‘Me and the wife used to go there, too. Her father didn’t think too much of me.’ Mike remarked.
There was no more possibility of talk as they toiled up the hill, but Kate kept her hand in Ethan’s.
* * *
They were keeping up a punishing pace, uphill and in the darkness. But Ethan’s dark presence beside her, his hand to guide her, was helping Kate keep up with the two men.
Then the terrain levelled out, onto what seemed to be a wide causeway. Easy to traverse, it seemed a lot more likely that an elderly couple might come this way.
A sudden bark from Maisie and a quiet exclamation from Mike. ‘She’s got the scent.’
Maisie ran ahead, the lead playing out behind her, and Mike quickened his pace to follow. Ethan broke into a jog and Kate followed him, keeping her eyes on the ground in front of them, which was lit by the beam of his torch.
‘There. Up ahead...’ Ethan grabbed her hand, switching off his torch, and in the darkness Kate could see... She wasn’t quite sure what she saw. A faint glimmer, maybe, in the darkness.
‘Yes! I see it.’ Mike’s voice. Maisie had disappeared ahead of him in the darkness, but Kate could hear her short, sharp barks indicating that she was following a scent.
The grass gave way to smooth rocks, and they scrambled across them. The light was becoming stronger now, yellowish, not white l
ike the light from their torches. Mike was reeling in Maisie’s lead and Ethan led Kate across the boulders in their way, into the mouth of a small cave, the rocks around them smooth and rounded.
Kate gasped. There was a fire, well-built and burning brightly. Beside it sat an old man, and on the other side a woman was lying, covered with a couple of coats. And the man was waving a burning brand from the fire, as if to fend them off.
Maisie trotted over to Mike, sitting at his feet, and he gave her a reward from his pocket. Ethan was suddenly still, holding on to Kate’s arm to stop her from approaching the man.
‘Hello. You must be Mr Fuller.’ His voice was quiet, without any of the urgency that all three of the searchers were feeling.
‘What are you doing in my house? You’re not my son.’ Fred Fuller waved the branch ferociously, obviously confused and angry.
‘No, I’m his friend. Ethan.’
‘And is this your girl?’ Fred pointed at Kate, seeming a little mollified by Ethan’s words.
‘Yes, that’s right Mr Fuller.’ Kate smiled, disengaging herself from Ethan’s grip, and stepping forward. ‘I’m Kate.’
‘Let’s take a look at you, then.’ Fred lowered the branch, putting it down onto the rock floor of the cave.
She walked towards him, kneeling down beside him, and Fred peered at her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ethan behind her, quietly sliding the burning branch away from Fred’s reach.
‘You must be cold, Mr Fuller.’ Fred was wearing a shirt and tie, with a V-necked sweater, but his coat was covering his wife. ‘I’ve got a cup of tea.’
Fred brightened visibly. ‘Yes, we could do with a cup of tea. Eh, Edie?’
‘Is Mrs Fuller all right?’ Edie Fuller seemed to be asleep, and Ethan was working his way round to take a look at her.
‘She’s...’ Fred shrugged. ‘What’s he doing?’
‘My...boyfriend’s a doctor.’ Kate kept the subterfuge up, feeling herself blush. ‘He’s going to see if Mrs Fuller’s awake.’
‘A doctor, eh?’ Fred nodded in approval. ‘You’ve done well for yourself, girl. Don’t throw that fish back into the sea.’
Kate could feel her ears burning. But Ethan was taking advantage of Fred’s sudden interest in her love life, and taking the opportunity gently to examine Edie.
‘No, I won’t.’ She wriggled out of her backpack, opening it with one hand and pulling out the light thermal blanket. ‘Here, would you like this around your shoulders?’
‘What’s that thing?’ Fred looked at the shiny reflective blanket, pushing it away roughly. ‘Where’s my tea?’
‘In my bag. I’ve got a thermos flask.’