Without A Song

Chapter Thirteen: Coastal madness

In the early hours of the next morning there was movement outside my rooms. From the corridor shadows danced through the gap below my door and the soft pad of running footsteps echoed down the hall. I thought I'd been dreaming and easily returned to sleep, to wake another hour later. The feel-good atmosphere from the night before echoed throughout my body and, as I ambled into the dayroom, I was just in time to see David and Sandra drive out of the barn entrance to the village.

It was eight o'clock in England where the sun still climbing bright and warm in the sky as the fields turned their heads to meet the bright star. For a moment my mind slipped back to the mountains of Asir where the sun would already have risen. I dismissed the thought and told myself, you're here to r-e-l-a-x! In a repeat performance of the previous morning, I showered and breakfasted. I wondered if Charlie and George were serious about being minders although I couldn't really tell after last night, just have to play it by ear I suppose. I thought of Nicole, wondering if she was thinking of me too. I returned the remains of my breakfast to the kitchen dishwasher, then walked into the family room to where Rupert sat with his back to me writing notes at an old roll top desk, similar to my own. I said my good mornings but he showed no sign of hearing me so I turned to search through a large library of books on the local area.

A few minutes later, Rupert tapped me on the shoulder. "Can I help Stephen?"

"You startled me Rupert. I was looking for your local Ordnance Survey map, I assumed you'd have one somewhere?"

"Yes we have one, just a case of finding it. Maps tend to stay wherever I put them last. Here, I assume you are planning a walk, if so can I make a suggestion?"

Intrigued, I wondered what was coming. Rupert would be quick, painless and direct and so it was. He walked to the large dining table and unfolded the map.

Jabbing a finger he continued speaking, "I need a second opinion on the work being done at East Road. County have got contractors in to strengthen the sea defences beyond the car park but old Jamie Parks says there's hardly anyone there most of the time and he's only seen some stone poured in holes. You're an engineer, not your field I know but would you mind including East Road in your ramble? I could do with a second opinion, one that isn't biased in either camp?" Rupert was looking straight me, "Will you give me an appraisal on what you see? If anyone asks just look official and pompous and say I told you to look."

"And your reason is what?"

"I got elected to the county lobby for environmental works last year and I have been campaigning for months to get the sea wall strengthened at East Lane. Now that the work has started no one will listen at my concerns. They say wait until it is done and consult us later. Hrumph!"

I knew that Rupert loved this area with a passion and he'd have been watching the work's progress with a keen eye.

"Those asses at County Hall think they can throw money at the cheapest bidder and the work will be done. I raised the matter and said I wanted a proper job, with the area properly irrigated, subsoils dressed and dried, channels pumped out etcetera. Some nerd said I was overreacting and that using modern technologies would make the lane safe for a thousand years. I said poppycock, they overruled me and that was that. I just want an honest opinion from a third party. Will you do it?"

Rupert could be very distrusting of people he didn't know. Not an altogether global opinion but probably quite close. It would occupy my morning so why not?

"I can try but I'll need a knapsack, some pens, drawing paper and a camera if you've got them available?" I saw Rupert's slight twitch and rise of the left eyebrow. "If I'm going do it, I might as well do a proper job. Oh, and do you've a fluorescent tabard, safety hat and a steel tape measure?"