CHAPTER 20 : NEW WORLDS FOR OLD
They stopped by the kitchens and Sylvie offered to make them sandwiches.
"Can we have them to go?" Arthur asked. "We're going to explore the Folly and probably the Grotto."
Manscombe who had just walked in said, "If the water level is high enough the waterfall will be flowing naturally, if not, you know where the pump switch is, don't you?" Arthur nodded.
Sylvie soon had the sandwiches ready and Manscombe packed the picnic basket adding chilled cider.
Arthur said, "Don't cook for us tonight, I'll drive over to Llandrue and pick up enough pizzas for the four of us. It will be a little party."
Sylvie shook her head, "Arthur, we are here to cook for you, it is very kind of you but we really shouldn't accept."
"Go on! No one will be any the wiser and the next time I see my father, I'll tell him that you are now an accomplished pizza chef."
Manscombe laughed and said, "It can't hurt, Dear, and it will be a nice treat for all of us." So Sylvie nodded and accepted Arthur's offer.
As they got into the car, Merlin said, "Is Llandrue far away?"
Arthur shook his head, "About ten minutes barring any traffic and by that I mean predominantly wandering sheep."
They drove through the estate and reached the Soldier's Folly, parking the car behind it, then walked around to take in all the work that had gone into building it. True to Arthur's word, it was empty apart from the rather elaborately carved marble bench specifically placed for a spectacular view across the parkland, the manor house, the forests and the neighbouring hills.
"We'll eat here," said Arthur as he placed the picnic basket between them and handed Merlin one of the sandwiches. It was a perfect area for a picnic and Merlin who noticed some clouds in the west, thought that unless it was driving rain the building with its carved columns and cupola was perfect.
Arthur insisted that Merlin stand on the bench. "See those red tiles, between that section of the hills? That's the Leary's house, my friend Aoife's family. I think you'd really like her, and I know she'd like you. Next time we're here, we'll arrange to meet up, maybe supper at my place. Her brothers are nice as well, actually one is at Cambridge, graduating this year I guess, and the youngest has Trinity in Dublin as his first choice. His grandparents' live there so Mrs Leary says that she doesn't mind letting her baby go so far away, or that's what she says at the moment, it will be different I'm sure when the time comes for him to go."
Merlin sat back down on the bench and after a moment's silence said, "It would have been very hard for me to leave Liverpool, if it hadn't been that Gaius was there. It's easier when there are brothers and sisters who remain at home until it is their time to go off. My mother always put on a brave front being exciting with each letter I received but I know that she was heartbroken, torn between wanting me to go and worried and sad that I was leaving." He paused, "You know, I feel there should be more recognition given to parents who allow their kids to fly the proverbial nest for university. They all know that it is going to happen but for some it must be very difficult especially single parents."
"It happens in every family." Arthur said trying to show a little understanding of something he had never experienced.
"I looked at my mother's smiling face but could see in her eyes the realisation that this was the start of a new life with her son at Oxford, knowing that I would be away for the following eleven weeks."
Arthur slipped his arm around Merlin's shoulders and said, trying to lighten the conversation, "That's because you were her handsome little Prince, if you had been a nuisance of a child, she would probably have packed your bags and sent you on your way earlier."
Merlin pressed himself closer to him and said, "Thank God, for Gaius. I'm sure he kept her busy so she didn't have time to mope around the house thinking of me."
"Why would anyone want to think of you, Merlin?" Arthur asked letting his breath make Merlin's hair ripple like a dark pool.
"People who appreciate my good heartedness, my intellect, my friendship, my patience and not forgetting my faithfulness and love for a certain sometimes rather annoying young man."
"…and might I add," Arthur said, "your looks, especially that dishevelled spaced out look when you finally come back to earth after a trip, to heaven knows where!"
"Yes, that too," agreed Merlin with a big grin before adding, "Let's eat, I'm hungry!"
-0-0-
They returned to the car and went via the forest track to the Grotto, Arthur explaining that his father did not want cars driving across the grass as they left tire tracks. "I know he won't be back soon but with my luck, my car will leak oil and make an unsightly mark. Nevertheless, I'm sure in the old days, there must have been tracks from the folly across the grassland to the Grotto…just my father and his strange ways."
