The guests seemed reluctant to leave after the demonstration. But Nepath assured them all that he would be in touch directly to discuss with them the opportunities the incredible material offered them in their own lines of business. Grant watched it all through a kind of mist. His mind was racing, trying to take in what he had seen and assimilate it, trying to assess the possibilities.
Finally, it seemed that only Grant was left with Nepath and Lord Urton. He realised they were waiting, expecting a comment.
Grant cleared his throat. 'Very impressive,' he conceded. 'I've, well I've never seen anything like it. Though I have to confess...' His voice trailed away.
'Yes?' Nepath prompted.
'Well, I fail to see how this substance, remarkable though it is, can be relevant to my own field of interest. To military procurements.'
Nepath nodded slowly, as if the same idea had just struck him. 'Perhaps a more practical demonstration would help clear up that matter?'
'It would help,' Grant agreed, wondering what he had in mind.
'Good. Excellent.' Nepath clapped his hands together. He turned, almost in triumph, it seemed, to Lord Urton who stood stony*faced beside him. Then he leaned towards Grant, reaching over the ample stomach to place a hand on Grant's shoulder. 'Actually,' he confessed, 'I did anticipate your reservation. So I have taken the slight liberty of arranging such a demonstration. Tomorrow. On the moors. Colonel Wilson in command of the Engineers stationed at Ambleton has kindly agreed to help me organise it.'
'What a terrific idea. Is it open to anyone?'
Nepath gaped. For a moment he was frozen in surprise in front of Grant. It was obvious that he too had forgotten that they were not alone. Grant turned in time to see the Doctor rising from his armchair and grinning across the room at them.
'Doctor.' Nepath's voice was low, edged with anger and a hint of something darker. 'I regret that it will be a private demonstration. Military security, national interest. I'm sure you understand.'
'I think I'm beginning to.' The Doctor's voice was also low. 'Thank you for a fascinating time. I feel I have learned a lot.' Suddenly his manner brightened. 'Though I'm happy to report that you didn't quite manage to tempt me to part with any money.'
'No.' Nepath's voice was level, almost toneless. 'No I didn't, did I?' He took a step towards the Doctor. Somehow, Grant thought, the gesture seemed threatening. 'Goodbye, Doctor.'
'Au revoir,' the Doctor replied amiably. He gave a brief wave, and turned to leave.
'Oh, Doctor?' Nepath called after him, his tone lighter now.
'Yes?'
'Here. Catch.'
Nepath threw something to the Doctor, who caught it easily and held it up. It was the small piece of the dark material he had examined earlier. Grant could see that it was once again perfectly spherical, returned to the form the Doctor had moulded.
'A souvenir,' Nepath explained. 'I would hate you to depart empty handed.'
'How kind,' the Doctor said. He seemed genuinely grateful. 'Something to remember you by.' He gave a quick nod of his head by way of farewell, then he was gone.
Nepath watched the empty doorway for several moments before he returned his attention to Grant. 'Tomorrow then, Sir William,' he said. 'Colonel Wilson will call for you and bring you to the test area.'
'Thank you.'
Nepath glanced back towards the door. 'By then, he said quietly, 'we should be ready to discuss business without further distractions or interruptions.'
Grant waited. But Nepath seemed to have finished. He strode from the room without another word, leaving Grant standing alone with Lord Urton.
'Robert,' Grant said, wondering how to phrase his question. 'Robert, is everything... you know? All right?'
Lord Urton met his concerned look. Grant could see the firelight reflected deep within Urton's eyes, flickering as if behind the irises. 'Everything's fine,' Urton said. His voice was empty and dead.
Grant hesitated. Suddenly he felt very hot. He slid a sweaty finger round his damp collar. 'Good.' he said. 'Good. And Eloise is well?'
Urton held out his hand. 'Everything's fine,' he repeated.
Grant took hold of Urton's hand and shook it. He felt Urton's grip tight on his own damp, pudgy hand. A grip like stone.
Chapter Ten.
Firing Test Professor Dobbs was tired after the long return journey. He gratefully accepted the cup of tea that Betty Stobbold gave him. There was a good fire burning in the drawing room of the Rectory and he sat for a while, alone and silent, watching the patterns the flames threw against the black of the chimney.
