there: some feeling of joy at her rescue and some tender thoughts towards Michael her rescuer. But it was too incoherent to be properly described as thought-speech. After a while Sophie held up her hand.

    ¡°Yes you have something there,¡± said Michael, bemused. ¡°I wonder? Did you have any of this while in the Fringes? Or before?¡±

    ¡°No, but my mother did. David told me that, when we first met, just after he found out about my feet, he could pick up some of her ¡®worried¡¯ thoughts quite easily. But she never knew she was making them.¡±

    ¡°I wonder¡­¡± Michael muttered, again, quietly to himself.

    ¡°And besides: Mother told me once that she thought David could read her mind. I thought little of it at the time. But now¡ªall of a sudden¡ªsomething¡¯s happened to me.¡±

    ¡°Is it, perhaps, that being in the company of people who can do thought-shapes, sort of stimulates the latent power in others¡­?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± replied Sophie. ¡°But I spent a lot of time as a child in David¡¯s company. And nothing like this happened to me back then. Of course I didn¡¯t know everything about him in those days, and possibly his powers weren¡¯t fully developed back then¡­¡±

    Michael said nothing but re-mounted, and they continued along the path.

    For several days they rode through the forest. Once or twice they had the good fortune to shoot a rabbit, but they had very few arrows, and Michael did not want to risk losing any, so they took no risks. Sophie recovered with remarkable speed: clearly the hardships of Fringe life had strengthened her physically. In a few days she was able to remove the sling, and could shoot almost as well as Michael. But still they encountered not a soul: the whole countryside seemed deserted.

    And they were running low on food.

    Their horse was now visibly getting very tired. For a while Michael dismounted and walked alongside. They were now out of the forest, and Michael recognised the more open country as the place where the first shots had been fired, and the great-horses had bolted into the forest.

    ¡°There¡¯s a farm some miles further on,¡± Michael announced. ¡°I remember us assembling there. The great-horses bearing David and the others, towards the Fringes, had charged through it but the farm people were unable to stop them. We arrived some time later and gathered there before pushing on into the forest. It may be that we can get help there¡ªeven a second horse perhaps. I have a little money. The people of the farm will be Wild Country folk. They won¡¯t persecute human Deviations like the Waknuk folk do. They may not even notice. Or you could stay hidden¡­¡±

 Chapter 3 - An Abandoned Farm

    IT WAS late afternoon when they at last spotted a dingy old ram-shackle farmhouse and some rude huts or barns, about a mile off in a little dell¡ªscarcely enough to call the place a ¡®farm¡¯. And, ominously, there appeared to be a thin curl of smoke rising from it. There didn¡¯t seem to be any sign of life.

    ¡°That¡¯s the spot. You¡¯d best wait here,¡± said Michael. ¡°Although I expect the Wild Country folk to be safe, there may be Waknuk people around. Stragglers from the pursuit. Keep hidden: don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll remember the spot exactly. I hope to be no more than an hour. If I do meet Waknuk men, I¡¯ll try to head them off somehow.¡±

    Sophie knew how to hide, of course: she¡¯d been more or less in hiding ever since childhood. With amazing agility, considering her recent injuries which were now almost healed, she swung herself up into a large tree and nestled there, amongst the branches of the crown. No-one who didn¡¯t know she was there could have spotted her.

    Michael was as good as his word. Within the hour he was back at the tree and handing Sophie down.

    ¡°The place seems to be completely deserted¡ªand that¡¯s a barn on fire, practically burnt to the ground now. But the farmhouse itself appears to be untouched. I can¡¯t account for that: there were people here when we passed by: we didn¡¯t threaten them, and we didn¡¯t torch anything. Perhaps a following group, less scrupulous, took exception to whatever the barn was storing: something deviational, no doubt. And maybe the people of the farm fled before them. At least we can get some rest there.¡±

    ¡°But what if the people return?¡± asked Sophie. ¡°I mean the owners?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s highly unlikely they¡¯ll return tonight. They¡¯ll want to be sure the Waknuk raiders are clear of the area first. And it¡¯ll be safer for them in daylight. Come on.¡±

    Half an hour later they were at the farmhouse, such as it was. It was now dark outside. They tethered the horse to a nearby tree under which some grass was growing, and tried the door. It was unlocked. Inside, it was already pitch-dark, but groping around, Michael found a candle and soon had a bright light burning. They found themselves in a surprisingly clean and spacious kitchen. There was a range with a couple of copper kettles, burnished pans hanging from hooks around the walls, and several hams hung from a string over the range. In the middle was a large, rough-hewn table and some chairs.

    They noticed a back door to the kitchen. Pushing that open, they found themselves in a small but cosy bedroom with two beds pushed side-by-side, and a wardrobe which they eagerly opened to reveal several sets of clothes¡ªmen¡¯s and women¡¯s too¡ªon hangers. Michael was overjoyed at this discovery.

    ¡°New clothes for you at last! And shoes! You can¡¯t go into the Waknuk district dressed like that¡ª¡± for Sophie still had nothing on but the ragged skirt and blouse which she had been wearing all the way from the Fringes. The blouse without the obligatory Cross. ¡°And I could do with some clean clothes too¡ª¡±

    ¡°But surely we can¡¯t just take them,¡± Sophie protested. ¡°That¡¯d be stealing.¡±

    ¡°Sophie, listen. This whole country is now in a state of war. Our duty is to save ourselves. If that means taking clothes, we¡¯ll take clothes. I also mean to take some of that ham¡ªwe¡¯re practically out of food. And what about your feet? You still have no shoes!¡±

    Sophie saw the sense in that, of course. But she was also dog-tired. ¡°I can¡¯t possibly choose clothes in this light. Let¡¯s wait till morning.¡± With that, she flung herself on one of the beds and was almost instantly fast asleep.

    Michael searched around for a few minutes longer: he noticed a small back door which opened onto a yard with a well: the kitchen and the bedroom appeared to be the only rooms in the house. But Sophie was right. Best wait until morning. Lying down on the other bed, he too soon fell fast asleep.

    Michael woke just as the sun was rising. He sat up and looked around him. Sophie was still fast asleep in the other bed, still in her stained and torn blouse and skirt, and very dirty. He looked at her intently. Her features coarsened of course by years of hardship and affliction in the Fringes, there was still a sort of elemental beauty about her. Her tangled black hair, her brown skin, the shape of her body, the swell of her hips¡­ Michael felt himself being strangely drawn to her. No! He must keep such thoughts close to his chest. Quickly he turned away.

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    Trying not to disturb her, he got up and tiptoed into the kitchen. Searching around, he found a loaf of bread still reasonably fresh, a sack of potatoes and another sack containing what appeared to be oats. He filled a bowl and went out to where the horse was grazing. It seemed in good spirits and well-rested, and gratefully accepted the oats as well as a bucket of water. Michael decided that they ought to rest up at the farm for the rest of the day and another night¡ªit would do them all good. Going back into the kitchen, he searched out a bar of soap and then busied himself with lighting the range and putting two kettles on to boil. He had found a large washtub in the back yard which looked as if it could serve as a bath¡ªthey both needed one! He filled the tub from the well and was just topping-up with boiling water from the kettles, when Sophie appeared from the bedroom, rubbing her eyes. As soon as she noticed the tub and felt the already-lukewarm water, she grinned at him.

    ¡°Good thinking, Michael. I¡¯ve been dying for a nice warm bath for ages¡­¡±

    Was she remembering her former life, with her parents, before they were caught?

    ¡°All right, Sophie. You go first,¡± said Michael, turning to go back into the bedroom.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Michael. There¡¯s plenty of room for us both,¡± and without another word, she untied the bandage that was still wrapped around her arm, stripped off her blouse and skirt, and clambered into the tub.

    Michael was dumbfounded. This was all new to him: he had never seen a grown woman naked before, and only once had he seen a woman¡¯s breasts¡ªand that had been when he¡¯d dressed Sophie¡¯s shoulder wound some days before. He tried to avert his eyes from the tub, but found he could not. Sophie was still grinning at him coquettishly, and there was a hint of a vague thought-shape coming from her: involuntarily, no doubt, but a real thought-shape all the same. The meaning was indistinct, but was there a suggestion of ¡°I want you¡±?

    Whatever her thoughts¡ªsuch thoughts as he was able to read¡ªwere telling him, it was clear that Sophie sensed his uneasiness. In words, she was reassuring, although she spoke rather fast, as if she wanted to quickly get over a kind of recitation: ¡°Come on Michael¡ªdon¡¯t be shy¡ªin the Fringes we do this all the time¡ªgo together to the river on washing day¡ªmost of us had only one set of clothes¡ªwe¡¯d all strip off¡ªmen and women together¡ªafter washing clothes we¡¯d all join in for a swim¡ªwe¡¯re used to it.¡± Then after pausing for breath, ¡°come on, get your clothes off.¡± Saying that, she lowered herself deeper into the tub, so that only her head and shoulders were visible.

    Did Michael really believe this dubious reassurance? Or was Sophie making it up: a somewhat odd way of countering his shyness perhaps? Why was she telling him this story? He could easily have guessed some of it: certainly, considering the treatment that was meted out to human Deviations, there could be no procreative activity¡ªprobably little or no sexuality either¡ªamongst Fringe dwellers. Maybe they were relaxed about nudity and didn¡¯t have a taboo¡ªunlike people from the more ¡®civilised¡¯ and puritan settings of Waknuk and similar places, where even for a woman to reveal her ¡®cleavage¡¯ was considered an outrage.

    But could Sophie have any sexual feelings? Michael could now pick up Sophie¡¯s emotions quite clearly, although they were not yet formed into articulate ¡®messages¡¯ such as the other thought-shapers could send. And her emotions told a different story. A sense of desire, of craving, of sensuality. How could that be, coming from one such as her?

    Michael¡¯s thoughts were in a turmoil, and he thought of backing away at this point, with some sort of muttered excuse. He felt a profound sense of loyalty to Rachel, although their hurriedly and openly exchanged thought-shapes had not talked of ¡®love¡¯. But his body would not let him retreat from Sophie¡¯s temptation. He he could not resist being drawn towards the tub. If he went forward, would he be betraying Rachel forever?

    Michael could not answer that question in his own mind, so he had to suppress the thought for now. He slowly peeled off his clothes. Once stripped, and cupping himself with his hands as best he could, he advanced towards the tub.

    He could now see the entire Sophie once more. Certainly, washed and tidied up, he could see that she could easily become an extremely beautiful girl. Another thought was coming from her mind now: very vaguely, the message seemed to be ¡°I owe you everything.¡± Did everything include this?

    Whether it did or not, he could no longer hold back. He slowly climbed into the bath alongside her.

    Now Sophie¡¯s manner became more urgent. ¡°Take your hand away, silly!¡± she ordered. Michael could not resist. She looked down for a moment, seeing how much he wanted her now, then clamped her mouth over his, wrapped her legs around his hips¡­

 Chapter 4 - Relaxation

    THEY were lying on one of the beds, still unclothed.

    Michael¡¯s thoughts were more or less composed again. The passion that had consumed him, in the bath and on the bed, was abated. He could look at Sophie without embarrassment¡ªlook at her as a woman rather than as a lover, and realise how much of an improvement had come over her. Scrubbed clean of dirt, with her hair combed, she might not be Labrador¡¯s¡ªor even the world¡¯s¡ªmost glamorous beauty, but her underlying charm was certainly there. But there was something still bothering him. He did not know how to put it.

    ¡°Sophie,¡± he said. ¡°When you first went to the Fringes, they¡ªwell they did ¡®something¡¯, didn¡¯t they? So how¡­?¡± He could not find the words to put the question.

    Sophie said nothing for a long time. She lay on her back, but Michael noticed tears in her eyes. Almost at once he regretted asking the question. But he could think of nothing else to say¡­

    Eventually, Sophie spoke. She said, quietly, ¡°I¡¯ll explain. You didn¡¯t expect me to be able to do this, I suppose. Nor did most of the Fringes people. With good reason. Most of the Fringes men¡ªall those that had the ¡®treatment¡¯¡ªcan¡¯t do it at all. But a few, like Gordon, escaped being emasculated. And norm men sometimes ventured into the Fringes, looking for¡ªwell you can guess! Gordon was the man I slept with most of the time, but he wasn¡¯t my first. But most of the men¡ªthose that could, I mean¡ªleft me alone. They assumed¡­¡±

    Sophie¡¯s tears flowed freely now, and she paused.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s because of the women,¡± she continued after composing herself a bit. ¡°You understand, Michael, that nearly all the Fringes women were ¡®treated¡¯ in infancy, after being taken from their parents soon after birth. I don¡¯t know exactly what was done to them¡ªno-one ever explained it to me. But anyway, nearly all of them flatly refused to ever lie with a man. Fought them off, even. Not that many men had any urge to¡­

    ¡°But I¡­¡±

    ¡°Please go on,¡± said Michael.

    ¡°Michael. I trust you. These are things I thought I¡¯d never want to talk about¡ªnot ever again. But now I feel I must talk about them¡ªto you.

    ¡°When my parents and me were¡ªcaptured, we were no longer in Waknuk district, but many miles away. The village to where we were taken, they didn¡¯t have anyone¡ªany doctor or nurse¡ªwho could do¡ªwho could do¡ªthat. What they do to babies. It appeared that the nearest place where they ¡®prepared¡¯ people like us for the Fringes, was Kentak.

    ¡°So we were taken to Kentak. There, it gets a bit hazy, but I believe that even the doctors in Kentak were only experienced with small babies. They had never operated on a ten-year-old girl. Anyway, the next I can remember, I was put in a coach for the long journey to Rigo. All alone.

    ¡°My parents said goodbye to me in Kentak. I must have cried piteously, but they tried to reassure me¡ªas best they could, since they were under guard. They told me, they would be sent to prison, but as soon as they got out they would come and find me. Well¡ªthat was years ago, and I haven¡¯t heard from them since, but they may still be alive. Of course I miss them¡ªbut I¡¯m glad they never got to see me as I was¡ªliving back there¡­

    ¡°Anyway, in Rigo, I was taken to see a doctor. An awfully nice doctor, a woman, she was quite kind to me actually. She said that, although she didn¡¯t agree with the policy, she had to do what she had to do: it was the Law. But she¡¯d try to make it as painless as she could. The treatment for a girl of my age would be different from the baby treatment. Less damaging.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t hurt much. I think she gave me something to drink that deadened the pain. After a day or two, I was able to get up. She told me, I¡¯d never have children, and I¡¯d never have the monthly bleeding. That was enough to satisfy the Law. But I would still be able to sleep with a man¡ªto have a love life¡ªwhen I grew up¡ªif I wanted to. She spoke to me as if I were a grown-up already, and I didn¡¯t, of course, understand all she told me at the time, but I do now¡­

    ¡°Then I came to the Fringes. The rest you know.¡±

    Sophie turned towards Michael and wrapped herself around him once more. Michael could think of nothing to say. But he thought he understood.

    It was almost midday now, and no-one had been seen¡ªnot the owners of the farm, nor anyone from Waknuk or other ¡®civilised¡¯ parts. Michael thought he had guessed correctly, that they would be safe there for another night. Further than that, he was not prepared to risk.

    They had now dressed themselves in more ¡®decent¡¯ clothes. Sophie had found a dark green dress decorated with the Cross that fitted her fairly well; also a pair of moccasins¡ªmost important!¡ªas well as some underwear and a spare dress. Michael was arrayed in a farm-worker¡¯s outfit and could have passed for a farm-hand anywhere. They had also found some apples and another bow with a few arrows. Along with the ham and the potatoes, they were able to make a hearty meal for the first time in days¡ªweeks even.

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    Michael had contacted Rachel late in the morning, being careful to focus his mind on mundane matters: explaining where they were and that he¡¯d been too tired to communicate the night before. She seemed to accept that. He also said that they would take longer to reach her than originally planned. About Sophie, he did his best to close his mind completely.

    Had anything happened since their last contact? he asked. Yes, she replied, a few men from the raiding parties had limped into Waknuk the day before. Some were wounded; all were in an emaciated state and gave very confused reports, clearly traumatised by some terrible event that they had witnessed. Rachel recalled that Michael had not wanted to tell her much, either, and she appreciated that. The stories given by the men were fragmentary and contradicted one another, but a common theme appeared to refer to ¡®giant spiders¡¯ having emerged from the forest and slaughtered everyone in sight. One man even claimed to have seen one of these monster creatures actually flying through the air. Rachel thought this was too fantastic: although deviational beasts were common enough, in civilised country as well as the Fringes, and many were ferocious and dangerous, none of them had in the least evolved to the gigantic proportions which this account would seem to suggest. And not one of these deviants had ever mastered the art of flying. Birds could fly, and birds were small. That was the end of it.

    Michael thought, this was a good story to put across: a good ¡®cover¡¯ for what had actually happened, and he explained that there was some truth in the men¡¯s account, while being careful to avoid specifics. It was a plausible theme: that spiders or similar creatures had evolved from mutations in the Fringes. The last thing he wanted to do was to give any hint of the Zealanders¡¯ superhuman powers of mass slaughter. He had not told all to Sophie, and he was not sure if he wanted to tell Rachel even once they were face-to-face.

    But Rachel already knew that David, Rosalind and Petra had escaped in some sort of ¡®flying machine¡¯. He would have to be more specific about that. She¡¯d probably have guessed that that was what the terrified man had mistaken for a ¡®flying spider¡¯. Well, he had time to think about it. And about other things!

    Michael was busy occupying himself with mundane tasks around the farm, chiefly to make themselves ready for their onward journey. He tried not to focus his mind on what had happened that morning, but he could not get away from the fact: what he had experienced was the most ecstatic, the most pleasurable feeling in his whole life. And he knew that Sophie had found pleasure in it too: he did not need her fragmentary thought-shapes to know that.

    But he still wanted to get back to Rachel as soon as possible. How things would turn out, when they did meet, he could not fathom¡ªbut they had to meet.

    Meanwhile, he had searched around the surrounding countryside, up to a mile or more in each direction, mainly in the hope of finding another horse. He had no luck. The whole countryside seemed deserted, and there were no other farms within reach. However, he did make an important discovery in the other barn: the one that had not been burnt down. In a corner was a broken-down light dog-cart and some harness.

    Could their horse be harnessed to this cart, he wondered. He did not know whether the horse would accept this, but they had no other choice. With the extra clothes and food which they had gathered up, they were obviously far too big a burden for the horse to carry. How he wished for one of Angus Morton¡¯s great-horses¡ªthe 26-hand beasts which had carried David and his companions toward the Fringes! But those animals were lost to them. However, if they could persuade their horse to draw this cart, they might get to Waknuk in just a few more days¡­

    Michael examined the cart, and discovered that its axle was broken. He was a good handyman, and there were pieces of timber and some tools lying about in the barn. He set to and did his best to repair the cart: after a couple of hours¡¯ work he decided that it would serve, though he would not trust it on a long journey. Perhaps it could get them as far as Waknuk.

    That evening they sat down at the kitchen table to what was, for Michael, the most sumptuous meal since he had left Waknuk¡ªand for Sophie probably the best since she had been taken from her parents, sterilised and banished to the Fringes, many years before. Sophie had found cabbages growing next to the farm, and together they prepared a veritable feast. There were even bottles of wine on a shelf, but they preferred not to touch those. They had already made free of enough in the farmhouse¡ªMichael was beginning to think he should return, in a more peaceful time, and make amends somehow.

    He had no doubt now, as to what would happen once they had finished their meal. Sophie stood up, kissed him passionately, and beckoned to him. He did not need to follow her into the bedroom, to see her strip off her clothes, to know what was in store. This time there was no shyness as he joined her in the bed¡­

    But he was still worried. Eventually they both drifted off to sleep, but he awoke while it was still dark. For half an hour, perhaps, he lay awake, unable to get to sleep. He perceived that Sophie was also awake. She got up and went to the wardrobe, finding a nightdress which she slipped on. Then she returned to the bed and turned to face him.

    ¡°You are worried about what¡¯ll happen between you and Rachel, aren¡¯t you, my dear,¡± she murmured. ¡°Don¡¯t try to deny it: I can feel it in your thoughts. Please understand, Michael, everything will come out right for you, in the end. Don¡¯t you understand? Yes, this morning, and this evening, you and me¡ªwere¡ªdelightful¡ªbut I¡¯m not your girl, and you¡¯re not my man. It won¡¯t last. We are too different, and we shall in time go our separate ways. I know you want to, eventually, follow your friends¡ªto wherever they¡¯ve gone to. They¡¯ve left Labrador behind, haven¡¯t they? I don¡¯t. I want to find a man who can love me for what I am: a man somewhere in Labrador, not further¡ªalmost certainly. One who can understand how it is possible for a couple to love one another without children. You will want a wife whom you really love¡ªwith whom you can raise a family. Go to Rachel!¡±

    Michael realised at once how sensible she was. More sensible than he¡ªand certainly more sensible than David, who had befriended her as a child. They had enjoyed their brief affair, but they were mis-matched. Their passion would not last. And he realised he had not really betrayed Rachel.

    But he wondered how Rachel would see it. He still did not dare to send her more than the most mundane thought-shapes.

    In the morning they harnessed the horse to the cart, and to their relief it seemed quite at ease with it. Evidently it had pulled a cart before. After a trial run around the farm, to make sure that the repaired axle was turning freely, they loaded up the cart and set forth.

 Chapter 5 - Rachel

    MICHAEL estimated that they were only about two days¡¯ jour-ney from Waknuk: they were now leaving the Wild Country and returning to more civilised country: the country he was familiar with. He still marvelled at their good fortune in not meeting a single person, all the way from the Fringes, but their luck did not hold out. Towards the afternoon of the first day, they began to meet people. People walking, people on horseback, people driving carts like theirs. ¡®Normal¡¯ people going about their business. None of them took any notice of Michael and Sophie: they looked just like any farming couple. He noticed that most of the people were women. Then of course he realised. Almost all the menfolk of Waknuk and surround-ing districts had been called away to the raiding party. Most of them would be dead. Did these people know that, yet?

    Towards the end of the second day, things changed. They saw a ragged, unkempt man carrying a gun, walking towards them. As soon as he saw them, he raised his gun, aimed straight at them, and fired. But their horse took fright at the sudden movement and reared up. The bullet, evidently meant for Michael, struck the horse in the foreleg. It sank down again, then crumpled onto the ground, clearly in agony, almost upsetting the cart. The man was busy trying to reload his gun, but Sophie was too quick for him. Before Michael could even reach for his bow, she had planted an arrow in his chest.

    Michael got down and approached the fallen man. He was clearly quite dead, the arrow having pierced his heart. Then Michael turned his attention to the horse which had saved his life. It was in a pitiful state: its foreleg clearly shattered by the bullet. Michael knew at once what he had to do. Picking up the gun and reloading it, he went to the horse and pointed the gun at its head. Sophie looked away¡­

    ¡°What do you think he wanted?¡± asked Sophie, as they unloaded the cart, unharnessed it, and pushed it into the woods, trying to hide it as best they could. ¡°Do you think he knew¡­?¡±

    ¡°No, unlikely,¡± said Michael. ¡°I think he just wanted the horse¡ªand cart.¡±

    They had to hide what was left of their provisions, and shoulder what they needed for the rest of the journey¡ªon foot. They also tried to hide the man¡¯s body. The cart was too heavy for them to drag further on the path. And they could do nothing about the dead horse. Michael guessed that they were only a few miles from Waknuk He had contacted Rachel again, told her they would soon be with her. Rachel was in good spirits.

    Next morning, Michael¡¯s plan was to visit Rachel¡¯s farm first, and find out how things stood there¡ªfind out more, that is, than Rachel was prepared to tell him. Afterwards he would quickly make it to his own home. His parents would be anxious about him, especially if they had heard rumours about the ¡®spiders¡¯. His father, especially, who had been too old to join the raiding party¡ªthankfully. And he needed to find out for sure what had become of Sally and Katherine, who had been captured and tortured¡ªand Mark, who had simply disappeared. He feared the worst.

    Steering well clear of Waknuk itself, they tramped through the familiar country towards Rachel¡¯s farm, which was just to the west. As they approached, they heard the dogs barking and running out to greet them, closely followed by Rachel herself, who flung herself into Michael¡¯s arms. They clung tightly to each other for a long time, while Sophie watched them with a smile on her face¡­

    In the farmhouse, they were introduced to Rachel¡¯s mother, and Michael sized up the situation. Rachel¡¯s father, whom Michael had never met, had not joined in the raiding party: he was very ill in bed: he had never recovered, it seemed, from the shock of losing his elder daughter Anne, who had committed suicide a year or two earlier. But many of the farm-hands had indeed joined the party. Stories about the ¡®giant spiders¡¯ were rife, and everyone around was very nervous. Rachel and her mother were left to manage what was left of the farm almost on their own, besides having to care for Rachel¡¯s sick father. Not surprisingly, most of their crops were unharvested, although it was now late summer. Many of their livestock had died.

    It was clear that Rachel¡¯s mother welcomed Michael and Sophie, and desperately wanted them to stay to help out with the farm¡ªMichael especially. It was equally clear to Michael that he must carry out his original plan to carry Rachel away with him¡ªto wherever? How could he explain these things to Rachel¡¯s mother?

    He had no need. Rachel¡¯s mother looked at him curiously for a few minutes. Then she said, ¡°you¡¯re one of them, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Michael made no reply.

    ¡°One of them, I mean¡ªlike Rachel here¡ªlike David, and Rosalind, and Petra¡­¡±

    ¡°You know?¡± Michael stammered at last.

    ¡°I¡¯ve known for some time. I think I could almost read Rachel¡¯s mind, myself. But I¡¯m not one of you, mind. I could just sense that she was getting news from you, all the time you weren¡¯t here.¡±

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    ¡°Does Rachel¡¯s father know?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he does. He¡¯s very poorly: we don¡¯t expect him to live through the winter, and frankly it¡¯ll be a relief when he goes.¡±

    ¡°So¡ªyou know that Rachel and I need to get away.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ªI suspected as much. I wish it were otherwise, but I agree, you are still in danger here. Don¡¯t worry about me: I¡¯m not about to tell anyone! They tell me old Strorm is dead: is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Joseph Strorm had been shot by his elder brother Gordon, at the height of the battle in the Fringes.

    ¡°I knew he had disappeared along with many of the other men. With him gone, the community is falling apart. No-one seems to be doing much about Deviations at the moment. But it¡¯s still dangerous here.¡±

    ¡°David, Rosalind and Petra are still alive,¡± said Michael. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you more than that, but they¡¯re safe.¡±

    No-one spoke for a long time. Rachel¡¯s mother set about placing a modest lunch before them: bacon and a few eggs, tomatoes and bread and butter. And a small pot of beer¡ªthe first they had tasted for weeks. All the time, Rachel¡¯s mother surveyed the newcomers intently without speaking.

    Finally she looked at Sophie. ¡°I don¡¯t quite see where you fit in to all this. I¡¯m right in guessing, you¡¯re not one of them, am I?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± agreed Sophie. ¡°Though I am now picking up some of their thoughts. My mother was the same: she could send David some of her thoughts, Mrs¡­ er, Mrs?¡± and Sophie choked back a tear.

    ¡°Oh, call me Amelia, please! So¡ªwhere do you come from?¡±

    Instead of replying, Sophie pulled off one of her moccasins. Amelia gave Sophie¡¯s foot a very brief glance, and then nodded as Sophie replaced her moccasin.

    ¡°I guessed as much. As soon as I heard your name was Sophie, I remembered. What a hue and cry that was! How long ago was it? Seven years? Eight? The Wender family and their six-toed daughter. They vanished from here, but they were caught. And poor young David bore the brunt of it. His poor back! His sister Mary told me how he had suffered.¡±

    ¡°Sophie suffered worse than he did,¡± Michael remarked, simply¡ªbut rather hastily. He glanced at Sophie as he said this, but she showed no reaction. ¡°¡­and your family, of course¡­¡±

    Amelia choked back a sob. But quickly recovered, and said, ¡°Of course. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here now, Sophie. You¡¯re welcome here, any time. Though we have little to offer.¡±

    Michael was reminded of something. ¡°Mrs¡ªer, Amelia, I really have to get across to my parents. They¡¯ll be worried sick.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them. They¡¯re all right. As soon as I learnt you were here, I sent old Benjamin¡ªhe¡¯s just about our only remaining farm hand¡ªacross to their house to bring them the news. He¡¯s taking a message that you¡¯ll call on them tomorrow. So relax. But, Michael,¡± and Amelia lifted a warning finger, ¡°don¡¯t tell them as much as you¡¯ve told me. I know your parents, I know they¡¯re decent folk¡ªbut I¡¯m not sure you should be spreading it around too freely. Not even with old Strorm gone. The Inspector is still around¡­¡±

    They spent the rest of the day organising sleeping arrangements. Sophie was to share Rachel¡¯s bedroom, while Michael was to sleep in Anne¡¯s old bedroom. He felt a bit uncomfortable about this, remembering how Anne had almost betrayed them and then met her tragic death¡ªbut there was no alternative.

    Michael was so worn out, now, that he fell straight onto his bed and fell sound asleep. When he woke up, it was dark, and Rachel was standing by his bed wearing a nightgown.

    ¡°No words,¡± she said briefly in thought-shapes. She sat down on the end of the bed and was silent for a few minutes. Michael knew something was about to come out. He lay there, waiting.

    ¡°Michael, I know all about it. About you and Sophie¡ªin the farmhouse¡­¡±

    Michael could not even reply in thought-shapes. He was struck dumb.

    ¡°You silly boy!¡± she continued. ¡°Did you really imagine you could keep an emotional experience like that to yourself? I knew even before Sophie told me¡­¡±

    ¡°She told you?¡±

    ¡°Of course she told me. She told me everything. The wash-tub, and all. Something about wanting you to ¡®experience¡¯ her ¡®becoming a woman¡¯. What she meant by that, I wasn¡¯t sure. But Michael, I¡¯m pleased. Really I am. Not a bit angry. Oh Michael!¡ªI so much wanted you, but I didn¡¯t want us both to be virgins when we finally came together. It¡¯s so much better this way. I love you and I know you love me¡ªreally.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Rachel! Of course I do!¡±

    ¡°But not yet, Michael. I want us to be really ready. I want us to get married. In a church. Not here. In Kentak, perhaps¡­¡±

    She lay down next to him, but kept her nightdress on. He kissed her briefly but passionately, and she kissed him back; but then she rolled over and they both fell asleep.

 Chapter 6 - A Surprise Visitor

    WHEN Michael woke up next morning, he was alone. He felt a great sense of calm and relief come over him. Sophie was¡ªfun. But he had understood, before they even left the abandoned farm, that she didn¡¯t want it to continue, and nor did he. They were both very young, and so different in so many ways¡ªbut they had one thing in common: they were both very practical-minded. He was sure Sophie would make out somehow, and that they would remain¡ªgood friends.

    But Rachel! Whether he¡¯d known before that it was inevitable that he and Rachel would marry, he was unsure. But he was sure now. It seemed to have been pre-ordained the moment David, Rosalind and Petra fled. Maybe even before, but that act had consolidated the feeling.

    Meanwhile, there was work to do today. Michael had to go to his parents. How they would receive him he was not sure, but, compared to other Waknuk residents, they were fairly broad-minded. He hoped it would be all right. He also had to find out what had happened to Sally and Katherine: the two girls¡ªnot sisters¡ªfrom neighbouring farms, who had been captured, tortured and possibly murdered. And, if possible, Mark, some distance away, who had simply ¡®stopped¡¯.

    He went into the kitchen. Breakfast was set out, and Rachel and Sophie were already there, and both were grinning at him strangely. ¡°There¡¯s a surprise for you,¡± whispered Rachel in thought-shapes, just as Amelia walked in, leading a young man whom Michael thought he recognised. It took a moment to realise¡­

    ¡°Mark! Oh, Mark, you¡¯re safe!¡± Michael choked back his tears.

    ¡°Speak in words please,¡± cut in Amelia, who appeared fully aware of the thought-exchanges. ¡°Remember Sophie and me: we want to hear too.¡±

    ¡°Mark!¡± Michael continued in words. ¡°What on earth happened to you? We all thought you were dead.¡±

    ¡°Well, I very nearly was,¡± replied Mark, matter-of-factly. ¡°I was struck down by a fever. A very unpleasant fever: I was delirious for three days. I don¡¯t remember much about that. I think my people thought I was dying. But on the third day the fever broke and the doctor said I would pull through. Some sort of brain-fever, I think he said it was. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would permanently affect my mind. Of course, he meant one¡¯s normal mind, not the sort of mind we possess¡­

    ¡°It didn¡¯t. But one thing it did affect, though. I just couldn¡¯t send thought-shapes any more. It was so frustrating. I could hear Rachel trying to sound me out¡ªvery faintly, much fainter than before: but I couldn¡¯t get through to her. I sensed her communicating to you, Michael; I couldn¡¯t make it all out, but she seemed to be saying I must have had an ¡®accident¡¯. I couldn¡¯t hear your response.

    ¡°So I thought it was best to get to Rachel¡¯s house as quickly as possible, to reassure her and the rest of you. It was a long time before I felt fit enough to travel, and of course my mother wanted me to stay in bed. But this morning, when I got up early, I felt I was fit enough, so I left a note for my mother (I hope she won¡¯t be angry), sneaked out and borrowed one of the horses, and here I am!¡±

    ¡°Can you send thought-shapes now?¡± asked Michael. And in thought shapes, ¡°Did you hear that?¡±

    In response Mark sent a very faint ¡°yes¡ªjust about¡±. His power was beginning to come back. But clearly he could not transmit over more than a few yards. ¡°I¡¯ll have to work on it,¡± he said ruefully, in words.

    ¡°First Sophie, and now Mark,¡± Michael muttered, more to himself than anyone else. ¡°Surely the good news isn¡¯t going to last out.¡± And aloud: ¡°I¡¯m so delighted to see you Mark. But now I really must leave and get to my parents as soon as possible. And then there¡¯s Sally and Katherine¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve not heard anything more about them,¡± said Mark. Rachel nodded. ¡°But don¡¯t hold out too much hope.¡±

    ¡°Before you go,¡± said Amelia. ¡°There¡¯s something I ought to say. Sophie. You¡¯re not safe, in this district, with that name. People have long memories. As I have. You might fall under suspicion. In fact, it¡¯s certain people will suspect. Have you thought about this?¡±

    Sophie had to admit, that she had not.

    ¡°Well, can we call you Stephanie? I used to have a younger sister called Stephanie: she died when she was only a little girl. It would be a comfort to me to have a Stephanie in the house, once more. If you¡¯ll agree to stay with me for a while. Especially after Rachel gets married¡­¡± Michael gave a start. ¡°Yes, Michael, Rachel¡¯s told me. Yes, you¡¯re both very young, but you¡¯re both very sensible too. I¡¯m delighted for you both..¡±

    For Amelia to say that, remembering the trauma of her elder daughter Anne¡¯s disastrous marriage to Alan less than a year earlier, must have taken some courage. Michael was impressed¡ªbut he understood.

    Rachel said, without ceremony: ¡°I¡¯m coming with you, Michael. At least as far as your parents. But Sophie (not ¡®Sophie¡¯! ¡®Stephanie¡¯) should stay here though. It¡¯s still not safe for her. And I¡¯m not coming beyond there, to investigate Sally¡¯s and Katherine¡¯s places. It¡¯s not safe for both of us to turn up. You can always pretend that you¡¯re an old friend of one of them¡ªboy-friend, even. For me it¡¯s more difficult.

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    ¡°And besides, I have to go up and see Father first. He doesn¡¯t even know we¡¯re here yet. No, Michael, you stay here. I¡¯m not going to tell him about you¡ªor Stephanie. But I always go up to him, every day, to sit with him for about an hour. He¡¯s barely responsive, but he knows I¡¯m there¡ªand he¡¯ll know if I¡¯m not. Will you wait that long?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Michael. And he sat down in the kitchen whilst Rachel disappeared towards her parents¡¯ bedroom.

    Amelia busied herself in the kitchen, but she had time to chat to Michael. He asked about Waknuk.

    ¡°Keep clear of there, Michael. There¡¯s bad blood¡ªand things are no better since Joseph went. Emily (that¡¯s Joseph¡¯s wife, you may remember)¡ªEmily isn¡¯t herself any more. Obviously distraught at losing two of her children, and then her husband who went off without a word¡ªwell, without a good word, that is. She¡¯s not in her right mind any more. She has to be looked after, has panic attacks, that sort of thing. Her daughters Mary and Sarah are practically running the farm on their own.

    ¡°And I¡¯ve heard that that neighbour of theirs, Angus Morton has put in an offer to buy the farm. Knowing his former hatred of Strorm, I expect he¡¯ll be putting in the lowest possible price he can get away with! Mary and Sarah are resisting his offer for now, but how long can they last out. Morton isn¡¯t to be trusted either¡ªhe¡¯s been in a foul mood for quite a while. He thinks David kidnapped his daughter, not to mention stealing his precious great-horses¡ªbut from what you¡¯ve told me, it seems to have been the other way around¡­¡±

    Michael was suddenly reminded of the urgent question he¡¯d meant to ask before. ¡°Amelia, do you remember an old man who used to work on the farm? ¡®Uncle Axel¡¯ David used to call him?¡±

    ¡°Oh, him,¡± Amelia replied. ¡°Yes I remember him. He¡¯s not there any more. I believe he vanished on the very day after David, Petra and Rosalind ran off. Possibly to save his own life: there were rumours that Strorm suspected him of tipping off the children. Anyway, he stole a horse and he¡¯s gone¡­¡±

    Michael was shattered at this piece of news. He knew that if Rachel and he were ever to carry out their plan of escaping from Labrador altogether, they would need to cross the sea¡ªand Uncle Axel was the one person he could think of who could give advice about sea-crossings. Now he was lost to them. ¡°Have you any idea which way he might have gone?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No-one really knows, but my guess is he went back to his old haunts in Rigo. After all he¡¯s a seafaring man, and he¡¯ll have friends there. People who can shelter him¡ªif Waknuk folk ever go searching for him. Though I think that¡¯s most unlikely¡­¡±

    Not entirely hopeless, thought Michael. They would almost certainly have to pass through Rigo themselves, and they could make enquiries for him there. But failing that, he realised, they ought to be able to sound out other seafarers¡­

    While he was pondering this, Rachel returned. ¡°Father¡¯s just the same,¡± she whispered to Amelia. ¡°Said ¡®Hello Rachel¡¯ very faintly, but then not a word¡­¡± And then to Michael, ¡°Are you ready then? I thought we would go on foot: it¡¯s not far and Mother can¡¯t really spare two horses.¡±

    Michael agreed. In a few minutes they had set out. They walked in silence for about half an hour. Then suddenly, Rachel said, in words:

    ¡°I think Mark¡¯s got an eye on Sophie¡ªStephanie! I was watching them this morning. Do you think there¡¯s anything in it?¡±

    The memory of his all-too-recent night of passion with Sophie flashed through his mind, but Michael quickly dismissed it. Things had moved on. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he said.

    ¡°Nor am I. I think Stephanie shouldn¡¯t settle on one man so quickly. I don¡¯t think she cares for him anyway. I think she wants to find a ¡®normal¡¯ man¡ªone without thought-shapes, that is¡ªanyway.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡±

    They lapsed into silence once more.

    When they were within sight of Michael¡¯s house, Rachel broke in, again in words:

    ¡°Michael, I don¡¯t think I want to go to the Sealand country.¡±

    ¡°Zealand, you mean. I rather expected you to say that. I don¡¯t know if I want to go, either. Of course, it¡¯d be really sad not to see David, Rosalind, and Petra again. I promised I¡¯d come after them, and I hate having to break a promise. Perhaps we can write to them? But that place! So many people, all thought-shaping each other¡ªI¡¯m scared of it, of what it can do to people¡­¡±

    ¡°Where do you think we should go? After we¡¯re married, of course?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t really thought it through. Out of Labrador, at any rate. Which means taking ship somehow.¡± And he explained about Uncle Axel¡¯s disappearance. Rachel had heard something about that, but she hadn¡¯t known about his seafaring history.

    ¡°What other places might there be? Places that aren¡¯t all Badlands, that is?¡±

    ¡°Well, we learnt a bit about the old countries at school. There was somewhere across the sea called ¡®Europe¡¯, and somewhere called ¡®Africa¡¯. Information was very sketchy. You have to go east or south-east to get to them. I¡¯ve no idea whether they¡¯re habitable, or whether anyone from Labrador has visited them. David told me that Uncle Axel had told him, no-one had. In fact, he didn¡¯t believe there were such places.¡±

    ¡°We must find out, Michael! There must be somewhere there we can live. It can¡¯t all be like Labrador!¡±

    Buoyed up by Rachel¡¯s optimism, they continued in silence to Michael¡¯s house.

 Chapter 7 - Frustration

    MICHAEL¡¯S parents were delighted to see him, but they did not go into ecstatic raptures about his return. They greeted Rachel cordially, but did not question her¡ªnot yet. Rachel realised that they were quite used to Michael going off on trips for several days¡ªhunting and the like. To them, this was just him returning from yet another trip¡ªalbeit rather longer than usual.

    And they wanted to know what had happened to others on the raiding party which he had joined.

    Michael had to think up a few lies, and pretty quickly and off-the-cuff. He did not dare tell his parents the truth. He said that his horse had gone lame, and that he had fallen behind. Eventually he had lost track of the others, so he decided to turn back. When he was already within sight of Waknuk, the poor beast was in such a poor condition that he decided he had to shoot it (that part of his story, at least, was true!). So he walked as far as Rachel¡¯s house, seeing as she was an old friend of his and it was nearer than his home. After he had rested for a while, Rachel insisted on coming on with him.

    ¡°And there¡¯s something else we need to tell you. Rachel and I are going to get married¡­¡±

    Rachel hadn¡¯t expected that announcement so soon, she was con-fused and she blushed prettily. Michael¡¯s mother smiled, but his father looked at him, questioningly, for a long time.

    ¡°Come with me into my study, Michael.¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m sure my wife will have much to say to Rachel¡­¡±

    Michael realised he should have been more tactful; should have held back on that announcement for a while. But it was too late.

    Once seated comfortably in the study, Michael¡¯s father began:

    ¡°Well Michael: this is all very sudden¡ªand quite a surprise. Have you known Rachel for long?¡±

    ¡°Quite a few years now. I think we met at one of the village parties, and we¡¯ve been seeing each other on and off since then.¡±

    ¡°So you remember her sister, then?¡±

    Michael was caught off-guard, but he recovered himself quickly. ¡°I didn¡¯t really know her. She was a lot older than us¡­¡±

    ¡°Not that much older. So you must know all about her marriage¡ªthe calamity in which it all ended, for both of them?¡±

    ¡°Yes of course I know about that. Tragic case.¡±

    ¡°Tragic indeed. I must confess, I find it surprising that less than a year after that dreadful affair, Rachel is suddenly so keen to get married¡­?¡±

    ¡°I find it surprising too, Father. But Rachel is absolutely deter-mined. She knew what that Alan Ervin person was like, the life he led Anne for the brief time they were together. I think she believes me to be the exact opposite. Who can tell what are in a woman¡¯s thoughts?¡± (Michael smiled to himself, privately, at that!) ¡°All I know is that I love her, and she loves me..¡±

    ¡°I can see already that she¡¯s a far more sensible, more composed person than her sister was. Your mother, I¡¯m sure, will even now be finding out a lot more! And I¡¯m sure you are just the man to look after her. But I still think you should back off for a few years. You are both still very young. Under-age.¡±

    ¡°Does this mean you¡¯re not going to give us permission, Father?¡±

    ¡°What does Rachel¡¯s father say about it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The man is very sick, I haven¡¯t even met him yet.¡±

    ¡°That settles it, then, Michael. I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, but my answer is No.¡±

    Michael knew he could not argue the case. Once Father had made up his mind about something, there was no gainsaying.

    They went back to the living room. Rachel was there, and Michael¡¯s mother. She glanced at her husband, then they tactfully withdrew, leaving Michael and Rachel alone together.

    ¡°He said no, didn¡¯t he,¡± said Rachel, in words. Michael nodded. ¡°I knew he would,¡± she continued. ¡°I could see it in his eyes. Your mother has been giving me a hard time, too. Lots of questions about Anne. This was difficult for me! I had to be very careful not to give the game away. I just said, I¡¯d told Anne I didn¡¯t like Alan, that I thought he was a brute, that we¡¯d quarrelled about it, then she¡¯d refused to talk to me any more. Did you know that there were bruises found on Anne¡¯s body when she was found¡ªbruises that couldn¡¯t have been caused by her having hanged herself?¡±

    ¡°No, I did not,¡± replied Michael.

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    ¡°Well, there were. I believe my parents tried to hush that fact up. But they were there. I found the body¡ªremember?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the doctor have reported them?¡±

    ¡°I think he tried to, but my parents begged him not to. Anyway, that¡¯s all in the past now. Please let¡¯s not talk about it any more. It still upsets me.¡±

    ¡°What are we going to do then? I¡¯m twenty, as you know. I¡¯ll be twenty-one early next year. But you¡¯re only just turned seventeen. It¡¯s a long time to wait.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But the first thing you need to do is check out Sally¡¯s and Katherine¡¯s houses. Ask your father for a horse. Just say, you need to go out for a while to think things over, you want some space for yourself. He¡¯ll understand, believe me.¡±

    Michael¡¯s father was true to Rachel¡¯s expectations. He was a kindly man, when he wasn¡¯t being firm about his decisions. He said, of course Michael was upset, of course he needed time alone. And if he wanted a horse, of course he could have a horse. Meanwhile, if Rachel didn¡¯t want to go with him, she was welcome to stay with them until his return. He should return before nightfall.

    So Michael set off. On horseback, it took him only about quarter of an hour to reach Katherine¡¯s farm, which was the nearer¡ªbut before he was three-quarters of the way there, he knew his mission was in vain. The whole farm had been burnt to the ground: not just the barn, like with the farm in the Wild Country, where he and Sophie¡­ no matter. Here, the entire farmhouse had been gutted, absolutely nothing was left, just a few embers not even smoking. There was no-one about.

    Michael searched around for a while, all the while keeping a careful lookout in case someone spotted him. He found nothing.

    So he turned his horse towards Sally¡¯s farmhouse, about half a mile further on. To his relief, that one seemed to be intact. And there were people working there. As he approached the gate, a farm-hand hailed him. A short, stocky young man, with long straw-coloured hair tied up in a pony-tail. He thought he recognised him from a previous visit, but the farm-hand did not appear to recognise him¡ªluckily.

    ¡°Hello,¡± said Michael. ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone called Sally. I believe she used to live here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know anyone of that name, sorry chum.¡±

    ¡°But she was living here only a short time ago.¡±

    ¡°As I said, no-one of that name¡¯s lived here in my time, and I¡¯ve been here five years. Now, if you haven¡¯t got any business here, clear off. I¡¯ve got work to do.¡±

    Michael cursed himself for having let slip Sally¡¯s name. An appalling blunder: he just hadn¡¯t thought it through. Of course Sally had been proscribed as an outcast, had been arrested, had been tortured, probably to death. That piece of knowledge would be widely known: even to mention her name was dangerous. He should have just bluffed his way in: asked if any jobs were going, for instance. With any luck, he would have been taken to see the farm¡¯s owner¡ªwho might still be Sally¡¯s father, or might not. Then he might have been able to play it by ear.

    But it was too late now.

    Anyway, Michael knew it was useless to pursue the matter further: he may have already aroused suspicion. Supposing the unfriendly farm-hand reported his questioning to the farm owner¡ªor to the Inspector? Apologising, he beat a hasty retreat and went straight back to his own house.

    His parents were surprised to see him back so early, but knew better than to ask him questions. Michael asked if he could accompany Rachel back to her own house, and they at once agreed. It was obvious that Father, after giving his firm refusal to their marriage, was going out of his way to be generous and helpful to them. He said, Michael could stop the night at Rachel¡¯s house, but he¡¯d expect him back tomorrow.

    After a quick lunch, Michael and Rachel set off on foot. They had not used thought-shapes since they left Rachel¡¯s house that morning, and all the time they were at Michael¡¯s house, and of course Rachel hadn¡¯t dared to ask him about Sally and Katherine in the presence of his parents, but now she broke in: ¡°It¡¯s bad news, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so,¡± replied Michael, and he related all that he had discovered.

    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s any chance they¡¯re still alive?¡± asked Rachel.

    ¡°They could be. I saw no sign of any bodies at Katherine¡¯s¡ªbut then I didn¡¯t expect to. We can still hope. But we¡¯ve no clue as to where to search.¡±

    ¡°What are we going to do?¡±

    This, time, Michael was more sure of himself. He¡¯d thought about this as he was riding back from Sally¡¯s. ¡°First of all, I¡¯m going to tell my parents that I¡¯m going to live in Kentak. They won¡¯t object to that. Well, I have to now: I may be a marked man: I don¡¯t trust that farm-hand. And remember, I went to school there: I have friends there whom I can stay with. No-one¡¯s going to follow me there. You stay with your mother and father for a few weeks¡ªthen I¡¯ll come and fetch you. Kentak is a big place, we can lose ourselves there. I won¡¯t directly disobey Father¡ªI can¡¯t anyway¡ªso the wedding will have to wait. That¡¯s as far as I¡¯ve thought things out so far¡­¡±

    At Rachel¡¯s house, they found Stephanie hard at work in the kitchen, and Mark outside chopping wood. Mark greeted them with a cheery thought-shape ¡°Hi there!¡±: his powers were evidently gradually returning to him. Inside, Stephanie greeted them warmly. ¡°Your mother¡¯s with your father at the moment, Rachel. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s not much change with him. And she¡¯s agreed, I¡¯m free to stay here for the time being. I¡¯d like that. She can¡¯t afford me wages but I¡¯ll get bed and board. Mark¡¯s going to stay on too¡ªbut he¡¯ll be going back to his mother at weekends.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to stay on here for a while, too,¡± said Rachel.

    ¡°Excellent! I was hoping you would. Have you noticed, Mark¡¯s already trying to score on me? You have? I thought you would. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like him, he¡¯s a nice lad and quite attractive¡ª¡±; Stephanie winked at Michael as she said this, ¡°but I¡¯m not ready for this, and not with him¡ªespecially not if he¡¯s going to recover his thought-speech powers, as seems likely. We¡¯d be far too mismatched. Although I¡¯m improving with my ¡®thought¡¯ ability¡ªjust a bit. At any rate, I¡¯m glad you¡¯ll be around as a sort of chaperone.¡±

    That evening, Michael and Rachel once again retreated to Anne¡¯s former bedroom. Rachel stripped down to her petticoat, but not further. ¡°Remember me like this, until we next meet. But no more!¡± she murmured, as he kissed her. ¡°We have to get married, however long it takes.¡± Michael knew that she would stick to her word.

 Chapter 8 - A Funeral

    IN KENTAK, Michael had found two of his old school-friends, without difficulty, and it was his great fortune that they had just rented a flat and were looking for a third to share the rent. Michael gladly accepted, and being handy with tools he soon found work as a carpenter. He communicated with Rachel daily, but at her suggestion they only used thought-shapes at night, when they were both in bed. He also wrote her frequent letters¡ªpointless perhaps, but only to allay suspicion. Rachel reported that Mark was still making eyes at Stephanie, but making little progress: she was firm in her resolve that ¡°he was a nice boy¡± and that was that. Since she was still sharing Rachel¡¯s room, whilst Mark, when he slept over, was in Anne¡¯s old room, he couldn¡¯t press things any further, even if she¡¯d let him.

    Michael only visited Waknuk occasionally: it would seem odd if he didn¡¯t. His parents seemed reconciled to the fact that he was regularly seeing Rachel. It seemed that, having refused to allow the marriage mainly to protect Rachel from possible harm, his father was now softening his stance. But Michael did not plan to disobey him, not unless¡­

    In November came the sad news that Rachel¡¯s father had finally passed away. Amelia was philosophical about it: she said that he had been a fine man until cruelly struck down by his elder daughter¡¯s death, and his passing was a ¡®release¡¯¡ªthat was the word she used. Michael agreed to come over at once for the funeral, and his parents came too. Mark was still helping out at the farm, and enjoying his work, having perhaps accepted the fact that Stephanie wasn¡¯t to be his.

    Stephanie¡¯s attractiveness had blossomed in the meantime: there was little of the Fringes coarseness left in her features, indeed she was now living up to her promise of turning into a little beauty. Several of the local young men had indeed noticed her, but she repulsed them all with quiet tact. What she proposed to do for herself in the future, it was hard to tell. When he saw her again, Michael was astonished at the change in her. He remembered how she had said, at the Wild Country farm, that ¡°I want to find a man who can love me for what I am: a man somewhere in Labrador¡±. Well, clearly none of the men who had approached her, so far, fit the criteria for that man. She could indeed afford to be choosy¡­

    And of course there was the question of her toes. She couldn¡¯t possibly be really intimate with any strange boy who wasn¡¯t ¡®in the know¡¯. Any suitor would have to be very carefully sounded out.

    Also at the funeral were Mary and Sarah, David¡¯s elder sisters, and Angus Morton and his wife and sons. Michael took care to avoid them, especially Angus, but since he was there with his parents, he though he would be able to avoid suspicion. However he was not quite careful enough. As he was leaving Waknuk church (the service having been conducted by a visiting preacher), he felt a light touch on his shoulder. It was Mary. She drew him to one side.

    ¡°You¡¯re Michael, aren¡¯t you,¡± she whispered. ¡°You were in the raiding party that went after David and Petra.¡±

    Michael said nothing. But he noticed that there were tears in her eyes.

    ¡°I know my father¡¯s dead. He would have got in touch by now. I know many others are also dead. What I want to know is, are David and Petra safe?¡±

    She said this with such urgency that Michael realised that she must know some of the truth. He nodded, but Mary repeated, even more urgently, ¡°Are they safe?¡±

    ¡°Yes they are,¡± Michael said at last. ¡°I can¡¯t say more than that, but I know they¡¯re alive. Also Rosalind.¡±

    ¡°I just needed to know. I was so fond of David¡ªand Petra. I guessed you were linked up with them somehow. Don¡¯t worry Michael; your secret is safe with me. But don¡¯t trust anyone else¡ªnot even my sister, and certainly not the Mortons. Anyway, I¡¯m getting married soon, and leaving all this far behind: we¡¯re moving to another part of Labrador, more than a hundred miles off. Sarah will stay behind and arrange for the selling of the farm to Morton. She¡¯s promised to send me my share of the proceeds¡ªafter she¡¯s settled a place for Mother, who¡¯s very poorly¡ªbut I shan¡¯t be depending on it. I don¡¯t know what her plans are after that¡­¡±

    At that moment she saw Michael¡¯s parents approaching, so she hurriedly shook his hand and moved on.

    That was encouraging, he thought. Another ally¡ªat least, another one who didn¡¯t seem about to drag him off to the Inspector. But she wasn¡¯t going to be there much longer. He wished he¡¯d been able to ask her more¡ªabout the state of affairs in Waknuk. As far as he could tell, the very public humiliations: the field-burnings, the communal prayers before slaughter of livestock, that sort if thing, it seemed to have stopped¡ªor at least been toned down. What was happening behind the scenes, though, he did not know¡ªalthough he feared the worst. He wondered whether there was any change in what happened to Blasphemies¡ªHuman deviations¡ªbut was afraid to ask.

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    Should he and Rachel try to make a life of it here in Waknuk, after all? Much would depend on the plans of the others in Rachel¡¯s house, Amelia especially, now that the burden of Rachel¡¯s father had been taken from them.

    He also remembered what David had told him. Rosalind¡¯s mother had actually helped Rosalind to pack up for their flight. She must have known. Perhaps she was another ally? He did not know her, but he carefully shot a glance at Angus Morton who was standing some distance away. Next to him was a slight, timid-looking woman, evidently in fear of her husband. He guessed that was she. She had not seen him. He turned away.

    He stiffened. At the opposite edge of the crowd of mourners, he spotted a familiar face. Crowned by a shock of yellow hair, tied in a pony-tail. And next to him was the Inspector.

    Michael did not lose an instant. He thanked Providence that he had spotted the two of them before they spotted him. Ducking under the arm of his astonished father, he ran towards Rachel where she was standing with Amelia, greeting the mourners as they filed past.

    ¡°Rachel, we must get away. Now!¡±

    Rachel did not even bother to send a thought-shape. She whispered quickly: ¡°Sorry, Mother. Emergency,¡± and ran with Michael back to their house. It was empty: both Mark and Stephanie were at the funeral. Rachel scribbled a quick note ¡°Sorry Mother, will try to explain later. Please forgive us for taking the horse.¡± Then as quickly as possible, they packed some saddlebags and saddled both Michael¡¯s horse, which he had ridden from Kentak, and one of Amelia¡¯s in the stable. Rachel quickly swapped her funereal black skirt for a pair of stout trousers with pockets. Then they mounted and were on their way.

    They did not speak nor even exchange thought-shapes until they were nearly halfway to Kentak. By now they thought they were safe from immediate pursuit. They reined in their horses, which were very tired, and took stock in thought-shapes.

    ¡°You saw someone at the funeral. Who was it?¡±

    ¡°That young farm-hand I met at Sally¡¯s house. I should never have gone there. You remember: the one who told me to clear off. I¡¯d hoped he¡¯d forgotten all about it. He hadn¡¯t. He was with the Inspector. And they were searching around all the faces.¡±

    ¡°My god! Then it¡¯s started, hasn¡¯t it. Where can we go?¡±

    ¡°Kentak, to start with. I think my flatmates there are trustworthy, for now. And all my money is there: we¡¯re going to need it. But we shan¡¯t be able to stay long. It looks like Labrador isn¡¯t safe for us after all.¡±

    ¡°Michael, whatever the danger, I¡¯ll never leave you.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d say that. You know, you weren¡¯t under suspicion. No-one saw you at Sally¡¯s house. It¡¯s I who am putting you in danger. But I¡¯m very glad you¡¯re with me.¡±

    It was now getting dark. Leading their horses a mile further along the road, they came to a place where there was a strip of gravel beside the road. Crossing that, they quickly led their horses in amongst the trees, hoping that their hoof-prints would not be noticed during the night. Then they collected some grass and ferns and made a sort of bivouac in which they could pass the night.

    Next morning, mercifully without disturbance, they re-mounted and continued on their way, as quickly as they could, but their horses were still tired, so progress was slow. They hoped that, if any pursuit was to come, it would take time to get organised. Rachel¡¯s sudden flight from the house of mourning, that could easily place her under suspicion, but he hoped that Amelia would somehow cover for her. Struck by a thought, he put out a thought strongly, hoping to contact Mark. Mark responded, very faintly, and Michael quickly explained the situation.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± replied Mark. ¡°Yes, everyone came back to the house, but Amelia put out the word that Rachel was in tears, had gone to her bedroom, and didn¡¯t want to be disturbed. Stephanie, bless her, supported the story, popping in and out of the bedroom with hot drinks. I think everyone believed us. It¡¯ll be some days before her absence is noticed.¡±

    ¡°What do you plan to do? Once Rachel¡¯s absence is noticed, it¡¯ll cast suspicion on you. And maybe Stephanie.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but Amelia says she plans to sell the farm. She has a sister some miles off who she thinks will take her in, now Rachel¡¯s father is gone. We may have to shift sooner than that¡­¡±

    ¡°You and Stephanie?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry Michael. There¡¯s nothing between us: it was just a boyish impulse. She still likes me, and I like her¡ªas friends.¡±

    ¡°Will you come after us? To Kentak?¡±

    ¡°Possibly.¡±

    ¡°We may be gone, but I¡¯ll try to keep in touch¡ªwherever we go on to. Try to stay in range.¡±  And Michael quickly spelled out to Mark the address of his friends in Kentak, hoping that Mark and Stephanie might be able to catch up with them there.

 Chapter 9 - Kentak

    RACHEL had never seen a town as large as Kentak. The number of people going to and fro in the crowded streets, the horses and carts criss-crossing everywhere, the shops selling every imaginable kind of produce, the saloons with their swing doors and welcoming beery atmosphere¡ªat the upper end of the town, by the lakeside, the splendid mansions, all immaculately whitewashed, housing families whose wealth she could only dream of¡ªand at the other end of the town the dingy terraces with filth in the streets and beggars squatting in doorways¡­

    And if they ever made it to Rigo, the capital of Labrador, hundreds of miles to the east, that would be a city ten times the size of this one. Maybe with ten times as many beggars¡­

    It was lucky she had Michael with her. She would have been lost in a few minutes without him. He at least was familiar with the bewildering network of streets, and hustled her quickly past the slums and into more civilised quarters.

    ¡°That¡¯s my old school, over there,¡± as he pointed out an imposing building. He was speaking in words, because amongst the crowds of people it seemed more natural¡ªand safer. ¡°But we won¡¯t go too close: I don¡¯t want to be recognised. We¡¯re going to my flat to collect up a few things. I¡¯ll need to call in at the carpenter¡¯s shop and turn my job in. If I don¡¯t, that¡¯ll lead to more suspicion. I¡¯ll think of some excuse.

    ¡°I think we can stay at the flat one night, maybe two. But we must be ready to flee at a moment¡¯s notice. It¡¯ll take some time for the pursuit, if there is one, to get organised¡ªbut when it is, Kentak is one of the places they¡¯ll look. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t show you more of Kentak¡ªthere are some really nice parts, especially round the lake. But there¡¯ll be more to see on the journey. Luckily I¡¯ve got a fair bit of money saved up: we need to buy a cart. And at least one fresh horse.¡±

    They got to Michael¡¯s flat without trouble, and found both of his flatmates in. Michael quickly retrieved his store of money, and explained that he and Rachel would have to leave in a hurry ¨C probably for good. He paid them the balance of that month¡¯s rent. Luckily, they didn¡¯t ask any awkward questions. Kentak was full of people ¡®on the move¡¯, for various reasons, and they must have assumed it was something to do with him and Rachel¡ªan elopement, perhaps.

    Which was not far from the truth.

    They then went in search of a horse and cart, but in that they were less lucky. No-one in the town was willing to sell. It seemed that, although Kentak was not directly involved in the turmoil that had engulfed Waknuk and surrounding district a few months earlier, with so many of the men missing and presumed dead after the abortive raid on the Fringes, many people in Kentak were still afraid and alarmed. Quite a lot of residents had fled East¡ªand those that there were left were preparing to flee themselves.

    Whatever the reason, no horse nor cart was available, for love or money.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t searched all the town,¡± said Michael, ¡°and it¡¯s getting late. We¡¯ll try again tomorrow.¡±

    Suddenly, Rachel tugged at his arm. They were passing a small, run-down church and she drew him towards the door, which was not locked, and then pulled him inside.

    ¡°What are we doing in here?¡± asked Michael. The church was completely deserted.

    ¡°Getting married, of course!¡±

    ¡°What!¡±

    ¡°Yes, getting married. Just you and me. We¡¯ll repeat the wedding vows to each other. OK: I know it won¡¯t be a ¡®legal¡¯ marriage: no priest, no witnesses, but it¡¯ll do for us. As far as I¡¯m concerned, we¡¯ll be married. As far as your parents are concerned, we won¡¯t be. Both sides satisfied! I wanted to be ¡®properly¡¯ married in Kentak, but since there¡¯s no time for that¡­¡±

    ¡°And the ring¡­?¡±

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    ¡°I found this in the street,¡± explained Rachel, holding up a small steel washer which just happened to fit over her middle finger. ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t really wear it all the time, it¡¯s the wrong shape¡ªbut I¡¯ll carry it. And maybe we can get it shaped into a proper ring, later¡­¡±

    Michael was still bemused, but he acquiesced. ¡°Do you know the wedding vows?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much. Some of it anyway: the important bits. I remember them from Anne¡¯s wedding. Come on now.¡± They walked up to the altar and she began: ¡° ¡®Will you, Michael Anthony, take me, Rachel Naomi, to be your lawful wedded wife?¡¯ ¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°Now you ask me the same.¡±

    ¡°OK. ¡®Will you, Rachel Naomi, take me, Michael Anthony, to be your lawful wedded husband?¡¯¡±

    ¡°I will. Now together please: ¡®We now pronounce ourselves man and wife¡¯ ¡±

    After Michael had repeated the words, he said ¡°this is all highly irregular. We can¡¯t possibly say we¡¯re legally married.¡±

    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s good enough for me. Now let¡¯s get back to the flat before someone finds us¡­¡±

    At the flat, Michael told his flatmates that Rachel and he had just secretly married. They laughed a bit, but congratulated both of them, and luckily didn¡¯t ask exactly how they¡¯d got married. Kentak was a big town. Then they sat down to a splendid meal, prepared by Michael¡¯s flatmates. Michael thanked them profusely for their help, explaining how his parents had been opposed to the marriage. They promised to cover for him if his parents came enquiring¡­

    They sat talking well into the evening, mainly about the state of affairs in Kentak, and about Michael¡¯s schooldays there. Rachel learnt a lot. Despite Michael having been in contact with her and the others during his schooling, there was much he hadn¡¯t told them! Rachel was highly amused to learn about some of the pranks he and his friends had got into. She made a mental note to pass the stories on to Mark, if they ever got in touch¡ªat present Mark was out of range.

    Finally Michael¡¯s flatmates retired to their bedrooms, leaving Rachel and Michael alone. ¡°Don¡¯t forget this is our wedding night,¡± said Rachel, this time in thought-shapes, as she led Michael into their bedroom. Michael had half been expecting this, but even so, as he followed her, he was consumed by shyness. And this time, Rachel seemed rather shy and uncertain too. She undressed down to her petticoat, as she had done before in Waknuk, then stood there, uncertain what to do next.

    At length Michael took the initiative. Quickly stripping off his clothes, he stood there facing Rachel as she fiddled with the buttons of her petticoat. Finally she slipped it off herself, then Michael took a hand and gently relieved her of her undergarments¡­

    ¡°Oh Michael! Please be gentle with me!¡± she murmured as he slipped into bed beside her. It was hard for Michael to comply with that request, but he did his best and was rewarded when her moans were replaced by squeals of pleasure at the end¡­

    They had been asleep in each others¡¯ arms for perhaps three hours when they were suddenly wakened by a loud knocking at the front door. They clutched each other, terrified.

    ¡°Open up!¡± they heard a loud rough voice calling, and then the knocking resumed. Michael and Rachel leapt out of bed and dressed as quickly as they could. Fortunately their packs were ready and the horses were saddled and hitched outside the back window, ready for an instant getaway. As they clambered out of the window and dropped the short distance to the ground, they could hear one of their flatmates answering the door.

    ¡°We¡¯re coming in. We¡¯re looking for a couple of fugitives. A man and a woman. Blasphemies.¡±

    ¡°Blasphemies? Here? What on earth are you on about?¡±

    ¡°You heard us. Blasphemies. Now stand aside please.¡±

    ¡°There are no fugitives of any sort here, let alone Blasphemies. And you can¡¯t come in without a warrant.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need a warrant if we¡¯re searching for Blasphemies. Now will you please stand aside.¡±

    There was the sound of a scuffle, but by this time Michael and Rachel had untied the horses. Hoping that the noise at the front door would mask the sound of the horses¡¯ hooves, they led them carefully across the back yard and out through the gate into the alley. Then they mounted and rode gingerly away.

    Once on the main road, they urged their horses to a full gallop and surged out of the town on the east road, towards Rigo.

 Chapter 10 - Pursuit and Escape

    ¡°IT WON¡¯T take long before they discover we¡¯ve gone,¡± said Michael in thought-shapes. ¡°And they¡¯ll expect us to take this road. But don¡¯t worry, I have a plan, if we can hold out for the next two miles. I just hope my friends are OK. It was very brave of them.¡±

    They soon heard horses¡¯ hooves some distance behind them, but they did not seem to be gaining on them yet. But that would not last¡ªtheir horses would tire before their pursuers¡¯. He was desperately looking for a spot he had discovered years before, during his school-days, somewhere where he knew they could safely turn off the road. Fortunately there was a full moon.

    At length he pulled up his horse. Rippling across the road was a narrow stream flowing over a bed of stones and gravel. Quickly he turned his horse to the left and picked his way carefully along the stream bed, urging Rachel to do the same. In a minute they were out of sight of the road. They stopped.

    ¡°With any luck they won¡¯t have seen where we left the road: the stream will have covered our hoof-prints. And also there are so many other hoof-prints on the road, that they won¡¯t guess that we¡¯ve turned aside here.¡±

    They were in luck. In a few minutes they heard the sound of several horses galloping towards the stream, then splashing across it and continuing along the road.

    ¡°But where do we go from here?¡±

    ¡°Not back to the road, that¡¯s for sure. They¡¯re sure to realise they¡¯ve lost us, before long, then they¡¯ll turn back. We need to steer to the north¡ªor at any rate to the north-east. The land is less populated in that direction, and there are fewer roads.¡±  This was the kind of travel more suited to Michael¡ªmore like his expedition to the Fringes, all those months ago. But the going would be tough: winter was fast approaching and there was every chance of snow. That would be a serious problem for them: their hoof-prints would not be clearer if they¡¯d been cast in stone. And the distance was daunting. It was a full 300 miles from Kentak to Rigo by the road, but for them it would be more like 400. On poor tracks and in poor weather, it could well take them at least two months¡­

    For the present, they picked their way along a narrow stony track. Luckily their horses¡¯ hooves made little mark. Michael was hopeful that they had thrown off the pursuit, for now. There was plenty of water, in the form of streams crossing the track, but Michael was beginning to worry about how they would manage for food. Although they had started with full packs, that would soon be exhausted. Also they would need warmer clothes.

    At least they seemed to be safe from pursuit for now. So now Michael had time to reflect. Rachel seemed to be reflecting, too. She it was who came up with the obvious question, in thought-shapes:

    ¡°How did they know we were at that flat? What brought them there so quickly?¡±

    ¡°I wish I knew,¡± replied Michael.  ¡°They must have guessed that we were making for Kentak. Maybe that farm-boy was able to point me out to the Inspector after all. If so, why didn¡¯t they act there and then¡ªat Waknuk church?¡±

    ¡°I think they were afraid to,¡± put in Rachel. ¡°Amongst all that crowd of people¡ªand remember the Inspector doesn¡¯t stand in as good stead there as in the days of Strorm. Many folk in Waknuk seem to be¡ªwell if not exactly rebelling¡ªin doubt about the Purity laws. It¡¯s possible that if he¡¯d come straight at you, he¡¯d have been lynched¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, it didn¡¯t take them long to get on the chase. How they found the flat is anyone¡¯s guess. Perhaps, once they¡¯d got my name, they asked at the school. They could have found out who my friends are. Oh! I¡¯m hoping they¡¯re all right. But for now, I¡¯m hoping we can get far, far away before they pick up the trail. But I¡¯m not going to deceive you: this is extremely dangerous even without pursuit. We are going well away from the road. There are few townships where we¡¯re going. There may be wild beasts¡ªnot only Deviations¡ªbut other animals: bears. And if we don¡¯t find food soon, we shall starve. Will you be able to face that?¡±

    ¡°Michael, if we¡¯re facing death, I want to face it with you. If we die, we die together.¡±

    Michael could think of nothing to say to that.

    It was still dark, and the moon was setting. They decided to make camp, where they were, for what was left of the night. It would be madness to try and pick their way along the trail in pitch-darkness. They had brought blankets, but the night was still bitterly cold. They huddled together in their clothes, for warmth.

    ¡°Not much of a wedding night, is it?¡± said Michael, in words.

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    They had had little sleep when dawn finally broke.

    Michael rose first. Now that it was day, he decided to explore a bit around their camp. About a hundred yards off, he found a fairly deep rock pool. Testing the water, he found to his surprise that it was slightly warm. Every other stream and pool they¡¯d passed had been bitterly cold. He guessed that this one must be fed from underground by a hot spring. Enthusiastically, he stripped off his clothes and plunged into the water.

    As he came up for air the second time, he saw Rachel at the poolside. She too had stripped off, and she plunged in to join him. Laughing, they came together in the middle of the pool and hugged one another.

    ¡°We could resume our wedding night here, couldn¡¯t we?¡± said Rachel, in words, coyly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not night any more,¡± said Michael, unable to avoid being reminded of the early-morning romp in the washtub, with¡ªwith Stephanie. He was a bit reluctant, but Rachel was determined. He was delighted to yield, this time. Afterwards, having dried himself and dressed quickly, he surveyed the narrow trail that they were following.

    It seemed to have been little used, but it was quite distinct, winding its way amongst the terrain that was getting steadily more rocky, with many streams and pools. They resolved to follow it as far as it would take them. But before they set out, they had an urgent task to perform, as Rachel reminded Michael.

    Rachel volunteered to have first go, this time. Putting out all her strength, she issued the thought-shape: ¡°Mark? Are you there?¡±

    Nothing.

    Then Michael had a try. Same result.

    ¡°What do you suppose? Shouldn¡¯t they have reached Kentak by now?¡± said Rachel in words.

    ¡°If they have, they should be in range. We¡¯re still only a few miles from Kentak, even now.¡±

    ¡°Oh dear!¡± cried Rachel, and burst into tears¡ªthe first that Michael had seen her shed. He remembered how she thought she¡¯d lost Mark, all those months ago, when he had simply ceased to communicate. But he had come back. Nevertheless, was her earlier premonition now coming true¡­? He could only put his arm around her, lamely remind her that they still had each other, and still had a dangerous journey to undertake: together. Mark¡ªand Stephanie, if she was still with him¡ªwould have to look after themselves.

    ¡°Rachel. They might simply be asleep,¡± he finally came out with. Rachel checked her sobs, and threw her arms round his neck.

    ¡°Sorry. Sorry! I¡¯m such a fool. I shouldn¡¯t have¡­ It¡¯s just so like¡ªso like after that¡ªI was left so alone¡­¡± Her disjointed words seemed to confirm Michael¡¯s fears. She slipped into thought-shapes: ¡°Please forgive me: I was just thinking about that first time¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Michael replied, soothingly. Then, in words, ¡°Question is, what do we do? Wait for them another day, and risk the pursuers getting on to us¡ªor press on?¡±

    ¡°Oh Michael! I¡¯d love to stay here a while! That pool was so lovely! But¡­¡±

    ¡°We have to move on, Rachel. Even if it means losing contact with Mark for good. We¡¯ll give it an hour, then we¡¯ll move. It¡¯ll be some hours before we¡¯re out of range, if Mark has recovered at least most of his former strength. There¡¯s still a chance¡­¡±

    They saddled the horses, which looked in better shape after their rest. Michael wondered how long they would last. What he wanted was to come to a village or township¡ªsomewhere where they could perhaps buy provisions¡ªor more.

    They picked their way slowly along the trail. There was still no word from Mark. They passed many streams and rock pools¡ªsome of them evidently warm, like the one they had bathed in, some even hotter, with curls of steam rising from them. They seemed to be passing through a region of volcanic activity; at any rate, they could avoid freezing whilst they were on this path! For the whole day the path wound its way across almost barren country, just a few scrub bushes, and they saw no-one. In the evening they sought out another warm pool and camped beside it for the night.

    They continued like this for another four days. By now they had given up contacting Mark. Rachel was clearly still upset but managed to compose herself. On the fifth day they noticed a line ahead, cutting across their path. It appeared to be a road. They stopped a few hundred yards short of it.

    ¡°Wait here with the horses,¡± said Michael, and stealthily approach-ed the road. At the moment he could see no-one on it. He wished he had a map¡ªbut maps were hard to come by in Labrador, except in Rigo. He tried to recall what he had seen on the maps at the school, and with the sun shining, he took bearings as best he could. He returned to Rachel.

    ¡°I¡¯m not certain, but I don¡¯t think this road leads back to Kentak. I don¡¯t remember the layout too clearly, but I think it heads west and a bit to the north¡ªnot the direction we¡¯ve come from. And the other way, east, is definitely the way we want to go. If we meet people, they¡¯ll just assume we¡¯re ordinary travellers. Or so I hope.¡±

    The road, when they started upon it, seemed to be in a poorer state than the one they had taken from Kentak. It had lots of deep ruts and potholes; certainly if they had had a cart, they would have had some difficulty picking their way along it. This encouraged Michael: he said that, with luck, it would lead to less populous parts, but hope-fully still to a village of some sort. They did pass several travellers on this road; mostly on horseback, a few on foot. They were ignored: clearly they were taken for just another pair of travellers.

 Chapter 11 - Beth

    AFTER a while the road entered a forest. They seemed by now to have left the volcanic area behind¡ªand they were getting con-cerned about the lateness of the season. For some miles they picked their way amongst the trees, then they overtook an old lady who appeared to be carrying a large bundle of firewood. Encouraged by this, they decided to stop and ask the way.

    ¡°Let me do this,¡± said Rachel, in thought shapes, as she dis-mounted. Going up to the woman, she asked, ingenuously, ¡°Is this the road to Rigo?¡±

    ¡°Rigo? Rigo? Don¡¯t know any Rigo! No¡ªwait! You mean that Rigo? Big city out on the coast? Why, that¡¯s hundreds of miles away, my dear. Whatever can you be thinking of? You¡¯ll never make it there, not on those horses!¡±

    ¡°Yes, we know that. What we want to know is, is there a village near here? Somewhere where we can rest and buy provisions, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s Kipalup, a couple of miles down the road. Not exactly a ¡®village¡¯, just a few houses. I¡¯m on my way there myself. It¡¯s where I live.¡±

    ¡°Thanks ever so much. Oh, and can we carry your firewood for you?¡± Michael cut in. He had a little room in front of him on the saddle.

    The woman considered for a while¡ªthen she handed over the bundle. ¡°Why thank you, that¡¯s extremely kind of you, my dears. My house is second on the left as you enter the village. If you wait for me there, I¡¯ll fix you up with hot drinks and a cake¡­¡±

    Very trusting, she was, Michael thought, as they continued to the village. The woman, whose name was Beth, they discovered, was as good as her word when she came up. Ushering them inside, she plied them with hot cocoa and a plate of cakes.

    ¡°So where have you come from? And how do you expect to get to Rigo?¡± Beth asked.

    Michael thought a while before answering. He did not know the geography of this area, and he could not ¡®invent¡¯ a plausible starting-point for them. In the end he resolved upon truthfulness. He was still thinking he could trust this woman. ¡°From Kentak,¡± he finally admitted.

    Beth noticed his hesitation, and smiled. ¡°Kentak, eh? That¡¯s a long way back, and not on the road you were coming along. Did you cut across country?¡±

    Michael nodded.

    ¡°I can guess¡ªan elopement, is it? And your families are coming after you? You look very young; Rachel. How old are you?¡±

    ¡°Seventeen,¡± admitted Rachel, ¡°and yes, we¡¯ve eloped. We even got married, secretly, in a church in Kentak. Here¡¯s the ring,¡± and she fetched out the steel washer that she¡¯d been carrying all along, and slipped it on her finger.