Merlin said, "Well in the olden days, horses and carriages would have left tracks but I have to say it looks great as it is now."
-0-0-
He loved the grotto once he saw it up close. It was a tumble of rocks with a waterfall cascading over it and a little stream, making its way down toward the formal gardens to the east of the house.
"Arthur, why did you never mentioned this place before, it's wonderful."
"There was no need to as I knew that one day I would bring you here and you would be what might I say…gob-smacked!"
Merlin laughed saying, "Such a wonderful command of the English language, Kit Marlowe would have been proud of you!"
They walked down the slight incline to the grotto and passed behind the curtain of water. The charge in temperature surprised Merlin. The grotto was dry, the water falling a good two feet in front of the edge, before cashing onto rocks below with the spray flying beyond the waterfall itself.
Exiting on the far side, Merlin wanted to see where the water came from and above he found a deep stream which had been directed to a pool above the cave. "What did Manscombe mean about the pump?" he asked.
Arthur explained that if the stream couldn't fill the basin above the fall to capacity, there was an auxiliary pump which forced the water through a pipe to supply a fall. "I don't think the effect is as remarkable but at least it produces a waterfall for visitors. Today, it is flowing as it was first designed."
They made their way back behind the falls, Merlin hung onto Arthur's hand and leant out so that he could hold his arm into the curtain of water. It had considerable force and his arm kept being forced down. At one point, Arthur fooling took a step forward and Merlin's shoulder and neck was also soaked. He pulled him back and hugged him getting wet as well.
He shouted at Arthur that there should have been a curtain of water to pass through to access the grotto.
"...and what about all the ladies in their crinolines and hats with plumes, they'd be soaked?"
Merlin laughed as he said, "But didn't they also carry cute little umbrellas?"
"Their sun parasols? They wouldn't have held up to the force of the water, they would have been in tatters. If we move back to the bench, I can hear you better as it's noisy near the water."
They sat on the bench and watched the water. Merlin asked, "If I ran though the waterfall is the pond deep enough to jump into?"
"I don't know. I can't remember anyone trying that but I know people do this." He leant forward and kissed Merlin gently on the lips. Merlin tried to clasp his head in his hands to hold him there but Arthur moved away laughing, "I'm not that easy, Merlin. Come on you'll have to work harder than that."
Laughing Merlin, slipped his hand over Arthur's heart, he smiled as he seemed distracted and the next thing Arthur knew he was being help by two strong arms and someone's lips were making their way up his neck sending shivers down his spine.
Merlin was in no hurry and knew that he was driving Arthur crazy. He loosened his arms but Arthur didn't move just smiled as sooner or later Merlin would kiss him and what he had started would continue.
"Can you wait a second, I forgot something in the car? I won't be long..." Arthur scrambled up and went through the little tunnel which led outside, he was back panting in what Merlin guessed was twenty-five seconds with two blankets over his shoulder and two cans of cider in his hand.
He threw a blanket in Merlin's direction saying, "That is not the most comfortable bench and I remembered seeing Manscombe put this in my car and the other is one I always carry in my trunk in case of emergency."
Merlin smiled and said knowingly, "Aye Aye!"
Arthur said, "In case of an emergency, Merlin, like an accident or my battery died and I couldn't get help and got cold..."
Merlin interrupted him, "But, I would have kept you warm."
"If you happened to be there... Merlin, come sit down beside me." Merlin did as asked and snuggled into Arthur who now wished he had a large duvet to wrap around their backs.
Finally Merlin said, "It's only four thirty and yet it really seems dark. He got up and walked over to the tunnel and called, "Arthur, there's a storm out here." He walked back to the bench and said, "Let's stay here until it's over. If there is lightning, it will look spectacular through..."
There was a distant rumble of thunder and Merlin said, "See!" Within minutes a flash of lightning lit up the cave with a diffused light followed almost immediately by a clap of thunder which made Merlin jump and Arthur took the opportunity to hold him and not release him.
