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By Root 660 0

of her heart: she felt dizzy and sick. There was nobody except themselves, she told herself, to connect the Merlin to Zack. It was impossible to contemplate that now, just as he was about to become a father, this should ruin his life. She imagined the press coverage, the scandal: it mustn't be allowed to happen. The bronze must be got rid of somehow. Em wondered if, during the investigation, the police – or some zealous reporter – might dig deeper and discover a daughter from an earlier marriage. It was fortunate that Tiggy's father had cut her off so thoroughly and removed himself to France nearly forty years ago: the trail leading to Tiggy was a very cold one. And, after all, The Child Merlin wasn't a particularly important piece, apparently, not even of great value; but the fact that it had been copied made it notorious. Now Em remembered the name carved on the base of the little statue: Vischer. Many years ago, before the war, she'd seen Peter Vischer's statue of King Arthur in the court church at Innsbruck, and his Madonna of Nuremberg.

How odd that the scent of the luteum had recalled the little scene with Tiggy and the Merlin: and now this. Yet if the Merlin was not at Trescairn, where could it be? On cue, the telephone rang.

‘I think Zack must have the Merlin,’ Julia said. ‘I gave him to Zack, Aunt Em, when he was little. It seemed appropriate. After all, it was Tiggy's to begin with and I thought it was right that Zack should have him. He used to keep it with his toys and play with it sometimes. I never guessed that it was anything particularly special. Oh, I know it was very charming and all that but it didn't look valuable. Not as if it had been silver or gold or anything.’

‘I think you have to be a bit of a specialist to appreciate bronze,’ said Em. ‘So Zack has the Merlin.’

‘Oh God, I hope so.’ Julia's voice trembled. ‘I haven't seen it for years. He must have taken it with all his stuff when he got married. My fear is that they've stuck it up on a shelf where any of their friends might go in and see it. And recognize it, now it's all over the papers and the television news. I've decided to go to look for myself. I can't see any alternative. I keep thinking how Zack would react if it were to become public. Imagine the shock of knowing we've lied to him all these years, apart from discovering what kind of man his grandfather is. It doesn't bear thinking about. Oh God, Aunt Em, I must get hold of it if I can and smuggle it away. Don't you think so?’

‘Yes, I do,’ said Em after a moment. ‘Shall I come with you? I can act as a distraction.’

Julia began to laugh nervously. ‘I can't believe this is happening,’ she said. ‘That we're actually planning to steal the Merlin from Caroline and Zack. It's crazy.’

‘It's necessary’ said Em grimly. ‘Let me know when we can go. Shall you phone Caroline?’

‘I shall do it straightaway. I'm trying to think of a good excuse for an urgent trip to Tavistock tomorrow. I shan't relax until we've found the Merlin.’

Em put down the telephone, wondering how easy it would be to remove the Merlin from Chapel Street. Would Caroline notice its absence or was it just an odd little statue that belonged to Zack that wouldn't be missed? Em bit her lip: who could have imagined that Tiggy's little mascot should now be such a threat to her child?

‘I shan't sleep a wink tonight,’ Julia had said.

Her voice had been full of distress and fear, and it reminded Em of another crisis, long ago, six months after Tiggy's death.

1977

Em, stopping work mid-morning to make herself some coffee, sees the car pull up, glimpses the desperate expression on Julia's face, and hurries out to meet her on the garden steps.

‘I think Pete's having an affair with Angela,’ Julia says before she's even reached the top step.

Em gathers her into the house. She is fearful but determined not to let Julia see her anxiety.

‘I don't believe it,’ says Em. It's not quite true – but she sounds so strong and sure that Julia stares at her almost hopefully. Her blue eyes are drowned with tears, her cheeks bright red with rubbing.