Dying Fall

Ireland,’ says Cathbad, ‘he’s used to Celts. Some of the others, though, they’re all for the pure-blood English thing. Load of nonsense, of course. There’s no such thing as pure-blood English.’
    Nelson, whose own ancestry includes Irish and (so his mother claims) Spanish blood, says, ‘Did whatshisname … Pendragon, say anything about a campaign against Dan Golding?’
    Cathbad hesitates. ‘No,’ he says. ‘But when I went over there today, it was like when we first went there, Ruth.Pendragon appeared at the door with a gun. He seemed terrified.’
    ‘Did he say what he was frightened of?’ asks Nelson.
    ‘No,’ says Cathbad. ‘My guess is that he was involved with this group at first but then backed out, perhaps when they suggested violence or began with the race-hate stuff. Pendragon’s a gentle soul. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. I think he’s afraid that they’ll come for him, try to punish him for leaving. When I got there today he was burning herbs, making sacrifices, trying to draw a circle of protection around the house.’
    ‘Did he ever think it might be more helpful to call the police?’ asks Nelson.
    Cathbad smiles. ‘He’s not too keen on the police. That’s something else druids have in common.’
    Nelson frowns, perhaps thinking of the circumstances of his first meeting with Cathbad. Then he says, ‘Did Pendragon give you a name, anything useful like that?’
    ‘No, but he did mention someone called the Arch Wizard. He seems to be the one in charge.’
    ‘He doesn’t have any idea who this Arch Wizard is, I suppose?’
    ‘No. Pendragon’s seen him but he’s always been masked.’
    ‘Typical,’ says Nelson. ‘Well I suppose I’d better go and see this Pentangle for myself.’
    ‘Pendragon,’ corrects Cathbad mildly.
    ‘Whatever.’
    ‘I’ll go with you,’ offers Cathbad. ‘It might be safer. Pendragon knows some ancient magic.’
    Nelson’s reply, which begins with ‘Bollocks’, is lost because, at that moment, back-up arrives in the form of two young police officers. Their accents are so broad that Ruth can hardly understand them. She notices that Nelson’s own voice changes when he speaks to them. He tells them to check around the house, looking for signs that anyone has been loitering in the area. Ruth notices that even though Nelson can’t have any official status in Blackpool both men immediately do what he asks, affording him the same kind of awed respect he receives from his team in Norfolk.
    ‘Right,’ says Nelson. ‘I’ll just check on Katie then I’ll be off.’
    ‘What did you tell Michelle?’ asks Ruth.
    ‘Just that it was police business,’ says Nelson. ‘She’s used to that. My mum started on at me, though. Apparently it’s a capital crime to leave the house in the middle of
Holby City
.’
    Ruth lets Nelson have a few minutes alone with Kate and then follows him upstairs. He is standing in her room, looking down at his sleeping daughter. When he turns, there are tears in his eyes.
    ‘She’s growing up.’
    ‘Yes,’ says Ruth, not wanting to look at him. ‘She’s nearly two.’
    ‘It goes so fast,’ says Nelson. ‘Take care of her, Ruth.’
    ‘I will.’
    ‘Where does Cathbad sleep?’ he asks, on the landing.
    Resisting the temptation to tell him to mind his ownbusiness, Ruth shows him Cathbad’s room. For some reason, the sight seems to lift Nelson’s spirits considerably. He laughs out loud at the ballerinas.
    ‘Cathbad, lad,’ he says as they shake hands in the hallway. ‘You’ve got a room fit for a princess.’
    ‘I like ballet,’ says Cathbad. ‘It’s very soothing to the soul.’

CHAPTER 18
    ‘So you’ve got a friend who’s a wizard?’
    Nelson sighs. He’s finding it very hard to explain his relationship with Cathbad to Sandy. In fact, he finds it hard to explain it to himself.
    ‘He’s not a wizard,’ he says. ‘He’s more a sort of druid.’
    ‘Druid!’ Sandy laughs heartily. ‘Looks like you’ve been in Norfolk too long, cocker.’
    Sandy’s sergeant, a quiet young man called Tim, leans forward and says, ‘It’s very useful to have someone on the inside of the group.’
    Nelson is grateful for Tim’s intervention but feels he ought to protect Cathbad’s reputation. ‘He’s not exactly on the inside. It’s not his kind of thing at all. He’s heard of them, that’s all.’
    ‘But this friend of his, Pendragon … Jesus, why can’t they have bloody normal names? This