    ¡°Well! Ha ha! Funny sort of ring¡ªbut I believe you. And don¡¯t worry: your secret is safe with me: if any of your people come this way; I¡¯ll cover for you. And I¡¯ll tell you a secret,¡± Beth continued. ¡°I eloped too, just like you did, when I was nineteen. Over fifty years ago now. Ted (that¡¯s my husband), bless him, was ten years older than me, he took me to an out-of-the-way settlement, way up north. It was cold there: colder than it is here: a tough life¡ªbut we were so happy! As we grew older we moved back south and settled here. He was a good man, was Ted: I couldn¡¯t have asked for a better husband. Fifteen years ago he was taken from us, and I¡¯ve lived here on my own ever since. I still miss him¡­¡±

    ¡°How do you live here?¡± asked Michael, glad to get away from the topic of their ¡®elopement¡¯.

    ¡°I have some chickens in the back yard¡ªmaybe you heard them? And a couple of pigs. And a small vegetable plot: just big enough to work by myself. I sell the eggs to Thomas, over at the village shop, and buy a few necessaries there, to keep going. I won¡¯t say it¡¯s an easy life¡ªnot like you have in Kentak, I¡¯ll be guessing¡ªbut I manage.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re sure you do,¡± said Rachel. ¡°But we really need to push on. We have to get to Rigo, somehow¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, I wish you luck. Never been that way myself. It¡¯s an awfully long way¡ªeven if you cut across back to the road for Rigo. This road would take you too far to the north. And I warn you: it¡¯s many miles to the next village. Why don¡¯t you stop here for the night? I¡¯d be glad of the company: it¡¯s so seldom we get young folk coming this way.¡±

    ¡°Have you any children?¡± asked Rachel.

    ¡°No,¡± replied Beth, brushing back a tear. ¡°We had two¡ªa boy and a girl. The boy¡­ he was such a sweet lad, but¡­ but¡­ This was when we were still up North. Folk are so scattered, up there, it was a month before the Inspector got around to calling on us. But when he did, he¡­he¡­¡±

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    She could not finish the sentence. Rachel went to her and put an arm around her comfortingly. ¡°We understand. Of course we understand¡± she whispered.

    ¡°And your daughter,¡± asked Michael, feeling that he had to ask, though he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d like the answer.

    ¡°She? Oh, she was ¡®normal¡¯. She grew up and married. They were expecting their first child¡ªand then she died in childbirth. The baby died too¡­¡±

    Listening to this double tragedy, they noticed that Beth was more composed in relating her daughter¡¯s death, than she was in speaking of her son¡¯s fate. ¡®Normal¡¯ losses were clearly more bearable than Deviation losses. Michael wondered whether he might have met the son in the Fringes. It was possible.

    He flashed a quick thought-shape to Rachel, hoping that Beth wouldn¡¯t notice. ¡°Shall we stop the night here?¡±

    Rachel made no reply, but she still had her arm around Beth¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯d love to stop here for the night,¡± she whispered. ¡°It¡¯s so kind of you¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s settled then,¡± said Beth, getting up. ¡°Rachel, you come and help me make up a bed for you in the spare room¡ªand Michael can sleep¡­ but there! I was forgetting: you¡¯re married. Well, you may find it a tight squeeze, but I think you¡¯ll find there¡¯s room for both of you in the spare bed.¡±

    A little while later Beth was treating them to a modest supper. While they ate, she told them many tales about her hard life ¡°up North¡± with her husband. She was convinced that the Old People¡ªthose wonderful people who had lived before Tribulation¡ªthe cataclysmic event which had shattered the old civilisations¡ªhad indeed inhabited Labrador, although sparsely. She said that in those days Labrador had been a cold place¡ªmuch colder than it was now. Michael nodded: this confirmed some of the things he had learned at school. Possibly the hardship Beth and her husband Ted had endured, up in the far north of Labrador, was closer to what Old People had had to put up with in the more ¡®civilised¡¯ parts further south. What-ever the truth of that was, Beth regarded herself as closer to the ¡®true Labradorean¡¯ than the more settled people further south.

    She also said that it was rumoured that in the Old Days, Rigo had been little more than a tiny settlement of a few hundred people. How it had grown to become the bustling capital it was today, she could not say.

    Michael had a question he was burning to ask. ¡°Did you get many¡ª¡± Then he remembered what Beth had said about her son. Hastily he swallowed his words.

    But Beth smiled. ¡°Many Deviations, were you trying to say? Up north? Don¡¯t you be worried now: I know the word well enough! No¡ªreally! Let me talk about it, now! What happened to us was¡ªjust something that happened. But no: I don¡¯t think we got as many Deviations as you¡¯d have got in Kentak¡± (Michael had continued the fiction that they came from Kentak. He dared not mention Wak-nuk¡­) ¡°We did have a local Inspector, of course,¡± she continued, ¡°it was the Law¡ªbut a lot of the time he sat in his office complaining about the huge distances he had to cover when he was called out¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t often. I think our son was the first human he¡¯d had to deal with for¡ªoh, ever so many years: we were just the unlucky ones. And people were so kind to us afterwards¡­¡±

    Michael remember what David had told him about his Aunt Harriet¡ªHarriet who had turned up at the Strorm¡¯s farm with a Deviational baby, only to be firmly repulsed by David¡¯s oppressive father¡ªHarriet who had then committed suicide. How different things had been in Waknuk, compared to what Beth was telling them! And they had already strayed a long way to the north of the direct road from Kentak to Rigo.

    He and Rachel needed to think things over. It certainly seemed that there were parts of Labrador where they could live in comparative safety. Provided they really had shaken off the pursuit, that was. They excused themselves, bid Beth good-night, and went to their bedroom.

    ¡°What do you think, Rachel?¡± said Michael, reverting to thought-shapes, once they were in the rather narrow bed, huddled together. ¡°Until we arrived at Beth¡¯s house, I felt sure that the only option for us was to somehow get to Rigo, and then find a ship. But now I¡¯m not so sure. Should we go north from here; find somewhere safe in the far north?¡±

    ¡°I think we should press on to Rigo, follow our original plan. Find a ship somehow, maybe get to Europe or Africa even. I don¡¯t like the idea of going north.¡±

    ¡°But Rigo¡¯s where our pursuers will be heading: they¡¯ll expect us to be going there.¡±

    ¡°Rigo¡¯s a big city by all accounts. They¡¯d have to find us.¡±

    ¡°They found us all right in Kentak¡ªand that¡¯s quite a big place too. Didn¡¯t take them long. They¡¯ll have spies all over the place in Rigo, you mark my words¡ª¡±

    ¡°Michael,¡± Rachel broke in petulantly, ¡°are you trying to start a quarrel with me? We¡¯ve only been married five days and you want a quarrel? I¡¯m dead set on going to Rigo and that¡¯s that! It¡¯s going to be tough enough just for us to survive as far as Rigo, crossing reasonably civilised parts of Labrador. Can you imagine how hard it would be, going north, in rougher country, and even further?¡±

    ¡°Beth and her husband seemed to have managed it.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re not Beth and her husband. And maybe they travelled in summer. Now let me go to sleep please. We¡¯ll talk about it in the morning, OK?¡±

    Michael reluctantly acquiesced. For the first time, he felt Rachel had got the better of him. Anyway, the first part of their onward journey was clear enough: they must continue on the eastern road. Plenty of time for a decision. He turned away from her and slowly drifted off to sleep.

 Chapter 12 - A Setback

    THEY sat at a quick breakfast the next morning, and were unusually quiet¡ªsomething which Beth noted. Had something come between them after dinner? But no: they had gone straight to bed, and she¡¯d heard not a sound out of them since. It was puzzling, but Beth kept her thoughts to herself.

    Beth fixed them up with a few eggs. ¡°Hard-boiled, so they won¡¯t break in your packs. No¡ªreally, please take them, I¡¯ve got plenty. Oh and don¡¯t forget to call in at Thomas¡¯s, the shopkeeper. Tell him I sent you.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, I remember: Thomas,¡± said Michael. ¡°Where¡¯s his shop? We could do with buying some stuff.¡±

    ¡°Right in the middle of the village: you can¡¯t miss it.¡± With that, and a hasty farewell, Beth saw them off.

    They found Thomas¡¯s shop without difficulty, it had ¡°GENERAL STORE¡± written up on a swinging board. They hitched up the horses, and walked inside. It seemed to be deserted, but after they rang the bell a few times, an elderly, rather dishevelled man came out from the back: they assumed this must be Thomas.

    ¡°Strangers, eh? We don¡¯t see many of those here. What can I do for you?¡±

    Rachel explained that they had just come from Beth, that they were on a long journey, that they needed provisions.

    ¡°Beth, eh? That woman¡¯ll bankrupt herself, the way she goes on taking in strangers. But she¡¯s got a good heart, I¡¯ll say that for her. OK, I¡¯ll see what I can do for you.¡±

    With Rachel¡¯s help, Michael ordered a fairly long list of provisions, much of it in the form of ham and cheese and dried fish and fruits¡ªstuff that should last for a long journey, stuff that could be loaded on the horses. As he reached into his money-pouch to pay, he seemed to start momentarily, but he quickly recovered himself. Bidding Thomas a hasty farewell, he hustled Rachel out of the shop, then led her until they were out of sight.

    ¡°Some of my money¡¯s missing,¡± he said in thought-shapes. ¡°I know I had nearly 400 dollars when we left Kentak: all my savings: you remember, I counted it out. Now, when I went to pay the shopkeeper, there¡¯s less than 300. And that¡¯s before I paid him. So where has the rest gone?¡± and he started to scan up and down the road, in the vain hope that the missing notes might be lying in the roadway.

    ¡°No point in doing that,¡± replied Rachel. ¡°If it¡¯s gone, it¡¯s gone. We¡¯ll have to make do on what¡¯s left¡ª¡±

    ¡°No!¡± cut in Michael. ¡°It¡¯s got to be that woman. Why, the sly bitch! And she was so kind and welcoming to us! I¡¯m going straight back to sort her out¡­¡±

    ¡°No¡ªwait!¡± put in Rachel, in words, seizing Michael¡¯s arm. Quickly reverting to thought-shapes, she continued: ¡°don¡¯t you see? It¡¯d be your word against hers, and who¡¯d believe you, in this tiny village? And she¡¯s a poor woman. She knew we had a fair bit of money, we were asleep, and the temptation was probably too much! But she didn¡¯t take it all. And there¡¯s something else. I think she¡¯s a bit suspicious of us. The way she looked at us at breakfast: I didn¡¯t feel comfortable. I wonder. You know what my big mistake may have been? Showing her that ¡®wedding ring¡¯. I wish I hadn¡¯t, now. Just a steel washer I¡¯d picked up in the street. She¡¯d have known that if we really planned an elopement, we¡¯d have got ourselves a proper ring, beforehand. So she guessed that elopement wasn¡¯t the main reason for our flight¡­¡±

    Michael was thunderstruck. Rachel¡¯s reasoning certainly made sense.

    ¡°So the best thing for us,¡± continued Rachel, ¡°is, continue on our way. Look upon what she took as ¡®hush money¡¯¡ªif we leave her with it, perhaps she won¡¯t put the dogs on us? It¡¯s worth the chance.¡±

    Michael nodded.

    ¡°And furthermore, it strengthens my resolve that we must get to Rigo, somehow or other. Don¡¯t you now realise? No-one in Labrador can be entirely trusted. If Beth can¡¯t, who can be?¡±

    ¡°All right: you¡¯ve got me,¡± said Michael at last. ¡°Rigo it is. If we¡¯re followed: well, we¡¯ve managed to evade capture so far¡­¡±

    They had meanwhile packed up the provisions and mounted, and were leaving the ill-omened village of Kipalup behind. Luckily they had met no other people as they rode out of the village: they realised that even talking in thought-shapes, when there were other people about, was enough to arouse suspicion.

    Michael wondered what Beth would do next. He found it hard to get his head around the idea that she was a scheming, vindictive woman¡ªnot after all the kindness and generosity she¡¯d shown them the day before. Perhaps she hadn¡¯t taken the money? It occurred to him that if she had, she¡¯d have known he would discover the loss as soon as he went to pay the shopkeeper. Seemed strange. But if not her, who else could have taken it? Apart from the mile or two after they¡¯d left Kentak, and again the few miles on the road leading into Kipalup, they¡¯d not met a soul on the way. And those people they had passed had merely exchanged a ¡°Good day¡± and gone on their way. It couldn¡¯t have been any of them!

    It made no sense. Now that they were away from the village, he sought Rachel¡¯s counsel.

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    Rachel thought for a long time before answering. ¡°I think,¡± she said in words, ¡°that this was a sort of double-bluff. She expected us to come storming back to her house, and she had her answer ready. If we did so, she¡¯d then reveal that she knew ¡®something¡¯ about us¡ªand since it wasn¡¯t the elopement, she¡¯d challenge us about Deviations. I¡¯m almost certain she guessed the truth about us¡ªalthough whether she guessed it was thought-shapes or some other sort of Deviation, I¡¯m not sure. Anyway, she then reasoned that we¡¯d take it a step further¡ªthat we¡¯d realise she was on to us, that we were at risk¡ªso we¡¯d not come back. So she could keep the money.

    ¡°And I think we should avoid using thought-shapes as far as possible. When it¡¯s just the two of us together, and no-one else about¡­¡±

    Michael had already come to the same conclusion. ¡°Which reminds me. Heard anything at all of Mark since we set out? I haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Nor have I. Not a squeak I¡¯ve been trying, every few hours. We¡¯ll have to leave off trying to send to him. We just have to hope he¡¯s all right. And Stephanie¡ªdon¡¯t forget her. She¡¯s in as much danger as he is.¡±

    ¡°Well, if we do make it to Rigo,¡± added Michael, ¡°there¡¯s just a chance we may meet them there. Remember, that¡¯s where we said we were going.¡±

    There were a few isolated farms and cottages beside the lane as they rode on, at scarcely more than walking-pace. They met a few people but stopped to talk to no-one, and none of them took any notice of them. Finally they left the houses and cultivated fields behind them and entered another tract of forest. There was no-one about.

    Beth had advised them that it was over seventy miles to the next settlement, and very little in between except forest and rough scrubland. There were no roads turning off either to the right or the left before then, which was a relief to Michael, since he was now worrying a lot about them getting lost. The weather had turned overcast, and without the sun to guide him he was no longer sure of his bearings. The store-keeper back at Kipalup had been unable to provide him with a map. All he could guess was that the road, for all its twistings and turnings, did seem to be heading in a general easterly direction.

    At least the overcast weather meant that it wasn¡¯t so cold. But he still meant to get warmer clothes¡ªfurs if possible¡ªwhen they reached the next village.

    For five days they continued to pass through this empty land, meeting no-one. Michael was beginning to worry that they might have somehow missed the next settlement, which according to Beth was named Curkajak. But towards the end of the third day, to their great relief, they came to cultivated fields and saw a scattering of houses ahead.

    Michael decided to take a chance. At one of the outlying farms, he dismounted and knocked on the door. ¡°Is this Curkajak?¡± he asked as a young woman answered.

    ¡°It is,¡± replied the woman, eyeing them for a moment in curiosity. ¡°Going far?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Michael, laconically. He didn¡¯t want to say more than that. Luckily the woman seemed to lose interest in them, and went back into the farmhouse shutting the door.

    ¡°Well, at least we know where we are. If only we had a map! I¡¯ll ask at the shop, if there is one.¡±

    They rode on slowly into the village, which appeared to be some-what larger than Kipalup. And they saw that there was a fork in the road here, with one road leading to the north skirting a large lake, whilst the other apparently turned a bit more to the south-east.

    They looked for a store, but couldn¡¯t find one at first. There was, however, a modest inn at the junction: the first they had seen since they left Kentak. At this, Rachel put her foot down.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to stay here, whether you like it or not; two nights at the very least. I¡¯ve got money as well, you know: not as much as you, but at least mine is intact. Look at our horses! How could anyone expect any horse to have done what these beasts have done for us? Must be 150 miles at the very least. If you want to find a shop, leave it till tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± conceded Michael. ¡°One night, at any rate.¡±

    ¡°No: two nights at least. Not only our horses: we need the rest too. I don¡¯t know about you, but I sure am saddle-sore! We¡¯ve made good progress, but it¡¯s still a long way to go.¡±

    Michael couldn¡¯t deny that. He¡¯d learnt a lot about Rachel since they¡¯d started on their journey together: how determined she was, how there was no arguing with her once she¡¯d chosen their course. By contrast, he¡¯d become more uncertain, more ready to accept compromise. How different he¡¯d become, compared with the assured young man he¡¯d been, helping from his rearward position to guide David, Rosalind and Petra to eventual safety! Then he¡¯d thought, he could take charge of any situation: the natural leader. But not now. Rachel had seen to that!

    He followed Rachel into the inn. The innkeeper looked them up and down, but only for a moment. It seemed that travellers were more frequent on the busier road they were now to take: a sign that they¡¯d have to be careful. And he asked them to produce their Normalcy cards: something they¡¯d not been asked for since they left Kentak.

    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation Rachel handed hers over: Michael quickly followed suit. If they had ever thought of producing passable forgeries, they had missed their chance. Luckily, the innkeeper had never heard of Waknuk, and Kentak was just another settlement ¡°out west¡± that he knew only vaguely by name. And of course their names meant nothing to him. They had indeed covered a considerable distance: every mile made it that little bit safer.

    Until they reached Rigo, that is. Even Rachel had to admit, their epic journey might yet come to nothing once they approached the capital, with all its spies and informers. She wondered¡ªnot for the first time!¡ªwhether this might all end up in a nightmare journey back to Waknuk, bound and gagged and awaiting banishment to the Fringes¡­

    Best not to dwell too much on those thoughts.

    Taking note of their different surnames, the innkeeper assigned them to separate rooms. No point in arguing, of course: the same would have happened in Kentak, and probably everywhere else in Labrador. Except, perhaps, in Rigo¡­

    And, once in his room, Michael could not help but notice the communicating door with Rachel¡¯s room. It was locked, but there might be a key somewhere. Anyway he was dog-tired: he lay down on the bed and was instantly asleep.

 Chapter 13 - In Search of a Map

    IN THE morning Michael and Rachel sat to a more leisurely break-fast than they had enjoyed for many days. They hoped that they¡¯d be able to spend two nights at this village¡ªfor the first time since they¡¯d left Waknuk. A good opportunity to rest and recover some of their strength.

    After checking that the horses were well stabled, they set out to look for a store. That was not hard: in fact there were three in this village. Calling in at the most likely one, they asked casually for a map.

    ¡°Map, eh?¡± replied the shopkeeper. ¡°Travelling, I suppose, with no idea where to go? Well, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have any maps here. I reckon you¡¯ll find a map hard to come by in these parts. Folks here don¡¯t travel far, and those that do know all the local roads. There just isn¡¯t the call for maps. But I suppose you could try the other stores. Anything else I can do for you?¡±

    Michael decided that they couldn¡¯t leave the shop without buying some things, so they stocked up with provisions again. Then they walked on to the second shop¡ªwith exactly the same result. Just as they were leaving, with an apology, Michael remembered something. ¡°Got any fur coats here?¡±

    ¡°No¡ªthat I haven¡¯t¡ªbut you could try Peter¡¯s store down the end of the village. I think he has one or two still.¡± Thanking him, they went on to the last shop¡ªPeter¡¯s¡ªand found that he indeed had a few furs for sale. ¡°But they¡¯re not cheap, I¡¯m afraid. I¡¯ll be asking forty dollars each.¡±

    Michael searched his dwindling money-pouch in some dismay. Eighty dollars would leave him with very little spending-money for the rest of the journey. ¡°Would you settle for thirty¡ªif we take two?¡±

    ¡°Tell you what. How does thirty-five sound¡ªif you take two? My final offer.¡±

    Michael was silent for a while, but Rachel at once spoke up. ¡°We¡¯ll take them for thirty-five, thanks very much¡ªand Michael, I¡¯m paying for these. I¡¯ve got a little money of my own.¡± With that she fetched out a pouch from her trouser pocket which Michael hadn¡¯t even noticed up till then. Emptying it out on the counter, she counted sixty-three dollars. ¡°All right then, Michael, you¡¯ll have to find the extra seven¡­¡±

    Peter looked at the money on the counter, and smiled. ¡°Tell you what: I¡¯ll let you have them for sixty-three. How¡¯s that?¡±

    They gratefully accepted the offer¡ªMichael ruefully realising that he could probably have haggled Peter even further down¡ªbut at least they had the coats. They found one that fitted Michael perfectly, but the smallest in the shop was still a bit too big for Rachel. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll do fine for me. Oh and by the way, I don¡¯t suppose you have any maps¡ªor a compass?¡± she added as an afterthought.

    ¡°Maps, indeed! I reckon you¡¯ve been asking around already! Sorry, I can¡¯t help you there. You could try the Inn¡ªI think there¡¯s a map on the wall somewhere, though it won¡¯t be for sale. But I do have a compass. Not a very good one, I¡¯m afraid: compasses don¡¯t work well in this part of Labrador for some reason. But since you¡¯ve bought the coats, I¡¯ll let you have it for a dollar, OK?¡±

    Gratefully wrapping the coats around them, and pocketing the precious compass, they went straight back to the inn. Searching around, they did indeed find a map on the wall, in one of the private rooms. They went straight to the innkeeper.

    ¡°Sell my map? You must be bloody joking, my friends! That¡¯s the only map for fifty miles around: I¡¯d cut off my arm before I part with it¡­¡±

    Rachel had an idea. ¡°If we can¡¯t buy it, can we at least copy part of it?¡±

    ¡°Well, I suppose you can¡ªjust so long as you don¡¯t damage it in any way. Tell you what: I¡¯ll get some paper and a pencil.¡±

    ¡°Let me do this, Michael,¡± said Rachel, when the paper arrived. ¡°I probably sketch better than you: I had some lessons when I was younger.¡±

    After a quick lunch, she settled down before the map. After about two hours¡¯ work, she had produced what she thought was a passable copy, concentrating mainly on the south-east, which was the direction they intended to travel. When the innkeeper next came by, she asked him ¡°do you know what the scale of the map is?¡±

    The innkeeper seemed puzzled by this question, so she tried again. Searching out a village which was marked near the south-east corner of the map, she pointed to it and asked ¡°Do you know how far this village is from us?¡±

    The innkeeper scratched his head for a while, then he answered ¡°Well, I reckon it¡¯s about two days¡¯ journey there, by cart. Let¡¯s call it forty miles, shall we?¡±

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    Rachel realised that this was the best she¡¯d get from him. Better than nothing. So the map would guide them some of the way towards Rigo, before they ran out.

    Meanwhile, Michael had been exploring the village, particularly the north-west road which ran alongside the lake to the east. Reaching the last house by the lakeside, he thought he¡¯d ask how far the lake extended, to the north. He still had this hankering idea of diverting to the north, perhaps even persuading Rachel to do a circuit around the lake at the very least. And there appeared to be Old People¡¯s works of some sort at the very head of the lake, although he couldn¡¯t fathom out what their purpose might be.

    ¡°How far to the north? Oh, I reckon it¡¯ll be about a hundred miles or so.¡±

    ¡°A hundred miles!¡± said Michael, flabbergasted.

    ¡°Yes indeed,¡± replied the old man who had answered his knock. ¡°Didn¡¯t you realise? This is one of the largest lakes in Labrador, I reckon. If there aren¡¯t larger ones, even further north. And you really want to do a circuit round it? I wish you luck, mate! There¡¯ll be no roads up there, and no end of impassable torrents to get across. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s even possible. Never been that way myself.¡±

    Michael at once thanked him and returned to the village, thankful that his wild plan had come to nothing. At least he didn¡¯t need to argue with Rachel about it! He found her in the map room, just putting the finishing touches to her copy. She showed it to Michael. ¡°Best I can do, but we¡¯ll be off the edge of it in another fifty miles or so, so it won¡¯t carry us far.¡±

    ¡°Rachel, you¡¯re a treasure. I couldn¡¯t have done it half as well.¡±

    ¡°Now now! Flattery isn¡¯t the way to win me round!¡±

    ¡°OK, but we must really protect this like gold dust, for as long as we need it. Driest part of one of the saddlebags.¡±

    They sat with the copy spread out on a table in front of them, doing their best to memorise as much as possible of it. Rachel pencilled in a few additional settlements from the original on the wall, seeing as they didn¡¯t know what detours they might be forced to make. When they were satisfied that they had as much information on it as they could possibly need, Michael took it to his room and carefully folded into one of the saddlebags. Returning, since it was now well into the evening (days being short at this time of year), he and Rachel sat down to dinner.

    ¡°Early night for me, I think, and early start¡ªOK?¡± said Rachel, finally getting up from the table. Michael nodded, pointing to his unfinished cocoa as excusing his delay. Once he¡¯d finished, he in turn went upstairs to his own room. As he entered, he put a hand to the communicating door with Rachel¡¯s room, and to his surprise he found it was now unlocked.

    As he gingerly opened the door a crack, Rachel called out from the other side, ¡°Come on in.¡± Michael suddenly felt a moment of shy-ness once more, but pulling himself together he swung the door open. Rachel was lying on the bed, naked, eyeing him intensely. Michael found himself eyeing her back, equally intensely: it was the first time since they had swum in the rock-pool. Meanwhile it was taking him forever to divest himself of his clothing: everything seemed to be getting tangled up. Finally, without once taking his eyes off her, he joined her on the bed.

    ¡°Not the world¡¯s greatest beauty, am I?¡± murmured Rachel, kneading her breasts. Michael muttered something inaudible. Her beauty was different to that of Stephanie¡¯s: more homely, less exotic. But all the same, it was Rachel¡¯s attractions that now consumed him¡­

    In the morning, after Michael had carefully disarranged his own bed¡ªthey could do without rumours¡ªthey had a hurried breakfast, paid their bill,.mounted, and were on their way. Their horses seemed fresher for the day¡¯s rest, at least. As they left Michael surveyed what was left in his money-pouch. Enough for one¡ªperhaps two¡ªmore stays in inns, plus a few provisions¡ªthen their money would be exhausted. He kept this information from Rachel for now. He knew they were running short, and felt he ought to find answers for himself.

    As they followed the south-east road, they found themselves coming to more settled regions, with more villages. More people passed them on the way, but no-one exchanged more than the odd greeting. Michael suggested they would do better not to stop at any of the villages¡ªstill mindful of their unfortunate experience back at Kipalup, he explained to Rachel. Instead they made camp as best they could by the roadside, taking care to tether the horses well away from the road where they could not be seen. The weather was now getting steadily colder, but with their fur coats spread over them, and huddled together, they were able to keep reasonably warm.

    On the fourth day out from Curkajak, they were almost at the edge of their map which would then become useless to them. Just as they were setting out, however, Rachel suddenly stopped, with her hand in the air. ¡°Listen!¡± she said urgently. ¡°In thought-shapes,¡± she added, unnecessarily.

    Michael was already straining as hard as he could¡ªyes! there were faint but distinct thought-shapes coming from somewhere to the north. Someone¡ªa woman, no-one they recognised¡ªwas saying something like ¡°Morning, dear. Is it today we call on Peter?¡± And a man replied something like ¡°I think it was tomorrow we agreed, Rachel. I¡¯ve got skins to set out.¡± Then there was silence.

    Clearly this ¡®Rachel¡¯ was a different person.

    So there were others out there!

    Michael could contain himself no longer. They had not, themselves, projected thought-shapes for some time now, recognising that there was some risk in doing so. But now, putting forth all his strength, he sent out ¡°Hello! Who are you, and may we meet up?¡±

    There was no response for about a minute. Then an urgent-sounding message ¡°Peter¡¯s place, OK? And hurry!¡± Then, again, silence.

 Chapter 14 - Some New Friends

    ALL the time since Michael had sent out that thought, Rachel (his Rachel) had been staring at him, seemingly lost for words. Finally she found her voice. In words, ¡°You utter bloody fool!¡±

    Michael was completely taken aback. He had naturally assumed that Rachel would be as eager as he was, to make contact with other groups who could send thought-shapes. ¡°But¡ª¡± he began.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand?¡± continued Rachel, interrupting him. ¡°Whoever those people are, they¡¯re not going to find it easy, making contact with a group like us. Certainly not with us being refugees from the west! Maybe they¡¯re happy as they are¡ªwhoever they are. Maybe they don¡¯t want to join in any madcap adventures like we¡¯re forced into. If they¡¯re not under threat themselves, why expose them to it? And there you go and blow it all with your impetuous message! If you ask me, they¡¯ll maintain silence now until they¡¯re convinced we¡¯re out of range¡­¡±

    ¡°I still think we should go and seek them out,¡± said Michael. ¡°The first thought-shapers we¡¯ve made contact with, outside of our own community and the Zealand woman! Surely that¡¯s got to be a ¡®must¡¯!¡±

    ¡°I would have half agreed with you, at least until you burst out with that message. Now I doubt if we¡¯ll find them. Thanks to you! We could waste days¡ªweeks even¡ªlooking for them. I vote we go on. There may be others¡­¡±

    ¡°Or there may not,¡± insisted Michael. ¡°Who can tell? How can we possibly pass this group up?¡±

    ¡°Give me one good reason why we should hunt down this group,¡± said Rachel, stubbornly.

    ¡°OK. I¡¯ll give you two. Firstly, our money isn¡¯t going to last out. I should have told you before, but I thought I¡¯d spare you this further anxiety. Any help we can get, on that front, would be most welcome. Secondly, what do we do once we get to Rigo? Commandeer a ship, with just the two of us to sail it? Wait against all hope for Mark and Stephanie to show up¡ªand remember Stephanie doesn¡¯t actually want to leave Labrador! Take passage on a ship? Remember what Uncle Axel told David: all the shipping now goes South, which isn¡¯t the direction we want to take. We want to go East, and according to Uncle Axel again, no-one knows what happens if you go East: either the sea goes on for ever, or you fall off the edge!

    ¡°Well, we know that neither of those things are true, but sailors are jolly superstitious chaps. Do you imagine we¡¯ll easily persuade them to sail East, when even we don¡¯t know what lies on the other side? All we have are the names ¡®Europe¡¯ and ¡®Africa¡¯¡ªand that¡¯s not much to go on. They could be all Badlands¡­¡±

    Michael fell silent. He could see that Rachel was weighing up the options. After a long time, she said: ¡°All right then. If you think you can find these people, I¡¯ll give you three days. But no more. Every day we waste is making it more and more dangerous. Have you any idea which way to go?¡±

    Michael was relieved to be ¡®back in charge¡¯, so to speak. He said, ¡°North, to start with. That¡¯s definitely where the messages were coming from. We need to find a trail heading north. My guess is, they were about fifteen miles away: assuming their strength of pro-jection is similar to ours. After that, we¡¯ll have to seek out someone called ¡®Peter¡¯ or someone called ¡®Rachel¡¯¡ªprobably in the same village. And we know Rachel can send thought-shapes: presumably this ¡®Peter¡¯ can too. Not much to go on, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°Is there a trail leading north?¡± asked Rachel.

    ¡°Not that I¡¯ve seen, but there is one marked on the map: look! Lucky that we haven¡¯t gone off the edge of it yet. Let¡¯s go on slowly, looking for it: it¡¯ll be a path of some sort¡ªprobably a fairly small one.¡±

    They continued slowly for about three miles, without seeing any path. They saw a village ahead: Michael decided to ride on ahead and ask its name¡ªthen he could get their bearings.

    When he returned he was not encouraging. ¡°It¡¯s not on our map, so I think we must be off the edge. But there¡¯s definitely a path to the north somewhere, if you¡¯ve copied the map right! Shall we go back a few miles, see if we missed it?¡±

    Rachel was less than enthusiastic about this, but she agreed that they ought to go back¡ªat least three or four miles before the spot where they¡¯d first heard the thought-shapes. They cantered quickly back to the spot where they had camped and first heard the messages. Picking their way slowly back from there on, they continued another two miles, then Michael gave a shout of joy.

    ¡°Here it is! Look, just beside this stream there¡¯s a faint trail. Not surprising we missed it¡ªbut then we weren¡¯t looking for a turning north at the time. So¡ªdo we go on it?¡±

    Rachel nodded. They picked their way carefully along the trail for about a hundred yards: then it suddenly left the stream at a bend and rose to more level ground further on, becoming a much wider and more negotiable trail, still heading north as far as Michael could make out. He had the compass out for the first time since they left Curkajak. He found¡ªas Peter the storekeeper had warned him¡ªthat it didn¡¯t perform very well: it seemed to work better if he tilted it towards the north. He tried to remember some of what he¡¯d learnt at school: something about ¡®Angle of Dip¡¯. He guessed that Labrador was rather close to the North Magnetic Pole. Whatever¡ªthe compass would serve.

    ¡°This path still heads north, and still on the map, thank goodness! You¡¯ve marked two villages on it at about the fifteen-mile mark. Could be either of those, maybe? Any ideas?¡±

    Rachel had no ideas. But she said, she was fairly certain there hadn¡¯t been any others she¡¯d missed out.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll try the one to the West first. Called Liapik, so it seems.¡±

    They put their horses into a fast trot¡ªto their relief the horses seemed to be keen on it. It took less than two hours before they came to a fork in the road: they guessed that the left-hand fork did indeed lead to Liapik. Sure enough, a mile or two further on they reached a small village.

    Michael dismounted and made his way to the village store. Quickly, he asked the question ¡°is there anyone called Peter here?¡±

    ¡°Peter, eh? Let me think. Sure you don¡¯t mean Peter who runs one of the stores, back at Curkajak?¡±

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    ¡°No, not that one. We¡¯ve just come from him, as it happens. No, I mean a different Peter: in this village or close by?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­yes, now I remember: there¡¯s an old chap called Peter, lives in a small cottage about a mile beyond the village. White-painted cottage, on the right¡­¡±

    Thanking the shopkeeper, he re-joined Rachel and they rode on, quickly finding the cottage in question. Michael knocked at the door, and a young woman answered. ¡°Is this Peter¡¯s house?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes it is. Do you want him? I should warn you, he¡¯s not very well today. Dad!¡± she called up the stairs.

    ¡°Wait a minute. Do you know someone called Rachel?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t say as I do. Never heard the name, not here. Do you still want Dad?¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t bother. I think we¡¯ve gone the wrong way. Sorry to trouble you.¡± And with that he re-joined Rachel and they turned back towards the village.

    ¡°Must be the other village then. Called Ragnarok, of all names. Let¡¯s try that one, at least.¡±

    They rode back through the village and came back to the fork. Taking the other branch, they followed it for a while. Clearly Ragnarok was further along the way, because they rode at least five or six miles before they came to a collection of houses. In the middle of the village, they stopped.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not this one, I¡¯m turning round. Going to try the shop again?¡± asked Rachel.

    ¡°No,¡± said Mike. ¡°If they¡¯re not here, I¡¯ll do as you say. But let¡¯s at least try it this way.¡± And with that he put out a firm but medium-strength thought-shape: ¡°Are you there Peter?¡±

    There was a slight pause. Then a man¡¯s voice answered ¡°thought you¡¯d find us out. Oh well, seeing as you¡¯re here, you¡¯d better come in. Fourth house on the left, green door. Just knock.¡±

    They went up to the door and knocked. A tall man, slightly built and with greying hair, answered the door. He beckoned them in and shut the door. Inside were two other men and a woman. They introduced themselves:

    ¡°I¡¯m Rachel,¡± began the woman, who was tall, dark-haired and slightly plump, apparently in her mid-40s. ¡°I understand you¡¯re also called Rachel. Oh dear! That¡¯s awkward. Tell you what¡ªsince I¡¯m quite a lot taller than you, I don¡¯t mind being called ¡®Big Rachel¡¯. Do you want to be called ¡®Little Rachel¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯d rather be just ¡®Rachel¡¯, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°So be it. Anyway, this is my husband Tim,¡± indicating the man standing next to her. He was slightly shorter, also with dark hair, slightly less plump, and also apparently in his mid-40s. He ack-nowledged their greeting. ¡°Peter you¡¯ve already met,¡± continued Big Rachel, ¡°and this is Peter¡¯s son Justin,¡± pointing to a young, fairly muscular man in his late 20s.

    ¡°Is this all of you?¡± asked Michael, looking around, after Peter and Justin had each acknowledged their presence.

    ¡°Yes,¡± put in Peter, in words. ¡°No: in words please, now we¡¯ve got over the introductions, if you don¡¯t mind. Were you expecting more?¡±

    ¡°No. Well, yes really. I don¡¯t know. Whatever¡ªit¡¯s good to meet up with more of ¡®us¡¯. I was beginning to think that we two¡ªwell we three, actually, or so we hope, there¡¯s another one of us somewhere out there¡ªwere the only ones left in Labrador.¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re happy to prove you wrong. Though it took a lot of soul-searching before we decided to let you in on us,¡± continued Peter. ¡°But in the end, we decided to trust you. As you can see, we¡¯re all quite a bit older than you¡ªbut it¡¯s good to know there is young blood around to carry on the strain.¡±

    While Peter was speaking, Rachel couldn¡¯t help glancing at Big Rachel¡¯s clothing. She was wearing a loose blouse, slacks reaching to halfway down her calves, and stout leather shoes¡ªand there was no Cross on her blouse. This was the first time Rachel had seen a grown woman not wearing the Cross: Stephanie had been properly ¡®adorned¡¯ when she arrived at Rachel¡¯s farm. Even the women she had seen at Kipalup and Curkajak had all been wearing the Cross.

    Big Rachel caught Rachel¡¯s glance and sensed her curiosity. She laughed. ¡°You¡¯ve been noticing I don¡¯t wear the Cross, I think? It¡¯s a far less common practice in these parts, and entirely optional. Different from your folk, who make it an obligation, I guess: a token of Woman¡¯s subservience to Man, some say! Here, some women do; some women don¡¯t. Both Tim and I agree that I¡¯m not the sort of person who needs to wear one. But it¡¯s entirely up to you, whether you continue wearing the Cross or not.¡±

    Rachel said nothing. These remarks about ¡®subservience¡¯ were troubling her, and new thoughts were coming into her mind. She looked down at her own bust, with its Cross, but remained silent and passive. Something that needed to be discussed with Michael¡­

    Michael broke in. ¡°Tell us a bit more about yourselves,¡± he asked.

    ¡°Before we do that, you, as the guests, ought to give us your story. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s lots you can tell us. Begin at the beginning¡ªI might even be able to help out a bit on that front. Starts at Waknuk, doesn¡¯t it¡ª?¡±

    ¡°How the hell did you know that?¡± put in Michael and Rachel simultaneously, involuntarily bursting into thought-shapes.

    ¡°Aha. I thought as much. It¡¯s a long story, and it begins with a little girl¡ª¡±

    ¡°Petra!¡± Rachel suddenly exclaimed.

    ¡°Ah yes. We never actually caught her name, but we learned a lot about her¡ªand about your community. I reckon she must be around eight years old¡­¡±

    ¡°Nearly,¡± corrected Michael.

    ¡°Oh well, seven then. Anyway, we remember when she first burst forth upon us¡ªand presumably the whole of Labrador and beyond¡ªabout a year and a half ago. We couldn¡¯t make out much of it, but she seemed to have fallen into a lake or something, and was calling for help¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. David and Rosalind rescued her. From the river. That was the first time we discovered her extraordinary powers.¡±

    ¡°David and Rosalind, eh? Two more of your group, I reckon,¡± went on Peter. ¡°But never mind them for now, I¡¯ll continue. There was nothing for about a year, and then all of a sudden another distress call of some sort. Something about a dead pony? Went on for most of the day.¡±

    Michael and Rachel both nodded. They had both been present at the scene.

    ¡°And after that, there were more messages of some sort. Didn¡¯t make too much sense¡ªas you might expect from a girl of just eight¡ªseven. We heard the name LABRADOR being spelled out, also some references to Waknuk, which we gathered was where she came from¡ªand a mysterious place called ¡®Sealand¡¯ which was apparently a long way away¡­¡±

    ¡° ¡®Zealand¡¯,¡± corrected Rachel.

    ¡°All right, Zealand then¡ªwhich we guessed was some way outside Labrador. And to the West. And we got the impression that all you Waknuk community of thought-shapers were fleeing en masse for this Zealand place. Anyway, the messages from Petra stopped some months ago, so we assumed you were indeed on your way. Until you two hailed us, that is. Apparently fleeing East. And in some sort of a hurry.

    ¡°So I think you¡¯d better tell us your story now. From the beginning.¡±

 Chapter 15 - Michaelâ€™s Account

    MICHAEL decided to pin his faith in their new friends. What else could they do? They desperately needed some help, and if there were any people in Labrador they could trust, it had to be these people. They sat down and began. He told their story at length, beginning from the time they had first become aware of their thought-shape abilities, as children. He didn¡¯t make any mention of Sophie¡ªat first. But he mentioned David and Rosalind, and David¡¯s sister Petra, whom they already knew about of course. He mentioned Sally and Katherine, and how a surprise attack had been launched: an attack which had been intended to round up those two girls, plus David, Rosalind, and Petra, simultaneously. By sheer good fortune, helped no doubt by a bit of fumble by the authorities at the Waknuk end, David, Rosalind and Petra had got away¡ªalthough the other two girls had been captured, tortured, and probably killed¡­

    Upon hearing this, Peter and the others gave a deep sigh. ¡°We knew awful things were happening in Waknuk; what you have told us simply confirms what we already guessed. But go on.¡±

    Michael explained that he and Rachel, and another boy called Mark, had not yet fallen under suspicion. He decided to volunteer for one of the posses sent out to pursue the fugitives, straight away. David, Rosalind and Petra had indeed been able to elude capture¡ªuntil they were caught by Fringes people. Then there had come the showdown in the Fringes clearing¡ªbrought to a sudden halt by the advent of the Zealand woman¡­

    Michael stopped. He realised that the next part¡ªwhat he had seen in the clearing¡ªwould be difficult. He had kept the truth even from Rachel: merely repeating to her the fiction about ¡®giant spiders¡¯¡ªthe story which she¡¯d already heard: which she knew was a fiction.

    ¡°All right. This is what actually happened in the Fringe clearing. The raiding parties were over-running the Fringers¡ªputting them to flight. They were the only ones who had guns; they were well-organised. The outcome seemed inevitable, and as far as I was concerned the game was up. Whatever tricks the Sealand¡ªsorry, ¡®Zealand¡¯¡ªpeople might come up with, I wasn¡¯t expecting David¡¯s group, or any of the Fringes folk, to come out of it alive. Indeed, I knew that if ever I got found out, I¡¯d be a dead man too¡­

    ¡°Then the Zealand flying machine arrived. David thought it was topped by some sort of ¡®conical spiral¡¯, but either his imagination got the better of him, or he didn¡¯t really have a chance to examine it closely. What I saw looked more like four shapes a bit like the spokes of a wheel without a rim. But only three spokes to each ¡®wheel¡¯. Sited above the main body of the machine, two of them were near the front, two near the back. And when they were spun very fast, much much faster than the wheels of a cart, they created an artificial wind¡ªI felt it when the machine left. I think the wind served to propel the machine, forward or aft, like a ship.

    ¡°As the flying ¡®ship¡¯ came in to land, thousands of light sticky threads suddenly appeared in the air above us. I can only suppose these threads came from the machine itself¡ªI don¡¯t see where else they could have come from. These threads slowly descended onto the clearing, and wherever they touched anything, be it human or animal, plant or rock¡ªit stuck fast. So fast that no human strength¡ªnot even a horse¡¯s strength¡ªcould tear it loose. I couldn¡¯t have believed any glue could be so powerful, if I hadn¡¯t experienced it for myself.

    ¡°The Zealand woman simply said, without any emotion, that everyone in the clearing, apart from they, would die. And that¡¯s exactly what happened¡­¡±

    Michael broke off. He felt the nausea rising in him again, for the second time since he had witnessed these scenes. He noticed that Rachel¡ªhis Rachel¡ªwas weeping in the other Rachel¡¯s arms. Excusing himself, he went out into the next room, the kitchen apparently, found a sink, and threw up once more. Time and time again. He sensed that others of the party were also being sick, but he could not take in any more for a long time.

    Peter and Justin seemed to be least affected. They sat quietly in the room they had met in, waiting for the others to join them. Eventually, after a long time, Michael came out. He looked very pale ¨C as if he had been through a wasting illness. Apparently Tim was still throwing up, while the two Rachels were comforting one another in a corner. Evening was rapidly drawing in.

    Peter took charge of the situation. ¡°No more to be said about any of this. Except¡ªeven before you came¡ªwhen the only information we got was from the disjointed accounts of the Petra child¡ªwe suspected that all was not as it seemed with these Zealand people. Not to be entirely trusted. Now we know. And we urge you to steer well clear of them.

    ¡°No more story-telling from you tonight, Michael. Question now is, what do we do about you? Well, that¡¯s the easy bit. You and Rachel (you are together aren¡¯t you) take Justin¡¯s room, Justin¡¯ll come in with me. Tim and Big Rachel will return to their home¡ªwhen they¡¯re fit enough. No more arguments tonight! There¡¯ll be plenty to discuss tomorrow.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Michael was mightily relieved at this suggestion. And he was relieved, in a way, that Rachel had expressed herself in tears. So much better than bottling up her emotions! He knew that, now there was a tacit understanding between them, the subject was closed.

    For almost the first time since they left Waknuk, he set to wonder-ing about David and Rosalind. And Petra! There had been not a squeak out of her since just as they were approaching Zealand. Oh well, they would have to look after themselves, he supposed. Probably Petra had been taught to curb her over-reaching powers to some extent. Maybe her ¡®training¡¯ had started even during the long flight. Otherwise she could have easily deafened the entire population of Zealand.

    And Zealand, for all the terrible things they had witnessed, still seemed to be the safest place for a thought-shaper to be.

    But not for him, and not for Rachel. He had known that from the start. They would need to seek solace elsewhere. As he pondered these thoughts, he gradually nodded off to sleep.

    It was broad daylight when he awoke. He was alone. He realised he must have been asleep for many hours. As he shook himself awake, a thought shape burst in upon him:

    ¡°If you¡¯re awake, come and join us for breakfast. Rachel is already here.¡± He guessed it was Peter. Quickly dressing himself, he went into the kitchen and joined Peter, Justin and Rachel at the table.

    ¡°Now we¡¯re all awake, it¡¯s words only, here. Understand? Yes, I think you already understand that! Safer. You and your friends were rather reckless, using thought-shapes so often, especially in a frontier region like Waknuk. Not really surprising you got found out¡ªit would have happened sooner or later.¡±

    The word ¡®frontier¡¯ reminded Michael of something he¡¯d been meaning to ask, ever since they arrived here. ¡°Peter¡ªJustin¡ªwhat happens to Deviations here?¡±

    ¡°We were wondering when you¡¯d come up with that. Well, there are far fewer Deviations here than there are in Waknuk or Kentak. That much should be evident to you. Maybe not so many as one per year, in any one village¡­¡±

    ¡°One per year!¡±

    ¡°More or less. Not what you were taught in Waknuk or Kentak, I reckon.¡±

    ¡°No¡ªindeed! We learnt that Deviations were spread over the whole of Labrador. Even at school in Kentak, that¡¯s what I was taught.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ªwell I reckon that¡¯s just what the people of Waknuk wanted you to believe, was it not?¡± continued Peter. ¡°Last thing they¡¯d want was lots of people drifting off to the ¡®safer¡¯ east¡ªnot when there were farms to work and Fringes people to fight off! So it¡¯s hardly surprising that they put out the story that all of Labrador was the same.

    ¡°Truth is, this far east, hardly anyone here bothers much about Deviations. If they¡¯re little things, we just let them go. Quite often the gene pool (don¡¯t ask me to explain what those words mean ¨C yet!) sorts them out: a parent with a minor mutation can give birth to a child without the mutation. Sometimes it takes two or three genera-tions to sort out. I don¡¯t suppose you lot had the chance to test that out¡­¡±

    Michael said nothing at first, but he suddenly thought of Stephanie¡ªformerly Sophie. If only! He wondered if what they ¡®did¡¯ to her could in some way be reversed¡­

    Then Michael cut in: ¡°But the Law! Doesn¡¯t the Law apply to the whole of Labrador? That Offences¡ªanimal Deviations¡ªmust be destroyed, that human Deviations (like us) must be sterilised? Isn¡¯t that Law set down by the Government in Rigo?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes: the Law. The Government had to enact such a Law, to appease the hardliners out West. Otherwise they¡¯d have been facing a widespread revolt¡ªsecession even. Fact is, the Law is very little carried out in Eastern parts, nor in Rigo itself. Your backwoods folk don¡¯t know that. Of course, if a human Deviation has to be sent to Rigo itself, for the operation, they¡¯ll do it, and send the person back west. Maintaining the fiction, so to speak.¡±

    Michael thought about Sophie¡¯s story, of how she¡¯d been treated in Rigo. But Peter continued:

    ¡°So, you see, we¡¯re all pretty well settled here. Very little threat. OK, Justin has several girlfriends¡ªno-one he¡¯s really serious about yet¡ªand none of them is a thought-shaper.¡± Justin nodded at this; he had hardly spoken during the meal. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll address that prob-lem if and when we come to it¡± (Michael thought about Anne and Alan, and the disastrous end to their marriage¡­). ¡°I¡¯m a widower, and Tim and Rachel are already married¡ªthough without children, yet.¡±

    ¡°Your late wife? If I may ask?¡± said Michael.

    ¡°She just died. Fairly young, just after Justin was born. No, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m used to that sort of questioning. It was quite some time ago¡­¡±

    Peter paused, thinking about what he had to say next.

    ¡°As I said a moment ago, we¡¯re well settled here. Why should any of us want to move, just to serve your ends?¡±

 Chapter 16 - More Frustration

    MICHAEL was thunderstruck. He had no idea he had put out this idea as a thought-shape, but there was no getting away from it: he had indeed been contemplating: how on earth to persuade these people to embark on a hazardous journey with them, merely to suit Rachel¡¯s and his purpose in trying to secure a ship to take them¡ªwhere? But evidently he had broadcast the thought at large. He could think of nothing to say. Nor could Rachel. Peter had some sympathy for them:

    ¡°I sense that this is painful news for you, my friends. I guessed that you were going to ask at least some of us to join you on your quest. Let us just say: the whole idea of us abandoning our houses, of coming with you, on a 200-mile journey to Rigo¡ªand there to help you secure a ship to take you East¡ªEast to places very little is known about¡ªperhaps even to board ship with you! When we are safe and secure here. Surely you must see that the whole idea is quite preposterous¡­

    ¡°But we¡¯ll leave that matter for now. At least until Tim and Rachel¡ªsorry, Big Rachel¡ªarrive; they need to at least have a say. They¡¯re busy at present, but should be here around mid-day. We need to listen to the rest of your story¡ªhow you got away from that place of death.¡±

    ¡°What do you do for a living?¡± asked Rachel, speaking from the first time.

    Justin took this as his cue, glad to get away from the awkward topics they¡¯d been discussing up till then. ¡°I go out hunting; Dad writes books,¡± he replied laconically.

    ¡°Eh?¡± said Rachel.

    ¡°Oh¡ªI suppose you want more than that? I go out with some of the others in the village: we go after moose, caribou, seals, bears, that sort of thing. For food, furs and the like. I¡¯m often away for some days at a time. With the weather closing in, it¡¯ll be seals on the next trip. Dad collects data and writes books, mostly about Labrador and its history, as far back as it goes. Almost certainly, he¡¯s written stuff you won¡¯t have seen back in Waknuk or Kentak.¡±

    ¡°And Tim and Rachel?¡±

    ¡°Tim comes with me on some of the hunting trips, but he also spends time at home stretching the skins we bring back. Rachel sort of looks after the house, both at their place and here. Does the cooking and all.¡±

    They asked a bit more about the ¡®family¡¯ they had found. It was all very peaceful and well-ordered. Once again Michael was wondering whether they¡¯d be better off staying here, in a ¡®safe¡¯ part of Labrador, now that it seemed pretty certain they¡¯d shaken off the pursuit. Indeed it seemed unlikely that their pursuers had even found their turning off towards Kipalup, where they had first met Beth. And she could be relied upon to put them off the scent. The chances of them discovering two fugitives hidden away in a tiny community like Ragnarok seemed¡ªwell, remote.

    But Rachel¡ªhis Rachel¡ªwas still not convinced. She seemed determined that they should at least take on Rigo and enquire about ships, come what may.

    Just as they were still arguing about it, the door opened and Tim and Big Rachel came in. Tim started off by apologising for his unfortunate turn the evening before. ¡°Sorry about that. Here am I, all used to dressing up and curing skins and all that, handling dead animals all the time, then I hear about what Michael¡¯s told us about, it just made my skin crawl and then I couldn¡¯t help myself¡­¡±

    After mutual expressions of commiseration, Big Rachel proclaimed that lunch was ready to be served, so could they possibly hold back on further discussions until later? To this they all agreed.

    Afterwards, Peter said, Michael should continue the story, starting from the point where the flying ¡®ship¡¯ had settled in the clearing. ¡°But we¡¯ll leave out the spiders¡¯ webs. Once is enough!¡±

    So Michael began, hesitantly: ¡°Well, I probably had a better look at that flying ¡®ship¡¯, as it was finally taking off, with the others aboard. I mentioned those four wind-making wheels on top: but they couldn¡¯t have made the ship fly by themselves: certainly it couldn¡¯t have been lifted off the ground by them¡ªnot if I still know any of the mech-anics I was taught at school! I think they were only for propulsion: to move the machine fore and aft. The ¡®lift¡¯ was evidently supplied by hydrogen bags within the body: that way the ship could probably coast long distances without re-fuelling. I learnt all about hydrogen¡ªhow light it is, how bags could be filled with the gas and then made to lift into the air¡ªback at school we learnt this. I don¡¯t see any other way a machine like that could reach us from Zealand. But there¡¯s much I don¡¯t understand here.¡±

    ¡°I know what hydrogen is,¡± put in Peter. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it catch fire very easily, and burn very fiercely? Wouldn¡¯t that be a hazard to the ship?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Zealanders must have considered that risk. I suppose they¡¯d taken special measures to minimise it.

    ¡°Anyway, I went down to the river and was sick. Then I forded the river at a place where it was fairly shallow, and followed the path away from the clearing, about a mile. To my great relief, I found a horse abandoned by its dead rider, that seemed to be uninjured. I returned to the river, and then we both mounted and¡ª¡±

    Peter interrupted him at this point. ¡°¡®We¡¯? You said nothing about another person until now. You were the only survivor, were you not?¡ªapart from those carried off in the flying ship. So who¡¯s this ¡®we¡¯?¡±

    Michael realised that he had slipped up. Of course, using thought-shapes, it would have been impossible to conceal Sophie¡¯s existence for long¡ªthat¡¯s simply not possible in thought-shapes. But in words, he¡¯d been trying to keep Sophie out of the equation¡ªmainly because that would enable him to steer clear of stuff he still found embarrass-ing, like the ¡®washtub¡¯ incident. But how he was going to work out the return journey to Waknuk as a solo traveller? He had no idea.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    After a long period of silence, Peter came to the rescue. ¡°Look, Michael, we already know there¡¯s more to your story than what you¡¯ve told us. You picked up someone in the Fringes and took him or her back with you. Clearly that person wasn¡¯t a thought-shaper, or you wouldn¡¯t have been so cagey about it. But it looks like they came from the Fringes. That makes them a Mutant. We¡¯ve already established that your community comes down heavily on Mutants¡ªfar more so than we do. That would explain things. Right so far?¡±

    Michael could only nod.

    ¡°OK. Now I¡¯ve been careful not to mention the sex of this sup-posed person so far, but I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s a woman?¡±

    Once again Michael nodded: he realised he was no match for Peter¡¯s insight.

    ¡°So¡ªI¡¯m guessing here, but I¡¯m thinking there might have been something between you two¡ªsomething you wished to keep secret¡ªtoo embarrassing perhaps: you and a Mutant¡ª?¡±

    ¡°NO!¡± cried Michael, interrupting, thankful that at last he had caught Peter out in a wrong assumption. ¡°No! It wasn¡¯t like that at all. OK, I¡¯d better tell the whole story over again, filling in the gaps. Rachel already knows,¡± for Rachel was blushing prettily, ¡°so it won¡¯t embarrass her too much. I hope!¡± Rachel winked. ¡°I really need to go right back to my childhood¡ªwell, David¡¯s childhood really, because I didn¡¯t learn the details until some time later. It starts with David, as a ten-year-old boy, playing at a place we called the Bank¡­¡±

    And so Michael continued, telling of David¡¯s chance meeting with Sophie¡­ ¡°that¡¯s not her name now, but I¡¯ll continue¡­¡± He told how Sophie, a little girl a bit younger than David, got her foot stuck between some rocks, she made strenuous but fruitless efforts to extricate herself without David¡¯s help; eventually she gave in and implored him to keep her big secret.

    She had six toes on each foot.

    David accompanied Sophie back to her parent¡¯s house, where he was made to promise not to reveal her secret¡ªand where he discovered that Sophie¡¯s mother had some of the thought-shaping powers herself¡ªthough very primitively and she could not communicate using them. ¡°At that time David, and the rest of us, didn¡¯t really understand the phenomenon ourselves. So we weren¡¯t as cautious then, as we¡¯ve become since.¡±

    Anyway, David and Sophie became fast childhood friends for a while after that. Until they were found out. By pure chance, another boy came upon them when they were playing barefoot in the stream, and he noticed the six-toed imprint. David and Sophie fled to Sophie¡¯s parents, who immediately decided to pack up everything and flee the district; at the same time begging David to cover for their flight as long as possible by staying in the house overnight.

    David did that, but next morning on returning to his own house he was waylaid by his father and the Inspector, who already knew something of the story. David did his best to keep the secret, despite enduring a savage flogging: but to no avail: later that day the fugitives were caught. They were taken to Kentak where Sophie was separated from her parents, taken to Rigo for the sterilisation operation, then banished to the Fringes. Of her parents no further word was heard.

    ¡°And so, it appears, this Sophie then drops out of the story, until she is re-discovered by the thought-shapers, some years later,¡± suggested Peter. ¡°Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, more or less,¡± admitted Michael.

    ¡°Hmmm. Interesting. You say David was very attached to Sophie, when they were together? Despite knowing she was a Deviant; despite all the warning notices in his own household?¡±

    ¡°It certainly looks like it.¡±

    ¡°And when she was captured, David suffered a flogging¡ªa very brutal flogging by all accounts, if I¡¯ve understood his father¡¯s character here. Yet he still didn¡¯t betray the fugitives. You say they were caught purely by chance, many miles away. Then the next thing David does is tell his thought-shape companions the whole story¡ªa story he¡¯d carefully concealed from them up till then. Why just then?¡±

    ¡°I suppose he reckoned, there was no point in keeping it secret any longer,¡± suggested Michael.

    ¡°I think there¡¯s more to it than that¡­ I think up to that point, David was head-over-heels in love with Sophie. As far as ten-year-olds can be ¡®in love¡¯, of course. Then when she was cruelly snatched from him, he felt some remorse, of course¡ªbut it soon became supplanted by a stronger instinct: that of survival. Sophie could conveniently be sacrificed. From then on, the needs of the thought-shapers suddenly became the prime imperative. For David, and for the other people in his group¡ªincluding Rachel and yourself¡ª¡±

    Michael could contain himself no longer. ¡°How can you possibly make assumptions like that? How dare you! You, who have never met any of the others: just Rachel and me¡­ I, who have known David ever since we were children ¡­ I who met Sophie and escorted her back to Waknuk ¡­ dammit, I even slept with the woman¡­¡±

    ¡°I thought that would come out,¡± said Peter. ¡°It was obvious from what you said up till now. Don¡¯t worry, we shan¡¯t press for details: we aren¡¯t running an Inquisition¡ªbut it¡¯s certainly far better that that sort of admission comes from you, rather than being forced out of you by us.

    ¡°Suffice to say, you accompanied Sophie to Waknuk, and at some point there was a romantic liaison. But clearly it was not a lasting relationship. Listen, Michael, and you too Rachel¡ªthe more we know about you, the better we can decide how best to help you.

    ¡°So¡ªapart from the dalliance with Sophie, was there anything else of import during your return to Waknuk?¡±

    ¡°Not much¡ªexcept that we had to kill a man just before we got to Waknuk itself. Dammit, he shot our horse first¡ªand the bullet would have come straight at me if the horse hadn¡¯t got it first. And it was Sophie who actually killed the man. I reckon she¡¯s had practice¡ªwhich I haven¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll say no more. So you came to Waknuk¡ªand I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s where you were reunited with Rachel. And by that time Sophie had more or less informed you that it was all over between you and her. Remarkably resilient, that girl! First David, and now you¡­¡±

    ¡°As I¡¯m sure you understand, there couldn¡¯t have been anything between David and Sophie. Dammit, they were only ten years old! Why the innuendo?¡± Peter said nothing. ¡°But I think there were others before me,¡± added Michael. ¡°Sophie mentioned someone called the Spider-man¡ªGordon¡ªwhom she said she slept with, back in the Fringes. When he was killed, she sort of latched on to me¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re learning quite a lot about Sophie, aren¡¯t we? Are there any more details you¡¯ve left out? Like¡ªsay¡ªSophie beginning to acquire the power of thought-shapes herself?¡±

 Chapter 17 - More on Labrador

    THIS bombshell was more than Michael could stomach. He remained mute¡ªthough of course silence can be revealing. He looked around at the others in the room, but not one of them was willing to come to his rescue. He knew it would be he¡ªand only he¡ªwho could answer that question.

    In the end he weakly muttered, as before: ¡°How do you come to that conclusion?¡± But he knew there was some truth in what Peter was saying. ¡°Do you have behind-thinks, like Petra did?¡±

    ¡° ¡®Behind-thinks¡¯? Ah, I think I get it. Thought-shapes you¡¯re not supposed to catch, yes? No, not in the way that Petra did, at any rate. Though maybe my powers are more developed than some others¡¯ perhaps? No, I think my only advantage is that of having lived a good deal longer than any of you¡ªlived in relative safety, as you can see¡ªof having learned in all the long years how to ration my use of the dangerous thought-shapes to the absolute minimum. As you can also see. My powers may indeed be more developed than any of yours, but used sparingly.

    ¡°But continue. I take it you reached Waknuk without further mishap. And were reunited with Rachel here.¡±

    ¡°Yes. We skirted well clear of Waknuk itself¡ªI mean the original farmhouse after which the village was named. For obvious reasons. Rachel¡¯s house is about a mile to the west, and had not yet then fallen under suspicion. When we got there, we found a surprise: well two surprises really. Rachel¡¯s Mum, Amelia, appeared to have a bit of the thought-shape powers herself¡ªthough only in a rudimentary fashion, without the ability to transmit or receive herself. But she already knew about us, and she knew about Sophie. It was she who sug-gested we change her name to Stephanie¡ªso that¡¯s what she¡¯s been called, ever since.¡±

    ¡°Good choice,¡± said Peter. ¡°Not too different, but enough to put pursuers off the scent hopefully. I take it she approves of the new name¡­¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. But the second surprise was even more unexpected. Mark, the last of our Waknuk group, turned up out of the blue. Mark, who we thought was dead! Apparently he¡¯d been ill and had lost some of his powers, but he was very much alive.¡±

    ¡°Well, that is a surprise!¡± put in Peter. Michael waited for him to say more, but that appeared to be all he had to contribute.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± continued Michael. ¡°Once he realised he wasn¡¯t getting through, he decided to contact us in person, as soon as he was fit enough. He arrived a day after us. Some of his thought-shape powers are indeed coming back to him, though it¡¯s a slow process.¡±

    ¡°Where is he now?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one of the problems. We don¡¯t quite know. Since it was dangerous even for him to remain in the Waknuk area, he was going to wait a while, then follow us to Kentak. And maybe even as far as Rigo. With Sophie¡ªStephanie¡ªfor company. They seem to have become good friends.¡±

    ¡° ¡®Good friends¡¯?¡± interposed Peter, with a twinkle in his eye.

    ¡°Yes. Just ¡®friends¡¯. Anyway, they contacted us before we left Kentak. Since then¡ªnothing.¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a remote possibility they¡¯ve turned north, just as you did. But unlikely: unless they were facing close pursuit, as you were, they¡¯re more likely to have kept to the road direct to Rigo. We can¡¯t reach that far, in thought-shapes. Someone could make a trip south, see if they can contact Mark on the road. But I don¡¯t hold out much hope¡­

    ¡°And meanwhile: what do we do with you two? Any plans?¡±

    ¡°We want to continue on to Rigo as soon as possible,¡± put in Rachel. ¡°If you won¡¯t send anyone to accompany us, we¡¯ll go on our own. No argument.¡±

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    ¡°No. I¡¯d strongly advise against that¡ªsorry! Winter is fast approaching and the weather will be bitterly cold and stormy. Even if you make it to Rigo, there¡¯s little chance you¡¯ll find a ship willing to put to sea at this time of year. Whatever you¡¯re planning at Rigo, it¡¯ll just have to wait till the spring. So my advice is: stay with us for a few weeks. We¡¯ll be glad of the company, all of us. You can help with the farm¡ªI didn¡¯t tell you we have a farm, too, did I? Just a couple of fields on the edge of the village, we grow a few vegetables and some wheat and oats there. And stable some of our own horses, as well as a few from others in the village¡ªand yours, of course. Also we keep a few pigs and chickens. And meanwhile I have my book to finish¡­¡±

    ¡°Your book?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Didn¡¯t Justin mention, I write books? I¡¯m hoping to finish the one I¡¯m working on, in the next few weeks.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it called?¡± asked Michael, who remembered the adventure stories he¡¯d found and enjoyed, in the library at Kentak, during his schooldays.

    ¡°Pre-Tribulation Communities in Labrador. A pretty dull sort of title, you¡¯ll admit, even for a history work. By the way, I don¡¯t like the expression ¡®Old People¡¯ very much. I¡¯ve been researching quite a lot, and I know plenty of things you won¡¯t have been taught at school, Michael. For example, I¡¯d heard of the Waknuk community even before Petra¡¯s little outburst. There was a town at that place before Tribulation, but it was called Wabush, not Waknuk. No record of any settlement where Kentak now stands, though.¡±

    Michael and Rachel were both interested now. ¡°And Rigo?¡± asked Rachel.

    ¡°The name seems to be derived from a tiny pre-Tribulation settle-ment called Rigolet, out on the coast¡ªbut the present-day Rigo isn¡¯t quite in the same place as Rigolet, which was completely inaccessible except by boat¡ªwhen the sea wasn¡¯t frozen.¡±

    ¡°Was the sea frozen often, back then? And what sort of people could live here?¡±

    ¡°Yes. And nowhere near as many as Labrador¡¯s population, now. As far as I can work out, there were two distinct tribes in this area. One of them was similar to present-day Labradoreans, but they didn¡¯t farm the land. It was too cold. Instead they grew trees for timber and mined the rocks for minerals. And did some fishing. You¡¯ll be surprised to learn that they spoke two distinct languages. One was like the one we use today: English, but the other was quite different. French, it was called¡ªand it originated in Europe¡­¡±

    ¡°Europe! We¡¯ve heard about that. One of the places we want to get to.¡±

    ¡°Well, I wish you luck¡ªif Europe still exists. And further north, here in Labrador and the islands further north, there seems to have lived a tribe who could endure the cold far better than we could. They too had their own language, called Inuit. They passed their lives mainly in fishing and hunting the seal. I believe some of their descendants still live in the far north of Labrador. And many towns and villages are still named in the original Inuit language¡ªor something very similar to it.¡±

    A sudden thought occurred to Rachel. ¡°And what about the name of this village? ¡®Ragnarok¡¯?¡± she asked, remembering the name she had copied onto the map.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s one of my puzzles¡ªbut perhaps my most interesting discovery. Seems to be an exception. Although it looks like a Labradorean word, all my research seems to indicate that it isn¡¯t. Not an English, not a French, not an Inuit word. Certainly not derived from any local pre-Tribulation settlement¡ªif there ever was one here: evidence says not. One source indicates that it¡¯s simply the word for ¡®Tribulation¡¯ in some unknown, forgotten language. Perhaps an early settler, a speaker of that language, made the first homestead here shortly after Tribulation itself, and wanted to remember. But I¡¯m more inclined to believe another legend, which says, it¡¯s the name of one of the gods who actually brought Tribulation down upon us.¡±

    ¡°One of the Gods? But we¡¯ve all been taught that there¡¯s only ever been one God, sometimes referred to as ¡®Lord¡¯, sometimes as ¡®Jehovah¡¯¡ªand that He doesn¡¯t have any other names¡­¡±

    ¡°Aha. Yes, that¡¯s what you would have been taught in Waknuk and Kentak, no doubt. No: the pre-Tribulation folks, around the world, had many different gods, all with different names and different characters¡­¡±

    Both Michael and Rachel found this hard to digest. It went against all the teaching they¡¯d had, and it made them uncomfortable. Peter sensed their uneasiness.

    ¡°Some things you learn about won¡¯t be easy. I know that. But let¡¯s leave it for now. I¡¯d like to show you both around the house, the village, and our fields. Then I¡¯ll leave it to you to think about staying for a while. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be able to continue on your trip to Rigo in time.¡±

 Chapter 18 - Winter at Ragnarok

    AS THEY were walking through the village with Peter, Tim, and Big Rachel, both Michael and Rachel felt uneasy about Peter¡¯s revelation¡ªif there was any chance of it being true. Even though both of them had despised the strict religious orthodoxy delivered by the likes of Joseph Strorm, the concept of ¡®different¡¯ gods¡ªmaybe with equal validity to the one they¡¯d been taught about, was some-thing difficult to accept. For a while they were silent.

    ¡°This is our house,¡± announced Big Rachel presently, as they reached a small cottage. ¡°Won¡¯t you please come in for a moment? It¡¯s smaller than Peter¡¯s and Justin¡¯s: that¡¯s why when we meet up it¡¯s usually in their house. But it¡¯s cosy enough for the two of us.¡±

    So they were taken for a quick tour of Tim and Rachel¡¯s home: one floor only, just a living room, bedroom, and kitchen with a big fireplace. They had no bathroom but a tin bath propped up against the kitchen wall proclaimed its utility¡ªas did the outside privy. But the cottage was very neat and tidy¡ªtestifying to Big Rachel¡¯s house-proud sensibilities. In the back yard there were several skins of familiar animals¡ªno Deviations amongst them, it seemed¡ªstretched out on frames to dry and cure.

    Tim and Big Rachel remained at their home. As the others returned to the street, the sun was setting. Peter suggested there was just enough daylight for them to do a quick tour of the fields at the back of the row of cottages. He pointed out those that belonged to him and Justin: a few rows of cabbages and potatoes, the rest dug over and awaiting sowing of next season¡¯s crops. Then they returned to Peter¡¯s and Justin¡¯s home in the twilight.

    ¡°Dinner in a few minutes,¡± announced Justin. ¡°I¡¯m afraid neither my Dad nor I are as good cooks as Rachel, but we do our best. Hope you¡¯ll be satisfied.¡±

    As indeed they were. A generous helping of roast pork, with cabbage, potatoes, and gravy, followed by a big apple pie, which Rachel had to admit to herself, despite her cookery skills, that she couldn¡¯t have bettered.

    After dinner Peter entertained them with more details that he had discovered about the history of Labrador. He spoke some short sentences in the ¡®French¡¯ language which he had learned in the course of his research. Both Michael and Rachel were baffled by the incomprehensible words, but Justin nodded smugly and then continued the speech, clearly even more fluent in the language than his father. Then they proceeded to teach Michael and Rachel some words of the language. ¡°Just for fun,¡± remarked Justin, ¡°but who knows? If you really do cross the sea to Europe, you may meet up with the original French speakers. If they still speak that language¡­¡±

    Eventually Michael and Rachel were sent off to bed. Peter warned them that next day they would have to come to the decision: whether they were to stay with them over the winter, or press on¡ªbut he repeated his urging them to stay.

    They woke up the next morning to see heavy snowfall outside, which was already settling on the ground. In the circumstances, they needed no further persuasion to come to the decision to remain put until the weather turned more favourable. As Rachel whispered to Michael, before breakfast, ¡°If we can¡¯t trust these people, who can we trust?¡± Michael remembered how they had trusted Beth, and how it had almost come unstuck. They had got away, nonetheless, without more than a little embarrassment.

    Peter explained that the cold weather with snowfalls usually didn¡¯t last more than six weeks¡ªafter then it would turn warmer again. And, to their great delight, Peter announced that he was thinking of coming with them, part of the way. He had been to Rigo several times¡ªresearching for his books as he explained¡ªand he expected to complete his work in progress just as the snows were melting. With a little help, he added. He suggested that both Michael and Rachel could both ¡®earn their keep¡¯ by helping around the house: Michael helping Justin outdoors, the work at present consisting mainly of feeding and looking after the animals, and cutting fire-wood, whilst Rachel would look after the house indoors, and help Peter with his book.

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    But Rachel wouldn¡¯t hear of this.

    ¡°You may think I¡¯m just a weak little girl, but think again! I may be small but I¡¯m pretty strong¡ªand I¡¯ve done plenty of hard physical work on the farm back in Waknuk. Let Michael help you with your book¡ªhe¡¯s the more educated of us, after all¡ªwhile I work with Justin outside.¡±

    And she was as good as her word. She proved to be excellent at handling the axe and the saw. On the rare, short hunting trips in which she accompanied Justin (much to his astonishment), she also showed real skill with the gun and the bow and arrows. Meanwhile Michael, with growing fascination, was learning all kinds of unheard-of facts about Labrador and the surrounding countries, as he assisted Peter in sorting through his notes and writing up fair copies. Peter had a special interest in the lakes of Labrador.

    ¡°Labrador used to be a land with thousands of lakes,¡± he explained. ¡°Most of them have gone now, but there are still traces. When you passed Curkajak, you saw the lake which extends many miles to the north of the village. That lake is a survivor from pre-Tribulation days, and Curkajak is built on a pre-Tribulation settlement called ¡®Churchak¡¯, apparently¡ªthough whether it was so named because there was a notable church there, I don¡¯t know.

    ¡°And many miles to the southwest of here¡ªfurther than Waknuk, in fact: it was possibly in your ¡®Wild country¡¯, but maybe not the part you visited¡ªthere used to be a fascinating lake, almost a perfect ring-shape. Most of it¡¯s gone now, but you can still make out the depression which it occupied. From what I can find out, it was created when a huge mass of rock hit the Earth, many millions of years ago. Lake Manag, it seems to have been called, though information is sketchy.

    ¡°Before Tribulation, most of the lakes in Labrador used to freeze over completely in the winter. Of course, they very rarely do so nowadays.¡±

    ¡°Yes: we learnt at school about Labrador having been a very cold land. So Tribulation changed all that. But no-one seemed to know how or why. Have you any ideas?¡±

    ¡°You learned about carbon dioxide at school, didn¡¯t you? But I don¡¯t suppose they told you what happens when a lot of carbon dioxide escapes into the atmosphere. Well, there¡¯s a theory going round¡ªnot everyone believes it, though¡ªthat Tribulation was attended by widespread forest fires all around the Earth: all those lands which still had large amounts of forest, that is. Trees are mostly carbon, and when they burn it produces huge volumes of carbon dioxide. There¡¯s a curious effect when there¡¯s too much carbon dioxide in the air. It causes the Earth to get warmer all around. Apparently this wasn¡¯t a good thing: it led to the sea level rising, lots of storms, countless millions of people and animals dying, many areas which hadn¡¯t already been devastated by Tribulation becoming desert, and uninhabitable.

    ¡°And some people even claim that this was already happening before Tribulation. There were many millions, hundreds of millions even, of people in the world back then, and they were burning too much wood and coal, to heat their houses and power their horseless carriages, to grow feed for their millions of livestock animals (they ate a lot of meat), and such things. But I¡¯m inclined to disbelieve this: I hardly imagine even the pre-Tribulation civilisations could have been so unwise and lacking in foresight.¡±

    ¡°So you think Tribulation was not just a single cataclysm but a whole series of unrelated events, one after the other?¡±

    ¡°Michael, no-one really knows what Tribulation was. A lot of learned men claim that, in part, it was something to do with splitting apart ¡®atoms¡¯, which they say are the smallest bits into which any sort of matter can be divided. But how on earth that could be achieved, I¡¯ve no idea.¡±

    Michael had much to think over in the next few weeks. He still understood little of Peter¡¯s theories and ideas, but he became quite adept at sorting, arranging, and transcribing Peter¡¯s work; Peter announced that as a result the book would be finished even sooner than expected. He explained that he would then have to take the manuscript to his publisher, some distance away in the direction of Rigo; then the book, after the publisher had checked it over and done some editing, would be sent off to Rigo itself to be printed. It was only in Rigo that a printing press existed, and a very precious piece of equipment it was.

    Sometimes Michael swapped jobs with Rachel: going outside to help with the firewood and do some hunting with Justin. Although Rachel had well proved her stamina outside, she still welcomed the occasional break indoors. The snow was thawing fast¡ªearlier than expected, Justin said¡ªand they began to prepare the soil in one of the fields for sowing some crops: beans at first, Justin explained.

 Chapter 19 - A Sudden Danger

    THE snow had almost gone, and it was getting warmer. The beans had been sown, and Justin was planning to sow out about an acre of oats¡ªmainly for animal fodder. And a litter of piglets had been born, meaning more work for Rachel¡ªand Michael, when he could drag himself away from Peter¡¯s study. One of the piglets was born with two tails: the first Deviation, Peter reported, that had been seen in the village for nearly eighteen months. There was none of the alarm that would have attended such an event in Waknuk. But, to avoid any arguments, they slaughtered the piglet and had a splendid roast dinner out of it.

    Peter had finished his book and was anxious to get the manuscript to his publisher, some seventy miles to the east. Michael and Rachel were eager to accompany him, but already Michael was seriously wondering whether they ought to just stay in Ragnarok and settle down to the quiet rural life there. Even Rachel¡ªonce so anxious to get to Rigo¡ªwas beginning to come round to that idea. Peter had offered to lend them some money to enable them to set up their own smallholding, renting one of the empty cottages in the village.

    But they hadn¡¯t counted on one thing¡­

    The alarm came early one morning, just as Michael and Rachel were getting up from bed.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got company,¡± came in an urgent thought-shape from Tim¡ªa rare occurrence for them now. ¡°Four of them; four men, with horses. Just been to our cottage, asking about any strangers seen recently. I think they¡¯re going from house to house¡­¡±

    ¡°Was one of them shortish, with long yellow hair tied in a pony-tail, by any chance?¡± put in Michael.

