Chapter Three

The camp was packed up and they were made ready. Angel sat astride her horse, not looking at either Benji or Holmes but focusing her gaze forward. She stared at the head in front of her. Tsering. He was barking orders at the men and gradually they began to move forward. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream out that she had had enough and she wanted to go home, but she was aware that Benji was watching her, he seemed to know what she was thinking and it disturbed her, she let herself glance towards Holmes. He too was astride his horse, but he looked as unlike the Holmes she knew as it was possible to imagine. But it was still him, the eyes were still his, the bearing and the calm presence were still his. She tore her gaze away and focused in the movement of her horse as they began to move. There was something different about their movement today, the usual jovial chatter of the men as they travelled had gone, all were silent. She looked around her, perhaps they knew that this was no ordinary journey, that the men who had arrived to accompany them were no ordinary men, that today they were destined for great things.

They had travelled for perhaps an hour when there was a flurry of movement ahead and a gate that Angel had not noticed, opened in front of them and they were greeted by yet more men. Holmes disembarked and conversed in Tibetan with the first man that approached him. Angel watched and wondered if Holmes could blend seamlessly into any culture if he so chose. Before she could reach a conclusion she was interrupted by the sound of his voice. She looked up and saw him motioning to her to follow, she glanced at Benji who avoided her eyes. She sighed, he was still hurting from her comments about Holmes. She didn't realise it before but Benji was in complete awe of Holmes and for Angel to shatter his dreams was heartless of her. They both approached the gate which Holmes had passed through, instinctively Benji took her arm.

"I'm sorry." She whispered as they were ushered past guards and officals.

"For what?"

"For saying those things about..." She paused, not wanting to say Holmes but unwilling also to say Sigerson.

"You were right." He whispered back, his eyes steely and his voice tense.

"I was angry." She said, hoping that would suffice as an explanation.

"He is a complicated man, it was stupid of us to imagine that we could be anything at all to him."

She stopped, shocked by his words, scared to hear her own thoughts spoken back to her by another.

"Come on." He commanded. She obeyed without a word and before they could say more, they were brought into a large room, decorated with simple flowers and inhabited by only a few men, Angel was so transfixed that she almost collided with Holmes' back. He turned as he became aware of them.

"I need to work now, you will be shown to your rooms and I will join you later for dinner." Angel noticed that he had discarded his disguise and resembled the Holmes she had known in Florence, if a little ruddier.

"We cannot stay?" She asked.

"No, I do not want you any more involved than you are already. I cannot lose..." He trailed off, still holding Angel's gaze. After a moment he motioned to Tsering, who had entered with them and gave him instructions to escort them both out. Tsering nodded and stood to one side to allow them to follow. Benji did without a word or a look towards Holmes, Angel watched him go then looked back towards Holmes. She could think of nothing to say.

"I am sorry." She said, rather pointlessly. Holmes stared at her retreating back as she followed Benji and Tsering, it was only when the man at his side touched his arm that Holmes remembered where he was. Clearing his throat, he followed the man into the presence of the Dalai Lama and attempted to arrange his thoughts into some sort of order. Angel would have to be dealt with later.