Kipper agreed that would be very bad indeed, for while they were good children in general as children go, they had their moments of deceit from their elders just like many another child. “He won’t fit in, Kipper.” Geoffrey reasoned, “He’s too different.” And so their animosity of Jody continued.
“Where you been Vincent?” Eric cried as the two arrived back at his side. “Just back there,” Vincent told him and ruffled the boy’s hair. Eric grinned, “You sound puffed.”
“I am puffed, but we enjoyed it didn’t we Jody?” Jody smiled and agreed, “Yes, Vincent ran like a black stallion. Like the wind!”
“Oh,” Agreed Samantha all dreamy eyed, “What I would give to have a black stallion. Just imagine, the wind in your hair, galloping along sandy beaches, grassy meadows, oh it would be wonderful.” Everyone laughed, but could not deny the truth of her words.
“Well, are we ready then or were you taking a rest break?” Vincent asked, depositing the child from his arms onto the ground and taking hold of his hand instead.
“We were taking a break while we waited for you. Must admit we were beginning to grow anxious.” Kanin told Vincent. “We were giving you another ten minutes then sending back a scout to go and look for you.”
“Well if it happens again, don’t worry too much. Obviously Jody is a little slower, but that’s not because he’s blind. It’s because he keeps stopping to examine everything around him. In fact you’d all do well to keep pace with us, for you could all learn a thing or two, for example, who of you knew there were bats in some of these tunnels?”
“Bats?” Repeated Kanin and Jamie, as though it was the last thing they had expected to hear.
“Bats. Yes.” Vincent told them. “I’ve been travelling these tunnels all my life and yet even with my excellent hearing I never knew that there were bats in the belfry.” He laughed, “Jody knew though. He heard them. And he showed me where there was water I didn’t know about and was able to detect the scent of the ocean. So I think the exercise he has planned for us will turn you all into new people, believe me after this trip you will all be aware of your surroundings like you never have before.” He looked proudly down at Jody, who seemed to know and grinned back happily.
“Look at that.” Kipper nudged Geoffrey, noticing the exchange. Geoffrey nodded, “Like I said, he’s weird.” Yet despite how lowly they spoke Jody heard them and by his sadness the grin slowly evaporated from his face.
*** *** ***
Back at the hub, Catherine arrived and surprised Father no end, “My dear I thought you were out of town till the weekend?” He asked rubbing her icy hands warm with his gloved ones.
“I missed Vincent, is he here?” Catherine looked around hopefully. Father shook his head, “No my dear, I’m afraid your surprise visit has backfired on you. Vincent has taken the new boy Jody and three groups of children with Jamie and Kanin down to the nameless river, they will be gone three days.”
Dismayed Catherine exclaimed, “Three days! Oh no Father!” Her disappointment was clearly evident. “Can someone take me to where they are?”
Father considered this, and after a long while replied, “I’m not sure they can. When we mentioned the trip and suggested Jamie and Kanin, both Mouse and Olivia were anxious about their stay away since both wanted to engage their partner in other pursuits and have instead employed the help of Rebecca and Brook. Mary as you know seldom goes anywhere near the lower levels these days, not that she isn’t needed here of course anyway, and that leaves a mere handful who are either too old, too young or otherwise occupied to escort you.”
“I could go alone. How long have they been gone?” Father shook his head he was adamant that was a very unwise thing to do. “No, Catherine. I know Vincent has taken you down there before, but believe me only the foolhardy or the experienced goes down there alone, I can’t let you do that. You’ll have to wait until Vincent returns. Besides once he becomes aware that you are so near he will likely return sooner than the three days.” Although Father had his doubts more like his son would be torn between the desire to see Catherine sooner than expected and the promise to the children to spend three whole days away from the hub and in the lower levels no less, a place the children loved the chance to explore.
“Oh damn!” Father was surprised, it wasn’t often that Catherine stooped low enough for obscenities mild as it had been, there must have been a very important reason why she had cut her business trip short to come back earlier and visit the tunnels, or more especially, to see Vincent. And there was, but Catherine wasn’t going to enlighten Father on that. She had just decided after a great deal of contemplation that the next time she saw Vincent she would kiss him. No more flitting around the subject, no more pretending each didn’t want exactly that, she would take the initiative and kiss him, and no mere chaste kiss either. In that kiss she would bestow all her love, all her desire and all her hopes, and expect that Vincent would after the initial shock of finding her lips sealed against his, return her kiss with all the love that he felt for her in return. This would be the step forward for them that each needed so badly, and since she firmly believed if she waited for Vincent to make the first move, she’d wait forever, then it had to be her and it had to be now!
