Part 28 (2/2)
”About graves?”
”A little.”
”Is it going to be a frightening book?”
”I hope nota more suspenseful.”
She stroked the dog's head. He sat with his ears flat to his head, looking unhappy.
”How long will you be now, Dad?”
”Not long. I'm just going to make a few notes.” As he slipped his holdall from his shoulder he turned his back on Elizabeth.
He'd intended to walk up here alone this evening, leave the red ball on the grave then go. Elizabeth's insistence that she tag along made it a little more difficult. But he'd agreed that Elizabeth could come along for the walk. Now with his daughter busy stroking the dog she wouldn't notice what he did next.
He opened the holdall, pulled out a red ball and wedged it between the s.h.i.+n of the statue and the slab of the Bowen tomb. There. Done. I've paid my duesa He fastened the bag. ”All done, Lizze. Ready for home?”
The dog responded first. In a dark blur he raced down the hill. If anything, the animal appeared to be displaying a real burning need to get out of the place.
They walked along the paths between swathes of shoulder high weeds that in turn were overhung by clumps of yew, alder and birch. John noticed Elizabeth's thoughtful expression as she looked at the headstones.
She slipped her hand into his.
”What's it like to be dead?”
”I don't know, Elizabeth.”
”Do you think it's a nice feeling?”
”It's probably like being asleep.”
She allowed her fingers to run over the smooth granite slab of a whole family who'd died of cholera a century ago.
”Do you think people know when they're dead?”
”I can't say, Lizzie.”
”It won't hurt, though. Those people in there,” she nodded at the graves, ”won't feel cold, and it won't be uncomfortable to lie in a coffin?”
He always felt uneasy when she talked about death. ”I hope Sam hasn't run too far,” he said aiming to change the subject.
”At least people won't bug you when you're dead, will they?”
”I guess not.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
A little while later they reached the break in the cemetery fence. Sam was there, waiting for them. His tale wagged, swis.h.i.+ng the gra.s.s as they walked up.
After her morbid meditation Elizabeth suddenly seemed brighter. ”Can I hold the leash, Dad?”
”Why not. Careful at the main road, though.”
John clicked the leash onto the collar and handed Elizabeth the loop to hold.
She walked a little ahead of him. The gravestones stared down at her like so many dark, fathomless eyes. And suddenly to John she seemed so fragile in a world crowded with so much danger.
CHAPTER 24.
1.
”Baby Bonesa”
”Don't start all that again, Dad. It's not nice. Here, hold my hand as you get in.” Under his breath Robert Gregory whispered, ”We wouldn't want you to slip, would we now?”
His wife called from the bedroom, ”Are you all right in there, Robert?”
”Fine, Cynthia.”
”You don't need any help?”
”No, dear. We can manage perfectly well.” He maintained the cheerful boom for her benefit. ”We're doing all right, aren't we, Dad?”
”Baby Bones.” The old man's voice was whispery. ”Has Dianne Kelly told him about Baby Bones?”
”I'm sure she did, Dad.”
Cynthia tapped on the door. It was so faint-hearted as to be barely audible over the slop of water in the bathtub. ”Robert? Do you know where the towels are? ”
”Got them right here, dear, they're warming nicely over the hot rail.”
The towel lay on the floor where he'd kicked it under the toilet bowl. He sat the old man down hard into the bathtub, the bones in his ancient b.u.t.t clicking loudly against the enamel as if there was no flesh covering them. But that was about the size of it anyway, Robert thought sourly; the old man's b.u.t.tocks looked like a pair of Savoy cabbage leaves; you couldn't find anything more wrinkled if you tried.
”Harry, there's a briefcase in-”
”I'm not Harry, Dad. I'm Robert.”
”Harry, there's a briefcase in the workshop. At the back of the cupboard. Mr. Kelly gave it to me the night he left. Make sure John Newton gets it up at the Water Mill. There are important papers in there. They'll help John Newton to-ah!”
Robert poured a jug full of cold water over Stan's head, making him gasp.
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