Iain Pears - Arcadia

She sat down in the shade of a high wall, mixed of crumbling stone and brick like a patchwork, and gestured for him to join her. He didn’t know how to reply, so said nothing. She was deluded, of course, but he found her certainty impressive nonetheless. It was so strange to have someone patiently waiting for something which, if it ever happened, would only take place long after they were dead.

‘What if you are wrong?’

‘Then we would have tried.’

‘You know they may have decided to wipe you out entirely this time?’

‘Of course. If not this time, then next time. We have known it was coming for many years. It won’t succeed, any more than past campaigns did. We have prepared, as you see. We will vanish from sight, hide away and wait. When they lose interest again, we will emerge once more. Are they really so fragile a few hundred thousand like me can bring their world to its knees? I wish we could.’

‘That is why they pursue you.’

‘Come along. Let’s get to work.’

‘Doing what?’

She smiled. ‘Digging carrots, of course. Do you think we offer hospitality for free?’

A few hours later Emily took a break, leaving a red-faced and aching Jack to lean on his shovel and get his breath back, then returned looking pleased with herself.

‘We have managed to establish contact with Dr Hanslip for you. We thought it might be useful.’

Jack followed her to the main building and politely took off the boots he had borrowed so that he would not get mud all over the brilliantly shiny stone floor of the entrance. Then he surreptitiously paused by the big fireplace for a moment to warm his hands.

Emily pointed accusingly and laughed. ‘Weak and feeble man!’ she said, but with a tone of what sounded almost like affection in her voice.

When he was ready, she led him along a dark corridor to another room. ‘You, no doubt, would sneer if I told you this was our communications centre,’ she said, as she opened the door and gestured for him to go in.

‘Perhaps,’ he said.

There was nothing in it except a chair, a desk and couple of antique machines that looked as though they had been salvaged from a scrap heap.

‘Well, it is,’ she said. ‘So sneer away.’

‘What’s that?’ he said, pointing at what was on the desk.

‘That is a telephone. We discovered long ago that the whole of Britain — the whole world, probably — was covered in copper cables before technology made them redundant. It was too expensive to dig them up, so they were left underground and forgotten. We patiently mapped out where they were and worked out which ones were still serviceable and how to use them. They’re not monitored, because they haven’t been used for so long. Fortunately, at the moment we can use more conventional means. While the telephone has a romantic air to it, it doesn’t actually work very well.’

She laughed as she saw the relief crossing his face, then pulled out a perfectly ordinary communicator and handed it to him.

‘There you are.’

‘Hello?’ Jack said tentatively once he had taken it from her.

‘Yes. More?’ came the crackly but distinct voice of Hanslip at the other end. ‘Where are you?’

‘It would perhaps be better if I did not say,’ Jack replied. ‘I am being pursued by Oldmanter, I believe.’

‘I am aware of that. We have been surrounded up here and warrants issued for my arrest.’

‘What charges?’

‘Does it matter? He is more impatient than I thought. We cannot possibly hold out for long if he decides to attack.’

‘Has there been any fighting?’

‘Not yet. Just threats, but that won’t last. I need that data, Mr More. It is the only defence which might offer some protection.’

‘In that case, I have good news. I’ve found it.’

There was a sigh of relief from the other end.

‘I am having it examined at the moment. It was disguised exceptionally well. If I can figure out how it was done, I might be able to find out who helped to do it—’

‘Don’t bother.’

‘Why not?’

‘You will discover it really is as old as it looks. It pains me to say it, but I am afraid Angela was correct. The phenomenon we have discovered is indeed time travel, not transit.’

‘So what do you want me to do with it now?’

‘If it wasn’t for the fact that my life and freedom depended on it, I’d tell you to stick it on a fire.’

‘Do you want me to bring it to you?’

‘You’d never make it through Oldmanter’s forces. Keep it safe and hidden. I will come to you. Just make absolutely certain that it does not fall into Oldmanter’s hands. That is the most important thing of all. If he uses it...’

‘Why would he, if it’s as dangerous as you say?’

‘Orthodoxy says it is impossible.’

‘We have evidence.’

‘Do we? The more evidence we produce, the more he will take it as proof only of fraud. I can’t blame him. I did the same.’

Then he was gone.

‘Well, well. After all that.’

‘What?’ Emily asked; she had discreetly stood outside during the conversation.

‘He nearly told me just to burn it.’

‘So what are we meant to do with it?’

‘Hide it, keep it safe.’ He stretched and looked out of the window. ‘There are places I can go where no one will find me, and you will not have to be associated with whatever crime Old-manter decides I have committed.’

She nodded. ‘It’s a bit late to set off now. Stay tonight and leave in the morning. We can take you part of the way, if you wish.’

When they were all prepared to leave and make their way to Willdon, the little group stood at the edge of the camp to make their farewells. Rosalind and Antros — who had offered to go as hostage in exchange for Catherine — were to be accompanied by Pamarchon, who said he wanted to make sure they were safe on the journey.

‘Well,’ he said to Jay, who had come to wish them luck, ‘when you arrived I did not think that you would play such an important part in my life,’ he said. ‘I congratulate you on your intervention. It showed learning and wisdom in equal measure.’

‘Thank you, but I now think it is a lunatic scheme. It can’t possibly work.’

‘It is worth trying. From my point of view I gain nothing if Gontal becomes the new Lord. So I will throw the dice. I have naught to lose except my life, which I value little, but if I win, I win...’

‘Willdon.’

‘No! No, young student, a thousand times no! That is worth even less to me. I was going to say that I win back my name and my liberty, except that now I want a prize more valuable still.’

‘Do you really mean to tell me you wouldn’t grasp Willdon in both hands if you could?’

‘I can think of nothing I want less. It is beautiful, but nothing to me. I never had happiness there, nor do I have fond memories of it. If there was someone — good, reliable, true — who would take it from me, I would hand it over readily and be the happiest man in the world.’ He smiled. ‘You will not believe me, I am sure. So I will say no more. I will return probably tomorrow afternoon. Then I will have to prepare myself for whatever is to come.’

Antros and two others acted as scouts as they walked, while Rosalind and Pamarchon fell back, talking so intensely that they almost forgot where they were going. Several times Antros had to turn and gesture for them to be quiet, as their voices and laughter threatened discovery. Both were in a state of enchantment. They had never talked to each other properly before, not openly and honestly. They loved each other — the way their hearts fluttered demonstrated that — but did not know each other. For once Pamarchon, who had learned to be cautious and guarded, spoke freely in a way he could not do even with Antros. And Rosalind responded, no longer afraid of saying the wrong thing or of not being liked.