    ¡°As a matter of fact, yes, there was. How did you¡ª?¡±

    But Michael interrupted the incoming thought. ¡°Shit!¡± he exclaimed, in words. ¡°How the hell did they find us, here? Has someone peached on us?¡±

    Peter and Justin both came bursting into their bedroom without knocking, having heard Tim¡¯s message and Michael¡¯s outburst; Rachel just managing in time to wrap a sheet about her, to preserve her modesty. ¡°Quick!¡± hissed Peter, ¡°Get dressed as quickly as possible, warm clothes, then into my study, hurry!¡±

    As soon as Peter and Justin had left, Michael and Rachel dressed hurriedly and rushed into Peter¡¯s study, the room where he wrote his books. They saw that he and Justin had pushed the heavy desk to the side of the room and rolled up the carpet, exposing the floorboards, and Justin was now carefully levering up some of the boards with his knife: an artfully disguised trapdoor. In a moment he had it open, exposing a small, dark, and dank cellar beneath, with a stepladder leading down.

    ¡°Best we can do!¡± Peter whispered. ¡°We planned this hideout many years ago, just in case¡­ Down there quick! Sorry it¡¯s dark, and there¡¯s not much air¡ªbut hope you won¡¯t be there for too long. We¡¯ll do our best to get rid of the men. And no thought-shapes! We can¡¯t be sure¡­¡±

    Indeed they were hardly down in the cellar before Justin threw down all their clothes and other possessions after them: then he carefully closed the trapdoor, leaving them in pitch darkness. They could hear the sounds of the carpet being rolled back, and the desk being pushed back to its normal position. They were well and truly trapped, and very uncomfortable. They could hear Justin and Peter walking around above them¡ªpresumably to conceal all signs of their presence there. It was about five minutes later that they heard a thunderous knocking at the door, accompanied by shouts of ¡°Open up!¡±

    They could hear voices faintly from the living-room. ¡°Inspector, Kentak district,¡± one of them seemed to pronounce. ¡°We¡¯re looking for a couple of criminal fugitives: seen any strangers around here lately? A young man and a young woman?¡±

    ¡°Criminals?¡± they heard Peter exclaim¡ªperhaps a little louder than necessary, for their benefit. ¡°What sort of criminals? What are they supposed to have done?¡±

    ¡°Murder and arson,¡± another voice said. A voice which Michael vaguely recognised¡ªthe farm-hand from Sally¡¯s farm. ¡°Bastard!¡± he thought to himself. But the voice continued, ¡°Suspected of having set fire to a farm in the Kentak district: burned completely to the ground, along with the people inside it Horrid business. And we also suspect them of being involved in the death of a traveller, who was found on the road alongside his horse and cart, a few miles south of there¡ªkilled by an arrow apparently. So: have you seen anybody fitting their description?¡± And he gave a fairly accurate description of Michael, with a much less so one of Rachel.

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    ¡°Can¡¯t say as we have¡ªhave you, Justin?¡± answered Peter. They did not hear Justin¡¯s reply. The discussions dropped to a level they found more difficult to eavesdrop, but it seemed that the men were explaining themselves, not aggressively, while Peter was giving an account of his and Justin¡¯s set-up in the house. It appeared to be quite amicable. There were footsteps, constantly moving from room to room. The visitors seemed to be carrying out a thorough search of the entire house. Michael could only hope that their hosts had done a good job of hiding, or explaining away, any possessions of theirs which hadn¡¯t been thrown in the cellar.

    There were some alarming moments when the footsteps returned to almost right above them, and there were sounds of the desk being shifted. But apparently the men were satisfied, and after more inaudible conversation they heard the front door close. Then silence for what seemed like an interminable time. Michael judged that it was fully half an hour, with the air becoming intolerably stuffy, before, to their immense relief, they heard the heavy desk being dragged aside and the carpet rolled up.

    When the trapdoor was opened it was some time before they could recover from the blinding light. They thrust their spare clothes back through the hatch and then clambered stiffly out, to join Peter and Justin who were smiling broadly. It was a while before they were able to speak.

    ¡°I suppose this changes everything,¡± said Michael, despairingly.

    ¡°Yes it does,¡± agreed Peter. ¡°But they haven¡¯t found you¡ªyet¡ªso keep your spirits up! We had some luck on our side. Justin was able to make up his bed in my room, so that it appeared not to have been slept in, and he made a good pretence of having slept in your room. And luckily we hadn¡¯t started preparing breakfast (I¡¯m sure you¡¯re hungry!). They wanted to see the animals and the stable, so Justin took them round there. Then they appeared satisfied, and they left. They¡¯re probably pestering others in the village now. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be betrayed. They¡¯re obviously Inspectorate people, and such folk aren¡¯t well-liked in these parts. I think you¡¯ll find that our neighbours, those who have seen you, will be on your side. They won¡¯t mention our visitors.¡±

    ¡°Did these men mention Deviations? Or Blasphemies?¡±

    ¡°No. Not once. All the talk was of ¡®common criminals¡¯. I suppose they realised that talk of Deviations would carry far less weight, or alarm, in this part of Labrador, than it does in the West. After all, as you¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s hardly a problem for us. And I¡¯m quite sure they never once suspected Justin and me¡ªnor Tim and Big Rachel¡ªof being thought-shapers.

    ¡°Oh, and I went round to Tim and Rachel¡¯s, while Justin was showing our ¡®visitors¡¯ round the stables. It was dangerous¡ªbut perhaps the only option¡ªfor Tim to have contacted you by thought-shape. There¡¯s always a risk that they¡¯d have someone in their team who could detect thought-shapes. But luckily that doesn¡¯t seem to have been the case. And Tim¡¯s house was searched all over¡ªjust like ours¡ªbut nothing there seems to have raised any suspicions.

    ¡°But you¡¯ll have to leave¡ªalmost at once. Your luck won¡¯t hold out: they¡¯re sure to be back. I¡¯m coming with you, at least part of the way.¡± Both Michael and Rachel could barely conceal their joy at this news. ¡°I know some trails which those men will hardly be able to find, let alone follow,¡± continued Peter. ¡°But we¡¯ll have to go on horseback: I was hoping to take the cart, but it can¡¯t be used on the trails.¡±

    ¡°But how the hell did they find this place?¡± put in Michael. ¡°We¡¯re miles from anywhere. What on Earth drew them to this village?¡±

    ¡°Hard to say,¡± replied Peter. ¡°I did ask them, why didn¡¯t they follow the road to Rigo, seeing as that¡¯s where most fugitives will surely head for? They said they had done, for quite a long way, but then they reckoned they¡¯d lost the trail: you must have turned off somewhere before then. So they backed up quite a long way, debating amongst themselves as to whether you¡¯d turned north or south. They thought north more likely, seeing as that way is more sparsely populated. I countered by suggesting that south would be quite a good option: amongst the larger and more frequent villages it¡¯d be easier to ¡®lose¡¯ oneself. I hope I sounded convincing.

    ¡°But once they¡¯d decided to strike north, they¡¯d certainly have made enquiries at all the shops and inns they came across. You mentioned that you stopped a couple of nights at the inn in Curkajak. That was rather unwise of you¡ªI suppose you thought you were in ¡®safe¡¯ territory by then¡ªbut it can¡¯t be helped now. The innkeeper is sure to have remembered you¡ªespecially since you had the cheek to ask to copy his map! The shopkeepers might have remembered, too. Curkajak is one of the biggest villages in this part of Labrador. I don¡¯t know whether you were betrayed, but not everyone there can be trusted. And I believe you even mentioned that you were going to head east or south-east! Once your pursuers reached Curkajak, having that information, it would have narrowed down their search quite a lot!

    ¡°So: we move as soon as we can get everything ready. It¡¯s lucky your horses are in good shape: you can thank us for that!¡±

 Chapter 20 - The Road Again

    IT TOOK the rest of the day for Michael and Rachel to pack every-thing they needed to take with them, and get ready to continue their long journey. Peter insisted that they should start the following morning: he felt confident that they wouldn¡¯t be surprised during the night.

    ¡°Travelling by night has its advantages, of course, if you¡¯re being followed: but in this part of Labrador, at this time of year, it¡¯s too dangerous. Especially on horseback. Even though I know the country around here pretty well, we¡¯d be sure to lose the trail. No: we¡¯ll take our chances and set off tomorrow morning. If the men return, Justin will cover for me, after all he only has to tell them I¡¯ve set off to meet my publisher. Which is perfectly true, as it happens. Let¡¯s hope they don¡¯t notice that four horses are missing from the stable¡­¡±

    ¡°Four horses?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Rachel and you will, of course, ride your own, and I¡¯ll be riding one of ours. And another to carry most of our baggage. That way we¡¯ll be able to travel faster and easier. But we absolutely must have our horses back, some time. Our plan leaves Justin with only one horse of our own, in case he has to go off somewhere. Of course he may be able to borrow another horse from the villagers¡ªmany of them are in our stables after all. But there¡¯s a risk.¡±

    More than a small risk, Michael thought, as he and Rachel settled down for the night. Both of them found it hard to sleep: every time there was a noise outside, be it only a dog barking, or a horse stamping its feet in the stables, they started up in great anxiety. They could hear owls hooting in the nearby forest, something they had never noticed up till then¡ªand that kept them awake too. Just before dawn they finally snatched an hour or two of sleep.

    It was still early twilight when Peter woke them. ¡°All ready?¡± he announced. They quickly dressed, ate a hurried breakfast, and wrapped themselves up in their furs: how grateful they were to have them! They bid farewell to Justin, who wished them a safe journey: Rachel flung herself at him and kissed him full on the mouth, passionately if somewhat over-exuberantly. The horses were already saddled outside: they were just loading up the pack-horse when Tim and Big Rachel appeared, leading another horse.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you,¡± announced Big Rachel. Michael and Rachel could only gape, utterly astonished. ¡°You¡¯re better off with four than with three, and Tim can spare me for a few weeks. He hasn¡¯t got much work on at the moment, and he¡¯s getting pretty good at keeping house and doing the cooking. If the men return and ask questions, he¡¯ll easily make up a story: say I¡¯m visiting my sick mother in another village.¡±

    Although Michael and Rachel¡ªand Peter too, for that matter¡ªprotested that they could have managed quite all right, just the three of them, Big Rachel was insistent. In the end they needed little persuasion: they were after all utterly delighted to have the extra company. And Big Rachel was a good horsewoman, and an excellent cook, well skilled at cooking in the wild. They would be grateful for that.

    Tim announced that he had seen the men departing the village, late the previous day, going south. There was a faint hope that they had heeded Peter¡¯s misleading ¡®advice¡¯ and set about searching the land south of the Rigo highway. If so, it would take them several days even to reach the crossing point. At any rate, there was a good chance of not encountering them on the journey. But they would need to be cautious.

    They bade farewell to Tim and set off. Peter led them south out of the village, back along the road they had come by. After a little less than an hour they reached the fork where the other road joined, from Liapik. They continued south for another half mile, then Peter turned off to the left, taking an almost invisible trail to the east. The ground was stony here, surrounding a small stream, and the horses¡¯ hooves left no imprint.

    Michael remembered, with some amusement, how careful he had been to cover their tracks, when they had left the road out of Kentak while being pursued. Clearly he and Peter thought alike!

    The new trail was uneven and difficult to follow, but both Peter and Big Rachel knew the way. There were places where they had to dis-mount and lead the horses. And there were many streams they had to cross. Some of them in spate from melting snow¡ªquite treacherous. Peter¡¯s and Big Rachel¡¯s horses, as well as their pack-horse, were more adept at these crossings than Michael¡¯s or Rachel¡¯s, born and bred in Waknuk district, where there were fewer watercourses and snow was less common.

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    They bivouacked just as dusk was falling, under the shelter of a tree growing against a large boulder. Big Rachel lit a fire and cooked two rabbits that she had shot with bow and arrow, proving herself a skilled hunter¡ªwhich made Michael envious. At least they enjoyed a hearty meal¡ªbetter than anything they¡¯d been able to eat while out in the wild, before they came to Ragnarok.

    They had also loaded the pack-horse with a tent and some blankets, so they would be able to sleep quite comfortably. But after supper they sat up by their fire, talking long about the recent events.

    ¡°Why do you suppose ¡®Yellow-Hair¡¯ was pursuing us so far?¡± muttered Michael, plaintively. This was how he and Rachel had dubbed the farm-hand who was chasing them. ¡°What has he got against me, that he goes after us again and again? After all, we only met once¡ªat Sally¡¯s farm, where he simply ordered me to ¡®clear off¡¯. Why should he have thought I was a Deviant in the first place? I only asked if Sally was there. I could have been an old friend, knowing nothing of her thought-shape powers, or her arrest and torture.¡±

    ¡°He was probably working for your local Inspector,¡± suggested Peter. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say, you saw them side by side at Rachel¡¯s father¡¯s funeral?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ªbut no! The Waknuk district Inspector was firm but fair. He had to enforce the Purity laws, and he was quite strict where local Deviations were concerned¡ªbut he wouldn¡¯t have sent out a posse all the way across Labrador, chasing a Deviant who had clearly left the district and was unlikely to return. That wasn¡¯t his style. He wasn¡¯t obsessive in that way. I knew him: he wouldn¡¯t act like this.¡±

    ¡°OK, then. There were others in your district. What about Joseph Strorm, David¡¯s father? There we had, by all accounts, a man obsessed with ridding the whole of Labrador of Deviants. Could he have recruited him?¡±

    ¡°Strorm is dead, you remember. Killed by his own brother, in the Fringes battle. He¡¯d set out in pursuit of his own children almost immediately after they fled. He wouldn¡¯t have had time to recruit Yellow-Hair¡ªif he only did so after Sally and Katherine were arrested. Unless he got at him long before then¡­¡±

    ¡°Someone else then. I seem to remember, you said that at the episode with Petra¡¯s dead pony, a stranger stumbled on the scene? Someone rather suspicious?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. A man named Jerome Skinner. I never met him: luckily both of us had left the scene before he arrived. But both Sally and Katherine knew him apparently: they said he was something of a busybody in their district. And it could well have been he who brought the Inspector down onto them, got them arrested¡­¡±

    ¡°Could it be him?¡±

    ¡°No. David described him as a much older man. A pity I never saw him, or got a full description¡ªbut the only people who did see him are either dead or out of reach. I wonder if he had yellow hair¡­ or perhaps his wife¡­¡±

    ¡°You mean, the young man you call ¡®Yellow-Hair¡¯ could be his son?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible. And it would explain a lot. There are, I¡¯m afraid, plenty more ¡®Strorms¡¯ in and around the Waknuk district, to replace the Strorm who¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°Both of you are well out of that benighted place, then. Now, let¡¯s get some sleep, shall we?¡±

    Both Peter and Big Rachel judged that, where they were at present, it was safe enough not to set a watch¡ªand both Michael and Rachel needed a full night¡¯s sleep¡ªso they all piled into the tent. It was cosy, and with the four of them crammed close together inside, it was comfortably warm. Both Michael and Rachel, still feeling the effects of their lack of sleep the night before, fell asleep almost immediately and slept soundly right through the night. At dawn, Michael woke, and crawled out of the tent. Big Rachel was already outside: she¡¯d found a nearby stream and, stripped to the waist, she was busy washing herself. Catching sight of Michael, she turned and winked at him, without apparently any embarrassment. At that moment Rachel also appeared out of the tent. Seeing Big Rachel, she shrugged, pulled off her top, and joined her at the stream. Michael followed suit, a bit shyly. There was no sign of Peter yet.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get us something for breakfast,¡± said Big Rachel at last, drying herself off, putting on her blouse and jacket, and grabbing her bow and arrows. She disappeared off round the far side of the boulder. A few minutes later Peter emerged, looking somewhat bleary-eyed. He went to the stream but merely splashed some water over his face and into his beard. He then re-lit the fire and started heating up some water.

    Big Rachel wasn¡¯t long returning. Michael had half expected more rabbit for breakfast, but she was swinging a pair of large pigeons by their legs.

    ¡°Best I could manage this time¡ªbut it¡¯ll be enough for all of us. And we¡¯ve got some bread and cocoa¡ªenough to last a few days.¡±

    The pigeons took a while to cook over the fire, so the sun was already well up in the sky by the time they¡¯d rolled up the tent, packed, and set off.

 Chapter 21 - In Search of Peterâ€™s Publisher

    AS THE horses slowly picked their way along the rough, and sometimes indistinct, trail, Michael was still musing over several thoughts in his mind that he was still not satisfied about. At a wider stretch of the trail, he brought his horse up alongside Peter¡¯s.

    ¡°About that burned-out farm, Peter: you know, the one Rachel and I are accused of torching¡ªI can only suppose that Yellow-Hair was referring to Katherine¡¯s farm, back home, which I came across when I went out looking for her, totally gutted. So my guess is, he and his mates probably burnt the place down themselves, and then tried to frame us. The bastard!¡±

    ¡°Very likely,¡± replied Peter. ¡°My guess is, Katherine¡¯s parents tried to shield her, and they ended up paying the ¡®ultimate penalty¡¯. Whether they were really burnt alive, or simply shot¡ªwho can tell? I think the latter more likely.¡±

    ¡°But Sally¡¯s farm escaped torching, and was still working. Why the difference? I¡¯m now remembering something Sally told us, just before her arrest. She said Jerome Skinner was a friend of her father¡¯s. Was it possible that Sally¡¯s father had a hand in putting the screws on Sally¡ªand Katherine?¡±

    ¡°David¡¯s father, Joseph, by your account, was murderous and tyrannical. He was prepared to hunt down and exterminate his own children. So why not Sally¡¯s father, too?¡±

    ¡°So there is someone still alive to carry on Strorm¡¯s work, it seems. That whole area, around Waknuk and Kentak, seems extremely dangerous, indeed,¡± continued Michael. ¡°We¡¯re lucky to be well away, even if we are being followed. I only hope Mark and Stephanie got away safely too.

    ¡°And speaking of Stephanie¡ªyes it was she¡ªSophie¡ªwho shot the man they found on the southern road. But it was self-defence: he¡¯d have killed us both if we hadn¡¯t acted. He killed our horse¡ªwell, as good as. It was so badly injured that I had to shoot it.¡±

    ¡°Your mention of Mark and Stephanie¡ªthat¡¯s a good point,¡± said Peter. ¡°We¡¯re heading south-east now: I¡¯m planning to intersect the Kentak to Rigo road some time. My publisher lives in a small village just south of that road. We could try contacting Mark once again when we reach the road. But my guess is, if they hit no obstacles, they should have reached Rigo weeks ago. They may well be wondering what¡¯s happened to you and Rachel. They may even be on board ship. You could try sending a thought-shape when you get closer to Rigo¡ªbut beware! Rigo is safer than Waknuk¡ªbut still not entirely safe for thought-shapers.¡±

    They continued along the trail in silence, most of the time in single file. At around midday, they crossed the road which Michael and Rachel had followed from Curkajak¡ªbut a good deal further east than where they had left that road. Peter urged caution, insisting that Michael and Rachel hold back, hiding as best they could in a clump of trees, while he and Big Rachel went ahead to reconnoitre.

    They soon returned with signs of relief. ¡°Not a soul to be seen anywhere,¡± announced Peter. ¡°But it¡¯s not safe for us to continue even on this road for too long. About three miles further, there¡¯s another narrow trail leading south. We¡¯ll follow that as far as the Rigo road, where we¡¯ll need to take care again.¡±

    They urged their horses into a gentle trot, for which the horses seemed to be relieved. As Peter had promised, three miles on they came upon the trail to the right. As with the other places where they had left the road, the ground was stony, and there was a stream crossing the road at this point. They had picked their way along the trail for about twenty minutes when Peter pronounced a stop for lunch. There was a small wood behind them, between them and the road, and Peter was fairly certain that they could not be seen from it. But he firmly refused to let them light a fire. ¡°The rising smoke might be seen from the road: we¡¯re not far enough away, and we can¡¯t take any chances.¡± Even Big Rachel protested at this, saying that she was quite capable of starting a fire making very little smoke, but Peter was adamant. So they had to resort to bread, cheese, and ham, plus some of the few apples they¡¯d brought along with them.

    So they continued. The weather had turned colder again, and there were brief flurries of snow, although none of it was settling. In the evening they halted once again in the shelter of a small cliff. Once again Big Rachel demanded that they light a fire: ¡°If we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll freeze to death, and how will that help us?¡± At length Peter relented: they were further from the road, the smoke wouldn¡¯t be seen once it got dark, and the cliff was between them and the road.

    So, in the last of the daylight, Big Rachel managed to down another brace of pigeons with her bow, and they enjoyed a heartier supper than they¡¯d expected. That night they set a watch, and Michael, who once again found it hard to sleep, took Rachel¡¯s watch as well as his own.

    They continued in this manner for another three days. At length, in the afternoon of the fourth day, they saw the wider Rigo road ahead. Once again Peter asked Michael and Rachel¡ªand Big Rachel as well, this time¡ªto hold back, while he surveyed the road alone.

    At this point they put out a cautious thought-shape, hoping to raise Mark, but without success.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    This time the road was not deserted. There were several travellers making their way in both directions, some with horse and cart, some on horseback, some on foot. It was fully half an hour before Peter came back and pronounced the road safe to cross.

    ¡°This time we¡¯ll be going straight across: the trail continues on the other side, thankfully. But it soon turn east and runs parallel to the main road. We¡¯ll have to be specially careful. And, although it leads almost straight to the village we¡¯re aiming for, it¡¯ll be a lot slower than if we continued on the road¡ªbut that can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    It was another two days of cheerless picking their way along the difficult trail¡ªfor once again Peter forbade the lighting of any fires. At last, as daylight was fading on the third day, they caught site of a cluster of houses and a church ahead, which Peter explained was ¡®Palukaat¡¯¡ªthe name of the village where his publisher, Samuel, like Peter a widower, lived. Eagerly, they hastened towards the village.

    But now they had a setback. Peter knocked on the door of Samuel¡¯s house, and the housekeeper appeared. She explained, apologetically, that Samuel wasn¡¯t there: a few days ago he¡¯d set out to see the printers in Rigo, and he wasn¡¯t expected back for another two weeks.

    Peter was now at a loss. He said they couldn¡¯t risk staying¡ªat least, not all four of them¡ªat Palukaat for two whole weeks. He¡¯d been hoping that Samuel, as was his custom, would invite him to stay at the house for a day or two while they went over the manuscript¡ªbut that was a favour he couldn¡¯t ask of the housekeeper. There was no inn at Palukaat: even if there had been one, he could not have afforded to stay the whole time. In any case, it had been his intention to send the others on to Rigo without him. He wondered whether to stick to this plan.

    At length he made his mind up. ¡°I¡¯ll come along to Rigo, after all. I really do need to catch Samuel, and we can get there in about three days¡ªon the road. Of course it¡¯ll be risky, but if Samuel returns early, that¡¯ll be the way he¡¯ll be coming, and I can¡¯t afford to miss him. We just have to hope against hope that your pursuers followed my suggestion and struck south. If so, good luck to them!¡± he added, with a smile.

    So they retreated along the trail they had come by, until they were out of sight of the village, and made camp. Once again without a fire, and once again they set a watch. The next morning they returned to the village and took the road leading north out of it a short distance, until it joined the main road.

    Having no other option, they turned east and urged their horses to a fast trot¡ªwhich once again the horses seemed to enjoy. Michael and Rachel both guessed that they were in need of the exercise. They passed several travellers on the road, but merely exchanged ¡°Good day¡±s with them, without a hint of any suspicion. The four of them gave the appearance of being just ordinary travellers, after all. They also passed, from time to time, a Mail-coach: the light Mail, drawn by four horses, or the heavy Mail, drawn by six. The Mail driver of course did not deign to greet them: he merely blew his horn as he approached, signalling to them to leave the road clear for his passage¡ªbut he did doff his hat briefly as he passed them.

    Of Yellow-Hair and his accomplices, they saw no sign.

    They could not, of course, camp on the road itself, so in the evenings they looked for trails leading to either side, along which they could retreat until out of sight of the road, and make camp. For most of the nights they were lucky¡ªand Peter even relented so far as to allow them to light fires. Other travellers on the road would do likewise, he admitted, and a column of smoke, or even the light of a fire itself, wouldn¡¯t be remarked upon. Sometimes they were unable to find a trail and had to force their way across country, often picking their way through dense forest. But they did not have to stray far off the road on these occasions. Each night, as previously, they set a watch, but were undisturbed.

    The villages became much more frequent, now, and they had to pause at the shop more than once. They were running low in provisions, and Big Rachel couldn¡¯t exercise her hunting skills very often now. Peter insisted on going into the shops alone: he was known to many of the shopkeepers and wouldn¡¯t have aroused suspicion.

    At length they found themselves at the top of a high hill, looking down towards what seemed like an endless lake about two miles off, fading into the distance both to the north-east and the south-west.

    ¡°Rigo¡¯s just down there, on the north shore of that lake: in fact it¡¯s a sea inlet, not a lake¡ªalthough it¡¯s called a lake: Lake Melf,¡± announced Peter. ¡°It¡¯ll be your first taste of salt water! But you¡¯ll see.

    The first thing to do, even before descending to the city, was to try and contact Mark and Stephanie once more. Rachel took upon herself that task, being the one most attached to Mark. But, despite her sending out her strongest possible thought-shape, they detected nothing.

    Rachel was close to tears once again, but Michael took her in his arms and tried to comfort her. ¡°Perhaps they haven¡¯t reached Rigo? Perhaps they stayed in Kentak after all? Perhaps it¡¯s just that they¡¯re asleep? We don¡¯t have to fear the worst. Not yet.¡±

    Big Rachel looked a bit uneasy. She waited until Rachel had more or less composed herself once more. Then she announced ¡°This is where I turn back. I don¡¯t really need to come down with you into Rigo itself, especially seeing as you¡¯ve got Peter with you¡ªand I didn¡¯t want to leave Tim on his own for so long. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll manage fine from now on. I¡¯ll do my best to contact Mark as I travel west. If I do so, I¡¯ll get word sent to you.

    ¡°But beware, Rachel and Michael (I don¡¯t need to warn Peter)! Rigo is safer than where you came from, but there are still spies and informers around the city. If you must send thought-shapes, do so with extreme caution. And best of luck!¡±

    The others could only thank Big Rachel profusely for coming so far and for her help. They wished her a safe journey back, a bit fearful for her safety: but she made light of it. ¡°I can go back along the road, no need to cut across country. I should get back much more quickly than we came here. And I know the country pretty well. So good-bye all!¡±

    She re-mounted her horse and rode back along the road until she was out of sight.

 Chapter 22 - Rigo

    RIGO! The city teemed with people, more than either Michael or Rachel had ever seen in one place before. The streets were crowded: almost blocked with people walking, horses, carts¡ªand the shops! The restaurants! The strange, exotic foods and other produce on sale. Peter guided them round: introduced them to something called ¡®chocolate¡¯¡ªthey recognised that it had a family resemblance to the cocoa they were accustomed to drinking, but this was a novelty. A delectable sweetmeat with a taste all of its own. Also a fragrant drink called ¡®tea¡¯. This was a strange taste to them at first, entirely new to both Michael and Rachel. But they soon became addicted to it and its reviving qualities. Peter told them that there could also be found in Rigo another exotic drink called ¡®coffee¡¯¡ªbut he¡¯d break them into that gently. It took some getting used to, he said.

    Rachel asked, what were these drinks made from? Peter explained that the raw materials grew in much warmer places, further south, and were brought to Rigo by sea. Perhaps, in their travels, they might visit such places¡­

    But the strangest thing of all, to Michael and Rachel, was the diversity in the people they saw thronging the streets. Several had eyes unlike any they had seen in Labrador before: narrower than the eyes of all the people he had known¡ªand they also had high cheek-bones. Michael asked, were these mutants? Peter replied, no, they were descendants of the Inuit, an authentic pre-Tribulation race of people¡ªas he had already explained to them before¡ªwho had lived in the far north of Labrador and beyond.

    Michael muttered, half jokingly, ¡°They¡¯d certainly be classed as Mutants if they strayed as far as Waknuk. Though perhaps, with Strorm gone, the treatment wouldn¡¯t be so harsh¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ever call them Mutants, even in jest, if you come to meet any Inuit,¡± retorted Peter, somewhat angrily. ¡°The same goes for some others you¡¯re about to meet. None of the people living in Rigo are Mutants in the true sense of the word. And don¡¯t you forget it! You¡¯ll be learning a lot about human diversity while you¡¯re here¡ªand on your travels.

    ¡°But come now. I have to find Samuel, and I¡¯d like to introduce you to him. He¡¯ll be interested.¡±

    Peter led them through the bewildering maze of streets. Michael remembered how familiar he had been with the streets of Kentak, but this place was ten times bigger. Without Peter they¡¯d have been lost in a few minutes. Peter explained that Samuel was probably staying at one of the many inns in Rigo: he wasn¡¯t quite sure which. He might be in his room, he might be having a meal or drinking at a bar, or he might be at the printer¡¯s. They couldn¡¯t be sure.

    They tried several inns until they struck lucky. At the fourth inn they enquired at, the landlord told them: yes, Samuel was staying there, and he believed he was in his room at the time. So they quickly arranged stabling for their horses, went up to Samuel¡¯s room, and knocked on the door; a voice called ¡°Who is it?¡± and Peter announced himself, then they heard a cheerful ¡°Come in!¡±

    Samuel came forward to greet them, and he and Peter enthusiastic-ally embraced one another: they were clearly old friends of long standing. But Michael and Rachel could only gape. Peter had told them about the many different types of people to be found in Rigo, but this man, Samuel, was in a class of his own. Skin dark, in fact almost completely black, short greying hair, tightly curled, unlike any hair they had seen before. The shape of the nose and lips also seemed alien to them¡­

    After Peter had introduced his companions, and he and Samuel had exchanged a few words in conversation, Peter explaining their mission, Samuel caught Michael and Rachel staring. He chuckled. ¡°New to you, am I? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m cool. And I don¡¯t live in Rigo, I live out west in a village called Palukaat.¡± Michael and Rachel nodded. ¡°Folks out there find me strange, too. Some of them call me a ¡®Mutant¡¯¡ªwhich I don¡¯t particularly care for¡ªbut I¡¯m used to it. I¡¯ve never been further west than Peter¡¯s house in Ragnarok. I¡¯m told folks get more and more suspicious and intolerant the further west you go.¡±

    Michael nodded again. He was remembering something David had told him, years ago. Something he had learned from his much-travelled Uncle Axel:

    ¡®¡­there are even said to be some islands where both the men and the women would be passed as true images if it weren¡¯t that some strange Deviation has turned them all completely black¡­¡¯

    Michael tried a long shot. ¡°Mr¡­ er¡­ Mr¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, call me Samuel, please. Everyone else does.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Michael continued ¡°Er¡­ Samuel, do you come from an island down South?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t: I was born here in Rigo¡ªbut others have asked me that same question. And my parents sailed north to Rigo before I was born, from an island called Barbados, many thousands of miles to the south. I have a brother and two sisters living here in Rigo. Yes, they look like me. And there are several others. My late wife was one. She too was born in Rigo, of parents who sailed from the South.¡±

    ¡°Thousands of miles?¡± put in Rachel.

    ¡°Yes, thousands. Perhaps you folk don¡¯t realise how big the world is. Of course, you guys from out west, with your rather blinkered view of the world¡ª¡± Michael scowled, but said nothing ¡°¡ªprobably think the world is flat, or something.¡±

    ¡°I have had some schooling,¡± retorted Michael, not a little annoyed. ¡°But they never taught me about your folk. So your ancestors, from before Tribulation, really looked like you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. And a hard time my folk had, back then. You wouldn¡¯t have been taught that, either. You¡¯d have been told how wonderful and civilised and well-behaved the Old People were, the white Old People that is (we call folks with your skin colour ¡®white¡¯). Well, they weren¡¯t! Some of them treated us black folk abominably. Kept us as slaves for hundreds of years, according to some accounts. And even after the laws changed, and white folks weren¡¯t allowed to keep slaves any more, we were still cruelly mistreated in some parts of the world. That¡¯s what some of your Old People were like. And all this happened long before Tribulation¡­¡±

    Michael and Rachel both kept silent. Both of them were shocked: they had much to think about.

    ¡°But anyway,¡± continued Samuel, ¡°I have work to do: much business to discuss with Peter about his new book: we have to go over all the text and see if it¡¯s fit for publishing. Never been to Rigo before, have you? I tell you what, why don¡¯t you call on my son Benjamin and his wife? Peter will show you where he lives, won¡¯t you Peter? It¡¯s not far from here. When I come to Rigo I stop here at the inn, instead of at their house, because the grandchildren would pester me all the time and interfere with my work.¡±

    Peter at once agreed to show them to Benjamin¡¯s house. He left his completed manuscript with Samuel: then the three of them went down to the street again and threaded their way on foot through yet more intricate corners and turnings. As soon as they were a little way away from the inn, Michael asked the question which had been nagging at him ever since they¡¯d met Samuel.

    ¡°Is Samuel¡ªcan he do¡ªthought-shapes? Does he know about them¡ªabout you?

    ¡°No,¡± replied Peter. ¡°He isn¡¯t a telepath, nor is his son. And no¡ªI haven¡¯t told them. Samuel¡¯s a very good friend of mine, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s trustworthy¡ªas, certainly, is Benjamin¡ªbut it doesn¡¯t do to burden them with secrets which are dangerous to possess, does it? So no talk of thought-shapes, and certainly no using thought-shapes, while we¡¯re at Benjamin¡¯s! If the subject of your wishing to flee Labrador altogether crops up, and we need a cover-story, we¡¯ll think of something. We could explain just how bigoted folk are, back at Waknuk and Kentak. You could have been guilty of aiding and abetting, or sheltering, Mutants, without being Mutants your-selves¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, that makes sense. And something I¡¯ve noticed about Norms (no!¡ªwhy do I call non-thought-shapers ¡®Norms¡¯? We¡¯re just as much Norms as they are: they¡¯re simply in a different world to ours). Anyway, some non-thought-shapers appear to be able to sense when we¡¯re using thought-shapes. Rachel¡¯s Mum had known for a long time¡ªbut then she¡¯d raised two thought-shapers in the form of her own children: she was bound to discover. And there was Sophie¡ªStephanie. She wasn¡¯t a thought-shaper at first: still a very weak one¡ªbut she sensed pretty quickly when David was talking in thought-shapes. She sensed me too¡ªwhen I got back in touch with Rachel. And David told us about Sophie¡¯s mum. Maybe it¡¯s the ones who have this power¡ªtelepathy¡ªin them already, very weakly¡­

    ¡°And¡­I¡¯m remembering something else. Rosalind was telling us, hastily, in thought-shapes, just as she, David and Petra were fleeing from Waknuk. About her mother, who¡¯d helped her to pack. Who knew she had to fly for her life. ¡®She¡¯s sort of half-known, guessed something, for some time now. I don¡¯t know how much she¡¯s guessed¡ªshe never spoke about it at all. I think she felt that as long as she didn¡¯t have to admit it in words, it might be all right.¡¯ Do you think it runs in families, weak in some generations, strong in others¡ªor is it just random?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? If it¡¯s random, then anyone in Rigo might be able to detect thought-shapes. So you¡¯re heeding my warning, yes?¡± put in Peter. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to use thought-shapes in the presence of strangers. Why do you think I¡¯ve avoided using them, unless absolutely necessary, all these years?¡±

    The evening was drawing in when, after about twenty minutes, they stopped at the door of a house in a rather dingy street. Peter knocked and a young man and woman came to open the door.

    ¡°Hi, Benjamin, hi, Laura, remember me?¡± announced Peter. They both replied, ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just been to see your Dad, Benjamin. New book I¡¯m hoping he¡¯ll publish. And I¡¯ve brought some friends here to meet you, Rachel and Michael, here.¡±

    ¡°Good to meet you,¡± said Benjamin, with a smile. They noticed that, while his skin was as dark as his father¡¯s, Laura¡¯s skin was the same colour as theirs. So marriages between these very different-looking people did happen¡ªin Rigo at least!

 Chapter 23 - At Benjamin and Lauraâ€™s

    THE three of them had barely crossed the threshold when three little girls¡ªthe eldest of them could not have been older than six, came romping towards them, delighted at the entrance of visitors. They crowded around Rachel, tugging at her clothes, and she swept up the youngest of them into her arms. Rachel was delighted: these were the first children she and Michael had met, since they left Waknuk.

    ¡°Well, the children certainly seem to have taken to you,¡± laughed Laura. ¡°It¡¯s their bed-time soon, but I¡¯ll let them stay up a bit longer, as a treat. And why don¡¯t you all have supper with us? It¡¯s on the stove now: I can easily put some more in the pot.¡±

    But Peter excused himself, saying he wanted to get back to Samuel, and would dine with him at the inn. He promised to book a room for them at the inn. It would be safe enough, under a false name, and this inn was quite easy-going: no questions would be asked and no demands for Normalcy cards: ¡°You¡¯re Mr and Mrs Smith. Will that do? It used to be a very common name before Tribulation, though it¡¯s rare in present-day Labrador. Will you try to remember that?¡±

    Michael and Rachel nodded. And Benjamin promised to show them the way back to the inn.

    ¡°And another thing. How are you for money?¡± asked Peter. Michael had to admit that they had very little left. Even if it had not been for Beth¡¯s raid on his purse, their cash had barely been enough to hold out during the last leg of their journey. Without Big Rachel¡¯s hunting prowess, they might well have starved before reaching Rigo.

    ¡°I¡¯ll lend you some,¡± promised Peter. ¡°I hope to be getting a decent advance on my book, from Samuel, once we¡¯ve agreed terms. No¡ªdon¡¯t argue! You¡¯ve already been a great help to us while you were staying at our place, and I¡¯m really delighted to help you out, there. You can repay me whenever you¡¯re able to¡ªeven if it¡¯s not until you¡¯re across the ocean¡ª¡±

    Benjamin¡¯s eyes widened on hearing this. ¡°You¡¯re planning to cross the sea?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes they are,¡± put in Peter. ¡°But they¡¯ll explain later. Thanks a lot: I¡¯ve got to go.¡± And with a wave, he was off.

    After Laura had shoo¡¯d the children off to their own bedroom to play¡ªnot without some difficulty!¡ªBenjamin and Laura led the newcomers into the kitchen, where Laura busied herself at the stove, while Benjamin waved to the others to sit around the large table with him. He was about to ask them about their prospective ocean-crossing, but Michael got in first.

    ¡°So, what do you do, Benjamin?¡± Clearly their hosts were not farmers, not in the middle of a big city like this one¡ªand Michael could see no sign of a workshop like the one he¡¯d worked in at Kentak.

    ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. I work at the main City hospital. Laura¡¯s currently staying at home looking after the kids, but before they were born, she was working at the same hospital, as a nurse. That¡¯s how we met.¡±

    ¡°A doctor?¡± put in Rachel. Her concept of doctors was fairly limited: she had this picture of the elderly white-haired man who¡¯d been visiting the house whilst her father was poorly, and had also come to certify Anne¡¯s death. And she also just about remembered, he¡¯d come round when Anne and she were children, ill in bed, taken with the scarlet fever. A very different person from this young man. As to ¡®hospital¡¯, the word was almost unknown to her: certainly she¡¯d never seen such a place.

    But Michael had. ¡°I¡¯ve been to a hospital: there¡¯s one in Kentak¡ªwhere we¡¯ve come from. And I was taken there, once, from school, when I had a fever. Looks like three or four houses joined together, with their dividing walls knocked through. And all the rooms full of beds. And a team of old ladies to look after us. I was lucky: most people who get taken there, end up dying there.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll find our City hospital a very different place,¡± said Benjamin. ¡°Our aim is to cure people, not to leave them to die. Of course it doesn¡¯t always work that way. But it¡¯s a large purpose-built building, certainly larger than your Kentak place. I¡¯ll show you around when I¡¯ve got time. And we do lots of things you¡¯ll hardly have heard about. We have surgeons and operating theatres¡­¡±

    ¡°Theatres?¡± said Rachel. She was getting more and more bewildered at all this high-level talk: to her the word ¡®theatre¡¯ had a very different meaning.

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    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Benjamin, guessing at her puzzlement. ¡°In this sense ¡®theatre¡¯ means a room where we perform operations: cut into people to fix something that¡¯s wrong inside them¡­¡±

    ¡°Sounds frightful,¡± commented Rachel.

    ¡°But sometimes it¡¯s the best thing to do, to cure them,¡± continued Benjamin. ¡°There¡¯s lots more I could explain, but now: tell me about yourselves. I¡¯m still curious to know why you¡¯re so bent on taking ship¡ªit¡¯s a dangerous venture at any time, especially now in the winter¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave that until after supper: it¡¯s just ready,¡± interrupted Laura from the stove. She called down the children and they all sat around the table, while plates piled high with fish, potatoes and vegetables were handed round. After supper, the children insisted on showing Michael and Rachel their toys and inviting them to play with them¡ªto which Rachel readily agreed; Michael a bit more reluctant-ly, but eventually he caved in, a bit embarrassed, kneeling on the floor and helping the eldest daughter to arrange miniature tables and chairs in her dolls¡¯ house. Eventually, Laura pronounced bed-time and ushered the children, somewhat tearful, out of the kitchen.

    ¡°So, once again, what are your plans?¡± repeated Benjamin.

    Michael started to explain. He decided that it was best to be honest, to some extent, with this man. But nevertheless he couldn¡¯t come out with the truth. ¡°We¡¯re on the run¡ªbut perhaps you¡¯ve already guessed that. You know something of the Kentak district, and the surrounding area, don¡¯t you?¡± (he made no mention of Waknuk). ¡°So you know that places like that, out west and close to the Fringes, most of the folks there are in farming families¡ªwell, they are very authoritarian, narrow-minded, and prejudiced, compared with Rigo. And they¡¯re absolutely terrified of Mutations¡ªwhich in any case are a lot more common out there, than they are here. So much so, that anyone who conceals a Mutant¡ªespecially a human one¡ªfrom the authorities faces a lengthy prison sentence. Well, that was our downfall. There was a little girl born thereabouts, who had six toes on each foot. Not much to mark her out, you would think! But, in the insular, bigoted climate of those parts, that was enough to have her classed as a Blasphemy. We shielded her for a while¡ª¡± (Michael found it easy to transfer David¡¯s childish ¡®crime¡¯, to himself). ¡°¡ªbut we were found out. We had to run for it.¡±

    As he was recounting this only partly-true story, Michael suddenly remembered how Sophie had told him about the ¡®awfully nice doctor, a woman¡¯, to whom she¡¯d been taken as a child to have¡ªno matter what. Were all the doctors in Rigo as ¡®nice¡¯ as that one, and Benjamin here, even when they were forced to do something unpleasant? But Benjamin interrupted his thoughts.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been safe enough for you to settle in these parts?¡± he asked. ¡°Maybe not in Rigo itself¡ªyou¡¯re clearly not city folk¡ªbut in one of the nearby villages? You could get taken on as farm-hands¡ªuntil you¡¯ve saved up enough to buy a farm for yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we thought of that,¡± said Michael, carefully. ¡°But we were being pursued almost as far as Rigo itself. Why they¡¯re so deter-mined to come after us, I don¡¯t know: perhaps they think we¡¯re sheltering other Blasphemies. And our pursuers are farming folk, themselves: the first thing they¡¯d think of, was to search out the farms in the area. And besides, we¡¯ve both got an urge to see the world. That means going to sea. Maybe even that far-off land where your grandparents originally came from.¡± Benjamin smiled at this. ¡°Or elsewhere: the world¡¯s a big place. Even bigger than we¡¯d thought, from what your father told us.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ a bit risky, I¡¯d say. You¡¯re both very young, and a bit headstrong: I¡¯d advise against it. But if you¡¯re absolutely deter-mined, you¡¯ll need to get taken on board ship. I can show you where, in Rigo, to go and make enquiries. But not tonight! I¡¯m on duty early tomorrow morning: I¡¯ve just got time to show you round parts of the city, and then back to your inn. I¡¯ll be back home late tomorrow afternoon: call round then.¡±

    Bidding good-night to Laura, Michael and Rachel went out with Benjamin into the street, now lit by numerous oil-lamps set on pillars. He was a good guide: the first place he led them to was the hospital: an imposing building, far bigger than anything even Michael had come across in Kentak. Benjamin took them briefly on a tour inside, but they could take in little of the place: the strange smells and the long network of corridors, all neatly whitewashed, were all too bewildering. Then they went on past the ¡®university¡¯¡ªa sort of big ¡®school¡¯ for older pupils, Benjamin explained, far vaster than the building in which Michael had received his schooling. Then there was the cathedral, magnificent even at night, beside which Waknuk¡¯s modest little church¡ªand even the church in which Michael and Rachel had got ¡®married¡¯¡ªwould have seemed mere huts. Eventually the found themselves back outside the inn.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got to be getting back. Good-night to you both.¡± And with that Benjamin took leave of them.

    Michael and Rachel¡ªor ¡®Mr and Mrs Smith¡¯ as they now were¡ªhad no trouble checking into the inn: the landlord recognised them from their visit earlier in the day, and, without asking any questions, he showed them to their room, explaining that their friend Peter had already retired for the night. Leaving them with a lit candle, he bade them good night. The room seemed fairly comfortable and airy, not over-furnished, but with a large bed, a wash-stand, and a table with a couple of chairs. Being very tired, they fell asleep almost as soon as they climbed into the bed.

 Chapter 24 - Lodgings and Job-seeking

    IN THE morning both Peter and Samuel joined them at breakfast. Smiling, Peter handed them a substantial wad of dollars.

    ¡°First instalment of my loan to you,¡± he said. Samuel was chuckling. ¡°Should see you all right in Rigo for a couple of weeks, as well as pay your bills here at the inn. And no hurry to pay it back! Wait until you¡¯ve earned a little. Did you say you used to work as a carpenter, Michael? You may be able to find some work here in Rigo, while you¡¯re waiting for a ship. I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t show you around today, I¡¯m still busy with Samuel. You¡¯ll have to find your way around Rigo on your own. Don¡¯t get lost!¡±

    After breakfast, Michael and Rachel decided to explore the city on their own. Heedful of Peter¡¯s warning, they took great care to memorise landmarks that would guide them to the inn¡ªand to Benjamin¡¯s house. Both the hospital and the cathedral were easy landmarks, so they concentrated on roads leading to those places. For about two hours they explored many streets, mostly consisting of shops and restaurants. Moving a bit further from the city centre, they came upon rows of rather dowdy houses, all much smaller than the farmhouses they¡¯d been accustomed to at home, and joined up to one another. They were wondering whether any of these houses would be available to rent, when they noticed a card in one of the windows: ROOM TO LET.

    ¡°Might be worth asking,¡± said Michael as he knocked on the door. A plump, middle-aged woman with thin grey hair and a rather careworn face answered it. Upon their explaining their needs, she showed them to a rather down-at-heel bedroom, a lot smaller than their room at the inn. But it seemed reasonably clean, and upon Rachel enquiring about the rent, the woman named a figure that would work out considerably cheaper than their stay at the inn. They asked to go away and think about it for a bit.

    Once they were out in the street again, Michael said ¡°What about it, Rachel?¡± Rachel replied, ¡°Ugh! Not a very nice area, is it? And that room¡ªthe whole house in fact¡ªlooks decidedly shabby. And do you trust that woman?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to trust her. We don¡¯t have to tell her anything. And if she starts getting inquisitive, well we¡¯ve already told a few lies, these last two days! Point is, it¡¯d be hard for even Yellow-Hair to find us here, once she¡¯s taken down that card¡ªwhereas in the inn we¡¯d be easy enough to pin down.¡±

    At length Rachel saw the sense in that. They went back into the house and agreed terms with their new landlady, setting the following day for taking up occupancy. Michael was able to pay a deposit on the rent out of his newly-acquired wad of cash. There was, however, one more question he wanted to ask.

    ¡°Mrs¡ªer, Mrs¡ª¡±

    ¡°Norman. Mrs Norman, the name¡¯s Mrs Norman. Now what was it about?¡±

    ¡°Do you know in what part of the city there are likely to be trade workshops? Carpenters¡¯ yards, metal workshops, builders¡¯ yards, that sort of thing?¡±

    ¡°Strangers here, eh? And looking for work? You might try going north along this street. Though I won¡¯t promise you¡¯ll come up with anything.¡±

    Thanking her, they went back out into the street, and followed her directions, turning north. Sure enough, after about twenty minutes walking they came to a district full of the kind of workshops Michael was looking for.

    But luck was not with them. Michael enquired at many carpenters¡¯ yards, but not one of them had any vacancies. After two hours of trying, they were feeling very tired and frustrated. Michael began to wonder if his western accent was betraying him: the speech of Waknuk and Kentak was markedly different from that of Rigo. It could be that these places were suspicious of ¡®foreigners¡¯, especially those who came from ¡®out west¡¯. It had been so much easier to get that carpenter¡¯s job in Kentak! Michael almost wished he was back there.

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    ¡°Let¡¯s make our way back to the City centre and get ourselves some lunch. We¡¯re not doing any good here,¡± said Rachel, soothingly.

    So back they went. Soon they were seated at a small but clean caf¨¦, sharing a big meat and potato pie. Just as their plates were being taken away, Michael suddenly started and slapped himself on the forehead.

    ¡°Fool! Oh I¡¯ve been so stupid! Of course! What is it we¡¯re really looking for in Rigo? A ship to sail in, of course! And where there are ships, there¡¯s got to be at least one shipyard, surely. And what trades do shipyards welcome, amongst others? Why, carpenters! That¡¯s where I should be looking.¡±

    ¡°But not now,¡± insisted Rachel. ¡°Now let¡¯s go back to the inn and rest for a while. We¡¯re both exhausted. And later in the afternoon we¡¯ll be calling on Benjamin again¡ªremember? The shipyard can wait until tomorrow. Perhaps Benjamin can point us towards one. Better than asking Mrs Norman: I don¡¯t fancy telling her too much about our plans.¡±

    So back to the inn they went, finding their way through Rigo¡¯s streets without too much trouble. And later in the afternoon they managed to navigate themselves, with only one or two wrong turn-ings, back to Benjamin¡¯s house. Their timing was perfect: just as they were about to knock on the door they spied Benjamin walking towards them from the end of the street. He was wearing a suit of dark cloth with a white gown over it: this appeared to be the ¡®uniform¡¯ for doctors in those parts.

    ¡°Hi there, again! Do come in. Just give me time to change and have a cup of tea, then we¡¯ll be out again, exploring more of Rigo.¡±

    Laura was in the kitchen with the children: they were all delighted to see their new friends once more. Laura placed a tin of biscuits on the table, and busied herself with making a pot of tea. Rachel watched her with some curiosity, never having seen tea made before.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s quite simple, really,¡± explained Laura. ¡°I use a few spoonfuls of these dried leaves¡ªyes, I know they don¡¯t look like much! They don¡¯t grow in Labrador: they have to be shipped from much further south, where the climate is much warmer. You put the dry tea in the pot and then pour boiling water over them, then wait a minute or two, and it¡¯s ready to drink¡ªhot. With a few drops of milk¡ªand sugar if you prefer.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have to boil the water again, with the leaves in it?¡± asked Rachel, remembering how she used to make cocoa, back at the farm.

    ¡°Oh no! You must never do that: it quite spoils the tea. Just make an ¡®infusion¡¯ with the water off the boil.¡±

    ¡°And the milk?¡± continued Rachel, noticing the jug on the table. ¡°I didn¡¯t see your cow anywhere: where do you keep her?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we don¡¯t need to have our own cow,¡± laughed Laura. ¡°A man comes around early every morning, with a horse and cart, and delivers milk, pours it straight into our milk-jug. He gets it sent to him from a farm a little way outside Rigo. Didn¡¯t you have the same arrangement in Kentak?¡±

    ¡°We probably did, but I didn¡¯t stay in Kentak long enough to find out. Michael will know.¡± Michael nodded. ¡°Everything¡¯s so differ-ent, here in Rigo, from what it was back home! At least I recognise sugar. We had that back where I came from, on the farm beyond Kentak¡ª¡± (she remembered Michael¡¯s care not to mention Waknuk) ¡°¡ªcomes from the sugar maple trees that grew all around. And a good thing too¡ªor else I¡¯d never have been able to make jam.¡±

    ¡°Yes, this is sugar too,¡± said Laura, pointing to the bowl on the table. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t come from sugar maple trees: there aren¡¯t enough of them growing around Rigo. It comes from a plant called sugar-cane, which grows way down south¡ªlike the tea and coffee (have you tried coffee?)¡ªwhere the weather¡¯s much hotter. But it tastes the same as the sugar you¡¯re used to. And it¡¯s cheaper.¡±

    Just then Benjamin re-joined them, and Rachel and Michael, both satisfied with Laura¡¯s account, helped themselves to biscuits and downed their cups of tea, while the children had cups of cocoa. Then Benjamin stood up and reached for a rough fur coat hanging on a peg.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be chilly later on¡ªI see you¡¯ve both got furs¡ªgood! Let¡¯s be going then.¡± He kissed Laura and the children, and out they went.

    ¡°Are we going to the harbour? Where the ships are?¡± asked Michael. Benjamin nodded, and they headed off to the south.

 Chapter 25 - The Shipyard

    THE harbour was set in a natural bay on the north shore of Lake Melf, which seemed to be about three miles wide at this point, although it seemed to narrow to less than a mile wide, over to the east. Michael tried to make out the far shore, but it was shrouded in mist and little could be discerned. Benjamin explained that the route to the ocean was to the north-east, via the narrow strait. He could tell them little about the shipping on the waterfront: seafaring was not his line of expertise and he had never sailed on the ocean, himself. They could see many ships of all different sizes and types, moored along the waterfront¡ªbut little activity except on the smaller ships and boats. Michael and Rachel guessed that these were for plying the coastal trade, perhaps as far as the island of Newf to the south, while the big ocean-going ships stood idle for the present, awaiting calmer weather at the onset of Spring.

    Michael was on a mission, however, and they could not linger here long, especially since the afternoon was well advanced. He insisted on being shown where the shipyard was: the place where the ships were actually built, or repaired. So Benjamin led them along the front, past numerous bars and saloons¡ªwhich reminded Michael of something else. He¡¯d promised himself that, upon reaching Rigo, he¡¯d make enquiries after David¡¯s ¡®Uncle Axel¡¯ who was believed to have made for here¡ªalthough he had very little to go on: he¡¯d never met the old man and didn¡¯t even know whether ¡®Axel¡¯ was his Christian name or his surname. But that could wait¡­

    They reached the shipyard. There were a few ships in various stages of construction, plus one ship in dry-dock which was evidently undergoing repairs. Michael recognised it as a brig, with two square-rigged masts, about 150 tons he guessed. Part of the starboard hull was stove in at the forward end. There were two or three men working on the ship, and he hailed them.

    ¡°Do you know if anyone¡¯s on the lookout for a good carpenter? I¡¯m after a position, around here if possible.¡±

    One of the men paused his work, and looked Michael over. ¡°You¡¯d better speak to the Chief. Over there,¡± he said, pointing to a hut across the yard.

    So they went over to the foreman¡¯s hut. Michael asked the others to wait while he knocked, went in, and introduced himself to the foreman. He explained his wishes in a few words.

    ¡°Carpenter, eh? If you¡¯re good enough, we can certainly use a skilled carpenter. There¡¯s not much work on just now, but it¡¯ll pick up in a week or two when the big ocean-going ships get moving again. You say you¡¯ve plenty of experience, but not worked on ships? Well, at least you¡¯re honest about it¡ªso many lads come here and tell me all sorts of stories! I can tell from your accent, you¡¯re not from these parts, so I¡¯m not surprised if the sea is new to you. Let¡¯s see what you can do. We¡¯ve still got an hour of daylight¡ªat present we¡¯re not working nights, but will do so when the trade picks up.¡±

    They walked across to the brig, and went on board. Some of the foredeck had been taken up, to give access to the hull. ¡°This is the Dauntless. A fine ship. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve had a look around already: you can see how her hull¡¯s been stove in, just on the waterline. Ran aground, she did, just at the entrance to Lake Melf, trying to make for the lake entrance in a strong squall. The crew abandoned her and were all saved, luckily: once the squall subsided they were able to re-board and re-float her, and with temporary patching they managed to limp her back to the harbour.¡±

    ¡°Is she an ocean-going ship? Sailing far?¡± asked Michael, tentatively.

    ¡°Yes she certainly is. Been south as far as the Indies, if you know where those are: I¡¯m sure your friend does,¡± nodding towards Benjamin. ¡°One of the fleet of ships that does the spice run, bringing back cloves, nutmeg, pepper, tea, coffee, bananas, rum, all sorts of things. Couldn¡¯t do without her¡ªwhich is why she¡¯s in for repairs. So¡ªhow about a little job, then? You see that several of the ribs¡ªthe timbers that run crosswise across the hull, are broken. See if you can fix one of them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have my tools with me,¡± said Michael, simply. He didn¡¯t want to explain how he had had to abandon them in Kentak, when he and Rachel had to flee for their lives. ¡°Is there somewhere I can borrow some?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Look in the tool shed over there.¡± And with that the foreman returned to his hut, promising to return later.

    Michael took a little while selecting saws, an adze, planes, chisels, and a rule; then, with the help of one of the other workers, he picked up a suitable log from the pile of timber in the yard, carried it on board the ship, and fell to work, carefully trying to replicate the curved shape of the rib he was replacing. He was delighted to find that his skills had not left him, and in a little over half an hour he had successfully spliced in a new timber to replace the damaged rib. Just as he was stepping back to admire his handiwork, the foreman re-appeared.

    ¡°Well, well, lad! That looks pretty neat to me. And firm enough, I hope!¡± He went over to the newly-fitted rib and gave it a hefty kick. It did not budge. ¡°And solid enough, too. But,¡± and he bent over and squinted along the line of ribs, ¡°not quite the right shape, my boy. Just an inch or two out of line. Of course, when you¡¯re putting up rafters in a barn, or whatever you¡¯re used to where you come from, that sort of thing doesn¡¯t matter¡ªbut it does matter on a ship. If the ribs are even a little bit out of true, she¡¯ll spring a leak.

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    ¡°But never mind about that. For someone who¡¯s never fitted a ship¡¯s rib before, you¡¯ve done admirably, my boy. So come along tomorrow and I¡¯ll have a job waiting for you: you¡¯re hired. The first thing I¡¯ll set you to do is to repair that rib¡ªand all the others which are broken¡ªproperly. One of the other lads will show you the technique for getting them true. And then, after that, there are the planks¡ªwe call them strakes¡ªwhich go lengthwise over the ribs. They have to be properly shaped too. So there¡¯s plenty of work lined up. I¡¯m confident you¡¯ll do.¡±

    Michael was a bit disappointed that he had not quite hit the mark with his first attempt at ship repairs, but he was delighted to get the job all the same. The foreman had not yet mentioned wages, but Rachel and he did not need much: enough to pay the rent, keep them in food and clothing, and hopefully buy them a passage across the ocean. Oh, and of course, to re-pay Peter¡¯s loan¡ªbut Peter had already said, that could wait.

    There was one more question he wanted to ask the foreman: ¡°Do you know when this ship will be ready? When she¡¯ll sail, and where to? My wife here and I would like to book passage, if it¡¯s going where we want to go.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t answer for that, sorry, you¡¯ll have to ask the owners¡ªand they won¡¯t be back for a few weeks yet. I wish you luck.¡±

    With that, they took their leave of the foreman and walked back along the waterfront. Michael and Rachel proposed to have some-thing to eat in one of the many bars along the street. They invited Benjamin to join them, but he excused himself, saying he had to get home to Laura and the children, and supper would be waiting for him there.

    ¡°Are you OK with finding your way back to the inn? You say you are? All right then, good night.¡± And with a wave, Benjamin was gone.

    So Michael and Rachel were left on their own to sound out the bars. Michael had already explained to Rachel his intention of seeking out David¡¯s Uncle Axel, if there was even a remote chance he might be in the area. So they walked into the first bar and tentatively asked the landlord.

    ¡° ¡®Axel¡¯, eh? Unusual name. No, can¡¯t say as I remember anyone called that. Christian name or surname?¡±

    Michael said he didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°And gammy leg you say? Elderly, but quite tall and sturdy, walks with a stick, bushy grey eyebrows?¡± This was as much of David¡¯s description of his uncle as Michael could remember. ¡°No, sorry, can¡¯t think of anyone fitting that description. You could try some of the other bars along the road.¡±

    So they thanked him and went along to the next bar. They had no better success at the next four they visited. But at the sixth bar, as they were explaining once more to the landlord, an old man with a bushy white beard, who had overheard their enquiries, came up to them.

    ¡°Did you say ¡®Axel¡¯? And did you say, you heard his name from a friend of yours who knew him since childhood? I wonder if your friend got the name wrong. I used to sail alongside a chap called ¡®Alex¡¯¡ª¡®Alexander Stubbs¡¯ was his name in full. And yes he broke his leg while at sea, and after that retired from seafaring. I haven¡¯t seen him since, I¡¯m afraid. Any more you can say about him?¡±

    Michael suddenly remembered something else David had told him. ¡°He had a wife, name of Elizabeth, lived here in Rigo, but she died while he was away at sea. That would have been his last voyage, the one in which he broke his leg.¡±

    ¡°Well, that fits as well. I do remember Alex had a wife living here, and that she¡¯d died. So it looks very much as if we¡¯ve pinned down your man. But I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve not seen him for many years¡ªcertainly not come across him in Rigo recently. Sorry.¡±

    But just at that moment another, younger man came over to join them. He was dressed in a vivid scarlet jacket, resplendent with bright brass buttons, breeches, knee-length close-fitting boots, and a wide-brimmed hat. Both Michael and Rachel were puzzled at his clothing. Some sort of uniform, they guessed. ¡°Are you the Deviations Inspector here?¡± Michael asked.

    ¡°No, not exactly. But my job here is to help keep the peace¡ªmake sure that folks behave themselves!¡ªand to help out anyone in trouble, strangers especially. We¡¯re policemen: people here call us ¡®Mounties¡¯ because we do most of our work on horseback. I couldn¡¯t help overhearing your conversation. Alexander Stubbs! I recall the name. But I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s not good news.¡±

    ¡°Please tell us,¡± replied Michael. ¡°We¡¯ve been seeking him out for a long time.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s dead, I¡¯m afraid. A man answering your description was found lying in the roadway, about a month ago, just over ten miles west of Rigo. A horse was standing nearby, and all the evidence points to him having fallen from his horse. An accident. His neck was broken: it must have been a quick end with very little suffering,¡± he added, noticing that Rachel was close to tears. ¡°And yes, his Normalcy card was on him, and it gave the name ¡®Alexander Stubbs¡¯. So it looks like that¡¯s your man, I¡¯m afraid. I¡¯m so very sorry¡­¡±

    At this point Rachel could no longer hold back her tears. But she was composed enough to hiss a quick thought-shape at Michael: ¡°It wasn¡¯t an accident!¡± Michael, as he comforted her, couldn¡¯t help but agree with her. ¡°I wonder if Yellow-Hair was involved in this? Axel was already suspected, back in Waknuk. Poor Axel¡ªso he never made it to Rigo.¡±

    When Rachel had recovered herself, they thanked their new-found friends and decided to order a light supper, with a couple of glasses of ale, right there at that bar. But they could eat and drink only little of it. Wearily they took their leave and made their way back to the inn.

 Chapter 26 - Farewell to Peter

    THE news about Uncle Axel greatly depressed them. They wondered how on earth they could ever get in touch with David, to break the news to him, but there seemed to be no way¡ªunless it were to be via Petra, and they weren¡¯t going to involve her in this! It also set them worrying afresh about the fate of Mark and Stephanie: not a word from them since Michael and Rachel had reached Rigo. Of course, Mark¡¯s thought-shape powers would still be rather weak, and Stephanie¡¯s¡ªif she had them¡ªeven weaker.

    Peter and Samuel joined them again for breakfast, and asked how they had fared the day before. Michael was able to announce that they had not only secured accommodation for themselves, but that he had found himself a job in the shipyard as a carpenter. So they would be moving out of the inn later that day.

    ¡°Well done! What sort of accommodation, if I may ask?¡± put in Samuel.

    ¡°Just a rented room, in a house in the north of the city.¡± And Michael named the street.

    ¡°Hmmm. Not a very salubrious quarter, if you don¡¯t mind my saying so, but I suppose it¡¯ll be cheap enough. You¡¯d better let us have the address, in case we need to contact you. I¡¯m busy with one of my other authors today, just about to go to print, so Peter will be free to look after you for a while.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your other author written, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡± said Michael, who was developing an interest in books in general.

    ¡°Oh, a sort of anthropological study, going into the communities of French-speakers in Newf and Skota¡­¡±

    ¡°So there are French-speakers even today? Rachel and I have learnt a few words, but I thought Peter said it was a language spoken in these parts only pre-Tribulation.¡±

    ¡°Oh no¡ªthere are a few left: not many.¡±

    ¡°And where on earth is Skota? We know about Newf.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a peninsula¡ªa piece of land jutting out from the mainland but not quite an island. It¡¯s to the south-west of Newf. Hadn¡¯t you been taught about it at your school? Not many people live there: only the northern part is habitable at all, and they have a lot of trouble with Deviations¡ªlike you had in Kentak, or even worse. But there¡¯s a small community there who keep up the French language among themselves. My author lived amongst them for a while, and speaks French fluently. She also lived in Newf for some years.¡±

    ¡°Skota was called Nova Scotia before Tribulation,¡± added Peter. ¡°There¡¯s a theory that it was named after a land across the ocean, called ¡®Scot Land¡¯ or something similar, but there¡¯s no proof of this. ¡®Nova¡¯ is a word from a very ancient language, meaning ¡®new¡¯¡ªthat much I was able to discover.¡±

    ¡°Well, back in Kentak,¡± put in Michael, ¡°we were never taught about that. As far as my teachers knew, or at least what they chose to tell us, only Labrador and Newf, and the Indies down south, were habitable at all.¡±

    ¡°Skota hasn¡¯t been habitable for very long,¡± explained Samuel. ¡°It¡¯s frontier country, pushing back the Badlands and Fringe territory, over the past hundred years or so. Perhaps the books your teachers used in Kentak were out-of-date?¡±

    ¡°We had very few books to refer to, especially those on history or geography. Most of the teaching was done by word-of-mouth.¡±

    ¡°Ah well¡ªthat explains a lot. You¡¯d have done far better if you¡¯d been sent to the University, here in Rigo. I studied there myself when I was younger, as it happens. So did Benjamin.¡±

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    Michael was somewhat crestfallen to realise how far his own education¡ªfor all that it was far superior to what he could have had in Waknuk¡ªfell short of what could have been got in Rigo. But it was too late to dwell on that.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± continued Samuel, ¡°I must be going: a lot of work to do today. I take my leave of you, and wish you good luck, Michael, with the new job.¡± And with that he got up and left them.

    Breakfast being finished, the others also stood up. ¡°I¡¯m not tied up with Samuel today, as he told you,¡± announced Peter, ¡°but there is a bit of re-work I have to do on my manuscript. I can spare you a few hours if you like. I¡¯ll be starting back for Ragnarok in about two days¡¯ time. Is there any part of Rigo you still want to explore?¡±

    Michael and Rachel said no, they thought they had learned enough to navigate themselves around Rigo for the present¡ªbut they¡¯d be glad of his company if he¡¯d walk with them for a while. They had many questions they still wanted to ask him¡ªMichael especially had taken quite a keen interest in his and Samuel¡¯s historical and geographical knowledge.

    So they went out. It was still chilly weather, so they wore their furs. They were just a few hundred yards from the inn when Rachel suddenly slapped her forehead.

    ¡°The horses! I¡¯ve clean forgotten about our horses! Did you remember, Michael?¡± ¡°No,¡± he put in, rather embarrassed. Rachel continued, ¡°They¡¯re still in the stables back at the inn. We shan¡¯t be using them here in Rigo, and they¡¯ll cost us if we keep them in the stables. What shall we do? Can we sell them?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not really ours to sell,¡± said Michael. ¡°Mine properly belongs to my parents, and didn¡¯t you borrow yours from your Mum?¡±

    ¡°Oh dear! Yes¡ªand we haven¡¯t been in touch with them for ages. My Mum¡ªwho will almost certainly have moved to live with my aunt, some miles away. And put the farm up for sale. She must be worried sick, wondering what¡¯s happened to me. At least, if someone does make an offer for the farm, she won¡¯t be hard up¡­¡±

    ¡°My parents must think I¡¯m still in Kentak¡± added Michael. ¡°They too will be wondering why I haven¡¯t written for so long.¡±

    At this point Peter cut in, rather crossly. ¡°You two may have forgotten, but I remembered about your horses. Been to the stables night and morning checking them over¡ªalong with my two. They seem to be well looked after. But I tell you what I propose. I¡¯m quite happy to buy the horses off you¡ªor rather, off your parents. If you give me their addresses, I¡¯ll write to them, enclosing the money, and explain. But you two ought to write to your parents too. You¡¯ve left it long enough¡ªand I think it¡¯ll be safe enough to send a letter by the mail-coach. There¡¯s always a risk, of course, so be careful. Explain that you¡¯ve moved to Rigo and Michael¡¯s now working here¡ªbut don¡¯t say too much¡ªin case the letters are intercepted.¡±

    ¡°Should we tell them that Michael and I were secretly married,¡± asked Rachel. ¡°Michael¡¯s parents were dead set against the marriage: they won¡¯t be pleased.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I think you should. That¡¯s not something that¡¯ll arouse the Inspector¡¯s curiosity! Didn¡¯t you say, Michael, that your father¡¯s quite a reasonable man, if faced with a fait accompli? Circumstances have changed since he put a stop to your wedding plans. The main things you should hold back on, are your thought-shape powers and your wanting to leave Labrador altogether. And don¡¯t give your address. If you want to ask them to reply, tell them to send to¡ªshall we say Benjamin¡¯s house? I hope he won¡¯t mind. Of course that puts him and Laura at some risk, but far less risk than giving out your address.¡±

    So they retraced their steps to the inn and asked the landlord for some paper and envelopes. All three of them settled down in the lounge to write their letters, Michael and Rachel being careful to say no more than Peter had advised them. Peter also wrote briefly to Justin. Peter thought it was best to take them to the mail-office themselves, rather than entrust them to the innkeeper, so Michael and Rachel went to their room, collected their few belongings, and settled the bill with the inn¡ªexplaining that Peter would be taking charge of their horses from now on.

    Peter came with them to the mail-office, where they had no difficulty posting their letters; then he came on with them to their new lodgings. Mrs Norman greeted them quite cordially, and said they were welcome to use her kitchen¡ªso long as they cleaned up after them! They were soon installed in their new room. At this point Peter said he proposed to return to the inn after lunch, reminding them that he had some work still to do on his manuscript.

    So they had lunch at a caf¨¦ a few streets away, then Peter said goodbye, Michael went to the shipyard to start work in earnest, while Rachel went to buy some provisions. They were well settled in Rigo, and seemingly safe for the time being¡ªfor how long, they didn¡¯t know.

 Chapter 27 - An Encounter

    MICHAEL proved himself adept at the ship repair work, and soon earned the praise of the foreman. He was working hard on the repairs to the Dauntless, hoping to complete them soon¡ªthere was more involved in this than merely the repairs to the hull, since some of the ship¡¯s superstructure had also been damaged in the storm. So the work was expected to take some weeks. He and Rachel were still hoping to find passage aboard either the Dauntless or a comparable ship: traffic to the Indies was beginning to build up again after the winter break. But the ship¡¯s owners had yet to put in an appearance.

    Rachel was restless. She had little to do except keep their room clean and tidy. She did the shopping and cooking, but they ate out at restaurants quite often. Meals were cheap in Rigo, for which they were thankful: Michael was already saving quite a bit on his wages, but they still needed to be careful with their money. Rachel often came out to the waterfront to join Michael for lunch, which they had in one of the many inns along the road there.

    Sometimes they met up again with the old seaman with the white beard, whose name, they learned, was Bill Morgan: the one who had first claimed acquaintance with Uncle Axel. He told them, he was fully retired from seafaring and had no plans to take ship again. ¡°The waterfront¡¯s a good enough berth for me, now. All I want is the smell of salt in my nostrils. Let the youngsters risk the storms!¡±

    After a while, Michael and Rachel, feeling they could trust this man, took the plunge. ¡°We intend to take ship ourselves, when I¡¯ve earned enough at the shipyard. But we really want to sail east¡ªnot south to the Indies. To a place called ¡®Europe¡¯ if we can, or alternatively one called ¡®Africa¡¯. Do you think there¡¯s a ship that might take us that way?¡±

    ¡°Well, now¡ªthat¡¯s asking quite a lot. Many seafaring folk say, there¡¯s nothing to see if you sail east. Just water going on for ever and ever¡ªor even, until you fall off the edge of the world. I don¡¯t hold with that last bit of nonsense, I know perfectly well the Earth is round¡ªI didn¡¯t learn navigation for nothing! There have been some reports of ships having touched islands over to the east, and even larger landmasses¡ªcontinents perhaps. One of them could well be the place you call ¡®Europe¡¯¡ªthough I¡¯ve not heard that name. But the continents may be all Badlands¡ªand there¡¯s no trade to the east, so you¡¯d be hard pressed to find a ship¡¯s captain willing to take you that way.

    ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you what: your best bet is to find yourselves a square-rigged ship¡ªa brig or full-rigged¡ªrather than a fore-and-aft-rigged one such as a schooner. The square-riggers will be slower beating against the wind, and can¡¯t go as close the wind as a fore-and-after. But they¡¯re faster running downwind. All captains want to keep well clear of the Black Coasts (you¡¯ll have heard about them no doubt). So they tend to steer due south out of Newf, rather than the direct route which is south-west; then they turn west upon reaching the latitude of the Indies. Takes longer but safer! A square-rigger¡¯s captain may even steer a bit east of the line, so as to then take advantage of being able to run the trade wind towards the south-west.

    ¡°So you might get a captain to drop you off at one of those islands I mentioned. Whether you can get a passage from there to the mainland, if it really is ¡®Europe¡¯, I don¡¯t know.

    ¡° ¡®Africa¡¯ I do know about. Legend has it that a lot of the folk living in the Indies (black-skinned folk, you¡¯ve probably seen some of them here in Rigo) originally came across from Africa, thousands of years ago, before Tribulation. But nowadays Africa is more or less completely uninhabitable. I don¡¯t mean, in the way that the Badlands, the Black Coasts, are uninhabitable. You won¡¯t die of ¡®Badlands sickness¡¯ if you set foot in Africa. But you¡¯d die anyway: it¡¯s all desert: no water, no food. You¡¯d starve to death, if the thirst didn¡¯t get you first. Hardly anyone lives there. So don¡¯t go there!¡±

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    ¡°Thanks a lot, that¡¯s very helpful,¡± said Michael. ¡°As it happens, I¡¯ve been working on a square-rigger: the Dauntless, in dry dock up at the shipyard. Carpentry work: that¡¯s my main skill. Do you know that ship? Do you think they¡¯ll take us?¡±

    ¡°Ah, the Dauntless, eh? A fine ship! Yes I know her well, I¡¯ve sailed in her myself. Wasn¡¯t in the last crew, who ran her aground; I¡¯d never have let that happen. Pack of idle landlubbers, I reckon! Well, the owners weren¡¯t best pleased with all the expense they were put to, so they¡¯ll probably be firing quite a few of the old crew and taking on new hands. You could try for the post of ship¡¯s carpenter, Michael¡ªI reckon you don¡¯t have any experience of seamanship, which is a pity. And Rachel would have to go as a passenger. They won¡¯t take on women as hands.¡±

    As Michael was talking to Bill, he glanced at the saloon¡¯s swing doors, and stiffened. Standing just outside, in the street and gazing intently over the doors, was a young, strong-looking man¡ªabout Michael¡¯s age¡ªwith straw-coloured hair: a face that looked vaguely familiar¡­

    But no! This man¡¯s hair was cut short, not tied in a pony-tail. And now that Michael cautiously studied the face, it was not the man he¡¯d seen at the farm-gate and at the funeral. However the resemblance was striking. Michael quickly turned his head away, hoping that the man hadn¡¯t seen him staring at him.

    But the straw-haired man was scanning all along the bar, and when his eyes lit on Michael he gave him a long hard look. He seemed to hesitate for a while, then he apparently made up his mind. He pushed his way through the swing doors and walked straight up to Michael and Rachel.

    ¡°You¡¯re Michael, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Michael wondered whether it was best to ignore this man. After all, he could hardly make trouble here, with so many people around, many of them Rigo people and seafarers, very different from Waknuk folk. But he decided that deliberate rudeness wouldn¡¯t help, so after a pause he said ¡°Sorry¡ªhave we met some place¡ªdo I know you?¡±

    ¡°No. But you are Michael, aren¡¯t you.¡± Michael could only nod. ¡°Right, I¡¯ve got a question to ask you. A personal question. Don¡¯t get me wrong!¡ªI¡¯m not here to pick a fight! Do you mind?¡± ¡­ and he glanced at Rachel and the old seaman.

    ¡°Whatever you want to say to me, you can say it right here. I¡¯ve nothing to hide,¡± (this was a lie). ¡°And this lady happens to be my wife. And this is a good friend of ours,¡± indicating Bill. But the latter shook his head and gestured towards a corner of the room.

    So the straw-haired man nodded to Rachel, and she and Michael left their friend and followed the young man to an empty table away from the other customers.

    Whatever his motives, he seemed friendly enough. First of all, he offered them drinks, and when three beers arrived, they sat around the table drinking in silence for a while. The young man seemed to be taking some time before deciding how to broach whatever subject was on his mind.

    Eventually he put down his glass and fixed Michael with a steady stare.

