A small crowd of village children gathered to watch. Isik showed them the gleaming curve of his scimitar, slicing up a cucumber with its deadly blade. He then pulled out his knife and threw it with confident accuracy into the trunk of a walnut tree where it embedded itself, quivering in the morning sunlight. This earned him a round of applause and he bowed theatrically.
Next, Alexandre demonstrated how the musket and pistol worked. He removed the bullets and let the two boys pretend to fire them. They charged around playing soldiers and bandits until Isik said they really should head back. Alexandre picked up little Yunue and swung him around, he kissed Aysun’s soft cheek and shook hands solemnly with Yusue. Finally, he mounted his horse, alongside the Turkish guard and waved goodbye to the little household with promises to return.
As they left the village behind, Alexandre could not believe they had only arrived yesterday evening. He felt as if he had been there for at least a week.
‘I am afraid we must inform the others we have failed to find the entrance,’ Isik said.
‘I think we should look for ourselves, before we head back to disappoint them.’
‘That was not the plan.’
‘No, but how far is ... What is the name of the village?’
‘Zelmat.’
‘How far away is Zelmat? My father knows we may be away for a few days. We could use the time wisely and there is nothing to be lost by looking.’
‘It is almost on our way back, not too far from camp.’
So instead of heading straight back, they took a detour and rode towards the village that Havva Sahin had named in the legend.
Alexandre realised he was enjoying himself. It was like playing at detectives, finding clues to solve a mystery. It made a welcome change from the prod, prod prodding of sticks in the ground and trying to find non-existent entrances at the back of caves. He did not believe he had ever before felt this sense of purpose and excitement, not since he was a child playing make-believe games with his friends. Today he felt alive.
They rode hard and the morning sun burned hot. They were forced to stop several times for the horses to drink and to splash their own faces in the welcome streams which bubbled along the way. They reached the outskirts of the village by midday and found a shady spot to sit and share the large packed lunch that Nuray Sahin had pressed into Alexandre’s hands before they left.
The cavern was supposedly situated to the south of the village. It should be somewhere close by. Alexandre itched to start his search, but he knew he could not deny his companion rest and a meal first. He ate quickly, not even tasting the food. He was too wrapped up in thoughts of discovering the entrance. At last they remounted their reluctant steeds.
‘I know, girl,’ Alexandre patted the mare’s neck. ‘It is hot and you are still tired, but you can rest again soon.’
After several fruitless hours searching back and forth along the fast-flowing river that cut through the valley, Isik rode up to Alexandre.
‘My friend, I know it is disappointing, but maybe we need to accept it is just a legend and there is no cave. Or that it has indeed been lost to time.’
‘It must be here,’ Alexandre’s eyes narrowed in frustration. ‘The place was named. The location was specific. It must have been based on something.’
‘Let us rest for a few minutes,’ Isik said. ‘I will light a fire and make us coffee and we will talk of what is to be done.’
‘No. Please let us keep looking for a while longer. It has to be somewhere.’ Alexandre looked away across the land to the small figures in the distance, moving about the vineyard terraces. ‘We should head away from the river. Over there.’
The Turk sighed and gave his horse’s flanks a gentle kick. He said nothing, but cantered off in the direction Alexandre had pointed. Alexandre followed.
They found nothing. No caves or columns. The land flattened out and became less rocky and more desert-like. Alexandre stopped and jumped off his horse. He kicked the ground in frustration, sending dust and stones skidding up into the air. He picked up a pebble and hurled it with all his might. He remembered doing something like this as a child – sending smooth round pebbles skimming across The Seine with his father.
He bent down and picked up another stone, rubbing his thumb across the polished warmth, before sending it spinning into the distance. Why were these stones so smooth? What had polished them like this? One usually found these sorts of stones in a river … Could that be the answer? Could it really be as simple as that?
‘The river!’ he shouted.
Isik headed over towards him.
‘Isik!’
‘What is it, my friend? Are you well?’
