I was disappointed. “So you can’t come.”
“It won’t take very long. Are you ready to go? I believe the cottage is somewhere near the pool. You go on. Wait for me there.”
I brightened. “I’ll do that.”
And so innocently happy I rode out to the pool, not realizing that life was never going to be the same again.
It was a warm day with just a light coolish breeze. I reached the pool. How silent it was! There was no one about. There rarely was here. I listened intently. I almost felt I could hear the tinkle of bells. It was easy to fancy such things in such a place.
I felt a desire to touch the water. It shimmered in the sunshine. It was still though; there was not a ripple on the surface. I halted my horse and, slipping off her back, looked round for somewhere to tether her. She was docile enough, but I did not want her to wander.
I patted her and said: “Just for a while. Ben will be here soon.”
I went down to the pool and trailed my hand in the water. I half wished that I could hear the bells; and yet I should have been terrified if they had begun to peal. How would they sound under water? Muffled, I supposed. I should be rather frightened but only because I was alone.
My horse whinnied.
I stood still without turning round. “It’s all right, Glory,” I said. “He’ll soon be here … then you’ll be free … though he might want to walk for a while.”
I heard a footstep.
“Ben,” I called. I looked round, but it was not Ben.
“Good afternoon,” he said. He was a youngish man in his early twenties, I imagined. He smiled pleasantly. “I’ve lost my way. Perhaps you could direct me.”
“I expect so. I live round here.”
“Not at that magnificent house I passed?”
“Was it on a cliff?”
“Yes. Like a castle.”
He had come closer and was looking at me intently. He had thick eyebrows and dark curly hair.
“That’s Cador,” I told him. “It’s my home.”
“Congratulations. It must be wonderful to live in such a place. It is certainly very fine.”
“It’s very old, of course.”
“I guessed so.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“Is there a good inn?”
“There is the Fisherman’s Rest. It’s very small. There was the King’s Arms. That was an old coaching inn … but there was no business after the railways came, and it closed down. There is only really the Fisherman’s Rest.”
“You’re a nice little girl,” he said and he came closer to me.
It was then that I felt the first twinge of fear. He seemed to change suddenly. I had thought that he was a student … exploring the countryside. Now I was not so sure.
“Thank you,” I said as coolly as I could and started to walk past him, but he caught my arm.
“You’re frightened,” he said. “Why?”
“No … no,” I stammered. “I … I just have to go.”
“Why?” he cried shaking me.
A terrible thought came into my mind. I remembered the poster. I looked at his face. His eyes now looked wild; they seemed to bore right into me. I thought: It’s the escaped prisoner … and I’m here … alone with him. I wanted to cry out but my mouth was dry and no sound came. My heart was beating so fast that I thought I should suffocate.
I heard myself say shrilly: “Who are you?”
He did not answer. I moved backwards. I was very close to the water.
He advanced too. He had changed. He was no longer the pleasant student. There was a dreadful light in his eyes. His pupils seemed to be distended.
He said: “I like little girls.” And he laughed horribly. “I like them when they are nice to me.”
“Yes … yes,” I said, trying to sound normal and wondering if I could slip past him and run … and run.
He gripped my arm. I tried to wrench it free, but he laughed again in that frightening way. Then he put a hand out and touched my throat.
“No, no,” I screamed. “Go away. Let me alone.”
It was the wrong thing to have done. As I tried to dodge past him he caught me by the shoulder.
“Let me go,” I sobbed. “Let me go.”
Panic had seized me. I could not think. I was only aware of his closeness … his motives, which I only half understood but which I knew ended in death.
I was young; I was agile; but he was a grown man and stronger than I. I knew that if he caught me I was doomed.
I heard myself screaming at him. He put up a hand and covered my mouth. I kicked and he freed me. I ran. I was trying to reach Glory, but how could I get away in time? He would catch me before I had a chance to untie her.
I started to run on but he caught me and I fell. I was sobbing with fear and screaming at the top of my voice. Who would hear me? Few people came to the pool.
He was loathsome. He was horrible. He nauseated me. He was pulling at my clothes. I kicked and struggled and I think I hurt him for he called out in sudden pain, cursing me. He gave me a blow at the side of my head which set up a singing in my ears. I felt blood in my mouth.
“No … no … no,” I sobbed.
I had never fought like this before. I knew that my life depended on my ability to defend myself. I was sobbing like a baby calling for my mother and my father. Oh, if only they knew what was happening to their beloved daughter. What would happen to me? I should be found … dead … another victim.
There was a lot of fight in me. I saw blood on his face and the more I fought the more angry he became.
I could not go on much longer. I felt my strength failing me. I had no idea how long this struggle had gone on, but I knew that for me it was a losing battle.
I prayed, I think. One always does, if only subconsciously, on such occasions. It is at times like this one that one believes in God … because one has to.
And … as if by a miracle my prayers were answered.
I heard my name. “Angel.” It seemed to come from a long way off. “For God’s sake, Angel.”
And there was Ben.
My assailant was on his feet. I saw Ben running towards us. He was still calling my name. “Angel, Angel. Oh no …”
The murderer was lunging towards him, but Ben was ready. I watched, too stunned to move for a moment. I just lay there. I saw the man strike out at Ben … but Ben parried the blow and came at him. He hit him hard between the eyes. The man staggered and fell. I got to my feet and rushed to Ben.
He held me tightly in his arms. “Angel … dearest Angel … Are you all right? Oh … my God.”
“I’m all right now, Ben. I’m all right now you are here.”
He stared at me … the blood on my face … I knew there was blood on my clothes. I could not imagine what I looked like.
We turned to gaze down at the man.
“It’s the one,” said Ben. “It’s the wanted man.”
“I thought he was you,” I said. “He asked me the way … and he seemed quite normal. Then suddenly he changed. He got hold of me and I couldn’t get away. Ben … oh, Ben.”
“It’s all over now. He looks as if he is really out. We’ll just go and let them know we’ve found him.”
“He might get away and escape.”
Ben knelt down. The man had not moved since he had fallen. He looked strangely still. Ben lifted his head. It fell back with a jerk but not before we had seen the blood staining his thick dark curly hair. The back of his head was covered in blood. So was the stone onto which he had fallen.
Ben looked at me in horror. His next words sent a tremor of fear through me. “He’s dead,” he said.
He let him fall and then he added: “I’ve killed him.”
“Oh, Ben … it can’t be … What’ll happen?”
“I don’t know,” said Ben.