    ¡°One question. Did you kill my father?¡±

 Chapter 28 - An Unexpected Ally

    TO SAY that Michael was utterly unnerved and dumbstruck at this direct question, would be putting it mildly. This man, whoever he was, clearly had some connection with the straw pony-tail ¨C a brother probably. But, notwithstanding the direct challenge, he was clearly approaching whatever he¡¯d come for, in a civilised way. He didn¡¯t seem to be threatening. Michael had been prepared for a gradual build-up to any ¡®difficult¡¯ question¡ªbut not this. He had to think quickly¡ªand decided that acting bewildered would be the best approach. So he answered, hesitantly:

    ¡°No, why on earth would you think so? I¡¯ve never killed anyone.¡± (As Michael said this, the image flashed through his mind of the man who had waylaid him and Sophie on their way to Waknuk. But no, it was Sophie¡ªStephanie¡ªwho had killed the man). ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, and I certainly don¡¯t know who your father is¡ªwas. I¡¯ve never met him.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I should have introduced myself. I know you, Michael, and you must be Rachel,¡± turning to her. ¡°Name¡¯s Luke. Luke Skinner.¡±

    In a flash Michael realised who this man must be. ¡°Your father was¡­Jerome Skinner?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. So you must have known him. So¡ªdid you, or any of your friends, kill him?¡±

    Michael suddenly remembered something else. A grim thought-shape which he had broadcast in a moment of intemperate fury¡ªit seemed like an eternity ago: ¡®It is war. Some day I¡¯ll kill them for what they¡¯ve done to Katherine¡­¡¯

    He said, ¡°I knew about him, though I¡¯m sure I never met him. I¡¯d no idea he was dead¡­¡±

    ¡°You threatened to kill him. And others,¡± said Luke, with little emotion. ¡°You wanted to ¡®kill those who¡¯d done things to Katherine¡¯¡ª¡±

    Michael wondered how Luke could possibly know that. Then it dawned on him. ¡°You can do thought-shapes?¡±

    ¡°I can hear your folk¡¯s thoughts¡ªfaintly¡ªbut I can¡¯t send them. I¡¯ve tried.¡±

    ¡°So you overheard some of our messages to each other¡ªduring the raid on the Fringes?¡±

    ¡°Some of it. I picked up that threatening message, at any rate. I wondered if you meant my father.¡±

    ¡°I knew that your father was suspicious,¡± retorted Michael. ¡°But I never imagined that he¡¯d be involved in the torturing of the two girls. Katherine and Sally.¡± He thought he might as well name them, seeing as this Luke obviously knew so much.

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t. I don¡¯t know who was involved in that; I was never told. I learnt about it¡ªhorrible¡ªtorturing with red-hot irons to force a confession¡ªbarbaric!¡± Both Michael and Rachel watched Luke¡¯s face carefully as he made that remark: the emotion was evident and he seemed sincere enough. He continued: ¡°I should hope my father thought the same, but I¡¯m not sure. Anyway he was in the the raiding party that followed the Strorm children down to the Fringes. As you were, I believe. But you say you never met him.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t meet him when he first fell in with some of my friends,¡± replied Michael. ¡°He might have been with me in the raid, but I wouldn¡¯t have recognised him. We can exchange descriptions of people in our thoughts, but they¡¯re not very detailed¡ªand there were more than a hundred of us.¡±

    ¡°All right. But Father never returned, and we never found out what happened to him. Me and my brother, we didn¡¯t go, we had to stay home and help out.¡±

    ¡°Your brother¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes. My twin brother Simon. You¡¯ve met him, at any rate. He says so, and his description fits you perfectly. He¡¯d been working at the farm where the girl was taken away from. The one you came asking for. Very stupid of you¡­¡±

    Now it was suddenly all clear to Michael. This explained why Luke looked so much like the man who¡¯d been pursuing them¡ªalthough they were not identical.

    ¡°All right. So you¡¯ve tracked us down. Rachel and me. What are you going to do about it. Shoot us right here, in Rigo?¡±

    ¡°Simon¡¯ll do just that, I think¡ªif he finds you. He suspects you.¡±

    ¡°Simon can also do thought-shapes?¡± broke in Michael, horrified.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m fairly certain he can¡¯t. In fact, I¡¯m sure he can¡¯t¡ªotherwise he¡¯d have caught up with you sooner. He just has this suspicion, and he means mischief. But I¡¯m not Simon. I¡¯m here to warn you.¡±

    This was a new twist. Michael said, tentatively, ¡°So you¡¯re not in league with Simon? Have you fallen out with him¡­? Where is he, then?¡±

    ¡°Simon¡¯s right here in Rigo, looking for you. And no, I¡¯ve not exactly fallen out with him. Just that I need to¡ªneed to look after myself.¡±

    ¡°Does Simon know about your thought-shapes?¡± asked Michael.

    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m quite certain I¡¯ve been careful enough not to arouse suspicion. If he found out, he¡¯d probably shoot me¡ªbrother or no brother. He¡¯s quite wild¡ªgone crazy, I think, Simon has¡­¡±

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    ¡°So how do you come to be here on your own? And what about the other guys in your party? Isn¡¯t Simon going to be suspicious?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. Just that we agreed to split up for the search. You¡¯re lucky I found you first. Simon said he¡¯d do the other end of town first, so he won¡¯t be here for a while. The others¡ªthey¡¯re named Lee and Barney¡ªwent with Simon: they¡¯re his friends, not mine. But eventually¡­¡±

    Michael and Rachel had to think quickly. If Luke was deceiving them, they were as good as dead already. What could they lose by trusting him¡ªby believing his story?

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± said Michael, quickly finishing his drink. ¡°Find somewhere to hide. Then you can explain the rest to us.¡±

    As they made their way to the door, Bill, who had remained sitting at the bar, caught their eye. He quickly got up and came over to them.

    ¡°You folks are in trouble¡ªI can see that all right,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve guessed for a long time that the two of you¡ªRachel and Michael¡ªare on the run; that people are after you. And your friend here too, perhaps?¡±

    Before Michael could answer, Luke stepped in. ¡°Yes, they¡¯re on the run¡ªand so am I. Or at least, I will have to be, if I¡¯m seen with these folks. If you¡¯re prepared to help us¡­¡±

    ¡°You mentioned ¡®somewhere to hide¡¯. You can come to my lodging for a few hours, if you like. Not up to much, I¡¯m afraid, but safer than any of the inns.¡±

    None of the three could think of any better answer to this. Michael wondered about Benjamin and Laura, but it would not now be safe to go to their house, he thought. So they quickly followed the old man out of the inn. He led them along the waterfront for a few yards, then he turned into a narrow alley between shops, which led to a flight of stone steps. Climbing these, they reached another narrow street set back from the sea. Bill took them through many twists and turnings: they were almost completely disorientated when he finally opened a door in a dingy terraced building which faced straight onto a narrow street, and they climbed three flights of stairs to reach a dimly-lit garret furnished with only a couple of tables, a few chairs, a cupboard and a bed pushed into one corner.

    Bill lit a candle and gestured to his visitors to be seated.

    ¡°Not very spacious for four people, I¡¯m afraid¡ªbut I¡¯m used to cramped quarters on board ship. Make yourselves at home as best you can.¡± And he fumbled for a while in the cupboard, and produced a bottle of rum and some glasses. ¡°At least no-one¡¯s going to think of looking for you folks up here. But you¡¯ll have to shift once you think you¡¯ve lost the pursuit.¡±

    The three of them thanked him profusely, and Michael eyed the bottle warily. ¡°I¡¯ve seen men drinking rum in the inn, but I¡¯ve never tasted it myself.¡± ¡°Nor have I,¡± put in Rachel. ¡°Nothing stronger than wine¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, now¡¯s your chance to sample the strong stuff. You¡¯d better get used to that, if you¡¯re still thinking of taking ship. You can add some water if you prefer,¡± and he produced a jug.

    Luke was evidently quite accustomed to the strong liquor: he drank his straight off. Michael and Rachel were more hesitant: they watered their glasses down and then took experimental sips: the drink made both of them cough and their eyes water. Bill and Luke chuckled. Eventually Rachel managed to master the strong drink and gulped it down: Michael following some time later with some difficulty.

    Michael and Rachel, both feeling the warmth of the drinks pervade their bodies, felt it was now high time to ask Luke plenty of questions. There was a lot of explaining that needed to be done.

    ¡°First of all,¡± began Rachel, ¡°tell us why we should be trusting you, at the same time as your brother wants to kill us? What is it between you and your brother?¡±

    Luke thought for quite a long time, whilst Michael and Rachel (as well as Bill) eyed him warily. Then he began. ¡°It¡¯s quite a long story. You know, of course, that Simon spotted you¡ªrecognised you, at that funeral. He suspected you all along of being involved in some way with our father¡¯s death or disappearance. And you still haven¡¯t explained that¡­¡±

    Michael felt that he now had to give some account of the scene in the Fringes clearing. But he didn¡¯t want to recount the full horror of the carnage. Having no choice but to mention the Zealand people briefly, he said that some travellers from a far off land, arriving in some sort of flying ship, had launched a ¡®superior weapon against which Fringes people and Labradoreans alike were powerless¡¯. Michael and his friends had only been spared because they had the thought-shape powers. If Jerome Skinner had been in the clearing, he would certainly have been among the dead¡­

    After a while Luke continued: ¡°I think I believe you. And your story agrees to some extent with the tales other men who escaped brought back. So what they called the ¡®spider¡¯ was in fact a flying machine?¡±

    ¡°Correct,¡± replied Michael.

    ¡°Well, once Simon saw you he wanted to go after you straight away, but he had to round up his friends, and me, first. I agreed to go along¡ªpartly to try and rein in Simon whenever he flew into one of his rages¡ªwhich was often enough! Once we established that you and Rachel were no longer in Waknuk, we guessed you¡¯d make for Kentak¡ªand it didn¡¯t take long to find out where you were staying. You were lucky to escape us there¡ªand even luckier to manage to lose us on the Rigo road.¡±

    Michael and Rachel smiled at each other.

    ¡°So eventually we realised you must have turned off the road somewhere. We argued for quite a time as to whether you¡¯d gone north or south: I said, I thought you¡¯d gone north towards more barren country, but the others insisted you must have gone south where there were more houses to hide up. So we found a trail leading south and visited I don¡¯t know how many farms and villages, asking after you. Each time we drew a blank. Simon was getting more and more worked up; at last I persuaded him to abandon the southern search and strike north. So we went back to the main road and took a path to the north.

    ¡°Here we had a stroke of luck. We came to a village called ¡®Kipalup¡¯ where the store-keeper remembered a couple answering your description, calling in and buying some stuff. He told us that you¡¯d stopped the night with an old lady in the village¡ª¡±

    ¡°Beth!¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t help exclaiming, just before clapping her hand to her mouth¡ªtoo late.

    ¡°Yes, that was the name the man gave us. Aha! So you had passed that way! I knew I had got it right!

    ¡°So we asked the store-keeper to point out her house, and went up and knocked. At first the old woman denied everything, said she hadn¡¯t had any visitors for over a year, said they must have got the wrong house. But Simon was insistent, and rudely went on ¡®Try to remember, old woman. A young man and girl, only a few weeks back. Think again.¡¯ But the woman repeated that she knew nothing about it; that she¡¯d had no callers.

    ¡°Then Simon ¡®lost it¡¯. Big-time. He shouted ¡®Dirty lying bitch!¡¯ and went for the lady. I tried to intervene, but Barney and Lee held me back. He threw a punch full on the lady¡¯s face. She fell to the floor, groaning. I wanted to stop and see if she was badly hurt, but Simon grabbed her purse then he and the others bundled me out of the house and back to our horses.¡±

 Chapter 29 - Lukeâ€™s Story Continued

    ¡°OH! Poor Beth!¡± exclaimed Rachel. ¡°No, that can¡¯t be true: surely no-one in their right mind could possibly assault and rob a harmless old lady like that!¡± But Luke shook his head, saying ¡°But he did. I couldn¡¯t stop him.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how she is? She was so kind to us.¡± Rachel wisely chose to say nothing about the way Beth had cheated them, nor the fact that some of the money Simon stole was undoubtedly Michael¡¯s.

    ¡°Give me time, I¡¯ll answer you,¡± continued Luke. ¡°We rode out of the village at a gallop, and continued for about a mile; then we stopped. All of us, except Simon, were visibly shocked. I made up some sort of excuse to go back for something I¡¯d dropped; Simon tried to stop me but the others didn¡¯t, and after an argument I left them. I doubled back as quickly as I could to Beth¡¯s cottage, where I found the door still open and she was still lying on the floor, moaning and bleeding. I picked her up gently and sat her in a chair, wiped down her face and put a bandage on the cut she¡¯d suffered, but apart from that and some bruises, she seemed to be all right. She recovered a bit when I gave her some wine: the strongest drink I could find in the house; I hunted around for brandy but there wasn¡¯t any. I was still quite a bit worried about her, so I went to the shopkeeper and spun a tale: said she¡¯d suffered ¡®a bit of a fall¡¯. He promised to go and see her and send for a doctor, and I gave him the money for a small bottle of brandy and asked him to take it to her. So then I rode back towards my companions. They¡¯d started to come after me, wondering what had taken me so long, but I managed to bluff my way out of suspicion¡ªI think.

    ¡°So we rode on. Eventually we reached another, larger village where the innkeeper remembered putting you up for a couple of nights: he also mentioned that you¡¯d shown interest in and copied a map he had on the wall. This set us thinking, you might well be seeking a remote village or farmstead to lie up for the winter.

    ¡°But the winter was indeed rapidly advancing and it was getting too cold, especially for our camping stops. So, once again not without some argument, I tried to persuade Simon and his companions to return home with me and set out on the search again once the weather got warmer. We nearly came to blows, but eventually both Barney and Lee saw the sense in this and talked him round. So we returned: I to my mother¡¯s house, Simon to the farm where he was working, and the others to their homes.

    ¡°We found that Waknuk and the surrounding districts were in quite a stir now. Everyone seemed to know, by now, more about the disaster of the ¡®Fringes battle¡¯: that nearly a hundred of our best men had been killed, including Joseph Strorm¡ªand my father, as I believe. For a long time everyone had been too afraid to re-visit the battlefield to try and recover the bodies. But after some months, a couple of the braver men had risked the journey: but they found only skeletons, of both men and horses. Plus a whole lot of lengths of what looked like an odd sort of twine, which they couldn¡¯t account for: nothing they¡¯d seen before. They brought back some pieces but no-one in Waknuk¡ªnor even in Kentak, could figure out what they were made of or what their purpose was. But perhaps you know?

    ¡°Later on the Police turned up. The ¡®Mounties¡¯, as they call themselves. We¡¯ve never had police anywhere near Waknuk before, have we? I assumed they¡¯d been sent from Rigo to investigate the battle, too¡ªbut I was wrong: they seemed more interested in the torturing and murdering of those two girls. They interviewed me and my mother, and presumably Simon too, but we had to tell them we knew nothing about it, and they believed us. They did pick up some men, though: I don¡¯t know what happened to them.¡±

    Michael and Rachel had been listening attentively to Luke¡¯s story, and felt happy that so many points fitted in neatly with their own experiences¡ªsurely Luke could not be lying! It seemed that he was indeed trustworthy¡ªthough they had to be careful with him: there were things he might still be hiding from them. They asked him to continue. What happened when spring came?

    ¡°As it happened, the snows melted earlier than usual this year, but I expect you already know that. So we were able to set out once again, with fresh horses, not long after our return. First thing we did was return to the inn with the map, and we made a copy, just as you had. The idea was to sound out all the towns and villages marked on the map, to see if we could pick up any trace of you. I went along with that, because I felt sure the trail must have gone cold by now¡ªbut Simon was still governed by his obsession that you would be ¡®found and dealt with¡¯.

    ¡°So we worked our way through dozens of houses and farmsteads, each time drawing a blank. Although both Simon and I did get suspicious of one of the villages we searched: name of ¡®Ragnarok¡¯.¡± Michael and Rachel exchanged surreptitious smiles at this¡ªand silently thanked Peter and Justin for their diligence. ¡°I thought I¡¯d picked up a few thought-shapes in the neighbourhood¡ªalthough I didn¡¯t say anything about this. I don¡¯t know what aroused Simon¡¯s suspicions¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t thought-shapes, I¡¯m sure of that.

    ¡°But we turned nothing up, neither there nor at any of the other places we tried. In the end even Simon was persuaded to give up the search, and we decided to press on for Rigo. After all, as Lee remarked, that¡¯s where most fugitives head for: it¡¯s easier to lose oneself in the metropolis.

    ¡°But I need to tell you of another incident before we reached Rigo. Simon¡¯s horse had gone lame, so we were looking around for another. As luck would have it, we fell in with an old man on horseback. Simon hailed him, and bluntly made an offer for his horse. Not surprisingly the old man refused point-blank. Then Simon got in a rage again, he dismounted and shouted that if the old man wouldn¡¯t sell, they¡¯d take the horse by force.

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    ¡°Something in Simon¡¯s manner must have frightened the old man¡¯s poor beast, because it reared up, throwing him violently to the ground, and then bolted¡­¡±

    ¡°Uncle Axel!¡± burst in Rachel and Michael, together.

    ¡°Ah, I guessed you might have known him. Oh dear, I¡¯m very sorry, now I have to break this to you, but he didn¡¯t survive. He must have broken his neck in the fall, anyway Lee (who has some medical knowledge) pronounced him dead at the scene. At least it was a quick end.¡±

    ¡°We already knew that he¡¯d been killed,¡± said Rachel, ¡°so don¡¯t feel so bad about telling us.¡±

    ¡°Simon, meanwhile, had mounted my horse and galloped after the runaway horse. Eventually he caught it and brought it back to us. So we now had four fit horses. We couldn¡¯t bury the old man or take his body with us, so we thought it best to leave him for someone else to discover. And we left the lame horse.

    ¡°So we came to Rigo. And, to be quite honest, that last fit of rage of Simon¡¯s, which was directly responsible for an innocent man¡¯s death, was the final straw as far as I¡¯m concerned. I¡¯m in your corner now, and Simon and his friends can go their own way. Though it¡¯s quite possible that his friends¡ªin particular Lee¡ªwon¡¯t be his ¡®friends¡¯ for much longer¡­¡±

    ¡° ¡®Axel¡¯s real name was Alex Stubbs, and yes he was a friend-of-a-friend, sort of,¡± said Michael. ¡°He was Bill Morgan¡¯s friend too,¡± glancing at Bill. ¡°Yes, the body was found by the Mounties¡ªthe police. He was an old seafarer, and we¡¯d been hoping to find him in Rigo, to ask his advice about getting a sea passage. We knew he¡¯d be heading this way. But that¡¯s all over now.¡±

    All this time Bill had been sitting at the table, mute but paying deep attention to what was being said. But now it was his turn to speak.

    ¡°I was indeed a good friend of Alex, as Rachel and Michael already know. I have to say, any friend of Alex¡¯s¡ªeven if they¡¯re only a ¡®friend-of-a-friend¡¯¡ªmust surely be counted as one of my friends. I¡¯d be delighted to help you out in any way I can¡ªtake Alex¡¯s place, maybe.¡±

    ¡°Oh Bill! We¡¯d be ever so grateful,¡± Rachel burst out.

    ¡°So,¡± said Bill, ¡°this is what I propose. Luke, you go back to your brother and his friends: I presume you¡¯ve arranged a place and time to meet up.¡± ¡°Yes we have,¡± Luke cut in. ¡°Meanwhile,¡± Bill continued, ¡°Rachel and Michael will have to hide up here for a day or two. It won¡¯t be comfortable, I¡¯m afraid, I¡¯ve no spare beds, but I can lend you a couple of blankets. And the rum will help keep you warm! Luke, you¡¯ll have to play along with your brother; he¡¯ll want to continue searching. Just make sure he doesn¡¯t find this place.

    ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯ll try and find out if there are any ships sailing in the next day or so. Doesn¡¯t matter where to. What could be better, than convincing your pursuers that you¡¯ve taken ship and are out of their reach? I think we might be able to fabricate a story.¡±

    So Luke took his leave of them, after assuring Bill that he could find his way through the twisting streets, back to the waterfront. The remaining three looked at each other questioningly.

    ¡°Can we really trust this Luke¡ªif that¡¯s his real name?¡± said Rachel, breaking the silence. ¡°He¡¯s spun us a good tale, I agree¡ªand it does seem as if he can read thought-shapes. I remember what your reaction was after we heard about Katherine¡­¡±

    After another long pause Michael replied. ¡°I think ¡­. I think we just have no choice but to trust him. If he¡¯s as good as his word he¡¯d be a tremendous asset to us, putting off the pursuit. But that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re out of danger¡­¡±

    ¡°Indeed not,¡± remarked Bill. ¡°You two stay here, that¡¯s the safest. I¡¯ll go out and find out what ships may be sailing. Oh, and Michael, Rachel, you have money on you, I believe. Give me some of it, then I can buy food for all three of us.¡± Without hesitation Michael passed some dollars to Bill. ¡°Also, lock the door after I go out, and don¡¯t open it to anyone but me. I¡¯ll knock with a special signal: one loud tap, pause, three soft taps.¡±

    ¡°One loud; pause; three soft¡ªgot it. Does it mean anything?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s only what we call ¡®Morse Code¡¯ An ancient signalling system, really ancient: goes way back to the Old People I believe. We seafaring folk still use it sometimes: flashing the reflected sun¡¯s rays from one ship to another or to shore. You can send a message miles, that way. What I¡¯ve given you is the signal for the letter ¡®B¡¯. All right, my name¡¯s really ¡®William¡¯ but ¡®B¡¯ for ¡®Bill¡¯ will do.¡±

    With that, Bill went out, promising to be back before long.

    Michael and Rachel could do little but sit and wait for him. Michael helped himself to another glass of rum-and-water, and insisted on pouring a glass for Rachel too. They downed them simultaneously: Michael was once again seized by a fit of coughing and spluttering, but, surprisingly, Rachel was able to swallow hers without any discomfort. Michael watched her in amazement, then he burst out laughing¡ªthe first time he¡¯d laughed for a long while. Rachel joined in, and they both exploded in a fit of uncontrolled giggles, which ended in them locked together in a passionate embrace and kiss.

    ¡°Now?¡± whispered Michael.

    ¡°No, of course not! Don¡¯t be silly! Bill could return at any time. And if anyone else comes prowling around, we¡¯ll need our wits about us.¡± Michael could only agree, but he could not refrain from slipping a hand inside her blouse. He realised how much he wanted her, even in these anxious times¡­

 Chapter 30 - Escape Planned

    BILL was as good as his word. Scarcely two hours had passed before the one loud and three soft knocks were heard at the door: Rachel quickly went to unlock it, and Bill pushed his way in, shut the door and hastily locked it again. He had food in his bag: some sausages, some bacon, a loaf of bread, some butter and cheese, a few apples¡ªand another bottle of rum¡ªall of which he dumped unceremoniously on the table.

    ¡°You¡¯re in luck, my friends. I¡¯ve been down to the harbour: there¡¯s a ship berthed there which is due to sail on the morning tide three days hence. It¡¯s only going as far as Lark on Newf, carrying timber¡ªthen it returns to Rigo. But it¡¯ll certainly be safer for you to be on Newf than in Rigo¡ªor anywhere else on the mainland. And I¡¯ve had a word with the captain, an old friend of mine, and he¡¯s willing to take you on board for thirty dollars apiece.

    ¡°In fact, I don¡¯t mind coming along with you myself, if you¡¯re willing to pay my passage for me: more than I can afford. Yes I know I said, the other day, I feel I¡¯m too old for the sea. But you can¡¯t keep an old sea-dog like me on dry land forever! I¡¯d offer to work my passage if I could, but I¡¯m getting a bit too old for that. It¡¯s a long time since I¡¯ve been to sea, and I know a couple in Newf¡ªa retired seaman like me, and his wife¡ªwhom I¡¯d be glad to meet up with after all these years. They keep writing to me, inviting me to visit, and I¡¯ve kept putting them off. If we go together, I could introduce you to them: they¡¯re a lovely couple.¡±

    Michael and Rachel at once jumped at this plan. The sooner they got away from Rigo, and away from possible pursuit, the better. Even if Luke was indeed trustworthy, as he gave every appearance of being, he could hardly hold his brother off the trail for long. Every day they continued to spend in Rigo was more and more dangerous. And they were happy for Bill to come along: it seemed only fair to pay his fare as some sort of recompense for all the help he had given them.

    A question suddenly occurred to Rachel. ¡°Have you been married, Bill?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m a confirmed bachelor, and happy that way.¡±

    ¡°A pity,¡± Rachel continued. ¡°You¡¯d make an excellent husband¡ªif you ever changed your mind¡­

    ¡°But we now need to make arrangements. All our belongings are back at our lodgings, and Michael¡¯s supposed to be still working at the shipyard. How are we to get to these places safely, what with this ¡®Simon¡¯ on the prowl?¡±

    ¡°And we simply must say good-bye to Benjamin and Laura, too,¡± added Michael. ¡°And through them perhaps we could get a message through to Peter¡¯s group¡ªand even our parents at Waknuk. Besides, I still owe Peter some money.¡±

    They looked enquiringly at Bill, who sat pondering for a while. ¡°Let¡¯s think about this in the morning. Perhaps it¡¯d be safer to travel around town by cab.¡±

    ¡° ¡®Cab¡¯? What¡¯s that?¡± asked Rachel.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed them? Small one-horse carriages plying the streets of Rigo, just big enough for two or three people. You can hire one for a dollar or two if you hail the driver, he¡¯ll carry you anywhere you like in town. I suppose you¡¯ve been walking all the time. You¡¯re safer in a cab. But now let¡¯s eat.¡±

    It was already quite late in the evening, and they shared a hearty meal of sausages, bread and cheese, followed of course by rum-and-water. Then they settled down for the night: Rachel and Michael wrapped up together in their blankets, rather uncomfortably on the floor. Despite the blankets the night was chilly for them, and they slept little. Towards dawn they did manage to drop off.

    When they woke it was already daylight. They found that Bill was already up and about: he¡¯d been out to the pump and there was a pail of fresh water on the floor; Bill was heating another pailful on the stove. He placed it before them and then tactfully turned his back while Rachel quickly washed herself, followed by Michael. Then they settled down to toast, bacon and tea, finished off with an apple each, and, once again, a generous mug of rum-and-water. Michael was at last getting the hang of it!

    Bill announced that he would go down to the waterfront and try to summon a cab. After reminding them to lock the doors and wait for the secret signal, as last time, he popped out, promising not to be long.

    In less than twenty minutes he was back. ¡°I¡¯ve hailed a cab, but it can¡¯t come right up to the door: the cabman says the streets are too narrow. At least, that¡¯s what he says: I think the cab would just about pass through, there¡¯s a route without steps¡ªbut maybe he¡¯s worried about the horse taking fright. Anyway, I¡¯ve asked him to wait on the waterfront.¡±

    Michael and Rachel took the cue and at once followed Bill down the stairs and out into the street. They quickly wound their way after him through the narrow streets until they reached the waterfront. Sure enough, there was a small cab standing there, the horse snorting and tossing its head as if it were eager to get going again. Michael and Rachel clambered aboard.

    ¡°Just tell the cabman where you want to go,¡± shouted Bill. ¡°Don¡¯t bother to give directions: these chaps know their way around Rigo better than anyone. And I¡¯ll be back in my room when you want me.¡± With that, he waved as they set off, the horse at a canter.

    The first place to call at, they decided, was their lodgings. As the cab drove through the streets they kept their heads down and avoided looking out of the windows, to reduce the chance of being spotted. When they reached the house they asked the cabman to wait and quickly slipped indoors, but not quickly enough to escape the attention of Mrs Norman, who was curious to know why they hadn¡¯t returned the night before. Rachel quickly came up with a story about their having fallen in with some friends and stayed the night at their place. Mrs Norman gave them a knowing smile at this¡ªperhaps she¡¯d noticed the smell of rum on their breath! But luckily she didn¡¯t ask any more questions.

    They quickly went into their room and gathered up all their possessions, which they stuffed into a couple of large bags, and the rest of their money. When they emerged Mrs Norman was still standing there. Now came the difficult part. Rachel insisted on doing the talking.

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    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we shan¡¯t be staying here any longer, Mrs Norman,¡± she announced, tentatively. ¡°We¡¯re going away from Rigo in a couple of days, so we need to give up our tenancy.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s more of a surprise!¡± replied Mrs Norman. ¡°I suppose I should be asking you why you suddenly need to leave Rigo: after all you¡¯ve been holding down a good job at the shipyard, I hear, haven¡¯t you, Michael? But I¡¯ve had other tenants quit for no apparent reason, and I¡¯m thankful that you at least had the courtesy to tell me rather than just do a ¡®flit¡¯. I guess you¡¯re in some sort of trouble.¡± Michael nodded. ¡°But don¡¯t worry,¡± continued Mrs Norman, ¡°I¡¯ve been in the business long enough to know not to ask questions.¡±

    Both Rachel and Michael showed visible relief.

    ¡°But I¡¯m afraid I require my tenants to give notice, so I¡¯ll be asking you for two weeks¡¯ rent to cover it.¡±

    Michael was minded to protest at this, but Rachel pounced on him with a quick thought-shape. Reluctantly he brought out the requisite number of notes and handed them to Mrs Norman, who quickly stuffed them in her apron pocket.

    ¡°Oh, and another thing,¡± added Rachel. ¡°If anyone comes asking after us, giving a description of us¡ªyou don¡¯t know anything.¡±

    ¡°Why, you have got yourselves in trouble¡ªI can see that. But I¡¯ll do as you ask.¡±

    Having said their farewells to Mrs Norman, they climbed back into the waiting cab.

    ¡°Where now?¡± asked Rachel.

    ¡°I think the shipyard,¡± replied Michael, ¡°where I¡¯ll have to go through this awkward explanation all over again.¡±

    Once at the shipyard, they again asked the driver to wait. Rachel stayed in the cab with their luggage, while Michael made his way quickly to the foreman¡¯s hut, hoping not to be seen. Once there, again he hesitantly delivered his message.

    ¡°You want to leave¡ªjust like that?¡± said the foreman, alarmed. ¡°That¡¯s very disappointing: you¡¯ve been an excellent worker here and I¡¯d be sorry to lose you. May I ask why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s personal¡ªbut we¡¯ve got to leave Rigo straight away, Rachel and me. I can¡¯t say any more.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you mean to sail on the Pinta, which leaves for Lark in a couple of days¡­ But I insist on knowing what¡¯s up: are you in trouble with the Police?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not the Police.¡± Michael realised he had to give a plausible explanation. ¡°It¡¯s just that someone bears us a grudge and is after us. That¡¯s all I can say.¡±

    ¡°All right. I believe you. But, Michael, I¡¯m not going to let you go, just like that. I¡¯ll give you a week¡¯s leave so that you can sort out your affairs. Then, if you¡¯re still in Rigo, come back here and, if you want, your job will still be open. And I¡¯ll give you your wages to date. That fair enough?¡±

    Michael had to agree to this. Hurriedly he returned to the cab and they set off again, this time heading for Benjamin and Laura¡¯s house.

    ¡°I think we should let the cab go this time,¡± said Rachel. ¡°All this waiting will have cost us a lot of money.¡± So they paid off the cabman; he whipped up his horse and drove away.

    When they knocked, Laura answered the door, surrounded by her children. She welcomed them in, explaining that Benjamin was not at home; he was working at the hospital. They sat down and watched the children at play while Laura busied herself with cups of tea.

    ¡°Good of you to come and see me; I¡¯m sorry you¡¯ve missed Benjamin, unless you¡¯re willing to stay a while until he comes home.¡±

    But Rachel explained that they couldn¡¯t stay long. ¡°We¡¯re leaving Rigo, in two days¡¯ time. Ship to Newf,¡± she explained. ¡°So this is good-bye, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°Good heavens! That is rather a surprise. I thought you were well settled here, and you¡¯ve got your steady job at the shipyard still, haven¡¯t you, Michael?¡±

    ¡°I handed in my notice this morning,¡± replied Michael. He knew he needed to explain, and luckily he remembered the cover-story they¡¯d used before. ¡°You remember, when we first visited you, we talked about some people were after us? Pursuing us because we¡¯d been sheltering a Mutant, so we were told?¡± Laura nodded. ¡°Well, they¡¯ve nearly caught up with us,¡± continued Michael. ¡°We¡¯ve had reports that they¡¯ve been seen in Rigo, searching all over for us. So we need to hide for a couple of days, then take ship and hope for the best. We can¡¯t stay any longer here: it wouldn¡¯t be safe for you if these guys turned up¡ªand they might have got on to you.¡±

    ¡°I think I understand,¡± said Laura. ¡°Well, all I can say is, good luck!¡±

    ¡°Oh and another thing,¡± said Rachel. ¡°We ought now to pay back the money Peter lent us¡ªnow we can afford to. If we give it to you, could you send it on to him?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d be glad to,¡± replied Laura. ¡°And we¡¯ll write him a letter too, telling him where you¡¯ve gone to. If you think that¡¯s advisable¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be all right if the letter doesn¡¯t fall into the wrong hands,¡± replied Michael. ¡°No, better not mention Newf, if you don¡¯t mind. Just say we¡¯ve put to sea in an ocean-going ship¡ªbe vague about it, don¡¯t say where to.¡±

    With that, Michael and Rachel stood up and took their leave of Laura, who kissed them both. Rachel also picked up each of the little girls in turn and kissed her. The girls were a bit tearful upon realising that the visitors were about to depart, so Laura had to comfort them.

    ¡°Oh, one last thing, Laura. Can you tell us where we can hail a cab?¡±

    Laura explained that if they walked to the corner of the road they might find a cab standing there: if not, one should turn up in no more than a few minutes.

    Once outside, Michael and Rachel lugged their heavy bags as far as the corner, but there was no cab in sight.

    ¡°Do you think we could walk all the way to Bill¡¯s place?¡± suggested Michael.

    ¡°With these bags? You must be joking!¡± retorted Rachel. ¡°You may be able to carry yours that far, but I can¡¯t. Besides, it¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    So they waited. Sure enough, in just over five minutes a cab came along and they hailed it. Climbing aboard, they realised that they would need to give directions to somewhere near Bill¡¯s room. Luckily, Michael remembered the name of the bar where they had first met Bill, so he called up to the cabman, and they were on their way.

 Chapter 31 - Setback

    BY CHANCE, Bill was drinking in that same bar, the one where they¡¯d met him, but as soon as he saw them he stood up and hurriedly led the way back to his lodgings.

    ¡°You¡¯d best lie low for today and tomorrow,¡± he advised. ¡°Let¡¯s hope Simon and his mates don¡¯t find us. Once the ship has sailed, you¡¯ll be safe. I¡¯ll scout around. They won¡¯t know me¡ªunless Luke isn¡¯t the friend you think he is¡­¡±

    That seemed like sound advice to Rachel and Michael, so they spent the rest of that day and the next day in Bill¡¯s lodgings, sorting out their belongings and putting to one side those that they thought they wouldn¡¯t need for the voyage. They sent out Bill to buy provisions, and also, at his recommendation, good waterproof jackets and trousers for both of them.

    ¡°¡­for there¡¯ll be plenty of salt water flying around, if I know the Labrador coast and the Straits of Newf!¡± remarked Bill. ¡°Even in the summer it can get rough. And you¡¯ll have to learn your sea-legs once you¡¯re aboard. I can¡¯t help you there: it may be uncomfortable for both of you.¡± He chuckled.

    At mealtimes the rum was passed round liberally, and both Michael and Rachel were developing a liking for the liquor. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it!¡± warned Bill. ¡°Neither of you is used to strong drink. But it¡¯ll be a help when you¡¯re aboard ship, you¡¯ll see!¡±

    Bill had meantime been down to the harbour and confirmed the passage for the three of them, aboard the Pinta. Michael had given him the dollars for the fares: he noted that after all the purchases they¡¯d had to make, they weren¡¯t so well-off as they had been, but they¡¯d get by.

    On the day of the Pinta¡¯s sailing they were up at dawn, and after a hurried breakfast Bill closed up his lodgings and they quickly made their way to the harbour. Sure enough, the ship was berthed there, almost ready to set sail, with a gangway leading up to it from the quayside, where there was quite a crowd of people gathered to see the ship off. On deck they could see one of the crew, the bosun they guessed, standing at the head of the gangplank to help them aboard, and behind him were waiting the captain and first mate.

    Rachel was first on the gangway, with Michael following, carrying their two heavy bags, and Bill in the rear. All three of them had just stepped on board, Bill was introducing Michael to the captain, and Rachel had turned around to cast a glance back at Rigo for the last time¡­

    There was a sudden sharp crack. Rachel gave a gasp and crumpled to the deck. A large bloodstain was spreading on her side. She lay there moaning¡­

    Michael was stricken. What could have happened? He spun round, and for a moment he stood there frozen. But only for a second or two, then he took a step and bent over Rachel. But before he could touch her he was violently shoved to one side, and sprawled on the deck himself. He saw, out of the corner of his eye, that it was Bill who had pushed him. At that moment there was a second sharp report, and this time it was Bill who groaned and collapsed on the deck¡ªand there was blood on his chest, too.

    When Michael had managed to struggle to his feet, he could see that there was quite a m¨ºl¨¦e on the quayside. The crowd had surrounded a young man whom they appeared to have wrestled to the ground. A young man with a straw-coloured pony-tail, clutching a rifle¡­

    To Michael it was all unreal. He could not grasp what had happened. There was Rachel lying on the deck, bleeding. A few feet away Bill was lying on the deck, bleeding. Was everything in his life about to be snatched away? And just as they were on the point of resolving their difficulties, of escaping to a safe haven¡­?

    He bent over Rachel again, and put a hand over her wound, attempting to staunch the flow of blood. The ship¡¯s captain and others of his crew were gathering round them, some of them attending to Bill who appeared to be in a bad way. Three Mounties, on horseback, conspicuous in their red jackets, had arrived at the quay and dismounted: two of them took charge of the gunman, while the third bounded on deck. He gently drew Michael away and took over the first-aid on Rachel; gently cutting away her clothing, fetching out a large bandage from a bag slung over his back, and wrapping it around her. Then he gently lifted her and carried her to the quayside where a wagon was already waiting. Meanwhile the captain and two of the crew were carrying Bill, who was a heavy man, to the same wagon. Both the wounded were carefully loaded onto the wagon and wrapped in blankets. Then the driver whipped up his horses and they set off at a fast canter.

    Michael was still rooted to the spot, unbelieving. The Mountie gently took him by the arm, and asked him, ¡°Are you with the young lady?¡± Michael nodded. ¡°Come with me then.¡± He led Michael to where his horse was still standing, helped him up, and then mounted in front of Michael, ordering him to hold on tight. As soon as they had threaded their way out of the crowd, he urged the horse to a gallop and in only a few minutes they were at the hospital entrance.

    A nurse appeared and the Mountie explained the situation. She then took charge of Michael and led him along several corridors until they reached a door. She told him to wait, and went through the door. A minute or two later, she came out again.

    ¡°Your friend¡ªwhat is her name?¡±

    ¡°Rachel¡ªand she¡¯s my wife.¡±

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    ¡°You can¡¯t go in and see her right now. They¡¯re just about to operate. The doctor says she¡¯s lost some blood, but hopefully she¡¯ll pull through.¡±

    ¡°And what about Bill? Bill Morgan? The old man who was brought in with her?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about him. He must be in another ward. I¡¯ll try and find out. Best you can do is sit here¡±¡ªshe motioned to a chair in the corridor¡ª¡°and wait.¡±

    Michael sank into the chair, numb with shock. He buried his face in his hands and tears started trickling through his fingers. He could not think clearly¡ªhe sensed that he was sending out muddled thought-shapes, but there was no-one to hear them.

    He must have been sat like that for an hour, or maybe two hours, when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. Startled, he shuddered and glanced up. It was Luke. There was a big bruise on his face. Instinctively Michael shrank back from him.

    ¡°Michael, I don¡¯t know what to say. I really don¡¯t. If you¡¯d rather I went away, I¡¯ll go. But please let me stay and explain. Please!¡±

    Michael said nothing. After a long pause, he nodded.

    Luke sat down next to Michael, and began, speaking slowly. ¡°Michael, this is simply awful. I hoped it would never come to this. I did my best. I met up with Simon and the others, like I said I would. I spun a yarn. I told them that I¡¯d found out that a couple resembling you had been seen in Rigo, that you had taken lodgings somewhere to the north of the town. That part was true, I believe! And I knew you wouldn¡¯t have gone back to your lodgings. I wanted to delay their searching the waterfront as long as possible.

    ¡°Well, Simon was doubtful at first, but since they hadn¡¯t any other leads, they followed up my suggestion. We checked out a great many lodgings and annoyed equally many landladies with our intrusive questions, but after a couple of days we¡¯d still drawn a blank¡ªas I knew we would.

    ¡°Simon suddenly turned on me. ¡®You¡¯ve been lying to me, my odious little brother!¡¯ I denied it of course, but he continued: ¡®You¡¯ve been bullshitting us all along. OK, we¡¯ll carry on the search without you. Now piss off!¡¯ I told him to calm down, then he went for me. His friends held back. I got in one or two punches, but then he floored me with a good punch to the face¡ªas you can see.¡±

    ¡°I lay in the street, dazed, for a few minutes. There were some people about, but they simply walked round me. I guess fist-fights are not all that uncommon in Rigo! Anyway, when I came to my senses and got to my feet, the others were nowhere to be seen. I thought it best to run back to the waterfront, to Bill¡¯s place, to warn you¡ªbut then I thought, no, not a great idea¡ªit might lead Simon on to you if he was following me. So I thought I¡¯d check out the ship-ping¡ªI knew you were thinking along those lines but I wasn¡¯t sure whether you would be pretending to go to sea or really going to sea.

    ¡°But I found out about the Pinta sailing on this morning¡¯s tide (she didn¡¯t, by the way: the police put a restraining order on her). Trouble is, Simon and his friends must have thought along the same lines. I lay up for the night in an empty shed, but this morning I got to the harbour too late to stop them. Honestly, Michael, I tried. I just couldn¡¯t get to him before he fired the shots.

    ¡°Simon¡¯s been arrested. Attempted murder. And so have Lee and Barney. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to them. I ran after them to the sheriff¡¯s, but the police wouldn¡¯t let me see them. Not even my brother. I¡¯m off to have another try¡ªbut I¡¯ll be back, if that¡¯s all right by you.¡±

    After a pause Michael nodded once again. Luke then disappeared down the corridor.

    At that moment the nurse reappeared, accompanied by a doctor. Michael wearily raised his eyes, then his heart gave a bound when he recognised Benjamin. He leapt to his feet and embraced him joyfully.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad it¡¯s you! Have you any news?¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve done our best for Rachel,¡± said Benjamin, once he had disentangled himself from Michael¡¯s grasp. ¡°She¡¯s very weak, and lost a lot of blood; we¡¯ve given her a transfusion. But the bullet just missed her vital organs and we¡¯ve got it out and stitched her up. She¡¯s got a broken rib, I¡¯m afraid, and it¡¯s going to be painful for her for some weeks, but I think she¡¯ll live.¡±

    Michael couldn¡¯t hold back his tears, once again, but this time they were tears of relief. Then he checked himself. ¡°What about Bill Morgan? The old man?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know: he¡¯s not in my ward,¡± said Benjamin. But the nurse broke in, ¡°I¡¯ve been to his ward and spoken to the doctor there. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s still in a bad way. Unconscious and breathing irregularly.¡±

    ¡°He saved my life!¡± cried out Michael, passionately. ¡°He damn well saved my life! He pushed me aside, and took the bullet that was meant for me. Oh, please let him live!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see, it¡¯s too early yet to say.¡±

    ¡°Can I see Rachel?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s under sedation and won¡¯t be responsive¡ªbut I suppose you can pop in for a moment. Sorry, I¡¯m needed elsewhere.¡± With that, Benjamin excused himself and left, leaving Michael with the nurse. She ushered him into the ward.

    Rachel was lying propped up on pillows, looking very pale and appeared to be asleep. Michael sat quietly by the bedside and clasped one of her hands in both his. He tried sending thought-shapes but there was no response. However Rachel did seem to be breathing normally, and the nurse announced that her pulse was strong and regular. She did not seem to mind his staying there, and after a short pause she left them, telling Michael to call her if there was any change.

    So Michael sat by the bed for a long time¡ªit seemed like hours, murmuring very softly to Rachel in the hope that she might hear, and sending very gentle thought-shapes in case she could pick them up. There was no change in Rachel¡¯s condition, but he persuaded himself that she was just sleeping it off. At some point the nurse brought in some bread and cheese and a cup of tea for him. But he could eat little. Later in the afternoon he dozed off for a while, still seated by the bed.

 Chapter 32 - A Friend Lost

    MICHAEL was roused by the reappearance of Benjamin, who came in and gave Rachel a quick check. He announced that she was in good shape and would probably be responsive in a couple of hours.

    ¡°But I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve got very bad news for you. Your friend Bill Morgan¡ªthe old man¡ªhe didn¡¯t make it. We did all we could, but he died about an hour ago. I am so sorry¡­¡±

    Michael was shattered at this news. He had almost put Bill out of his mind, while he was concentrating all his thoughts on Rachel. But now the tears streamed down his face, with remorse and bitterness.

    ¡°He was so kind to us!¡± he cried out, through his sobs. ¡°He was even going to come with us to Newf. And it was because he pushed me over, that he took the bullet meant for me. I should have been the one killed, not him!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s gone. Sorry. All you can do is remember him, then, for his kindness¡ªthat¡¯s the best way to honour his memory,¡± replied Ben-jamin. ¡°I never met him, before he was brought here unconscious, but the way you describe him, he must have been one of the best of men.¡±

    There was a long pause whilst Michael tried to collect himself, wondering all the time how he would break the news to Rachel. Eventually his sobs subsided and he composed himself.

    ¡°We only knew Bill for a few days; but he did more for us in those few days than many friends would have done in a lifetime. And he had a good friend, also a retired seaman, a mutual friend as it happens: Alex by name, though my friend David always called him ¡®Axel¡¯. And Axel also died recently, he¡¯d been thrown from a horse.¡± Michael decided not to mention the exact circumstances of Uncle Axel¡¯s death as related by Luke. ¡°To lose those two wonderful people within a matter of days¡ªI can hardly bear it¡­¡± Michael muttered on, partly to himself, until at length Benjamin interrupted him:

    ¡°If you can bear it, I¡¯ve another thing to say to you¡ªbut don¡¯t worry! Just that there¡¯s a police officer waiting outside. He¡¯s asking to have a quick word with you, if you feel up to it. Don¡¯t worry: I¡¯ll get the nurse to keep an eye on Rachel in the meantime.¡±

    Michael wiped his eyes and slowly and stiffly rose to his feet. He recognised at once the importance of co-operating with the police, especially now that this was a murder case. But he was fearful of what he might be questioned about. He and Rachel still had a lot to hide!

    Slowly he stepped out of the ward and came face-to-face with the Mountie in the corridor, who led him into an empty room where they sat down round a small table. The Mountie took down the details of Michael¡¯s and Rachel¡¯s full names and ages, places of birth, and the address where they¡¯d been living at Mrs Norman¡¯s. All innocent stuff, and Michael had no thought of deceiving him. Except that he did not mention the fact that they¡¯d lain up in Bill¡¯s lodgings for the past two days. That might complicate matters! Then the Mountie continued:

    ¡°You¡¯ve been told that this is now a murder case, Michael. I understand that the victim was a good friend of yours¡ªI¡¯m sorry about that. But I need you to tell me, briefly in your own words, exactly what happened as you were trying to board the Pinta.¡±

    Michael told the story of the calamity as best he could: the Mountie took down his words verbatim and then asked him to read back and check over his statement before signing it. Then he folded up the paper and stood up.

    ¡°All right, thank you, that¡¯s all I need from you at present.¡± Michael felt relieved. ¡°But I must ask you to stay in Rigo for the present, until we get in touch with you again.¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t got anywhere to stay, at present¡ªexcept here at the hospital. We relinquished our tenancy at Mrs Norman¡¯s place just before we were set to sail.¡±

    ¡°Go back to Rachel¡¯s side for now: I¡¯m sure she needs you more than I do. The hospital will probably let you stay here for a few days. But if you find accommodation elsewhere please let the hospital know, so we can keep in touch with you.¡±

    Michael, reflecting on the statement he¡¯d just given, and encouraged by the policeman¡¯s friendly approach, suddenly thought of something else. ¡°How was Skinner¡ªif it was Skinner¡ªable to get in two shots so quickly?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯ve used a gun myself often enough for hunting, back in my time out west¡ªthough I prefer bow and arrow¡ªand it takes me a good minute to re-load.¡±

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    ¡°Never seen one of these?¡± replied the Mountie, pulling out his revolver and emptying the bullets onto the table. ¡°You¡¯re probably used to guns where you have to load the powder and shot from the muzzle. We have better ones than that in Rigo! These are rounds¡ªsee?¡ªwhere the powder and bullet are all packed together one little metal case. In a rifle, you just put one of these in from the breech end, cock, and fire. Can all be done very quickly. Which, I¡¯m afraid, turned out worse for your friend¡ªand for Skinner.¡±

    As the Mountie was picking up the bullets and re-loading his revolver, another question occurred to Michael. ¡°What¡¯s happening to the Skinner boy?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in custody at present. It¡¯s not my call, but I expect he¡¯ll be sent before a magistrate and indicted for murder.¡±

    ¡°And what happens then?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll have to wait for trial at the Assizes. You and Rachel will probably be called as witnesses, I should warn you. And if he¡¯s found guilty of murder, he¡¯ll probably be hanged.¡±

    ¡°Hanged?¡± repeated Michael, stunned. All at once the words sent by thought-shape, so long ago it seemed now, came back to him: ¡®It is war. Some day I¡¯ll kill them for what they¡¯ve done to Katherine.¡¯

    But that had been a cry, not for justice, but for revenge. Much had passed since those days of the pursuit; Michael had been immersed in the more liberal, enlightened atmosphere of the metropolis for some weeks now; and he had long since dismissed the thoughts of revenge from his mind. All he wanted now was for justice to be delivered to those who had tortured and killed the two girls.

    So he was shocked to learn that, even in Rigo, people could be executed for crimes. Biblical justice indeed, and also much discussed in Repentances. But was this the justice of Rigo too?

    Another memory came back to him. Poor Anne, Rachel¡¯s elder recently-widowed sister, found hanging from a beam. But that had been her own choice, by her own hand¡­

    While he was turning over these thoughts in his mind, the Mountie had collected up his papers and taken his leave. Michael walked back to Rachel¡¯s bedside. Her eyelids were now flickering and it seemed to him that she may be able to hear him¡ªor receive his thoughts.

    ¡°Rachel, my dear,¡± he began, in thought-shapes.

    But there was no thought-shape response from Rachel. Instead, her eyes opened, her lips stirred and she weakly mumbled the word ¡°Michael?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, Michael,¡± he said, resorting to words.

    ¡°Are you all right, Michael? What¡¯s happened to me? Are we on board ship?¡± The words now came tumbling out from Rachel as she gradually rallied her strength.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re not on the ship; we¡¯re back in the hospital in Rigo. And I¡¯m quite all right. You were shot, Rachel, shot!¡ªbut you¡¯ll get over it. The doctor¡ªBenjamin, you remember?¡ªhe says you¡¯re doing well, you should recover fully. And I¡¯m unhurt. It was that beast Simon who shot you, and he¡¯s under arrest now. So we¡¯re safe from him, at least.¡±

    ¡°And Bill? Where¡¯s Bill?¡±

    Michael decided that now was not the time to break the news to Rachel¡ªshe was still very weak. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He was hurt too. I¡¯ll see what I can find out. But what matters now is you.¡±

    At the moment the nurse came in, and Michael told her that they had been talking. Having quickly examined Rachel, she pronounced that Rachel was still very tired and Michael must not excite her so much. She ought to be allowed to rest now. So Michael sat down by the bed again, clasped Rachel¡¯s hand, and waited¡­

    Hours passed. It was now late in the evening. More sandwiches and tea were brought to Michael, who discovered that he was now hungry, so he ate the lot. Eventually the nurse re-appeared.

    ¡°That same policeman who spoke to you earlier: he¡¯s outside again and would like another word with you. If you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± said the Mountie, when they had once again seated themselves around the table. ¡°I¡¯ve been stationed outside the hospital entrance to keep curious people away¡ªsince this is a murder case. But I¡¯ve had a message from my boss¡ªfrom the Police Chief of Rigo. He¡¯d like to speak to you, as soon as convenient. Can you come over to the Sheriff¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°When? I¡¯ve got to stay with Rachel for now.¡±

    ¡°I know. The Chief said, no hurry, come when Rachel¡¯s improved enough. I¡¯ll be on hand, should you wish to contact us.¡±

    Michael returned to Rachel¡¯s bedside, wondering what the Chief wanted with him, and his sense of alarm heightened. He wondered if it was something Simon had come out with, while he was being interrogated. What could he have blurted out, other than the obvious? But there was no sense in panicking: the police here seemed decent and friendly enough¡ªcompared with the law-doers in Waknuk, at any rate! He could at least hope for justice.

    As he was pondering these thoughts, he fell asleep in the chair.

 Chapter 33 - Interview with the Chief

    THE following day Laura, Benjamin¡¯s wife, turned up. She reminded Michael that she had once been a nurse; she¡¯d left the children with an aunt for now and was come to see how Rachel was doing. Rachel had improved a lot during the night: she was now fully awake and able to talk normally. The first thing Laura did was hand back the money they¡¯d given her in repayment of Peter¡¯s loan.

    ¡°Lucky I hadn¡¯t sent it off yet,¡± she explained. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to need it to pay the hospital bill. I hope it¡¯s enough. Peter will just have to wait a bit longer.¡±

    Michael was inclined to protest at this, but Rachel pounced on him. So they accepted the money.

    Laura promised to bring the children to see her in a day or two: something that would cheer up Rachel no end. Rachel, indeed, seemed delighted at the prospect. She told Michael she was quite all right with Laura around: she practically ordered him to go out and stretch his legs for a while. Michael was reluctant at first, but Rachel was insistent, so out he went. The first person he met outside was his friendly Mountie, and it occurred to him to ask what had happened to their belongings, which had been left abandoned in the fracas on board the Pinta.

    ¡°I think they¡¯ll have been taken to the Sheriff¡¯s office. If not, they¡¯ll still be on board the Pinta: you could ask there. She¡¯s not going to sail now until tomorrow at the earliest: we¡¯re still doing a search. Don¡¯t worry: your things are sure to be in safe keeping.

    ¡°Glad to see you outside anyway: I hear Rachel¡¯s doing well. At some point we need to ask you about your friend Bill Morgan¡¯s next-of-kin. We¡¯ve searched his room but can¡¯t find anything useful except a few letters. Can you help us out?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. We only knew Bill for a few days, and he never talked about any family. The only thing I can remember is that he said he was a bachelor¡­ No, wait! He did mention something about some friends he had in Newf. They¡¯d written to him inviting him to visit¡ªand for the first time in ages he was taking up the invitation. That¡¯s why he was sailing with us¡­¡± At this point Michael could not refrain from shedding a few tears once again.

    ¡°Thanks, that¡¯s very helpful. We¡¯ll check through his letters. If we find out who they are we¡¯ll get the Newf police to notify them. So where are you going now?¡±

    Michael explained that he was going to see if they could take up their old lodgings at Mrs Norman¡¯s again, or failing that seek out new accommodation. He¡¯d also call at the shipyard and explain why he wanted his job back. And he had to find out where his belongings were.

    Then he took his leave of the Mountie and set out on foot for Mrs Norman¡¯s house. She was not as surprised to see him as he expected: she¡¯d heard, as had everyone in Rigo by this time, about the shooting on the Pinta¡ªthough it was news to her that Rachel was the one injured. She offered her best wishes and gladly offered Michael the same room once more: even offering to let them stay out their ¡®notice¡¯ before asking for rent.

    Michael¡¯s next call was at the shipyard. The foreman, too, knew all about the shooting, and he was expecting Michael to call in. Once he heard about Rachel¡¯s injury, he reassured Michael that he could take as much time off as he needed, but once Rachel was up and about he¡¯d be expected back at work.

    Finally Michael called in at the Sheriff¡¯s office, but they knew nothing about any luggage. So he went hot-foot to the harbour and set foot on the Pinta¡¯s gangplank. He noticed that there were still bloodstains on the deck, chalk marks had been made and a team of Mounties were diligently searching all over. One of them stopped Michael as he was about to step on board. Michael quickly explained who he was and his mission, and the Mountie asked him to wait while he went below deck. Sure enough, a few minutes later he returned with their two bags. Michael thanked him and returned to the hospital, not without some difficulty because the bags were very heavy.

    Rachel was pleased to see him back, and was in high spirits. She inquired once again about Bill, explaining that she had been so thrilled at Laura¡¯s visit that she¡¯d forgotten all about him, that morning.

    Michael decided that sooner or later he¡¯d have to tell Rachel, so it may as well be now. He broke the news as gently as he could.

    Rachel¡¯s face fell and tears welled up in her eyes, but she took it rather well, Michael thought. ¡°I think he must have gone peacefully,¡± she remarked. ¡°Perhaps it was better for him to die like this, than to be drowned at sea. My only regret is that he never took a wife: if I¡¯d got the chance I¡¯d have done my best to set up a match for him: he was such a lovely man.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what others have said too,¡± replied Michael. ¡°And remember, he saved my life. What does it say in the Bible? ¡®Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends¡¯. I remember having to learn that at school¡­¡± And Michael shed some tears, too.

    A few days later Rachel was able to get out of bed. She still complained of an intense pain in her side, which Benjamin explained was due to the broken rib, not the bullet-wound, which had by now healed up. He urged patience; the pain would continue for some time. Michael had spent his time gravitating between the hospital, the shipyard, and Mrs Norman¡¯s.

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    At length the message came from the Police Chief, that if Michael was ready, he would like to see him now. So Michael went over to the Sheriff¡¯s and was introduced to an imposing, rather stern-looking man in his forties, with a black beard and dark eyes beneath bushy eyebrows. He was dressed in a plain suit, not in Mounties¡¯ uniform. Michael was at first strongly reminded of Joseph Strorm, but no¡ªthis man would be of an entirely different character. Or at least, so he hoped. They shook hands.

    ¡°I expect you¡¯ve guessed what this is about,¡± the Chief began. ¡°As you know, we¡¯ve been interviewing the suspect Simon Skinner. He¡¯s made some allegations about you and your wife, and we want to check them out.¡±

    Michael¡¯s heart sank. So this was it. He thought it best to try and bluff, as Sally and Katherine had at first (although it hadn¡¯t saved them).

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve no idea what he could have been talking about.¡± he ventured.

    ¡°Let me explain more explicitly, then. He alleges that the two of you are telepaths.¡±

    Michael remembered the word that Peter had used. He rose to his feet in a panic.

    ¡°No! Sit down, Michael and please let me explain. If you are a telepath, that¡¯s no reason to be afraid of us. Oh yes, I know what happened to the two girls in Waknuk district¡ªno! Don¡¯t look surprised¡ªand I can assure you that¡¯s not how we do things here. In fact the Government is reviewing the whole position of telepathy at this moment: coming to a decision as to whether it can be classed as a Deviation in the first place. So, I need to ask you, are you and Rachel telepaths?¡±

    Michael decided that he had no option but to admit it. He briefly nodded.

    ¡°Very good. I hoped that would be your answer. So the next question is, are you and Rachel prepared to go and meet the Governor to talk about it?¡±

    ¡°The Governor? Who¡¯s he?¡±

    ¡°The head of the Government. In effect, the leader of Labrador: the most senior person in the country. You¡¯re both highly privileged to be given a chance to meet her. Yes, it¡¯s ¡®she¡¯, not ¡®he¡¯.¡±

    ¡°A woman!¡± broke in Michael, astonished.

    ¡°Indeed a woman. Name¡¯s Hilary* Bligh. Yes, I know, where you come from, out west, women are not held in high regard, most of them stay at home to do the housework and look after the kids, while men do the ¡®important¡¯ jobs. But it¡¯s not like that here. My predecessor as Police Chief was a woman. There are women police officers, though they don¡¯t wear the Mountie uniform so you may not have realised. There are plenty of women sitting in the Government, and if a woman¡¯s the best person for a job, she gets the job. You¡¯d better get used to that.¡±

    ¡°There are many new things I¡¯m having to get used to.¡± Michael was still feeling a sense of immense relief that, for the first time in his life, he wasn¡¯t about to be cast out as a Mutant. ¡°So, when do we get to see the Governor?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll check with the hospital that it¡¯s all right for Rachel to come, and then she¡¯ll summon you. And you¡¯d better be sure to keep the appointment: the Governor¡¯s a busy woman and one doesn¡¯t mess around with her.

    ¡°One more thing. We¡¯ve released the remains of your friend Mr Morgan to the morticians, but there was very little money, either on his person or in his rooms. Not enough to pay for a funeral. He could be given a pauper¡¯s funeral, but that¡¯s a very basic affair.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll pay for the funeral,¡± announced Michael at once. He knew that, with him resuming his work at the shipyard, they¡¯d be able to afford it. He didn¡¯t suppose anyone else would turn up at the burial, but they were enough to give Bill a decent send-off.

    ¡°Very well¡ªI¡¯ll send a message to the morticians and tell them to expect you some time. Here¡¯s the address,¡± and he wrote it down on a slip of paper.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s all I need to talk to you about,¡± said the Chief, shaking hands with Michael. ¡°I understand the Governor¡¯s going to go through a lot more detail with you, but that¡¯s her business. And I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t make any difficulty about coming out as telepaths. Believe me, it¡¯s in your best interest.¡±

    ¡°What about the two girls back at Waknuk? It wasn¡¯t in their interest.¡±

    ¡°I quite understand your anger. You must believe, the Government doesn¡¯t sanction torture and murder, not even of Deviants. It¡¯s some-thing that we¡¯re looking into right now, but I can¡¯t tell you any more. The matter¡¯s still under police investigation, and indictments may follow.¡±

    With that, and reasonably satisfied, Michael took his leave.

    At the hospital, Laura had brought her three girls round to see Rachel a few times, after having strictly enjoined them to be on their best behaviour. And the plan worked: Rachel seemed to be im-proving more rapidly when the children were around. In a few days she¡¯d be able to leave hospital.

    In due course the message arrived inviting Michael and Rachel to present themselves in the Governor¡¯s office. Rachel was out of hospital by this time, and back at Mrs Norman¡¯s; Michael was back at work at the shipyard. Bill¡¯s funeral had taken place: they thought they might be the only mourners present, but to their surprise Luke had turned up, along with Laura and Benjamin, and a couple of old sailors, friends of Bill¡¯s apparently, whom Michael didn¡¯t recognise. One of the sailors mentioned that the captain and first mate of the Pinta would certainly have come, but they were still at sea. Bill was given a basic but dignified send-off, and Rachel read out a psalm at the graveside.

    So on the day of the Governor¡¯s meeting they dressed up in the smartest clothes they had: Rachel wore a frock she had bought in Rigo for the occasion¡ªwithout a cross on the front, but then most women in Rigo didn¡¯t wear the cross anyway. And they made their way tentatively across the town, to the Governor¡¯s mansion.

 Chapter 34 - Interview with the Governor

    THE Governor¡¯s office, when they came to it, was far from being the sumptuous palatial chamber they had been expecting. In fact, it was a room not much larger than the Inspector¡¯s office back at Waknuk¡ªor the Police Chief¡¯s here in Rigo. And it was modestly furnished. Clearly the Governor had nothing of the pretentious about her.

    Hilary Bligh, the Governor, was a short and slim woman in her sixties, with steely grey hair and a prominent chin. She wore spectacles which she sometimes pushed down her nose. She was dressed in a demure grey skirt and jacket¡ªwith no cross (Rachel was reassured at that). She shook hands, greeted them cordially and invited them to sit down. As they did so another man, who¡¯d been standing in a corner, walked across the room and joined them.

    Michael and Rachel cast one glance at him and gasped in amazement. It was Peter!

    ¡°You know each other, of course. Yes, I¡¯ve invited Peter to come along. I know about him and I know he too will be interested in what I¡¯ve got to say to you. And I know you¡¯ll be pleased to meet each other once again.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very good of you, Governor,¡± put in Rachel.

    ¡° ¡®Hilary¡¯, please! In my office we¡¯re on first-name terms, Rachel. And you too, Michael.

    ¡°So,¡± she continued. ¡°You three are full telepaths. You may not know this, but there are several hundred of your kind scattered around Labrador. I say ¡®full telepaths¡¯ to distinguish you from those who can only receive thoughts from other telepaths, but not send to them. There are quite a number of those too.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve met at least one of those too,¡± remarked Michael¡ªperhaps a little injudiciously.

    ¡°So be it. We are also aware that you¡¯ve been using telepathy very little whilst you¡¯ve been here in Rigo. That¡¯s understandable: you felt you were in danger of persecution. It¡¯s also very wise of you. We know full well what¡¯s been happening in Kentak region, and beyond there in Waknuk. And I can assure you that the treatment of those two poor girls is not tolerated in Labrador. Those who perpetrated it will be sought out and brought to justice, make no mistake. You can count on us¡­

    ¡°We are also reviewing our policy towards human Deviations in general. It is clear¡ªat least, to the Government it is clear¡ªthat the Fringes process is not working and detrimental to the peace of the land. We have only the evidence of the terrible massacre of the raiding party from Waknuk, alongside many innocent Fringe-dwellers, to assure us of that! But more on that later. I understand that you were a witness, Michael, and I¡¯m going to ask you about it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Hilary,¡± said Michael. He wondered how much else the Governor knew.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you now what the changed policy will be¡ªthat¡¯s still being debated by the Government and I must not forestall them. Besides, we have to come to some agreement with the Right Wing Church group¡ªwho are most influential in your part of Labrador¡ªand that¡¯s not going to be easy. They give us enough trouble right here, in the Government. But I sincerely hope that some accord will be arrived at, which will result in a more humane approach towards those with minor Deviations.¡±

    Michael though of Sophie¡ªStephanie¡ªand how much she had suffered. One extra toe on each foot¡­ that was all.

    ¡°One thing we can be sure of: we regard you telepaths as an asset to our culture, not a threat. We see no reason why you should not be allowed to integrate fully with our society. And Michael, we should have been very sorry to lose you: I¡¯ve contacted the foreman at your shipyard and he says you¡¯re an excellent worker. As to you Peter¡ªhow could we possibly manage without your insight, especially into Labradorean and pre-Tribulation history? You¡¯ve recently had your latest book published: I¡¯ve read it, and I hope there are more to follow.¡±

    Peter shyly voiced his acknowledgement. In front of the Governor, he was surprisingly demure.

    ¡°In fact, there may come a time when we wish to exploit your telepathic powers¡ªfor rapid communications over a distance, for instance. But there¡¯ll be no pressure put on you for now. In fact, I hope never to see coercion of telepaths into working for the Govern-ment¡ªnot while I¡¯m Governor, at any rate!

    ¡°Now¡ªcoming back to the Fringes massacre. We didn¡¯t send any police to the Fringes, because the surviving folk there were alarmed enough already and we didn¡¯t want to provoke another conflict. But two men from Waknuk had apparently re-visited the scene incognito, and brought back some curious samples. When I heard about this I ordered the samples to be sent straight back here to Rigo for analysis. We¡¯re not quite sure, but we think it¡¯s ¡®garrotte thread¡¯.¡±

    ¡° ¡®Garrotte¡¯?¡± exclaimed Michael and Rachel, simultaneously. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Also known by some as ¡®mercy thread¡¯. A misnomer if ever there was one! A really nasty secret weapon. And there¡¯s only one country in the world, as far as I am aware, where they possess the knowledge to manufacture the stuff.¡±

    Michael took a long shot. ¡°You know about¡ªZealand?¡± He took care to pronounce the word correctly.

    ¡°Indeed we know about Zealand. Probably more than you do. And more than most sea-goers do. Our communication with that country, which is carried out very discreetly via the Indies, is still top secret.

    ¡°Anyway, this garrotte thread is a strictly controlled substance, and dangerous to handle. It¡¯s only intended to be used as a last resort on aggressive wild animals¡ªDeviants especially¡ªand only if there¡¯s a threat to human life. Never against people. I have given orders that on no account are these threads to be brought to Labrador. We have our own ways of dealing with dangerous animals. But now it may be that they have been deployed, not only in Labrador, but against humans.

    ¡°So, Michael, can you describe what you saw.¡±

    ¡°Indeed I can,¡± replied Michael. ¡°Not only saw¡ªbut felt, too. Some of the threads stuck to me: immensely strong and sticky threads¡ªand I couldn¡¯t pull myself free. Even the horses couldn¡¯t free themselves. It wasn¡¯t until the Zea¡ª¡± He broke off. He hadn¡¯t intended to say anything about the ¡®Sealand¡ªZealand¡ªwoman¡¯.

    ¡°Please continue. The Zealand who? The Zealand what?¡±

    Michael had no choice. ¡°The woman who came from Zealand. She played a sort of spray on me and my friends, and that loosened the threads. Then she took my friends away on her flying-machine, but I stayed behind.¡±

    ¡°This ¡®woman from Zealand¡¯. Can you describe her please?¡±

    Michael was beginning to get worried again. But the Governor seemed determined. He continued: ¡°Well, she was a very pretty young lady. In her thirties I guess. Brown eyes, dark straight hair cut short¡ªjust above the neck. Very smooth pale skin. And she had very strong telepathic powers¡ªcompared to us.¡±

    ¡°Aha!¡± said the Governor, with a smile. She reached into a desk drawer and brought out a piece of stiff paper. On it was a picture of a woman¡¯s face, but it was not a drawing, such as he¡¯d been taught to do at school: it was a more exact likeness: almost as if the woman was actually looking at him through a small window. Except that there was no colour in the image: just grey tones. But still instantly unmistakable and recognisable¡ª

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    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s her! No doubt about it. So you know about her¡ª¡±

    ¡°About Bernadette. Dear Bernadette! Indeed we know about her. That answers a lot of my questions. This piece of paper is called a ¡®photograph¡¯. It¡¯s a fairly new way of representing someone¡¯s face, or anything else for that matter: still being worked on, but very useful, as you have seen. So you¡¯ve met Bernadette. I¡¯ll bet she spun you a good yarn¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Her story about her people¡ªthe telepaths¡ªbecoming the new ¡®master race¡¯ and preparing to ¡®take over¡¯ from ordinary, non-telepathic people¡ªincluding myself. Her assertion that telepaths, because they could share thoughts, would inevitably be more powerful than other races. Her stories about Zealand being a paradise island entirely populated by telepaths¡ªwhich it isn¡¯t, for that matter, there are only about two thousand there and they¡¯re by no means the governing class. She probably rabbited on a great deal about ¡®evolution¡¯ and how any species had to die out to give way to others. She probably mentioned ¡®dinosaurs¡¯. If I know Bernadette, she lectured you long and hard on this¡ªand, although there¡¯s truth in some of her concepts, a lot of it is just a pack of lies.¡±

    ¡°But¡ªshe spoke to us in thought-shapes. Telepathically,¡± put in Rachel. ¡°You can¡¯t lie with thought-shapes. We¡¯ve known that all along. Which is why we had to be so careful while my sister was alive.¡±

    ¡°You and Michael can¡¯t, almost certainly. You just haven¡¯t had enough experience, you¡¯ve not been practicing long enough. In essence, you¡¯re both too young. Peter, I don¡¯t know about.¡± Peter showed no reaction. He had barely spoken during the meeting. ¡°But Bernadette can. Remember, she¡¯s one of the most powerful and most experienced telepaths in Zealand, and she¡¯s had plenty of time to develop the ability to lie with her thoughts. And sometimes I wonder if she actually believes all this stuff she spews out¡ªwhich would make it not a lie at all¡ªin her mind. More of a sort of self-delusion. But probably not: Bernadette lies through her teeth¡ªor, to be more accurate, through the telepathic part of her brain. I know it.

    ¡°Anyway, I have in the past issued strict orders that Bernadette is not permitted to set foot in Labrador. Oh yes, she did approach me. She came to Rigo by boat, not by airship (though it doesn¡¯t surprise me that she has somehow acquired one). She wanted to seek out the best telepaths in this country, and spirit them off to her community in Zealand. Yes, she commands a modest group of telepaths in that country, and is quite well-off, I understand: where she gets her money from, I don¡¯t know. She was keen to visit areas where telepaths are persecuted, especially out in the far west, like your Waknuk. I refused. I told her that her visits would only provoke more persecution of those who must, of necessity, be left behind. And any persecution in my country was my responsibility, and my Govern-ment¡¯s responsibility, and my Police¡¯s responsibility. Not hers. She left in a huff, sailed straight off back to Zealand, visibly annoyed.

    ¡°So now, it seems, she has defied my order and entered Labrador illegally. It may be only Fringes territory, but it¡¯s still Labrador, and hence still my responsibility. And moreover, your description, Michael, confirms my suspicion: she has got hold of garrotte thread¡ªI don¡¯t know how, you need special licence from the Zealand Government, which she certainly wouldn¡¯t be granted¡ªshe got this awful weapon somehow, and she has deployed it against humans. That woman has a lot to answer for, and I shall be notifying the Zealand Government. A Government consisting mostly of non-telepaths, I should tell you. And I¡¯m on good terms with their Governor, despite the necessary secrecy of our communications.

    ¡°And if Bernadette ever sets food in Labrador again, she will be arrested. And tried for murder. We shall be seeking her extradition, in any case. In Labrador our aim is to deliver justice, not mass murder. That¡¯s my mission; that¡¯s what I¡¯m Governor for. Whatever may have been practiced in Labrador in the past.¡±

    Hilary stopped and let her speech sink in. Michael and Rachel could only sit there, silent and dumbfounded. This utter demolition of the character of this lady¡ªthis lady who they had thought to be the saviour of all telepaths everywhere¡ªthis they could not absorb. It seemed utterly impossible¡ªincredible. Was it possibly the Governor instead, who was now lying to them? But Peter was nodding, and now at last he spoke up.

    ¡°Some of what you have said, Hilary, is news to me¡ªbut not all. I should explain,¡± he said, turning to Rachel and Michael, ¡°that we¡¯ve been in correspondence, Hilary and I, for some years now; going back to before she became Governor¡ªalthough this is the first time we¡¯ve met face-to-face.

    ¡°Michael gave us a good, detailed account of what happened in his trip to the Fringes, when he was staying at my house. I have to say, now, that I had my suspicions about the ¡®Sealand woman¡¯s real intentions all along. I even mentioned my doubts to Rachel and Michael: suggested that Zealand was a place best avoided. But what I didn¡¯t know was that there were so few telepaths in Zealand¡ªI thought they numbered in the hundreds of thousands, or even millions. Are you sure about that, Hilary?¡±

    ¡°Quite sure. As I said, I know the Governor of Zealand: we¡¯re in touch regularly, we¡¯ve met once or twice. He¡¯s fully aware of their community and keeps a close watch on it, despite not being a telepath himself. All that stuff about telepaths being a ¡®superior¡¯ or ¡®more powerful¡¯ race is just poppycock, as I¡¯m sure you now realise. It¡¯s like saying that a circus acrobat, because he can stand on his hands, is ¡®superior¡¯ to folk who can¡¯t.

    ¡°But for now, I¡¯m afraid I must cut this interview short. Meetings to attend to,¡± and she sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough for coming to this meeting: you¡¯ve been a tremendous help. So, you young people, what are your plans now? I would wish you to remain in Rigo for the time being, if you that¡¯s agreeable to you. I¡¯m almost certain to want to speak to you again. You are no longer under the threat you were before, and Michael has a good job here. And Rachel, you may be able to find work here, too. Think about it.¡±

    And with that, the three took their leave of her.

    ¡°Peter,¡± whispered Michael, grabbing his arm as they were leaving the building, ¡°I still owe you money. I was going to send it to you but I needed it to pay the hospital bill. I think I¡¯ll have enough to repay you in a few weeks, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°No problem, Michael, pay me when you¡¯re able to. I got a good advance on my book, I¡¯m in no hurry. But we¡¯ll keep in touch. What do you make of our friend Hilary?¡±

    ¡°She sounds very convincing. And I can¡¯t get that ¡®garrotte-thread¡¯ image out of my head¡ªnot ever. I think that¡¯s what decided me that staying in Labrador, going to Rachel, was better than fleeing to Zealand. Where does that word ¡®garrotte¡¯ come from?¡±

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re asking the right person for that! But I¡¯m not sure: it¡¯s certainly not a Labradorean word and, as you know, most of my research has been centred around Labrador. My best guess is that it¡¯s the word, in a forgotten foreign language, for ¡®strangle¡¯ or ¡®strangulation¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Ugh! Don¡¯t, please!¡± exclaimed Michael, not wishing to be reminded of the scene any more. He changed the subject. ¡°Are you staying at the same inn while you¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°Yes I am. And you¡¯d better give me your address here, so we can keep in touch.¡± Michael promptly wrote down Mrs Norman¡¯s address on a slip of paper and handed it to Peter. ¡°Hmm¡­ not the most salubrious quarter of Rigo,¡± Peter continued, ¡°but I suppose you¡¯re safe enough there. When you¡¯ve earned enough, Michael¡ªand you Rachel too, hopefully¡ªyou should look for somewhere better. A flat, or even a house, perhaps.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll think about it,¡± replied Rachel. ¡°Yes, certainly we¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    With that they took their leave of Peter, promising to call at the inn before his departure. As they were walking back to their lodgings (slowly, because Rachel was still in some pain), Rachel glanced slyly at Michael several times without speaking. At last the urge con-quered her diffidence: she looked up at Michael with a strange smile:

    ¡°Michael, there¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡±

    ¡°What is it, dear?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m late.¡±

    ¡°Late? What do you mean, late? Oh¡ªyou mean late!¡± with a sudden flash of realisation.

    ¡°I was three weeks late when we were going to board ship¡ªwhen I got shot. I hadn¡¯t wanted to tell you before, because I was afraid you¡¯d want to cancel the trip. And afterwards! When I was able to, at the hospital I asked Benjamin¡ªand Laura too¡ªwhether the baby had been harmed, whether it was still alive. Benjamin gave me a thorough examination, he listened very carefully through his stetho-scope, but of course he couldn¡¯t be sure at this stage. But both of them were at pains to assure me that the baby was most likely to have survived: the bullet went nowhere near him or her. And I¡¯ve had no symptoms since then to suggest otherwise. I think he, or she, is still there¡­¡±

    ¡°My goodness!¡± exclaimed Michael, almost dumbfounded. ¡°What a sly one you are! But that¡¯s brilliant news. I couldn¡¯t have asked for better¡ªespecially as it looks like we¡¯re settled in Rigo for a while instead of gallivanting all round the world. I¡¯m absolutely delighted. And we¡¯ll have a future together, us and Junior¡­ won¡¯t we?¡±

    He paused for a moment, remembering Stephanie¡ªthe girl who couldn¡¯t have children.

    ¡°¡­but I wish I knew what happened to Mark and Stephanie.¡±

    ¡°Maybe one day we¡¯ll find out,¡± said Rachel quietly.

    END OF PART I

 PART II â€”â€” Chapter 35 - Stephanie and Mark

    STEPHANIE (formerly Sophie) and Mark were sitting quietly on a grassy bank beside the Kentak road, a few miles out from Waknuk, munching sandwiches. They had loosely tethered their horses and allowed them to rest and graze.

    Much had changed in Waknuk, and they were finally on their way; following in the footsteps of Rachel and Michael¡ªor so Mark convinced himself; although Stephanie had been unusually quiet about their plans recently.