‘I am fine and I think I may have solved the mystery of the missing cave.’
Isik wrinkled his forehead.
‘These pebbles are round and smooth.’
The Turk’s frown deepened.
‘I am not mad,’ Alexandre laughed. ‘Do you not understand? They are river stones. I think this used to be a river bed. But the river is no longer here.’
Isik did not change his expression.
‘I think the river must have changed its course or perhaps been diverted closer to the villages to irrigate the fields. Can you not see? The cave was in the valley, but the river was diverted there … and so now the cave is underneath the river. I am sure of it.’
‘I do not know about that,’ Isik said.
‘I am right,’ he insisted. ‘You will see. I will prove it. Did you say there were five columns? Five ... what do you call them? Fairy chimneys? There are many of them in the area and I have seen how tall they are. The columns could now be protruding from the surface of the river. We must look.’
Isik rode with Alexandre back towards the village of Zelmat.
The river ran deep and wide with a steep pitted rock face on the opposite side. Alexandre stared hard at the unbroken surface of the river, willing himself to see the tops of the five columns poking out. Nothing. They kept up their search all afternoon.
‘It is dark, we should set up camp,’ Isik, the voice of reason, broke through into Alexandre’s thoughts.
‘You are right,’ he sighed.
‘We can try again tomorrow morning,’ Isik said.
‘Thank you for humouring me,’ Alexandre said tiredly. ‘You must think me a fool to keep hoping.’
‘Not at all. As long as there is life, there is hope.’
*
The following morning, as dawn spread its soft yellow light across the river, the two men resumed their search. They searched all day and Alexandre was grateful to Isik for going along with him even though it was obvious he had no faith in this quest.
Now, late in the afternoon, they had travelled far beyond the area where the cave was supposedly sited.
‘Very well,’ Alexandre said. ‘We tried, but I finally agree with you, Isik, my friend. There is nothing here. Let us retrace out steps and head home.’
They reined in their horses and turned around, heading back along the river in silence. Alexandre sat low in his saddle. He suddenly felt very tired and thought he would suggest stopping to make camp. They could return to the site tomorrow when they awoke.
‘Alexandre.’
Dispirited, Alexandre was slow to respond.
‘Alexandre, could that be something?’ The Turk pointed to a spot near the middle of the river where two stones protruded from the water. Alexandre jumped off his horse and peered across. He threw his hat onto the river bank, stripped off his jacket and shirt and undid his boots.
‘I must protest,’ Isik said. ‘If you are going to do what I think you are. It is far too dangerous. Your parents would cut my throat from ear to ear if anything happened to you and I would not blame them.’
Alexandre grinned at the worried-looking Turk. ‘I do not think you could have picked two people less likely to do what you have just described.’ He clapped him on the back and started walking upstream. Then, he dived into the icy
cold water.
‘Mind the rocks!’ Isik shouted.
The water flowed steadily and it would take a strong swimmer to navigate the current. Alexandre let it take him downstream whilst he tried to make his way to the centre of the river.
Very quickly, Alexandre reached one of the protruding stones and clung to it, trying to get his breath back. The freezing water and the strength of the current had shocked him, but he also felt exhilarated and refreshed, excited that this might actually be it - the discovery they all hoped for. He waited until he had his breath again and then he plunged beneath the surface.
Chapter Eleven
*
At ten on the dot, Travis’ rusty yellow van roared up the driveway and came to a gravelly halt outside the house. The horn finally brought Maddy and Ben out of the house. Ben got in first and Maddy squeezed in beside him, so all three sat up front.
‘Wish you’d tell me where we’re going, Mads,’ Ben said.
‘Yeah. Where to, Maddy?’ Travis asked.
‘Any 4x4 dealerships around here?’
‘Serious? You wanna test drive one for a laugh? I don’t somehow think they’re gonna let us do that.’
‘Yeah they will.’
‘If you say so. I don’t think we’ll have much luck, but it’s worth a go.’ Travis nodded his head.
