Part 2 (1/2)
”Only that it's exceptionally pure silver. Said it might be antique.”
Chris was pulling on her shoes. ”That gets us nowhere -he thinks that because it looks old, now. If he'd seen it Sat.u.r.day... He was sure it was silver?”
”He was sure. Told me to take it to the museum. Said it might be worth something.”
”Worth a whole lot of trouble!” Chris snorted. ”Hang on. If I'm going out, I'm putting my slacks on.”
She went up the stairs two at a time. Holly, holding her scratched and aching arms, watched in wonder. But the silver athletics cups on the sideboard caught her eye, and she smiled, thinking, She has a reputation to keep up. Tough girl.
The television occupied her until Chris returned.
At the top of Stonegate Street, looking across the Junction in the hot June suns.h.i.+ne: ”OK, where is he?”
”Over by the newsagent's. Dark hair and Levis.”
”With bare feet. I got him.” Chris unconsciously tidied her hair. ”Let's go.”
”He's seen us.” Holly waved, suddenly aware that her jeans were shabby and that she was untidy and hot. Fletcher came quick and lightfooted through the five o'clock crowds.
”h.e.l.lo, Holly. Chris. Have you the coin?”
Chris glared at Holly. ”You tell him about me?”
”Not a word,” Holly disclaimed. Then, to the boy: ”Are you going to explain? Everything?”
”Yes, but-” he was hidden for a second in the crowd, then pushed his way back to them ”-but not here, I think.”
Holly tasted the traffic's dust in her mouth. People swept round them: workers going home as the factories changed s.h.i.+fts, holidaymakers going down to the beach. She wished she could go swimming and cool down.
”The park?” she suggested, wanting clear s.p.a.ce more than anything else at that moment.
”If you wish.”
Stonegate Street and the path beside Holly's house was the quickest way down to the park. As they pa.s.sed the field a whickering neigh rang out over the hedge.
”What-?” Fletcher s.h.i.+ed away.
”It's only Strawberry. I'd've brought an apple if I'd thought.” Holly pointed to a low wooden building just visible through the greenery. ”That's her stable. She's due to foal pretty soon.”
The white mare neighed again, hearing them clatter down the hill.
There were several benches under the pines by the pond. Holly picked an unoccupied one and they sat down, Chris as far from the boy as possible-she obviously didn't trust him.
”Well?” Holly prompted.
”The coin is my father's. He is a collector and dealer in antiquities; that coin is one such.” He smiled briefly. ”I was taking it to a friend of my father's when I lost it in the Old Town-Holly, I saw you find it; but then I lost you in the crowd. It was pure luck, to find you on Highrock.”
Holly's thumbs strayed to rub the sticking-plaster on her hands. Some luck, she thought.
”And Sunday?” Chris put in, single-minded.
”That? I heard of that from a friend of mine who lives near to you. I tell you this, you are lucky nothing worse happened.
That coin has a whole history of misfortune- like certain precious gems, ill-luck follows those who possess it. Well, you saw. There was no reason for my losing it, save bad luck.”
Chris was sceptical. ”Your father don't mind bad luck?”
”He has had little-yet.”
Holly, doubtful, said, ”Is that luck bad enough to make two harmless animals attack us without provocation?”
”Hardly. It's my guess that the cat and gull were engaged in a scuffle over food, perhaps; and chanced to be scared by you-and in consequence, attack.”
Could that-? Holly grabbed for the rational explanation, but her memory denied it. They went for the coin. Both of them. On purpose.
”Why not just come and ask for it back?”
”It took me time to find you. And, you kept it Sat.u.r.day.””Accident.”
”We were not to know that; there are other collectors who would give much for it. So if I could have it back...?”
”Well-sure, I guess.” I bet his father's foreign. He sounds like a student himself. And I'm almost sure he's lying- but he might not be-I'd like to believe him-and anyway, what else can I do? She held the coin in her palm. ”Here.”
Then she stared, not hearing his exclamation. The coin was the size of a sixpence, no bigger. Three heads bent over it-it was shrinking as they watched-pea-sized, pinhead...
Gone.
Holly rubbed her thumb across her palm. A faint silver dust sifted into the air. There was nothing left of the hawk-coin she had found in South Street.
Fletcher's hand closed hard on her arm. ”It was the same one? You are sure it was the same?”
”Of course!” She twisted violently out of his grip, on her feet in an instant. Abruptly she realised he was bigger than her, older and stronger-but not faster, she thought, on edge to run.
”Wait, please. I must think. There's much in this. More than you know.” He swung round, staring away from them, unseeing.
”Let's get lost,” she whispered.
Chris stood up beside her. ”We can run any time.”
”Well... yes.” She looked out of the shade: crowds of holiday makers and rowdy children, and the blue sky burning overhead... rea.s.suring. ”If we wait, we might get the truth.”
The pines creaked above, the underside of their branches dappled with light reflected in ripples from the water. Her panic subsided. At last the boy turned back to face them.
”This changes all. The reason must be found. I admit I have lied to you; but the truth is not believable. Tamburrand -the cat-was sent to recover the coin from you; and because of the gull he failed, and attacked you. But as for who sent them...”
Holly said, ”Tell me.”
He shook his head. ”No. You will have to come with me. He will want to see you, my father Elathan, in his own place.”
”Where's that?”