Marlford by Jacqueline Yallop Page B

billiards was good. You’d have liked it. You shouldn’t have lied about not being able to play.’ Gadiel shook his head. ‘Come on, let’s get going. It’ll be more fun in the village. And Ellie let me in on some family secrets – I’ll tell you as we go. Come on, Dan.’
    Dan turned to him, finally. He was solemn, excited. ‘I’ve got an idea,’ he said.

Five
    E llie cleared the kitchen, stacking the washed dishes on the shelves and tying up the sack of peelings for the farm. She worked quickly, with something like anger in the abruptness of her movements, then she changed into her wellington boots, tied a scarf over her hair, took her raincoat from the pegs by the back door and slipped outside.
    The van was shunted against the wall; there was no sign of the visitors. Bats criss-crossed above her head, looping and diving; something moved in the old stalls, disturbing the rancid hay. She walked up to the van, her booted footsteps slopping loudly against the cobbles in the stable yard, and she touched the side of it, rubbing her hand along one of the sweeps of colour. In the rustling twilight, it seemed as though the vehicle should be magical, a genie’s lantern perhaps, but when she repeated the movement and looked around, there were still just the old walls on all sides, a heavy sky above, disappointment sinking within her.
    She started at a dull sound and turned quickly. By the narrow back entrance the men were standing, watching her.
    â€˜Oh. Good evening. Have you been here all the time? I didn’t see you.’
    In reply, Ata pointed to the stable roof. Hindy nodded.
    â€˜A tile has slipped,’ he said.
    Ellie followed their gaze. There were tiles missing all over, holes gaping open to show the rotting wood beneath; some had fallen at unsettling angles into the clutch of the sloping gutter.
    â€˜I don’t see how you can know.’
    But they did not respond. For a while longer they scrutinized the roof, then Luden broke from their ranks and came towards her, his bent figure cracking the shadows. He, too, touched the side of the van, gingerly, as though it might burn him.
    â€˜It’s – it’s awaiting repair,’ Ellie explained. ‘It’s temporary.’ She watched as Luden poked at the paintwork. ‘It’s only just arrived. Just this afternoon.’
    He looked along the length of the vehicle, bending down stiffly to examine something beneath. Whatever the result of his investigations, it seemed to satisfy him. He returned slowly to Hindy and Ata.
    â€˜Really – there’s no need to worry about it. It’s being towed away, for repair.’
    They did not seem in the least interested in her explanations. Hindy put a consoling hand on Luden’s shoulder; Ata shook his head slowly, with great sadness.
    She waited, knowing they would speak in the end.
    â€˜You should go to apologize to Mr Quersley,’ Hindy said. ‘He’ll be on patrol at the mere.’
    She sighed. ‘I’m very tired.’
    â€˜I’m not sure that makes a difference.’ He looked toLuden and Ata, who both shook their heads. ‘No, as I thought, you see – unfortunately, that makes no difference. Apologies need to be made. And in good time. You have a commitment to join Mr Quersley in your duties at your grandfather’s library – and that commitment was broken this evening.’
    â€˜But I wasn’t to know they would come. They simply arrived – their van broke down on the road and they pushed it up here, all the way. I had every intention of going to the library but… well, it just happened. Unexpectedly.’
    It felt like throwing pebbles at a wall, her words dinking back at her without making the slightest impact.
    â€˜Miss Barton.’ Luden was stern. ‘You know what we expect – of you, of the mistress of Marlford.’
    â€˜We had hoped to make that clear, over the