Here Be Monsters

But she was ready for that. 'If he admits the possibility that he was wrong, then he's got a chance of turning the tables.'

'And supposing he wasn't wrong?' His expression depressed her. 'What then, Miss Loftus?'

'Then I shalln't win my spurs, shall I?' They were too far into truth for comfort now. Or was that the truth?

He seemed to sense her doubt. 'Or you could just be telling me another story?'

'I could.' There was no more time for finesse. 'But if I'm not, then your good Dr Thomas has all the time in the world, but your wicked David hasn't. And there are two dead men who have no time at all - and you can ask David about them.' She sat up in her deck-chair, feeling the canvas stretch dangerously under her. 'David! Where are those drinks you were supposed to be getting? We're dying of thirst out here!'

'Coming!' Audley's voice reached them faintly from inside the cottage.

She challenged the old man with a look. 'Well?'

'You're an evil young woman. And I have insufficient experience of evil women.' He sat dummy2

back. 'Evil boys - yes… Housemasters' wives - yes, to my cost… And their daughters, latterly.' He heaved a sigh. 'But then, I must suppose that you are your father's daughter -

if, as you say, he would have approved of what you are doing…'

There was no reply to that: what Father might have thought of this was far beyond her imagination.

Clink of glasses - David Audley as the drinks-waiter was equally unimaginable. 'Where have you been, David?'

He looked daggers at her, which she hoped were stage-weapons. 'I have been carrying your bag up to the spare bedroom, Elizabeth. And, since there is but one spare bedroom, I have been searching for the Willis camp- bed - a relic of forgotten military campaigns, upon which I hope to snatch a few hours' sleep before long.' He presented the tray to Mr Willis.

'Because we must be up-and-away before dawn, Willy. So I hope you have a reliable alarm-clock.'

'No problem, dear boy. Thank you. I shall ask the telephone to wake us all up.' The old man looked up at Audley over his glass. 'So you have not been altogether open and above-board with me, it would seem?'

'I haven't?' Audley lifted his tankard of beer off the tray, eyed the third deck-chair again, and then sank down on to the flagstones.

'Not that it surprises me.' The statement was delivered to Elizabeth. 'He was always a strange little boy, you know, Elizabeth. And an even stranger youth - gregarious enough on the surface, but solitary and secretive underneath. It was partly due to his upbringing, of course.' He returned his gaze to Audley. 'So, at all events, it is you who are in trouble, as much as - or perhaps rather than -Haddock Thomas?'

'Me?' Audley raised one shoulder. 'Could be. But I look after myself perfectly well. So don't worry about that, Willy.'

'Ah… now you must do better than that, if I am to help you. For Elizabeth here - she has been most persuasive. But not quite persuasive enough.'

'Indeed?' Audley's face was set obstinately.

'Be reasonable, dear boy. Why should one superannuated pedagogue wish to spill the beans about another? Such an action required the courtesy of an adequate explanation.

You believed Haddock to be loyal after vetting twice long ago - correct?'

dummy2

Audley didn't look at Elizabeth. 'Yes.'

'And you believe him to be loyal still?'

'Yes.'

'In spite of evidence to the contrary?'

'There is no evidence to the contrary.'

'But there have been… occurrences?'

Audley said nothing.

'What makes you so sure of Haddock?' The old man accepted his brief as devil's advocate.

Audley's lip twisted. 'What makes you so sure of him, Willy - that we have to go through this rigmarole?'

'Hmm…' The old man gave Audley a flash of loving approval, which he extinguished instantly when he remembered Elizabeth. 'So we both confide unshakably in our judgements - yours from long ago, mine of a somewhat newer vintage. So why should we fear? Magna est veritas et praevalebit, dear boy - and Truth shall bear away the victory?'

Audley sniffed. 'If you believe that, then don't fight on my side, Willy.' But then he shifted his postion, bringing up his knees in front of him and clasping his arms across them in a quaintly youthful way which was quite uncharacteristic, but which Elizabeth found oddly touching. For this was how he might have faced the old man forty years ago or more. 'My world isn't like that, Willy dear, you silly old bugger. And your world wasn't like that either, come to that… Besides which, the received wisdom in this case is that once upon a time I made a bad mistake somewhere down the line - do you understand?' Mr Willis nodded. 'We all do, dear boy - we all do.' He didn't look at Elizabeth. 'But you didn't make it with the Haddock - agreed?'

'Right. And nor did I make it with Sir Peter Barrie, who is the other candidate here.'

Audley flicked a glance at Elizabeth.

'Sir Peter - ?' Mr Willis perked up. 'Doesn't matter.' Audley shook his head. 'The point is that I have the distinct