Reluctantly, Catherine stayed for tea, all the while obvious to the fact that with every dutiful sip she took Vincent and his party were taking another step further away from her. It would take that bit longer to catch them up, but despite what Father said, she and Vincent had been down to the crystal cavern a time or two and to the nameless river afterward, so she felt she could remember the way. Of course there was the possibility of the route having been changed, but she wracked her brains trying to remember where Vincent had been on work detail recently, or at least since they had last made such a trip below, and could come up with nothing. If he’d been assigned any rock work at all it had been on other levels she was sure, and so in all probability the trip down to the nameless river should be a straightforward one, and with Vincent’s gift for knowing when she was in trouble…well she had it in the bag. She would go, and even if she couldn’t kiss Vincent the way she wanted in front of so many people, just to be with him would be better than returning to her apartment and waiting till he she could see him again.
So with her mind made up, Catherine stayed with Father for as long as she deemed polite then hurried back to her apartment. There were some things she would need for such a trip, Vincent had taught her that she had to be prepared for any eventuality no matter how straightforward she expected the journey to be so as she hurried home she ticked off the items she would need in her minds eye, so that by the time she got there she would waste no time getting them together, in order to turn around and hurry back to the tunnels, and endeavour to catch up with Vincent and his party before they were on their way back.
*** *** ***
At the first way station, the three groups decided to stop, rustle up some food and take a much-required break from trekking the long endless tunnels. Jody’s spirit soared as he sat in the sandy covered cave, running the silky gritty grains through his fingers.
Chewing on sandwiches William had prepared with bread still slightly warm from the mornings’ baking Vincent watched him carefully. Jody was, a mystery true, but he delighted in so many simple things that it almost made Vincent want to weep. While the other children dozed or played Noughts and Crosses in the sand or read books Jody just sat there, his face wreathed in smiles, an expression on his face that seemed to say he had gone a thousand miles in his mind to a place that meant the world to him, and suddenly Vincent knew where that was. Of course! Jody had told him about his mother and the plant that they picked from the salt marsh and that they had lived near the coast. Jody must be remembering outings with his mother to the nearest beach, and for the millionth time Vincent wondered how the two had become separated and whether or not he should employ Catherine’s help to find Jody’s mother, even though the boy showed that he did not want this. It was strange, and again a mystery, the word kept cropping up, but the only one to truly explain it, whatever Jody’s problem it was a mystery and nothing short of that.
“Are you happy Jody?” Vincent heard himself ask surprised he had voiced his thoughts out loud. Jody nodded, “Oh yes, Vincent, very.”
Once begun Vincent was compelled to continue, “What makes you smile?” But whatever he had expected it had not been tears as these graced Jody’s lashes golden by the lamp set in a crevice on the rock face, and a deep sobbing sigh poured from the child. At once most of the people nearby noticed and became concerned as the lazy carefree atmosphere of moments ago was lost. “What’s the matter with Jody?” many chorused together. Vincent shuffled over to the boy and placed an arm around him, “You have friends here, Jody, you can tell us. What is it that makes you sad?”
Jody shook his head in denial, but Vincent tucked a long clawed finger beneath the boy’s chin and brought his face up to his own, “Tell me?” He prompted gently, “We only want to help.”
Again Jody shook his head, “Its nothing Vincent, leave it.”
Many hearts went out to the boy and Kanin told him, “Vincent’s right lad, we only want to help you, ease whatever grief is troubling you. You’re safe here among us, we can be your family, please tell us what’s troubling you so.” Kanin had heard the boy’s sobs well into the night just as Vincent had lain awake, his heart wretched just listening to them also.
“I can’t.” Jody whispered, “I promised.”
“Who?” Vincent and Kanin spoke together looking from one to the other and back at the child sitting between them.
“Him.” The child shuddered as he spoke, and Vincent’s heart seemed to rise into his throat, someone had hurt this child bad, real bad, and had made him promise not to tell, Vincent had seen it a hundred times and had heard it through Catherine and her varied caseloads just as many.
“Who’s him?” Kanin prompted gently as Vincent hugged the child closer while gently rubbing his thumb along the shoulder of the child in a gesture of comfort.