‘Are we getting a jeep, Maddy?’ Ben asked.
‘Might be.’ Maddy nudged him playfully.
‘How old are you then?’ Travis asked Maddy. ‘If you don’t mind me asking.
‘Sixteen.’
‘Then how are you going to …? I mean, you’ve got to be seventeen to drive and if you haven’t got a licence, then ...’
‘That’s where you come in. You’ve got a licence so you can test drive it and tell me what you think. Then, when I find one I like, I’ll be able to drive it around at home.’
‘You’re going to buy one?’
‘Pretty much.’
‘Do you know how much a brand new 4x4 costs?’
‘Not really. But I don’t really care about the money side of it.’
‘Wow.’ Travis breathed out. ‘I didn’t realise you were loaded. I mean, I know you’ve got a big house and everything, but mummy and daddy must give you a lot of pocket money for you to be able to buy a car just for riding around the garden.’
‘It’s not like that,’ Maddy said, her mouth hardening into a thin line.
‘We haven’t got any parents,’ Ben said.
‘Oh no! I’m really sorry. I’m such a big mouth,’ Travis said, pulling over near the end of the long drive and glancing across at them. ‘Sorry. That must be rough. Do you live with your grandparents or something?’
‘We live on our own,’ Ben said.
‘Ben! He doesn’t need to know our life history.’
‘No, I’m just the chauffeur.’
‘Okay, I’m sorry. This was a mistake. I think we should go back home.’ Maddy opened the van door. She and Ben could walk back.
‘Chill, Maddy,’ Travis said. ‘You don’t need to tell me anything if you don’t want to. I’m happy to help out.’ He paused. ‘Sorry about the chauffeur comment, I was just being a twat. And I’m really sorry about your parents, I’m a nosy sod. Just tell me to shut up, okay?’
Maddy calmed down a bit. ‘It’s alright. It’s fair enough you want to know what I’m doing. You are the one helping me. But, Trav, can we just have fun today, with no questions? Please?’ She looked across Ben at Travis and put on her cutest smile.
He smiled back. ‘I can’t say no to you, can I.’
As expected, they were met in the showrooms with either suspicion or dismissive glances. Three young kids in band t-shirts, rocking up in a battered transit van, didn’t look likely to get the sales staff any commission. But Madison had brought a bank statement with her to prove her loadedness, should she need to.
They went to three different dealerships that morning but none of the vehicles were quite right.
‘They’re all a bit poncy,’ Maddy said, disappointed. ‘I want something that’ll go through streams and forests and up and down the valley, you know. Not a show-off car to pick the kids up from school in.’
‘Okay, Mads, I think know what you’re after,’ Travis said. ‘You should’ve told me earlier. Here I am, thinking you want a girly jeep that looks pretty.’
‘No, I want something tough.’
Travis drove straight to a huge out-of-town dealership, where Madison instantly fell in love with huge, square Land Rover Defender on the forecourt.
‘Yes!’ Ben said, bouncing up and down on the seat. ‘That’s the one from Tomb Raider. Cool.’
She chose an enormous green station wagon and, at only five foot two inches tall, she almost needed a ladder to climb up into it.
Travis laughed. ‘I think it might be a bit small for you, Maddy. Maybe a Sherman tank would be a better size.’
‘Ha, ha.’
‘What do you think?’ the salesman asked. ‘It’s really built for off road, so if you want to book an appointment you could test drive it the way it’s meant to be driven.’
‘No need. I love it. Does it go up steep hills and through water and stuff?’
The salesman started talking to Madison about forty five degree angles, torque and throttle control.
‘So that’s a yes then?’
‘Yes,’ he agreed.
‘It’s perfect. Can I have this one?’
‘Yes, we can have it built for you in this colour.’
‘Built? How long will that take?’
Travis interrupted. ‘You should have it in blue to match your eyes.’ He blushed the instant he’d spoken.
