The Magus of Hay(118)

‘And you still came?’

‘She particularly asked me not to tell you what she’d said about you. But, let’s say I think you might be quite surprised if I did.’

A rabbit – no, a hare – lolloped out of the farthest hedge, actually towards them, and stopped, becoming a silhouette that might have been a small standing stone, in the centre of the field. Claudia watched it, smiling faintly.

‘I’m not going to say anything as obvious as that’s Peter, come to see what we’re doing.’

The hare didn’t move.

Merrily said, ‘You think something’s happened here?’

‘I think there might have been a burglary.’

‘In the house?’

‘Not exactly. I’ve had a bit of a dilemma, bit of conscience-searching. I’ve obviously not been very careful. ’

‘Letting yourself be seen.’

I’m hoping Bliss will be discreet.’

‘He can be. When he has to.’

‘In return for which I told him I’m prepared to be less than discreet and talk about what was happening here. He wants me to talk about it to you, as someone who might be able to process it. And maybe so he can legitimately deny all knowledge of it if things get difficult for him.’

‘Blimey. Have you really only known him a couple of days?’

‘I’ve known other detectives. Ask me what you think he needs to know.’

‘You were close,’ Merrily said, ‘to Peter Rector?’

‘Thought I was. When he turned ninety, I offered him an apartment in my far-too-big house, with the use of a large reception room and an outbuilding for his temple. Seemed such a perfect solution to his increasing fear of infirmity that I was quite offended, at first, when he refused. I didn’t realize, then, why he couldn’t leave here. There were things I didn’t know about him for a long time. Things I probably still don’t know. More like a revered great-uncle, shall we say, than a grandfather.’

Merrily watched the sun fall behind Hay, which, viewed across empty fields, at this time, in this light, looked like some impossibly romantic medieval settlement.

‘And is this about his… last redemptive project?’

‘If you know about that,’ Claudia said, ‘you didn’t get it from Athena.’

‘You’re right.’

‘Merrily – can I call you that?’ Claudia bit her lower lip. ‘I think we’re walking around one another, probably unnecessarily. But feel free to take out that cross again and wave it in my face.’

‘All right, I don’t know what the project is.’

‘Thank you. Athena’s in a difficult situation. She’s charged with making sure it doesn’t collapse. That’s what Peter wants. How discreet are you, Merrily? Are you bound to report to your Bishop?’

‘I’m on holiday.’ Merrily looked over her shoulder towards the castle mound and the church of St Mary, Cusop. ‘And I’m guessing we have a few minutes before Bliss gets here.’

‘Or a little more if he wants to give us time to connect, which I suspect he does. From my point of view, while I don’t go out of my way to conceal my private interest, I’d rather nothing appeared in the papers. If only because I don’t want any tedious jokes from young solicitors about magicking an acquittal.’

‘I can see you wouldn’t.’

‘I’m an initiate,’ Claudia said, ‘in an order of ceremonial magicians. A neophyte with aspirations.’

‘What kind of initiate?’

‘You mean white or black?’



‘I doubt it’s ever that simple. Why do you do it?’

‘I’m guessing you don’t want the offensive answer about Christianity, as practised in this country, no longer satisfying people’s spiritual needs.’

‘Doesn’t offend me, Claudia. If we provided much of a buzz any more, congregations wouldn’t be going down the toilet. What’s the non-offensive answer?’

‘It’s also an intelligent, challenging, demanding… escape. Into myself. Been meditating since my teens, and this is what comes next if you don’t want to get into some incomprehensible eastern discipline. It’s been wonderful for turning the mind into a blank screen, increasing one’s powers of focus and concentration and… other useful skills. Now, I know for a fact, for example, when someone’s lying to me in court.’

Claudia slotted her heels into the bottom bar of the gate and hauled herself up to sit on the top.

‘But they’re just side-benefits, really. Using peripheral skills to try and become superhuman in a world of ordinary humans, or to score points or make money is… bad karma, if you want to put it like that. Am I gaining your confidence at all, Merrily?’