When Stobbold came in, he was good enough to sit quietly alongside the Professor, not disturbing his thoughts.
'It is kind of you to extend your hospitality to me once again,' Dobbs told him at last.
Stobbold smiled by way of reply. A sympathetic, understanding smile. 'You are always welcome. Though I am not certain I know why you would want to return.'
'Unfinished business. Isn't that so, Professor?' The Doctor was across the room in a moment, sinking himself into the sofa across from Dobbs. 'And I shall be glad of your help.'
Stobbold frowned at the Doctor, but Dobbs shook his head. 'The Doctor is right,' he said. 'Unfinished business. Like the Doctor, I believe there was more to poor Alistair's death than a freak lightning bolt, whatever the coroner may have decided.'
'Good for you.' The Doctor rubbed his hands together happily. Then, abruptly, his face fell and his expression hardened. 'I'm sorry,' he said quietly, 'how was the funeral?'
Dobbs turned back to the fire. For a while he watched the flames again dancing and flickering. 'Hardly the best way to say one's farewells,' he said. 'But an opportunity for friends and family to air their grief.'
Stobbold leaned across and put his hand on Dobbs's shoulder. 'The grief will pass. Treasure his memory, while it is fresh. He will always be with you, in your mind, but the pain will ease as he retreats and waits for you to search for him. When you need him.'
Dobbs drew a deep breath. 'I shall miss him. He was infuriating, he was so naive. He had such a lot still to learn.'
'As do we all,' the Doctor said.
Dobbs swallowed and pulled himself together. With an effort he swung round to face his friends. Stobbold let go of his shoulder and sat back. 'Unfinished business,' Dobbs said again. 'I too am learning. I am learning to keep a more open mind. To inquire and not to assume.'
The Doctor was nodding, his eyes bright and interested.
'I am open to the possibilities,' Dobbs said to the Doctor, 'All I ask is that we stop this... whatever it is. Before anyone else suffers. Or dies.
Stobbold looked from Dobbs to the Doctor and back. 'What do you mean?' he asked quietly. 'What is going on here?'
'I wish I knew,' the Doctor said simply. 'But the Professor here is right. There are forces at work, evil afoot. Death is approaching.'
Stobbold snorted, a sudden laugh of surprise. 'You exaggerate. surely.'
'Do I?' The Doctor leaned forward, eyes wide and hard as rock. 'I don't know what it is, not yet. But we stand on the brink of the abyss. And while Professor Dobbs's sentiments are laudable, I fear it is already too late to prevent the death and the destruction. All we can hope to do is to stem the flow, to hold back the forces of darkness.'
'A powerful speech, Doctor,' Stobbold said quietly.
'Thank you.' He seemed pleased with the comment. nodding appreciatively 'But by your own admission, you don't really know what is happening here. If anything.'
'True.' He seemed amused now.
'So how do we find out?' Dobbs asked.
'Ah!' The Doctor leaped to his feet. 'That is the question. And believe I have a lead or two that might help to define the problem' He stood directly in front of Stobbold, staring down at him with a sudden intensity. 'You know the moorland round here, Reverend.'
'Well...'
'Well, where would you hold a test? A secret test that you did not want anyone to oversee or overhear? There can't be many areas that are remote enough from the roads and distant enough from Middletown, Ambleton and Branscombe*sub*Edge yet still readily accessible for such an exercise.' He shuffled from foot to foot as he spoke, as if already impatient for the answer.
'There are a couple of possible areas,' Stobbold said thoughtfully.' Let me get a map.'
Several minutes later the three of them were hunched over the maps spread across the dining room table. Stobbold pointed out several areas that he said were secluded yet accessible with equipment. Betty brought them a tray of tea, standing between the Doctor and her father as she watched their deliberations. She was quiet and withdrawn, offering no comment.
'Did I drop that?' the Doctor asked suddenly. 'How careless.' He reached out and Betty returned to him the shiny black cube that she was holding.
Her face creased into a frown as he put the cube back in his pocket.
