Doctor Who_ Nightshade - Mark Gatiss [53]
thrown a long scarf around his neck, enjoying the Instead, she thought about the nameless excitement she undercurrent of Christmas which bubbled within him.
was experiencing. The gentle sound of Robin’s breathing Bay-windowed shops glittered with antiques and wooden sent a tingle of pleasure coursing through her. She could toys, motley collections of old ship’s instruments, Victorian hear the ticking of his eyelashes and knew that he was as dolls, angels, rocking horses and merry-go-rounds.
wide awake as she.
It was like some childhood ideal, he thought to himself,
‘I know this sounds a terrible cliche...’ Robin announced grinning in excitement: a composite of Dickens, John suddenly.
Masefield and C. S. Lewis, resonant of a kind of Christmas Ace put her hands behind her head. ‘Try me.’
he had never known yet seemed to remember all the same.
‘You’re not like any other girl I know.’
His reflection, tall, tanned and good-looking, stared back Ace barked a laugh.
at him from every window.
‘Sorry,’ he grinned.
He’d eaten well, drunk just a little too much and stumbled
‘No. Don’t apologise. I like you too.’ There was a deep to his hotel through streets bunched so close together the and satisfying silence.
buildings on either side almost touched. There was a frost ring sparkling around the moon and the distant, brassy 148
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music of a Salvation Army band drifted towards him. He
‘Edmund Trevithick,’ he announced to himself. ‘Born 12
had wished everyone and anyone a very merry Christmas.
May 1898. Educated Repton School, blah, blah...’
He turned a page and pulled out a couple of photographs of the young Trevithick.
‘No formal training. Joined Acton Rep. 1923. Went to Hollywood in the thirties. Came back for WWII.
Distinguished Service Medal.’ Medway pulled a face, surprised.
‘Films include: Flames of Passion (1946), Sword of Araby (1949), The Man from the Ministry (1951), There’s Someone in My Trousers! (1965). Best known for his TV work in the last years of his career, especially the popular Nightshade serials (1953-58). Retired in 1966. Family: Married Margaret (d. 1956), one daughter Paula (d. 1967) and granddaughter.’
Medway closed the file, put the car into gear and reversed into the misty street.
When the confirmation had come from Jill Mason he’d Now it was Christmas Eve and he had woken early, watched some of the old man’s work. Nightshade he crisscrossing his hands behind his head and listening remembered well, of course, but he was most impressed by intently to the peal of bells.
Trevithick’s tremendous output of television plays and his When he found the car, it was rimed with frost and he delightful sparring with Gilbert Harding on What’s My Line?
had scraped away at the windscreen with a little plastic All in all, he was rather looking forward to the interview.
spade until it was clear.
It would certainly bring a touch of excitement into the old He let the car tick over for a while, warm air blasting boy’s retirement.
through the interior, and took out a brand-new map from the glove compartment.
Edmund Trevithick picked up his umpteenth glass of Crook Marsham was six miles to the west. Shouldn’t take whiskey with a shaky hand. Early light blotched the him long. Time for a nice leisurely breakfast in the village taproom carpet in pools of milky blue.
before he made his way to the - what was it called? - the Lowcock and Lawrence Yeadon lay sleeping in the Dalesview Residential Home.
positions they had assumed upon entering The Shepherd’s Medway switched on the windscreen wiper and pulled Cross the previous night. Both had collapsed as if utterly out Trevithick’s file from his briefcase.
exhausted, causing grave concern amongst the remaining 150
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customers. They had fallen into a deep sleep, resisting all Lawrence did too. He almost lost control of the car. We attempts to get