Part 6 (2/2)

'My apologies, Mr -'

'Doctor,' corrected the Doctor.

A glint of recognition crossed the man's face. 'Ah, the Doctor. Forgive me, but you have changed.'

'Yes,' said the Doctor. 'Most things do, given time.'

Ace stared at her cola sourly. As she had suspected, Matson - 'Call me Bob' - had refused to serve her a lager. 'It's the law, miss.'

'You don't even know how old I am,' Ace had replied.

Bob Matson had grinned lasciviously. 'I wouldn't dare to speculate.'

And so Ace sat and tore a beer mat into tiny pieces, avoiding the odd looks she was getting from the other patrons. When a hand rested on her shoulder she turned quickly, ready to deck someone.

'h.e.l.lo,' said a young woman, flinching at the anger in Ace's face. Ace relaxed, and the woman smiled. 'It's not just an age thing. I'm sure he thinks women in general shouldn't drink.'

'Strange att.i.tude for a publican,' said Ace. 'And you are?'

The woman extended her hand. 'I'm Rebecca Baber. I teach in the local school.'

'I don't like teachers,' said Ace sullenly.

'You should try working with them.' She shrugged disarmingly.

'When I was at school I didn't like teachers either.'

'What went wrong?'

'I decided I wanted long holidays. I wish I'd known then how busy I'd be.'

'My heart bleeds for you,' said Ace.

'Don't be cynical, or I'll start confusing you with the locals.

Your name's Ace, right?'

'Word travels fast.'

'It does in a place like this. It can come back to you before you think you've finished.' She shrugged. 'Can I buy you a drink?'

That man won't serve me what I want.' Ace stared at her gla.s.s as if she'd been offered hemlock.

'We'll sort something out,' said Rebecca. She strode to the bar, ordered a c.o.ke and a lager, a.s.sured Matson that the latter wasn't for the girl, and then motioned to Ace to find a table outside.

Once seated, and safe from Bob Matson's prying eyes, she swapped the drinks around. 'There you go. You look old enough to enjoy this.'

Ace sipped the lager eagerly.

'Anyway, its biblical,' continued Rebecca.

'What is?'

'A little wine for your stomach. St Paul's advice to Timothy, I think. And this is the modern equivalent.'

Ace looked at the schoolteacher suspiciously. 'You're not a Christian, are you? You didn't buy me this as a way of showing that Jesus loves me?' Ace could think of few things worse than a Christian teacher - except possibly one who wore sandals.

'Good gracious, no,' said Rebecca. 'My dad's a vicar, though. It's amazing what you pick up.'

'As the actress said to the archbishop.'

'Indeed.' Rebecca looked around her, at the shadows lengthening across the green and groups of people sitting at the pub's tables. 'What brings you here?'

'Research.'

'Really? That'll go down like a brick in Hexen Bridge.'

'Yeah, I can imagine.'

Rebecca paused. 'Do you fancy coming over for lunch or something tomorrow?'

'Suppose so.'

'You could do with some time away from the Green Man, and I could do with some company. I'm swamped by homework at the moment - I'm not in Hexen Bridge most weekends.'

'I didn't think anyone left Hexen Bridge.'

'Well,' said Rebecca, 'it's the only way I can stay sane.'

Ace nodded. 'This is such a weird place.'

'Ten times as weird if you were born here,' said Rebecca.

'Is that why everyone hates the Chens?' asked Ace.

'Not everyone hates the Chens.'

<script>