Doctor Who_ The Hollow Men - Keith Topping [16]
„Oh, well, in that case...!‟
„Their last song was about a vicar‟s daughter. I thought you‟d approve!‟
She began to laugh, a throaty snigger that died away as they approached Hexen Bridge. „You‟re still the funniest man I know, Trevor,‟ she said.
„I wish you weren‟t seeing so much of Matthew,‟ announced Trevor suddenly.
For the briefest of moments it seemed that the ice-cool exterior of Rebecca Baber melted under Trevor‟s piercing gaze, and she almost lost control of the car. By the time the car steadied itself, her composure was re-established.
„Needs make for strange bedfellows,‟ she said.
„If your reasons are what I think they are,‟ began Trevor, with a look of clear concern on his face, „then he‟ll gobble you whole, chew you up, and spit out the bones.‟ He shook his head. „Just watch yourself,‟ he said.
Rebecca leaned across the car and kissed him on the cheek. „I will, my love,‟ she said, revving the engine.
„I think I could get to like this place,‟ said Ace as she and the Doctor arrived at the Green Man, the village pub. ‘Not’, she added, as much for the Doctor‟s benefit as for her own.
The Doctor seemed momentarily distracted. He was staring at the wooden sign above the door and shaking his head.
„Problem?‟ asked Ace, snapping him out of his solitary musings.
„Hmm? Oh, it‟s odd. As Steven said, they‟ve changed the name. Recently, too.‟
„Under new ownership?‟
The Doctor shrugged. Maybe. It used to be the Jack Something-or-other. Unusual name. You were saying?‟
„I was being sarcastic, Professor. A village straight out of
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, locals with a Hitler-fetish, and I‟ll bet I don‟t get served in here!‟
The Doctor chuckled. „Patterns, Ace. Connections. There is a theory that everything in the universe is connected, and that nothing can change without affecting everything else.
Haven‟t you ever read Hsi Yu Chi?’
„I must have bunked off the day we did that in English,‟
said Ace, laconically. „I‟ll tell you what, though: if the guy behind the bar says, “Don‟t get many strangers round these parts”, I‟m off!‟
The interior of the Green Man provided a welcome relief from the sticky heat of the village. With a number of curtains drawn across the windows, the only illumination was provided by the golden bars of light that slipped through gaps in the fabric and by a television above the bar. Copper pots on hooks hung from the exposed beams of the ceiling, and corn dollies and horseshoes needed in shadowy alcoves. Ace scanned the patrons for signs of trouble, but they all seemed content enough, supping cider and waiting for the cricket coverage to resume. A vague hush had fallen over the place, but that didn‟t bother Ace. Something similar had happened when she had walked into a pub in Willesden with Manisha to find she was the only white person there.
Ace turned to the Doctor, and was irritated to note that he was staring with innocent fascination at the TV screen.
„Oi, Professor, snap out of it!‟
„Look, Ace!‟ said the Doctor with a smile.
„What is that?’ asked a horrified Ace.
„These little creatures are very loving,‟ said the Doctor.
„They have a wonderful quality of life.‟
„Come off it, Professor,‟ said Ace, disgusted that the Doctor was going all soppy on her again. „It looks like Play School, with a bigger budget.‟
The Doctor nodded, sadly. „Ah, but if only we could repel alien invaders with the offer of a big hug and some tubbytoast...‟
„You‟re still just an old hippie!‟
The Doctor finally tore himself away from the television, and turned his attention to the rather stern-faced man behind the bar. He was, ostensibly, taking no interest in his new arrivals, having been casually reading a copy of the Daily Star, but Ace knew that he had been watching every move.
„Good day,‟ said the Doctor, tipping his hat. „I believe we have two rooms booked under the name of Smith.‟
„That would be Mr and Mrs Smith, would it?‟ asked the man, his eyes barely leaving the newspaper.
„Doctor and Ms Smith,‟ corrected the Doctor with a charming smile.
Reluctantly, the publican