was, gigantic and colourful, pivoted with such exquisite balance that a narrow run of water aqueducted downhill was sufficient to power her round at some speed. She was breathtaking.
She was set in the hillside valley near a stone bridge. A deep crevasse sliced into the hill, exposing a ruined mine-shaft. Old discoloured mine buildings eroded slowly block by block higher up. An enormous massive beam projected skywards from the ruins, probably one arm of a pump of some sort for the underground workings.
'How colossal!' Janie said it. Colossal was the word.
There were steps up from the path to its main axle. Algernon rushed up to see the giant waterwheel swinging its immense height skywards.
'Imagine the size of the bike engine you'd need to -'
'Algernon,' I interrupted. 'Don't. No more.'
Janie was watching me. Just then she tapped me firmly on the shoulder.
'Well, everybody!' she cut in brightly. 'Home time.'
'What?' I rounded on her.
'Home time, I said. 'Janie put her hand on my arm like a constable.
'We've only just got here!'
'And now we're going. You owe me a day, Lovejoy.'
'But you said it wasn't today,' I yelped. 'And we've found her! My main clue!'
'No,' Janie said. 'It wasn't today, Lovejoy. But today's over. Look.'
I came to. The day had faded. Our car was the only one left in the car park beside the river down below. The little toffee shops had closed. In the distance lights showed where the seaside promenade of Laxey lay. Lights were coming on in the cottage windows. An old woollen mill blotted out the foreground. Mill owners of years ago had laid out the valley like a stone pleasure garden, now somewhat sunken and ill-kept. It was swiftly quietening into dusk.
'But, Janie, for God's sake -'
'It's dangerous, Lovejoy,' she said in that voice. 'Derelict mines, ruined mine buildings, horrid great pumps underground and a wheel this size. If you weren't so deranged by being near whatever the poor old man left, you'd realize how exhausted and frightened you really are.' She took my arm. 'Home.'
I tried appealing to Algernon but he backed down. Friends.
'I claim my day, starting from this instant,' Janie said. 'Twenty-four hours.'
Women make me mad. They're like the soap in your bath. You know it'd be good value if only you could find out what it's up to and where it is.
Algernon was nodding. 'True, Lovejoy. You're bushed.'
'There, then!' cheerfully from Janie. 'We're all agreed.'
I was defeated. I looked up at the Lady Isabella.
'Check the time, Algernon,' I said coldly.
'Twenty past eight.'
'Twenty-four hours, then.' I waited for orders. 'Well?'
'Home, chaps.' She fluttered her eyelashes and waggled seductively down the steps ahead of me. 'You'll thank me later, b'wana, when we're all cosy.'
Algernon joined in.
'Never mind, Lovejoy,' he said brightly. 'There's always another day.'
I didn't speak to either of them on the way home. People who know what's best for you give me a real pain.
CHAPTER XIX
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'WHAT IF Edward Rink's come over after us?' I said. I'd got fed up sulking.
'Don't argue. You need the rest. You're a wreck.'
'And what if -?'
'Rest.' Janie was painting her toenails reddish. 'A normal day's what you need, Lovejoy.'
I was reading. 'Look how much good it'll do us. You get too involved in antiques.'
'I could have it by now.' I nearly dropped my drink just thinking of it.
'Rink's man's stupid. You said he couldn't follow a brass band. No sugar for me, please.'
I brewed up and carried her cup over. She was on the couch by the window. We could see Algernon stalking some innocent sparrow across the field. I sat watching her doing her nails. They blow on their fingers but not their toes. I suppose toes are too far down even with knees bent. She has a little enamelled case full of small tools for things like this.
French women used to have small cased sets of hooks and needles for unpicking gold-fringed decorations and