    Amelia, Rachel¡¯s mother, had sold the farm and gone to live with her sister, as she had promised. The Strorms¡¯ farm, called Waknuk like the village, had also been sold¡ªto Angus Morton. Many rumoured that he¡¯d acquired it ¡®at a bargain price¡¯, seeing as Sarah, Joseph Strorm¡¯s second daughter, was reputed to be a poor negotiator. Sarah denied this, of course. Mary, the elder daughter, had married and left Waknuk: she refused to get involved in the sale, although she did get her share of the proceeds. Sarah, along with several of the farm-hands, stayed on at the farm, temporarily in charge. She was still unmarried, but one of Morton¡¯s sons certainly had an eye for her: they were often seen together and most people in the district predict-ed that wedding bells were not far off. With Joseph dead, Angus Morton¡¯s feud with the Strorms was long since ended, and certainly he no longer objected to a union between the two families: indeed he rather encouraged it.

    Emily, Joseph¡¯s widow and Sarah and Mary¡¯s mother, had never really recovered from the shock of losing Joseph, David and Petra all at once. She was allowed to stay at Waknuk as an invalid, but Sarah was tasked with caring for her. She kept to her room most days and barely spoke.

    So Stephanie and Mark were on the road at last. It was not the ideal time to set out on a journey, since winter was fast drawing in, but they had taken care to carry warm clothing. And they had made a convinc-ing forged identity/normalcy tag for Stephanie to carry, giving her the same surname as Mark (¡®to avoid questions on the journey,¡¯ as she had declared, ¡®¡ªbut don¡¯t make any assumptions!¡¯). She also wore a plain gold-coloured ring on her left hand middle finger¡ªwhich she was prepared to transfer to the fourth finger ¡®if necessary¡¯.

    They also had a tent and some blankets, two bows with arrows, and a gun, though Mark hoped he¡¯d never have to use it. It was quite a load for the two horses, but they seemed capable enough.

    And Amelia had made them a handsome present out of the proceeds of the farm sale¡ªthey had been been reluctant to accept it, but Amelia had insisted; ¡°Besides,¡± she¡¯d added, ¡°I want you to do your very best to track down Rachel; find out where she is, and what¡¯s happening to her. You¡¯ll need money. I have a sort of ¡®feeling¡¯ that all¡¯s well with her, but I can¡¯t be sure¡­¡±

    Mark proposed that their first destination ought to be Kentak, to which Stephanie promptly agreed. After all, that was where Michael and Rachel had been making for, the last time they had been in contact. Since then, they had heard nothing. Besides, Mark had a suspicion that his thought-shape powers were diminishing once again: the fever that he had suffered must have had some long-lasting effects. Since there was no-one in range, except Stephanie, with whom he could communicate, he couldn¡¯t be sure about this¡ªbut Stephanie, whose powers, on the other hand, seemed to be improving, said that his thought-shapes were getting weaker. This would make it more difficult for them to track down Michael and Rachel, of course.

    Luckily, there had been no apparent suspicions about them, during their stay at Waknuk. Mark had had no occasion to project his thoughts once Michael and Rachel were out of range, and Stephanie, of course, had taken pains not to repeat her mistake¡ªso many years ago now¡ªof revealing her feet to any stranger. Amelia was the only other person in Waknuk who knew¡ªand Amelia was trustworthy. So they were able to follow the Kentak road at a more leisurely pace without fear of pursuit.

    It was evening when they entered Kentak. Mark knew the town slightly: he had visited it once or twice in the past, though he had not shared Michael¡¯s privilege of being schooled there. They had some difficulty in tracing their way through the streets to the flat shared by Michael¡¯s two friends¡ªthe last place where they believed that the fugitives had stayed¡ªbut finally they were able to dismount, tie up the horses, and knock on the door.

    It was opened, just a crack, by a tall man slightly older than either Mark or Michael, who eyed them with some suspicion. At first he seemed reluctant to admit them. Mark gave their names and explained that they were friends of Michael and Rachel, who he believed had called on them some months earlier. At this, the man asked them to wait for a moment, then he disappeared inside, closing the door on them. Mark and Stephanie waited.

    After quite a long time the door was opened again and the two were ushered inside; then the door was firmly closed again and bolted. There the man who had admitted them named himself as Jack, and introduced them to his flatmate Adrian, who was about the same age as Jack, but shorter, with a bushy black moustache.

    After staring at the visitors for a while, Adrian began, somewhat defensively, ¡°So you¡¯re friends of Michael are you? Michael who used to live here? What do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°We just want to know if he, and Rachel, stayed here, for how long, and where they went on to,¡± said Mark. ¡°We¡¯re trying to catch up with them.¡±

    ¡°Any particular reason?¡±

    ¡°Just that we¡¯re their friends. What¡¯s with all this suspicion?¡± retorted Mark, getting somewhat annoyed and edgy.

    ¡°Calm down,¡± replied Adrian. ¡°Do you have any idea what hap-pened here, during the time they were here?¡±

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    ¡°What happened!¡± Mark¡¯s heart sank, and he feared the worst. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Stephanie¡¯s face contorted with horror. ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡ªyou don¡¯t mean they were followed? Arrested?¡±

    Adrian smiled. ¡°Aha. I think that¡¯s good enough for us to believe you.¡± Jack nodded. ¡°You must forgive our suspicions. But I¡¯m fairly certain that if you had been what we were afraid you might be, you wouldn¡¯t have reacted like that to my question¡ªnor come out with that remark. So we¡¯re better explain to you what happened here. Jack?¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t worry,¡± continued Jack. ¡°It¡¯s not what you¡¯re think-ing. Last time we saw them, they were perfectly all right. But it was a near thing. Yes, Michael and Rachel did call in here, a few months ago. Michael said they were in a great hurry: he was leaving Kentak for good¡ªhe didn¡¯t tell us why¡ªand he gave us his share of the outstanding rent. And another thing. They said they¡¯d got married just after they arrived in Kentak.¡±

    ¡°Married!¡± Stephanie exclaimed, with evident delight. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! I couldn¡¯t be happier for them. How did they manage it, with so little time to spare?¡±

    ¡°We think they did a sort of ¡®do-it-yourself¡¯ wedding, in an empty church. Probably not legal, but fair enough for us! Anyway we treated them to a sort of ¡®wedding breakfast¡¯ and then they settled down for the night in Michael¡¯s old bedroom.

    ¡°But in the middle of the night some rough young fellows, four of them, came banging on the door. Country folk, by the look of them: certainly not locals from Kentak. They demanded to come in and search for some fugitives¡ª¡®Blasphemies¡¯ they said they were. ¡®Blasphemies¡¯ my foot! If they were meaning Michael and Rachel, well they¡¯re as normal as you and I are.¡± Stephanie felt an uncomfort-able itch in her foot, but said nothing. ¡°So we told them, no way are you stepping inside without a search warrant. They said, they don¡¯t need a warrant, but we held our ground.

    ¡°At that they tried to force their way in. Well, the one who was their ringleader, I guess¡ªchap with a ponytail¡ªtried to go for us, landed a punch or two¡ªbut then his mates held him back. It took a while, but eventually we managed to force them out and close the door on them. I stood guard while Adrian went to warn Michael and Rachel. He came back and said they¡¯d disappeared. At that we both went to look: their belongings were gone too: they seemed to have grabbed every-thing and got out through the window. Their horses were gone. When we got back to the front door the four young men had also run off. We just hope we gave Michael and Rachel enough time to get a good enough start. If I know Michael, he¡¯ll know plenty of back ways and hidden paths around these parts, and he¡¯s country-bred. He should have been able to shake off the pursuit if there was one. With any luck¡­¡±

    ¡°I just hope you¡¯re right,¡± said Mark. ¡°We¡¯ll want to get after them as quickly as possible. You think they were aiming for Rigo?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what they said,¡± replied Adrian.

    ¡°Well, that gives us a start, at any rate.¡± Mark was aware of Stephanie looking at him as if she wanted to interrupt him, but she said nothing. ¡°Whatever happens, we can¡¯t thank you enough for what you did. You may have saved their lives.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to tell us what it was all about then? Are they Deviational in some way?¡±

    ¡°I suppose the truth will come out some time, anyway, and I¡¯ll have to trust you,¡± said Mark. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of the raid from Waknuk district. On the Fringes?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we heard about it. Nearly all of the men got killed, so we heard. Dreadful business.¡±

    ¡°Did you know what the purpose of the raid was?¡±

    ¡°Something about intending to give the Fringes folk a hell of a beating,¡± replied Adrian. ¡°Stopping them from ever raiding civilised parts again. Clearly they failed at that.¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t the whole of it,¡± continued Mark. ¡°Fact is, several of my friends, including Michael and Rachel, have this ability to trans-mit their thoughts over a distance, to others with the same power. That¡¯s all. I have a little of this power too, but in me it¡¯s a lot weaker¡ªit diminished after I was ill a few months ago, and I haven¡¯t really recovered. Stephanie, here, well she never grew up with this ability, but in recent months she¡¯s been developing it, in a limited way. My theory is, that spending one¡¯s time in the company of a ¡®thought-shaper¡¯¡ªas we call ourselves¡ªcauses one to begin to acquire the gift oneself. At any rate, Stephanie can transmit and receive a few thoughts¡ªthough not over any distance.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very interesting,¡± put in Jack. ¡°Did Michael ever read either of our thoughts? Did you read any of his, Adrian? Or mine?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t say that I did,¡± replied Adrian. ¡°Though I will say, there was always something strange about Michael. About how sometimes he seemed to know what I was about to say, before I said it. And then he was always so brilliant at school. Perhaps he was getting help from somewhere?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps he was,¡± admitted Mark, slyly. ¡°Anyway, to continue: the people out to the west of here, Waknuk and surrounding areas, they got wind of it and they didn¡¯t like it. They were afraid of us. So they pronounced us Deviations, and some of my friends had to flee for their lives. To the Fringes. I wasn¡¯t caught up in it, nor were Michael and Rachel, simply because they didn¡¯t know about the three of us. My other friends, those who weren¡¯t captured, did manage to escape somehow, so I heard: Michael told me that they were rescued by some sort of aliens from another part of the world.

    ¡°But you can see what a risk we¡¯re taking by telling you all this. We just have to trust you.¡±

    ¡°Oh you can trust us all right,¡± said Adrian. ¡°Michael¡¯s a good friend of ours, we¡¯d never dream of betraying him, so why should we betray his friends? Besides, I¡¯m not sure that what you¡¯ve described is a ¡®Deviation¡¯. If ordinary people can pick up the habit, like Stephanie has, surely not! And don¡¯t they say that the Old People had this ability to talk at a distance?¡±

    ¡°Well, all I can say is, we¡¯re very grateful,¡± said Mark. ¡°I wanted to get this off my chest, and I feel that if those thugs ever come your way again, it¡¯d be better to know what it¡¯s all about. So I think we¡¯ll be wanting to set off first thing tomorrow. You couldn¡¯t put us up, perhaps¡ª¡±

    But at this point Stephanie interrupted. ¡°No, Mark, we can¡¯t possibly impose on these good people in this way. Even if the trail has gone cold, wherever we are there¡¯s danger. Surely we don¡¯t want to put them to any more risk, not after what happened with Michael and Rachel? We¡¯ll find a room at the inn.¡±

    Mark saw the sense in this. So they took their leave of Jack and Adrian, after having enquired about inns in the town. They collected up their horses, and set out in search of the inn.

 Chapter 36 - Change of Plan

    AS THEY were riding slowly side-by-side through the network of streets, making their way towards the inn they¡¯d been directed to, Stephanie glanced at Mark a few times. She seemed undecided whether to speak. Eventually she came out with:

    ¡°Mark¡ªI don¡¯t want to set out for Rigo. Not now, not until¡­¡±

    Mark reined in his horse. ¡°Good Heavens! Why ever not?¡± he exclaimed. ¡°I thought we¡¯d settled that: we were to go there right away.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t speak up earlier,¡± continued Stephanie, ¡°but I really want to find out what happened to my parents. Please, Mark! Let me at least try¡­¡±

    ¡°But¡ªbut surely the trail that could lead to your parents is even colder than the trail that might lead to Rachel and Michael. Besides¡ª¡± Mark stopped himself just in time, before tactlessly uttering the words ¡®they might be dead¡¯. He hoped he hadn¡¯t projected that thought in a way that Stephanie could pick up¡­

    ¡°I know. It was over eight years ago, that I was separated from them. I was just ten. I know we were brought here, to Kentak; I can remember tearfully saying goodbye to them as I was put into a coach bound for Rigo¡ªall on my own. And my mother said, they¡¯d probably be sent to prison. It was horrible¡­!¡±

    Mark thought for a while. ¡°Well, we could follow a possible lead. The Inspector¡¯s office here in Kentak may have records. I could call in there tomorrow and see what I can dig up. Not you: it would be dangerous for you: you might be recognised. But now let¡¯s go on to the inn. We can decide about things tomorrow. Yes, we could stop there two nights if necessary.¡±

    They found the first inn without difficulty, and handed their horses to the ostler for stabling. Going inside, Stephanie took charge and secured a double room for them for two nights. She gave Mark¡¯s real name and her assumed name, with the same surname. Mark couldn¡¯t help his eyes lighting up as he watched this: he recalled that Steph-anie had said ¡®We¡¯ll find a room¡¯ rather than ¡®rooms¡¯ , back at the flat, but he¡¯d thought it was a slip of the tongue.

    Stephanie noted his bemused expression as they climbed the stairs to their bedroom. ¡°Mark, I thought we¡¯d agreed right at the start that we¡¯d find it easier travelling if we pose as a married couple. But that doesn¡¯t mean anything between us¡ªso no funny business!¡±

    The room, when they reached it, was somewhat dingy but adequate, with a wash-stand and twin beds. Having deposited their bags, they returned down to the bar and ordered a quick meal. Then, being already quite tired, they decided to turn in at once. Once in the bed-room, Stephanie quickly stripped off her blouse, skirt and chemise and went to the washstand¡­

    Mark had been feeling his bed and trying out the mattress for comfort; then he lifted his eyes and saw Stephanie across the room, naked to the waist. He did a double-take and gaped at her.

    Stephanie noticed his confusion and giggled; she wrapped her arms across her breasts. ¡°I was forgetting,¡± she laughed, ¡°you guys from the ¡®civilised¡¯ parts aren¡¯t used to seeing girls¡¯ breasts. But it happens all the time, back at¡­¡± She shuddered for a moment and couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. ¡°¡­back at¡ªwell, you know where. We didn¡¯t have a nudity taboo. Well, most of the women back there don¡¯t grow breasts anyway. Flat chested, just like the boys from the waist up. I suppose it¡¯s the ones who were taken away as babies, and whatever they do to them.¡±

    For an instant tears were starting from Stephanie¡¯s eyes, but she collected herself and continued: ¡°I was one of the lucky ones, I suppose. I was ¡®treated¡¯ as a ten-year-old, in Rigo; and the doctor said, I¡¯d go through normal puberty¡ªexcept for the monthly ¡­ blood. I wouldn¡¯t have that¡ªwhich she said would be a blessing. So my breasts grew as normal. They¡¯re quite nice, aren¡¯t they?¡± and she unwrapped her arms and wriggled her body.

    ¡°Indeed they are,¡± murmured Mark, somewhat hesitantly and blushing, finding it hard not to stare at her. ¡°You know,¡± he con-tinued, more expressively and boldly, ¡°that I¡¯ve long had the hots ¡­ well, quite a fancy for you, ever since I first met you. I thought you were a beauty. And I still do. I know you don¡¯t want it to go further, but you are teasing me a bit, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Stephanie had meanwhile slipped a long nightgown over herself and removed her undergarments. ¡°All right, I am a bit of a tease, I suppose. You know I slept with Michael, don¡¯t you? Just the once.¡±

    ¡°Er¡ªMichael did sort of mention it. In words, not in thought-shapes. I wondered if he was having me on: men often boast about such things¡­¡±

    ¡°Poor Michael! Such a capable chap in all other ways, but so innocent when it comes to women. I suppose I did have a passing hot passion for him: I led him on. He¡¯d never been with a girl before me: did you know that? But with you, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s different. You have, haven¡¯t you? I can tell.¡±

    ¡°Just the one,¡± admitted Mark. ¡°A farm hand¡¯s daughter, back at the farm where I grew up. She was very pretty: blonde hair in curls, not like yours,¡± and Mark reached out and briefly stroked Stephanie¡¯s straight dark brown hair as he spoke. ¡°I suppose she led me on: a lot of the farm girls were like that. We were together for a few weeks, then it sort of fizzled out. She was worried about having a baby, and her dad was getting suspicious: if he¡¯d found out, he¡¯d have horse-whipped her, for sure. But nothing bad happened. It was nice while it lasted. But I was also dead scared of the others¡ªthe others in my think-together group, I mean¡ªfinding out. I wasn¡¯t supposed to go with a Norm. It was about the same time as we were having the trouble with Anne¡ªyou know about Anne, of course: Rachel¡¯s sister¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Rachel told me all about her. It must have been awful for her, finding the body like that¡ªbut she said that, although she¡¯d never ¡®get over it¡¯, at least it wasn¡¯t foremost in her mind any more. I hope that was true.¡±

    ¡°Well, the rest of us,¡± continued Mark, ¡°were telling Anne that marrying a norm would be absolutely impossible. Out-of-the-question. Even I joined in saying that. Michael was passionate about it, and as for David¡­ So I couldn¡¯t admit to having a fling with a Norm, myself. Of course, there were never any thoughts of marrying her. It was just a bit of fun¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, Michael obviously forgot his vows¡ªat least when it comes to spending a night with a Norm. Except that I¡¯m not exactly a Norm am I?¡± and she lifted her six-toed feet onto the bed. ¡°You know, when I first met David, when we were kids playing together, I felt¡ªhoped even¡ªthat as we grew older we might fall in love. I really liked David: my best friend. Of course I knew nothing about his¡ªpower¡ªback then, and I knew nothing about Rosalind. I don¡¯t think he realised his potential either¡ªnot at that young age.

    ¡°When I first met Rosalind, in those last days in¡­in those last days before I was rescued, I sensed that David was embarrassed. He didn¡¯t really want me around; he was trying to shrug off the puppy-love we¡¯d had. I knew at once that it would never have been anything with him. We were just kids.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°But with you? Please understand, Mark, I¡¯m not rebuffing you for all time. I like you too. I¡¯m just not ready to do this¡ªto do what happened with Michael¡ªnot this time. And I¡¯m now hoping for something more permanent. With a Norm,¡± she added, emphatically.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not far off being a Norm myself, am I? My thought-shape powers are pretty weak at the moment, and I hardly ever use them. But yours are getting stronger.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they?¡± he concluded, in a thought-shape.

    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Stephanie, also as a thought shape. ¡°My goodness, I caught that! And I answered back!¡± she continued in words. ¡°What¡¯s happening to me?¡±

    ¡°You know perfectly well. You¡¯ve been changing for months now. My point is, we¡¯re drawing closer together all the time. I¡¯m losing it, and you¡¯re gaining it. And I already know about your feet; of course I¡¯d never betray you. You can¡¯t be certain of any other man. And Stephanie, I can¡¯t help saying this, I love you. I wasn¡¯t sure before, but I do now. So¡ª¡±

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll consider the proposal made. Of marriage, I mean. But my answer is No. For now at least. Please understand. And no sneaking into my bed!¡± She reached across to Mark and gave him a quick peck on both cheeks; then she slipped into her bed.

    Mark¡¯s heart was pounding by now: he lay back on his bed and was silent for some time. ¡°I understand,¡± he muttered, at last. ¡°And thank you, thank you ever so much, Stephanie.¡± A few minutes later they were both sound asleep.

    The next morning, after breakfast, Mark proposed that he should go alone to the Kentak Inspector¡¯s office, while Stephanie remained in their room. ¡°Safer for you,¡± he said. So, after getting as much detail about Stephanie¡¯s parents as she could recall, he set out for the Inspector¡¯s.

    The office in Kentak was more imposing than the Inspector¡¯s offices he¡¯d been used to back at home, and at Waknuk. There was a young woman seated at a reception desk, and she asked him his business. Then she consulted an appointments book, and told him he could see the Inspector in about an hour¡¯s time. With nothing else to do, Mark thought it best to return to the inn: he bought a few provisions on the way and also called in at the stables to check on the horses. They seemed to have been well looked after. Then he returned to Stephanie, and explained that it would take some time.

    The hour being up, he presented himself at the Inspector¡¯s once more, and was shown into his office. The Inspector was nothing like the commanding figure Mark was expecting; unlike the ones he¡¯d encountered back at home and at Waknuk, this one was a slight, elderly man with grey hair and moustache, and a wrinkled face and kindly-looking eyes. Mark immediately felt at ease with him.

    ¡°So what can I do for you?¡± began the Inspector. ¡°I take it, this is not about simply reporting a Deviation: you could have arranged that with my secretary.¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s like this.¡± Mark had been thinking up an elaborate lie all that morning, and he hoped it would sound convincing. ¡°My uncle came to stay with my parents a few weeks ago: it had been many years since we¡¯d seen him. When he arrived he asked about some old friends of his: a Mr and Mrs Wender. John and Martha. He said they used to live out west of Waknuk, but he hadn¡¯t heard from them for years. My father was able to explain that the couple had been arrested for shielding a Deviational child, and he thought they¡¯d been sent to Kentak for trial. Since my uncle¡¯s rather infirm, I offered to come to Kentak to make enquiries on his behalf. So here I am.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said the Inspector. ¡°Yes, I remember the case quite well. Excuse me while I look for the file.¡± He searched some drawers for a while, then brought out a folder. ¡°Ah, yes. It was their little daughter, name of Sophie. Age about ten, I believe. Born with six toes, poor thing. To be honest, between you and me, I¡¯m more inclined to believe that such a person is near enough to the True Image to be accepted as one¡ªbut the Laws are very strict, especially here and out in the villages; less so in Rigo. So I had to put her through the procedure for Blasphemies, which I¡¯m sure you know about. It turned out that she had to be sent on to Rigo, which was for the best: she¡¯d have been better treated there than¡ª¡±

    ¡°But what about the parents? John and Martha? That¡¯s what my uncle really wants to find out.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t help you there. Criminal cases are the responsibility of the Sheriff, not me: I only deal with Deviations and what to do with them. If the couple had been shielding the little girl, that¡¯s a crime: they¡¯d have been charged and stood trial. Sorry, I can¡¯t help you any more: you could try asking at the Sheriff¡¯s office.¡±

    Mark thanked the Inspector for his help and left the office, his opinion of Inspectors on the whole quite a lot changed for the better! He saw that the day was advancing and it would be as well to return to the inn for lunch before trying the Sheriff¡¯s. Back at the inn, Stephanie was happy enough with the progress Mark had made, and urged him to set out for the Sheriff¡¯s straight after lunch.

    At the Sheriff¡¯s office, Mark was shown into a small office where he was greeted by a young man in a plain suit, not much older than Mark himself, who explained that he was one of the Sheriff¡¯s officers.

    ¡°The Sheriff himself is going to be busy all this afternoon,¡± he said, ¡°but hopefully I might be able to help you with your enquiry. So what can I do for you?¡±

    Mark told the same tale that he had told the Inspector.

    ¡°Hmmm. Eight years ago, you say? Name of ¡®Wender¡¯. Well, it¡¯s obviously long before my time, but there¡¯ll be a file somewhere. Excuse me while I go have a look.¡±

    A few minutes later the officer was back. ¡°Yes, I found the file, and I also popped in to ask the Sheriff. Yes, he remembers the case, apparently it was quite notorious at the time. But both of them pleaded guilty, so the case was over quite quickly. Five years.¡±

    ¡°Five years?¡± put in Mark. ¡°You mean, five years¡¯ imprisonment?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m afraid so. It¡¯s the minimum for concealment of a Blasphemy. If they¡¯d contested the case, they¡¯d probably have got more.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where they were sent?¡±

    ¡°Well, it would have been separate prisons: a men¡¯s prison for him, a women¡¯s for her. I¡¯ll have a look ¡­ yes here it is. Mrs Wender: five years at Kamach prison; Mr Wender, five years at Menichik prison. But they¡¯ll both have been released by now, of course.¡±

    ¡°Where might they have gone after release?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help you there: your only recourse is to get in touch with the prisons themselves. But they¡¯ll have had travel restrictions placed on them; they can¡¯t have gone very far. Being husband and wife, I reckon they¡¯d have been allowed to reunite, but that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Where are ¡­ Kamach and Menichik?¡± asked Mark, after glancing at the slip of paper the officer had passed him.

    ¡°Quite a long way off, if you¡¯re thinking of going there. Kamach is the nearer: about fifty miles off, to the north of here. Menichik is another eighty miles or so beyond. I wouldn¡¯t advise trying to make it to Menichik, not at this time of year: the roads¡¯ll soon be blocked by snow. You could probably reach Kamach without trouble, if you set out soon.¡±

    Mark wondered what Stephanie would have to say to the prospect of another journey, to the north this time. But she had been adamant that she wanted to go in search of her parents. Mark thanked the officer for his help and went back to the inn.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been wonderful!¡± exclaimed Stephanie when he reported back to her. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have asked for better: you¡¯re a perfect friend.¡± And she flung her arms around him and smothered him with kisses, some of them full on the mouth this time. ¡°And of course we¡¯ll set out for Kamach. It¡¯s by far the best chance of finding them. I just hope the prisons have kept records as good as the Sheriff¡¯s.¡±

 Chapter 37 - The Journey North

    THEY set out early the next morning. The last night had passed very much the same as the previous: despite Stephanie¡¯s obvious admiration for Mark, she refused to let him share her bed. ¡°I said No yesterday, and I still mean No. You understand?¡± Mark had ac-quiesced, reluctantly but not over-discouraged. He thought he saw a chink in the armour¡­!

    The innkeeper had helpfully given them directions for finding the road to Kamach. It was warm at sunny at present, but they had been warned that the weather would soon turn much colder. This did not worry them: their horses had evidently benefited from the day¡¯s rest and were eager for the journey.

    Nothing of interest occurred during the day¡¯s ride. For a while they urged their horses into a fast trot, but they made sure to rest them several times during the day. At first the road was well-made and passed through settled land with many farms. They took their lunch in the shelter of a large haystack¡ªwhile the horses munched some of the hay for good measure. There were many streams for them to draw water. But when they had covered about fifteen miles, the landscape changed: the farms became more sparse and there were more forested areas interspersed with rocky and hilly stretches, and the road became more rough. Their pace inevitably slowed down, and daylight was now failing. They had not passed any farm or village where they might seek a bed for the night, so they decided to camp.

    After tethering the horses where they could conveniently graze, they pitched their tent on a grassy spot sheltered between some large boulders. It seemed cosy enough: they were able to gather twigs and light a fire, and share a hot supper.

    Just as they were clearing up after their meal, they heard a low, ominous growl nearby. The horses were startled, neighed, and reared up, dragging at their tethers, but luckily neither rope gave way. Mark immediately sprang up and attempted to calm the horses, with some difficulty. Then he looked around, and spotted two luminous eyes surveying them from the top of a boulder a short distance away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be alarmed, Stephanie,¡± he whispered, as he grabbed a bow and some arrows. ¡°I think it¡¯s a cougar. A big cat. They don¡¯t usually attack people or large animals, but best to be careful.¡± Stephanie jumped up in some alarm and clung to Mark in her fright. Mark continued, ¡°Best would be to climb on one of these boulders, shout and wave our arms, to frighten it off. Whatever you do, don¡¯t run away, it might give chase. And I doubt if the bow will be effective.¡±

    The cougar was coming closer now, and they could make out the dark sleek shape of its body in the increasing gloom. Stephanie did as Mark had bid her: they both climbed the boulder and waved their arms frantically and shouted. The cougar was very close now, and crouching, as if it were preparing to spring. They yelled even louder, and jumped up and down on the rock.

    At last, after a minute¡¯s stand-off, to their immense relief the cougar turned away from them with a snarl, and slunk off between the boulders. In a minute or two it had vanished into the gloom. The horses, too, seemed to have sensed that the danger was past: both of them calmed down when Stephanie and Mark comforted them.

    ¡°That was close!¡± muttered Mark. ¡°We sometimes used to get cougars, back at the farm where I lived: occasionally one would come and take one of our calves. But I never heard of one attacking a person: they¡¯re usually more frightened of us than we are of them. But you have to be careful. Of course, there¡¯s always the risk that it might be a Deviant, with different instincts from a normal cougar. I¡¯ve heard that some large animals mutate into man-eaters¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mark! You must be awfully brave! But we oughtn¡¯t to have camped here,¡± cried Stephanie. ¡°Should we move on?¡±

    ¡°We could pack up and press on in the dark,¡± replied Mark, ¡°but I¡¯d advise not. I think we¡¯ll be safe enough here. The horses will surely alert us if the cat returns. It¡¯ll probably find some more suitable prey, like a deer; in which case it won¡¯t be bothered with us at all.¡±

    Stephanie was doubtful, but she was learning to trust Mark on these matters. He was clearly an experienced countryman, knowledgeable about the ways of these wild parts. So they crept into their tent and wrapped themselves in their blankets. Stephanie snuggled up to Mark and put her arms around him, and kissed him fervently. Mark kissed her back, and slipped an exploratory hand under her blouse. She immediately slapped it and he withdrew, in some confusion.

    ¡°Naughty!¡± hissed Stephanie. ¡°Remember what I told you. I still haven¡¯t made up my mind about you, so don¡¯t be silly¡­¡± But he could sense that she was grinning¡­

    They were soon asleep. Some time during the night they were awakened by a horse¡¯s whinny: Mark at once crept out with the bow, though there was little chance of seeing a target to shoot at in the dark; the moon had set by now. But he could see no sign of the cougar, and the horses seemed to have calmed down. Probably a passing fox, he thought, and he was able to reassure Stephanie.

    When they next woke it was just after dawn, and the horses were still grazing quite contentedly. They were able to wash at a nearby stream and made a hurried breakfast: then they packed and set off again. The road was getting steadily rougher, with more hills to climb, so their progress was slow. They had covered only about twelve miles by mid-afternoon, as they topped a high ridge with jagged rocks and the occasional pine along its crest. They gazed ahead and to their relief saw that the road descended into a broad valley with scattered houses, and there appeared to be a village a few miles ahead. They hastened forward and urged the horses into a trot again. It was just beginning to get dark as they entered the village.

    They could see no sign of an inn, so they enquired at a house by the roadside. ¡°No, sorry, dears, there¡¯s no inn here,¡± said a short plump woman who answered the door. ¡°But you could try one of the farms around here, they sometimes take travellers in, for a consideration. Try that one, over there,¡± she continued, pointing to a farm a short way back along the road, but stood some distance away from the road itself.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    So they picked their way across the fields to the farm the woman had indicated, and tentatively knocked. The door was answered by an equally short and plump woman, with a good-natured face and bright auburn hair tied up in a bun, with two small children peeping shyly from behind her skirt. As soon as she learned their needs, she smiled.

    ¡°Yes, I can indeed put the two of you up, and we can take care of the horses. Here, Bob!¡± she shouted across the yard, and a lad came running and took charge of the horses. ¡°And you can have supper with us too. How does five dollars sound to you?¡± she continued. Mark and Stephanie at once agreed, introduced themselves, and the woman ushered them into the house, telling them her name was Brenda, and her husband, who owned the farm, was Phil. She showed them to a warm and snug little room with a large bed, then told them to be sure to come to the kitchen in ten minutes, as supper was about to be served.

    When they arrived at the kitchen, there were quite a number of people gathered at table. As well as Brenda and Phil and their children, there were three or four farm hands and their wives, and a couple of dairymaids. The meal, when it came, consisted of pork with greens and generous helpings of potatoes: the best meal Mark and Stephanie had enjoyed since they left Waknuk. And the conversation was lively, too: most of the talk was about farm matters, understand-ably. Although Stephanie, not being brought up a farm-girl, was a bit left behind by the talk, Mark joined in eagerly and entertained them with anecdotes about the happenings on his home farm, way out west and close to the Wild Country. He also told them about their close encounter with the cougar.

    ¡°Yes, we do get the big cats around here¡ªnot very often though. We do have to keep a watch on the livestock,¡± commented Phil, the farmer. ¡°You did well to scare yours off though: I guess you¡¯ve had practice, Mark?¡± Mark nodded.

    ¡°So you¡¯d be making for Kentak, I reckon?¡± continued Phil.

    ¡°No,¡± put in Stephanie. ¡°We¡¯re going the other way. We¡¯ve just come from Kentak: we¡¯re heading to Kamach to the north of here. Visiting relatives there. I trust we¡¯re still on the right road?¡±

    ¡°Yes you are, but it¡¯s a rough road. Take you two more days, I reckon. Well, best of luck with your travels.¡±

    When the meal was over, and the farm workers had departed, Mark and Stephanie expressed a desire to return to their room. They were just settling in, and Stephanie had flung herself contentedly down on the bed, when there came a tap on the door.

    ¡°Come in,¡± called Mark, automatically. ¡°Mark!¡± hissed Stephanie, in some alarm. Mark wheeled round. Stephanie was lying on the bed, and had kicked off her shoes. She was frozen for a few vital seconds, then she frantically tried to twist herself round and lower her legs on the far side of the bed.

    But it was too late: the door was open and Brenda had stepped into the room, her arms full. ¡°I just thought I¡¯d bring you a couple extra blankets: it¡¯s going to be a chilly¡ª¡± She broke off: Mark had tried to divert her attention, but she¡¯d noticed his uneasiness and glanced at Stephanie struggling on the bed. Her expression changed in an instant.

    ¡°But you¡¯re¡­ But you¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re one of them? You¡¯re a Bla¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t call me that,¡± interrupted Stephanie, sitting up. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a Deviant. I¡¯m not quite in the True Image, whatever that is. So what are you going to do?¡± Memories came floating back: a wet footprint on the flat stone by the river; Alan Ervin appearing uncalled-for; the fight between the two boys; all that happened after¡­

    ¡°But I thought you people weren¡¯t humans. That you didn¡¯t have souls,¡± protested Brenda, hesitantly, almost to herself. ¡°You looked so human to me, I never thought¡­¡±

    ¡°I feel as much a human as you are. I don¡¯t quite know what a soul is, but if there are such things, I¡¯m quite sure I have one too.¡±

    ¡°Well I never!¡± exclaimed Brenda. ¡°But how is it you weren¡¯t sent to the Fringes, like the others? Even one of my babies¡­¡± and she paused, briefly wiping away a tear on her apron. ¡°Were you hidden away all this time?¡±

    ¡°I have been to the F¡ª; to that place,¡± put in Stephanie, unwilling to say the word. ¡°I was there for seven years. It was a dreadful time. But I got away.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen Fringes people,¡± said Brenda. ¡°They came and raided the village here, but they were driven off. They were horrid people: dirty and ragged, with ugly faces, behaving almost like animals. But they didn¡¯t look very Deviational.¡±

    ¡°No, they wouldn¡¯t have. It¡¯s nearly always something small: a tiny difference, like a toe. Just ugly¡ªand aggressive.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re not ugly. I think you¡¯re quite a beauty. I was just saying to Phil, I think Mark¡¯s a jolly lucky man.¡± Mark blushed, but did not deign to correct her assumption.

    ¡°I was ugly, during my time back there,¡± continued Stephanie. ¡°But since I got out, I¡¯ve been looking after myself better. So, what are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°No¡ªit¡¯s impossible. The Law says I must, but I can¡¯t turn you in. You¡¯re such a nice couple, I couldn¡¯t have wished for better guests. If you¡¯ve lived as a norm for so long, you can continue living as a norm, I reckon. It was only a ¡®tiny difference¡¯ with my baby too: just part of his left ear missing. And they took him away. How I cried and cried, for weeks!¡± Brenda could not suppress a few sobs even now, as she said this. ¡°But you¡¯ve seen my two girls: little dears aren¡¯t they?¡ªand they passed the test, they came after my son and softened the blow, a sort of ¡®consolation prize¡¯ I suppose.

    ¡°But don¡¯t breathe a word of this, not to anyone else here. I shan¡¯t even tell Phil. And be careful. One glimpse is enough.¡± She put the blankets on the bed and left, bidding them good-night.

    They lay awake for a long while. Two narrow escapes in two nights!¡ªhow much longer would their luck hold? Mark was as contrite as anything; he¡¯d been so careless, would Stephanie ever forgive him? She had stopped his protestations with a kiss as usual, then lay back, staring out of the window at the full moon, clearly thinking about something. At length she appeared decided. She reached down for the hem of her nightgown and pulled it up over her head.

    ¡°Yes, I do love you, Mark,¡± she whispered. ¡°And yes, I will marry you. We won¡¯t have a family, but we¡¯ll have each other¡ªfor as long as we live. What more could we ask?¡± She wrapped herself around Mark¡­

    It was the best moment of Mark¡¯s life. After their initial passion had been satisfied, they both lay back and fell asleep almost at once.

 Chapter 38 - One Lost, One Found

    WHEN the two of them set out after breakfast next morning, having pressed five dollars upon Brenda¡ªwhich she seemed strangely reluctant to accept¡ªthey saw at once that Brenda¡¯s warning had been correct: it had turned much colder and there were flurries of snow. They were thankful for their warm clothes. The horses seemed eager to break into a canter, so they hurried through the village with-out stopping, and continued at a good pace for several miles, until they were leaving the settled land behind them again, and making for another line of hills.

    As they made their way more slowly along the narrow track that wound through the hills, Mark kept his bow strung and ready at his back; Stephanie too. They were anxious in case they encountered another cougar, although Mark said said they¡¯d be less active during the daytime. But he was more worried about bears: he said they could be more dangerous than wild cats: he¡¯d known one man back at his parents¡¯ farm who¡¯d been killed by a bear while out hunting.

    They encountered numerous deer that ran across the road in front of them: ¡®caribou¡¯, Mark said they were, though Stephanie was un-familiar with the word. The horses, luckily, seemed to be accustomed to deer: at any rate, they didn¡¯t ¡®spook¡¯ at them as they had at the cougar. They didn¡¯t encounter any animal, nor any plant, that looked Deviational: they must have been a long way from Wild Country, or the Fringes, by now. That was lucky, said Mark, having had plenty of experience of dangerous Mutants.

    They also saw signs of numerous snakes: Mark guessed that they were a kind of ¡®copperhead¡¯¡ªa reptile he was familiar with from his days back at the farm. But he was surprised to encounter them so far north and active in such cold weather. Since they were found mostly near water and swampland, he assumed that there must be warm springs nearby, and the snakes must sometimes venture out of the water in search of prey. They were certainly venomous, as Mark took pains to impress upon Stephanie. Luckily most of them didn¡¯t venture onto the track: the one or two that did were easily dodged. Mark mentioned that it would be disastrous for them if one of the horses got badly bitten, but the horses seemed alert and well able to avoid the danger. Still, their lunch stop, atop some boulders, was an anxious time: they kept a good look-out as they ate. The snow had stopped by now but it was still cold and cheerless. They didn¡¯t want to spend time lighting a fire, so they quickly re-mounted and pressed on.

    The range of hills appeared to stretch on endlessly before them, and it was clear that they would have to spend another night in the open. There had been no sign of any settlement, not even a house, since the morning, and they were almost resigned to resorting to the tent once more¡ªif they could find anywhere to pitch it amongst the rocks. And there seemed to be nowhere for the horses to graze: they had brought some hay and oats, and they hoped it would be enough. But, just as they had given up searching for a smooth place to camp, Stephanie¡¯s sharp eyes had picked out what looked like a small hut, about half a mile to the left of the track.

    ¡°We can go and look, but we must not lose the track!¡± insisted Mark. ¡°Help me build a cairn: it¡¯s the only way we can mark it.¡± So they spent a good half hour piling up stones until they had made a cairn which they hoped was tall enough to be visible from half a mile off. Then they led the horses across the rough ground. The building, when they reached it in what was left of the daylight, turned out to be a deserted shepherd¡¯s hut, a very primitive structure with a hole in the roof, a door hanging off its hinges, and rough damp boards across the floor. It appeared to have once had wheels, but they had long since rusted away. Mark tried the floor, and it seemed to be sound. There was also a grassy patch nearby where the horses could graze. So they spread out the groundsheet from the tent and laid out their blankets. It was cold, damp, and miserable, but they could think of nothing better.

    There was a small pile of firewood behind the hut, which they were thankful for, and they soon had a blazing fire going. A hot, albeit frugal, supper did much to cheer them up. Having no inclination to stay up after supper, they retired into the hut, barricaded up the door as best they could, wrapped themselves in the blankets and indulged in another night of love¡­

    Their sleep was interrupted during the night by a loud neigh, a scream almost, from one of the horses. In some alarm, Mark sprang up, threw on some clothes, pulled aside the barricade and rushed out of the hut, taking care to have a good look round first. The moon was not far off setting, but there was still light enough. There was no sign of any large animal apart from the horses, but one of them was clearly in distress: it was tugging at its tether and appeared to be unable to put one of its forelegs on the ground. Mark did his best to calm the animal, and carefully examined the injured leg. In the moonlight he could see that it had been severely bitten: he felt gently along the lower leg. To his dismay the bone was broken just above the fetlock.

    Stephanie had meanwhile appeared at the door, wrapped in a blanket. ¡°It¡¯s bad news, I¡¯m afraid,¡± called out Mark. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. Can you get dressed and bring me the gun?¡±

    Numb with shock, Stephanie did as she was asked. Mark took the gun, and told Stephanie to hold the other horse and try to keep it calm. Then he loaded and, sadly, aimed at the horse¡¯s head.

    ¡°Please look away, Stephanie,¡± he said quietly, and Stephanie obeyed. There was a loud bang: the other horse was startled but Stephanie was able to keep hold of it and calm it down. Then she turned to Mark, who was sorrowfully removing the dead horse¡¯s harness, and couldn¡¯t avoid bursting into tears. It was the second time she had been witness to a wounded horse being put out of its distress, and the memory of the one Michael had had to shoot, after it had faithfully carried them almost all the way to Waknuk, was still fresh in her mind.

    Mark, after assuring himself that the other horse was unharmed and quietened, ushered her back into the hut and they lay down. It was a long time before her sobs subsided, and even longer before her steady breathing told him that she was asleep. He remained awake a lot longer, going over in his mind how on earth they were going to manage with just one horse.

    ¡°Damn! Damn! Damn and double-damn!¡± he couldn¡¯t help muttering. ¡°Of all the rottenest luck!¡± He was still cursing when finally, he too nodded off.

    It was broad daylight when they finally awoke. Neither of them felt in the mood for breakfast, so they just lit a small fire and heated cups of cocoa. Mark said he wanted to examine the dead horse in daylight, to try and find out what had happened. But he urged Stephanie not to accompany him.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right now, Mark,¡± she insisted. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this sort of thing before, and I¡¯ve got over it. Let me come and help.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    So they had a good look at the horse¡¯s leg. ¡°I¡¯ve absolutely no idea what could have delivered such a dreadful bite,¡± muttered Mark. ¡°Must have had terribly powerful jaws. A wolf, possibly: but if a wolf pack had turned up we¡¯d surely have heard it, and there¡¯d be more than one bite. And I don¡¯t think a solitary wolf would go for a full-sized horse. Whatever it was, it¡¯d run off before I got out of the hut. I¡¯m beginning to think, a Mutant after all. Wouldn¡¯t expect one this far from the Fringes, but you never know. And with Mutants, any-thing goes: some of them have the most immensely strong jaws.¡± He was recalling the monster that had attacked Petra¡¯s pony, back in the woods around Waknuk: the event that had brought all Hell tumbling about them a few days later¡­ ¡°Whatever it was, we¡¯re down to one horse, so we must manage as best we can. That man Phil, back at the farm, he said it was two day¡¯s journey to Kamach. We¡¯ve done one of them. I hope he was right.¡±

    Stephanie had nothing to add to that. ¡°Let¡¯s get away from it; it¡¯s horrible to see,¡± she remarked. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s lucky that it was my horse; yours is the stronger one and should be able to carry us both¡ªfor a while.¡± She remembered how another horse had carried her and Michael many miles¡ªbut it had quickly tired. ¡°But what can we take, and what must we leave behind?¡±

    In the end they agreed to stow the tent and blankets in the hut, along with the dead horse¡¯s saddle and bridle, their cooking gear, and some spare clothes. ¡°We might be able to come back for them some time,¡± commented Mark. They took their remaining food, of course, and the gun and their bows and arrows. They carefully arranged their packs on Mark¡¯s horse, and led it back to where their cairn marked the track. Mark mounted and Stephanie scrambled up behind and clung on tightly. They started off at a slow pace; the horse seemed able to carry both of them but wasn¡¯t too happy about it.

    The horse was visibly tiring by midday, so they stopped for a brief lunch, without incident; then they continued for three or four miles on foot, leading the horse. At last, to their relief, the high ground began to fall away and they could see a cluster of buildings in the valley a few miles ahead.

    ¡°With any luck, that¡¯s Kamach,¡± said Mark, hopefully. The horse seemed to have recovered a bit, so they re-mounted and picked their way down the track to the lower ground. Daylight was failing fast when they reached the town, which was a bit smaller than Kentak. So, after having made enquiries and confirmed that this was indeed Kamach, they decided to make for an inn and have the horse tended to¡ªit was almost dead-beat by now.

    ¡°And no mishaps tonight, with any luck,¡± chuckled Stephanie. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mark, I¡¯m still upset about my horse, but I¡¯m, getting over it. You know, it¡¯s been an extraordinary journey, a right old mixture of good luck and bad luck. We got on all right with our big pussy-cat, and that woman Brenda came up trumps (we mustn¡¯t make that mistake again!) ¡ªbut then last night¡­! I still can¡¯t believe we got here¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here, and alive, and we¡¯ll check out the prison tomorrow, if they¡¯ll tell us. But I¡¯m hopeful: the guys back in Kentak were very helpful and friendly and that.¡±

    They found the inn without difficulty, and secured a room for the night and stabling for the horse. After a hearty meal¡ªfor they had eaten little during the day¡ªthey turned in to their beds. And nothing interrupted them during the night.

    The next morning they asked the landlord where the prison was, and learned that it was outside the town, about two miles off. Mark proposed that he should go there alone, leaving Stephanie at the inn, as they had done before. Besides, it was not fair on the tired horse for either of them to ride it any more. Accordingly, Mark set out on foot after breakfast and, following the landlord¡¯s directions, soon came to the prison. It was an imposing but grim-looking building, set in a barren rocky area like the terrain they had just crossed. After explaining his mission, Mark was admitted to the Governor¡¯s office. The Governor was an imposing, square-jawed woman, with short fair hair, who looked as if she could have floored Mark with a single punch: he guessed that most of the prison staff would be like that. But she was cordial to Mark and agreed to help him out.

    ¡°Wender¡ªeh? ¡®Martha Wender¡¯. Let me see,¡± and she thumbed through a large record-book. After turning many pages she looked up. ¡°Yes, here she is. Discharged just under three years ago. We only record the first address a prisoner goes to after discharge, so if she¡¯s moved about since then, you¡¯ll have to enquire elsewhere. Yes, you¡¯re lucky here, she settled at an address right here in Kamach.¡± And she wrote down the address on a slip of paper. ¡°If she¡¯s moved, it won¡¯t be far away: she¡¯ll still be under a travel restriction order.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful,¡± said Mark. ¡°Very helpful. You don¡¯t have any information about her husband, John Wender, by any chance?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help you there. As you can see, this is a women-only prison, and we don¡¯t have the discharge records for any other prison. Do you know which prison Mr Wender was sent to?¡±

    ¡°Yes I do¡ªMenichik. They told me it¡¯s a long way off.¡± The Governor nodded. ¡°Oh well,¡± he continued, ¡°I¡¯ll have to start by seeking out Mrs Wender. Thanks awfully for your help.¡± And with that he took his leave and walked quickly back to the inn.

    Stephanie was thrilled at his news. ¡°Oh Mark, we must try the address straight away. I can¡¯t bear to wait any longer.¡±

    ¡°She may not be there,¡± Mark warned. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be prepared for disappointment.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s go. Right now!¡±

    So they set out on foot, threading through the streets, some of them narrow, until they found themselves in front of a cottage with a garden in which some hens were clucking. Nervously, they knocked on the door.

    It was opened by a thin, bent, rather elderly-looking lady with grey hair, wearing a black dress, leaning on a stick. Mark¡¯s face fell when he saw her. He had never, of course, met Mrs Wender, but David had described her as a tall, slim, quite good-looking woman in her mid thirties. This could not be she! But Stephanie was looking at her intently.

    ¡°Mrs Wender?¡± she enquired, tentatively.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Mrs Martha Wender?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. What can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t recognise me, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t recognise me, perhaps¡­ Mother?¡±

    The lady gave a sudden start, and peered at Stephanie more care-fully. ¡°But you can¡¯t be? That¡¯s impossible! You couldn¡¯t be! She was sent away¡­ she couldn¡¯t have come back could she¡­ my own little Sophie? But you¡¯re grown up¡­ it¡¯s not possible¡­¡±

    Stephanie made no reply: she simply kicked off one of her shoes and put her foot forward. Martha stared at it for a moment, lost for words.

    ¡°It is you! My darling Sophie, come back to me! After all these years. No, I can¡¯t believe it¡ª¡±

    And with that she sank into Mark¡¯s arms in a dead faint.

 Chapter 39 - Reunion

    WHEN they had helped her back into the house, sat her in an armchair, and given her a glassful from a brandy bottle which Stephanie sought out and found in the kitchen, Martha soon recovered somewhat. She was still dazed and bemused: she kept on stroking Stephanie¡¯s long, dark hair and feeling her arms and hands, just to assure herself that she was real.

    ¡°Yes, you are Sophie,¡± she murmured at last. ¡°I can feel it, now I look at you properly. But you¡¯re hair¡¯s straight. When we were¡ªseparated, you were all curls.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps my hair straightened as I grew older. But it¡¯s the same hair. Same colour; same me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve grown up indeed. You¡¯ve grown into a lovely young woman. How can that be, if you were sent to the Fringes?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t pretty while I was in the¡ªin that place. The food was bad; the clothes were awful; I grew up very plain. But things have changed since I was brought out¡­¡±

    ¡°You were brought out¡­¡± mused Martha. She turned to Mark, who had until now remained silent, although he too had barely been able hold back his tears at the joyful reunion. Martha had already realised that he wasn¡¯t David, Sophie¡¯s childhood friend. He looked quite different.

    ¡°¡­and you are¡ª?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Mark,¡± replied Mark, laconically. He felt rather shy.

    ¡°Mark¡¯s my fianc¨¦,¡± broke in Stephanie. ¡°Yes, we want to get married.¡±

    ¡°Married! So Mark here, brought you out of the Fringes, brought you all the way here, and now you want to marry him?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, it wasn¡¯t Mark. Not at first. I met him later. Another young man it was, who brought me from¡ªthere. But he¡¯s already married. I didn¡¯t fall for Mark straight away after we met: I wanted time. But now I¡¯ve fully made up my mind: I do want to live with him. We¡¯re in love,¡± she concluded, simply.

    ¡°But,¡± said Martha, ¡°they must have done it, you know what I mean¡ªto you before you were sent to the Fringes.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, they did it all right. But it hurt very little. Yes, I can¡¯t have children. But I have been able to become a woman, and I can still have Mark. If he¡¯ll still have me.¡±

    Mark blushed once again.

    Martha seemed still to be a bit dubious about the proposed marriage, but she changed the subject. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ve changed a lot, since you last saw me.¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, I suppose people do change in time. Was it awful, Mother, the prison and all?¡±

    ¡°Oh, the prison wasn¡¯t too bad. They treated me kindly and I was set plenty of work to do. Mostly needlework. No, it was losing you, Sophie, and being separated from Johnnie, that was what broke my spirit. Yes, I know I¡¯ve changed. I shouldn¡¯t have grey hair and a bent back, not at my age. I¡¯m only forty-seven¡­¡±

    This prompted Stephanie to put the question that she¡¯d been hold-ing back on, although she had already guessed what the answer would be:

    ¡°Father¡­?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve guessed, my dear. Your father¡¯s no longer with us. Oh, he took it hard, poor Johnnie, losing you, losing me, all in a flash. And the prison they sent him to was so awful. They treat them cruelly in the men¡¯s prisons: make them work eighteen hours a day, breaking rocks¡­ Yes, when they released him he was sent back to me, but he was a broken man. At first he had some wild thoughts of resuming his work, curing pelts, but it was hopeless. He sank lower and lower day by day; towards the end he was so far gone that I had to do every-thing for him: dress him, feed him, bathe him¡ªhe could no longer speak. He was taken from us just over a year ago, and honestly, my dear Sophie, it was a blessing¡ªa mercy. But if only he¡¯d known that one day you might come back to us¡ª¡±

    Stephanie had already burst out weeping, and she and her mother clutched each other tightly as they shed tears together. Mark could only stand and watch them, not bearing to interrupt. Eventually Stephanie dried her eyes and composed herself.

    ¡°So what do you do, now, Mother? Are you quite on your own?¡±

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    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m alone here, Sophie. I get by. The rent¡¯s not too much; I keep the chickens which you probably saw outside, and sell the eggs. I do a fair amount of needlework, and that brings in a bit of money too. I have something to thank the prison for: they taught me well!¡±

    The conversation lapsed for a while. All three of them had a lot to think about. Finally Martha spoke again:

    ¡°That young man who brought you out of the Fringes. It wasn¡¯t David, was it? But you said he was married¡­¡±

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t David either. Though I have met him once, since¡ªsince that time. No, it was a boy¡ªwell, a young man¡ªnamed Michael. He was very kind to me¡­¡±

    ¡°Indeed he was. I¡¯d really like to meet him, or at the very least to write to him. To thank him¡ªthough I have so much to thank him for, no amount of ¡®thanks¡¯ will be enough¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s one of the problems,¡± put in Mark. ¡°We don¡¯t know where he is now. We were setting out in search of him, and his wife Rachel: they¡¯d had to flee Waknuk, just like you did. But of course we had to come and find out about you, first.¡± Martha suppressed another sob as she heard this. ¡°And I ought to tell you,¡± Mark continued, ¡°there¡¯s a connection between Michael, and Rachel, and David and his wife, and myself¡ª¡±

    ¡°David¡¯s married too?¡± interrupted Martha. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad to hear that too. He was such a nice boy. He did all he could to help us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure whether they¡¯ve got married yet, actually, but he was very close to his cousin, Rosalind; they were certainly engaged. I can¡¯t contact them either. But this connection between us: I suppose you ought to know: we can communicate with each other by thought¡ª¡±

    ¡°I knew it!¡± burst out Martha. ¡°David, when he was still just a little boy, he could read my thoughts before I even said them. I could, sort of, sense that he was doing it, though we never spoke about it. So he could send thoughts to you, and you to him, and the others?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s about it. Over quite a distance too: several miles at least. Ste¡ª I mean, Sophie couldn¡¯t do it when she was a child: you¡¯d surely have known it if she could¡ªbut now she¡¯s picking up the ability. I think being with David, and Michael, and me, had some influence. But meanwhile, my ¡®power¡¯ has been diminishing over the months. I was ill for a while, and that must have affecting me. But Sophie and I can exchange simple thoughts, when we¡¯re near enough.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s another thing I must tell you, Mother,¡± broke in Stephanie, prompted by Mark¡¯s minor slip. ¡°I¡¯m not ¡®Sophie¡¯ any more, at least not outside this house. We all thought it¡¯d be safer if I changed my name. I¡¯m ¡®Stephanie¡¯ now.¡±

    ¡° ¡®Stephanie¡¯¡­ ¡®Stephanie¡¯.¡± Martha repeated the name to herself several times. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a nice name anyway. Yes I know people often have to change their names. But to me you¡¯ll always be ¡®my darling Sophie¡¯, whatever.¡±

    ¡°But please don¡¯t call me ¡®Sophie¡¯ in front of anyone else! Surely it¡¯s a small price to pay, for having me back again,¡± said Stephanie, prosaically.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± replied Martha. There was another long pause. Martha glanced out of the window: the sun was already high in the sky and shining in.

    ¡°I really ought to get some lunch for us, but I¡¯ll need to pop out and buy a bit more food¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, please, let us take you to lunch, at the inn,¡± broke in Steph-anie. ¡°We¡¯re staying there anyway, and it¡¯s our treat, really. But we can help you with the shopping later on, if you like.¡±

    So Martha put on her warm coat and hat, but decided to leave behind her walking-stick. ¡°I don¡¯t really need it,¡± she remarked, ¡°as long as I have one of you to lean against if I stumble. And please don¡¯t sprain your ankle again, Sophie!¡± she chuckled, remembering how it had all begun. The sprained ankle that had brought David into their lives¡­

    They set out at a slow pace and eventually arrived at the inn, where they were soon sat down to a hearty meal. Martha seemed very much recovered since their first meeting.

    ¡°You must, of course, stay with me¡ªat least until you get married,¡± she said. ¡°I have a spare room¡ªor two at a pinch, if you¡¯d prefer it that way.¡±

    ¡°One will be fine,¡± said Stephanie, blushing. Her mother smiled knowingly but said nothing. ¡°But¡ª¡± Stephanie broke off, uncertain what to say next.

    ¡°But what, dear?¡±

    Stephanie quickly collected herself. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just that we also have a horse. It¡¯s stabled here at the inn at present. Can you take it in?¡±

    ¡°One horse?¡± queried Martha. ¡°Do you have a trap or cart, too?¡±

    ¡°No, no cart. We started out on horseback, on a horse each, but we lost one¡­¡±

    ¡°Broke its leg,¡± explained Mark. ¡°It was in terrible pain, I had to shoot it. Very sad, I hated to do it. We had to come the rest of the way, both riding the one horse.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve no stable, but there¡¯s a rickety old shed behind the house. Perhaps it can be made secure enough?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have a good look at it when we get back,¡± said Mark. He was not as skilled a carpenter as Michael was, he knew, but years of living on the farm had given him a good grounding in practical work. ¡°I¡¯ll certainly give it a try, Mrs Wender.¡±

    ¡°Oh, please call me ¡®Martha¡¯, Mark! Johnnie used to call me ¡®Martie¡¯, but I¡¯d prefer ¡®Martha¡¯.¡±

    ¡°All right ¡­ Martha.¡±

 Chapter 40 - More Problems

    WHEN the three of them returned to Martha¡¯s house, Mark immediately set to work on the ramshackle old shed, replacing a few rotten boards and fashioning a double-hung stable door. By evening he had achieved a passable result. It was rather small for a stable, but it would serve, especially since the horse could spend a lot of time out-of-doors. Martha¡¯s house was at the edge of the town, and there was a grassy area behind the back yard where it could graze and take exercise.

    Stephanie and Mark installed themselves in the spare bedroom and agreed to stay with Martha for a little while: it seemed cruel to be reunited with her and then immediately depart. And Martha, having been utterly won over by Mark, was eager for the wedding to take place as soon as maybe. But both Mark and Stephanie were uneasy.

    ¡°I still feel we ought to find out more about Michael and Rachel,¡± said Mark quietly to Stephanie, as they lay in bed a few days later. ¡°Where they are; if they¡¯re all right. We can¡¯t just abandon them.¡±

    ¡°I know how you feel, Mark. Even if you¡¯re mine in the first place,¡± and she gave him a passionate kiss, ¡°you still belong to them. It was so good of you to help me find Mother: I love you for it. Of course I¡¯ll help you find Michael and Rachel. But there¡¯s another problem even more pressing. Surely you¡¯ve considered it.¡±

    ¡°What is that, my love?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you see? Mother¡¯s on some sort of restraining order. As an ex-convict, she can¡¯t travel freely without a permit from the author-ities. You told me so yourself: that¡¯s exactly what you were told at the prison. So wherever we go, we¡¯d have to leave her. We can¡¯t take her with us.

    ¡°And what about me? If word comes out that a young woman has come to stay at Mother¡¯s house¡ªwhether married or not¡ªpeople, neighbours perhaps, will get suspicious. Maybe the local Sheriff, or the Inspector, will come snooping around. If he or anyone else anyone finds out who I am (and who else could I be?) I¡¯m done for. They only need to force me to reveal my feet. And that puts you in danger, too.¡±

    ¡°Well, I''ll be damned! Yes I¡¯ve been quite an idiot, Stephanie! Of course I should have thought of this,¡± said Mark, humbly. He lay back think-ing for a long while, then he continued, ¡°But you too should have told me earlier.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself, Mark. And I¡¯m not blaming myself either. It was just so overwhelming, finding Mother so quickly against all our expectations, I simply forgot everything else. But how risky is it, us staying here with Mother?¡±

    ¡°Well, seeing as this is now her home, she¡¯ll have friends here. They¡¯ll know she lives alone, and she¡¯s probably told them she has no children; no relatives, probably. So if a strange couple suddenly turn up¡ªone of us bearing a strong resemblance to her (yes, Stephanie, I can see the likeness between you), maybe people¡¯ll start wonder-ing¡­¡±

    Mark lay back and thought for a long time.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any alternative¡ªthan for us to press on to Rigo, and leave your mother behind,¡± he began, tentatively. ¡°But I¡¯d hate to do that, just as much as you would hate it. I can see how much she¡¯s rallied since we arrived¡ªsince you and she were reunited. You can¡¯t just tear yourselves apart again! Maybe we can come up with a different plan?¡±

    ¡°Just the formality of us getting married is a problem, too,¡± replied Stephanie. ¡°I¡¯m on forged papers, in your name¡ªjust as if we were already married. We can¡¯t present ourselves at the church with those! And if Mother attends, they¡¯ll wonder just whose wedding it is she¡¯s attending¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve really landed ourselves in it now, my dear! Let¡¯s talk about it in the morning¡ªand we must discuss things with Martha¡ªyour mother, too. As for now, my love¡­¡± and he wrapped his arms around Stephanie, who pressed herself against him and wound her legs around him¡­

    In the morning, over breakfast, they put their dilemma to Martha. She was surprisingly calm about the whole matter: she¡¯d evidently been thinking along the same lines herself.

    ¡°Oh, if only I still had Johnnie with me¡ªJohnnie as he was before¡­¡± she cried, and fresh tears glistened on her face. After a moment she wiped her eyes and continued, ¡°He was so clever at thinking up escape plans: all through Sophie¡¯s life we had to be prepared to use one: prepared to bolt¡ªforged papers and all¡ªand he really thought we could get away with it, when Sophie was¡ªwhen it happened.¡±

    ¡°What really did happen, when¡­ when that happened?¡± asked Mark. ¡°I¡¯ve only heard the bare outlines from Steph¡ªfrom Sophie here, and from David at the time it happened. If it¡¯s not too upsetting for you, of course¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind telling the story¡ªnot now I¡¯ve got Sophie back. After all, Sophie doesn¡¯t know all the details either. You both need to know. Well, the beginning you already know: someone saw Sophie¡¯s footprint and denounced her to the Inspector. David ran to warn us, and we put our escape plan into action: Johnnie was sure it¡¯d work. David wanted to come with us, but we knew at once that that would be a terrible mistake, there¡¯s be hue and cry all over Labrador. So we asked him to stay the night in our house, to give us a head start. I¡¯ve every reason to think he obeyed us: he was such a good lad!¡±

    ¡°Yes he did,¡± put in Mark. ¡°Stop the night in your house, I mean. He told us.¡±

    ¡°Well, we had planned a small subterfuge. We didn¡¯t even tell Sophie about it, in case she told David. Sorry, Sophie! Not that we expected David to betray us, of course, but we rather expected Strorm to force a confession out of him anyway. So we set off in a south-westerly direction, as if we were heading for the Fringes. Of course it was never our plan to go there! But as soon as we were out of sight of the cottage, we turned north-west, choosing a place to turn off where we¡¯d not leave any tracks either way. A dried-up river bed. Johnnie had worked this all out, you see: we hoped in that way to shake off any pursuit for a while.

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    ¡°Our luck held for about a day, but it didn¡¯t last. We¡¯d managed nearly twenty miles, we thought we were safe, but as we were crossing a field a farm hand shouted to us that we were trespassing. And he had a gun. So we stopped. Then he told us that he was on patrol watching out for infiltrators from the Fringes: they¡¯d had several it seems. So, since we were strangers, he asked to see our tags, including Sophie¡¯s forged one.

    ¡°We hoped we¡¯d still get away with it, but alas! the name ¡®Wender¡¯ had somehow reached that district, so we were done for. The rest you know.

    ¡°I¡¯m still not sure how they got our name so quickly, back at Waknuk. Perhaps David blurted it out to his father?¡±

    ¡°David told us about the violent flogging he got from his father,¡± said Mark. ¡°Not the first time it¡¯d happened. Laid him up for two days. That man Joseph Strorm must¡¯ve been a brute: glad I never met him.¡±

    ¡°So David might have blurted out our name?¡± continued Martha. ¡°Yes it¡¯s possible, but I don¡¯t think that of him. I liked him too much, and trusted him better than that. I¡¯m more inclined to think, they set a dog on David¡¯s scent and tracked him back to our cottage. After that our name would soon have come out! And the Waknuk Inspector must have sent out messengers on horse in all directions ¡­ just bad luck, terrible bad luck¡­¡± Her eyes were full of tears once more.

    They were all silent for quite a long time. Eventually Mark said, as gently as he could, ¡°That¡¯s very good of you, very brave of you, Mrs W¡ªMartha, to tell us what happened. But it doesn¡¯t get us any nearer finding a plan on how to deal with things now¡­¡±

    ¡°Mark, could you pretend to be a distant relative of Mother¡¯s¡ªand I could be your wife?¡± queried Stephanie.

    ¡°No good,¡± put in Martha. ¡°They¡¯ll have gone through mine, and John¡¯s, family connections. Seeing if there are any other Mutants hidden away. They¡¯ll have been very thorough. You couldn¡¯t pass yourself off as any relative of mine, not without arousing suspicion.¡±

    ¡°OK, then, here¡¯s my idea,¡± said Mark, resolutely. ¡°We use the same cover story I put about in Kentak¡ªand it seems to have worked. I¡¯ve got an uncle, a rather infirm man, who used to be a friend of John¡¯s¡ªof your husband. They used to sometimes go out hunting together. You said that John was a hunter, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he was very keen on that. Yes, he could well have met up with friends whom I didn¡¯t get to meet, whom I didn¡¯t even know about. Common enough within the hunting fraternity. And friends who wouldn¡¯t have surfaced in the Inspector¡¯s enquiries¡ªwhy should they?¡±

    ¡°So, this uncle,¡± continued Mark, ¡°who until recently lived some distance away, came to stay with my parents after his wife died, and enquired after John. And he learned that you and he had been sent to prison. Naturally he¡¯d want to follow this up, but since he was too unwell to pursue the matter, I volunteered to do it on his behalf. And here I am. Of course my uncle thinks John is still alive. And he himself may not last long.

    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t really have an uncle. This is all made up.

    ¡°The next question being: can you get a travel permit to go outside the limits you¡¯re supposed to stick to? How far is the limit, in any case?¡±

    ¡°Ten miles,¡± said Martha. ¡°I see what you¡¯re getting at. Yes, I could probably get a permit from the Sheriff, call it ¡®compassionate¡¯ grounds. That I¡¯ve got to visit your ¡®uncle¡¯ and break the news to him in person. So I¡¯ll accompany you back to your parents¡¯ house¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, except that I propose making first for Kentak¡ªand we¡¯ll go by the mail coach. We¡¯ve had enough, both of us, of trying to do the journey on horseback!¡±

    ¡°And what about me?¡± asked Stephanie. ¡°Do I come with you?¡±

    ¡°Too risky,¡± said Mark. ¡°The safest thing is for you and Martha to travel apart. My idea is that you also go to Kentak, also by coach, but by an earlier coach. When you get to Kentak, make for Adrian and Jack¡¯s place and explain things to them. Martha, do you know how often the mail coach to Kentak leaves?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve no idea, but I do know there¡¯s a coach from here going all the way to Rigo, and that leaves once a week. That¡¯s a long trip!¡ªand quite expensive too. If there¡¯s a Kentak coach, it will probably be about the same interval.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go and enquire today¡ªstraight away¡ªand if there¡¯s a coach leaving soon, I¡¯ll book my place on it,¡± said Stephanie. ¡°I suppose I can do that at the inn.¡± Martha nodded. Breakfast being finished, Stephanie gathered up her coat and set out, promising not to be long.

    She was as good as her word. In less than an hour she was back at the house. But one glance at her face showed the others that it wasn¡¯t going to be that simple.

    ¡°There¡¯s no direct coach from here to Kentak, they told me. The road is too rough and narrow for a coach to get through. But we knew that already: we came that way.¡±

    ¡°I can well believe that,¡± said Mark. ¡°And no way am I going to want us to follow that road again on horseback¡ªnot what with cougars about, plus creatures that can bite a horse¡¯s leg off¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can do what?¡± exclaimed Martha, horrified.

    ¡°Well, I said one of our horses had broken a leg, didn¡¯t I? I didn¡¯t tell the whole story. Truth is, it was attacked by some unknown animal during the night, something with immensely strong jaws, bit the poor horse¡¯s leg and broke the bone. I¡¯ve no idea what it could be¡ªnot even a cougar would do that.¡±

    ¡°Mutant dog, perhaps,¡± suggested Martha. ¡°Sometimes a pet bitch gives birth to mutant pups, and the owner hides them till they¡¯re weaned, then lets them go, rather than destroy them. We¡¯ve had a few cases around here¡ªand the Inspector gets furious when he hears about it. The dogs go feral and savage, and attack livestock. Even people. Farmers are constantly having to shoot them. Danger to everyone¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can we get back to our journey plans?¡± interrupted Stephanie, pleadingly. ¡°Well, the only way to get to Kentak is to board the stage-coach for Rigo, get off at a place called Ashapi and then get another coach back from there to Kentak. It¡¯s a two day journey from here to Ashapi, then another day to Kentak. But the connections don¡¯t work very well.

    ¡°The first Kentak coach leaves in two days¡¯ time: I¡¯ve booked a seat on it. Then I have to wait in Ashapi two days for the next coach to Kentak. I just hope I can find a room at the inn there.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very brave, my dear, about wanting to go all that way on your own,¡± burst out Martha. ¡°I¡¯ll be worrying about you all the time.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother. Remember, I¡¯ve done the whole journey from Kentak to Rigo by stage-coach, when I was a little girl, and I got through that all right.¡±

    ¡°But now you¡¯re a grown-up girl. Is it going to be safe¡ªon your own?¡±

    ¡°I spent seven years in the F¡ª; in that place I was sent to, Mother. I can look after myself. Mark, you¡¯re all right about my doing this, aren¡¯t you?¡± Mark nodded, a bit doubtfully. ¡°Then that¡¯s settled. I¡¯m going.¡±

 Chapter 41 - Another Journey

    THE rest of that day, and the next day, were spent in preparations for the separate departures, first of Stephanie, then of Mark and Martha¡ªif Martha could secure her travel permit. To that end, Martha insisted on going to the Sheriff¡¯s office alone: ¡°I know him, slightly, I think I can persuade him,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll use Mark¡¯s story¡ªit¡¯ll not be the first time I¡¯ve had to spin a lie! In fact, I got rather good at it, all the time we were bringing up Sophie¡­¡±

    Later that day she returned from the Sheriff triumphant, clutching a piece of paper. ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡± she proclaimed. ¡°I just told him, there¡¯s an old friend of John¡¯s, living near Kentak, took very poorly; he doesn¡¯t even know that John died. I must go and see him before he too passes away, break the news to him perhaps if he can bear it¡­ Anyway the Sheriff¡¯s given me a two-month permit, told me to be sure to be back before it runs out¡ªlots of folk depend on my needle-work! He gave me a wink as he said that. I¡¯m now going to have to go the rounds and disappoint them. Oh, well.¡±

    ¡°Excellent!¡± said Mark. ¡°That means you and I can make for Kentak next week, same route as you, Stephanie. So we shan¡¯t be apart for too long. You¡¯ll leave a message with Jack and Adrian when you get there, yes? Meanwhile there¡¯s work to be done. I¡¯ll have to sell the horse somehow¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯ve got to sell the chickens and shut up the house. And tell the landlord I¡¯ll be away two months. He won¡¯t like that, he¡¯ll probably want to find another tenant. But I¡¯ll take things as they come¡ª¡± Martha had become quite bubbly in her enthusiasm for these adventurous plans: she was fussing herself about tidying up the house; she had long since cast away her walking stick and was able to stand almost fully erect now: a marked contrast to the bent, frail-looking creature who had first answered the door to Stephanie and Mark. Having a long-lost child restored to her had worked wonders¡­

    So, two days later, Stephanie bid goodbye to Mark and her mother, and set out at dawn with a small bag containing a few of her belongings. She found the stage-coach preparing to depart and boarded it warily. As she took her seat memories came flooding back of that other stage-coach journey, all those years ago, all alone as a small child being sent to Rigo. It was a terrifying ordeal in itself. She¡¯d been forced to travel barefoot, presumably to make it difficult for her to abscond. But how could she have run off anyway, in strange country, her parents arrested, and with nowhere to go? There had been three other passengers in the coach; one glance at her bare feet told them all and they had each crossed themselves and edged as far away from her on the seat as they could. No-one had spoken to her throughout the entire journey. No-one had so far as looked at her during the journey. And at stop-overs she¡¯d been denied a bed, made to sleep as best she could in the barn or the stables.

    But it was going to be different now! She was travelling as a respectable woman, properly dressed, free from any suspicion. Her main worry now was of being molested by strange men on the journey: it had happened often enough in the Fringes, and she¡¯d been far less attractive back then! But she felt confident she could cope with any unwanted attention¡­

    Three other passengers boarded the coach, and to her relief they were an elderly couple and a somewhat younger woman travelling alone, like her. All three greeted her cordially, as the coachman whipped up the horses and they were off. The younger woman was sitting next to Stephanie, and they fell into conversation as the coach bumped its way along. The woman explained that she was a widow, she was travelling all the way to Rigo to stay with her sister and her family. She asked about Stephanie¡¯s journey.

    ¡°I¡¯m only going as far as Ashapi; I get off there and wait for the coach to Kentak. And my fianc¨¦ will be following me in a week¡¯s time; he¡¯s got some work to finish back in Kamach, while I look over the apartment we¡¯ll be moving into.¡±

    ¡°So¡ªyou¡¯re engaged? Congratulations! I suppose you¡¯ll be getting married in Kentak?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the plan.¡±

    ¡°Well, all I can say is, your fianc¨¦ is a very lucky man! And I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be blessed with lots of children.¡± Stephanie felt a pang of grief as she heard these words, but she managed to conceal her emotions and force a smile. She was used to it by now. And the woman appeared not to have noticed anything amiss as she con-tinued, ¡°and of course if you have a girl, she¡¯ll be sure to be as pretty as you are, my dear.

    ¡°But do take care when you stop off in Ashapi. It¡¯s not the nicest of places to stay¡­¡±

    Stephanie assured her that she was well able to look after herself, and the conversation continued on more general lines: the weather, the prospects for next year¡¯s harvest, the deviation rates, and so on. The elderly couple joined in for a while. Stephanie had brought along some food and was able to buy more when the coach stopped to change horses. She shared some with her companions. The coach was to continue journeying all night, but Stephanie had, like the others, come prepared with a blanket and attempted to doze off in her seat as night fell. But she found it difficult to sleep; the weather was still cold and she felt a chill despite her blanket.

    At long last, as the afternoon of the following day was drawing to a close, they arrived at Ashapi, and Stephanie was able to alight, cold and stiff and weary from the uncomfortable journey, and wondering how bearable the next leg, to Kentak, would be. But her first task was to make sure of a room at the inn. As she paused for a moment at the doorway, she became aware of someone¡¯s eyes fixed upon her. Turning her head slightly, she could see out of the corner of her eye that it was the ostler, taking charge of the horses but gazing in her direction, leering at her. Oh well, thought Stephanie, I was warned; I¡¯ll just have to take care¡­

    The innkeeper was less helpful than she¡¯d hoped. He explained apologetically that he had only one room available, a tiny attic room on the top floor. But Stephanie at once accepted: she was thankful to get any sort of room there, rather than have to ask around the local farms. The innkeeper promised to have a fire lit and the bed made up. And she could take dinner at the inn, if she wished.

    Stephanie was coming to the end of an adequate, but not very appetising meal in the saloon, when the thing she¡¯d been afraid of happened. She spotted the same ostler sidling across the floor towards her, and without a by-your-leave he planted himself in the seat next to her.

    ¡°Feeling lonely, little lady?¡± he began.

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°Not at all, thanks,¡± replied Stephanie, somewhat brusquely and trying not to make eye contact. But the young man continued:

    ¡°Pretty young girl like you, oughtn¡¯t to be on your own, now, should you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not alone. I¡¯m meeting my husband shortly.¡±

    ¡°Your husband? I didn¡¯t see him around; certainly he didn¡¯t get off the coach with you.¡±

    Stephanie floundered a bit. ¡°Oh¡ªno, he¡¯s arriving on the next coach. But he¡¯ll be here soon.¡±

    ¡°Ha! There isn¡¯t another coach for two days. So you are on your own, my dear¡­¡± and he put a hand on her knee.

    Stephanie brushed his hand away and summoned up all the fury she could muster. ¡°Look here, buster. I¡¯m tired, I¡¯ll be going to my room as soon as I¡¯ve finished dinner; I don¡¯t want any company, and if I did, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be with you¡­¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t like me, huh? We¡¯ll see about that¡­¡± and with that the ostler stood up, gave her an evil wink and walked off towards the bar.

    Stephanie was in a fit of terror. How could she get away from this brute? At the moment his back was towards her; she quickly slid her plate away, slipped out of her seat and softly edged towards the door. So far he didn¡¯t seem to have noticed her, luckily. Once out of the saloon, she bolted upstairs to her room as fast as she could, and flung open the door. As she ran in she almost bumped into the landlady who was coming out laden with sheets and blankets.

    ¡°Just made up your room, my dear, and lit a fire for you. Nice and cosy, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be comfortable.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Stephanie hurriedly, and closed the door as soon as the landlady was outside. As she fumbled with the lock, she could hear the landlady¡¯s footsteps retreating, but a few seconds later what she had feared: the sound of heavy hobnailed boots on the bare boards, coming towards her room. She wrestled with the key but it wouldn¡¯t turn in the lock, so she tried the bolt. That too was very stiff and before she could slide it the door was wrenched open.