‘You big softy,’ she teased. ‘Well, seeing as you’ve been such a star, I’ll take your advice and have a blue one.’
‘Izmir Blue?’ The salesman said, pointing to a Land Rover of such pale blue it was almost silver. ‘That colour is available to drive away today.’
‘That is the exact same colour as your eyes, Maddy,’ Ben said.
‘That’s the one then. Can you deliver it?’
‘Certainly.’ The salesman cracked his first smile.
Madison left the sales office having spent just under thirty grand. She couldn’t believe her extravagance but she felt fantastic.
It was now two o’clock.
‘Lunch! Please, Maddy. Me and Ben need food don’t we, mate?’
‘Couple of lightweights. Come on then. How about I buy you lunch in return for some driving lessons?’
‘Deal,’ said Travis. ‘But I’m warning you, I’m starving.’
*
Wednesday was the beginning of term at King George Comprehensive. Ben was about to start Year Eight and was pretty laid back about it, but Madison couldn’t help stressing.
She woke up at six, an hour before the alarm was due to go off, and jumped out of bed. She dug out the most conservative clothes she owned – a pair of skinny black jeans and a red and black top, which she belted on the hip.
That week she’d bought Ben a new rucksack, pencil case and pens and had even taken him to have his hair cut in town. He liked his dark locks fairly longish, but she’d thought they could do with a bit of a trim. She’d laid out his uniform the night before and now she paced around the kitchen, too nervous to sit.
‘I’ll come with you this morning. Make sure you’re okay,’ she said when he wandered, bleary eyed, into the kitchen an hour later.
‘You can come if you like, Mads, but it’s not a problem if you don’t.’ He yawned and tried to smooth down his hair, which stuck up at odd angles. ‘This is the fourth - or is fifth? - new school, so I’ve had enough practice of first days.’
‘I know, Ben. Hopefully this will be the last first day if you know what I mean.’
‘Yeah, that’d be cool.’ He sat down and poured out a massive bowl of Shreddies and milk, shovelling it into his mouth like he hadn’t eaten for weeks. Maddy took a small bite of toast and watched him.
She would have the place to herself today (apart from Esther, of course, but their paths rarely crossed). It would be weird without Ben. Would she be lonely? She didn’t know.
The school run went smoothly. Morris drove and Maddy sat in the back with Ben. They dropped him near the entrance and he walked into the large modern edifice without a backward glance. Maddy was surprised at how contemporary the building was. She had expected a traditional country school, but apparently King George (or KG as the locals called it) had won some multi-million-pound lottery funding a few years ago and was now a ‘state-of-the-art academy for the new millennium’ or something like that. It was all glass, steel and primary colours with light wood cladding, quads and atriums. Much more inviting than the mouldering red brick they’d gone to in London.
Maddy couldn’t settle when she got back to the house, so she decided to go for a walk down to the river near the edge of the property. But before she was even halfway there, a cool wind started up and a hefty black rain cloud moved in. Maddy shivered and reluctantly headed back towards the house. As soon as she got through the door, she ran upstairs to get a jumper. She was freezing and she was bored. What could she do?
Wandering into the kitchen, she broke off a few grapes and shoved them into her mouth a couple at a time. They were sweet and delicious and so she broke off a few more. She hummed a few bars of a TV theme tune and opened the fridge, had a quick scan and closed it again. Maddy knew she wasn’t really hungry and she wasn’t in the mood to read or watch television. Out of the window, the first few splats of rain landed on the glass.
She wondered how Ben was getting on at school. For a moment, Maddy almost felt jealous of him and then she shook her head. No, she definitely did not want to go back to school, no matter how bored she might get.
Her eyes rested on the little door at the back of the utility room that led down to the cellar. Maybe a little exploration would be interesting. She turned the iron key and pushed open the wooden door. It threatened to slam shut behind her, so she went back into the utility room, picked up a heavy box of washing powder and put it on the top step to wedge the door open.