A finer end - Deborah Crombie [73]
So Glastonbury sank into the darkness of the Middle Ages, but Avalon lived on in the hearts of men and the Arthurian legends wove about her ancient history. Here came the knights who sought the Graal. They crossed the little River Brue by Pons Perilis, and watched all night in the little chapel at the foot of Wearyall Hill, overlooking the water, where dark temptations came to try the soul.
—DION FORTUNE,
FROM GLASTONBURY: AVALON OF THE HEART
THE YOUNG MAN looked as if he were a Greek sculpture come to life. Tall and slender, with square shoulders balancing a graceful neck, he had classically molded features and a perfectly shaped head covered with a tight cap of dark curls.
Gemma decided instantly that no one so beautiful could be entirely trustworthy. “Hullo,” she said. “You must be Nick.”
He nodded. “Who are you?”
“I’m Gemma. My … um, friend … is Jack’s cousin. We’ve come to help out.”
“Where’s Jack? I need to talk to him.” He pushed past her.
Following him into the kitchen, Gemma replied, “Gone to the hospital to see Winnie. He waited for you as long as he could.”
“Faith—”
“Upstairs. She’s just gone to sleep. Please don’t wake her.”
Nick had already turned towards the stairway corridor, but the firmness of her tone stopped him midstep. For the first time, he seemed to really look at her, and in doing so lost a little of his momentum.
“She’s had a very difficult morning, and she’s exhausted,” Gemma said, taking full advantage. “Why don’t you sit down?”
Reluctantly, he came back to the table and pulled out a chair. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that I’ve been frantic all day.”
“Faith was worried about you.”
“As soon as I could get away from work, I went looking for Garnet. I drove by the farm, but there was no sign of her van. Then I checked all round Glastonbury. I thought if I could tell Faith that Garnet was all right—”
“I’m afraid that’s not going to be possible,” Gemma said.
“What? Why not?”
“Garnet was found in her van this morning. She’s dead.”
Nick gaped at her. “But—I suppose she killed herself?”
That makes two, thought Gemma. “Why would you say that?” she asked quietly.
“Well, it seems obvious, doesn’t it? If she tried to kill Winnie, and then she felt guilty … or maybe she was afraid Faith would find out what she’d done.…”
“Would that have mattered to her so much?”
“She seems obsessed with Faith—”
“In a sexual way?”
“I—I don’t know. I don’t think so. But she is insanely jealous of her.” He scowled at Gemma, tapping his fingers on the table. “If you don’t mind me saying so, you ask a lot of questions.”
“Sorry. Bad habit.” He would find out soon enough that she was a copper, but until then she might as well make the most of her temporary anonymity. “Do I take it Garnet wasn’t fond of you?”
“Not particularly, no.” He didn’t seem eager to pursue the subject. “How did Faith take the news?”
“She was quite upset, but she’s doing better now. We do need to get her into the prenatal clinic for a checkup, though, and she won’t even consider it. I don’t suppose you have any influence …”
“Not likely.” Nick sounded bitter.
“Have you any idea why she’s so set against it?”
“I always supposed it was because Garnet discouraged it. A power thing.”
If it had been Garnet’s intention to make Faith dependent on her care, she seemed to have succeeded, mused Gemma. “Faith told me you thought Garnet had struck Winnie with her van. Why were you so sure of that?”
Nick fidgeted. “Faith said Garnet went out about the time of Winnie’s accident, and when she came back she was behaving oddly.”
“That’s not much to go on, is it? Why would Garnet have done such a thing?”
“Maybe she thought Winnie was going to convince Faith to go back to her family. Or maybe—maybe Winnie found out something that Garnet didn’t want known.” This hypothesis seemed to please the boy. “Winnie’s good at talking to people. Maybe Faith told her something.…”
“Something about Garnet? But what?”
“I don’t know.” Nick answered a little too abruptly. “Now that Garnet’s … gone, has Faith said what she means to do?