Daedalus
Rupert Dewhurst-Hobb, grandson to Admiral Bertram, British war hero and thief. I am Daedalus.’
Rupert looked up from the bare bench to which he had been dragged from the room where he had spent the half hour since his arrival at Druid’s Rock. He was in a dimly-lit chamber, sparsely furnished, with narrow, lead-lined windows. Before him was a large desk behind which sat the hook-nosed monk. On the wall behind the monk was a chilling, unmistakeable image. Adolf Hitler.
‘My grandfather was not a thief.’
Daedalus raised his eyes slowly until they looked into Rupert’s. They had a cold intensity that Rupert found very intimidating. He looked away. ‘Your Grandfather and the traitor Kraus stole something that was not theirs.’
‘Which you and your friends had stolen in the first place. I have read about you and what the Nazis did on the net. Looting, murder, racial hatred.’
‘Ah the obsession of you young people with your internet! So reputable a source of truth that any numbskull can, how do you say ‘blog’ any claptrap they like on it without fear of retribution. Absence of talent or intellect is no longer a hindrance.’ Daedalus leaned back into his high, leather chair.
‘You deny what the Nazis did? You deny the holocaust?’
‘I deny nothing. I am proud of what I have done in my life and loyal to the cause. You call it a holocaust. That is but one perspective. I call it a cleansing. I merely say that the lessons of history suggest there are lies, damned lies and statistics.’
‘So the murder of six million Jews is just a statistic that could be acceptable when viewed from another “perspective”?’
‘Certainly. Murder is an emotive term.’
‘You make me sick.’
‘The weak have no stomach for these matters.’ He stood up suddenly. ‘Luckily for mankind, there are those of us who are stronger. It was a Frenchman, Rousseau who said ‘If a man’s will is out of keeping with the general “will’’ then he must be forced to be free. I am a soldier of the general, free will.’
‘What gives you the right to decide how other people shall live or die? My Grandpa was worth a hundred of you! He fought for freedom, so that people did not have to live their lives afraid of monsters like Hitler … and you.’
‘You believe your country allows you freedom? How perfectly naïve … but then I have not the time to debate with a small, ignorant boy. The gold … where is it?’
‘I don’t know what you are talking about.’
There was a sudden rattle of rain against the window. Daedalus came slowly and deliberately round the desk and leaned on the edge in front of Rupert. He bent down until his face was inches from Rupert’s own and Rupert could feel his breath. When he spoke, it was barely a whisper. ‘Your grandfather left you a message. Don’t insult my intelligence by denying it. You will now tell me what was the message?’
Rupert swallowed hard and gritted his teeth. He must try and delay to give the others time to find him. ‘Your friend John Sky – and he is your friend, isn’t he? – locked me up before I had a chance to even find it. Bright of him, wasn’t it?’
‘So you do not have the message. Who then does? Your friends?’
Rupert tried desperately not to betray a sudden fear for the others. ‘No, no! It is hidden it away.’
‘Where?’ snapped the monk, viciously.
‘I don’t know.’ He looked defiantly at Daedalus. ‘It’s hidden, remember?’
The hooked nose twitched. ‘You are very spirited for one so young. But I will have my answer. Perhaps we shall have to bring a little … pressure to bear.’ He gave Rupert a chilling look.
Rupert went rigid, his heart thumping. He had no idea what Daedalus was going to do but was certain that it would not be a pleasant experience. He wrung his hands together. They were clammy with sweat. Abruptly, the old monk got up and walked out of the room.
‘Take him back to his room,’ he barked at a monk standing outside the door.
* * *
‘Are you okay, Becks?’ Laura wore a concerned expression on her face. Returning from the chapel, they had flopped in front of the fireplace in the sitting room. Gaston had appeared briefly to inform them, most distractedly, that Rachel and Guinevere had left earlier in the day, having decided to get away for a couple of days to visit relatives.
He had not noticed Rupert’s absence, seeming preoccupied with the responsibility of having to run the farm on his own. There was no sign of Sky. Rebecca had sat down, lost in thought, with the old parish volumes unopened on her lap. She gave a short laugh.
‘I’m fine … actually … no I’m not. This whole business is scary, we are way out of our depth. There are people at work here who are … really bad … evil. God, Laura! Nazis for heaven’s sake! Rupert has been taken off we don’t know where, with we don’t know whom doing we don’t know what to him. These are people who thought nothing of bricking a man up, alive. And then …’
‘What?’ asked Laura.
‘Dead men, troubled in their graves by violation of their last wishes, revisiting the earth to punish the perjured and avenge the oppressed.’
‘Eh?’
‘Jane Eyre, look never mind. I … I saw something, saw and heard some things.’ Rebecca looked quickly at her friend for a moment, then looked away.
‘What things?’
‘I never told you everything about when I was in Scotland. I … you really are not going to believe this.’
‘What?’
‘I met somebody from the past, somebody who spoke to me.’
Laura sat up in astonishment.
‘You mean … somebody … dead? A … ghost?’
‘Oh God, it’s ridiculous! NO! … Yes, I suppose … it didn’t seem like that. They were there, they were real …’ She paused and looked at Laura closely. ‘You don’t believe me, do you?’
‘Yes, of course I do, it’s just … Becks, it’s just a bit difficult to imagine.’
‘I think it’s happening again.’
‘WHAT? What have you seen?’
‘I … I don’t know. Look, forget I said anything, it’s probably just my wild and vivid imagination, as Uncle Henry would say.’
‘What is the plan tomorrow, then, McOwan?’ Drew sailed into the room, his arrival a welcome distraction for Rebecca.
‘I’m glad you asked me that,’ said Rebecca, smiling sweetly at him. Laura bit her lip. She would have to wait for another opportunity to quiz Rebecca.