"Right. Leave off that bit."
The guide started speaking again. The villagers did not seem at all comforted by her reassurances, but Tenzin forged ahead. When he gestured toward Professor Kyichu and said Kora's name, the professor closed his eyes in momentary anguish before opening them and fixing his desperate gaze upon the white-bearded man.
The village elder's eyes filled with sorrow, and when Tenzin stopped speaking, he nodded toward Professor Kyichu and spoke words no one needed to translate. Then he looked at Tenzin again and made a suggestion in that mellifluous voice. Several other villagers nodded and murmured their assent.
The response made Anastasia look around. She scanned the faces of several who stood nearby, then the people beyond them. A figure caught her eye, a young man washed in sunlight, standing between two small dwellings. While the other villagers focused on Tenzin or Professor Kyichu, this young man stared directly at Anastasia.
A bright red stain blossomed on the right shoulder of his pristine white shirt.
Her eyes went wide.
"No, it was not, damn it!" Professor Kyichu shouted.
Anastasia turned to stare at him and Tenzin in alarm. The village elder still wore his implacable, soothing smile, but several of the other men had adopted stern expressions.
"Han," she said, pinning the professor with a look.
But Professor Kyichu ignored her. He met the elder's gaze with a dark look, and when he spoke, it was to instruct Tenzin.
"My daughter was not taken by a bear," the old archaeologist said. "We've a hunter and tracker along on the project, and there's been no sign of any bear. Black bears may make their home here, but we haven't seen one, nor has one come anywhere near our camp or the dig. Have you seen any sign of a bear, Tenzin? Or any sign that Kora might have been taken by one?"
The guide shook his head. "No, Professor. I haven't."
Tenzin began to rattle off words to the elder, who only nodded solemnly. The two diggers had begun to look a bit puffed up, as though they might be expecting a fight. Missing the pubs back home, she had no doubt. Anastasia caught the eye of the older of the two and shook her head. He took a deep breath and nodded.
The man from Beijing looked on in apparent disgust, but she was not sure who or what precisely disgusted him. The answer was probably everyone and everything.
Horace Trotter looked queasy and frightened.
As if it had suddenly been deposited there, she felt the weight of the pistol against the small of her back again.
Anastasia glanced back between the two dwellings where she had seen the young man with the crimson spot on his shirt, but he was gone. Again she scanned what she could see of the village, but though she saw several men with similar white shirts, she did not see the one she sought. Her pulse raced as she told herself that it might not have been blood, that it could have been some kind of adornment on the shirt. But she didn't believe that. She told herself that the saboteur--the intruder who had been in their camp--had not been human. He'd had eyes on fire and jagged fangs and twisted features.
But how could she know what that young man might look like after dark?
Tenzin, the village elder, and Professor Kyichu continued to talk a few moments longer, but then the guide turned to her.
"He promises to send someone to our camp if they see any sign of Kora. That's his polite way of telling us it's time to go."
Her skin flushed with alarm. "They're not going to invite us for tea?"
Tenzin smiled. "That doesn't seem likely."
Her whole party nodded respectfully and began to withdraw, turning to leave the village. Trotter smiled at a group of children that had inched toward them during their long exchange, as though they might be dangerous. When he grinned their way, they scattered, laughing. That was about Trotter's speed-- amusing children. Anastasia knew the thought was uncharitable, but she didn't like thinking she couldn't rely on him,
The guide started speaking again. The villagers did not seem at all comforted by her reassurances, but Tenzin forged ahead. When he gestured toward Professor Kyichu and said Kora's name, the professor closed his eyes in momentary anguish before opening them and fixing his desperate gaze upon the white-bearded man.
The village elder's eyes filled with sorrow, and when Tenzin stopped speaking, he nodded toward Professor Kyichu and spoke words no one needed to translate. Then he looked at Tenzin again and made a suggestion in that mellifluous voice. Several other villagers nodded and murmured their assent.
The response made Anastasia look around. She scanned the faces of several who stood nearby, then the people beyond them. A figure caught her eye, a young man washed in sunlight, standing between two small dwellings. While the other villagers focused on Tenzin or Professor Kyichu, this young man stared directly at Anastasia.
A bright red stain blossomed on the right shoulder of his pristine white shirt.
Her eyes went wide.
"No, it was not, damn it!" Professor Kyichu shouted.
Anastasia turned to stare at him and Tenzin in alarm. The village elder still wore his implacable, soothing smile, but several of the other men had adopted stern expressions.
"Han," she said, pinning the professor with a look.
But Professor Kyichu ignored her. He met the elder's gaze with a dark look, and when he spoke, it was to instruct Tenzin.
"My daughter was not taken by a bear," the old archaeologist said. "We've a hunter and tracker along on the project, and there's been no sign of any bear. Black bears may make their home here, but we haven't seen one, nor has one come anywhere near our camp or the dig. Have you seen any sign of a bear, Tenzin? Or any sign that Kora might have been taken by one?"
The guide shook his head. "No, Professor. I haven't."
Tenzin began to rattle off words to the elder, who only nodded solemnly. The two diggers had begun to look a bit puffed up, as though they might be expecting a fight. Missing the pubs back home, she had no doubt. Anastasia caught the eye of the older of the two and shook her head. He took a deep breath and nodded.
The man from Beijing looked on in apparent disgust, but she was not sure who or what precisely disgusted him. The answer was probably everyone and everything.
Horace Trotter looked queasy and frightened.
As if it had suddenly been deposited there, she felt the weight of the pistol against the small of her back again.
Anastasia glanced back between the two dwellings where she had seen the young man with the crimson spot on his shirt, but he was gone. Again she scanned what she could see of the village, but though she saw several men with similar white shirts, she did not see the one she sought. Her pulse raced as she told herself that it might not have been blood, that it could have been some kind of adornment on the shirt. But she didn't believe that. She told herself that the saboteur--the intruder who had been in their camp--had not been human. He'd had eyes on fire and jagged fangs and twisted features.
But how could she know what that young man might look like after dark?
Tenzin, the village elder, and Professor Kyichu continued to talk a few moments longer, but then the guide turned to her.
"He promises to send someone to our camp if they see any sign of Kora. That's his polite way of telling us it's time to go."
Her skin flushed with alarm. "They're not going to invite us for tea?"
Tenzin smiled. "That doesn't seem likely."
Her whole party nodded respectfully and began to withdraw, turning to leave the village. Trotter smiled at a group of children that had inched toward them during their long exchange, as though they might be dangerous. When he grinned their way, they scattered, laughing. That was about Trotter's speed-- amusing children. Anastasia knew the thought was uncharitable, but she didn't like thinking she couldn't rely on him,
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