They sat out the storm counting between the flashes of lightning and the peals of thunder.
When it was miles away according to Arthur's reckoning, he said, "Time to move on."
Merlin shivered and Arthur decided that he was also feeling damp, he got up from the bench and wrapped his blanket around Merlin. He threw the one that Merlin had been sitting on over his own shoulders and grabbed the cider they hadn't touched.
The rain was over and the air smelt supercharged with oxygen as they made their way back to the house and Arthur dropped off the picnic basket in the kitchen keeping the cider. He joined Merlin upstairs and convinced him to take advantage of the tub and hot water to have a bath before they picked up the pizza at six thirty. "Anyway, it'll warm you up," he said.
Of course Arthur wasn't satisfied that Merlin should have a bath without him and Merlin glanced up and smiled, when someone tapped at the door and joined him in the double-ended jetted tub.
-0-0-
Supper was relaxing as they shared the pizzas with Manscombe and Sylvie. When Arthur told Sylvie about being caught in the grotto during the thunderstorm, she recalled something from years ago. "The weatherman on the BBC had forecast a clear sunny afternoon with mild temperatures, so your father decided to take all his house guests to visit the folly and have tea served there."
Manscombe took up the story, "The staff went first and had everything set up, tables with linen clothes and good china, an assortment of Mrs Maxwells famous fancy sandwiches," here Arthur nodded appreciably, "and all the making for a summer tea party. Well, the BBC had got it wrong and when all the guests in their finest summer clothes were gathering and your father had nodded that we might begin serving…"
"…one of the kitchen maids," said Sylvie, "drew my attention to an area across the park which looked as if it was being attacked by a team of lumbermen, the leaves and small branches were flying around and century old trees were bending under some unseen pressure."
"Your father," said Manscombe, "ordered all his guests back to their cars. The wind or whatever it was, was making its way across the parkland and you could see its progress as it made the grass blow in all directions before flattening it. It could have had a nasty outcome but it seemed to lessen as it came up the slope to the folly. The gusts were still strong enough to rip the table clothes from the tables and scatter all cutlery, chinaware and food."
Sylvie added, "I grabbed your mother's favourite china teapot and held it to me, turned my back to the wind and stood at the far back of the folly. Not that I stayed dry but the teapot was safe."
Merlin asked, "Were there any injuries?"
"Not among the guests but one of the menservants slipped on the wet marble floor trying to avoid a large cream cake and ever after that event was known as Johnny Cream Bottom. Your father was very generous and we all received a week's pay for our troubles."
"That was a lot in those days," added Sylvie, "there was a lot of breakage and we had to replace everything."
"What happened to the wind?"
"It veered off to the East and made a mess of a section of the forest with young trees but then it was over and the clouds went and the sun came out; nevertheless tea was cancelled for that Sunday!"
"Where other estates damaged?" Merlin asked.
"Yes," Manscombe said, "someone lost a barn and some livestock but thankfully there were no human fatalities."
They finished their meals and left the kitchen. Sylvie turned to her husband and said, "I think I like Merlin best out of all the friends which Arthur has ever brought here. I'd be happy to see him again. Arthur seems happy and less anxious but again his father isn't here and that makes a big difference."
-0-0-
Sunday meant church and Arthur had checked the times of the church in Caerleon. It was an hour and a half drive but Arthur decided that they would make it into a day trip. They could also visit Isca Silurum, the Roman fortress and Baths, and the Iron age hill fort in Caerleon. There was no pressing reason for them to be back early. He told Manscombe their plans and he approved saying, "Once you return, we'll think about supper. Do you want Sylvie to make you a picnic?"
"No, thanks, we'll find somewhere for a quick lunch." Arthur said.
Merlin was enthralled with where he attended Mass, Arthur had been there years ago with Laurence. Sunday Masses at St. Cadoc's were well attended and after Mass, the parish priest gave Merlin his blessing to take as many photographs as he wanted, suggesting that any which he thought were special, he might consider sharing with him.
Arthur splurged and took Merlin to The Abbey for lunch and he fell in love immediately with the building. Arthur promised to bring him back for a long weekend over the summer but Merlin suggested maybe the winter as he could imagine the roaring fire in the large hearths in many of the reception rooms.
