Doctor Who_ The Visitation - Eric Saward [9]
The wagon thundered along, its steel-rimmed wheels throwing up needle-sharp fragments of stone.
'Is the man blind?' screamed Nyssa, her hands raised to protect her head.
'He nearly killed us!'
As the wagon passed, Mace recognised the broad back and long grey hair of the man seated on the box. 'The Miller,' he said. 'A man of sour disposition.'
'Didn't he see us?' said Tegan.
'Who can...' But Mace didn't finish his sentence, the sound of fist upon wood interrupting his words. It was the Doctor beating on the main door of the house.
'No!' Mace shouted. 'You mustn't!' Invigorated by fear, Mace ran towards the house.
'Please don't,' he called. 'If you must knock, please let it be with more humility.'
The Doctor emerged from the porch and looked up at the red-brick facade and leaded windows. All was still. Even the chimney for the wood-burning stove in the kitchen was without smoke.
'Wel , Doctor?' said Nyssa. 'What next?'
'I'm going to look around.'
Tegan sat down on the porch step and removed a shoe. 'Do you want us to come with you?' she said, rubbing her sore foot.
'Just Nyssa. I want you and Adric to keep knocking. Mr Mace will show you how it should be done.'
A sarcastic grunt was heard from the shadows of the porch. 'And what, pray, do you propose we say if the door is opened?'
' "Hullo" is the usual greeting.'
Mace lurched from the porch, but the Doctor and Nyssa had gone. 'I know these people,' he shouted after the Doctor. 'I know what they can be like.' 'I don't,' said Tegan sharply, 'and I never will, unless you can get one of them to open that door.'
Mace scowled. He was not happy.
Chapter Four
The Doctor and Nyssa made their way along the front of the house, pausing momentarily to peer in at the windows.
'Doctor? If there isn't anyone at home, then who was the miller visiting?'
They turned the west corner of the house.
'He could have been making a delivery.'
'Didn't you see his wagon? It was fully loaded.'
Pausing, the Doctor started to wipe the dust from a small leaded pane with the cuff of his jacket. 'Then he must have been collecting.'
'From whoever brought the polygrite to Earth?'
'Perhaps.'
The Doctor stared through the polished glass into the main hall of the house. Before the unlit fireplace stood Sir John's favourite chair. Nearby was the small table, playing cards spread across it as though hurriedly abandoned by the players. Lying next to the table, like dead sentries, were two stiff back chairs.
At the far end of the room was a long oak dining table on which stood a large wedge of stale cheese, dark and cracked with age. Next to it was a loaf of bread covered with mildew.
The Doctor was about to continue making his way round the house, when he noticed that the window he was looking through wasn't fastened properly.
'Doctor! What are you doing?'
With the window open, the Doctor pulled himself up, and climbed in. 'Come on, Nyssa,'
he said jumping down into the main hall. 'There isn't anyone here.' And before she could argue caution, he had gone.
Nyssa followed unenthusiastically. As she climbed through the window, she saw the Doctor moving methodically around the room.
'What precisely are we looking for?'
'Alien artefacts.'
'Why are you so worried about an alien landing? They might be friendly.'
Nyssa jumped down from the sill.
'If I'm right,' the Doctor said, opening a large wooden linen-chest, 'the comet that Mace saw was their ship burning up. They're probably stranded here, desperate. They could wreak havoc.' Finding the chest empty, the Doctor closed it and idly ran his fingers over the lid, leaving a snail-like trail in the dust. 'It looks as though there hasn't been anyone here in weeks.'
'Perhaps they're on holiday?'
'It's the first of September,