Part 27 (1/2)

Beckett settled back in his chair 'Secret death squad, set up to wipe the hosszu eletek from the face of the planet Froood job' He chuckled 'Unless you know so I don't'

'And they're still in existence today'

'Ha Battle re-enactors probably You kno it goes with this kind of thing'

'I'd like to see the scroll again'

'Yes, of course' Beckett blinked, looked over at Charles 'Sorry?'

'The scroll The one you showed me yesterday'

The acade?'

'The Royal Decree'

'Charles, frankly, I' a bit old and a bit slow Iabout I was here all day yesterday'

'I arden'

'With o there in the depths of winter You think cats are bad Tryabout the place'

Charles felt his chest tightening 'Patrick, when did you last see Nicole?'

'Who?' The academic scratched his head 'Is this so to his feet, Charles sprinted through the flat, down the flight of stairs and out into the street

Nicole was lying on the bed, a crocheted pillow in her arms, when the back door slammed and Charles called out her na up the stairs and when the door to the bedroom opened, she rolled over and smiled at him

He looked terrible For the first time since she'd known him, he hadn't shaved And his eyes looked different Haunted

'Hi' He stared down at her, and then he noticed the journal propped open on the bed: European Folklore and Mythology 'You've read it, then'

She shrugged 'Curiosity got the better of ets us all'

'Are you OK?'

He shut the door and cas'

She patted the covers 'I think we probably do'

'Nicole-' His voice cracked He sat down, his head bowed

'Charles, are you crying?'

Wiping his eyes, he shook his head

'What is it?' She propped herself up on one ar?'

'NicoleMy God, Nicole However did I have the good grace to find you?'

'Overwheled him on to the bed

'If I ever lost you-'

'You came spectacularly close'

'Do you really want to stay here?' he asked 'In Oxford?'

'Don't you?'

He sighed, touched her face 'I love you soit sometimes, but I know you do Come here'

She pulled him to her And then, for the first ti naked in his arms, Nicole reflected just how much she had missed their closeness She had never seen him cry, had never seen him so vulnerable It troubled her She wondered what had caused it

Stirring, Charles rolled on to his side and stared into her eyes 'I'll do whatever you want'

She reached out a hand, ruffling his hair 'I'reat Professor Meredith, prostrate before rant my every whim'

'I'm serious Whatever you want' He looked over at the bedside table, where the diaries of her ancestors lay in a pile 'What are those?'

Nicole sed not to jerk away from him Hoped that her face did not betray her 'Just soasp for air, forcing herself instead to take a measured breath, she studied his face the line of his jaw, the sagging skin at his throat, his bushy eyebrows, matted hair

And then, as calmly as she could, Nicole rose naked from the bed She felt his eyes on her body as she pulled on her dressing gown When she turned back to hi to make some coffee,' she said

'I'll join you'

Nicole went out into the hall She blotted two tears from her eyes

Don't let him see Don't let him suspect

Was Charles dead? Was it already too late? Down the hall to the landing Down a twisting flight of stairs to the lobby Through to the kitchen, where she filled the kettle, plugged it in and turned to see that the ht not be had followed her into the roo, she opened a cupboard and ree Spooned grains into the cafetiere Fue Dropped it