The visit to the Caerleon Roman sites itself were excellent. The amphitheatre dating from AD 90 was impressive having been able to accommodate six thousand spectators for events varying from animal spectacles, to military rallies, from religious celebrations to executions and the famed fights by the gladiators.
"Did you know that the gladiators were slaves trained to fight in 'gladiator' school?" Merlin asked pointing to a pamphlet he'd picked up in his wanderings. "Oh my God, according to this nine-thousand gladiators were killed during the inaugural festivities of the Roman Colosseum!"
"We're not in Rome we're in Wales…"
"Well, I bet thousands were killed here over its two hundred years of Roman occupancy. I guess their patron goddess Nemesis had her hands full." They also visited the foundations of the barracks. "You could have been a Roman Soldier," he told Arthur as he continued reading.
"Doubt it," Arthur said.
"See," Merlin said, "here it says that a non-Roman could be an auxiliary soldier and upon your retirement," Merlin laughed, "if you lasted that long, you would have been granted a Roman Citizenship."
Melin felt most comfortable in the amphitheatre and remembered Arthur's words from Toby and his visit to Cirencester; however there were too many visitors for him to commandeer the arena this time.
-0-0-
Soon it was time to leave Newport and return to Cadogan. The traffic was lighter than on an ordinary Sunday as many people were having the Monday off. They chatted about everything and Merlin asked if there was a door directly into the section of the house where Arthur lived.
"Not really, there is an exterior door on a terrace which opens into a little reading room off the library on the main floor, however you'd still have to walk up the servants' staircase if you didn't want to use the main stairs." He laughed as he added, "When I was younger, I used to be able to scale a rose-trellis and reach my rooms. But now, I have to limit myself to stairs as the trellis was removed and anyway it wouldn't have held my weight.
"I promised Wickham who was my tutor cum bodyguard at that time," Arthur looked at Merlin and raised his eye-brows before continuing, "that I wouldn't climb it as even I knew that it wasn't safe. It was just something I could do which would annoy my father if he ever found out."
Merlin laughed, "The son every man wished he had!"
"Didn't you do anything crazy as a kid?"
"Honestly, no, not on purpose! I once was in trouble at primary school. We'd come into the gym and all the ropes were down. Some of us ran and started climbing, I know it was stupid and dangerous but when the teacher blew his whistle and told us to come down, three did but I was frozen and each time Mr Pierson said, 'Emrys, come down.' I couldn't figure how and I went higher and higher. I heard my classroom teacher say, 'Merlin, stop. Stay where you are! Everyone else sit on the floor and no talking.' Then I heard my classmates leaving the gym and the class bully yelled, 'Don't let go, stupid!' I froze and then I could see that the rope next to me was swinging slightly and I heard Mr Pierson say, 'Merlin, we're going to climb down together on your rope. I'm going to come over to you.'
"All I could think was that the rope would not be able to hold both of us. However, it did and I slithered down and perched on Mr Pierson's thighs and we slowly reached the floor. He was my hero and my classmates clapped when they came back to the gym to see me and Mr Pierson safely on the floor."
"Did you get into trouble?"
Merlin grinned, "Not really, my mother was notified and I was forbidden from climbing ropes for the rest of primary school. I could go on the wall bars but not the ropes. I also heard later that Mr Pierson was in hot water as he had left the ropes unattended. However, he was still my hero!"
They pulled into the drive and arrived at the house.
They made their way to Arthur's room to freshen up and close to six then made their way into the corridor. They walked along in comfortable silence, Arthur with his arm around Merlin's back.
"What do you think Sylvie will have prepared for supper? I'm famished!" Merlin said.
"Something good and probably nutritional, she's a great cook or my father wouldn't keep her on. She is usually helped by a lady called Tina and also on special occasions by old Mrs Brent whom I call Brenty as she was the former housekeeper. As it's a holiday weekend and my father is away, there is only a skeleton staff on…
"Guess you don't rate!" Merlin said interrupting him with a laugh and dodged ahead as Arthur launched himself after him.