    ¡°I told you, you need company,¡± sneered the ostler, pushing his way in. ¡°Now just behave yourself like a nice girl oughta¡­¡±

    ¡°Get out!¡± screamed Stephanie. She hoped her cries would attract other people in the inn, but the ostler clamped a hand over her mouth. ¡°So you still don¡¯t like me, baby? You oughta learn to like folks what likes you¡­¡±

    There was only one thing Stephanie could resort to. She remember-ed how she¡¯d attracted attention back in the Fringes: attention from the few men who could take advantage of her. Yes they had gravitated towards her, she being one of the few young women with noticeable breasts. Yes, she¡¯d had to defend herself a few times. That was until Gordon took charge of her, and made it clear around the camp that any other man who tried it on would face his wrath. Things had been better then¡­

    She hitched up her skirts and brought her knee up with all the force she could muster. It caught the ostler squarely in the groin. He released his grip on her and doubled up, gasping in agony. Stephanie took advantage of the moment to shove him out of the door, which she slammed and again wrestled with the bolt¡­

    ¡°You filthy little bitch!¡± she heard a wheezing voice through the door. ¡°I¡¯ll get even with you, just you see!¡± But he made no attempt to re-enter, and a moment later Stephanie could hear him shuffling off.

    She made more strenuous efforts to slide the bolt. Then she thought of smearing it with a bit of soap from her wash-bag, and at last succeeded in sliding it part of the way across. Now I¡¯m safe, she thought to herself. Or am I? She hurried to get into bed, undressing and donning a warm nightgown and a pair of thick woollen stockings which she¡¯d had the foresight to bring along with her. No mistakes this time!

    She was awakened by a violent rattling on her door. In a panic, she sat up in bed and looked around for something she could use as a weapon. She¡¯d come ill-prepared: not even a knife. She thought of the poker by the hearth: the fire had almost died out but she could still make out a few things in the gloom. Would she be able to wield the poker if she had time to grab it? But the best she could hope for was that the bolt would hold¡­

    It didn¡¯t. In a few seconds the door sprang open, and there he was, holding a candle which he placed on a table, out of her reach, then he slapped her face and tugged at the blankets, pulling them right off the bed.

    ¡°Now I¡¯ll teach you proper, you ugly vicious little whore, I¡¯ll learn you what you¡¯ll get for doing me in like that! So no more funny business, geddit?¡±

    As Stephanie shrank back from him, her thoughts raced through her head like a whirlwind. She wouldn¡¯t be able to knee him again, he¡¯d be on his guard. He had only to rip off one of her stockings, and she was as good as a dead woman. Back to the Fringes, or prison, or worse! Could rape be any worse than that?

    She made up her mind in a flash. Reaching down, she pulled the hem of her nightgown up, right up, over her breasts, over her head. She lay back on the bed and obligingly parted her legs¡­

    To her immense relief he didn¡¯t undress. He merely unfastened his breeches and came down upon her. Close up, he smelt abominable, a mixture of beer and stable-manure; his hair was untidy and greasy, he had a day¡¯s stubble on his chin, he was dirty and ugly with coarse, dirty clothing. As he came on to her, she tried to marshal her thoughts on anything but this, anything but him. She turned her face away from him. She thought of her time in the Fringes, but no, that wouldn¡¯t do. Then she thought of her first meeting with David, that time they¡¯d been sliding down the bank together, that time she¡¯d hurt her foot. Oh how kind he¡¯d been to her¡ªher first real friend! Joyful times! If only he were back with her now! Yes she had loved him with abandon: it may have been only puppy-love, but she¡¯d loved him all the same. And gone on loving him, all through her other liaisons, even Michael¡ªuntil she met Mark. Mark was a wonderful young man, the best husband she could have hoped for, she now shared her love between him and David, but mostly Mark. Mark must never know about this¡ªhorror. No, never! It¡¯s not happening, it never will have happened¡­

    At last the ostler¡¯s workout came to an end. He grunted, rolled off her and slid to the floor, exhausted. But not for long; he soon got up, re-fastened his clothing, grabbed the candle and went out, closing the door behind him. As soon as his footsteps had died down, Stephanie roused herself. She went to the wash-stand and sponged herself down as best she could with soap and cold water; then she dried herself, put her nightgown back on and was back in bed, sobbing violently. Rape. This was her first rape. She had been molested often enough in the Fringes, but it had never amounted to rape. Gordon had seen to that, and Gordon had been a kind man¡ªto her.

    But was this rape? That vile creature would certainly deny it. He¡¯d say it was consensual¡ªthat she¡¯d invited him to her room even. And she had stripped naked in front of him. Naked apart from the stock-ings. The stockings were intact. At least something to be thankful for! If she denounced him, she¡¯d almost certainly have to be examined by a doctor. The secret would surely come out! As her thoughts drifted around all these matters, her sobbing eased a little, and in a while she dropped off to sleep.

 Chapter 42 - Kentak again

    STEPHANIE was riding her pony through the dark forest¡ªso dark that she could barely see the tree trunks around her. And the trees seemed to be closing in on her, barring her way. She was all alone and lost, and the trees were getting ever closer. Suddenly a gap appeared between two trees, and out of it sprang a hideous monster, all fangs and razor-sharp claws, with matted yellow hair which glowed in the dark. It pounced on her, but she managed to wriggle free, grabbed an overhanging branch, and swung herself up into a tree. The beast turned its attention to the pony, fell on it and ripped its body apart. Then it reached up into the tree. Stephanie (or was she Sophie?) screamed and screamed¡­

    She was in her cave, in the Fringes. Men were shouting all around in the clearing below. Some of them Fringes men, some of them strangers on horseback. They were shooting arrows at each other and firing guns. Many men fell. Her cooking fire began to smoke, the smoke filled the cave, her eyes stung, so she edged towards the entrance so that she could breathe. But she was still choking. A monstrous silver object appeared in the sky above. As she gazed up at it, she realised she was bound with cords. Bound all over her body with cords which were tightening. Some tightened round her neck. All the men were dead. She could no longer breathe, or scream¡­

    Stephanie woke up, sweating and disoriented. It took her some minutes to get her bearings, to realise that she was in her bed, in the inn, and sunlight was streaming in. That she¡¯d been having night-mares. Then the remembrance of the horrible experience of the night before fell upon her. She shuddered. That was a nightmare that had really happened. Would she be able to forget that, as easily as one forgets dreams?

    She shook herself and stumbled out of bed. The sun was fairly high: she realised that she¡¯d overslept; would they still be serving break-fast? She hurriedly splashed some water on herself: the side of her face stung when she touched it. She remembered the ostler slapping her. There was no mirror in her room, but she was able to see her reflection in one of the windows. Yes, there was a small bruise there, but there didn¡¯t seem to be any blood showing. Hurriedly she dressed herself, and wrapped her face in a scarf as best she could, hoping to conceal the bruise. Then she ran downstairs to the saloon.

    The landlady was still there, clearing tables. She smiled when Stephanie appeared. ¡°Had a good sleep, my dear? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve kept a bit of breakfast for you.¡± And within a minute a plate of bacon, eggs, and tomatoes was placed before her. Stephanie realised that she was hungry, and despite her traumas she tucked in.

    ¡°One thing I wanted to ask you, Mrs¡ªer¡­¡± she said between mouthfuls. ¡°The door of my room doesn¡¯t seem to lock properly. And the bolt¡¯s broken. Could someone fix it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask my husband.¡± She gave a call and the innkeeper appeared. Stephanie explained her problem once again. ¡°Hmmm¡­ you¡¯d better finish your breakfast, then I¡¯ll come up with you and have a look,¡± he said.

    In a few minutes they were climbing the stairs, the innkeeper carrying a box of tools. He examined the door. ¡°Hmmm¡­ the bolt¡¯s all right but the keep-saddle¡¯s been wrenched right out of the wood. I wonder how that could have happened? My wife was up here last night, getting the room ready for you; it was quite all right then. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll fix it for you. You¡¯re staying one more night, aren¡¯t you?¡± Stephanie nodded.

    Then he turned his attention to the lock. He tried turning the key without success, and looked puzzled. Removing the key, he took out another from his pocket, tried it in the lock, and it turned smoothly. He examined the key he¡¯d taken out more closely.

    ¡°Strange! This doesn¡¯t look like one of our room keys at all. Unless I¡¯m very much mistaken, I¡¯d say it was one of the keys to the stables. How could it have got here? But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get a spare key from the box for you¡ªand I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s the right key. At least you¡¯ll be sleeping tight tonight¡­¡± And with a smile, the innkeeper left Stephanie to herself.

    Stephanie was determined not to spend a moment longer than necessary in this horrible inn, despite the good-natured friendliness of the landlord and landlady. That beast of an ostler must be around somewhere; she could run across him at any time. Best to get far away from the inn and stay away until the evening. Then she would probably have to face out the ostler once again. Though, having satisfied his lust for her, he may no longer be interested¡­

    Accordingly, she prevailed upon the landlady to provide her with a packed lunch, put on her boots and coat, and set out. She followed the road for a mile or two, then she spotted a trail leading off to the south, towards a wooded area. She took that trail and was soon among trees, but these trees were well spaced out and there were low bushes either side of the path. It was a pleasant walk: although still very cold, the weather was fine and sunny, and many birds were flying among the trees. Once she started in alarm as she heard a rustling in the bushes, but it was only a fox crossing the path, which cast a glance at her and then disappeared into the bushes opposite. Within about an hour or two the woods cleared and she came to a small lake with geese swimming around in it.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    She sat herself down on a flat sun-warmed rock by the lakeside, cupped her face in her hands and watched the geese. Presently some ducks appeared as well, and she laughed as she watched a handsome drake, resplendent in his breeding plumage, trying to chase down several females at once, none of them showing any interest in him. Then she remembered last night; she checked herself, buried her face in her hands, and wept for a while.

    The rock was getting quite warm by midday, so she took off her coat, spread it down and lay back on it, watching the clouds passing overhead. At length, feeling hungry, she betook herself to her sandwiches. The landlady had provided her quite generously and, once she had eaten her fill, she threw the rest of the bread out to the ducks and geese, who gobbled it up eagerly. It was an idyllic scene¡ªalmost calculated to ease her mind after¡­

    The sun quite low in the west when she woke, realising that she had slept through most of the afternoon. She sat up, and discovered that she was being pestered by a horde of mosquitoes. Also it was getting colder. Quickly she wrapped herself in her coat, and retraced her steps through the woods.

    The light was failing as she finally reached the inn. She quickly made her way to her room, and to her relief she found that the door bolt had been repaired and there was a key in the lock that worked. The door looked solidly made, and she hoped that this time it would resist any attempt to force entry. She would still have to brave the saloon, but she had thought up a plan that might deter the ostler.

    Her bruise had faded, but she had a few mosquito bites on her face, which rather spoilt her looks and itched badly. Just something to put up with. She tentatively made her way down to the saloon. The ostler was nowhere to be seen, but he was sure to be around somewhere. She ordered a light supper: her appetite seemed somewhat diminished.

    Sure enough, the ostler soon made his presence known as, once again, he seated his uncouth body beside hers. She had been hardly aware of his approach as she was looking the other way. She sighed.

    ¡°How you doing tonight, sweetheart? Ready for some more company?¡± said the ostler.

    ¡°Not tonight, I¡¯m afraid,¡± said Stephanie, with as sweet an expression as she could muster.

    ¡°Not tonight? Why ¡®not tonight¡¯, may I ask?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªwell it¡¯s just that¡ª¡± Stephanie managed to force a blush. ¡°Just that, now it¡¯s that time of the month, for me. The wrong time. You know what I mean¡­¡± Stephanie had never, of course, experi-enced the monthly blood, but she¡¯d learnt enough from Rachel to know what it was like.

    ¡°Oh,¡± said the ostler, rather crestfallen. ¡°Oh, I see. Well, when you¡¯re up to it, again¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see. I¡¯m off to Kentak tomorrow, but I¡¯ll be back some time.¡±

    The ostler, with surprising tact, got up and took his leave of her, to Stephanie¡¯s immense relief. Perhaps, having worked off his lecherous passion, he was less interested in her. That sort of thing had happened in the Fringes. Nevertheless, once back in her room she took care to both lock and bolt the door before retiring. She fell asleep almost at once, and passed a peaceful night untroubled by nightmares.

    At dawn the following morning she was up and, after a hurried breakfast, she paid her bill and was ready to board the coach to Kentak which, she¡¯d been warned, would pass very early that morning. As soon as the coach arrived she sat herself in her seat and once again gave a big sigh of relief: she was now leaving this wretched Ashapi behind her, hoping never to return. If only she could forget the unpleasantness, and remember only the peaceful day by the lake! Luckily she was alone in the coach this time, and could, without embarrassment, give way to the tears that still consumed her from time to time. As the journey progressed she began to feel a bit calmer and collected, and was quite herself again, she felt, as the coach drew into Kentak that evening without incident.

    Hastily disembarking, she made her way along the now-familiar streets to Jack and Adrian¡¯s flat and knocked on the door. It was answered by Jack, who gaped at her in astonishment.

    ¡°Why, Stephanie! Whatever are you doing, back here? We thought you¡¯d be halfway to Rigo by now. And where¡¯s Mark? Has something happened? Is everything all right?¡±

    ¡°Yes: everything¡¯s all right. Everything. Couldn¡¯t be more than ¡®all right¡¯. And Mark¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just that¡ªhe¡¯ll be coming along after me, in a few days. He had to stay behind. Yes, I¡¯m fine, everyone¡¯s fine, nothing¡ª¡± Her voice cracked, and she burst into tears once again. Adrian appeared, equally perplexed, and they gently ushered her into the flat and sat her down.

 Chapter 43 - Stephanieâ€™s Tale

    JACK and Adrian stood silently looking at one another, waiting for Stephanie to compose herself. They had offered her a glass of brandy, but she had waved it away. Several minutes had passed; she was still convulsed with sobs but they were becoming more intermittent, and between the sobs she was trying to force a smile.

    Finally she stopped crying and appeared calmer.

    ¡°Is there anything you want to tell us?¡± asked Jack at length, as gently as he could. ¡°About what you have been up to; about why you are here without Mark? Don¡¯t feel you have to. If you want you can stop the night here, we¡¯ll be glad to put you up¡ª¡±

    ¡°NO! NO!¡± shrieked Stephanie. She paused, then continued, in a calmer voice, ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m so sorry, I mean yes, of course I¡¯d be glad to stay here¡ªif it¡¯s no trouble. I¡¯m so sorry about all the fuss I¡¯ve caused, the hysterics: I couldn¡¯t help it, I couldn¡¯t stop myself¡­¡±

    ¡°We understand,¡± said Jack. ¡°Just one question: is Mark all right? Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I already said so. Yes he is all right. It¡¯s not about Mark. But please don¡¯t ask any more.¡±

    ¡°Leave her be for now, Jack,¡± put in Adrian. ¡°The girl¡¯s had some sort of trouble, we can see that. Didn¡¯t you notice the bruise on her cheek? But we won¡¯t ask any questions tonight. Now, Stephanie, just one thing: have you eaten?¡±

    ¡°I had a bit of lunch when the coach stopped; nothing since then.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you got here by coach did you? What happened with your horses?¡± put in Jack.

    ¡°No, Jack, I said, no questions! Stephanie, we don¡¯t have much to offer you: just some bread, cheese, and ham¡ªand a cup of warm milk or cocoa, whatever you prefer. Will that do? Then you can sleep in Michael¡¯s room. We¡¯ll make it up for you. You can even lock the door on us, if you feel insecure. We shan¡¯t be offended!¡±

    For the first time that day, Stephanie felt fairly relaxed. She felt she was among friends who could be trusted. She at once accepted their offer and after partaking of a modest meal, she retired to bed. She was awake for a long while, but eventually drifted off to sleep. This time, her dreams were about her times with David: once again she was sliding down the sandy slope, squealing with delight; they were fishing for shrimps in the river; they were playing around the rickety old beam-engine and making friends with its keeper Corky¡­

    She awoke to a knocking on the door, got out of bed and opened it to find Adrian standing outside: he was bringing her some warm water. He told her that breakfast would soon be served, after which both he and Jack would be out for most of the day, but she was welcome to stay in the flat for the day, if that suited her. There were books on the shelves if she wanted to read. Stephanie thanked him, and was soon washed and dressed and seated at the breakfast table. Her bruise had almost gone by now.

    ¡°What do you do, the two of you, during the day?¡± she asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re both in Law,¡± said Jack. ¡°Adrian¡¯s a junior attorney, I¡¯m still studying at Law School to become one. So we¡¯ll have to leave you on your own for most of the day. Adrian will probably be back first; some time in the afternoon, Ade?¡± Adrian nodded. ¡°And I¡¯ll be in about supper-time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, thanks. I¡¯d like to explain things: I feel better now about telling you my story, if you want to hear it.¡±

    ¡°This evening, then, when we¡¯re both here.¡±

    After showing her where she could find food for lunch, they both took their leave of her.

    Stephanie found little to occupy herself with during the day, but she waited patiently. She picked one or two books off the shelves, but they were very dull; and she was not very skilled at reading and writing. She had picked up a bit from her parents and David, and later from Rachel, but she came to realise how much she had missed out through not having a proper education. Hardly anyone back in the Fringes had been able to read¡­

    That evening, when they had finished their supper, the three of them sat quietly around the fire, conversation on general matters having lapsed. There was an air of expectancy. Finally Stephanie braced herself, drew a breath and began:

    ¡°I suppose you want the story now. Well¡­ we didn¡¯t set out in search of Rachel and Michael. Not yet. I didn¡¯t want to, and I persuaded Mark to change his plans. We agreed that it would stand waiting for a while¡ªa few days wouldn¡¯t make much difference. And I had a more pressing reason. I wanted to find my parents¡ª¡±

    ¡°Your parents?¡± interrupted Jack. ¡°So¡ªyou aren¡¯t in contact with them?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t. I was separated from them when I was only a little girl. And after that, what with prison, and me being sent away¡ª¡± Stephanie checked herself, realising that she¡¯d said too much. Both the men were eyeing her curiously.

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll have to take you on trust. You¡¯ve been very kind to me, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand. Best if I show you¡ªhere.¡±

    And with that she kicked off her left shoe, lifted the hem of her skirt, and peeled off the stocking.

    ¡°So what is it you expect us to¡ª?¡± began Jack, but Adrian interrupted him with a hissed stage-whisper: ¡°Six!¡±. Jack took a closer look at Stephanie¡¯s foot and realised: he nodded, slightly embarrassed.

    ¡°David didn¡¯t notice either, at first,¡± continued Stephanie, putting on her stocking and shoe once more. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know about David, perhaps. A childhood friend of mine, a very good friend, also one of Michael, Rachel and Mark¡¯s little group. No¡ªbut he was the first person, besides my parents, who knew about me.¡±

    ¡°We understand,¡± replied Adrian. ¡°And please believe us: we¡¯re not the sort of guys who¡¯d march you straight to the Inspector! Trust me. So, I¡¯m guessing you were hidden by your parents. But then you were caught?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my parents kept me, right up until I was ten. Then I was¡ªseen; we tried to flee, but were caught: they were tried and sent to prison, while I was sent away to the¡ªyou know, to that place. But I was rescued from there. Rescued by Michael, in fact, who brought me back to civilised parts.¡±

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°That must have been an awful time for you. How long were you in the¡­ Fringes?¡±

    ¡°About seven years. Yes it was horrible, but I survived. Nearly didn¡¯t, though: I was hit by two arrows in the great battle. Michael saved my life¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just like Michael! He deserves a medal. Yes, we know about the Fringes battle. I think we mentioned that when you were here, earlier,¡± said Adrian. ¡°Over a hundred men, from the Waknuk and surrounding districts, most of them slaughtered. Terrible business.¡±

    ¡°Many of my people¡ªthe¡­Fringes people¡ªdied too, in that battle.¡± This was the first time Stephanie had been able to bring herself to say the word ¡®Fringes¡¯ since departing Waknuk. She had to overcome her reluctance, if she was ever to be able to tell the full story.

    ¡°All right; we won¡¯t ask you any more about that. But tell us what happened after you and Mark left us. That¡¯s what we still want to know. Did you find your parents?¡± asked Adrian.

    ¡°Yes¡ªat least, we found my mother. My father had since died. Mark did most of the enquiring. She¡¯s now living at a place called Kamach, north of here.¡±

    ¡°Very sorry to hear about your father. Yes, I¡¯ve heard of Kamach, though I haven¡¯t been there. Where the women¡¯s prison is, isn¡¯t it?¡± said Jack, with a glance at Adrian. Adrian nodded. ¡°But please go on.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we tracked her down, there, without too much trouble. At least, not too much trouble once we got to Kamach¡­¡± And with that Stephanie launched into a full account of their journey to Kamach, complete with all the upsets, the close call with the cougar, the loss of the horse; and then her return to Kentak alone. She only omitted what had happened at the inn at Ashapi.

    ¡°Well, that was quite an adventure, and no mistake!¡± said Adrian, when she had finished. ¡°So we can expect Mark, and your mother (Martha I think you said her name is?) in a week¡¯s time. Excellent! Though I don¡¯t think we can put you all up here: we only have the one spare room.¡±

    ¡°Mother will have to stay at the inn, I think. Don¡¯t worry: we can afford it. After a while she¡¯ll have to return to Kamach¡ªprobably on her own. I¡¯m trying not to think too far ahead. But we all agreed, me travelling together with Mother, especially in the Kamach district, wouldn¡¯t be safe. People might remember¡ªthey might even recognise me¡­¡±

    ¡°Might be risky¡ªI don¡¯t know,¡± said Adrian. ¡°I¡¯ve appeared at one or two trials involving alleged Deviations, though of course your parents¡¯ trial was long before my time. The sort of ¡®moral rectitude¡¯ practised at places like Waknuk, especially in Joseph Strorm¡¯s time¡ªwell, that¡¯s being questioned now. The torturing of those poor girls¡ªI suppose they were two of Michael¡¯s group¡ªthat left a lot of people uneasy, people who weren¡¯t otherwise involved. And you may not know this, but there¡¯s a considerably more enlightened leader of the Government, now, over in Rigo, who¡¯s taken an interest; and she¡¯s committed herself to clamping down on the more extreme cases of maltreatment of Deviants.¡±

    ¡° ¡®She¡¯!¡± exclaimed Stephanie. ¡°You mean, it¡¯s a woman in charge of the Government?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Why shouldn¡¯t there be? In Rigo at least, some folk at least are beginning to understand that women can be on an equal footing with men, as far as jobs and responsibilities go. Not so, yet, in Kentak: certainly not in the parts you and Mark came from! But not everyone agrees with that sentiment, not even in Rigo, sadly.

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve been studying up common Deviations, part of my legal work. Your¡ªcondition¡ªhas a scientific name: it¡¯s called ¡®polydactyly¡¯. Apparently that was a word that came from the Old People themselves: probably means something in one of their for-gotten languages. It was very rare back then, but my argument is, if the Old People had a word for it, maybe it¡¯s a syndrome that goes all the way back to before Tribulation: so not a Deviation at all! Because, according to Nicholson¡¯s Repentances at least, all known Deviations are deemed to have been caused by Tribulation and its aftermath. But it wouldn¡¯t do to pin your hopes on that: the Church Party people would go into convulsions if it was suggested. And I don¡¯t think my argument would stand up in Court.¡±

    ¡°Too late for me, anyway,¡± murmured Stephanie, sadly.

    ¡°We understand,¡± said Adrian. ¡°But if you can bear it, will you tell us something about what made you so upset, last night? We did notice the bruise on your face. Were you hit by someone or something?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it. No¡ªperhaps I do want to talk about it. It seems easier, talking to you two, than it would have been talking to Mother, or to Mark. Oh, and did I tell you? Mark and I want to get married.¡±

    ¡°Splendid news! We could tell at once that Mark was head-over-heels for you, at any rate. I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve accepted him. But this thing you didn¡¯t want to tell us¡ªor him. Was it¡ªto do with¡ªbeing with a man?¡±

    ¡°NO! Yes! All right, it was. There was this horrible ugly brute of a young man, working at the inn at Ashapi. A beast. He made a pass at me. It was horrible. And he hit me.¡±

    ¡°Did he try to rape you?¡±

    ¡°He did rape me. No! I don¡¯t know. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t rape. You see, I let him do it. It was the only way. The only way I could keep my stockings on. Otherwise he might have ripped them off. He¡¯d have seen¡­ Oh, why did I agree to travel alone? Mark was worried as I set off: I could see that. And Mother too, of course. And even one of the passengers in the coach warned me. But I thought I could take care of myself. I¡¯d learned a lot, how to do that, in the Fringes. I was wrong¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmmm,¡± pondered Adrian. ¡°In my book, what that man did to you, that¡¯s still rape. But it would be difficult to prove: he¡¯d use ¡®consent¡¯ as his defence. And you¡¯d have to explain things in court. It¡¯d all come out. Sorry, Stephanie, that¡¯s me running away with my professional musings; I should have said, how truly sorry we are to hear this. As if you hadn¡¯t had enough awful experiences¡­ But you¡¯re right: being hauled before the Inspector once more could have been worse.¡±

    ¡°Should I tell Mark? Or Mother?¡± Stephanie felt relieved that she had now shared her anguish. She only wished she could share it with a woman. Not Mother, however: perhaps neither of them was ready for that. More than anything she yearned to see Rachel once again¡­ Rachel she could confide in. But Adrian, especially, was a real comfort.

    There was a long pause. Eventually Adrian broke the silence.

    ¡°I think,¡± he said, hesitantly, ¡°I think, your mother doesn¡¯t need to know this. To her, you¡¯re still a happy little ten-year-old child: unpleasant grown-up things like this don¡¯t fit with her image of you. She¡¯ll come to accept you as an adult, especially now that you and Mark are engaged. Does she know about that, by the way?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How did she take it?¡±

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t quite sure at first. She hesitated a while. But I think she¡¯s been won over to the idea. She¡¯s quite taken to Mark at any rate: thinks he could have been the son she never had. I was the only child.¡±

    ¡°That fits in with what I thought. I may never have met your mother, but I¡¯ve a pretty good idea about her character. Part of my job it is, to judge people¡¯s characters¡ªespecially the ones up in court!

    ¡°As to Mark¡ªyou¡¯ve got to decide, but I think you¡¯d be safe to tell him. He¡¯d thank you for it. I¡¯ve only met Mark briefly, but I read him as a dependable sort of chap¡ªmore dependable than Michael, whom I know well, who can be a bit headstrong! Knowledge like this won¡¯t cloud his love for you¡­¡±

    ¡°He already knows I¡¯ve been with other men. He¡¯s easy with that.¡± She didn¡¯t want to mention her fling with Michael explicitly, not even if Adrian had guessed it. There was no fooling Adrian, that was certain. But she felt at ease under his gentle questioning. Less so with Jack, but Jack had tactfully left almost all the talking to Adrian.

    The conversation lapsed and they sat silent for a while, pondering much of what had been spoken. At length Stephanie got up and announced she wished to retire for the night. Acting on a sudden impulse, she rushed up to both Adrian and Jack in turn, embraced them, and planted passionate kisses on both cheeks. Both men were red-faced as she retreated to her room. As she lay down in bed she felt a great weight had been taken off her mind.

 Chapter 44 - Wedding Plans

    STEPHANIE passed a few anxious days waiting for the next coach to arrive from Ashapi, and the hoped-for arrival of Mark and Martha. Both Adrian and Jack did their best to reassure her¡ªbut there was of course no certainty that things had gone to plan back in Kamach. In the meantime, Adrian urged her to occupy herself as best she could while they were away at work. She offered to do some shopping for them, and also to help with the housework and cooking; and she offered to contribute a share of the expenses and the rent. The others were reluctant to accept this last, but she insisted that she and Mark had plenty of money¡ªmostly due to the generous donation from Amelia, Rachel¡¯s mother, back in Waknuk, as she explained to them. So in the end they accepted gratefully: as Jack explained, a Law student gets very little allowance and even Adrian, as a junior, wasn¡¯t very well paid.

    At length the day came when the coach from Rigo, passing through Ashapi, was due to arrive, and that evening Stephanie and Jack were standing anxiously at the inn, looking down the road for any sign of its approach. It was dark and raining heavily, and although they were able to take shelter from the worst of it, they were still shivering and wet through by the time they heard the welcome sound of many hooves pounding and splashing their way along the wet road.

    The coach drew to a halt in front of the inn, and sure enough a small figure alighted, closely followed by someone rather larger. Martha looked around in confusion for a moment: then she espied Stephanie sheltering under the inn¡¯s doorway, rushed up to her and clasped her in an almost suffocating hug. It was quite a while before she released her into the arms of Mark who kissed her fervently time and time again. Eventually, Stephanie was able to get her breath back and introduce Martha to Jack, explaining how he and Adrian had sheltered her.

    After a brief discussion, they decided to book a room for Martha at the inn, then they would all make haste as best they could to the flat where Adrian had a hot supper waiting. Mark and Stephanie could continue to stay in Michael¡¯s old room at the flat. As to ongoing plans¡ªnone of them felt able to decide about that for the time being. Luckily the rain was easing as they hurried back to the flat, where they were welcomed by Adrian and sat down to a convivial supper.

    Mark and Martha, between them, explained how they had fared at Kamach. They had sold some of Martha¡¯s hens to a friend of hers who was a fellow egg-rearer; but some of them had had to go to the butcher¡¯s¡ªwhich Martha was a bit upset about. Mark had, not without some misgivings, ridden back to their campsite at the shepherd¡¯s hut, and collected most of their belongings¡ªbut left the dead horse¡¯s tack which was too much to carry. He refused to say anything about the state of the dead horse¡¯s remains¡ªfor which Stephanie was thankful. Once back at Kamach, the remaining horse was quite easy to dispose of: a local hunter was glad to take it on once he had assured himself of its merits. And Martha¡¯s landlord was fairly easy about her absence: said he would charge only a portion of her rent until either she returned or he found a new tenant.

    The conversation lapsed for a while: then Mark abruptly announced:

    ¡°Stephanie and I are going to get married: and I¡¯d like that to be as soon as maybe: yes, Steph?¡± Stephanie nodded. ¡°But besides,¡± continued Mark, ¡°I really ought to look up my mother back at the farm, before we decide anything else. Yes she knew I was going on a long journey, she won¡¯t be worrying about me yet¡ªbut it¡¯s been quite a while now and since we¡¯re back in the area¡­ What she doesn¡¯t know, of course, is about Stephanie and me. I really ought to present her to Mother before the wedding.¡±

    ¡°Why, congratulations to the two of you!¡± said Adrian, echoed by Jack. He continued, ¡°Yes, introducing Stephanie to your mother would be the right and proper thing to do, Mark, certainly. Would you want to be married here, in Kentak?¡±

    ¡°That was our idea,¡± replied Stephanie. ¡°Safer than Kamach, at any rate. No-one¡¯s going to recognise Mother, nor me, not here. Some-thing quiet and simple, no guests. Except you, Jack and Adrian, of course. I haven¡¯t any family apart from Mother, and Mark¡¯s mother lives on a farm out in the wilds. The last thing I want is lots of well-meaning guests patting me on the back and asking when we¡¯re going to start a family. That will hurt: we all know there won¡¯t be any¡ª¡±

    ¡°Steph!¡± hissed Mark, glancing at Adrian and Jack.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Stephanie reassured him. ¡°They already know. All about me, that is. My history: my feet. And it¡¯s all right with them, don¡¯t worry, Mother. We have no secrets among ourselves.¡± As she said it, her mind went back to the horror at Ashapi for a second, and she anxiously glanced at Mark. Not yet, she thought¡ªnot while Mother¡¯s present. Maybe not ever¡­

    ¡°Well,¡± said Martha. ¡°Any wedding will be a joy to me, however simple, just so long as it involves my darling Sophie. Sorry, ¡®Stephanie¡¯. But Mark¡¯s parents will surely have to be there, and they¡¯ll ask about grandchildren.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± agreed Mark. ¡°I don¡¯t have a father any more, but I have two older sisters, both married, and Mother¡¯s already got three grand-children, and another on the way. So we won¡¯t tell her about Stephanie¡¯s¡ªproblem. There¡¯s no need for her to know. But we need to prepare a few things. She can¡¯t be ¡®Stephanie Wender¡¯, obviously, not even in Kentak. Nor can we have the same surname, as on the false papers you still have. We¡¯ll have to forge another set.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already booked myself into the inn as ¡®Mrs Wender¡¯,¡± said Martha. ¡°I couldn¡¯t really do otherwise. But I¡¯m here quite legit-imately: I¡¯ve got a pass from the Sheriff back at Kamach. I can show that to anyone who asks. It¡¯s being seen with you two that¡¯s risky.¡±

    ¡°All right then,¡± said Mark. ¡°We¡¯ll sort out the documents, then go and enquire at the church, and fix up the wedding. You sleep at the inn, Martha, in the meantime. Then we¡¯ll all set out for my mother¡¯s farm. It¡¯s about twenty-five miles away. It¡¯s best if you come with us, Martha, if we can manage that safely. I forgot to ask, can you ride?¡±

    ¡°Why, I haven¡¯t ridden a horse since Sophie was born. John used to ride a lot, on his hunting trips, but he didn¡¯t take me very often, and not after this baby came. I doubt if I¡¯d be much use on one.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to hire a carriage of some sort. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll sort something out.¡±

    There was a long pause. Then a thought suddenly occurred to Martha, as she surveyed the gathered company. ¡°Are either of you two thinking of getting married? Any sweethearts?¡± she asked quite innocently, looking at Adrian and Jack.

    ¡°Er, no, not exactly,¡± said Jack, hesitantly. But Adrian took up the response.

    ¡°We¡¯re in a sort of¡ªpartnership, already. The two of us. Not everyone approves, so keep quiet about it.¡±

    ¡°You mean you¡¯re¡ª¡±

    ¡°Homosexual. That¡¯s the word. Yes we are. That doesn¡¯t make us Deviants; plenty of the Old People were like us too, though the Church Party will deny it of course. There¡¯s even a horrible word about our kind of people in the Bible: ¡®abomination¡¯. The same word as the Church people use for Deviants. So we have to be discreet. If we were found out, we¡¯d probably get the same treatment as human Deviations do. In fact, an Inspector would class us as Blasphemies, if he ever knew.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Mark was visibly perturbed at this revelation, it was something utterly new to him. But Stephanie seemed quite relaxed, and she spoke out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I know all about it. Happened quite a lot in the Fringes. Perhaps it was people like you who were caught and sent there? And don¡¯t look so uncomfortable, Mark¡ªnor you, Mother. These are good people, they¡¯ve helped us tremendously, and their¡ªdifference¡ªbestows a sort of kinship with us, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    Mark had to agree. Martha hesitated for a long time, but then she too nodded her head.

    With that, Jack offered to escort Martha back to the inn, and promised to call for her early the next morning. As they left the flat Martha took Jack¡¯s arm. Evidently if she¡¯d felt any revulsion, it was ebbing away.

    Mark was still feeling bemused about Jack and Adrian¡¯s revelation, as he followed Stephanie into their bedroom, but the thought ¡®they¡¯re different, like we¡¯re different: just different in a ¡®different¡¯ way¡¯ was some comfort to him. He quickly undressed, got into bed, and watched eagerly as Stephanie took off her clothes and slipped into bed beside him. For a minute or two they cuddled and caressed each other: then, just as Mark¡¯s ardour was becoming more urgent, Stephanie gave a sigh, rolled away from him, sat up and reached for her nightgown which she pulled over herself.

    ¡°Sorry, my dear. Not in the mood tonight,¡± she murmured.

    ¡°Trouble, my love?¡±

    ¡°Now we¡¯re definitely getting married, I¡¯d like to leave it till then.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯ve already made love. And I¡¯ve been looking forward all through the journey here.¡±

    ¡°I know. Sorry, but no. All I can say is, ¡®look forward¡¯ for a bit longer. Please bear with me.¡± With that Stephanie lay back in bed and said no more. She couldn¡¯t yet bring herself to tell Mark about Ashapi. Just letting Mark see her naked¡ªeven if only for an instant¡ªhad been hard enough.

    Mark sighed. He realised that he might be expecting too much of Stephanie, and the last thing he wished was to upset her. He could see that something was troubling her, but decided not to press her. He put on his own nightshirt and was soon asleep.

    The next morning, after breakfast, Mark, Stephanie and Martha sat down and set to work creating a new identity tag for Stephanie, with a new surname and stating her birthplace as a tiny village about ten miles north of Mark¡¯s farm. ¡°That makes it plausible,¡± he com-mented. ¡°I just hope no-one checks out that village: it¡¯s difficult to get to, especially in winter. Should work.¡±

    Martha took a hand at the actual forging of the tag, saying she had had quite a lot of practice back when Sophie was a child. In the end, after several failed attempts which they had to throw out, they managed to achieve a passable forgery.

    Then Stephanie and Mark took themselves to a nearby church, as recommended by Jack and Adrian who had given them directions. They were disappointed to find it unlocked but deserted, with no indication as to how the priest might be contacted.

    ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s Sunday. Let¡¯s come back tomorrow and take part in the service: then we can catch hold of the priest as we come out,¡± suggested Mark. ¡°We ought to spend today looking for smart clothes, anyway.¡±

    Stephanie had never been to church: when she was a child it would have been too risky for her parents to take her, and they were not churchgoers in any case. She was a bit nervous about this but Mark reassured her. It seemed the best course to take.

    So it was the following morning that the young couple presented themselves at the church door and took their places among the small congregation. Several other worshippers glanced at the strangers curiously: one elderly lady sitting next to them gave them an enquiring look, so they explained, plausibly, that they were on a short visit to Kentak. Mark whispered to Stephanie that she didn¡¯t have to do anything: just kneel when the others knelt, sing when they sang, and pray when they prayed. She didn¡¯t need to go up to the priest to take the sacrament, although Mark would.

    After the service they asked to have a private word with the priest, and he readily agreed, and took them into the sacristy. They explained their purpose in a few words.

    The priest was a small elderly man with thin grey hair, a wrinkled face with bushy eyebrows and a short grey beard. But there was a twinkle in his eyes as he looked the young couple up and down, and he smiled.

    ¡°So you want to tie the knot, do you, my children? And you want it to happen right here, in my church? How did you come to choose this one, if I may ask?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we like it here in Kentak, and we¡¯re staying with friends here¡ªuntil the wedding,¡± replied Mark.

    ¡°I trust that you have not anticipated the sacred bonds of matrimony, whilst you have been staying here?¡±

    ¡°Oh no,¡± said Stephanie. ¡°We¡¯ve been very good.¡± Well, she thought, that was in part true!

    ¡°I noticed that you didn¡¯t take communion, Stephanie,¡± continued the priest. ¡°Please allow me to enquire of your heart: just a few words. Have you been Confirmed?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid not. Neither of my parents went to church much.¡± Which was also true.

    ¡°Where are your parents now, Stephanie?¡±

    They had rehearsed carefully for this. ¡°Both my parents are dead,¡± she said, calmly. ¡°Since I was a child. I was looked after by my guardian, an old friend of my father, who also happens to be Mark¡¯s uncle. That¡¯s how Mark and I came to meet.¡±

    ¡°But you are both of age, I trust?¡± Both Mark and Sophie nodded. The priest looked over Stephanie a bit curiously, but if he doubted them, he said nothing. Instead he asked:

    ¡°And both of you are absolutely sure of one another? That your love will endure? Remember that marriage is a sacred commitment for life: it is not to be entered upon lightly. You are both still quite young. Search your hearts and imagine what your feelings will be to one another, years hence. I assume you have known each other since childhood, but that is no guarantee of a smooth path through adulthood.¡±

    ¡°Oh no,¡± said Mark, ¡°we only met for the first time a few months ago. In fact I never really knew I had an uncle until recently.¡±

    They watched the priest¡¯s expression carefully, but they had the feeling he had been won over. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± he said, with a wink, ¡°this is somewhat unusual, but I think I can see the way forward. Come and see me in the Presbytery tomorrow, and we¡¯ll talk about arrangements.¡± He wrote out the address for them.

    With that, he bid them farewell. Back at the flat, Adrian and Jack congratulated them, while Martha was overcome by the thought of her little Sophie about to become a married woman, and shed not a few tears over it.

    ¡°We knew it would work out all right,¡± said Adrian. ¡°We know that old priest¡ªand what¡¯s more, he knows about us¡ªJack and me¡ªand he¡¯s fully understanding. Just imagine if you¡¯d tried to get married in Waknuk church, or any other church out in the backwoods! Our priest knows that, too: he knows that¡¯s why you came to him. He¡¯ll be thinking it¡¯s maybe an elopement, but he¡¯s understanding about that too.¡±

    A thought occurred to Stephanie, just then. ¡°About¡ªthe two of you. Does Michael know?¡±

    ¡°We think he guessed¡ªand he¡¯s well educated so he understands it better,¡± said Adrian. ¡°We never spoke about our relationship. Times have been dangerous¡ªbut maybe enlightenment is on the way¡­¡±

    The next day Stephanie and Mark returned to the priest, and it was all arranged: the wedding was fixed for three weeks hence. They agreed that it would be a very small ceremony, with only a few guests present, and no white wedding dress or other special preparations. All that remained, therefore, was to collect the smart clothes they had ordered, and go to see Mark¡¯s mother and see how she reacted to their announcement.

 Chapter 45 - Waknuk Again, and Beyond

    THE preparations for visiting Mark¡¯s mother took a few days. Stephanie, especially, did not want to leave Martha in Kentak (although Adrian and Jack were quite willing to accommodate her); besides: Martha, having endured a week¡¯s separation from her daughter only days after their reunion, flatly refused to be parted from her again, any time soon. Since Martha could not ride, Mark had to search all around Kentak for a suitable carriage they could hire. He had no success until he thought of asking the old priest. The latter thought for a while, and then mentioned one of his flock who kept a livery stable and might have a carriage for hire. Mark went to the stables and managed to secure a week¡¯s hire of a two-wheeled gover-ness cart drawn by one horse, which he thought would be adequate to convey the three of them to his mother¡¯s farm and back again.

    Mark was painfully aware that his reserves of cash were fast diminishing, with all this expense. Oh well, they¡¯d have to address that problem when it came.

    It was a dreary, overcast, and chilly day with a slight fall of sleet when they set out early in the morning, but Mark felt they could not delay any longer. Martha was well wrapped up in a large cloak but still seemed to be feeling the cold; however, she responded to all Stephanie¡¯s enquiries with ¡°I¡¯m quite all right.¡±

    Although Mark had originally wanted to cut across country to his farm, following rough tracks which he was familiar with, he knew this would be impossible with the cart. So they had no option but to travel via Waknuk¡ªwith all the danger that posed. There was little risk that Martha would be recognised, and Stephanie had shown herself very little during her stay at Rachel¡¯s farm¡ªbut Mark might well be noticed by an acquaintance. He pulled a thick woollen hat well down over his brow and wrapped his face in a scarf as he drove, and hoped for the best. They should reach his mother¡¯s farm before nightfall, if all went well.

    As they approached the familiar farmland surrounding Waknuk, Mark surveyed the fields on either side with his farmer¡¯s eyes. Most had been ploughed and winter crops already sown, so he guessed that Waknuk was still prospering. They passed by the Strorms¡¯ farm, now owned by Angus Morton, and showing signs of new buildings going up, and were drawing near to what had been Rachel¡¯s farm¡ªalso sold now¡ªwhen they saw a horseman riding towards them.

    Mark nodded and gave a brief ¡®good morning¡¯ as they passed, but the man gazed intently into the carriage, apparently with some curiosity, before riding on. They had only passed him by some hundred yards when he reined in his horse and abruptly turned around. Stephanie turned to Mark in a sudden panic.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Inspector! The Inspector for Waknuk. I¡¯m sure of it. And I think he¡¯s recognised one of us. Oh no! what are we going to do?¡±

    ¡°Whatever we do, we can¡¯t outrun him,¡± said Mark. ¡°Not in this cart at any rate. Try to look inconspicuous, both of you, if you can: don¡¯t look towards him. I¡¯ll do the talking. Maybe I can bluff our way out.¡± He reined in the horse.

    In a few seconds the Inspector was alongside them and had dis-mounted. All of them now recognised him, although he appeared to have aged several years in the past few months. He was stooped and his hair was greying. Mark was starting to ask him what was his business, but the Inspector ignored him. Instead he was closely scrutinising the two female occupants, for all they could do to avoid his gaze. In a little while a smug, satisfied smile spread across his face.

    ¡°Well¡ªif I¡¯m not mistaken, it¡¯s Mrs Wender, isn¡¯t it? And¡ªcan it possibly be your little Sophie next to you? Sophie, but all grown up?¡ªno, don¡¯t try to hide your face, my dear, I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not wrong: I recognise you. You do look so like your mother¡­¡±

    The three of them were frozen, too terrified to speak.

    ¡°Well, well, we¡¯re going to have to have a little chat, aren¡¯t we? Could you please follow me.¡±

    Mark knew that it was useless to try and evade the Inspector. With a heavy heart he turned the cart around and followed the Inspector. Stephanie and Martha were now both in tears, clutching each other. Probably for the best, thought Mark: better than them going into a blind panic and trying to flee.

    Once at the Inspector¡¯s house, they were shown into his office and asked to sit down in front of his desk. Stephanie had calmed down a bit, but Martha began to scream out incoherently: that he had no right to detain them in this way, that she had done her time, that they were only passing through Waknuk anyway¡ªbut the Inspector gently hushed her. Once she had stopped sobbing, he began to state his case:

    ¡°Please, listen, there¡¯s no need to panic. You present me with a strange dilemma. Please calm down all of you, and let me explain. My job, as you know, is to enforce the Law as regards Deviations¡ªand I like to believe I¡¯ve been fulfilling my duty conscientiously, for the fifteen years I¡¯ve been in this office. Indeed, the Deviation rate in Waknuk, with a few exceptions, has been improving steadily, year on year, during my time here. But there¡¯s still a lot of resentment from local folk.

    ¡°I expect you heard about the terrible disaster that befell this district last year, when we lost so many of our best men. The story must have gone all over Labrador. Out on a sortie into Fringes territory, massacred by Fringes folk, as I understand it. Sophie, perhaps you can tell me more?¡±

    ¡°I heard about it,¡± said Stephanie, hesitantly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t involved, though. And my name''s not Sophie, it''s Stephanie.¡±

    ¡°All right, but I''ll continue to call you Sophie, if you please. So, in that case, perhaps you can tell me how you come to be here, and not in the Fringes. Because, if you¡¯ll forgive me, you don¡¯t look in the least like a Fringes dweller¡ªand I¡¯ve come across many of those, fugitives trying to escape to civilised parts. If I hadn¡¯t recognised you, Mrs Wender, I¡¯d never have believed it was Sophie. So how about a little explanation?¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Mark had already been silently preparing his answer while the Inspector was talking, and he now cut in quickly, hoping that Stephanie wouldn¡¯t interrupt. ¡°I met her whilst I was on a hunting trip. I live to the northwest of here, not far from Wild country. And I¡¯d gone quite a long way out west when I ran into her. She was out hunting too¡ªon foot. She¡¯d strayed quite a long way from the Fringes, and had got lost.¡± As he said this, Mark watched Stephanie out of the corner of his eye, and she gave a brief nod. ¡°Anyway, I took her up and she more or less stayed with me after that. And now we¡¯re planning to get married.¡±

    ¡°Married, is it? Well well well! But you did undergo your sterilisation, before being dropped in the fringes, Sophie? Unless the information they passed on to me from Kentak and Rigo was incorrect?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± muttered Stephanie, with an anguished look on her face.

    ¡°So, I must consider, what am I going to do?¡± continued the Inspector. ¡°My job is to root out Deviations when they¡¯re first discovered, and make sure they¡¯re properly dealt with. You have been dealt with, Sophie, as far as I¡¯m concerned. The Law doesn¡¯t say anything about what to do with returned Fringes dwellers, provided they don¡¯t rob civilised folk or otherwise make a nuisance of them-selves. Indeed I¡¯ve never heard of a case like this, where someone from the Fringes has acquired the look of a civilised person once again. And the fact that you¡¯re planning to get married, to a civilised husband too, stands in your favour.

    ¡°If I were to take action against you, there¡¯s no precedent: I¡¯d first have to seek advice from my superiors in Rigo. Quite frankly, I¡¯m not minded to do that. I may get into trouble from some quarters, but I¡¯ve lived with that for a long time. Especially with Strorm¡­ And some things that have happened! Like a case in a neighbouring district last year: two young women, not much older than you, Sophie. And connected with that, a case of arson, an entire farm burnt down. The police were sent for, from Rigo. I won¡¯t go into details, but there was a lot of bad feeling after that¡ªfrom people on both sides of the argument. Some of it directed against me. I got some nasty letters. I¡¯ve been feeling uncomfortable, I¡¯m not shy of admitting to you. Beset on all sides.

    ¡°So I think I¡¯m going to let you go: send you on your way. It may be the wrong decision for me, but there it is, I¡¯m doing it with a clear conscience. You¡¯ve had your ¡®treatment¡¯, Sophie¡ªand you¡¯ve served out your sentence, Mrs Wender, along with your husband. Where is he, by the way?¡±

    ¡°He died, soon after leaving gaol,¡± said Stephanie, laconically.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± continued the Inspector. ¡°Yes, I know he committed a serious offence, as did you, Mrs Wender. But I¡¯m still truly sorry to hear about that. And after he served out his sentence, too! Anyway, my conclusion is to forget this meeting ever took place¡ªand to ask you to leave Waknuk as soon as possible, and not to come here again. I want you as far away from my district as possible. If someone were to find out about you, Sophie, I¡¯d get the blame.¡±

    ¡°We weren¡¯t planning to stay in Waknuk, anyway,¡± said Mark, taking up the story once again. ¡°We¡¯re heading for my mother¡¯s farm which is about nine miles away¡ªand I hope we can still reach there before it gets dark. But we shall have to pass through Waknuk on our return.¡±

    ¡°All right then¡ªbut don¡¯t linger if you pass this way, and don¡¯t let me see you again.¡± With that, the Inspector bade them farewell and they once again set out in the cart.

    Once they were out of earshot, Mark let out a long sigh. ¡°Well, would you believe it? He¡¯s not the Inspector of old, is he? Times must have hit him really hard. I¡¯d have thought, with Strorm gone, he¡¯d have an easier time. David told us all about the rows they used to have.¡±

    ¡°He was talking about Sally and Katherine, wasn¡¯t he?¡± said Stephanie. ¡°When he mentioned those ¡®two young women¡¯. The ones who were caught, and who Michael went looking for. You told me all about them. Are we still thinking they¡¯re dead?¡±

    ¡°I think we are,¡± said Mark, sadly. ¡°Michael was fairly certain of it. I¡¯m surprised the Inspector brought up that affair¡ªeven though he stopped himself before saying too much! But it¡¯s a comfort to know, other people, not just us, were upset about what happened. Things may be changing¡ªespecially with old Strorm out of the picture. And I think our Inspector is changing his attitude too. He certainly seems more communicative.

    ¡°But I¡¯m wondering. Should we be trusting this ¡®new¡¯ Inspector? Is this more friendly, more conciliatory attitude a front¡ªcould he be deceiving us, setting a trap? He might be having us followed: hoping we¡¯ll lead him onto something. Some ¡®suspicious¡¯ people perhaps. We¡¯d better be careful: better not trust him blindly. And I think we need to exercise caution when we return this way.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± replied Stephanie. ¡°But he seemed pretty genuine. And things may indeed be changing all across Labrador,¡± she added, with a smile on her face. ¡°Did Adrian tell you about there being a woman in charge of the Government, over in Rigo?¡±

    ¡°A woman?¡± exclaimed Martha, breaking her silence for the first time. ¡°Surely that can¡¯t be¡ªit¡¯s never woman¡¯s work, that!¡±

    ¡°Well, it is, Mother. Things are changing, and time you got used to it.¡±

    With that, the conversation lapsed. The weather had improved: it was now dry and fairly warm, and they made good progress without further incident. It was just beginning to get dark, and colder again, when Mark¡¯s farm, which stood in an isolated position right on the edge of a large forest, loomed up before them.

    As they drew their cart to a halt in the yard and alighted, a young man appeared with a lantern: one of Mark¡¯s brothers-in-law. Upon recognising Mark, he called into the farmhouse for Mark¡¯s mother to come out. In a minute she emerged, wrapped in a shawl, a very short, somewhat plump dark-haired woman in her late fifties. On seeing Mark, she smiled broadly and embraced him in a tight hug.

    ¡°Oh, Mark,¡± she exclaimed, ¡°how nice of you to call on us. I¡¯d been expecting you to be away for months. And how are you? Are you quite well? But come in, come into the warm. And your friends too¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mother, I should have introduced you. This is Stephanie¡ªI¡¯ve told you about her, of course. Used to help out at Amelia¡¯s farm. And this is her mother, Martha.¡±

    ¡°Pleased to meet you, Stephanie and Martha. Oh, call me Margaret please! No formalities here.¡± With that, they were soon seated round the fire in the big farm kitchen.

 Chapter 46 - At Markâ€™s Farm

    DINNER was already cooking in the kitchen, but Margaret busied herself for several minutes in increasing the amount of food so as to cater for her visitors. Finally she sat down with them and launched into some questions.

    ¡°So what have you been up to, Mark? Did you go in search of Rachel, Amelia¡¯s girl, and her young man, as you promised? And did you go all the way to Rigo?¡±

    ¡°Not quite,¡± answered Mark. ¡°We, Stephanie and I, I mean, had another mission, which was to go in search of Stephanie¡¯s family, whom she¡¯d lost touch with. As you can see, we were successful: here is Martha to prove it. Stephanie¡¯s father had passed away in the meantime, and she has no brothers or sisters, so it¡¯s just Martha.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to hear about your husband, Martha. Yes, we¡¯re three merry widows, it seems, you and me¡ªand Amelia, who lost her man only last year. You know she sold her farm and came to stay with her sister, not too far from here. You must call on her, Mark.¡±

    ¡°We shall do that,¡± said Mark, ¡°although I¡¯m afraid we haven¡¯t any positive news about Rachel and Michael. We did learn that they set off for Rigo¡ªas we expected¡ªbut they may have had some trouble on the way.¡±

    ¡°Trouble? What kind of trouble? Was it the same trouble that caused them to take French leave like that, just after the funeral?¡±

    ¡°Yes it was,¡± said Mark, ¡°but I can¡¯t say any more than that. Michael has¡ªenemies. Please don¡¯t ask me more. But I can tell you, he and Rachel got married.¡±

    ¡°Splendid! I¡¯ve met Michael, but I can¡¯t say I know him very well. But what I saw of him, I liked a lot. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll make Rachel an excellent husband.¡±

    ¡°Which leads us to our own news,¡± put in Stephanie. ¡°Mark and I are also going to get married soon.¡±

    For a moment, Margaret was dumbstruck. Finally she spoke. ¡°Well, this is some news, indeed, and all very sudden. But Stephanie, although I¡¯ve heard about you, we¡¯ve only just met, and I know so little about you. For a start: how old are you?¡±

    ¡°Eighteen,¡± admitted Stephanie.

    ¡°Very young,¡± continued Margaret. ¡°Not of age yet¡ªbut people are marrying younger all the time, aren¡¯t they? I believe young Rachel is not yet eighteen, and she¡¯s married, so you tell me. Let¡¯s hope that marriage goes well. I suppose Martha has already consented¡ª¡± Martha nodded ¡°and you want me to give my consent, Mark?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mother, that would be wonderful. Of course, I don¡¯t need your consent, I¡¯m of age, but it would be great if you would.¡±

    Margaret fell silent for a while. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it. But meanwhile, we¡¯re about to have dinner, so do join us. We can talk about things afterwords.¡±

    As she was saying this, the rest of Mark¡¯s family had joined them in the kitchen: his elder sisters Monica, with her husband Theo (the one who had met them in the yard), and Marjorie with her husband Dennis, plus three small boys. They were soon seated at the big table tucking into a generous meal of stewed venison and greens.

    ¡°We often have game on the menu, here,¡± explained Mark, noticing both Martha and Stephanie eyeing their plates suspiciously. ¡°It¡¯s a good source of meat for us, and we keep only a few livestock. These two gentlemen are both excellent hunters¡ª¡±

    ¡°So are you, Mark,¡± put in Theo. ¡°Don¡¯t be so modest!¡±

    ¡°All right. But I must point out that Stephanie here is pretty skilled with the bow, too. She can certainly look after herself. In fact I¡¯d like her to join me on a hunting trip, one of these days¡­¡±

    ¡°If you do indeed marry Mark, my girl,¡± said Margaret, looking at Stephanie, ¡°and if you decide to live here, I¡¯ve other plans for you¡ªif you¡¯ll forgive my saying so. There¡¯s plenty of work to be done right here on the farm. And besides, I¡¯m still waiting for a grand-daughter. These two tiny tots of mine here,¡± waving her hand lazily at Monica and Marjorie, who were both in their late twenties, ¡°they¡¯ve only produced boys, and I¡¯d love there to be a little girl¡ªbut I¡¯m not going to live on for ever. It would be nice if you bucked the trend¡­¡±

    Stephanie had by now learnt to maintain her composure through this distressing reminder of her affliction, and she kept a calm expression for a moment, certain that Margaret wouldn¡¯t notice anything. Then she broke into a grin and nodded vaguely. The three boys seated at the table all scowled: evidently none of them cared for a girl as a cousin.

    The conversation turned to more local news around the farm. Dennis gave an account of how he had tracked down and shot the deer which was now serving as their dinner. He also mentioned the encounter they¡¯d had with a bear which had come right into the yard. This prompted Mark to relate their close call with the cougar, and with the mystery beast that had led to the loss of their horse. Stephanie felt relieved that the conversation had been steered away from the matter of raising a family¡­

    After dinner, with Mark¡¯s sisters having announced bedtime for the children and departed along with Theo and Dennis, Margaret quizzed Stephanie long and hard about her background. She was somewhat disappointed to learn that Stephanie had had little or no education, but at least she wasn¡¯t suspicious. In that part of Labrador, many children brought up in remote areas never got the chance of any schooling. And at least Stephanie could read and write, and had plenty of knowledge of the affairs of Labrador: she was clearly quite intelligent despite her lack of tutoring.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    So Margaret felt satisfied and left off the hard questioning, much to Stephanie¡¯s relief. She had already put out a plausible story about how she had been brought up on a remote farmstead near Kamach, far to the north, and had learnt to hunt from her father (of course concealing the fact that she had learnt this in the Fringes). Margaret was a bit doubtful about having a girl with hunting prowess in the family, but let that rest.

    Nevertheless both Mark and Stephanie were very relieved when the time came to retire. Margaret announced that Martha could sleep in the spare room which used to be shared by Marjorie and Monica, while Stephanie had Mark¡¯s old bedroom: Mark, meanwhile, must make do on a sofa in the parlour. Catching the querying and slightly mischievous look in Mark¡¯s eyes, Margaret continued: ¡°Yes indeed: we¡¯ll have none of your funny business in my house, Mark, thank you very much! At least, not until you¡¯re properly and decently married in Church.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°No ¡®but¡¯s. This is my house and I set the rules. I¡¯ve just given my consent to the marriage, haven¡¯t I? So be on your best behaviour, before I change my mind.¡±

    Mark realised that there was nothing for it but to wrap himself in a blanket and settle down as best he could on the rather cold and uncomfortable sofa. As the rest of the company turned in, the house fell quiet, but he found it hard to sleep. He could not have dozed off for more than twenty minutes when he was awakened by a light touch on his shoulder. It was Stephanie, shivering in her nightgown.

    ¡°Please come to me, Mark, dear,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m lonely, and it¡¯s cold in the bed¡­¡±

    Mark¡¯s heart gave a leap as he slipped off the couch and expect-antly followed Stephanie into the bedroom, where she quickly slipped into bed, still in her nightgown and stockings. Mark began to undress¡ªbut he was in for a disappointment.

    ¡°No, Mark, not that. I¡¯m sorry. I just have something I need to tell you. Come into bed as you are.¡±

    Mark shrugged and lay down next to Stephanie, and they cuddled each other until they¡¯d warmed up a bit. Mark waited a while for Stephanie to speak, but she was silent, so he whispered tentatively: ¡°What is it, my love? Something¡¯s bothering you: I could tell that the moment I joined up with you in Kentak. Any problem with Adrian or Jack? Or was it on the journey? Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ªsomething did happen, on the journey¡ªI don¡¯t know how to tell you¡­¡±

    ¡°Was it someone on the coach? Or at the inn¡ªthe one at Ashapi? Did someone harm you?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ªat the inn. There was a young man¡ªa really unpleasant young man¡ªhe made a pass at me as I was having dinner. And then¡­¡±

    ¡°And then what?¡±

    ¡°He tried to break into my room. No, not ¡®tried¡¯: he did break into my room.¡±

    ¡°My God! Were you assaulted?¡±

    ¡°He raped me.¡±

    ¡°He what! Who is he?¡± Mark had raised his voice above a whisper now, in his fury. ¡°Damn it, I¡¯ll get my hands on him, I¡¯ll bloody kill him¡­!¡±

    ¡°Mark, darling, please try to understand. It wasn¡¯t quite like that. You see, I let him do it¡­¡±

    Mark froze. Then he pushed his way out of the bed and stood up, putting on the rest of his clothes while he stared at Stephanie, who was lying huddled beneath the blankets. The words came out of him, slowly, punctuated by sharp breaths:

    ¡°You¡ªlet¡ªhim¡ªdo¡ªit! You just let him have his way with you, like the little whore you are! Not out of my sight a day, but you must have it off with whoever¡­ You¡¯re all the same. Why did I ever agree to marry a Fringe-bitch?¡± He sank into a chair and cupped his face in his hands.

    ¡°No, Mark, my darling, please try to understand!¡± moaned Steph-anie through her tears.

    ¡°What can there possibly be that I need to understand?¡±

    ¡°Just hear me out. It was the only thing. I was wearing those thick stockings I took with me¡ªremember? As a precaution. If I¡¯d struggled against him, he¡¯d have ripped my stockings off, along with everything else. And then what? All lost! Don¡¯t you see?¡±

    Mark did see. He was utterly silenced, in his confusion. He could barely suppress his sobs, as he sat huddled in the chair. Stephanie¡¯s eyes were also still wet with tears. They remained in this state for a long time.

    At last Mark came over to the bed, leant over Stephanie and kissed her lightly on the forehead. She didn¡¯t resist. Then he went back to whispering.

    ¡°Oh Steph, darling, I¡¯m so awfully sorry! Those horrible things I said to you. I just didn¡¯t understand¡ªI didn¡¯t realise. So much in love with you, I forget little things. Like your little difference¡ªlike the danger it poses for you. Will I ever be forgiven?¡±

    ¡°Of course you are! It was always going to be difficult to explain this to you¡ªfor both of us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll never be able to unsay those nasty words I said.¡± Mark paused for a while, letting the implication sink in. Then he composed himself and continued: ¡°I blame myself, as much as anyone, for letting you travel alone. But I still want to go after the man who did it. If he hadn¡¯t molested you, none of this would have happened. So who was he: do you know?¡±

    ¡°I never heard his name,¡± admitted Stephanie. ¡°He was¡ªsort of¡ªthe ostler: he took charge of the horses when the coach arrived. He stank of horse and stable-manure, and his own sweat. I like horses, but his stink wasn¡¯t the smell of horses I know. It was different¡ªnauseating.¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see what happens if we ever get to Ashapi. If I get hold of him, I won¡¯t let the matter rest,¡± said Mark. ¡°Now, can I come into bed?¡±

    ¡°You can come in for a while, to warm me up¡ªbut keep your pants on. Let¡¯s keep to your Mother¡¯s orders. Don¡¯t worry¡ªit¡¯s just for now. And make sure you¡¯re back on the sofa before she wakes up¡­¡±

 Chapter 47 - A Mysterious Letter

    MARK had trouble sleeping. He lay awake for what seemed like hours, his mind tossing over the horror that Stephanie had related, and how he had on impulse reacted to her story. He felt ashamed. He thought he sensed Stephanie breathing steadily at his side, as if asleep, but every time he turned in the bed she murmured softly¡ªand at time she seemed to suppress a sob. He wished he could make it up to her, to somehow unsay the words he had uttered, but it was too late for that. At length he returned to the sofa and tried to sleep in a curled-up position, but sleep would not come for a long time. With Stephanie no longer at his side, his thoughts turned away from tenderness and sympathy towards her, and hardened into pure rage at the unknown young man who had inflicted this atrocity upon her. ¡®Something needs to be done¡¯: that was the thought that churned through and through his mind. At last, when the night was almost over, sleep did come.

    Dawn was late coming and the skies were still grey when Stephanie came in, fully dressed, and roused him. Mark could hear sounds of breakfast being prepared, and he got up and dressed, still somewhat preoccupied. Stephanie drew him down and the two of them sat side by side on the sofa. Mark¡¯s face was set in a grim rictus. For a long time he said nothing.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get him,¡± he snarled at length. ¡°I¡¯ll get him, and then I don¡¯t know what¡¯ll happen. After what he did to you, I want to kill him¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mark!¡± burst in Stephanie, horrified. ¡°For God¡¯s sake, think what you¡¯ve just said! Please think! It¡¯s not like you, talking of murder indeed! You¡¯ve always been to me the kindest and gentle of souls.¡± She passed over the ugly things he¡¯d said last night. ¡°And that¡¯s why I love you so much,¡± she continued.

    ¡°And I love you too,¡± replied Mark. ¡°But that¡¯s how I feel, about that man. I can¡¯t rest without doing something about it. But I¡¯ll make a promise: I will think things over for a few days. Just so long as you too make a promise. Will you promise, if I choose to hunt that beast down, you¡¯ll not try to stop me? I¡¯ll probably just give him a sound beating. Satisfied?¡±

    Stephanie thought for a while. Then she grinned. ¡°Well, I did knee him in the groin, when he first tried to come on to me. That must have hurt, if I know anything about men.¡± Mark nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± she continued, ¡°that brute deserves all that¡¯s coming to him. Just so long as there¡¯s no killing, I¡¯ll go along with you. But don¡¯t forget, we¡¯ve got a wedding to look forward to.¡±

    Still with some misgivings in her mind, she took Mark¡¯s hand and led him into the kitchen where breakfast was already on the table and Martha and Margaret were deep in conversation. The older women fell silent as the young couple entered, and both Stephanie and Mark guessed that their liaison and their forthcoming marriage had probably been under discussion. Little was said during the meal.

    ¡°One thing we absolutely must do,¡± began Stephanie, as she finally laid down her knife and fork, ¡°is we must look up Amelia. She must be worried sick about Rachel and Michael.¡±

    ¡°But we haven¡¯t any news of them to report,¡± put in Mark, doubtfully.

    ¡°We do know that they got away from Kentak all right¡ªand that they were making for Rigo. That¡¯s something. Anyway, she¡¯ll be pleased to see us.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯d like to meet her too,¡± added Martha. ¡°But remember I¡¯m supposed to be back in Kamach, some time¡­¡±

    ¡°I thought you had two months,¡± said Mark. ¡°We¡¯ve only been away a week or two.¡±

    ¡°Yes I know, the Sheriff gave me two months. But I need to get back to my needlework. I need the money and my customers need the work! Besides, I¡¯m a bit worried that my landlord might install a new tenant if I stay away too long.¡±

    ¡°Well, then, we¡¯ll just pay a quick visit, shall we? Where does Amelia live now?¡± asked Mark.

    ¡°She¡¯s staying with her sister in a cottage at Nutcott: that¡¯s a little hamlet about six miles west of here,¡± explained his mother. ¡°You should be able to get there and back in a day.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I remember the place. We¡¯ll need to take the cart though: Martha doesn¡¯t ride. If I recall, the road is just about suitable for carts, is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been there myself in the trap, although it was in better weather: you should be all right.¡±

    With that, and with the weather looking set fair for the day, clear but cold again, the three of them, Stephanie, Mark, and Martha, decided to set out for Nutcott straight after breakfast. Just as they were getting the cart ready, Dennis and Theo turned up to do their work at the farm. Dennis confirmed that the Nutcott road was passable, although there had been some snow in the past few days. He advised them to take a spade.

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    They set out, both Stephanie and Martha in high spirits, although Mark was somewhat pensive, wondering how they were to explain to Amelia that they hadn¡¯t actually found Rachel, and that he¡¯d spent almost all the money she¡¯d given him. He had fallen quiet once again, and seemed disinclined to join in the conversation. The journey went smoothly: after about three miles they encountered some snow on the road, and at one place the road was blocked by a small drift, but a few minutes with the spade soon cleared it. The horse seemed to be enjoying the spin, and once past the drift it broke into a canter. In a matter of a little over an hour they were at Amelia¡¯s.

    It was a slightly older woman, who introduced herself as Jennifer, Amelia¡¯s sister, who answered the door to them, and once they had explained their visit, she promptly welcomed them indoors. Amelia was there, looking a little older and more careworn than when they had last seen her. As expected, she was thrilled to see them, and smothered them with kisses. When Martha was introduced, Amelia showed her astonishment, coupled with delight at learning that Stephanie¡ªSophie¡ªhad tracked down her long-lost mother¡ªand Martha too was not spared an embrace. Amelia instantly welcomed Martha as if she were an old friend, and explained that they could talk freely: she already knew about Stephanie¡¯s ¡®problem¡¯, and that it made no difference to her¡ªand also that it had been she who¡¯d suggested the name ¡®Stephanie¡¯. Martha smiled at that, especially when Amelia explained how she¡¯d chosen the name.

    It was Mark who was still subdued at this reunion, pondering as to how he was to explain to Amelia how little progress they¡¯d made on tracking down Rachel. But he need not have worried. It was Amelia who brought up the subject.

    ¡°I expect you¡¯re waiting for me to ask you, Mark and Stephanie, how far you¡¯ve got in your search for Rachel and Michael,¡± she began. ¡°Well, I do want to know about your progress, but in the meantime there¡¯s something else I want to show you.¡± And she went over to a small desk, unlocked a drawer, and brought out a letter in its envelope.

    ¡°This arrived only a few days ago, and I¡¯m a bit puzzled by it. It was forwarded from my old address. Take a look,¡± handing the letter to Stephanie.

    The envelope was addressed only to ¡®Amelia¡¯, at the farm where she had until recently lived.

    Stephanie decided to read the letter out loud.

    <blockquote>

    ¡°Dear Madam,

    ¡°If you are indeed the mother of ¡®R¡¯ , travelling east with her husband ¡®M¡¯ , I should like you to know that they are both safe and well at present, staying with my son and myself at our smallholding which is some distance to the northwest of Rigo. I¡¯m sorry that I cannot be more specific as to our location, but there is always the risk that this letter may go astray.

    ¡°They are helping out with the farm at present, but once the weather improves they plan to set out for Rigo.

    ¡°With kind regards, Peter.¡±

    </blockquote>

    There was complete astonishment at this news. The sender hadn¡¯t given his full name or address, so there was no way of replying. He hadn¡¯t even given Rachel¡¯s or Michael¡¯s first names, just their initials. Was the letter genuine, and could the sender be trusted? Jennifer, who explained that she had some experience as a writer, asked to look closely at the letter, and she judged, from the handwriting and style, that it was from a well-educated man¡ªolder rather than younger¡ªpossibly a man who was himself skilled in writing. Whatever the origin, if this message was authentic it would be enough to raise their hopes about the couple¡¯s welfare.

    They all decided, after much discussion, to take the letter, for all its vagueness, as truthful. What would anyone have gained by fabric-ating such a message? And it was plain enough that the writer had taken precautions against his letter falling into the wrong hands. But there could be no mistake about its meaning to the rightful recipient: a letter addressed to ¡®Amelia¡¯ mentioning ¡®R¡¯ and ¡®M¡¯ could only be referring to Rachel and Michael.

    After this unexpected reprieve, Mark had no qualms about deliver-ing their own scanty news¡ªthat Rachel and Michael had stayed the night at Michael¡¯s friends in Kentak and had narrowly evaded pursuit. Amelia seemed satisfied¡ªshe was still buoyed up by the belief that Rachel was safe in Peter¡¯s hands¡ªwhoever ¡®Peter¡¯ was¡ªfor the time being.

    Both Jennifer and Amelia insisted that the visitors should stay at least to lunch, and they busied themselves with its preparation. Jennifer¡¯s husband, who had been out on his building work, arrived in time for the meal. Around the table much was discussed: especially Stephanie¡¯s and Mark¡¯s adventures since they left Waknuk. They were careful not to say anything about Stephanie¡¯s feet¡ªnot knowing how much Jennifer and her husband knew. And of course there was no mention of the unpleasantness at the inn at Ashapi. But there was much to entertain their hosts, and it was already well into the after-noon when Stephanie and Mark finished their account.

    Guessing that much of their money was spent, Amelia was only too ready to press some more of her ample savings on Mark; while he made a show of protesting, he was inwardly extremely grateful. The extra cash would certainly see them through their further adventures for a while.

    Although their hosts were anxious for their guests to stay longer, it was plain that the cottage was too small to accommodate them all overnight, and the visitors were anxious to return to Mark¡¯s home while it was still light. So after effusive farewells, they climbed back into the cart and set out on the return journey. They reached Margaret¡¯s farm without incident just as it was beginning to get dark.

 Chapter 48 - Manhunt

    DESPITE being banished to the sofa once more, Mark slept better this night than the previous one. He had firmly resolved in his mind that Stephanie¡¯s assailant would need to be traced, and once found given the beating of his life. In that expectation, he was fairly confident that he would prevail: his considerable stature and physique as a farm worker, hunter and forester, would surely be enough to see off a mere stable-lad. He was eagerly contemplating the forthcoming encounter when he drifted off to sleep.

    At breakfast Mark announced that he and Stephanie would have to leave for a while on urgent business, without being too specific. It would be a short trip, and he proposed to hire two horses from nearby stables that he knew of. Margaret and Martha were both puzzled and their questions remained unanswered, so they held their peace, knowing that Mark was serious and that he would take good care of Stephanie.

    ¡°But what about the cart?¡± said Martha.

    ¡°Oh yes¡ªthe cart. I rented it for a week; we¡¯ve only been out two or three days, so there¡¯s plenty of time, but I can¡¯t promise we¡¯ll be back in time to return it. Do you think you can manage it on your own, Martha?¡±

    ¡°I think I can. We reached here from Kentak in a day, so I ought to be able to get back in a day. Just so long as I don¡¯t lose my way.¡±

    ¡°Make for Adrian and Jack¡¯s place: they can arrange for the return of the cart if we¡¯re not there. We¡¯ll leave a message.¡±

    ¡°Do stay with me for a few more days, Martha,¡± put in Margaret. ¡°It¡¯s lovely to have you here, and with any luck Mark and Stephanie will be back before you leave. If not, I¡¯ll make sure you have excellent directions.¡±

    So Mark¡¯s plans were put into motion. He found that it took longer to negotiate the loan of the two horses from the stables, and by the time he came back to the farm with them, it was too late to set out, if they wanted to reach Kentak that day. So they stayed at the farm and Mark was able to show Stephanie around during the afternoon.

    The next morning they bid their farewells and set out early. Mark explained that he proposed to avoid Waknuk: they would take rough paths that he knew quite well, easily negotiable on horseback if not by cart. ¡°Safer that way, for both of us,¡± he remarked.

    It was Stephanie¡¯s first time on horseback since their terrible mishap on the road to Kamach¡ªand she was understandably nervous and not a little tearful as she mounted. Mark had provided her with a medium-sized but very spirited gelding, more lively than the horses she was used to, and a slightly larger one for himself. She was a good horsewoman and felt sure she could manage.

    Indeed, the long ride to Kentak passed almost without incident, except at one point where Stephanie¡¯s horse spooked at a passing fox and threatened to throw her. She was able to dismount without injury and took the horse¡¯s head to calm it down. Mark was impressed: skills learnt as a child, no doubt.

    It was still daylight when the couple reached Kentak, and first of all they threaded their way to Jack and Adrian¡¯s flat. Jack was there and welcomed them, but explained that Adrian was out at court: he should be back in time for dinner. Mark and Stephanie explained that they were only stopping in Kentak overnight, and proposed taking a room at the inn once more, but Jack wouldn¡¯t hear of it.

    ¡°Please be our guests for the night: I¡¯m sure nothing like what happened with Michael and Rachel could possibly happen again. I¡¯m quite sure Adrian will agree and we¡¯d be delighted to have you. Where are you setting off for, tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Oh, somewhere out on the Rigo road. As far as Ashapi, maybe¡ª¡±

    At this point Stephanie hurriedly interrupted. ¡°Jack, Mark knows what happened at Ashapi. Mark, I told Jack and Adrian about it¡ª¡±

    ¡°You told them before you told me!¡± exclaimed Mark, visibly angered.

    ¡°Oh please, Mark! When I arrived here all alone, I was really upset¡ªin tears¡ªand you weren¡¯t around. And they¡¯re both attorneys. I had to tell someone. And later, I was afraid to tell you, at first. Please don¡¯t be cross with me.¡±

    Jack intervened. ¡°Stephanie, you did the right thing. It¡¯s often better to let these things out to comparative strangers. Mark, I¡¯m sure you understand.¡±

    Mark muttered something under his breath and then fell silent.

    ¡°So you plan to seek out this young man, do you?¡± continued Jack, guessing the truth. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to comment or advise you until Adrian comes home. Let¡¯s leave it at that for now.¡±

    And with that he left them alone whilst he busied himself getting the spare room ready and preparing supper. At length Adrian appeared, and Jack quickly explained the situation to him. Adrian was not pleased.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a natural reaction, I suppose,¡± he stated, after a pause. ¡°But do you really think you¡¯re entitled to take the law into your own hands? A man who¡¯s committed a crime should be facing justice, not revenge. I can understand your feelings about it, but I can¡¯t condone your intentions.¡± Jack nodded. ¡°What if you found yourself facing a murder charge?¡± Adrian continued. ¡°Would you expect me to defend you?¡±

    ¡°But¡ªStephanie¡¯s feet!¡± argued Mark. ¡°How on earth can we involve the Sheriff, or the Police, without that bit of detail coming out? Besides, I¡¯m not proposing to kill the bastard¡ªjust give him a good hiding that he won¡¯t forget. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time I¡¯ve been in a brawl,¡± remembering his occasional spat with a farm hand back home.

    ¡°All I can say,¡± replied Adrian, ¡°is that we can¡¯t stop you carrying out your ¡®mission¡¯, but we think the worse of you for it. Take care: you don¡¯t know this young man and he may be armed.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± muttered Mark.

    The conversation lapsed for a while, and did not pick up again until they were seated at dinner. Stephanie steered the subject away from their plans, and spoke instead of their meetings with Margaret and Amelia, and also of their surprise encounter with the Waknuk Inspector, and his unexpected leniency. Adrian was most interested in this last detail.

