Now as a party of monks they covered the last few miles to the
monastery, to be welcomed joyously by the community there. Here Nicholas
and the women left Mek, and climbed the steep path up into the grove of
wild fig trees. Boris was waiting for them, pacing about the camp, angry
and frustrated.
'Where the hell have you been, woman?' he snarled at Tessay. 'Been
whoring around all night, have you?'
'We lost our way yesterday evening.' Nicholas fed him the cover story
that they had agreed with Mek Nimmur, to maintain his security. Boris
was hardly the man to trust.
'And we were picked up by a party of monks from the monastery this
morning. They brought us back.'
'You are the big hunter and tracker, are you?' Boris sneered at him.
'You didn't need me to guide you, hey? You got yourself lost, did you,
English? I see now why you want only to shoot dik-dik.' He guffawed
without humour, and looked at Tessay with those pale dead eyes. 'I will
talk to you later, woman. Go and see to the food.'
Despite the heat, both Nicholas and Royan were hungry. In short order,
Tessay was able to serve a tasty cold lunch under the shady branches of
the fig trees. Nicholas refused the wine that Boris offered him.
want to go out hunting again this afternoon. I have lost almost a whole
day.'
'You want me to hold your hand this time, English?
Make sure you don't lose yourself again?'
'Thanks, old chap, but I think I can manage without you.'
While they ate Nicholas nudged Royan and told her, 'Your admirer has
arrived.'
He jerked his head at the lanky, ungainly figure of Tamre, who had
sneaked up quietly and was now sitting near the kitchen hut, As soon as
Royan looked at him his face split into a doting idiotic grin, and he
bobbed his head and squirmed with ecstatic shyness.
'I will not come with you this afternoon,' Royan told Nicholas quietly,
when Boris was not listening. 'I think there is going to be trouble
between him and Tessay. I want to stay here with her. Take Tamre with
you.'
'My word, what an attractive alternative. All my life I have waited for
this moment.' But when he had picked up his rifle and pack, he beckoned
the boy to follow him.
Tamre looked around eagerly for Royan, but she was in her hut. At last,
dragging his feet, he followed Nicholas up the valley.
'Take me to the other side of the river,' he told the boy. 'Show me how
to reach the side where the holy creature lives.' Tamre perked up at the
prospect, and broke into a shambling trot as he led Nicholas over the
suspension bridge below the pink cliffs.
For an hour they followed the path, but gradually it petered out until
it ended in bad and broken ground amongst the erosion'carved hills.
Undeterred, Tamre plunged into the thorny scrub, and for another two
hours they scrambled over rocky ridges and through thorn-choked valleys.
'I can see why you didn't want to bring Royan this way here. You will
not move. You will not speak. You will even breathe very, very quietly,
