Out of it； as they jockeyed for position closest to his feet； they were ruthless。 He could； and did； silence them with a half…lifted hand。 His every word was venerated； as if it fell from the lips of a Messiah。 The charade amused Marty mightily： but applying the rule of thumb he had learned in prison he knew that in order to earn such devotion Whitehead must have sinned more deeply than his admirers。 In cunning； he didn't doubt Whitehead's skills： he'd experienced his powers of persuasion already。 But as time went by the other question burned more brightly： was he also a thief？ And if not that； what was his crime？
16
Ease； she came to understand as she watched the runner from her window； is all； if not all； it was the best part of what she delighted in； watching him。 She didn't know his name； though she could have inquired。 It pleased her more to have him anonymous； an angel dressed in a gray track suit； his breath a flux of mist at his lips as he ran。 She'd heard Pearl talk of the new bodyguard； and presumed this was he。 Did it really matter what his name was？ Such details could only weigh down her mythmaking。
It was a bad time for her； for many reasons； and on those defeated mornings； sitting at her window having scarcely slept the night before； the sight of the angel running across the lawn or flickering between the cypress trees was a sign she clung to； a portent of better times to e。 The regularity of his appearance was something she came to count on； and when sleep was good and she missed him in the morning； she felt an undeniable sense of loss for the rest of the day； and would make a special point of keeping her rendezvous with him the next morning。
But she couldn't bring herself to leave the sunshine island； to cross so many dangerous reefs to get to where he was。 Even to signal her existence in the house to him risked too much。 She wondered if he was much of a detective。 If he was； perhaps he had discovered her presence in the house by some witty means： seen her cigarette stubs in the kitchen sink； or smelled the scent of her in a room she had left scant minutes before。 Or perhaps angels； being divinities； needed no such devices。 Perhaps he simply knew； without the clues； that she was there； standing behind the sky at a window； or pressed behind a locked door when he went whistling down the corridor。
There was no use in reaching for him though； even if she could have found the courage。 What would she have to say to him？ Nothing。 And when； inevitably； he sighed his irritation with her and turned his back； she would be lost in a no…man's…land； isolated from the one place she felt secure； that sunshine island that came to her out of a pure white cloud； that place that poppies bled to give her。
〃You've eaten nothing today；〃 Pearl chided。 It was a familar plaint。 〃You'll waste away。〃 〃Leave me be； will you？〃 〃I'll have to tell him； you know。〃 〃No； Pearl。〃 Carys gave Pearl a pleading look。 〃Don't say anything。 Please。 You know how he gets。 I'll hate you if you say anything。〃 Pearl stood at the door with the tray； disapproval on her face。 She wasn't about to crumble at the appeal or at the blackmail。 〃Are you trying to starve yourself again？〃 she asked unsympathetically。
〃No。 I just don't have much appetite； that's all。〃 Pearl shrugged。
〃I don't understand you；〃 she said。 〃Half the time you look suicidal。 Today…〃 Carys smiled radiantly。
〃It's your life；〃 the woman said。
〃Before you go； Pearl 。 。 。〃 〃What？〃 〃Tell me about the runner。〃 Pearl looked bemused： it wasn't like the girl to show any interest in goings…on in the house。 She stayed up here behind locked doors and dreamed。 But today she was insistent： 〃The one who races himself every morning。 In the track suit。 Who is he？〃 Where was the harm in telling her？ Curiosity was a sign of health； and she had too little of either。
〃His name's Marty。〃 Marty。 Carys tried the name in her head； and it fitted him fine。 The angel's name was Marty。
〃Many what？〃 〃I can't remember。〃 Carys stood up。 The smile had gone。 She had that hard look that she got when she really wanted something； the corners of her mouth pulled down。 It was a look she shared with Mr。 Whitehead； and it intimidated Pearl。 Carys knew that。
〃You know my memory；〃 Pearl said； apologetically。 〃I don't remember his surname。〃 〃Well； who is he？〃 〃Your father's bodyguard； he's taken over from Nick；〃 Pearl replied。 〃He's an ex…prisoner； apparently。 Robbery with violence。〃 〃Really？〃 〃And rather lacking in social graces。〃 〃Marty。〃 〃Strauss；〃 Pearl said； with a note of triumph。 〃Martin Strauss； that's it。
There： he was named； Carys thought。 There was a primitive power in naming someone。 It gave you a handle on a person。 Martin Strauss。
〃Thank you；〃 she said； genuinely pleased。
〃Why do you want to know？〃 〃Just wondered who he was。 People e and go。〃 〃Well I think he's staying；〃 Pearl said； and left the room。 As she closed the door Carys said： 〃Does he have a middle name？〃 But Pearl didn't hear。
It was strange； to think the runner had been a prisoner； still was a prisoner in a way； racing around and around the grounds； breathing in clear air； breathing out clouds； frowning as he ran。 Perhaps he'd understand； more than the old man or Toy or Pearl； what it felt like to be on the sunshine island； and not know how to get off。 Or worse； to know how； but never to dare it； for fear of never getting back to safety。
Now that she knew his name and his crimes； the romance of his morning run wasn't spoiled by the information。 He still trailed glory； but now she saw the weight in his body when previously she'd seen only the lightness of his step。
She decided； after an age of indecision； that watching was not going to be enough。
As Marty became fitter； so he demanded more of himself during his morning run。 The circuit he made grew bigger； though by now he was covering the larger distance in the same time as he had the shorter。 Sometimes； to add spice to the exercise； he'd plunge into the woods； careless of the undergrowth and the low branches； his even stride degenerating into an ad hoc collection of leaps and dashes。 On the other side of the wood was the weir； and here； if he was in the mood； he might halt for a few minutes。 There were herons here； three that he'd seen。 It would soon be nesting time and they would presumably pair off。 He wondered what would happen to the third bird then？ Would it fly off in search of its own mate； or linger； thinking adulterous thoughts？ The weeks ahead would tell。
Some days； fascinated by the way Whitehead watched him from the top of the house； he'd slow as he passed by； hoping to catch his face。 But the watcher was too careful to be caught。
And then one morning she was waiting at the dovecote for him as he made the long curve back toward the house； and he knew at once that he'd been wrong about it being the old man who'd been spying。 This was the cautious observer at the upper window。 It was barely a quarter to seven in the morning； and still chilly。 She'd been waiting a while to judge by the flush on her cheeks and nose。 Her eyes were shining with cold。
He stopped； puffing out steam like a traction engine。
〃Hello； Marty；〃 she said。
〃Hello。〃 〃You don't know me。〃 〃No。〃 She hugged her duffle coat more tightly around her。 She was skinny； and looked twenty at the most。 Her eyes； so dark a brown they looked black at three paces； were in him like claws。 The ruddy face was wide； and without makeup。 She looked； he thought； hungry。 He looked； she thought； ravenous。
〃You're the one from upstairs；〃 he ventured。
〃Yes。 You didn't mind me spying； did you？〃 she inquired； guilelessly 〃Why should I？〃 She extended a slim； gloveless hand to the stone of the dovecote。
〃It's beautiful； isn't it？〃 she said。
The building had never struck Marty as even interesting before； simply as a landmark by which to pace his run。
〃It's one of the biggest dovecotes in England；〃 she said。 〃Did you know that？〃 〃No。〃 〃Ever been in？〃 He shook his head。
〃It's a bizarre place；〃 she said； and led the way around the barrel…shaped building to the door。 She had some difficulty pushing it open；