The car's over there；〃 said Ilya； pointing east； 〃around the curve of the hill and behind the trees。 We'll cut through the trees downhill to the track； then follow our own ski…tracks back to the car。 Cutting off the corner will save us maybe half a kilometre； and it will be a lot easier than walking in deep snow。 Easier for me； anyway。 Once we're back on the track you can go on skis； a gentle glide； and when the car's in sight； then you can go on ahead and get her going。 But we'll have to get a move on。 It will be gloomy now under those trees； and in another half…hour the sun will be down。 We won't want to be in the wood too long after that。〃
Then he'd hoisted Georgina's skis to his shoulder and they'd left the firebreak for the shelter and the silence of the trees。
At first they'd made good headway； so good in fact that she had almost stopped worrying。 But there was that about the hillside which oppressed…a quiet too intense； a sense of ages passing or passed like a few ticks of some vast clock； and of something waiting； watching…so that she only desired to get down off the hill and back out into the open。 She supposed that Ilya felt it； too； this strange genius loci； for he had said very little and even his breathing was quiet as they made their way diagonally down through the trees； moving from bole to black bole； avoiding the more precipitous places as much as possible。
Then they had reached a place where leaning stumps of stone； the bedrock itself； stuck up through the soil and leaf…mould； following which they had to negotiate an almost sheer face of crumbling rock down to a levelled area。 And as he helped her down； so they had noticed the handiwork of man there under the dark trees。
They stood upon lichen…clad stone flags in front of。。。a mausoleum？ That's what the tumbled ruins had looked like； anyway。 But here？ Georgina had nervously clutched Ilya's arm。 This could hardly be considered a holy place or hallowed ground； not by any stretch of the imagination。 It seemed that unseen presences moved here； lending their motion to the musty air without disturbing the festoons of cobwebs and dangling fingers of dead twigs that hung down from higher areas of gloom。 It was a cold place…but lacking the normal； invigorating cold of winter…where the sun had only rarely broken through in。。。 how many centuries？
Hewn from the raw stone of the hillside itself； the tomb had long since caved in； most of its roof of massive slabs lay in a tangle of broken masonry； where the flags of the floor were cracked and arched upwards from the achingly slow groping of great roots。 A broken stone joist； leaning now against the thickly matted ruin of a side wall； had once formed the lintel above the tomb's wide entrance； it bore a vague motif or coat of arms； hard to make out in the gloom。
Ilya； who had always had a fascination for antiquities of all sorts； had gone to kneel beside the great sloping slab and gouge dirt from its carved legend。 〃Well； now！〃 his voice had sounded hushed。 〃And what are we to make of this； eh？〃
Georgina had shuddered。 〃I don't want to make any…thing of it！ This is an entirely horrid place。 e away； let's go on。〃
〃But look…there are heraldic markings here。 At least I suppose that's what they are。 This one； at the bottom is。。。 a dragon？ Yes； with one forepaw raised； see？ And above it…I can't quite make it out。〃
〃Because the sun is setting！〃 she'd cried。 〃It's getting gloomier by the moment。〃 But she had gone to peer over his shoulder anyway。 The dragon had been quite clearly worked； a proud…looking creature chipped from the stone。
〃And that's a bat！〃 Georgina had said at once。 〃A bat in flight； over the dragon's back。〃
Ilya had hurriedly cleaned away more dirt and lichen from the old chiselled grooves； and a third carved symbol had e to light。 But the great lintel； which had seemed firmly enough bedded； had suddenly shifted； started to topple as the rotting wall gave way。
Pushing Georgina back； Ilya had thrown himself off balance。 Trying to scramble backwards himself； he'd somehow got his leg sticking straight out in front of him； directly under the toppling lintel。 Still sprawling there as the slab fell； his cry of agony and the nerve…grating crunch as his leg broke and jagged bone sheared through his flesh came simultaneous with Georgina's scream。
Then； perhaps mercifully； he had lost consciousness。 She had leaped to free him from the lintel； only to discover that while it had broken his leg； it had not trapped him。 The lower part of his leg flopped uselessly and fell at an odd angle when she touched it； but miraculously it was not pinned。 Then Georgina had seen and felt the break； the splintered bone projecting through red flesh and cloth； and the repetitive spurt of blood against her hands and jacket。
And that； until the moment of her awakening； had been the last that Georgina saw； felt or heard。 Or rather； she had seen one other thing； and then forgotten it at once as she slumped to the ground。 The thing she saw had remained forgotten； or more properly suppressed： it was the third symbol； carved above the dragon and the bat； which had seemed to leer at her even as the blackness closed in。。。
〃Georgy？ We're there！〃 Anne's voice broke the spell。
Georgina； reclining in the back of the car； eyes almost closed in her suddenly pale face； gave a start and sat upright。 She had been on the verge of remembering something about the place where Ilya died； something she hadn't wanted to remember。 Now she gulped air grate…fully； forced a smile。 〃There already？〃 She managed to get the words out。 〃I。。。 I must have been miles away！〃
Anne pulled the big car into the car park behind the church； braking to a gentle halt。 Then she turned to look at her passenger。 〃Are you sure you're all right？〃
Georgina nodded。 〃Yes； I'm fine。 Maybe a little tired； that's all。 e on； help me with the carry…cot。〃
The church was of old stone； all stained glass and Gothic arches； with a cemetery to one side where the headstones were leaning and crusted with grey…green lichens。 Georgina couldn't bear lichens； especially when they covered old legends gouged in leaning slabs。 She looked the other way as she hurried by the graveyard and turned left around the buttressed corner of the church towards its entrance。 Anne； almost dragged along on the other handle of the carry…cot； had to break into a trot to keep up。
〃Goodness！〃 she protested。 〃You'd think we were late or something！〃 And in fact they were； almost。
Waiting on the steps in front of the church； there stood Anne's fianc6； George Lake。 They had lived together for three years and only just set a date； and they were to be Yulian's godparents。 There had been several christenings this morning； the most recent party of beaming parents； godparents and relatives was just leaving； the mother radiant as she held her child in its christening…gown。 George skipped by them； came hurrying down the steps； took the carry…cot and said； 〃I sat through the entire service； four christenings； all that mumbling and muttering and splashing…and screaming！ But I thought it was only right that one of us be here from start to finish。 But the old vicar…Lord； he's a boring old fart！ God forgive me！〃
George and Anne might well have been brother and sister； even twins。 Toss opposites attracting out the window； thought Georgina。 They were both five…ninish； a bit plump if not actually fat； both blondes； grey eyed； soft…spoken。 A few weeks separated their birth…dates： George was a Sagittarius and Anne a Capricorn。 Typically； he would sometimes put his foot in it； she had sufficient of her sign's stability to pull him out of it。 That was Anne's interpretation of their relationship； she being a lifelong advocate of astrology。
Leaving Georgina's hands free to tidy herself up a little； they now took the carry…cot between them and made to enter the church。 The twin doors were of oak under a Gothic arch； one standing half open outwards on to the landing at the head of the steps。 A wind came up from nowhere； blew yesterday's confetti up in mad swirls and slammed the door resoundingly in their faces。 Earlier there had been the odd ray of sunshine filtering through wispy grey clouds； but now