'I've had it for years,' the Doctor said. 'A souvenir. Perhaps.' He smiled, tilting his head to one side. 'Thank you for the tea.'
'You're welcome, Doctor.' She returned his smile, then turned and left them to it.
'She seems a little...' Dobbs was not altogether sure what he wanted to say.
Stobbold nodded and gave a sigh. 'Since her birthday. She's growing up. Really growing up. She has had to cope with so much that I think maybe it's a bit of a shock to her to find she's still got a way to go.'
'A never*ending process,' the Doctor agreed. 'So you think this is the best spot?' He jabbed a finger at one of the points Stobbold had indicated on the map.
'I would say so,' he agreed. 'But what exactly have you in mind?'
The Doctor seemed surprised. He stood upright and slapped his palm across his chest. 'Me?'
'This test you spoke of,' Dobbs reminded him. 'I confess I am intrigued too.'
The Doctor gave a short laugh. He recovered his more serious composure immediately. 'Oh, it's not my test,' he admitted. 'I have no idea what's going on.'
'I beg your pardon?' Stobbold faced the Doctor, gripping his lapels.
'No, no, no. Nepath has arranged some sort of demonstration for tomorrow morning. With the army.'
'In secret?' Dobbs asked.
The Doctor nodded.
'And you intend to spy on them?' Stobbold's voice was as stern as his expression.
The Doctor smiled back at him. 'Of course. We have to know what's going on.'
'Jolly good, Doctor,' Dobbs agreed, clapping his hands together. 'That's the spirit, take the action to the enemy.' He paused and thought for a moment. 'I assume they are are the enemy?' the enemy?'
'This is how we find out,' the Doctor told him.
Stobbold was shaking his head. 'I cannot allow this,' he said. 'I really cannot countenance such surreptitious means to obtain information.'
'What?' The Doctor seemed scandalised. 'You can't?' He stood absolutely still for a moment, then said: 'All right.'
'All right?' Stobbold repeated, disbelieving.
The Doctor nodded. 'All right,' he said again. 'We'll go without you. Won't we, Professor?'
'But, Doctor Professor...' Stobbold objected.
Dobbs met his gaze. 'The Doctor is right,' he said. 'Any means are justified if we are to prevent this calamity that he describes.'
'Describes?' Stobbold was barely holding his anger in check. 'He describes nothing, nothing of substance. All we have are some suspicions that everything is not as it should be and a mysterious death.' He paused, making an obvious effort to control his emotion. 'I feel for your loss, Professor. But is this sort of underhand and dishonest action warranted? This prying into the private affairs of others, perhaps of the nation itself, justified?'
They both turned back to the Doctor for an answer. But he was once again leant over the map, his finger tapping thoughtfully on the location they had agreed.
Since the Doctor had no idea what time the demonstration was due to take place, they arrived just before dawn. As the light spread across the shallow dip of the secluded moorland, the Doctor pointed to a low ditch that ran across the ground at the edge of the concealed area. The angle of the ground was such that from beyond the ditch it would be difficult to see into the shallow basin where they hoped the demonstration might take place. A long, low ridge framed the far side of the area.
Dobbs drew his coat tightly about him in the frosty air and settled down beside the Doctor. It might, he knew, be a long wait. And that was assuming they were overlooking the correct location.
'Let's hope they aren't intending to watch their demonstration from this ditch,' the Doctor said brightly.
Dobbs grunted a reply. He was cold, and the ice in the bottom of the ditch was melting under his freezing feet to produce slippery mud. Everywhere he looked he saw snow. 'How long do we give it before we decide we're in the wrong place?' he asked.
'Not long,' the Doctor reassured him. 'Military men are early risers.'
'Are you sure?'
'Oh yes.' So saying, he lay back in the ditch and closed his eyes.
An hour later, the Doctor had not moved and Dobbs was getting cramp. He shuffled his position, trying to stretch out his leg and ease the building pain.
'Keep still,' the Doctor hissed. 'Here they come.' His eyes were still tight shut.
'How can you tell?' Dobbs whispered, trying to bend his toes within his boot.
'Can't you hear them?' The Doctor's eyes snapped open and he eased himself up on his elbows to peer over the top of the ditch.