按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ared left onto the vertiginously sloping hillside road and sped； without touching his brakes； down towards Pagford。
The hedgerows and sky blurred； he imagined himself in a velodrome as the wind whipped his clean hair and his stinging face； which he had just scrubbed clean。 Level with the Fairbrothers’ wedge…shaped garden he applied the brakes； because some months previously he had taken this sharp turn too fast and fallen off； and had had to return home immediately with his jeans ripped open and grazes all down one side of his face …
He freewheeled； with only one hand on the bars； into Church Row； and enjoyed a second； though lesser； downhill burst of speed； slightly checked when he saw that they were loading a coffin onto a hearse outside the church； and that a dark…clothed crowd was spilling out between the heavy wooden doors。 Andrew pedalled furiously around the corner and out of sight。 He did not want to see Fats emerging from church with a distraught Cubby； wearing the cheap suit and tie that he had described with ical disgust during yesterday’s English lesson。 It would have been like interrupting his friend having a crap。
As Andrew cycled slowly around the Square； he slicked his hair back off his face with one hand； wondering what the cold air had done to his purple…red acne and whether the anti…bacterial face wash had done anything to soothe the angry look of it。 And he told himself the cover story： he had e from Fats’ house （which he might have done； there was no reason why not）； which meant that Hope Street was as obvious a route down to the river as cutting through the first side street。 Therefore there was no need for Gaia Bawden （if she happened to be looking out of the window of her house； and happened to see him； and happened to recognize him） to think that he had e this way because of her。 Andrew did not anticipate having to explain to her his reason for cycling up her street； but he still held the fake story in his mind； because he believed it gave him an air of cool detachment。
He simply wanted to know which was her house。 Twice already； at weekends； he had cycled along the short terraced street； every nerve in his body tingling； but he had been unable； as yet； to discover which house harboured the Grail。 All he knew； from his furtive glimpses through the dirty school…bus windows； was that she lived on the right hand even…numbered side。
As he turned the corner； he tried to pose his features； acting the part of a man cycling slowly towards the river by the most direct route； lost in his own serious thoughts； but ready to acknowledge a classmate； should they show themselves …
She was there。 On the pavement。 Andrew’s legs continued to pump； though he could not feel the pedals； and he was suddenly aware how thin the tyres were on which he balanced。 She was rummaging in her leather handbag； her copper…brown hair hanging around her face。 Number ten on the door ajar behind her； and a black T…shirt falling short of her waist； a band of bare skin； and a heavy belt and tight jeans … when he was almost past her； she closed the door and turned； her hair fell back from her beautiful face； and she said； quite clearly； in her London voice； ‘Oh； hi。’
‘Hi；’ he said。 His legs kept pedalling。 Six feet away； twelve feet away； why hadn’t he stopped？ Shock kept him moving； he dared not look back； he was at the end of her street already； for fuck’s sake don’t fall off； he turned the corner； too stunned to gauge whether he was more relieved or disappointed that he had left her behind。
Holy shit。
He cycled on towards the wooded area at the base of Pargetter Hill； where the river glinted intermittently through the trees； but he could see nothing except Gaia burned onto his retina like neon。 The narrow road turned into an earthy footpath； and the gentle breeze off the water caressed his face； which he did not think had turned red； because it had all happened so quickly。
‘Fucking hell！’ he said aloud to the fresh air and the deserted path。
He raked excitedly through this magnificent； unexpected treasure trove： her perfect body； revealed in tight denim and stretchy cotton； number ten behind her； on a chipped； shabby blue door； ‘oh； hi’； easily and naturally – so his features were definitely logged somewhere in the mind that lived behind the astonishing face。
The bike jolted on the newly pebbly and rough ground。 Elated； Andrew dismounted only when he began to overbalance。 He wheeled the bicycle on through the trees； emerging onto the narrow riverbank； where he slung the bicycle down on the ground among the wood anemones that had opened like tiny white stars since his last visit。
His father had said； when he first started to borrow the bike： ‘You chain it up if you’re going in a shop。 I’m warning you； if that gets nicked …’
But the chain was not long enough to go around any of the trees and； in any case； the further he rode from his father the less Andrew feared him。 Still thinking about the inches of flat； bare midriff and Gaia’s exquisite face； Andrew strode to the place where the bank met the eroded side of the hill； which hung like an earthy； rocky cliff in a sheer face above the fast…flowing green water。
The narrowest lip of slippery； crumbling bank ran along the bottom of the hillside。 The only way of navigating it； if your feet had grown to be twice the length they had been when they had first made the trip； was to edge along sideways； pressed to the sheer face； holding tight to roots and bits of protruding rock。
The mulchy green smell of the river and of wet soil was deeply familiar to Andrew； as was the sensation of this narrow ledge of earth and grass under his feet； and the cracks and rocks he sought with his hands on the hillside。 He and Fats had found the secret place when they were eleven years old。 They had known that what they were doing was forbidden and dangerous； they had been warned about the river。 Terrified； but determined not to tell each other so； they had sidled along this tricky ledge； grabbing at anything that protruded from the rocky wall and； at the very narrowest point； clutching fistfuls of each other’s T…shirts。
Years of practice enabled Andrew； though his mind was barely on the job； to move crab…wise along the solid wall of earth and rock with the water gushing three feet beneath his trainers； then with a deft duck and swing； he was inside the fissure in the hillside that they had found so long ago。 Back then； it had seemed like a divine reward for their daring。 He could no longer stand up in it； but； slightly larger than a two…man tent； it was big enough for two teenage boys to lie； side by side； with the river rushing past and the trees dappling their view of the sky； framed by the triangular entrance。
The first time they had been here； they had poked and dug at the back wall with sticks； but they had not found a secret passageway leading to the abbey above； so they gloried instead in the fact that they alone had discovered the hiding place； and swore that it would be their secret in perpetuity。 Andrew had a vague memory of a solemn oath； spit and swearwords。 They had called it the Cave when they had first discovered it； but it was now； and had been for some time past； the Cubby Hole。
The little recess smelt earthy； though the sloping ceiling was made of rock。 A dark green tidemark showed that it had flooded in the past； not quite to the roof。 The floor was covered in their cigarette butts and cardboard roaches。 Andrew sat down； with his legs dangling over the sludge…green water； and pulled his cigarettes and lighter out of his jacket； bought with the last of his birthday money； now that his allowance had been stopped。 He lit up； inhaled deeply； and relived the glorious encounter with Gaia Bawden in as much detail as he could ring out of it： narrow waist and curving hips； creamy skin between leather and T…shirt； full； wide mouth； ‘oh； hi’。 It was the first time he had seen her out of school uniform。 Where was she going； alone with her leather handbag？ What was there in Pagford for her to do on a Saturday morning？ Was she perhaps catching the bus into Yarvil？ What did she get up to when she was out of his sight； what feminine myste