What Jody had been about to say they never found out because at that inopportune moment Geoffrey had the mind to utter, “Probably someone from up top thumped him.” In such a callous tone of voice that Jody clammed up, thus extinguishing whatever it had been that he might have said. Vincent glared at Geoffrey, the boy knew when not to interrupt a delicate moment, so why had he done that? The gloating expression Kipper sent Geoffrey was all Vincent needed to know. They were jealous! Jealous of the love and attention Vincent was paying to Jody, and that was so unlike the pair of them. Slowly getting to his feet Vincent patted Jody’s shoulder and then turned to Kipper and Geoffrey, “Come with me.” He growled a little, and they knew they’d gone too far. Out of earshot from the main group Vincent turned to them, “You two know these tunnels well do you not?” He asked in a voice that brooked no argument.
“Yes Vincent.” They both replied with eyes almost as big as saucers trying to understand why he was asking the question. They soon found out. “Good! Because this is what I want you to do, collect your things and return to Father, now this instance, tell him that you are both in disgrace and he is to await my word before punishment is assigned.” Vincent held up his hand for silence as the boys pleaded, “But Vincent!”
“In fact, I will escort you some of the way and tap a message for Pascal to deliver to Father of your impending return.”
“Please Vincent, we won’t say anything else honest.” Kipper wailed. He had looked forward to the trip. In fact it has been too long since he had been to the crystal cavern, and he almost ached to be there.
“That’s enough!” Vincent told them, “Now go get your things.” He ordered them and stared down at them until they could stand his icy blue gaze no longer and did as they were told. Over their heads Vincent beckoned to Kanin and told him, “A minor hiccup, I shall just escort Kipper and Geoffrey back a few miles and return, it will make the trip away a little longer but it can’t be helped.” Kanin sighed and Vincent noticed his friend didn’t look too pleased, “What’s the matter?” he asked him.
“I promised Olivia I’d be back on time.” Kanin confessed, and suddenly Vincent realised what the small disruption would mean for everyone, “In that case…” As Geoffrey and Kipper came back to his side their packs in their hands Vincent told them, “It would be a further hindrance to the group to have me escort you back. Therefore I have decided to trust you, in that you will return the way we have come, it will take no more than four hours. You will go straight back and not decide to follow us instead, is that clear?”
“Yes, Vincent.” The two boys mumbled while looking down at their feet. Vincent squeezed their shoulders, they weren’t bad boys, in fact their behaviour was very uncharacteristic of them, and this exercise, this idea of Jody’s would have been good for them, but he couldn’t back down now having made the decision, and he could not get to the bottom of Jody’s problem with this animosity that existed between Kipper Geoffrey and Jody so he had to stick with what he’d decided.
“Right then off you go.” He balked at the idea of letting them go alone, they were still young, young enough to get into trouble, young enough like he and Devin had been to get into some kind of escapade that he would be left to rue the rest of his days. And he sighed with relief when he heard Jamie call out, “Wait!”
The two boys halted and went back to the cave entrance, hoping that Jamie might plead their case, disappointed when instead she told Vincent, “Much as I’d like to do this trip Vincent, I think you and Kanin could manage the three groups between you and I could escort Kipper and Geoffrey back. Then if Mouse has finished what he was working on, the two of us could come back to you tomorrow maybe?” She smiled hopefully.
Gratefully Vincent accepted her offer, “that would be wonderful. Thank you Jamie. And you are rested?”
“Oh yes, don’t worry about me, Vincent. I’m as strong as an ox.” Vincent laughed while Jamie collected her pack and followed the two boys out, and that laugher only ceased when he heard Geoffrey say to her, “An ox? More like a cow, you could have let us go back alone, we’re not babies you know?”
Surprised and about to say so, Vincent started to laugh again at Jamie’s retort. “Now that I like. A cow you say? Mm does that mean I get to have three stomachs? Hold tight William here I come!”
There was a second or two’s silence and then Geoffrey and Kipper started laughing too. All was well again, they would return and the three groups now becoming two would continue on to the lower levels. And nothing else would go wrong, after all it was a straightforward trip wasn’t it? One he had done a hundred times or more. The rocks were safe or as safe as they could be and the children were happy. And they would find out Jody’s problem and make him happy as well and then everything would be wonderful.
However, as Father always said, one should never count one’s chickens.
To be continued in Chapter Four.