    ¡°The Waknuk Inspector got an awful lot of ¡®stick¡¯ over the torture and murder of those two unfortunate girls¡ªeven though he wasn¡¯t directly involved. He even got a dressing-down direct from the Government in Rigo. The attitude towards human Deviations from that quarter is definitely becoming more liberal, since the present Governor took office. So it¡¯s not really surprising that your Inspector would shy away from controversial human cases. And your case would be controversial, Stephanie, if it ever came up: you can count on that!¡±

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    Nevertheless, Mark could not be swayed from his intention of teaching the ostler a sound lesson. So they let the matter rest.

    In the morning they set out early for Ashapi. It would be a long ride on horseback, further than the previous day¡¯s ride, and they expected it to be quite dark, and the horses would be tired, when they arrived; but at least it was a good road. As it happened, it was well that Mark had rented two strong mounts with plenty of stamina: lesser horses would never have made the journey in a day. At length they saw the lights of Ashapi looming up ahead. As they slowly trotted into the inn yard and dismounted, Stephanie peered anxiously into the dark as the ostler approached to take charge of the horses.

    ¡°It¡¯s not him. It¡¯s a different man,¡± she whispered to Mark. Mark felt relieved.

    The innkeeper recognised Stephanie. ¡°You¡¯re the young lady who stayed here two weeks ago¡ªwhen we had some trouble with your door¡ªam I right? And some other trouble too, if my wife¡¯s not mistaken¡­¡± He broke off, noticing Mark¡¯s expression.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right to talk about it,¡± said Stephanie, hurriedly. ¡°Yes she probably noticed I had a small bruise. But it was nothing¡ª¡±

    ¡°It certainly was not nothing,¡± said Mark, angrily breaking in. ¡°But seeing as you seem to know something about it, perhaps you could tell us your side of the story. The whole story, please¡­¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s about William, who was working the stables, I don¡¯t mind if I do. You see, I don¡¯t take kindly to folks messing around with my room keys, if you please! Of course I never suspected you, Miss¡ªer, Ma¡¯am¡ªStephanie, but I particularly wanted to know what had become of the missing key. So I had the entire inn searched¡ªall the rooms, the kitchen, everywhere¡ªwithout result. Then the following day I thought of looking in the stables, and sure enough the key was found hidden under a bale of straw. So I questioned William, who was the only lad working in the stables that night. Of course he denied knowing anything about it, but then when I showed him the stable-door key which I¡¯d found in Miss Stephanie¡¯s room¡ªand which he was supposed to have in his safe-keeping at all times¡ªhe blurted out some sort of ¡®story¡¯ about Stephanie (sorry!) having invited him to her room, and the keys somehow got mixed up.

    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t going to take any more nonsense from him, especially after my wife reported the bruise on Stephanie¡¯s face. I don¡¯t hold with my staff molesting my guests, so I sacked him on the spot, and told him to stay well away from Ashapi if he valued his health. That¡¯s the last you¡¯ll see of him, my friends. I hope that is of some comfort to you.¡±

    Stephanie was, of course, mightily relieved at this outcome¡ªbut Mark looked somewhat crestfallen: he had been ¡®spoiling for a fight¡¯ and now the opportunity seemed to have gone. But as they talked over the matter in their room, he agreed that the said ¡®William¡¯ had had some sort of comeuppance. Stephanie urged him to be satisfied with that.

    Despite knowing that the food served in the inn was rather mediocre, they agreed to take dinner there, there being no other choice. As they were working through their rather chewy mutton, they noticed the young girl who had served them¡ªa slim, freckled lass of barely sixteen with mousy hair¡ªstanding close to their table and trying to catch their eye. Stephanie looked up at her enquiringly.

    ¡°If I might have a quick word with you, Ma¡¯am, Sir, after I go off duty?¡±

    Stephanie nodded and gave her their room number.

    Sure enough, late that evening there was a gentle knock on the door and the serving-girl came in shyly. ¡°I do hope I¡¯m not intruding, but I couldn¡¯t help overhearing the Chief telling you about William¡­¡±

    ¡°Well?¡± said Mark.

    ¡°You see, me and William used to go together for a while: he was gentle with me at first¡ªbut then he became violent and knocked me about, so I left him.¡± Stephanie nodded. ¡°He was under strict orders from Chief not to go near me,¡± the girl continued, ¡°so no surprise that he tried to have a go with the guests¡ªespecially one as pretty as you, Ma¡¯am, if you don¡¯t mind me saying so.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t mind,¡± said Stephanie. ¡°But carry on.¡±

    ¡°Well, was I pleased as Punch when I heard he¡¯d got fired!¡ªand I hoped he¡¯d obey Chief¡¯s orders and get right away from Ashapi. But I suspicion he¡¯s still around the place. I¡¯ve spotted him down town once or twice, and I think he¡¯s hanging out in an old barn about a mile off. Please let me show you if you don¡¯t mind popping outside for a tick?¡±

    So they walked with the girl to the edge of the town and looked in the direction she pointed: and sure enough there was a dim light flickering which could have been about a mile off. ¡°You see, there¡¯s no-one living in that direction, just the derelict old barn, so there oughtn¡¯t to be a light. It could be him.¡±

    Mark thanked the girl gratefully, and pressed a dollar on her for her trouble. As they returned to the inn Stephanie could sense that Mark was absolutely fixated on checking out that barn in the morning. She felt she¡¯d had enough of trying to dissuade him. As they settled down for the night (fortunately, it was a different room from the one she¡¯d stayed in before) she felt uneasy, as she lay listening to Mark¡¯s snoring. Mark, at least, seemed to be comfortable enough!

    It was no surprise when the next morning Mark announced his intention of checking out the barn¡ªand Stephanie didn¡¯t demur: in fact she agreed to accompany him, if only to identify William. Their horses had had some rest overnight but were still rather tired; however Mark judged that they would manage the short ride to the barn all right. Some snow had fallen overnight which should make following a trail, if there were any recent trails to be followed, easy.

    They found a rough path which appeared to lead towards the barn and approached it gingerly, although all appeared to be quiet. Stephanie held back while Mark dismounted, wielded a heavy cudgel which he¡¯d brought (he had no gun) and walked up to the barn, calling out loudly ¡°Hello there!¡±. All was quiet. Mark repeated his call with no result. Then he walked up to the door, knocked loudly and waited. Still no response. He tried the door, but it was locked. So he stepped back a pace, took aim and delivered a firm kick to the door, which yielded readily.

    Inside all was dark, dank and musty, with no-one about. But there were signs of a rude bed fashioned out of straw, and of a meal having been recently prepared and eaten. This was enough for Mark. He searched outside the barn for a while, and to his delight discovered footprints in the snow, leading away from the barn but not towards Ashapi: instead they seemed to be heading for the nearby forest.

    Mark re-mounted, called to Stephanie, and slowly they picked their way following the tracks into the forest, Mark riding some way ahead. The footprints were quite clear, leading along a broad path for about three or four miles, then they suddenly turned aside into the trees. Mark yelled to Stephanie to wait. Just as he was preparing to dismount, there was a loud bang and some bird-shot flew past, barely grazing his horse¡¯s mane.

    The horse took fright and reared, throwing Mark to the ground, and then bolted off, further along the path. Mark quickly picked himself up and grabbed his cudgel, just as a young man emerged from the trees carrying a shotgun which he was holding by the barrel. Mark hurriedly aimed a blow at the man¡¯s head just as he heard Stephanie¡¯s scream ¡°It¡¯s him!¡±

    But William easily parried Mark¡¯s swing with the gun, and then went for him with the gun stock, landing a glancing blow on Mark¡¯s shoulder, which caused Mark to recoil in pain but he didn¡¯t seem to have suffered any injury. The gun was heavy and difficult to wield, so Mark had time to get in another stroke with his club, this time landing on William¡¯s hip and clearly causing him hurt. But William in his turn was fetching the gun around for another swing, and Mark did his best to kick it out of his assailant¡¯s hands. The only result was that the stock landed solidly with devastating force on Mark¡¯s shin. There was an ominous crack and searing pain shot through Mark¡¯s leg and up his side, and he fell over. He tried to get up but couldn¡¯t. Stephanie was screaming. Then all went dark.

    END OF PART II

 PART III â€”â€” Chapter 49 - A Warning

    RACHEL¡¯S ¡®bump¡¯ was swelling nicely. She had got over the early stages and the unpleasant bouts of morning-sickness, and had also now fully recovered from her injury. She could feel the baby kicking lustily. Often, in bed, she would draw Michael¡¯s hand over her belly. He wasn¡¯t quite sure if he was feeling in the right spot, but at times he could feel some movement. ¡°It¡¯s a boy. I know it¡¯ll be a boy,¡± Rachel used to declare. Michael¡¯s reply was invariably ¡°Wait and see. I¡¯d be quite happy if it¡¯s a girl.¡±

    In the meantime, they had given up the lodging at Mrs Norman¡¯s, and parted with many tearful farewells. Michael had secured the down payment on a larger house on the outskirts of Rigo, with a small garden and a workshop which he was setting up to do some carpentry. He was continuing his work at the shipyard: the repairs to the Dauntless had been completed, the owners had returned and were satisfied with the work, Michael had received a handsome bonus, and the ship had been re-rigged and had sailed for the Indies. But another ship, the Voyager, also a square-rigger, had been brought in and he was now working on that one. It had suffered damage in a fire and many of the timbers needed replacing.

    The foreman of the shipyard had announced that he would be retiring in a few months, and Michael was wondering whether he might possibly be up to the job. He wasn¡¯t holding out too much hope, though: there were others working in the yard who had more experience than he had.

    Michael and Rachel were just settling down to their evening meal, sitting at the garden table, one fine summer evening, when they noticed a young man coming through the gate, with a letter which he handed to them after he¡¯d been satisfied of their identities. He explained that it was an important letter which he¡¯d been instructed to deliver by hand, rather than through the usual mail.

    Once the messenger had left, they read the letter. It was from Hilary Bligh the Governor, whom they had not met since the inter-view which Peter had attended. She requested an urgent meeting with them, on a matter of some importance, and proposed a time a few days hence.

    So Michael obtained a morning¡¯s leave of absence from the shipyard, and on the appointed day, mindful of Rachel¡¯s condition, they took a cab to the Governor¡¯s mansion, as they had done some months earlier, and were shown into her office. This time she was alone.

    Hilary Bligh seemed to have aged more than the few months since the last meeting; her face seemed more heavily lined and betrayed signs of anxiety. Michael wondered if there was bad news coming.

    But firstly, noticing Rachel¡¯s condition, Hilary complimented them warmly. ¡°I¡¯m so pleased to see you¡¯re starting a family. Children are very welcome in Labrador. I hope you¡¯ll enjoy every happiness with your children to come.

    ¡°But now to more serious matters. I perhaps should remind you that the trial of young Simon Skinner will be coming up shortly, and both of you will be summoned as witnesses. It¡¯s not my place to brief you, of course¡ªbut you¡¯re from the country and, if I may say so, not well versed in legal matters. Please understand that what I¡¯m about to say is in strict confidence and off the record.

    ¡°Skinner will be facing charges of murder and attempted murder. If he¡¯s convicted of murder, he¡¯ll face the death penalty. In that case, it will be down to me to have the final say as to whether he goes to the gallows¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, please¡ªnot a hanging!¡± broke in Rachel, impulsively. ¡°I know he did a terrible thing, and we were so fond of old Bill too and miss him dreadfully¡ªbut¡­¡± She could not continue. She was remembering the horrible moment when she came upon her elder sister Anne, hanging from a beam.

    ¡°I see,¡± resumed the Governor. ¡°Well, your views will be among many I have to take into consideration. It will be a difficult decision to make, not one I¡¯ll make lightly, and I can¡¯t promise as for now. But this wasn¡¯t the reason I summoned you to my office.¡±

    ¡°What, then?¡± asked Michael, anxiously.

    ¡°Well, as you¡¯ve probably learnt by now, the Chamber which comprises the Government and Opposition, comes up for re-election every four years, and the next election is due this coming October. In theory, every citizen of Labrador above the age of twenty-one is entitled to vote, and the members of the incoming chamber are then allocated seats by party in proportion to the votes cast. It¡¯s known as Democracy. You, Michael, will have the opportunity to vote. But not you, Rachel: you are still too young.

    ¡°In practice, hitherto only citizens living within a fifty mile radius of Rigo have been able to vote: the reason is because of the logistical impracticability of collecting ballot papers from further afield. Many members of the Chamber, as well as other people outside, have pointed out the unfairness of this system, which we of the Govern-ment can hardly dispute. So, as it turned out, a resolution was passed a few days ago, mandating the Government to ensure that every eligible person in Labrador, provided they can be traced to a fixed address, must be offered the right to vote.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°You, with your experiences of Waknuk and similar remote districts, don¡¯t need to be told what the political allegiances of many people in those areas will be. I had tried to have Fringes dwellers included in the electorate, but this was turned down, mainly because many members still regard Fringes folk as non-human; and also because of the difficulty of distributing ballot papers in that lawless region.

    ¡°I have to tell you that the effect of this change may well be that the reactionary Church Party, popularly referred to as the ¡®Right Wing Church Party¡¯, who are currently the minority Opposition in the Chamber, will become the majority and form the next Government. One of their early duties will be to re-elect a Governor, and in that case I am almost certain to be voted out.¡±

    Michael and Rachel sat in silence while they digested this piece of grim news. At length Michael asked: ¡°If you are unseated, do you know who might succeed you?¡±

    Hilary thought for a moment, then replied: ¡°It will probably be a man named Malcolm Ruffer, who is the current leader in the Church Party and a prominent activist.¡±

    ¡°What will that mean for us, and for our friends.¡±

    ¡°Not good, I¡¯m afraid. Ruffer is known for his strong religious views regarding Mutants. He asserts that all Mutants are ¡®Abomin-ations¡¯ and must be rooted out and destroyed. He may even attempt to reinstate the old practice of destroying human Mutants¡ªBlas-phemies¡ªa practice which was abolished more than seventy years ago¡ªalthough he¡¯d have a tough time getting that through the Chamber. As you know, my colleagues and I have been working hard to get telepaths, such as yourselves, recognised as true humans in the Image who have gained extra abilities. Ruffer will want to reverse that. He will want to get people like you classified as Blasphemies. It would put you in danger. I thought you ought to be made aware of the risks as early as possible.¡±

    Michael turned to Rachel and contemplated her swelling abdomen for a while. ¡°Not the best time to be expecting a baby,¡± he remarked, more to himself than the others.

    ¡°Oh Michael! Please don¡¯t be flippant,¡± said Rachel, annoyed. ¡°Seriously, what are we going to do about it? Shall we have to flee to Europe, as we¡¯d been planning before all this happened? Baby and all?¡±

    ¡°If I may make a suggestion, consider Newf,¡± put in Hilary. ¡°That island is under an administration separate from mainland Labrador, and Ruffer, even should he gain the Governorship, will have no jurisdiction there. Unless, of course, he sees fit to annex Newf by force¡ªin which case things could escalate into war.¡±

    ¡°Good God! How awful would that be!¡± said Rachel.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t bear thinking about. But at least Newf is a lot nearer than Europe, about which we know little. And its people are more enlightened than some Labrador folk. The Church Party has very little influence there.¡±

    ¡°What about Skota?¡± asked Rachel. ¡°Peter mentioned the place to us: ¡®Nova Skota¡¯ or something like that it was originally called. Would we fit in better there?¡±

    ¡°Emphatically not,¡± said Hilary. ¡°It¡¯s mostly frontier country, and religion, in the form of a branch of the Church Party, has a tight control over everything, including Mutants¡ªof which Skota suffers more than most of Labrador. You¡¯d find yourselves worse off than in Waknuk.¡±

    They sat in silence for a while, until Hilary indicated that it was time she resumed her duties as Governor and she would have to dismiss them. She wished them luck and promised to keep them informed of any political developments concerning their welfare.

    On the journey back to their house, they sat in silence, gloomily contemplating the grim prospects. Would they have to flee? Would Michael have to give up a good, well-paid job? Would they lose all chance of a reunion with Mark and Stephanie? And what about Peter and his friends, and Samuel, and Benjamin and Laura and their family?

    And above all, would their unborn child be in peril?

    Back home, as they sat down to lunch, Rachel finally broke the silence.

    ¡°There¡¯s the other thing we have to worry about. The trial. Let¡¯s hope that that, at least, doesn¡¯t turn into a nightmare.¡±

    ¡°Should be a foregone conclusion,¡± said Michael. ¡°All we have to do is tell the judge exactly what happened, as best we can remember. I, at least, am perfectly clear as to that.¡±

    ¡°Michael, you¡¯re being a bit na?ve. Remember there will be skilled attorneys defending Skinner. They could trap us out. Remember Adrian¡ªwould you have liked to be on the opposite side of the argument from him? And he¡¯s only a junior. We need to be careful.¡±

    ¡°We will,¡± said Michael, although not too optimistically.

 Chapter 50 - The Trial

    IN DUE course the date for Skinner¡¯s trial was set, and Michael and Rachel both received subpoenas as witnesses. On the appointed day they duly presented themselves, smartly dressed, at the ancient Courthouse. It was an imposing building, fronted by a row of stone columns. They were ushered into a lobby and told to sit and wait: at present the jury were being selected, then the trial would begin, counsels for prosecution and defence would make their opening statements, and in due course they would be called in, separately, to give evidence.

    After a long wait Michael was called first. As he entered the court-room he took in the scene: the Judge in his imposing black robes, the attorneys seated facing him, the jury of seven men and three women, above all the prisoner in the dock, whom Michael eyed cautiously. Simon Skinner looked shrunken as he stood there flanked by two heavily-built officers: gone was the pony-tail: his yellow hair had been cropped short. Michael briefly surveyed the other Court officials and then looked up. He was surprised to see Laura in the public gallery: this gave him some comfort. He wondered whether Luke Skinner might be anywhere near, but he was nowhere in sight. Possibly he too would be called as a witness. He also noticed the gun which Skinner had used lying on a table before the Judge.

    Michael laid his hand on the Bible offered to him and was sworn in. The prosecuting attorney¡¯s questioning was straightforward. He asked Michael if he recognised the prisoner, and he replied that he did, although he seemed to have had a haircut! A titter went through the court at that, which the Judge silenced with his gavel. On further questioning, Michael explained that when he last saw Skinner, he¡¯d been adorned with a long pony-tail. The attorney then confirmed to the jury that this was indeed the case: his hair had been cut while he was in police custody.

    Michael was then asked to describe Skinner¡¯s behaviour on previous occasions. He related their first meeting at Sally¡¯s farm, but without naming the farm nor Sally: he merely said he was searching for a lost friend. He described Skinner¡¯s abrupt manner. He then went on to describe how Skinner and his companions had been pursuing them, at the flat in Kentak, and beyond.

    ¡°Do you know of any reason why they might have been chasing you?¡± asked the attorney.

    Michael had prepared himself for this awkward question, and he¡¯d decided to be truthful¡ªup to a point.

    ¡°I think they had some suspicion that my wife and I might be Mutants. I heard them saying so when they came to the door in Kentak.¡±

    ¡°Do you know of any reason why they might think so?¡±

    ¡°Possibly they had seen me in the company of others who were under suspicion. Other than that I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said the attorney. ¡°Now, can you recall any other instances of the prisoner¡¯s actions?¡±

    Michael began to relate the story which Luke had told them, about Skinner assaulting the old lady at Kipalup, but at this point the defence attorney stood up.

    ¡°Objection, your Honour. This is hearsay evidence and we have not yet heard testimony from the person named.¡±

    The judge upheld the objection, and explained to Michael that he must only give testimony of events that he had witnessed at first hand. He also instructed the jury to ignore Michael¡¯s last statement.

    The prosecution continued. ¡°So, now we come to the date of the murder and attempted murder. You and Rachel were about to board ship, were you not?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°For what reason? You had a good well-paid job in Rigo, I under-stand, and your wife was already expecting a baby.¡±

    ¡°We did not know that Rachel was pregnant at the time, and I think she was feeling uncomfortable with city life. She¡¯s been born and bred a country girl all her life: I at least had the advantage of living in Kentak for several years. But the main reason was that we were still fearful of pursuit by Skinner; we¡¯d been told about his violent conduct and wanted to be well clear of him. We were advised by Bill Morgan to make for Newf as a safer place to live.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Now please describe in your own words, exactly what you can recall happening as you attempted to board ship.¡±

    Michael thought for a while, trying to recall the exact sequence of events on that terrible day. ¡°Well, as you know, the three of us, Bill, Rachel and myself, had booked passage to Lark. We were going up the gangplank in single file. Rachel first, then me carrying the luggage, and Bill in the rear. As I recall, we¡¯d all stepped on board and were meeting the captain¡ªBill and I were. Rachel was behind us. That was when I heard the gunshot, and wheeling round I saw Rachel collapse to the deck. I think I was about to crouch beside her when I felt myself shoved to one side. At that moment there was a second shot, and this time it was Bill who collapsed. I think Bill saved my life.¡± Michael was close to tears now.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine: take your time,¡± said the attorney. ¡°Do you remember what happened next?¡±

    ¡°I got up and saw people bunched together on the quayside in a scuffle. They were wrestling to the ground a man holding a gun, and they managed to take it off him. Then some Mounties turned up.¡±

    ¡°And do you see the man who had the gun in the courtroom now?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Michael, indicating the prisoner in the dock. ¡°And then another Mountie came and tended to Rachel, and she was put on a cart and taken to hospital. I followed¡ª¡±

    ¡°That will be all, thank you,¡± said the attorney, interrupting. ¡°I don¡¯t need to question you any further.¡±

    At this point the defence attorney stood up and began to cross-examine Michael. ¡°You mentioned that you and your wife were being pursued by Mr Skinner and his companions, and that they followed you all the way to Rigo. You also suggested a reason for their pursuit. Can you explain in more detail?¡±

    ¡°I believe I said that they suspected us of being Mutants. Further than that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, I recall, you said ¡®I don¡¯t know¡¯. But perhaps¡ªperhaps you do know: perhaps there is something about your wife and yourself which you haven¡¯t disclosed to the court?¡±

    Michael turned to the Judge. ¡°Must I answer that question?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you must,¡± replied the Judge. ¡°Anything that is pertinent to the case being tried, you must tell the court.¡±

    Michael was silent, thinking about what he dared to say. ¡°You have to answer the question,¡± the Judge reminded him, after a pause.

    Michael took a deep breath. ¡°Rachel and I are¡ªer¡ªwe are telepaths. We can communicate with each other by thought over a certain distance.¡±

    A murmur swelled around the courtroom, growing in intensity. It took quite a while to die down, despite repeated strokes of the gavel from the Judge and calls of ¡®Silence!¡¯. At length order was restored. The defence attorney turned to the Judge.

    ¡°Your Honour, I am making the point that this witness, who was clearly the intended victim of Mr Skinner, may be classed as a Mutant, and hence not a human in the True Image. Killing a Mutant is not defined as murder.¡±

    In his turn, the prosecuting attorney at once stood up and addressed the Judge.

    ¡°Objection, your Honour. Firstly, the Defence has in no way proved that my witness was the intended victim. Secondly, legislat-ion is going through the Chamber which will establish that telepaths are indeed True Images of the human form, albeit with additional abilities not shared by other humans.¡±

    Now the defence attorney in his turn raised another objection. ¡°That legislation, proposed by the Governor, has not yet passed into Law, and was certainly not¡ª¡±

    The Judge interrupted him. ¡°Please may I be allowed to give my ruling on the previously raised objections. The first objection, that the Defence have not proved who was the intended victim, I shall uphold. The second is a difficult matter, upon which I am not yet decided. But I remind Counsel and the Jury that the witness is not on trial. I shall order an adjournment until tomorrow, and I expect both attorneys to provide more detail to substantiate their claims.¡± He struck his gavel. ¡°Court adjourned.¡±

    The prosecuting attorney signed to Michael to follow him out of the courtroom, where Rachel was still waiting, rather surprised that everyone seemed to be leaving, although it was still only mid-morning and before she¡¯d even been called. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± she asked.

    Michael could not bring himself to explain, but it was the attorney who answered. ¡°The trial is halted on a technical matter, and will re-convene tomorrow. But I need both of you to come with me. I should explain, Rachel, that the matter of your and Michael¡¯s telepathic abilities has been disclosed in court.¡±

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    Rachel turned pale and turned to Michael. ¡°Was it you, Michael?¡± she said, panic-stricken. ¡°Was it you who told them? What on earth were you thinking!¡±

    ¡°Rachel, please understand,¡± said Michael. ¡°Firstly, if I¡¯d denied it, I could have been guilty of perjury. I don¡¯t know whether I¡¯d have been allowed simply to not answer the question¡ªthe Judge was most insistent. But anyway, this is not Waknuk. Surely we¡¯re not about to face torture and murder like Sally and Katherine? I have some faith in Rigo being a civilised part of the world.¡±

    Rachel was doubtful about this. At length she conceded ¡°Well, what¡¯s done is done. And at least we know that the Governor knows¡­¡±

    ¡°If I may interrupt at this point,¡± interceded the attorney, ¡°I want you both to come with me to the Rigo Inspector of Deviations¡ªthe most senior Inspector in Labrador, who has all the other Inspectors reporting to him. The Judge has approved my request. We shall ask him to verify that you are both True Images and to issue you with freshly endorsed Normalcy certificates. Since he is a personal friend of the Governor and was extensively consulted about the proposals to Normalise telepaths, I¡¯m quite sure he will agree to this. That should put a spike in the Defence¡¯s claim that you are Mutants and non-human.¡±

    Rachel and Michael could only agree to this proposal, whatever their misgivings. They felt uneasy as they walked into the Rigo Inspectorate of Deviations¡ªa far larger affair than the simple Inspector¡¯s office in Waknuk, with a staff numbering in the tens. However, when the attorney showed the Judge¡¯s note, they were immediately ushered into the senior Inspector¡¯s office, where the attorney explained the situation in a few words. The Inspector, a very businesslike middle-aged man wearing glasses, nodded, and questioned Michael and Rachel for a few minutes. Then he asked his visitors to follow him. As they passed another office he asked one of the staff to fetch the most senior female Inspector. Then he led them into a room equipped with examination tables and screens.

    He explained that the young couple would undergo a physical examination: ¡°Purely a formality, of course, since I¡¯m sure you were correctly certified as Norms at birth¡ªbut we have to perform our own tests.¡± As he spoke, another, slightly younger woman with short hair entered the room.

    ¡°Ah, we¡¯ll do the young lady first. You others, come back to my office.¡±

    Once the men had left, the woman Inspector first of all asked Rachel how the baby was doing, to put her at her ease. She then asked Rachel to go behind a screen and undress completely. Next, Rachel lay down on an examination couch, and the Inspector went over her very thoroughly, making notes all the while. She also listened to Rachel¡¯s ¡®bump¡¯ through a stethoscope, and confirmed that there was a fine healthy baby in there.

    Finally she asked her to dress and took her back to the senior Inspector, to whom she nodded. Then the senior Inspector took Michael and went through a similar procedure.

    The two Inspectors stepped outside and consulted for a while, then they returned. ¡°As far as your physical appearance is concerned,¡± began the senior Inspector, ¡°no problems, of course. The difficulty now is whether we are to accept telepaths as True Images. We have no precedent for this, whatever may have happened in the far West beyond Kentak (yes I know about that). We have never certified or uncertified a person known to be a telepath. I am aware, of course, of the Governor¡¯s views on this matter, but I am not answerable to the Governor alone¡ªonly to the Law as it stands.

    ¡°However, in the circumstances, and especially in the light of Rachel¡¯s pregnancy and Michael¡¯s steady job, I am prepared to give both these young people the benefit of the doubt. Accordingly I shall issue Normalcy certificates dated and signed today, with a footnote touching on their telepathic abilities.¡±

    How different, thought Rachel, from the treatment that had been meted out to Sally and Katherine! She could not help bursting into tears as she took in this announcement. Michael too was overcome with emotion¡ªalthough he kept his composure.

    The following day the Court re-convened, and the first thing the prosecuting attorney did was to pass the two new certificates to the Judge. He read them carefully, then called the defence attorney and asked him to read them too. The judge asked that the certificates be laid on the exhibit table alongside the rifle.

    Michael was summoned to the witness stand once more, and his cross-examination resumed. ¡°The Court has established that you are not a Mutant, and I accept that decision,¡± began the defence attorney. ¡°Nevertheless, can you think of any reason the the prisoner may have believed you to be a Mutant?¡±

    ¡°In the district where I come from, several of my friends who possess the same ability as my wife and I do, were declared to be Deviational; they were outlawed; two of them were murdered and the others were chased to the Fringes.¡± Michael¡¯s anger rose as he made this statement. ¡°I believe that the prisoner would have embraced that belief fanatically. Also, his father had taken part in the pursuit and was killed. That gave him a grievance.¡±

    ¡°Very interesting. This indeed tallies with what my client has told me. If he firmly believed you to be Deviational, he would have known that he was not committing a murder when he opened fire on you.¡±

    The prosecuting attorney at once stood up. ¡°Objection, your Honour. May I remind the court that the prisoner is on trial for the murder of William Morgan¡ªnot the witness on the stand. And there is no question of any doubt as to Morgan¡¯s normalcy.¡±

    ¡°Over-ruled,¡± said the Judge. ¡°It is now clear from the evidence that the prisoner¡¯s intention was to kill the witness and his wife.¡±

    ¡°In that case,¡± continued the attorney, ¡°I have made the case that my client was not intent on committing murder at the time of his crime. That is all. No further questions.¡±

    Michael was led out of the courtroom, and Rachel was summoned as the next witness. The judge, noticing her condition, asked if she would like to be seated. Upon her nodding gratefully, a chair was brought into the witness box for her.

    Rachel could contribute little to the testimony already given by Michael. She explained that she could not truthfully claim to recognise the prisoner, never having set eyes on him up to the moment she was shot¡ªand that after that she remembered nothing until she woke up in hospital. But she did mention that the prisoner bore a strong resemblance to his brother Luke, whom she had met several times. She was not asked any awkward questions, merely asked about the pursuit by Skinner and his gang, whereupon her evidence closely matched what Michael had said.

    The Defence attorney declined to cross-examine Rachel, so she was allowed to stand down after only a matter of minutes. When she re-joined Michael outside the courtroom, the usher explained to them that they would be allowed back in once other witness evidence had been taken, to hear the summing-up and the verdict.

    As they waited, they wondered whether Luke would be summoned as a witness, since he obviously had a key role to play in the case. They waited and waited, but no Luke turned up. An usher appeared and called for him, without result. A light lunch was provided for them. Eventually, late in the day, the court held a short recess and the prosecuting attorney appeared.

    ¡°As I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve guessed, I had summoned Luke Skinner, the prisoner¡¯s brother¡ªwho I understand you know¡ªas a prosecution witness. But when I first approached him, he said he would refuse to testify against his brother¡ªwhich he has a perfect right to do, under Law. Nevertheless I subpoena¡¯d him, but he has failed to appear and has apparently disappeared. So we shall have to do without his testimony. But his non-appearance does no harm to the prosecution¡ªin fact I believe it may strengthen it.

    ¡°Anyway, all the witness testimony has now been heard. When the court re-convenes in a few minutes, you can come in. You¡¯ll hear my final statement and that of the Defence, then the Judge¡¯s summing-up, then the Jury will be asked to consider their verdict.¡±

    All went as the attorney had predicted. The Judge in his summary was deliberately equivocal, pointing out that the Jury had to consider whether the prisoner had honestly believed that he was firing at non-humans, and whether this absolved him from the charge of murder. He also reminded them that Rigo was a civilised region of Labrador, unlike the more lawless frontier areas out west from where both the prisoner and his intended victims had come. Michael felt rather belittled by this pronouncement, but it was all for the best, he hoped. The summary went on for quite some time; then the Jury were finally dismissed.

    The court waited for about half an hour. Then an usher brought a message from the Jury, saying that they were still deep in discussion and were unlikely to reach a verdict any time soon. So the Judge ordered an adjournment until the next day. The attorney told Michael and Rachel to return home: they would be summoned if there was any news.

    For most of the next day Michael and Rachel waited anxiously at home; as the day wore on they became ever more worried and perplexed at the length of time the jury were taking. Was it not a straightforward decision? And if the verdict was Not Guilty, how would that affect their status, certificate or no certificate? Would they have to flee once more?

    At length, as the afternoon was well advanced, they got the message to return to the Courthouse. Soon after they had taken their seats the Jury were led in. The Judge asked the foreman if they had reached verdicts upon which they were all agreed; he replied ¡°yes¡±. Then the Judge asked him to deliver the verdicts:

    ¡°On the charge of attempted murder, Guilty or Not Guilty?¡±

    ¡°Guilty!¡±

    ¡°On the charge of murder, Guilty or Not Guilty?¡±

    ¡°Guilty!¡±

    There were shouts of approval and some applause, along with a few boos and whistles, from around the courtroom, which the Judge speedily silenced. Then he turned and asked the prisoner whether he had anything to say before sentence was pronounced.

    Simon Skinner remained silent, staring impassively straight ahead of him and showing no emotion. So the Judge put on a pair of black gloves. Michael, who had learnt something of Court procedures at school, knew what was coming next¡ªbut Rachel was ignorant.

    ¡°Simon Skinner, you have been found guilty both of attempted murder and of murder, and have shown no remorse for your actions. It is my solemn duty to pronounce upon you the most severe penalty that this Court can impose: that you be taken from here to a lawful prison, and thence to a place of execution, where you are to be hanged by the neck until dead¡ªand may God¡ª¡±

    He was interrupted by a commotion and a shriek of ¡°No!¡± followed by Rachel standing up but then collapsing into Michael¡¯s arms apparently in a faint. The ushers rushed to her assistance, but she came round quickly and weakly assured them that she was all right. The Judge resumed:

    ¡°¡ªand may God have mercy on your soul. Take him down.¡±

    Having satisfied himself that Rachel was all right, Michael stood up and apologised to the court, explaining that Rachel was distressed because of an unpleasant incident earlier in her life. Then he care-fully supported Rachel as she walked out rather unsteadily. Once outside the courthouse, they summoned a cab to take them home.

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t want him to die!¡± she wailed. ¡°I didn¡¯t want him to die on my account! Not even on Bill¡¯s¡ªeven if Bill can¡¯t answer for himself. I know he wouldn¡¯t have wanted it either.¡±

    ¡°I quite understand,¡± said Michael. ¡°Nothing we can do¡ªit¡¯s in the Governor¡¯s hands now. We can only wait.¡±

 Chapter 51 - Cooped up

    MARK half woke in a daze¡ªthen was instantly wide awake and aware of an intense searing pain shooting through his leg and up his left side. In a panic, he tried weakly to struggle to his feet but couldn¡¯t move. Then he took in his surroundings and realised he was lying on a bed, and his left leg was heavily bandaged and held slightly aloft in a sort of sling. As his eyes focused he became aware of Stephanie sitting by his bedside. Her face was tear-stained but she seemed relieved to see him awake.

    ¡°Oh Mark! I¡¯ve been so worried about you.¡±

    ¡°Where am I? What¡¯s happened?¡± said Mark with a groan.

    ¡°You¡¯re back at the inn in Ashapi. You took a really nasty knock on the leg, broke the bone quite seriously, open fracture and you lost some blood. And you fainted, probably from the shock and pain. At first I thought I¡¯d lost you¡­¡±

    Mark too felt as if he¡¯d ¡®lost¡¯ himself. He unwisely tried to shift his position in the bed and winced in agony. ¡°So what happened?¡± he whispered, hoarsely. ¡°William?¡±

    ¡°It was William. He hit you with the butt of his gun. Then he chased after your horse, mounted it and rode off. I did my best to bind up your leg, stop the bleeding, then I thought the best thing was to ride back to the town for help. I couldn¡¯t put you on my horse¡ªsorry! So I left you¡ªit was the only thing to do. But luckily, once I explained at the inn, the town was raised, they sent out a cart to bring you back here, and the doctor¡¯s been to see you. He says you should mend: you¡¯re ¡®a strong healthy young lad¡¯ was what he said¡ªbut you¡¯ll be laid up for some weeks.¡±

    ¡°But what about our wedding?¡± Mark was starting to get hysterical. ¡°What about our mothers? And the horses?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve sent a letter back to Adrian and Jack, asking them to tell the priest that the wedding is postponed. And also to let our mothers know. They¡¯ll arrange things. I sent my horse back with the messenger, so it should get back to the stables in time.¡±

    ¡°The other horse? My horse?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a posse going after William. He¡¯s wanted for horse-stealing now¡ªa serious crime in these parts. I just hope they catch him.¡±

    ¡°What a fool I¡¯ve been! Just to come here in the first place, when there was no need. I should have let things be. So what happens? Do I have to stay like this?¡± It seemed pointless to put the question, but Mark put it anyway.

    ¡°Yes. The landlord and his wife have been very kind. They say you can have this room as long as you need it.¡±

    As it chanced, the innkeeper had just then come into their room, and he nodded in agreement. He was pleased to see Mark conscious, and commiserated with him for his injury.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get William, don¡¯t you worry. He¡¯ll have to answer to me for this. Fighting with my guests! And stealing the horse.¡±

    The fervour with which he uttered this remark went some way to raising Mark¡¯s spirits, but he still felt very weak, and his leg, while not quite so painful, was still throbbing angrily. He dozed off once more.

    So things went on like this for a day or two. Some broth was brought in and Stephanie fed him with a spoon. Mark was able to move his arms weakly but not sit up. The doctor showed up once or twice, and promised that he¡¯d soon be on the mend, although the leg would take some weeks to heal completely. At length the innkeeper reappeared.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve some good news. The posse caught up with William and the horse: I knew they would, he¡¯s a good stable lad but not much of a rider. But he says you started the fight. Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Not true,¡± put in Stephanie. ¡°I heard a gunshot, I suppose it must have come from William, that¡¯s how it started.¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­. I remember. Just skimmed over the horse¡¯s neck¡­¡± said Mark weakly. ¡°Then I fell off.¡±

    ¡°Well, that must have been frightening for you, for sure. But William is adamant that you landed the first blow.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember. Stephanie?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± replied Stephanie. ¡°It all happened so quickly.¡±

    ¡°It seems we¡¯d better not press the matter of the fight then,¡± said the innkeeper. ¡°It¡¯d be your word against his. But horse-stealing is another matter. William¡¯s in the hands of the Sheriff now, and he¡¯ll be dealt with. The best you can do is rest, and leave things with us.¡±

    As the days went by Mark slowly regained his strength. The splints were taken off his leg and it was re-bound in a lighter bandage. He was able to sit up. As he was feeding himself unaided for the first time, both Margaret and Martha dropped in.

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    ¡°Oh my poor boy!¡± they cried, almost simultaneously, as each in turn went to hug and kiss him gently. ¡°We got Stephanie¡¯s letter,¡± continued Margaret, ¡°and came as soon as we could. We¡¯ve been so worried. As has everyone. But you look much better than we feared: Stephanie said you were in a very bad way.¡±

    After mutual reassurances, Martha explained that she¡¯d be taking the coach back to Kamach the next day. ¡°I really need to be getting back, my customers will be wanting my needlework,¡± she added, laughing. ¡°But once you¡¯re up and about again, I shall expect you both to call on me. Don¡¯t worry about the wedding: that can wait.¡± Margaret nodded at this. ¡°Just knowing you¡¯re alive and seeing the two of you is enough. And of course I know Sophie will take good care of you, Mark.¡±

    ¡° ¡®Stephanie¡¯,¡± murmured Stephanie. But she was ignored.

    Margaret, on the other hand, said that she would be staying on for a few days. She wanted to see her boy on the mend.

    Once both mothers had departed, the days began to drag. Mark insisted that, while he was still bedridden, he didn¡¯t need round-the-clock attention, and wouldn¡¯t Stephanie like to go out for a walk; get some fresh air? Eventually, after a lot of persuading, Stephanie agreed, remembering the walk she¡¯d taken from this very town on the day after¡ªno matter what day after.

    So, with the weather beginning to turn warmer, she set out, re-tracing her steps of a few weeks before. She easily found the same trail off the road that led to the lake, and was soon sitting on the very same flat rock she¡¯d sat on before.

    The geese and ducks were still swimming around the lake vigorously, although the drakes were beginning to lose their brightly-coloured breeding plumage and don the more drab ¡®eclipse¡¯ plumage for the summer. Stephanie sat and watched them for a while, thinking about how different things were now, to what they had been last time. At least she had nothing to fear from William any more: he¡¯d been taken care of and was in the town jail awaiting trial. She wondered how Michael and Rachel were faring, and how long it would be before they¡¯d be able to go in search of them once more. That letter from the mysterious ¡®Peter¡¯ looked encouraging, at least¡ªif it was genuine.

    Back in town, she bought some books to while away the time while Mark was cooped up. He seemed relieved to have something to do: and he¡¯d also started writing up a diary of their adventures since they set out from Waknuk. It seemed like something that ought to be written down, although they¡¯d have to keep it very safe from prying eyes!

    The same serving girl who¡¯d tipped them off about William¡¯s whereabouts, and who said her name was Marie, looked in on Mark once or twice. She looked radiant, and explained that not only was she relieved about William being locked up, but she¡¯d meanwhile met up with another boyfriend¡ªand this time things were going well. Mark and Stephanie congratulated her. Marie was most contrite about having played a part in Mark¡¯s getting injured, but Mark reassured her that far from being to blame, she¡¯d been of immense help to them.

    After about two weeks a pair of crutches were brought in, and Mark was able to hobble around the room and out into the corridor. But he was still not allowed to leave the inn for some time. Spring was almost over and summer was well set before at last he was at last given leave to wander around the town of Ashapi. But it was still another month before the bandages would finally come off for good.

    Now that the prospects of setting out once more seemed better, Mark and Stephanie discussed at length how and if they should resume the search for Rachel and Michael. If the trail had already gone cold when they set out from Waknuk, it was surely even colder now! Should they seek out this mysterious ¡®Peter¡¯, whose letter Mark had carefully kept a copy of? But there was absolutely nothing to go on: he had given no clue as to his whereabouts apart from the words ¡®some distance to the north-west of Rigo¡¯. But that could mean any one of hundreds of farms and villages. Was Peter able to use thought-shapes, and was that how Rachel and Michael had contacted him?

    But Peter had also said that they planned to set out for Rigo ¡®once the weather improves¡¯. So perhaps they were already on the way to Rigo, or even already there. Surely there would be more chance of finding them in that city, than fruitlessly scouring a large area of Labrador.

    At last the doctor pronounced Mark¡¯s leg healed, although he would still find it weak to walk on and should not overdo it at first. Mark decided to test this and found that he could walk fairly easily with the aid of a walking stick, although not very far.

    At that, they agreed to set out for Rigo. When they let the inn-keeper know, he reminded them that William was still in the Sheriff¡¯s custody, and their testimony would be needed. So before their departure, they walked over to the Sheriff¡¯s, the innkeeper too, Mark still limping somewhat. The Sheriff seemed quite good-natured, especially when the innkeeper explained the situation, and he agreed that they need not appear for the trial, provided that they gave a signed statement.

    So Stephanie explained that she was riding some way behind Mark. She heard a shot but couldn¡¯t tell if either Mark or the horse had been hit. Anyway, the frightened horse reared up throwing Mark off, after which it bolted. Then Mark scrambled to his feet, William emerged from the trees, and a fight ensued¡ªbut she could not tell who started it. All she knew was that at some point William took flight, chasing after the horse which had slowed down: he caught it, mounted and rode off, leaving Mark lying injured on the trail. She was about to go on explaining how she tended to Mark at first and then rode back to the town for help, but the Sheriff stopped her at that point.

    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± he said. ¡°So long as you sign the state-ment as witnessed by us, I¡¯m sure that¡¯ll be enough to deal with our young offender as regards the horse-theft. I think there¡¯s not enough evidence to charge him with assault or attempted murder: firing a gun into the air is not a crime, and it¡¯s not clear who started the fight. So I¡¯m going to drop that matter. I hope you agree that¡¯s fair.¡±

    Mark and Stephanie both nodded assent, relieved that they weren¡¯t about to be detained in Ashapi a moment longer, and were free to depart. Mark decided that he was not ready to go on horseback again, so they returned to the inn and booked places on the stage-coach.

    When the time came to take their leave of the innkeeper and his wife, Mark and Stephanie thanked them profusely. Mark tried to press some money on them in recognition of their long stay at the inn, but at first the landlord wouldn¡¯t hear of it. Eventually he relented and agreed to accept a token sum, considerably less than what he would normally have charged for the room.

    And so on a bright sunny morning, Mark and Stephanie boarded the coach and set off on the long road to Rigo¡ªthe road which Stephanie had already taken, under such different circumstances, when she was a child named Sophie.

 Chapter 52 - Another Loss; Another Reunion

    BACK at their house, Rachel was still rather unsteady on her feet, so Michael supported her indoors and laid her down on the bed. He decided to play safe and send for the doctor. When he arrived, he examined Rachel closely and pronounced that the baby was still fine, and Rachel would recover in time. He advised her to rest for a day or two: her fainting was evidently due to stress and not to any under-lying sickness. But it was important not to put the baby at any risk.

    ¡°You¡¯ve both been at the trial, haven¡¯t you?¡± he remarked as they left the bedroom. Michael nodded. ¡°I know all about it,¡± continued the doctor. ¡°Everyone in Rigo¡¯s talking about it. They say you gave a good impression on the stand. Do you think that lad will swing?¡±

    ¡°He may do, but we hope he doesn¡¯t. Rachel does, at least: the thought of a hanging really upsets her¡ªhowever bad the crime was. I haven¡¯t mentioned this before, but Rachel¡¯s elder sister took her own life some years ago: she hanged herself and Rachel was the first person to come across the body.¡±

    ¡°That would account for some of her distress.¡±

    ¡°We did meet up with the Governor, and did mention that we¡¯d agree to her exercising clemency. But we can¡¯t be sure.¡±

    With that, the doctor took his leave and Michael went back to work at the shipyard, leaving Rachel to rest. When he got home that evening, he found Rachel very much recovered: ignoring the doctor¡¯s advice she had got up and prepared dinner. Michael scolded her play-fully, but secretly he was relieved to find her so much better.

    About two weeks later there was a knock on the door, and much to their surprise there was a Mountie standing outside with his horse: the very same Mountie who had befriended them in the hospital. They welcome him in.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stay long but, sorry, I have a rather unpleasant duty in which I need your help, if you don¡¯t mind coming with me please¡ª¡± Just at that moment he noticed Rachel¡¯s condition. ¡°¡ªbut perhaps in the circumstances young Rachel needn¡¯t come along with us. Allow me to congratulate you both, and wish you every happiness. But if you don¡¯t mind, Michael¡­¡±

    So Michael fetched out and saddled his horse, and together they rode to the hospital. There, the Mountie led Michael, not to the wards, but to the mortuary. There was a body there, lying on a slab, covered with a sheet.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the body¡¯s in rather poor condition: he must have been dead at least two weeks before he was discovered by a woodcutter, out in the forest. But if you¡¯re prepared to take a look: you may recognise him.¡±

    Michael nodded, anxiously. The Mountie drew back the sheet down to the neck. The face, surrounded by a bandage, looked very disfigured, swollen and greyish with dark blotches. The cheeks were puffed out as if the victim had been trying to blow a horn¡ªbut in the partly-open mouth no teeth were visible, just a line of caked black blood. There was a foul stench, as if of maggots.

    Nevertheless there was something familiar about the horrible travesty of a figure. The yellow hair was recognisable.

    ¡°It¡¯s Luke. I¡¯m fairly sure it¡¯s Luke Skinner. Unless it¡¯s Simon¡ªthey looked very much alike¡ªbut Simon¡¯s still alive and in custody, surely?¡±

    The Mountie nodded and replaced the sheet. ¡°Yes, indeed, the body was carrying an identity tag in the name of ¡®Luke Skinner¡¯. So that¡¯s all we need from you, and I must thank you for your help in this unpleasant business. Luke was friendly with you, I believe?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was he who warned us about Simon. So how did it happen?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s still under investigation. The body was clasping a revolver in one hand, with one chamber fired, and there¡¯s a bullet wound in his head. But we can¡¯t be sure it was suicide. Would you know of any reason?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine why he would take his own life. But there may have been motives for killing him. I assume Simon can be discounted?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Simon¡¯s been in custody all the time.¡±

    ¡°Well, he had at least two other accomplices. Where are they?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we know about them. But they both appear to have disap-peared: we have men out searching for them. I¡¯m afraid Labrador¡¯s a pretty big country: easy to lose oneself in.¡±

    ¡°So what¡¯s going to happen now?¡± asked Michael.

    ¡°There¡¯ll be a post-mortem, then the body will be buried: it can¡¯t be kept above ground any longer. But we¡¯ll continue our investigations. Do you know of any other relatives?¡±

    ¡°Well, his father was killed last year¡ªbut his mother¡¯s still alive, I believe. She¡¯ll be living somewhere to the north of Waknuk, but I don¡¯t know the exact address.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. We¡¯ll get a message to her somehow. It¡¯ll be a sad business for her so soon after losing her husband: one son dead and another destined for the gallows¡ª¡±

    ¡°Maybe not,¡± interrupted Michael.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Maybe not.¡±

    As Michael made his way home, he wondered how he was to break the news to Rachel. Should he lie to her? But the Mountie had mentioned ¡®a rather unpleasant duty¡¯ when he first appeared. Surely Rachel would never believe any cover story. And she had shown herself to be strong: she had recovered well from the gunshot wound and from the fainting attack in court. He decided to tell the truth, but not all the truth.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s some sad news,¡± he began, once he and Rachel were seated side by side on the couch. ¡°It¡¯s Luke. You remember him? He¡¯s dead. He was found dead in the forest. The police wanted me to help identify him.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Oh no!¡± cried Rachel, tears starting from her eyes. ¡°Poor Luke! And he was so helpful to us, considering whose brother he was. Do they know what happened?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± replied Michael, half truthfully. ¡°They¡¯re still investigating. It may have been an accident.¡±

    ¡°Had he been dead long? Would that explain why he never showed up in court?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t know,¡± Michael lied, ¡°but it¡¯s possible. It¡¯s being investigated.¡± He decided he would never reveal to Rachel what the condition of the body was, as he had seen it.

    Rachel wiped away her tears. ¡°Another friend lost to us,¡± she muttered, resignedly. ¡°When will it end? And I wish we knew what¡¯s become of Mark and Stephanie.¡±

    As chance would have it, it was only a few days later, as Michael was riding home from work, that he experienced something that he hadn¡¯t felt for months.

    A thought-shape.

    It felt indistinct and unformed, but it seemed to have a pleading quality about it, as if a telepath somewhere was trying to make contact. He reined in his horse and put out an enquiry as strongly as he could: ¡°Who is it?¡±

    There was a long pause, and Michael wondered if the mysterious person was trying to get nearer to him. But eventually another thought-shape came through, faint but discernible. ¡°Michael, is that you?¡±

    It was Mark!

    ¡°I¡¯m here. I¡¯ll keep sending numbers, to guide you to me.¡±

    It took nearly half an hour, but finally Mark and Stephanie appear-ed, arm-in-arm, emerging from a side street, Mark still limping and leaning heavily on a stick. Michael rushed towards them, and clasped them in a mutual embrace, Stephanie smothering him in kisses.

    ¡°Oh, Michael, we¡¯ve been so worried about you! And Rachel: is she all right?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been worrying about you too¡ªever since we last heard from you on the Kentak road. Seems like a lifetime ago. Yes Rachel¡¯s fine¡ªshe¡¯s at home now. So where have you been?

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± put in Stephanie. ¡°But first of all I must tell you: Mark and I are engaged.¡±

    ¡°You are! I¡¯m delighted to hear it, and I¡¯m sure Rachel will be, too. So you changed your mind, Stephanie? Glad to hear it. You must come home with us and we can all tell our stories. How far can you walk, Mark? You seem to have hurt your leg.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later. We¡¯ve been walking around Rigo quite a lot, for the past two days, looking for you. We arrived on the stage-coach. But I could do with a rest, sure.¡±

    ¡°Can you mount my horse? Stephanie and I will walk: it¡¯s a fair step but we¡¯ll get there. Rachel already knows you¡¯re here: I sent her a thought-shape¡ªthough we seldom use them these days.¡±

    So Mark, with Michael¡¯s assistance, mounted the horse and they walked at a gentle pace back to Michael¡¯s home.

    Not surprisingly, Rachel was thrilled to see Stephanie and Mark once more, and the mutual hugging and kissing went on for quite a while. Both the newcomers complimented Rachel on the expected baby, and before long they were sat around the table enjoying dinner: Rachel having hurriedly prepared enough for four.

    They continued relating their adventures late into the evening, until Michael, due at the shipyard the following morning, called a halt. Stephanie had not yet come to what had happened at Ashapi, and was relieved at not having to bring it up until another day.

    The following evening, the story-telling continued. When Michael began to speak of their stay at Peter¡¯s house, Mark¡¯s and Stephanie¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I knew it was genuine!¡± they both exclaimed, almost simultaneously.

    Michael looked puzzled until they explained. Mark fetched out his copy of the letter from Peter to Amelia, which he had carefully preserved, and handed it to Michael: Rachel leant over and examined it too.

    ¡°Peter never told us he¡¯d written to Rachel¡¯s mother,¡± said Michael, ¡°¡ªbut I suppose we must have given him our addresses at some point. Very thoughtful of him: maybe he contacted my parents as well. That¡¯s good, because we¡¯ve been rather remiss about writing to them¡ªso much has been happening here.¡±

    He continued with the story as far as their arrival in Rigo, their meetings with Bill the old sailor, and Luke Skinner, and got as far as their disastrous attempt to board the ship Pinta, bound for Newf. At that point Mark and Stephanie gasped.

    ¡°Oh how awful for you, Rachel dear!¡± cried Stephanie. ¡°And your poor friend¡ªBill you said his name was?¡ªtoo! But you look perfectly well to us: you must be tough inside! And the baby! Were you already expecting when it happened? And do they know who did it?¡±

    ¡°Yes and yes,¡± replied Rachel, ¡°although I hadn¡¯t told Michael yet. I was terribly lucky¡ªthe bullet never went near the baby. And yes¡ªit was Simon Skinner, son of Jerome Skinner and Luke¡¯s brother¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªWho¡¯s been convicted of murder,¡± continued Michael, ¡°and he¡¯s in prison waiting to be hanged. The trial was quite an ordeal for us.¡±

    ¡°It was indeed,¡± said Rachel. ¡°And I¡¯m afraid I fainted as the sentence was read out. But I¡¯m all right¡ªreally! Just that¡ªI don¡¯t want anyone to hang on my account¡ªnot even Bill¡¯s. You know why.¡±

    ¡°I think I do,¡± replied Mark, remembering Anne.

    ¡°But we¡¯re expecting the Governor to commute his sentence to life imprisonment,¡± said Michael. ¡°We¡¯ve met her¡ªname¡¯s Hilary Bligh¡ªshe¡¯s a nice lady and she promised to take our views into account.¡±

    ¡°We heard a bit about her from your friends Jack and Adrian, back in Kentak. They¡¯re all right, by the way, they were great, they helped us a lot. But now we must continue our side of the story.¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow, perhaps,¡± said Rachel, looking at the clock. ¡°Michael¡¯s having a busy time at work, and I¡¯ve got to think of the baby¡­¡±

    So it was the following evening that Mark and Stephanie resumed their tale, telling of their joyful reunion with Stephanie¡¯s mother Martha (who still tended to call her ¡®Sophie¡¯). At that, Rachel felt impelled to spring to Stephanie¡¯s side and deliver another, congratulatory, hug. But when Stephanie, picking up the tale, came to relate the awful happenings in the inn at Ashapi, the hugs became hugs of sympathy and commiseration, and tears flowed freely.

    ¡°I¡¯m all right, really,¡± said Stephanie after a long pause, wiping her eyes. ¡°I must be one of the lucky ones¡ªI suppose years of living in the Fringes ¡®toughened me up¡¯, sort of. And I had to let him do it. Even Mark didn¡¯t believe me at first¡ªbut when I explained that that horrible man might have caught sight of my feet¡­¡±

    There was silence for quite a while, as the implications sank in.

    At length Mark took up the tale, explaining how they had met the Waknuk Inspector, who recognised them but was surprisingly conciliatory and sent them on their way. Then he told of their reunion with his mother and and then Rachel¡¯s (¡°She¡¯s fine, Rachel, really she is¡ªand since she got Peter¡¯s letter she¡¯s been less worried about you¡±), their abortive wedding plans, the pursuit of the villainous ostler and its catastrophic outcome.

    ¡°So there I was, laid up for weeks with a broken leg, cursing myself. But now we¡¯re here, all together again. So what do we do now?¡±

 Chapter 53 - Anxiety

    RACHEL pleaded with Mark and Stephanie to stay at their house as long as they liked: she could easily cope with the extended ¡®family¡¯ and, as the baby¡¯s time drew nearer, Stephanie would be a great help with the housework. But Mark was despondent. He tested his leg daily and tried walking short distances without the stick, but he still limped rather heavily. He remembered what David had told them¡ªso long ago it seemed!¡ªabout his friend Uncle Axel, who had been lamed for life after his leg was broken at sea. Would Mark ever be able to resume his farming and hunting activities?

    Michael did his best to reassure him. First of all, he asked Mark how good his carpentry skills were (Michael himself had now become what could only be described as a ¡®master craftsman¡¯). Mark explained how he was used to doing odd repair jobs around the farm, mending fences and the like, and he also mentioned how he had repaired the shed at Martha¡¯s house, to serve as a stable. So one Sunday, Michael tried him out on some simple work in the workshop.

    Michael¡¯s conclusion was that, while Mark was reasonably adept, he wasn¡¯t really skilled enough to find work in the shipyard. ¡°Even I got it badly wrong, in the first piece of work I did for them,¡± he remarked. But he was happy to engage Mark as a sort of apprentice in his workshop, which he was busy expanding as a sideline to his daytime work. ¡°You can work on making pieces of furniture: also doors and window frames: there¡¯s always a demand for that, and I can afford you some wages. When your leg is a bit better we can go out collecting timber from the forest.¡±

    ¡°If my leg ever gets better,¡± said Mark, wistfully.

    ¡°Oh it will, Mark. Really. But we¡¯ll invite our friends Benjamin and Laura to come over and meet you, and Benjamin can take a look: he¡¯s a doctor, and Laura¡¯s a nurse.¡±

    And so it turned out. Benjamin, when he came round, carefully examined Mark¡¯s leg, and pronounced that it had been well set and would heal up completely.

    ¡°And if it hadn¡¯t, we could have taken you into hospital and re-set it¡ªthough I¡¯m glad you won¡¯t be needing that option¡ªpainful! I¡¯m surprised to see a job as good as this, having been done way out to the West: not far from Kentak, was it? From what I heard a lot of the doctors out there are little more than quacks. You were lucky to have been seen by a good one.¡±

    He and Laura had brought along their three little girls, and un-surprisingly, Stephanie was at once won over to their charms. She had by now fully accepted that, while she¡¯d never have a child of her own, there would always be children around whose company she could enjoy. Indeed she spent much of the afternoon on the floor playing with the girls.

    On Stephanie explaining that they hadn¡¯t actually got married yet, Michael explained that this could easily be sorted. There was a nearby church he knew of, where the priest was friendly and would ask no awkward questions. So they arranged a simple wedding. The only attendees were Michael and Rachel, and Benjamin and Laura with the children. Michael gave away the bride.

    A few weeks passed. Mark was practising hard at his woodwork, taking heed of the advice ¡®measure twice, cut once¡¯ which had averted many disasters! His leg continued to improve. He and Michael went out on horseback to the nearby forest a few times, and took note of the locations of several trees that would yield useful timber. The forest belonged to a local farmer, but he was happy to let them fell trees¡ªfor a consideration.

    One evening there was a knock on the door and they opened it to see ¡®their¡¯ attorney, the same one who had conducted the prosecution at Simon Skinner¡¯s trial.

    ¡°Glad to see you both, and your friends,¡± he began, nodding at Mark and Stephanie. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve some news for you, which you may have been expecting. The Governor has commuted young Skinner¡¯s sentence to twenty years¡¯ imprisonment.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank goodness!¡± cried Rachel.

    ¡°I thought you would welcome that. The execution had been scheduled to take place tomorrow at dawn, in the Central Square, but now it won¡¯t happen. Some of the good folk of Rigo may be disappointed at that: there hasn¡¯t been a hanging in Rigo for several years, and there are plenty of ghoulish people who enjoy congregating to watch the macabre spectacle. I believe this sort of thing used to happen amongst the Old People, if you¡¯ll believe me.

    ¡°But there are others out there who may be celebrating, I should warn you, and not for the same reasons as you. There are plenty of people around, although not so many as out West, who believe firmly in the ¡®Purity of the Norm¡¯ and insist that Skinner was only ¡®doing the right thing, exterminating non-humans¡¯.

    ¡°And we¡¯re now fairly certain that young Luke¡ªSkinner¡¯s brother, you know what happened to him of course¡ªthat he was murdered by persons unknown. Possibly to stop him testifying in Court. The police still haven¡¯t got any leads, so there are still desperate killers at large.

    ¡°So I¡¯d strongly advise you to be careful¡ªin particular if you go out into the forest. Especially you, Michael: you may be recognised.¡±

    After the attorney had left, Michael digested this piece of news glumly. And he and Mark had visited the forest several times already! For all he knew it might be the same forest where Luke¡¯s body had been discovered. They decided that it might be best to engage a local woodcutter to bring them timber, despite the extra expense.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Summer drew on and turned into autumn. Michael had bought some felled timber which he was allowing to season, and Mark continued to toil steadily in the workshop. One or two pieces of furniture hadn¡¯t come out quite right, but they had managed to sell a few things, and Michael and Mark shared the proceeds. This extra income was welcome, since the trade in the shipyard had slackened off; the repairs to Voyager were complete and a smaller boat requiring only minor repairs was now in the yard. Michael and his co-workers had been laid off for part of the week and had to take a small wage cut.

    Election fever was now very much in the air: a novel experience to all the newcomers, none of whom had ever come across such a thing before. Rachel had discovered that a nearby shop sold a news-sheet every few days, and she took to buying it up regularly and studying it avidly.

    ¡°Things aren¡¯t going well for us,¡± she announced one evening over dinner. ¡°This ¡®election¡¯, I mean. You remember what Hilary¡ªthe Governor¡ªtold us, Michael? Seems that the Church Party have been busy. Sending groups of young horsemen all over Labrador¡ªeven as far West as Kentak. Distributing leaflets to every household they come across. There¡¯s a copy of the text of the leaflet in this news-sheet. Demagogic stuff indeed! It goes on about ¡®keeping the stock pure¡¯ and ¡®stamp out the Mutant¡¯¡ªall the sort of stuff that was rammed down our throats back in Waknuk. We can only hope they don¡¯t win the election! But is that a forlorn hope?¡±

    For a while after she had made this speech, they fell silent, digest-ing this information. Michael thought he had already encountered some of these horsemen: all wearing the same ¡®uniform¡¯ of light blue jacket, black neckerchief, and black peaked cap. They had acted aggressively, occupying the whole width of the road and roughly ordering him to move his horse to one side. But he had not known what was their purpose.

    As October approached, Rachel produced another news-sheet, a rather more bulky one this time. She read out from it:

    <blockquote>

    ¡°Distribution of ballot papers is well under way. The Blue-blacks are busy assisting the Government in this huge task, never before carried out to this extent: riding far and wide across Labrador with the aim of ensuring that every eligible adult Norm aged twenty-one or over receives a paper. Voting will commence in two weeks¡¯ time and then will come the equally huge task of collecting the completed ballot papers¡­¡±

    </blockquote>

    There was a lot more in the article explaining how people were supposed to vote, although that information had already been contained in the already-distributed leaflets. And there was also a mention of the campaigning that Hilary Bligh¡¯s Centrist Party had undertaken, although their resources were far less than the Church Party¡¯s and they had only been able to reach within a few tens of miles of Rigo.

    It seemed that the election was already lost.

    Mark, alone in the workshop, idly wondered how Adrian and Jack, back in Kentak, would react on receiving their ballot papers¡ªand how they had reacted to the earlier leaflet. Probably tossed it in the fire, so he hoped. From there, his thoughts drifted on to his mother back at home, and then to Martha: all alone in the house in Kamach. They had exchanged several letters; Martha was happy at having resumed her needlework¡ªbut she was an ex-convict, on the record for harbouring a Mutant child.

    How would all these people fare if Ruffer carried out his threat?

    He put his anxieties to the others at the dinner-table, but none of them could come up with anything encouraging.

    So the days passed until the voting actually began. Michael had received his ballot-paper and duly voted, but none of the others did: Rachel and Stephanie were too young, and Mark, although he was of age, had not registered his present address with the authorities. He presumed that a ballot-paper had been dropped off with his mother back at the farm¡ªmuch use it would be to him!

    Then there was a long wait¡ªat least another two weeks¡ªwhile the ballot papers were collected and brought to the Government building for counting. All this time the blue-shirted horsemen¡ªthe hideously-named ¡®Blueblacks¡¯¡ªwere roaming the streets, knocking on doors and reminding those who had not yet voted to hurry up. And urging them to vote ¡®Church¡¯, naturally. Michael and others like him could have protested the unfairness of this, but what use was that?

    At last another, equally bulky news-sheet appeared in the shop, and the four of them perused it eagerly. The voting had been remarkably close: almost equal numbers, it seemed, had cast their votes for the Church Party and the Centrist Party. But after a recount, the Church Party had secured a majority, by just a few hundred votes.

    It was announced that the new Chamber would assemble in January and the Governor would then, as was her duty, ask the majority party¡ªthat now being the Church Party¡ªto assume the duty of Govern-ment. It was widely expected that one of their first acts would be to elect Malcolm Ruffer as the new Governor, ousting Hilary Bligh.

    Michael and the others digested this piece of depressing news in silence. Surely Ruffer wouldn¡¯t carry out his threat to ¡®exterminate¡¯ human mutants! If so, would all four of them be under threat? Stephanie¡¯s mutation was obvious, and both Michael and Rachel were publicly on record as being telepaths. If only Michael hadn¡¯t revealed that detail about them in Court! Only Mark could safely pass as a Norm: his telepathic powers were much diminished and not made public. Unless people started to investigate his past¡­

    The Blueblacks were still very much in evidence, molesting people in the streets at random, asking to see their identity tags. Ordinary folk soon discovered the wisdom in complying: those who refused were beaten up. Black people, and those of Inuit descent (who were also of distinctive appearance) attracted especial attention¡ªand were often attacked without warning. The police didn¡¯t seem to be around much, now¡ªand when they did appear, they mostly turned a blind eye to all this going-on.

    But Michael and Rachel had other things to think about. It was already well into December when Rachel nudged Michael, lying beside her in bed. He woke up instantly.

    ¡°Michael, I think it¡¯s starting. The contractions: I¡¯ve been having them for over an hour now. Junior is on the way, I think.¡±

    Michael was alert in an instant. He got up and dressed, lit a lantern, went out and quickly harnessed the horse to the small cart which he now kept: then he carefully lifted Rachel into it, whipped up the horse, and in half an hour they were at the hospital.

 Chapter 54 - â€œWatch Thou for the Mutant!â€

    AS SOON as Benjamin learnt that Rachel had gone into labour, he summoned Laura, who arrived in mid-morning and sat by Rachel¡¯s side, opposite Michael, both of them holding her hands to reassure her. Her contractions were continuing but had not become more painful yet. The midwife appeared and told them that the baby would probably be born in mid-afternoon.

    And so it turned out: a healthy seven-pound baby boy appeared right on schedule, bawling lustily. Rachel was exhausted but radiant. After the routine Inspection (there was no need to summon Rigo¡¯s chief Inspector: there was one of his deputies resident in the hospital), the baby was issued with his certificate, and Michael and Rachel quickly agreed that he would be named ¡®William¡¯ - or ¡®Bill¡¯ for short (¡°in memory of a lost friend¡± as Michael put it).

    But when Benjamin appeared, he looked preoccupied. He briefly congratulated Rachel and Michael, but they could see that he had other things on his mind. They asked him.

    ¡°Things are not good outside, my friends. You¡¯ve probably read about what¡¯s been happening, and you may have witnessed some of it yourselves. It¡¯s these Blueblack thugs causing all the trouble. Picking out people in the streets, even in their homes, and attacking them without provocation. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. And I¡¯ve been singled out more than once¡ªalmost certainly because I¡¯m Black. They¡¯re shouting taunts at me: ¡®Mutant¡¯, ¡®Blasphemy¡¯ and so on. Just because my skin¡¯s a different colour. Don¡¯t they know that people with my skin colour existed even back in the Old People¡¯s time? We were never mutations. Of course, my people suffered persecution even back then¡­

    ¡°And my father¡¯s been writing to me, saying he¡¯s had trouble even out where he lives. Blueblacks knocking on his door, yelling obscenities and insults at him, breaking his windows, threatening to ¡®come back and do him¡¯. He¡¯s scared. He thinks he¡¯d be safer with me in Rigo, but I told him it¡¯s no better here. But I¡¯m now thinking: I¡¯d prefer to have him with me. But is it safe for him to make the journey?¡±

    Michael nodded: he had seen some of this himself, although so far he and Rachel had avoided the worst. Fully aware that he was marked because of his appearance at the trial, he had grown a beard and cut his hair very short: this way he hoped to escape recognition. Rachel, of course, would lie low for the time being.

    Rachel and the baby were back home in a few days. Stephanie was a superb help around the house, and Michael felt able to return to the shipyard and see if there was any work for him. But the date for the re-convening of the Chamber was fast approaching, and Michael was determined to be present, work or no work, to see the proceedings at first hand, however ugly the message put across might be.

    On the due date, therefore, both he and Mark were seated in the public gallery. Seats in the Chamber had duly been allotted in proportion to the votes cast in the Election, with the result that the Church Party now had a majority of three over all other members: the Centrist Party plus two smaller parties. Hilary Bligh, still seated in the Governor¡¯s chair, was therefore duly bound to call upon Malcolm Ruffer, as leader of the Church Party, to form the next Government.

    Proceedings then began, as expected, with the vote for the next Governorship, and as expected, with members voting on party lines, Ruffer was duly appointed, Hilary giving up her seat and returning to the benches. Both Michael and Mark groaned.

    But worse was to come. Ruffer forthwith rose and came to the podium to make his first speech as Governor. Michael and Mark could see that he was a tall, heavily-built man with a bald head and a big black moustache which extended way past the corners of his mouth: he had bushy eyebrows and piercing black eyes which were somehow disturbing if he fixed someone in his gaze. He was wearing a light blue suit and a black cravat: significant choice of wardrobe, thought Michael. His voice was deep and resonant.

    He began in conciliatory mood: thanking the Chamber for putting their trust in him, and complimenting Hilary Bligh on her exemplary service as the former Governor. But then he continued:

    ¡°My friends, there will be changes under my leadership. Much has been allowed to take place unchecked¡ªwe shall put an end to that. Deviations and Blasphemies are on the increase again¡ª¡± (¡°they are not!¡± hissed Mark to Michael in an undertone, and Michael nodded) ¡°¡ªbut we shall ensure that this trend does not continue. The Devil may well believe that he has gained the upper hand and seeded our community with Abominations far and wide, even reaching out into this great city of Rigo itself¡ªbut we shall stop Him in his path¡ªwe have God on our side and God is mightier still! And I repeat once more that command from Repentances: ¡®Watch Thou for the Mutant!¡¯

    ¡°We shall put an end, once and for all, to the disgrace that they call the ¡®Fringes¡¯. Many of you, my friends, will know of the massacre that occurred there nearly two years ago¡ªwhen more than a hundred good, upright men were slaughtered by Fringes dwellers using obscene Deviational weapons, the work of the Devil no doubt. Among those men who died, I must single out my good friend Joseph Strorm: a more honest, worthy and God-fearing citizen can hardly be named, a sad loss indeed to our society.

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    ¡°But this outrage shall never happen again. We shall destroy the Fringes, and the non-humans who dwell there, once and for all. Their raiding exploits shall cease. There shall be peace and order, prosperity and civilisation, throughout the land of Labrador!

    ¡°And another change we shall bring about. There has been far too much laxity amongst our womenfolk, with regard to the wearing of the Cross on their dress. The Cross is the symbol of the woman¡¯s purity of heart and her obeisance to God¡¯s laws. Accordingly, from one week this day, every woman, and every girl old enough to walk, shall bear the Cross on her dress, or face severe punishment.

    ¡°We shall make sure that the standard of Inspection, especially in the Frontier areas where Deviations are at their worst, is thoroughly reviewed. Any Inspectors who have been unduly lax and lenient at their work had better find other work! And the more serious cases, such as condoning a Blasphemy, we shall of course put on trial¡ª¡± (Mark remembered with some anxiety their encounter with the Waknuk Inspector) ¡°¡ªand the punishments will be severe.

    ¡°The concept of the ¡®almost Normal¡¯ Deviation is a myth that we shall destroy. The ruling is simple: all Deviations, however minor their deformity, are sent by the Devil; are not true species whether plant, animal, or human. And we shall destroy the work of the Devil wherever we find it!¡±

    There was tumultuous applause and cheering from the Church Party benches, with a few boos and whistles, and shouts of ¡°Shame!¡± from the Centrists. Both Michael and Mark felt they¡¯d had enough by now: they slipped out of the Chamber, went to untie their horses, and rode home without a word.

    Both Rachel and Stephanie could tell at once from their faces what had passed. ¡°Was it as bad as expected?¡± remarked Stephanie, although she knew already what the answer would be.

    Michael shrugged. ¡°Joseph Strorm all over again. We might as well have been sitting in the church back in Waknuk, listening to his sermon. We¡¯re in trouble, all of us.¡±

    All through the afternoon they sat pondering what their fate might be. Was it now time to flee to Newf, as Hilary had advised? It was clear that the Blueblacks meant business: there had been more beatings in the streets and many Rigo folk were afraid to leave their homes. But it was hard, for Michael and Rachel at any rate, to uproot themselves, after they had established a comfortable home and Michael¡¯s steady job. Even Mark and Stephanie were now feeling at home in Rigo, So they waited: in the meantime Rachel and Stephanie were busy stitching crosses to all their dresses and blouses.

    A few days later they received more disturbing news. As was customary, the new Governor had proclaimed a far-reaching amnesty for certain convicted criminals¡ªand one of the first to be released was Simon Skinner. According to the news release, the Government now held him innocent of murder and his only crime had been letting off a gun in a crowded place. He had served sufficient time in jail already. And Ruffer lost no time in personally appointing him as senior officer in command of a division of the Blueblacks¡ª¡®for his valuable skill and experience at rooting out Mutants¡¯. ¡°Should have let him be hanged after all,¡± as Michael wryly observed.

    Benjamin and his family, Michael and the others learnt, were now sleeping in the hospital, never venturing out. The hospital, at least, the Blueblacks had as yet not dared to invade, and it was well protected. Several days passed. Then, late one evening. Benjamin suddenly burst into Michael and Rachel¡¯s house without knocking. He looked haggard and distraught, sweating profusely as if he¡¯d run all the way from the hospital.

    ¡°I¡¯ve just had another letter. Not from Father; from his housekeeper. She says those men returned, smashed their way into the house and dragged Father out: they hit him, slung him across a horse and rode off. She doesn¡¯t know where to. I¡¯ve got to get over there, find out what¡¯s happened.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Mark said promptly. His leg was perfectly all right by now. ¡°No, not you Michael, you need to be here with Rachel. But Stephanie; you can spare me for a few days?¡± Stephanie nodded. ¡°And Benjamin can borrow Michael¡¯s horse. Should we start out now? At night?¡±

    ¡°I know the way,¡± insisted Benjamin, ¡°and there¡¯s a full moon, so yes. Safer at night: those Blueblack cowards mostly roam in the daytime. We¡¯ll have to risk it. Wrap up warm.¡±

    Within half an hour the horses were saddled and laden with sufficient provisions for the three-day journey. Just as they were about to set off, Mark, as an afterthought, went inside and picked up the shotgun and spare ammunition which were always kept in readiness inside the house. On seeing this, Benjamin pointed grimly to the revolver he already carried in a holster by his side.

    The two of them set out. The night was clear and moonlit but very cold, and the horses were urged into a brisk trot, breaking into a gallop at intervals. Luckily the road, this close to Rigo, was well maintained, and they had no difficulty picking their way along it. Even more luckily, the road seemed almost deserted: at one point they passed the night stage-coach going towards Rigo, but without arousing suspicion. Benjamin insisted on their continuing their ride well into the morning: then resting up for the rest of the day and most of the following night. He said he knew of a rough trail branching off the main road, that led directly to Palukaat, the village where his father lived¡ªbut they could only follow it by daylight. It was unlikely to be frequented, or even known of, by the Blueblacks.

    And so their journey continued. They sought out a good hiding-place to rest, eat some of their meagre rations, and catch up with some sleep, but it remained bitterly cold throughout their journey and they found it hard to sleep. On the evening of the third day they approached Palukaat and noticed, with some dismay, a thin column of smoke curling up from the village.

    Sure enough, when they reached Samuel¡¯s house it was little more than burning embers: all his furniture and other possessions were destroyed. There were no signs of any human remains.

 Chapter 55 - Rampage

    BENJAMIN and Mark stared long at the ruins of Samuel¡¯s house, fearing the worst.

    ¡°Father¡¯s housekeeper said in her letter, she¡¯d fled from the house and taken refuge in her sister¡¯s place, across the village. We¡¯ll call in there,¡± said Benjamin, with fear in his voice.

    The housekeeper, when they met her, was almost too terrified to speak¡ªbut she was relieved to see Benjamin and more relieved to see that he was unharmed. After some coaxing, they managed to persuade her to describe the terrible incidents of a few days before¡ªbut there was little she could add to what she¡¯d written. The Blue-blacks had returned some time later, so a neighbour had reported, and set torches to the house, but she thought Samuel was no longer with them. She feared the worst. And no: the neighbour hadn¡¯t noticed in which direction they¡¯d gone.

    Benjamin and Mark debated for a while what they could do about it. Unless they could find the raiders¡¯ tracks, they¡¯d have little chance of pursuing them. And, sadly, Samuel must be presumed dead¡ªthough Benjamin was slow to accept that possibility.

    They thought their best option was to rest up for the night, and then set out back for Rigo. This was a job for the Police, not them, and the sooner they reported it the better. The housekeeper¡¯s sister agreed to put them up, if they didn¡¯t mind sleeping on the floor.

    However, in the morning, they decided to spend some time care-fully searching the ground outside Samuel¡¯s burnt-out house, in case they discovered anything. And it was not long before Mark¡ªthe experienced hunter of the two¡ªspotted faint but quite definite hoof-prints running along a narrow, almost invisible trail, which led into some woods close to the village. This looked quite promising, so they started to follow the trail on foot, leading their horses.

    After a while they entered the forest and the trail became harder to follow. Mark suggested that, as the more experienced woodsman, he should go ahead on foot to see if he could discover anything, while Benjamin remained behind with the horses.

    As he followed what he could make out of the trail, after a short distance it became easier to see once again, and Mark could see signs that something heavy had been dragged along the ground. He paused for a moment by a large tree to relieve himself; then after buttoning himself up, he looked up and a ghastly sight met his eyes.

    Hanging in a noose slung over a branch was the body of a man. A Black man, middle-aged, naked and horribly bruised and beaten with cuts all over his body. He had been mutilated around the groin area. Mark turned away, bent over and vomited. Then he collected himself and stumbled back to where Benjamin was waiting.

    One look told Benjamin all. ¡°You¡¯ve found him, haven¡¯t you. Take me to him.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t,¡± gasped Mark. ¡°You don¡¯t want to see him. You really don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°For Heaven¡¯s sake, Mark, I¡¯m a doctor. I¡¯ve seen many things. Nasty things. If it¡¯s Father, and if he¡¯s dead, I¡¯ve a right to see him. I¡¯ve got to see him.¡±

    So they walked slowly back to where the big tree stood, leading one of the horses. Benjamin nodded when he saw the body, but he kept his composure better than Mark had, although tears were running down his face. He ordered Mark to climb onto his shoulders, and reaching up, Mark was able to cut the rope and the body slid to the ground. They wrapped it in a blanket, slung it across the horse, and made their way sorrowfully back towards the village.

    ¡°It¡¯s called a ¡®lynching¡¯,¡± remarked Benjamin dully. ¡°It used to happen to my folk in the Old People¡¯s time: Peter did some research on these matters, and showed Father and me the papers. First it was slavery, for many generations. Then we stopped being slaves, but there was still persecution for over a century. And lynchings. Did they hate us back then, because they thought we were Mutants¡ªor did they hate us just because our skin¡¯s a different colour to theirs? Probably that last: I¡¯ve always been told there were no Mutants in the Old People¡¯s days. But Labrador¡¯s not safe for my folk any more. Nor is it safe for Laura and the children. And they¡¯ll be going after Michael and his family soon.¡± He fell silent, with much to ponder.

    There was no Sheriff in the small village of Palukaat, nor was there an inn, but the local storekeeper, when he learnt about the tragedy, agreed to send a messenger at once to summon the Sheriff from a nearby village. The Sheriff, when he arrived later that day with one of his deputies, was brisk and businesslike.

    ¡°So you two found the remains, did you? And you¡¯re the victim¡¯s son, I understand?¡± he said, addressing Benjamin, who nodded. ¡°My deepest sympathies. I didn¡¯t know Samuel well, living in the next village, like, but I was here after the attack on his house. How my men missed the trail you found, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    The Sheriff softened his tone. ¡°What I do know is that he was well liked and respected by everyone here, and his loss will be keenly felt. I hope that is some comfort to you. What a terrible thing! What the world is coming to, I find hard to believe. Everything was so calm and orderly until a few weeks ago. Then these young hoodlums, these ¡®Blueblacks¡¯ as they call themselves, started prowling around. This is not the first senseless murder I¡¯ve been called out to. And I fear it won¡¯t be the last.¡±

    Mark related the salient points of Ruffer¡¯s speech in the Chamber, and the Sheriff nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard some reports of that. What can that man be thinking of? We hardly get any Deviations in these parts: I¡¯ve been told that it¡¯s mostly places close to the Fringes that suffer. We have an Inspector, but he covers several districts and he¡¯s hardly kept busy at that. What¡¯s the world coming to?¡±

    ¡°It was bad where I come from, out West,¡± replied Mark. ¡°Some friends of mine were murdered, even before Ruffer¡¯s time. And there was plenty of persecution.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess that sort of attitude is going to spread all over Labrador. Won¡¯t make my job any easier, I can tell you. Now, I¡¯ve got to transport the remains to the nearest town where there¡¯s a doctor, who¡¯ll examine them¡ªand then he can be given a decent burial in the churchyard there. You can advise on that, Benjamin. Are there any other relatives besides you?¡±

    ¡°I have an uncle and two aunts, in Rigo: Father¡¯s brother and sisters. The only ones I know about.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a message back to them, if you give me their addresses,¡± interrupted Mark, drawing Benjamin to one side. ¡°You¡¯ll want to stay with your father, make sure he gets a proper burial. But I¡¯ll make haste back to Rigo and break the news to Michael and the others. Michael and Rachel will be upset: they met your father in Rigo. I¡¯ll try to get through to Laura too: give me a letter for her. And be careful!¡±

    ¡°Yes, that would be very kind of you,¡± said Benjamin. ¡°Stay one night, and then set off in the morning. I¡¯ll give you some letters. I¡¯ll stay with Father until he¡¯s laid to rest: the least I can do. The Sheriff will probably be sending for a covered wagon to transport him: I can stay hid in that. Then after the burial I¡¯ll try and make my way to Peter¡¯s house in Ragnarok. I¡¯m worried about him¡ªhe and Father were good friends.¡±

    Benjamin fell silent for a minute or two: it was clear that he had something else on his mind, but wasn¡¯t sure whether to speak out. At length he made up his mind and spoke:

    ¡°You¡¯re telepaths, aren¡¯t you? All four of you. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Partially right. I suppose you must have guessed¡ªand Laura too. I¡¯m a poor example of one, now, very short range: I was better at it before but lost most of the faculty after an illness. Michael and Rachel are very good at it though. Stephanie wasn¡¯t born one, but she¡¯s developing the technique. I suppose she¡¯s nearly at the same level as me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve known about Peter¡¯s telepathic powers, and Justin¡¯s, and the other couple in Ragnarok, for some time now, so it wasn¡¯t hard to guess about Michael and Rachel. I think Father knew too, though he never spoke of it. Your secret is safe enough with Laura and me¡ªbut don¡¯t go spreading it around! It puts you all in more danger of course. If you have to flee Rigo, look for me at Ragnarok. Michael and Rachel know the way. Take my horse for now: Michael¡¯s going to need it: I¡¯ll try to get another for my journey.¡±

    So in the morning, Mark bade farewell to Benjamin, wondering whether they would ever see each other again, and made the best speed he could back to Rigo. He was leading Michael¡¯s horse alongside his own, but swapping horses from time to time. He managed the journey in two days.

    When he broke the sad news to Michael, Rachel and Stephanie, they were shocked, but it was soon plain that there were other things on their minds.

    ¡°It¡¯s war out there, in the city,¡± said Michael. ¡°Total anarchy. So much for Ruffer¡¯s ¡®promises¡¯ of peace and order! Blueblacks rampaging everywhere, beating up people in the streets: Black, Brown, Inuit, anyone they think doesn¡¯t ¡®belong¡¯. And smashing up and burning their houses, their shops, their businesses too. Some folks, some of the decent folks of Rigo, I mean, have been fighting back, but most people are just too scared. There have been a number of people killed and even more injured. The hospital is overwhelmed. Poor Laura¡¯s overstretched, as are all the nurses and doctors. Which reminds me¡­¡±

    He pulled open a trapdoor and led the way down into the cellar which was brightly lit with several lanterns, and with a fire burning in the grate. The first thing Mark noticed was a large bed made up out of a straw mattress laid on a large rug. Then he spotted, hiding in the dark corners, three little girls. When they saw Michael and Mark, they ran forward, giggling.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re looking after Benjamin¡¯s and Laura¡¯s children: it¡¯s safer for them, in hiding here, rather than at their own house. Laura¡¯s sleeping out at the hospital. Their house has already been broken into and ransacked, but at least it¡¯s still standing and intact¡ªpossibly because the looters didn¡¯t find any ¡®Mutants¡¯ hiding there. A neigh-bour told us that some of the Blueblacks have been billeted there.

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    ¡°They haven¡¯t come on to our house yet¡ªbut we¡¯re afraid. Going into the city is not safe any more. And Hilary¡¯s been thrown into jail. We¡¯re afraid for her too.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ve got to go into town. I¡¯ve got letters for Laura¡ªand Samuel¡¯s brother and sisters. I simply must break the news and get these letters to them¡ªespecially Laura. She¡¯ll be in a panic about Benjamin.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯d better be you: I might be recognised. But wait until morning. And be careful¡ªand don¡¯t take the gun. There¡¯s an order gone out that anyone seen carrying a gun in the city is to be shot.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need a cover story, in case I¡¯m stopped.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ well, you could take a basket. Buy some food on the way, if you find any shops still open. Say you¡¯re on the way to see your aunt, see if she¡¯s all right, take her some food. You could use the name and address of our old landlady, Mrs Norman, as your ¡®aunt¡¯. Best I can think of.¡±

    So in the morning, Mark set out on foot for the city. Although much still seemed as normal, quiet and orderly, there were signs of the rampage here and then: the odd house wrecked, shops broken into and looted, broken glass strewn along the street. He even passed a few dead bodies lying in the street: no-one, it seemed, attending to them. He had memorised the directions for Samuel¡¯s sisters who were the nearest: they were two elderly spinster ladies sharing a house¡ªbut when he came closer he saw at once that his mission was fruitless. A whole row of small houses had been set on fire, and there were several corpses in the street: all Black and all men (to his relief). He briefly inspected the burnt-out embers of the house where the sisters had lived, and the neighbouring houses, but to no avail.

    Mark wondered whether he dare continue to the brother¡¯s home: he was married and kept a small grocery in the north of the city. But Mark had not yet been accosted by the Blueblacks, although he had once or twice seen a gang of them swaggering through the streets, looking for victims to attack. He had kept well clear and looked away from them.

    When he reached the grocer¡¯s shop it was still intact, although the door had been wrenched off its hinges and there was evidence of looting. He went inside but there was no-one about. He called out the brother¡¯s name several times, without any response. Then a small noise behind him made him jerk round in fright, but it was only a small white girl who had wandered into the shop.

    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for the old Black man who¡¯s here, he ain¡¯t here, he¡¯s gone. Mummy says he¡¯s run away along of his missus. There¡¯s no-one here.¡±

    ¡°Could you take me to your Mummy?¡±

    ¡°Mummy¡¯s out. I dunno when she¡¯ll be back.¡±

    Mark decided he had no choice but to abandon this errand too. There was only Laura left. Wearily he retraced his steps and made towards the hospital.

    As he came nearer there were more gangs of Blueblacks about: some on horseback, some on foot, but he was allowed to pass until he reached the hospital entrance. There, he met a group of Blueblacks barring the way.

    ¡°No-one¡¯s allowed in without a permit. If you don¡¯t have one, please state your business,¡± said their apparent leader.

    Mark had to think quickly. He made up a story of wanting to visit a friend who was ill in hospital, giving a fictitious name for this friend in the hope that it wouldn¡¯t be checked. But to his dismay the leader said ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go in and check. If he¡¯s still in the hospital I¡¯ll be back with a permit for you.¡±

    What was Mark to do now? There were six of them, and he was alone: no hope of fighting his way out! He was almost resigning himself to arrest and possible torture, when relief came in a most unexpected way. A group of about twenty middle-aged men armed with sticks appeared down the road and approached. Clearly these were not Blueblacks; they were dressed in the ordinary attire of Rigo citizens, and they were clearly out to drive off the Blueblacks as best they could. One of the Blueblacks drew out a revolver and fired, and one of the approaching men fell, but the others continued. They now produced guns of their own and several shots were fired. More men, and one of the Blueblacks, fell. Mark took advantage of the m¨ºl¨¦e to make his escape: he dashed unobserved down a street that ran along the side of the hospital.

    As he was running he heard his name called, and looking up, saw to his astonishment a young woman leap out of a first-floor window, landing in some bushes below, scratched but apparently unharmed. Struggling to her feet she rushed out, seized Mark by the arm, and dragged him behind the bushes, where they both crouched down.

    It was Laura!

    ¡°Oh Mark! I¡¯m so relieved to see you. It¡¯s been a nightmare in there: I¡¯ve had to go into hiding in the hospital. Those Blueblack thugs have overrun the place, they¡¯re out seeking out suspects and they¡¯ve enlisted some of the other nurses and doctors into their cause. I¡¯m marked down because I¡¯m married to a Black man¡ªa ¡®Mutant¡¯ in their language. But perhaps now I¡¯m with you I can escape. Best if you pretend you¡¯re my husband or something.¡±

    She was wearing a long thick woollen coat, but she quickly took this off, then stripped off her nurse¡¯s dress. Mark blushed and turned away, but he realised the urgency of this and waited while she wrapped herself back in the coat, scrunched her dress and nurse¡¯s cap into a tight ball and hid them under a pile of leaves beneath the bush, as best she could. Then she produced a pair of scissors and handed them to Mark.

    ¡°Cut my hair¡ªquick! Cut it short, turn me into a tomboy almost. I hate to lose it, but it¡¯s for the best. I mustn¡¯t be recognised.¡± So Mark did his best, and then they hid Laura¡¯s lovely tresses, and the scissors, under the leaves as well.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s walk close together, like lovers, with our arms around one another. I just hope that¡¯ll fool them. And please tell me what¡¯s happened. I know Ben and you set out for Ben¡¯s dad, but I don¡¯t know any more.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s bad news I¡¯m afraid,¡± said Mark, hesitantly. ¡°Samuel¡¯s dead. Murdered by those thugs. Benjamin¡¯s all right¡ªor at least he was all right when I parted from him. I¡¯ve got a letter for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh no!¡± cried Laura, tears starting from her eyes as she buried her face in Mark¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He was such a lovely, gentle old man, we all loved him. But perhaps it¡¯s best he died quickly like this. He wouldn¡¯t have wanted to live through scenes like we¡¯ve been having here.¡± And she took the letter and read it through.

    ¡°So Ben¡¯s staying with Samuel¡¯s body, until the burial,¡± she continued. ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s safer there than he would be, coming back here. There isn¡¯t a single Black doctor or nurse left in the hospital: they¡¯ve all either fled or been done in. When shall I see him again?¡± she wailed.

    ¡°Who can tell? But we mustn¡¯t give up hope. Your girls are all right. We¡¯d best go to meet up with them, and Stephanie and the others.¡±

    So they progressed slowly through the streets towards Michael¡¯s house, doing their best to look like lovers or newly-weds. At one point they turned a corner and encountered a group of Blueblacks, who were lounging about apparently doing nothing. One of them called out.

    ¡°Hey, pretty lady! Stop wasting your time with that creep! Come and join us, we can all give ourselves a good time. Come along!¡± And he started after them. Laura and Mark could think of nothing better than to break into a run, but Laura was encumbered by the heavy coat with only her underwear beneath. There was no chance of outrunning their pursuer.

    However, the man in command of the little group promptly ordered him back. It seemed that there was still a level of military discipline amongst the Blueblacks! Mark had caught a glimpse of short yellow hair showing from beneath the cap worn by the officer, who looked lean and drawn. He wondered. Laura had not seen him.

    As they turned another corner, they came upon a shameful sight. A group of Blueblacks were laying into an elderly man, of Inuit appear-ance, lying on the ground groaning. They were kicking and clubbing him. Nearby, an elderly woman, possibly his wife, was sitting in the road whimpering. She too had cuts and bruises about her face. Broken glass was strewn everywhere. Laura and Mark, horrified, beat a hasty retreat.

    At last they reached Michael¡¯s and Rachel¡¯s home, luckily without further molestation. Laura was warmly embraced by the others, and the three little girls were summoned upstairs. On seeing their mother, they made a dash for her, then stopped in bewilderment.

    ¡°Mummy! You¡¯ve changed!¡± cried the eldest. ¡°Your hair¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had it cut, that¡¯s all. Everyone has to get a haircut some time. But I¡¯m still the same Mummy underneath, my darlings.¡±

    And with that she swept them into her arms and gave them a big hug. But in a moment she released them and beckoned to Stephanie.

    ¡°I need to put something on,¡± she whispered. ¡°You¡¯re about my size, Stephanie, could I borrow one of your dresses?¡± And Stephanie led her into the bedroom.

    Once they were more or less settled in and eating a hasty lunch, there were urgent things to discuss.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got to make a run for it,¡± began Mark. ¡°Every one of us. Now I¡¯ve seen what you¡¯ve seen. If we stay in Rigo we¡¯re dead. I¡¯m sure of it. And I¡¯m a marked man too. Those thugs outside the hos-pital, they stopped me and I had to run for it. I¡¯d be recognised¡­¡±

    ¡°But how? Where?¡± wailed Rachel. ¡°The harbour will be watched: surely we¡¯ve no chance of getting aboard ship¡ªeven if there are any ships sailing. And there¡¯s little William, and the girls.¡±

    ¡°Inland, it has to be,¡± said Mark, calmly. To Peter¡¯s house, we must try and find Benjamin, find out if he made it there. That¡¯s the only lead we have.¡±

    ¡°But we have only three horses, and there are nine of us!¡± pleaded Rachel. ¡°Can¡¯t you count? Five adults, three children and one infant. We can¡¯t all go inland.¡±

    ¡°But we must stay together,¡± said Michael. ¡°Mark¡¯s right: that¡¯s the direction they¡¯ll least expect us to take. Towards the more ¡®God-fearing¡¯ parts out West.¡±

    ¡°So you really think we can all ride on just three horses?¡± said Laura, half mockingly. ¡°Who¡¯s going to sit where? I¡¯m not much of a rider myself, perhaps I should dangle from the horse¡¯s tail? And Lucy here,¡± (indicating her eldest daughter), ¡°she¡¯s been on a pony, but never a full-sized horse. On me, piggy-back then?¡± (Lucy¡¯s eyes lit up on hearing the chance of a ride, and she giggled, but Laura quickly silenced her and continued): ¡°And the others!¡­¡±

    ¡°Please, Laura, remember this is important, I¡¯m serious about this,¡± intervened Michael. ¡°Remember, I¡¯ve done a lot of carpentry work¡ªso has Mark. We¡¯ve a fair amount of timber around the house: we could knock together a cart. It¡¯ll take a couple of days, if we survive that long¡ªbut it¡¯s our only chance. I¡¯ve mended a broken cart before now¡ª¡± (with a wink at Stephanie). ¡°The main difficulty is the wheels. A lot of work goes into them, I¡¯ve not much experience as a wheelwright, and we can do without a broken wheel midway through our journey¡­¡±

    ¡°There are broken and overturned carts all over Rigo,¡± put in Mark. ¡°Perhaps we could salvage something?¡±

    ¡°Good thinking. We¡¯ll go and have a look, you and I. But we must be cautious¡ªwe¡¯re getting used to that! We¡¯ll take all three horses and some tools. The rest of you, all of you, go down into the cellar and shut the trap-door: make it look as if the house is empty. Wait there until we return.¡±

 Chapter 56 - Flight

    MARK led Michael, first of all, to the place where he¡¯d seen the elderly Inuit couple being attacked. He warned Michael that it might be an ugly sight. Sure enough, both of the couple were lying dead in the street: several passers-by were eyeing the bodies curiously from a distance, but they scattered when they heard the horses¡¯ hooves. And there was indeed a broken dray nearby, but both wheels were smashed beyond repair and Michael said, no. So they went on searching.

    It was at the fifth overturned vehicle, in a quiet street on the northern outskirts of the city, that they had better luck. A four-wheeler, broken in two, and two of the wheels looked serviceable. Michael quickly set to work with his hammer and saw and had the two wheels off in a few minutes. They slung them across the back of the unencumbered horse¡ªmuch to its dislike¡ªand were in the act of mounting and setting off when a burly man appeared from a doorway.

    ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing!¡± he shouted, waving his fist and pointing at the mutilated wagon. But Michael and Mark were already cantering away, leading the horse bearing the wheels, and the angry man did not show any signs of pursuing.

    ¡°Hopefully he won¡¯t know where we¡¯ve taken them,¡± said Mark. ¡°I feel a bit bad about stealing things, but this is an emergency.¡±

    ¡°We stole quite a lot of stuff from a deserted farm, when Stephanie and I came back from the Fringes,¡± remarked Michael. ¡°One gets used to it.¡±

    When they reached home, they learnt that the others had remained dutifully in the cellar, but had heard no sounds of horses and no-one knocking at the door. That was a relief. So Michael and Mark set to work at once, sawing, planing, nailing and screwing; and by the end of the third day they had produced a workable cart, capable of being drawn by one horse¡ªalthough a second horse could be hitched to it if the need arose. The plan now was, Stephanie would drive the cart, with Laura sitting next to her, and Rachel and the children in the back. Mark and Michael would ride the two remaining horses and scout ahead when necessary.

    There had been a couple of visits from the Blueblacks but they had seemed less aggressive than before. They merely asked to see identity tags and did not enter the house. Michael was not recog-nised: he had taken the precaution of preparing forged papers for himself. Mark, not having given his name to anyone, could produce his own, and Stephanie¡¯s (forged) documents. Rachel, Laura. and the children, of course, hid in the cellar.

    On the third day Stephanie felt bold enough to slip out to the shop: the news-sheet which she brought back proclaimed that Ruffer was ordering most of the Blueblacks in and around Rigo to return to barracks.

    ¡°They¡¯ve achieved Ruffer¡¯s main objective,¡± muttered Mark, angrily and cynically. ¡°So he¡¯s calling them in before the people of Rigo set upon them in earnest. I reckon there¡¯s not a single Black or Inuit person left alive in Rigo now. So Ruffer will be declaring Rigo ¡®Mutant-free¡¯, will he? I wonder what his plans are for the rest of Labrador¡­¡±

    ¡°Ben told me, there used to be men like that in the Old People¡¯s day,¡± remarked Laura.

    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t raise an army against him. He¡¯s pulling all the strings. All we can do is get away, for Ragnarok.¡±

    So it was on the fourth day that they set out, having laden the cart with as much food, blankets, tent, and warm clothing as it would bear, along with its passengers. It would be a heavy burden for one horse to pull, but Michael had balanced it well: the going would be fairly easy on the level. But he had no way to fit springs to the cart, so it would be an uncomfortable ride if the road became rough. The girls didn¡¯t seem to mind: it was as much as Laura could do to stop them bouncing up and down in the cart. Rachel, meanwhile, had fashioned a sling, Inuit-style, to hold little William close to her chest to give him a smoother ride¡ªwhich also meant that she could nurse him without interrupting the journey.

    The weather was fine and fairly mild for January: very different from the conditions when Mark and Benjamin had set out for Palukaat. This was lucky for them: Mark, especially, was fearful as to how the children would fare if the cold weather returned. But as it was, the party trotted along at a fair pace on the main road out of Rigo, meeting no-one.

    ¡°It took us about ten days to travel from Ragnarok to Rigo, on horseback,¡± remarked Michael later in the day, remembering their earlier trip. ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll take us as long this time?¡±

    ¡°Should be quicker,¡± replied Mark. ¡°Inside a week, so I reckon. Remember, you made a detour via Palukaat; also you kept to rough tracks, which we can¡¯t use with the cart. At least it seems to be running smoothly so long as we¡¯re on the road. And, so far we¡¯ve met no-one: at least, none of those thugs.¡±

    But their luck did not hold for long. On the morning of the second day they heard what they had been fearing: the sound of horses¡¯ hooves galloping fast behind them. Michael and Mark both drew back, to place themselves between the cart and the newcomers.

    Sure enough, it was a trio of Blueblacks. When they met with Michael and Mark, they reined in.

    ¡°Papers, please!¡± ordered one of them, the leader apparently, in a perfunctory manner.

    Mark drew out his tag, and Michael reached for his forged document to showed it to them, but the leader was examining his face carefully, and he smiled.

    ¡°You can¡¯t fool me! I know who you are: you¡¯re the one that testified against me in that mockery of a trial! And what¡¯s more, I remember you from earlier: that Blasphemy I¡¯ve been after, ever since Waknuk.¡±

    At that instant Michael recognised the leader. It was Simon Skinner. In a panic, he reached for the gun slung across his back, but Skinner was quicker. He whipped out his revolver.

    ¡°Now I¡¯ve got¡ª¡± but he never finished his sentence. At that moment two arrows swished through the air: one of them pierced Skinner in the neck; the other struck one of his companions in the chest. Both fell to the ground, gasping. The third Blueblack drew his revolver and fired, but missed: then he panicked, turned his horse and galloped off, back in the direction of Rigo.

    Michael and Mark both dismounted and examined the fallen Blueblacks, just as Stephanie ran up, still holding her bow with a second arrow ready on the string. A little way behind her Rachel was approaching, more slowly, also armed with a bow and arrow.

    Skinner was gasping for breath and trying to speak, but no sound came¡ªthen blood came welling out of his mouth, he convulsed and became still, with his eyes glazing over.

    ¡°I¡¯ve killed him, haven¡¯t I?¡± wailed Rachel. ¡°After all the fuss I made about not wanting him hanged: I have to be the one that kills him! But we¡¯re well rid of him, aren¡¯t we?¡± And she burst into tears.

    ¡°It may have been Stephanie¡¯s arrow that did for him,¡± said Michael, comforting her.

    ¡°No: I aimed for him: I¡¯m sure it was me.¡±

    Meanwhile, Laura had drawn up with the cart. She jumped down and examined Skinner¡¯s body, confirming that he was quite dead. Then she turned her attention to the other fallen Blueblack. He was in a bad way, blood poured from his wound once Laura had withdrawn the arrow. She listened to his chest for a moment. He was still groaning.

    ¡°This one¡¯s done for too, I¡¯m afraid. Arrow clean through the heart. That was some good shooting by you two!¡± But neither Rachel nor Stephanie smiled. They both stood there, stony-faced, shocked at what they had achieved.

    Laura reached for one of the revolvers and told the others to look away. There was the sound of a shot. The horses were startled but didn¡¯t bolt. ¡°I feel sick having to do this, but it was for the best. He would never have survived.¡±

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    ¡°Yes, but we¡¯re in trouble,¡± Mark pointed out. ¡°That third man must have gone back to Rigo to fetch reinforcements. We¡¯d better move on quickly. At least we¡¯ve gained two good horses.¡±

    They had no time to bury the bodies, but they dragged them some distance from the road, hoping they wouldn¡¯t be seen. Then they hitched one of the spare horses to the cart, in tandem with their own horse, while Stephanie mounted the other. Laura, in her turn, took the reins and set about driving the cart: she soon became quite adept at this and, with the new arrangement, they made rapid progress. After a couple of hours they came to a junction in the road. There was a signboard with the word ¡®Curkajak¡¯ roughly painted on it, indicating the road to the right, and a similar board with ¡®Ashapi¡¯ written on it, indicating the left-hand road.

    ¡° ¡®Curkajak¡¯! I remember that name, don¡¯t you, Michael?¡± shouted Rachel. ¡°We stopped there, at the inn, just before we got to Ragnarok. Where I copied the map. This must be the right turning for Ragnarok.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± said Mark. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll tell you what we¡¯ll do. We¡¯ll cover our tracks. Luckily the road is quite dusty hereabouts, so we¡¯re leaving a clear cart-trail as well as hoofprints. So we¡¯ll take the left-hand road, as if we were making for Ashapi and Kentak. The Blueblacks will reason that we¡¯re trying to get back among our folks. But of course, we¡¯ll cut across towards the other road as soon as we find a good place¡ªwhere we can do it without leaving a trail.¡±

    The others couldn¡¯t help but applaud Mark for his clear thinking, and they duly set forth on the Ashapi road. After about two miles the road became hard and stony, and Mark declared that from then on they would leave no tracks. But it was another mile before he found a suitable place where they could cut across country to the other road. A dried stream bed, often a good place to turn off.

    ¡°We¡¯ll try this way, but it¡¯ll be hard work with the cart. So everybody out.¡±

    Mark did not dare to harness more than three horses to the cart, for fear of damaging it. The children, of course, were thrilled at the ¡®adventure¡¯, and spent the time dancing around the cart and turning somersaults, whilst Michael, Mark, Stephanie and Laura all joined in heaving the cart over the boulders and up the stream bed. Rachel, with baby still in the sling, was leading the horses which were harnessed to the cart. In about half an hour they had progressed about two hundred yards, and reached an area of somewhat more level grassland which looked like it might be negotiable. Before they went any further, however, both Michael and Mark did a thorough inspection of the cart, and to their relief it appeared undamaged.

    They did not want to risk any passengers in the cart until they¡¯d reached the road, so they walked, leading the horses, for about three miles until the ground dipped and they saw the road ahead of them. Evening was already drawing in so they decided to camp on the grass.

    During the night they were awakened once or twice by the howling of wolves¡ªwhich made Mark and Stephanie, remembering their earlier disaster, especially anxious¡ªbut luckily the wolves did not approach the camp. Mark, who had some experience of wolves, judged that they were probably in the hills on the far side of the road. At any rate, next morning they reverted to the earlier arrangement, with Mark, Michael and Stephanie on horseback and the others in the cart.

    They made good progress for several days without any sign of pursuit. They met several travellers on the road, but did no more than exchange the odd ¡®Good day¡¯ with them: it appeared that many ordinary folk of Labrador were preoccupied and fearful¡ªand wary of strangers. As well they might be. It was clear that news of Ruffer¡¯s new agenda had spread far and wide across Labrador.

    On the fourth day, however, they again heard the sound of horses galloping from behind. They drew the cart over to one side and waited. But the Blueblacks dashed past them with barely a glance: they were clearly on some other errand.

    On about the sixth day, Mark reckoned that they must be near the turning for Ragnarok, so Michael and Rachel tasked themselves with trying to re-discover the path which they had followed more than a year earlier. It was not easy: there were several trails off to the north and twice they took a wrong turning, wasting much time and effort. But finally, late in the afternoon, Michael spotted a trail which was the right one, he could swear to it, although there was no sign-post.

    But to their dismay there were hoof-prints leading along the path. Many hoof-prints, fresh ones.

    ¡°It could be nothing,¡± Mark reassured them. ¡°We¡¯ve no choice anyway, we¡¯ve got to follow the trail.¡±

    So they made their way with all speed towards Ragnarok. Michael risked putting out a thought-shape, trying to summon up Peter and the others, but there was no response. This looked ominous, but they could only press on.

    At last they drew in sight of Ragnarok, and made their way to Peter¡¯s and Justin¡¯s house. But they could see at once that all was not well. The front door seemed to have been forced, and the furniture inside was in disarray, with books torn and scattered about. Stephanie volunteered to stay in the cart with the children, while the others cautiously ventured inside.

    They had searched around the living-room and then went into Peter¡¯s study, where an alarming sight met their eyes. Peter was lying on the floor on his back, unconscious, with bruises all over his face.

    Laura at once knelt at his side, and to their relief she pronounced that he was still alive and breathing, although obviously he had been badly beaten. They gently lifted him up and carried him to his bed, where they attempted to pour some brandy between his lips. After about an hour he opened his eyes which focused on Laura first¡ªthen his eyes appeared to catch sight of Rachel. He seemed unable to speak, but a weak thought-shape came through:

    ¡°Rachel? Michael? Is that you? Where am I?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re all right: you¡¯re at home, in your bed. But what happen-ed? Where¡¯s Justin? And is Benjamin here?¡±

    ¡°Benja¡ªI¡ªhe¡¯s¡ªa¡ª¡± But Peter got no further with his thought-shapes: he seemed to have lapsed into unconsciousness once again.

    Laura stayed, tending to Peter, while the others searched the house top to bottom, looking for Benjamin wherever he might be, alive or dead. Suddenly Rachel shrieked:

    ¡°The cellar! Of course, if Benjamin was here, Peter would have hidden him in the cellar if the Blueblacks showed up. Quick! He might be suffocating down there!¡±

    As quick as they could they had the desk pushed to one side, the carpet rolled up and the trapdoor opened. They heard a groan down below. Seizing a lantern, Mark and Michael went down the steps. Benjamin was lying on the floor: there was a foul stench in the foetid air. With some difficulty, because he was a heavy man, they hoisted him up into the study and laid him on a couch. He was clearly alive, though in a distressed state: Laura joyfully sprang to his side and examined him tenderly. His lips and tongue were blue and his eyes were bloodshot, but he was breathing. She pronounced that he was suffering from anoxia¡ªlack of air¡ªfrom being shut up in the cellar for anyone¡¯s guess how long¡ªbut he would recover. ¡°He¡¯s a tough guy, my Ben, he is¡ªhe¡¯s been through worse than this. Oh, it¡¯s so wonderful to have him back again. Tell Stephanie to bring the girls in.¡±

    When the girls appeared and saw Benjamin on the couch, they screamed ¡°Daddy! Daddy! and rushed towards him, but Laura stopped them. ¡°Daddy¡¯s not well, you must be gentle with him¡ªbut he¡¯ll be better soon.¡±

    Sure enough, within half an hour Benjamin was more or less recovered and sitting up. In the meantime the children had been give a light supper and put to bed, not without protests: ¡°We want to see Daddy when he¡¯s better again!¡± But Laura was firm: it was late in the evening now and there¡¯d be plenty of time with Daddy tomorrow.

    ¡°So how long do you think you were down there,¡± she asked Benjamin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it must have been at least a night and a day. I thought I¡¯d die down there. It was those wretched Blueblacks again: they were after me, I spotted them on the road behind me, so I barged in here, explained as quick as I could, and Peter shoved me down the cellar without ceremony. He must have had just enough time to push the desk back. Then I heard noises and shouting above, but I couldn¡¯t tell what was happening. And I couldn¡¯t lift the trapdoor, what with Peter¡¯s desk on top of it. Peter! Where is he? Is he all right?¡±

    ¡°Peter¡¯s all right, he¡¯s alive, though he¡¯s been badly beaten. We¡¯ve put him to bed. You¡¯d better take a look at him when you feel up to it,¡± said Laura. ¡°And do you know where Justin might be?¡±

    ¡°Peter told me he was away on a hunting trip. He might be back any time. If he¡¯d been here, he might have been beaten up too. There must have been at least six of them, the thugs. Beating up a defence-less old man like that!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s been worse in Rigo,¡± put in Mark. ¡°People being beaten to death, houses and businesses torched. I¡¯d never imagined anything like it would ever happen.¡±

    Benjamin was not at all surprised at this news. ¡°We¡¯ve been living in a false paradise too long. Something like this was bound to happen sooner or later.¡± He staggered to his feet, a bit unsteadily. ¡°I really must look over Peter before I go to bed. Laura¡¯s a great nurse, but she¡¯s not a doctor: that¡¯s my job. Please take me to him.¡±

    He spent a long time examining Peter, then he came out. ¡°No bones broken, but lots of bruises all over and some concussion. I¡¯d say he¡¯s a lucky man. And now I could do with some rest¡ªand so could the rest of you, it seems.¡±

    They found some food and made a quick supper, then they distributed themselves on beds, couches and blankets, as best they could for the night, only interrupted by little William¡¯s waking and crying from time to time. He had been a remarkably well-behaved infant during the journey, but now for some reason he became fretful.

 Chapter 57 - Plans

    BENJAMIN was more or less recovered in the morning¡ªand, what was more important, Peter was briefly conscious and able to give some account of himself. They asked him what had happened but his memory was foggy. Benjamin had turned up and hammered on the door, to Peter¡¯s astonishment: after a quick explanation Peter had sent him down into the cellar and slid the desk back in place. A few minutes later the thugs forced their way into the house and roughly demanded that he yield up the ¡®Black Mutant¡¯ they were chasing. Peter professed ignorance. That was all he remembered until he sensed Laura tending to him.

    Benjamin was more forthcoming. He explained that the journey alongside his father¡¯s remains had passed uneventfully: he was able to hide in the wagon whenever they encountered strangers on the road. Once the funeral was done and Samuel decently buried, the Sheriff helped him to procure a horse and he set off for Ragnarok with all speed.

    Whether by his skill or by luck, he managed to evade the Blue-blacks throughout most of the journey. And the ordinary Labrador folk took no notice as he passed: despite his skin colour, they were evidently not ready to do the Blueblacks¡¯ work for them. It was only in the last two or three miles that he realised there was a posse on his tail, so he raced to Peter¡¯s house at a full gallop, dismounted, slapped the horse¡¯s rump to make it continue at a canter along the road, and sought his way into the house. The rest they knew.

    ¡°I¡¯m lucky that Peter had enough time to hide me. I suppose the posse galloped straight through the village, chasing after the horse for a while until they discovered it was riderless. Then they must have turned back¡ªhow they found the right house I don¡¯t know. Maybe a neighbour saw me: not everyone in the village can be trusted. But I suppose the Blueblacks must have given up the search after they¡¯d dealt with Peter¡­¡±

    Benjamin examined Peter again that morning, and declared that he should be all right given time, but he needed several days¡¯ rest. They all agreed that nothing would be decided until both Benjamin and Peter were fully fit again, so they had better make up beds in the house, overcrowded as it was with the eleven of them, including the children. And even more so, once Justin returned from hunting. This reminded Michael of something.

    ¡°Benjamin, do you know Tim and Rachel¡ªthe other Rachel? Who live just down the road. Do you know if they¡¯re around?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know them, but I haven¡¯t seen them¡ªnot that I had much chance! Best ask Peter, if he¡¯s awake.¡±

    As it turned out Peter was asleep again so they left it for the rest of the day. Michael and Rachel remembered where the animals were kept and were able to tend to them. Benjamin¡¯s horse failed to return: they assumed the Blueblacks had taken it. Towards the evening Peter was awake again, and some of the dizziness had gone. He welcomed Mark and Stephanie, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you two. Glad to meet you, both of you.¡± And he seemed ready to talk, so they then asked him about Tim and ¡®Big¡¯ Rachel.

    ¡°Oh¡ªyou¡¯ve missed them. They¡¯re gone.¡±

    ¡°Gone?¡±

    ¡°Yes. About two weeks ago,¡± explained Peter. ¡°They were worrying about what¡¯s happening in Rigo and wanted to put as much distance as possible between them and the city. Put the house up for sale and went off, heading west. They must have made up their minds all of a sudden: they didn¡¯t even tell us until the day before they left. They didn¡¯t know where they¡¯d end up, they said they¡¯d write once they were settled. They¡¯re out of telepathy range now,¡± he added, switching to thought-shapes.

    ¡°You can talk freely, Peter,¡± said Mark. ¡°Benjamin and Laura are both in on our little secret.¡±

    ¡°I guessed as much,¡± said Peter. ¡°But we must still be careful.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you think of moving West too, Peter?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m too much attached to this place: I don¡¯t want to move even if all the Blueblacks in Labrador were after me. As well they might: Ruffer will have found out by now that I¡¯m a friend of Hilary¡¯s, so I¡¯m a marked man. I heard she¡¯s in jail, but I don¡¯t know how they¡¯re treating her.¡±

    ¡°Neither do we,¡± said Michael. ¡°I fear the worst.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been around the house yet,¡± put in Rachel. ¡°It¡¯ll need a bit of tidying up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. The way those ruffians act, I¡¯d be surprised if anything was left standing. Are my books intact?¡±

    ¡°Some of them are torn, but they can probably be mended. It doesn¡¯t look as if they stole any. What would Blueblacks want with your books?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Well, until I¡¯m up and about again, you good folks can set to work tidying up the house. And where has everyone been sleeping? I see. Well, some of you can use Tim and Rachel¡¯s empty house: I¡¯ve got the key. A bit more comfortable!¡±

    Peter¡¯s good advice was welcomed, and for the next few days they set about tidying up the house. Michael repaired the front door which had been kicked in, and Rachel busied herself with tape and a pot of glue and fixed most of the torn pages from the books back in their rightful places. And it was decided that Benjamin and Laura and their children, and Michael and Rachel and little William, would move into Tim and Rachel¡¯s house¡ª¡°to give Peter a bit of peace and quiet,¡± as Rachel remarked. The baby had been waking up and crying rather often in the past few days: Rachel could quieten him by nursing him, but the peace didn¡¯t last long. Mark and Stephanie remained in Peter¡¯s house, but they now had a bedroom to them-selves.

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    After some days Peter was up and about again, and was quite impressed with the work the young people had done, especially Rachel¡¯s book-repair efforts, with which he was delighted. He checked over the bookshelves carefully, and announced that only about six or seven books were missing: destroyed or damaged beyond recovery. He also said he expected Justin to return any time now.

    As it happened Justin appeared that same day, with the spoils of his hunt. To say he was astonished to find all the visitors there would be putting it mildly, but his first concern, of course, was with the well-being of his father, once he learned about the attack.

    ¡°If only I¡¯d been here¡ªI¡¯d have fought them off,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°Not a chance: there were at least six of them,¡± said Benjamin. ¡°You were better off being away. Comfort yourself with the fact that your father¡¯s making a good recovery. I wasn¡¯t so lucky.¡±

    ¡°Oh! You mean Samuel? What¡¯s happened?¡±

    ¡°Just a lynching,¡± said Benjamin, matter-of-factly. ¡°But we gave him a decent burial¡ªin the same churchyard where my mother lies, as it happens. He¡¯s at peace.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry: all my sympathy,¡± said Justin. Never a man of many words, he could not think of anything else to add, but he gave Benjamin a hug which spoke volumes. It was some time before anyone spoke.

    It was Peter who broke the silence. ¡°You¡¯re planning to leave Labrador altogether, aren¡¯t you¡ªthat¡¯s still your plan, Michael and Rachel, is it not? And the rest of you with them, I suppose? Quite a tall order with three little girls and a tiny baby. Not all the way to Europe, surely!¡±

    ¡°No, not Europe, not any more. We¡¯re thinking of Newf. In fact it was Hilary recommended it,¡± said Michael.

    ¡°Much more sensible, but still risky. How do you think you¡¯ll get there? Not by sailing from Rigo, that¡¯s plain. Although the insur-gence that¡¯s been ravaging the city and surrounding area, and even reached as far as here, will die down. I very much fear that all those people whom Ruffer deems to be ¡®Blasphemies¡¯¡ªlike you Benjamin, and poor Samuel¡ªthey¡¯ll have either fled, or been murdered, or¡ªwho knows? God help them!¡±

    ¡°What you mean is, once the Blueblacks have no-one left to torture and murder, they¡¯ll calm down?¡± suggested Laura.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I mean,¡± said Peter, grimly. ¡°But you need to steer well clear of Rigo for the foreseeable future, that¡¯s for sure.¡±

    ¡°You said ¡®you¡¯. Aren¡¯t you going to come with us?¡± asked Rachel.

    ¡°I said this before¡ªand I told you exactly the same a year ago, if you¡¯ll remember, Rachel. I¡¯m not moving. I¡¯m just too rooted in this place, come what may. Justin will answer for himself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m staying too,¡± said Justin. ¡°The hunting and the farming¡¯s good enough for me.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯ll be the six of you, plus the children,¡± continued Peter, ¡°assuming you all want to stay together.¡±

    ¡°But how on earth do we get to Newf?¡± asked Michael. ¡°Are there any other places besides Rigo, safer places, where we can take ship?¡±

    ¡°The big ocean-going ships sail only from Rigo, as I¡¯m sure you know,¡± replied Peter. ¡°But to the north and north-east there used to be plenty of Inuit communities, and they ran several small fishing boats. That¡¯s your best chance¡ªif they¡¯re still there¡ªif the Blueblack thugs haven¡¯t wiped them out.

    ¡°The first problem is going to be, how to reach the north-east coast. Hmmm¡­ Difficult with the cart and all: there are no good roads that way. I tell you what, your best bet is to go by the river.¡±

    ¡°The river? Is there anywhere we can get a boat?¡± asked Michael.

    ¡°Not that I know of, but why not build one? There¡¯s plenty of timber around here, and you¡¯ve had plenty of practice at shipbuilding, and been doing well, or so I¡¯ve heard. Give it a try, Michael. And once you¡¯ve gone, you can leave your cart and the horses with us: we¡¯ll find them useful. Fair return, eh?¡±

    ¡°A boat? I suppose I could manage, with a bit of help, but it¡¯s a lot more difficult than a cart. I¡¯ll need help.¡±

    ¡°Two smaller boats would be better than one big one. The river I¡¯m thinking of, you can reach it about ten miles north of here, and it flows in the right direction, but it may run into rapids in some places. Be prepared to carry your boats at times.¡±

    ¡°Even so, it¡¯d take weeks.¡±

    ¡°Just as well. If you start now, in midwinter, the river might be frozen over¡ªand you¡¯d be frozen on the journey too. Stay here until the spring, like you did last year. If those thugs re-appear, well, we¡¯ll do our best.¡±

    Michael was dubious, but it seemed the only realistic course of action¡ªand his recently-acquired skills would be put to good use. Accordingly, he and Justin went to procure the tools he would need, and collect such planks and timbers as required. Meanwhile Mark and Benjamin set about constructing a crude workshop behind the house.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need pitch, to make the boats watertight,¡± said Michael. ¡°Where can we get that?¡±

    ¡°Better leave it to me,¡± said Justin. ¡°I¡¯ll ask around. There¡¯s a builder¡¯s yard in one of the neighbouring villages, I think.¡± And he set off with the cart to search.

    So the work progressed from week to week, and two medium-sized boats with oars were slowly taking shape. Michael and Mark were doing most of the joinery work, with Benjamin helping out as needed. In the meantime, once the weather became warmer, Justin rode off north to check out the river.

    ¡°There¡¯s a good flow of water at present, and I¡¯ve found a sloping bank where you can launch the boats from,¡± he reported when he returned.

    ¡°But we need to get the boats there somehow, and I¡¯ll want to test them nearer home, make sure they¡¯re watertight and seaworthy¡ªall right, ¡®river-worthy¡¯. Is there a deep enough pond nearby?¡±

    Justin knew of a lake about a mile off, so, once the hull of one of the boats was completed, all four young men, plus Stephanie, had to help in hoisting it up on top of the cart. They set off, arrived at the lake, and tentatively lowered the boat into the water. All proved well after Michael had stopped up some leaks and added a ballast of stones, and he successfully rowed the boat across the lake and back again.

    ¡°Looking good, the boat seems to answer well enough,¡± he reported. ¡°We¡¯ll have to finish the other one, then put in enough seating for everyone, load up with provisions, and then we¡¯ll be off!¡± Despite having seen so much of Labrador, he was only too eager to start a new journey.

 Chapter 58 - Escape from Labrador

    SPRING was in the air, and the day of their departure arrived. It would take three days to convey both boats and all the passengers and baggage to the riverside. The third day was the time to take the remaining passengers: Rachel, Laura, and the children. They bade a tearful farewell to Peter (whose eyes seemed moist, too); all three children flung their arms around his neck and kissed him; Rachel and Laura promised to write as soon as they were settled¡ªif it was still possible to get a letter through.

    Once everyone was assembled at the riverside, with the boats successfully launched, Justin bade them farewell and wished them God-speed; then he set off back with the cart and the horses. The others prepared to set off: Benjamin and Laura with their children, plus most of the baggage, in one boat; Michael, Mark, Stephanie, and Rachel with the baby, in the other. Benjamin and Laura would row their boat, Michael and Mark the other, with Stephanie offering relief at times. Rachel was excused rowing duty since she was still nursing the baby: little William was now sitting up and showing signs of wanting to crawl about¡ªalthough he was still too young to manage it¡ªeven so, he had to be watched carefully!

    As it turned out there was little need of the oars since the river had a swift current, and they could just leave the boats to drift downstream, using an oar just to guide them away from the banks. Peter had estimated that it would take them a week to reach the coast¡ªand hopefully a fishing-port¡ªbut Michael estimated that, at the rate they were going, they might reach it in five days.

    For the first day everything passed smoothly, and in the evening they found a place under some trees to moor the boats and make camp. The children, of course, were absolutely thrilled by the boat trip, and it was as much as Laura could do to stop them leaping about and rocking the boat. Even little William seemed to be crowing with delight¡ªand he had stopped keeping them awake half the night with his howling. Motion was clearly the thing to have a calming influence on him!

    One the second day they had a bit of a scare. They were just tying up at the bank for lunch when they caught sight of a huge grizzly bear lumbering towards them. Mark quickly shouted to untie the boats and let them drift to the middle of the stream: luckily no-one had disembarked. They allowed the boats to drift about a hundred yards downstream, then they rowed into calm water and watched. The bear came down to the bank they had just left, and waded into the stream, peering into the water intently. Then it apparently changed its mind, returned to the shore and lumbered off.

    ¡°Phew!¡± exclaimed Mark. ¡°It was just looking for fish¡ªbut we¡¯d disturbed the water so much, it couldn¡¯t find any. I know my grizzlies!¡ªmet a few on the hunt. The most untrustworthy animal you¡¯ll find in Labrador: you never quite know when one¡¯s going to attack. One of our farm-hands was killed by one when I was a boy. Worse than a cougar,¡± and he winked at Stephanie, who was remembering. ¡°But we¡¯re lucky,¡± he continued, ¡°I think it was a male, and alone. If we¡¯d met a she-bear with cubs, we¡¯d have been in trouble!¡±

    Rather shaken, they set off again and made another mile or two before mooring once again for lunch, without incident this time. But when the evening came and they set up camp, Mark insisted that they set a watch and keep the guns loaded. ¡°Bears don¡¯t usually hunt at night¡ªbut this is bear-country and we can¡¯t be too careful.¡±

    Nothing disturbed them, however, and the third day passed without incident. The river had widened into quite a broad stream now, and was noticeably slower, but they still made good progress. But, early on the fourth day, they ran into one of the problems that Peter had warned them about. The river had become narrower again, passing through forest. Stephanie, on lookout duty, reported seeing white foam breaking across the river, dead ahead. Mark instantly ordered them to make for the bank with all haste and tie up. He stepped ashore and walked forward to investigate.

    ¡°Rapids,¡± he announced when he returned. ¡°I feared as much. We can¡¯t risk the boats through them. I¡¯ll go ahead and investigate, see how far they stretch. I shouldn¡¯t be more than an hour, wait for me.¡±

    But he was back in half an hour. ¡°They seem to go on for about half a mile. We should be able to carry the boats past them and re-launch. But the ground¡¯s too rough here: let¡¯s try the opposite bank.¡± So they carefully rowed across the river. On the far bank they had better luck: Mark found a good path winding close by the river¡ªevidently used by canoeists to get past the rapids.

    ¡°The Inuit probably made this path: they¡¯re expert boatmen by all accounts¡ªbut even they wouldn¡¯t risk running the rapids,¡± remarked Michael.

    But it needed the strength of all four men plus Stephanie and Laura, to hoist each boat up to the path¡ªand then, even after off-loading all the baggage, it needed three men to carry one boat down the path. So they had to make several journeys, and evening was fast drawing in, when they finally reached calmer water and were able to re-launch the boats.

    ¡°We¡¯ll camp now,¡± suggested Mark: ¡°we¡¯ve lost a day over this but we should still reach the coast before the week¡¯s out.¡±

    So the next two days passed, luckily without any more rapids, and then the river suddenly broadened out into a sea-inlet, nearly half a mile wide, with steep hills, cliffs almost, rising on either side. ¡°A ¡®fjord¡¯,¡± Michael remarked, remembering having had the word explained to him by Peter. ¡°But it could still be several miles before we reach the sea.¡±

    They continued seaward. The river-current was no help to them now, but there was a strong tidal flow. When the tide was against them, it was only by strenuous rowing that they prevented themselves being driven upstream again¡ªbut on the ebb-tide they were able to make good progress. At last, on the following day, they caught sight of a cluster of rude wooden houses and huts ahead¡ªand, what was even more promising, a couple of fishing-boats moored by the waterside. Thankfully they tied up their boats and ventured into the village.

    There was a group of men loading cargo into one of the fishing-boats: all Inuit by their appearance¡ªand another man standing close by and barking orders to them, all in a strange language. Michael presumed it was one of the Inuit tongues, of which none of them knew a word. Nevertheless, he approached this man and asked: ¡°Can you carry us to Newf? Or anywhere near?¡± He repeated the words slowly and tried gesturing, first to his companions, and then to the fishing-boat.

    ¡°No¡ªcarry. No¡ªcarry,¡± was the reply, with a shake of the head. Clearly the man understood his gestures, but spoke hardly any English.

    ¡°Is there anyone I can ask for passage? The other boat perhaps?¡±

    ¡°No¡ªcarry,¡± the man repeated. ¡°You wait¡ªShaman. Shaman¡ªhe¡ªspeak¡ªyou.¡±

    This sounded more hopeful. Michael returned to the others and they spent the time waiting for ¡¯Shaman¡¯¡ªwhoever that might be¡ªin unloading the boats and drawing them up onto the strand. Michael thought ¡®Shaman¡¯ meant ¡®captain¡¯ or ¡®chief¡¯.

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    Eventually another man appeared: someone with more authority, it seemed. The man Michael had spoken to said something to him and pointed to Michael and the others. The Shaman approached.

    ¡°You want passage? You want passage to where?¡±

    ¡°Newf, if that¡¯s possible.¡±

    ¡°Long voyage. We already carry many people there¡ªpeople afraid. People attacked here in Nunavut¡ªLabrador you call it. But long trip. Not good for children,¡± and he pointed at the three girls.

    ¡°We are all under attack in Labrador. Please can you carry us?¡±

    ¡°All right. I carry Black man. I carry half-black children, I carry white mother of half-black children,¡± and he indicated Benjamin and his family. ¡°But I no carry rest of you. You ordinary people. You not being attacked.¡±

    ¡°But we are,¡± pleaded Rachel.

    ¡°How you attacked? You look normal Labrador folk to me.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re telepaths,¡± said Michael. ¡°You know what that word means?¡±

    ¡°Aha! Yes I know ¡®telepath¡¯. Other people come here, say they telepath too, ask passage. Think it impossible to prove otherwise. But some are lying. We know how to test. Come with me, you four people. Others wait please. Can you leave baby with other mother?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Rachel, passing William, who had burst out crying, to Laura. As Laura rocked him to and fro, he conveniently fell asleep again. The four of them, Michael, Rachel, Mark and Stephanie, followed the Shaman to a row of huts.

    ¡°You go inside there, but wait first,¡± said the Shaman, indicating Michael and pointing to the first hut. ¡°You other, each go into separate other hut. What name?¡± he asked, pointing to Michael.

    ¡°Michael.¡±

    ¡°Good. You other, I show Michael many card with shape on them. He try tell you what shape is, you draw shape in same order he tell you. I give pen, paper, put in hut, you go in, I lock door.¡± After this was done, ¡°Now, Michael, you come with me.¡±

    Michael followed the Shaman into the first hut. There, the Shaman showed him a pack of cards, each with a simple shape drawn on them. There were five different shapes each repeated many times and distributed randomly: circles, crosses, wavy lines, squares, and stars.

    ¡°Now I shuffle card, I pick up and show you one by one, you try tell friend what shape is. If they draw each one right, that prove you telepath.¡±

    ¡°Seems ridiculously simple,¡± said Michael. ¡°Is that all there is? I was expecting a much more complicated test.¡±

    ¡°This good enough. This used by Old People, so wise men say. Called ¡®Zener card¡¯, one tell me. I think Old People try prove there are telepath with them. But they fail.¡±

    ¡°Well, I suppose for ordinary people it would fail,¡± said Michael. ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡±

    The first card was turned up. It was a cross. Michael sent ¡°cross¡± by thought-shape, and got acknowledgements from Rachel and Mark. Stephanie was silent, but he hoped she¡¯d picked it up. The second card was another cross, and Michael repeated the procedure. Then came a star. And so the test continued, until the Shaman had turned over about twenty cards.

    ¡°Enough!¡± said the Shaman. ¡°Now we look at answer.¡± And he unlocked the other three huts, and the other three came out carrying their pieces of paper. Rachel and Mark had attained perfect scores: every symbol was correct. But not Stephanie: she shamefacedly produced her paper with many gaps in it, and other symbols incorrect. She had tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Stephanie,¡± said Michael, indicating her, ¡°she¡¯s not a very good telepath: she¡¯s still developing the ability. But she is one of us, she is Mark¡¯s wife. She must come with us!¡±

    ¡°I am sorry: she no telepath, so she no Mutant. We try to save Mutant only¡ªand those who attacked by men thinking they Mutant. Like my people. Like Black people.¡±

    ¡°But I am a Mutant,¡± pleaded Stephanie, kicking off her shoe and holding out her foot. ¡°Look!¡±

    ¡°Aha! So you physical Mutant! Why you no show us that at beginning? Save us much trouble. All right, we take all of you. But in second boat: first boat full already. First boat sail tomorrow, high tide. Second boat sail few day later. And you must take care children. You all right wait?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll wait. Of course we¡¯ll wait. We can¡¯t tell you how grateful we are. But¡ªhow much will the passage be?¡± said Michael, wondering whether they had enough money to cover it.

    ¡°We no take money. We do this for favour. Many people Labrador need safety: many have no money. But I look at your boats please.¡±

    The Shaman followed Michael to their small boats, and examined them. ¡°These not very good boat. We make better boat. But we can use them.¡±

    ¡°We built those boats ourselves,¡± Michael retorted, rather crossly.

    ¡°Aha! Why you no say? So you build those boat your own hands. For non-Inuit folk, you do very well. I am sorry. I thank you. We keep them.¡±

    So it was all settled, and within a few days the whole party was safely aboard the remaining fishing vessel and it was sailing down the fjord and out to open sea. The Shaman was not coming with them, but the captain of the boat spoke a little English. The boat was not very comfortable for passengers, but some benches had been fitted across the deck and they all sat tight. Laura had issued strict orders to the children to keep still and not run about¡ªand they obeyed¡ªfor now.

    The captain had said that the voyage would take about a week to ten days, if the weather remained fair. There was little space for sleeping, but they would have to make do. He would set them down at Gand, on the north-east coast of Newf. ¡°You know Gand?¡± he said, in his broken English. ¡°No? It big seaport, nearest point of Newf. We put you off there, then you on your own. And we go catch fish. Plenty fish in sea off Newf! You lucky people! Fish not so lucky!¡±

    Michael did not enjoy the voyage. Nor did Laura or Benjamin. The sea was choppy once they were out in open water, and the fishing-boat pitched and rolled far more than a large ship would have. They were sea-sick almost the whole time, all three of them. Mark, Stephanie and Rachel fared better, as did the children. Indeed, without Laura able to keep charge of them, the girls were soon romping all over the boat, exploring down below, running up to the wheelhouse, being a general nuisance. Finally the captain, really angry, took a hand. He said, if they didn¡¯t return to their bench and keep still, he¡¯d toss them overboard. That quietened them down! Stephanie promised to keep a tight control over them while Laura was indisposed. And of course, little William was bubbling over with delight. He had been sick once or twice, but for a baby that didn¡¯t matter.

    At last, after what seemed like an interminable voyage, the gentle slopes of Newf island came into view, and the fishing-boat slowly made its way into the harbour at Gand. Michael and the others thanked the captain and crew profusely, and stepped ashore rather unsteadily, carrying what was still left of their baggage. Those who had suffered during the voyage were thrilled to be on firm ground once again. The air of Newf smelt clean, fresh and inviting. And people were friendly here! No persecution of ¡®deviants¡¯. They spotted a Black couple, middle-aged man and woman, strolling along the waterfront. Benjamin turned to the others and grinned.

    ¡°We can make a future for ourselves, all of us, here. At last!¡± he said.

 Epilogue

    SEVERAL years had passed. Mark¡¯s farm on the outskirts of Gand had prospered excellently. He was now concentrating on beef and dairy, with some fields of wheat and alfalfa, for fodder. He now employed eight farm-hands and two dairymaids, one of whom was married to one of the men. She had two children, both girls; the elder now just beginning at school; Stephanie was helping look after the younger girl while her mother was at work.

    Laura and Benjamin¡¯s three girls, now in their teens, also came to visit the farm at weekends, as well as Rachel and Michael¡¯s boys who were slightly younger. So there was often quite a crowd of children and young people in the house. Stephanie took delight in their company¡ªeven the boys who tended to be a bit naughty at times: she tolerated their mischievous behaviour with good grace. She could almost forget, at times, that she had no children of her own.

    Laura and Benjamin were both kept busy in the main hospital in Gand. Although minor human Deviations which could be corrected by surgery were not all that common, the increasing population across Newf did mean there were more accidents and more illnesses. People were living longer, too, and care of the elderly was an important task, especially for Laura.

    As for Michael, he had expanded his carpentry and workshop considerably and now had two men and a woman working under him. Yes! his woman employee was as skilled with the hammer, saw, chisel, and plane, as any man could be, and was turning out excellent and highly accurate work. Although the two young men were also perfectly adept at their carpentry, they had a little way to go to match their colleague. Michael was watching carefully in case any jealously arose, but the atmosphere in the workshop seemed to be perfectly convivial.

    Michael, Rachel and the boys were now living in the house which he had built on the edge of the city. The boys, William (usually called ¡®Billy¡¯) and Luke, loved to race each other around the garden or play hide-and-seek, in and out among the maples and hickory trees. Michael had constructed two special toys for the children: devices called ¡®velocipedes¡¯, following plans which had been sent to him by an engineer in Lark. The engineer told him that adult-sized versions were also feasible and might one day revolutionise transport. The end of horse-riding possibly? Michael and Rachel both still loved riding, and were teaching their sons to ride too. Michael was sure the horse would always have a place in human society. But after the ¡®velocipede¡¯, what might come after?

    In the second year of their stay in Newf, the three mothers, Amelia, Margaret, and Martha, had all come together to visit. Amelia was thrilled to meet her grandsons for the first time, and spent most of the visit playing with them. The mothers had reported that things were still difficult on the mainland: although the thuggery had died down, there were food shortages; livestock unfed and crops untilled. But they, at least, were reasonably comfortably off. Martha had reported that her work had been cut out, sewing crosses onto all the dresses that were brought to her!

    Several letters had come from Michael¡¯s parents. The old differ-ence of opinion regarding Rachel¡¯s and Michael¡¯s marriage was long buried, and his parents had promised to visit some time. But they had yet to make the trip. On the other hand, Michael had discovered a ¡®photographer¡¯s studio in Lark, and, at some expense, he, Rachel and the boys had had several new-fangled ¡®photographs¡¯ taken of them-selves. Michael¡¯s parents, as well as Amelia, were delighted to receive lifelike images of their grandchildren.

    Michael and Rachel had also written to Peter and Justin, who had replied that they were still all right, although keeping a low profile and still fearful of a possible attack. Peter was getting a bit too old for the farm work, but he was still busy writing. Justin had met a young lady and was thinking of getting married. Of Tim and Big Rachel there had been no word: they just had to hope all was well: their house had been sold and was re-occupied. Nor was there any news of Adrian and Jack, back in Kentak: Michael had sent a letter but it was unanswered. He could only hope they were all right.

    Sadly, early in their third year, a letter came from the Sheriff at Kamach informing them that Martha had passed away. She had been taken ill a month or two after returning from her trip to Newf, and the end had come peacefully. Stephanie received the news of her mother stoically. ¡°Well, she was happy in her final years. She¡¯d met up with me, and with you, Mark: she¡¯d come to see us here, she quite accept-ed there wouldn¡¯t be any grandchildren. I think she¡¯d fulfilled what she wanted out of her life. Don¡¯t you, Mark?¡± Mark nodded.

    So it happened that, on a fine warm summer¡¯s evening, about eight years after they¡¯d moved to Newf, Michael and Rachel were relaxing in their front garden, while the boys were playing as usual, riding their velocipedes around the garden. A cab drew up just in front of their gate and a young couple climbed down, and hesitantly gazed into the garden. At last, the young woman took the lead, opened the gate and strode towards Michael and Rachel, who stood up to greet her and the young man, who had trailed behind, carrying two large bags.

    The young woman seemed to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, with clusters of golden curls around a small, slightly impish face with brown freckles and a wide mouth made for laughing. But she was very pretty all the same, and the smile she gave them was broad but slightly teasing.

    ¡°It is Michael, isn¡¯t it¡ªand Rachel too,¡± she began. ¡°And these are your boys?¡± Rachel nodded. ¡°Yes, I can see the family resemblance. So how have you fared, all these years? Perhaps you don¡¯t remember me?¡± And suddenly she broke into thought-shapes. ¡°A fish¡ªwith a droopy tale¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not ¡­ Petra is it? Petra, but grown up! Petra, my goodness!¡± cried Rachel, astounded. Michael was equally amazed. Now that they looked at the girl more closely, they could recognise the mischievous little girl with the amazing thought-speech powers, the girl whom Michael had watched being carried off in the Zealanders¡¯ airship. Both he and Rachel threw their arms around Petra and smothered her with kisses. The young man who¡¯d come with her stood back, looking rather abashed.

    ¡°Oh, I must introduce you to Shaun, here,¡± said Petra, after extricating herself from their embrace. ¡°Shaun¡¯s my boyfriend. He¡¯s come with me, all the way from Zealand, and he¡¯s been helping me trace you down. I should explain, Shaun doesn¡¯t do thought-shapes: he¡¯s not a telepath. He¡¯s just like ordinary Labrador folk.¡±

    ¡°Pleased to meet you,¡± said Shaun, at last breaking his silence.

    ¡°But we¡¯re together all the same,¡± continued Petra. ¡°I¡¯m not as ¡®strong¡¯ as I was when you last saw me. Thought-shapes, I mean¡ªwhat we now call ¡®telepathy¡¯. It sort of ¡®went down¡¯ as I went into adolescence. That happens a lot with super-telepaths, so I¡¯ve been told. I¡¯m probably about the same strength as you two, now. So no long-distance thoughts all the way to Zealand! And I don¡¯t do it much, not since I met Shaun, I talk in words nearly all the time.¡±

    ¡°So do we,¡± said Michael. ¡°Yes, telepathy is a useful gift, but it leads to trouble as you know well. We use words all the time when it¡¯s just us together.¡±

    At that moment the two boys, noticing that there were visitors, raced up towards them.

    ¡°These are our boys: Billy and Luke. Little scamps they are,¡± said Rachel. ¡°Boys, this is an old friend of ours, Petra. She¡¯s come a long long way to see us.¡±

    ¡°Pleased to meet you, Auntie Petra,¡± said both boys, dutifully, before scampering off once again.

    ¡°So how is life in Zealand?¡± continued Michael.

    ¡°Well, that was the big surprise. The ¡®Sealand woman¡¯ who took us there, well she wasn¡¯t all we took her to be. Even I knew that, and I was only about eight at the time. And David explained it all to me later. Her real name¡¯s Bernadette, did you know that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we do, as a matter of fact. We learnt some things about her, from the former Governor in Rigo. But go on.¡±

    ¡°She was lying to us. Both David and Rosalind were very upset when they realised. They¡¯d thought all along that one couldn¡¯t lie with telepathy, but now they realise they were wrong. I was perhaps too young to understand the implications, but the main thing was, there weren¡¯t as many telepaths in Zealand as she¡¯d said. Only a few thousand, and the rest of the population were just ordinary people like back in Labrador. But at least we weren¡¯t hunted down by the ordinary folk, not like back in Labrador¡­¡±

    ¡°Things were changing for a while, back in Labrador, when the old Governor, Hilary Bligh, was in office,¡± said Rachel. ¡°A period of liberalisation, of enlightenment. But after she was voted out, things went back to as they were before. It¡¯s still bad back there, as bad as in the Joseph Strorm days. Or even worse. Which is why we¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°I understand. We¡¯d heard about goings-on in Rigo, so although we went there first, we had to be very careful how we made enquiries. Shaun was terribly afraid for my safety¡ªalthough I felt sure no-one would recognise me. And we got away with it.¡±

    ¡°So, what of David and Rosalind? Did they come with you?¡± asked Rachel.

    Petra¡¯s face fell for a while, and they could sense that there had been trouble. After a long pause she began again:

    ¡°I have to tell you something, but I don¡¯t know how to break it to you. Rosalind¡¯s no longer with us¡­¡±

    ¡°You mean she¡¯s¡ªdead?¡± said Michael, stunned.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. David¡¯s all right¡ªwell, as all right as he can be. He didn¡¯t come with us. And he¡¯s got another lady companion¡ªthat¡¯s cheered him up quite a lot. Her name¡¯s Pauline, she¡¯s a teacher at the school I went to, and she¡¯s a lovely person. I hope she and David get married. Like Shaun: she doesn¡¯t do telepathy, but David¡¯s quite happy to accept the situation¡ªlike I do.¡±

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    ¡°So what happened to Rosalind?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. She was very upset when we found out the truth about Bernadette. Well, all of us were. She, Bernadette, kept a sort of commune of telepaths, in a big private mansion some miles from the capital city in Zealand, Dunton. But the Government consisted almost all of non-telepaths, and they didn¡¯t like what was going on there. At least, so David and Rosalind told me, though I was too young to understand back then. Apparently Bernadette was plotting to ¡®take over¡¯ the government altogether, and put telepaths in charge of everyone. She was persuaded that we were a ¡®superior¡¯ race and that we were destined to eventually supplant the non-telepaths. She kept us, and all the other telepaths she¡¯d ¡®collected¡¯, virtual prisoners, teaching all about things like insurrection and revolt.¡±

    ¡°I notice you say, ¡®was¡¯, ¡®kept¡¯, and so forth. So what became of Bernadette? Is she dead too?¡± asked Michael.

    ¡°Not as far as I know. But one day she simply disappeared. Didn¡¯t show up in the morning. Several of us tried to contact her by thought-shape, but there was no answer. And that¡¯s not all. Later that day some policemen from Dunton turned up at the mansion, with a warrant for her arrest. They didn¡¯t tell us much, but said she was wanted for questioning: she was suspected of serious crimes against the State. And the authorities in Labrador were also seeking her extradition, too. That¡¯s all we were told. This happened about two years after we arrived.¡±

    ¡°The garrotte-thread! That might be it,¡± interrupted Michael. ¡°You probably don¡¯t remember the horrible stuff she scattered around the clearing, in the Fringes. Totally illegal.¡±

    ¡°Yes I do remember. I remember it sticking to my face and hands. I remember saying, ¡®that was very horrid¡¯. When the Sealand woman¡ªBernadette¡ªfinally released us.

    ¡°Anyway, no-one¡¯s heard anything of Bernadette since. I don¡¯t know whether the police ever caught up with her. She was a clever woman, she must have had ways of eluding capture. She might still be at large¡ªor in prison¡ªor dead. No-one knows. And people in Zealand are better, with her gone.

    ¡°But to continue¡ªabout Rosalind. She and David got married, after we left the mansion and settled in Dunton itself. Oh yes, the commune sort of fell apart, after Bernadette disappeared. People went and settled among the ordinary people, and were made quite welcome there. But Rosalind was unhappy. When they first applied to get married, they were told that it wasn¡¯t allowed in Zealand, because they were first cousins. They had to appeal to the Governor. Eventually David managed to persuade him that they were only half-cousins, and finally he gave his approval. But it took many months, and in the meantime Rosalind had become pregnant. They were both very relieved when they finally got to walk down the aisle in church, only a few weeks before the baby was due.

    ¡°But then we had more tragedy. The baby was born¡ªa little boy¡ªbut he was very sick and he died after only a few days. I was taken to see him just once. He wasn¡¯t visibly a Deviation: Deviations are very rare there anyway. I¡¯m sure any Inspector in Labrador (they don¡¯t have Inspectors there) would have passed him as a Norm; but the doctors explained that he was very ill inside, and there was nothing they could do. Rosalind was never the same after that. She looked very changed, and she and David were drifting apart, too. It was none of the passionate love they¡¯d had before they left Labrador. But a second child was on the way; this time the doctor was more hopeful that it¡¯d turn out well.

    ¡°The baby arrived¡ªa little girl it was this time¡ªbut this time it was Rosalind taken very sick. The doctors did their best for her, she rallied for a while, but in the end they couldn¡¯t save her. We lost her about a month after the baby was born. But the baby was all right. David had to look after her on his own, but I was able to help, of course¡ªwhen I wasn¡¯t at school. And then Pauline came along. Well, I introduced them, as it happens! I should explain that Pauline¡¯s a widow too: she has a little boy, a bit older than David and Rosalind¡¯s daughter. She¡¯s called Sophie, by the way¡ª¡±

    ¡°Which reminds us,¡± interrupted Rachel. ¡°There are one or two other people here you¡¯ve got to meet. But more about that later. Go on with your story.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much more to say. I went to school in Dunton¡ªan ordinary school¡ªI think there were only three of us telepaths in the school altogether. And the teachers didn¡¯t encourage us to use thought-shapes, so we got used to talking in words all the time. It was a nice school, and it was there I met Shaun.¡±

    ¡°And very lucky for me, we did meet,¡± put in Shaun. ¡°We¡¯ve been seeing each other, on and off, for years, but it¡¯s only since we left school that we¡¯ve been really together. We¡¯ll both be going to college next year, but in the meantime we took this opportunity to travel around a bit. And David was very keen for us to seek out his friends in Labrador. And here we are.¡±

    ¡°How did you get from Zealand to here, may I ask? Did you come in the airship?¡± asked Michael.

    ¡°Oh no. The airships don¡¯t go on such long voyages usually, and they¡¯re very expensive. We took a ship, sailing north-east from Zealand. It¡¯s a very long voyage but the ship calls in at several islands on the way. The people there are more like the Zealanders, they don¡¯t have many Deviations, and they don¡¯t persecute them. But a lot of them have darker skin than we do. Some of the Zealanders are darker, too. Petra says it¡¯s not like that in Labrador.¡±

    ¡°There are black-skinned people¡ªor were¡ªin Rigo and the surrounding districts at least,¡± said Rachel. ¡°And here. We¡¯ve met some. Including one of our best friends, here in Newf. He¡¯s a doctor here: we¡¯ll take you to meet him some time. But back in Labrador things are bad for them now. We fear they¡¯ve been driven out¡ªas we have¡ªor killed.¡±

    ¡°How horrible!¡± commented Petra. They fell silent.

    After a pause, Michael urged Shaun ¡°Please go on with your story.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± continued Shaun, ¡°in the end the ship reached a sort of narrow cutting¡ªa ¡®canal¡¯ the crew called it¡ªbetween two stretches of land which we were told weren¡¯t islands. They were part of a huge continent and this was the only way through. The land on either side of this canal looked like Badlands, but we didn¡¯t see much. Before we even reached there, we were ordered to stay in our cabin. The ship¡¯s crew came along and covered all the portholes with sheets of lead, and we noticed that they also put on strange bulky suits which covered every part of their bodies, even their faces. We asked the captain, and he told us it was to protect us, and his crew, from the deadly emanations from the Badlands. Something people in Labrador ought to learn about!

    ¡°In the end we were allowed out on deck, but only after we¡¯d passed that dangerous stretch, and we saw that we were approaching a string of islands. They were called the Indies. We put in at one of the ports there, and changed to another ship which brought us to Rigo. The ship stopped at Lark harbour: if we¡¯d known you lived here we could have disembarked there! But it didn¡¯t matter; once we found out where you were we took a third ship to bring us back here.¡±

    ¡°So who are the mysterious people you want us to meet?¡± asked Petra.

    ¡°Wait and see,¡± said Michael. ¡°We were thinking of calling on them anyway, just as you arrived. Just wait while I hitch the horses to the carriage. Oh yes¡ªdo you really have horseless carriages in Zealand? In Dunton?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ªa few¡ªbut people use horses and carts just as much. The horseless carriages need a sort of oil to keep them going, and there isn¡¯t much of that to be had. Bernadette misled us about that too.¡±

    In a few minutes they were all squeezed into the carriage and rattling along at a steady pace. Michael took pains to point out his workshop as they passed, and a few other examples of his handiwork. They reached open countryside but not for long: soon they were driving down the track that led to Mark¡¯s farm.

    Mark and Stephanie were standing in the yard to greet them, wondering why they were later than usual: it was nearly sunset. Then they noticed the two strangers in the carriage. As they alighted, and the boys raced off around the farm yard, Michael began the introductions.

    ¡°Petra and Shaun, may I introduce you to Stephanie, first of all. But, Petra, you know her by another name¡ª¡±

    On hearing the name ¡®Petra¡¯, Stephanie and Mark both gave a little gasp. ¡°You¡¯re not really¡ªPetra, are you?¡± burst out Stephanie. ¡°But you¡¯re grown up! And you¡¯ve come all this way to see us! But do you recognise me?¡±

    Petra studied Stephanie¡¯s face for a moment, then she smiled. ¡°Yes, I know who you are. You¡¯re Sophie aren¡¯t you? Sophie who saved us in the Fringes. Sophie who was crying in your cave, until I came and comforted you. David thought you were dead, but I tried to reassure him, you mightn¡¯t be¡ªand I was right! How wonderful! But you¡¯ve changed. Not only your name, you¡¯re altogether changed. You¡¯re beautiful.¡±

    ¡°You certainly are,¡± said Shaun. ¡°And this is your husband?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mark. ¡°And you know who I am, too, Petra, though you probably won¡¯t recognise me. We only met once, and I don¡¯t think you saw me at the time. I¡¯m Mark.¡±

    ¡°The Mark who we all thought had disappeared! So you too, weren¡¯t dead after all.¡±

    ¡°No: as you can see, we¡¯re both very much alive. And yes, we¡¯re married now, and this is our farm. But what of David and Rosalind? Did they come too?¡±

    Quickly Michael explained about Rosalind, and what had been happening in Zealand. Both Mark and Stephanie were sorrowful on hearing the sad news, but took it stoically. They were accustomed to tragedy. Stephanie, especially, recalled how, as Sophie long ago in the cave, she had felt a lot of hostility towards Rosalind, seeing her as a rival. And now it had come to this! But it was too late to feel remorse. As long as David was finding happiness once more¡ª

    ¡°You know, I had this sort of feeling, long after I met them in the cave,¡± she murmured, ¡°that it wasn¡¯t going to work out: David and Rosalind, I mean.¡±

    ¡°I know what you mean,¡± put in Michael, after some thought. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the right thing for them¡ªfalling in love and marrying so young. They would have been better off just as childhood friends and cousins. Just as it wouldn¡¯t have been right¡ªDavid and you, Stephanie¡ªSophie as you were¡ªin those early days, either. But David and Rosalind!¡ªit was so embarrassing for the rest of us! Having to listen in to their lovey-dovey thought-shapes¡ªand more, when they got really serious together. Of course you were too young, Petra. Yes: telepathy can be a curse¡ªand not just in Waknuk, but even here in this more enlightened and tolerant neighbourhood. I¡¯m glad we now use it far less than we used to.¡±

    ¡°I just hope David hurries up and marries Pauline,¡± continued Stephanie. ¡°It must be a good match, if you think so, Petra. You¡¯ve always been a good judge of character. And then they must both come over here as quickly as they can¡ªwith the children, of course. Can you send David a thought-shape, Petra, to tell him about us?¡±

    ¡°No I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t do it long-distance any more. We¡¯ll have to write him a letter. It¡¯ll take a long time. But when he learns about you here¡ªyou especially ¡®Stephanie-formerly-Sophie¡¯¡ªwhen he learns you¡¯re alive, he¡¯ll come¡ªwith Pauline and the children. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±

    THE END