The Historians
Chapter 10
The morning was overcast and grey as they boarded the commuter train to go back to the city. Thomas had left several hours ago, so there was just the three of them. The other passengers looked as miserable as the morning, some were reading the newspaper others sleeping off the effects of the weekend. The train only made two more stops before it pulled in to Kings Cross.
They shared a taxi that took them through the city and back across the river to the hospital.
Kitty went to check on Doc while Matt went back to the apartment. He had become quite proficient at this thing called 'internet' and wanted to check about trains going to Bodmin. He looked at the address of the cottage and checked it out on googlemaps so he could see exactly where it was. It turned out to be almost exactly halfway between Bodmin and Tintagel. That would be convenient. Obviously these Historians think of everything.
Having found the information he was looking for, he headed over to the hospital to catch up with Kitty. When he got to the room Doc was sitting in a chair looking much more like his old self. He sounded like his old self too, complaining about the coffee and the food – or lack of it.
"He's been like that since I got here Matt," Kitty laughed.
"Well they call this bathwater coffee. It so weak it can hardly crawl out of the cup, and as for taste, there is none."
He grumbles to himself and swipes his hand across his face.
"Matt you need to be figuring a way to get me out of here, I'm gonna starve to death real soon."
"Now if it wasn't for these folks you'd be dead already so you better just be quiet and behave yourself." Matt was smiling to himself, it was good to hear his friend's argumentative behavior again.
" Jennifer was here earlier Matt," Kitty said. "She said if Doc has no fever by tomorrow morning he can leave the hospital."
Dillon pulls up a chair to sit near Doc.
"Listen, I have to explain something to you. I have a job to do here before we can go back home. It doesn't look like its going to be that much of a problem but I need to go check on a few things and if I take Kitty with me, people will not think much about me showing up and looking around. We have a nice apartment just across the street and you need to stay there for a few days while we are gone. Thomas and Jennifer will come by and check on you, but you need to take your medicine, rest up and stay out of trouble till we get back. Can you do that?"
"What do you expect me to do, just sit around and twiddle my thumbs."
"No there are some books over there and something called television. I think it will keep you entertained."
Reluctantly the elderly physician agrees.
"Thanks Doc, that way if I don't have to worry about you, I can get this job over and done with faster, it really looks pretty straight forward."
Next morning they escorted Doc across to the apartment. He had the same reaction to all the sights and sounds that Kitty and Matt had had only a week or so ago. Now of course they had come to accept all this as normal and not think twice about it.
Kitty fixed some food for Doc to eat over the few days while they would be gone and Matt showed him about the phone, the television and even the Internet. He was concerned because the man still seemed weak but their two friends had promised to keep an eye on him and Doc swore he would be just fine.
Matt and Kitty had arrived at Paddington Station a little after 9 o'clock the next morning, in plenty of time for the train to Bodmin. They had breakfast at the station café, there was something called an "English Breakfast" on the menu so that is what they ordered.
"Are you sure this is going to be an easy job, Matt. Remember you know nothing about the people behind the gunrunners or smugglers or whatever they are."
"I can't see that it will be a problem, besides I don't have a choice do I? After looking round Tintagel and Bodmin I think I know how it is being done, I just need to get a little closer and make sure. I'm not planning to do anything until Allen Cranbourne gives the go ahead anyway, so don't worry."
The train ride took just under four hours. They sat holding hands and watching the changing landscape as the train headed west. It really seemed to Kitty like they were on vacation. She almost felt reassured by Matt's claim that this was going to be a simple job, and that they could just enjoy themselves.
The Station at Bodmin was small after the ones they had seen in London, but the people seemed friendly and they quickly found a taxi to take them to the address of the cottage that Matt had copied down on a piece of paper. The taxi driver knew exactly where it was and when they got settled in the back of the cab he told them,
"Ol' Mrs. Phipps was awonderin' when you'd arrive. She 's been looking for ye for a week or more."
"Oh, an uncle of mine in London got sick so we spent a few days with him."
Kitty thought she would head off further questions with an explanation. It was difficult to understand the way the man talked. It sounded very different to London accent, which they had almost got used to.
"Don't be worryin' now, I'll call her and tell her you're here and she'll have some food over there for you in no time."
The cottage was not large, but it was comfortable with two bedrooms and a bathroom. No shower like the apartment in London, just a small bathtub –good enough. Kitty laughed at her own thoughts – just a week ago indoor plumbing seemed the height of luxury.
Meantime Matt had gone round the back of the house and found the car, it was not like Thomas's and the gears looked a little different, but he figured he could master it given a little time. Inserting the key in the ignition he started it up and drove it up and down the driveway a few times. He could manage just fine.
They spent the afternoon walking around the village, but come evening Matt had other ideas.
"I want to show you this old pub called The Jamaica Inn. It's not too far from here."
"What's so special it,"
"Apparently smugglers used to hang out there centuries ago."
"Matt is this work or pleasure?"
"I don't know yet."
He remembered the way to The Jamaica Inn and found it easily, even in the dark. The Defender, from the plate on the back of the vehicle he presumed that was what it was called, was difficult to drive at first, but soon he mastered the gears and they pulled up and parked in front of the Inn without incident.
Inside it was fairly quiet, a small pub with dark oak paneling on the walls and low ceilings with oak beams. A couple of locals sat at one end of the bar, a group of four or five young women sat around a table in one corner, and three men who looked like they had just come from the office sat around a table near the window.
Kitty found a table at the back and Matt went up to the bar to get some drinks.
"Quiet tonight?" he asked the barman.
"Oh it'll liven up later on. It's the middle of the week and all the tourists don't get here till Friday. The locals are still at home eating supper, they'll be here soon."
Matt pays for the drinks and heads back to the table. They sit and talk for a while, but Kitty can tell that his mind is working on something else.
They both look up as the door opens and about half a dozen men dressed like farm hands walk in. They take up a table not too far from where Matt and Kitty are sitting. One of them seems to be the boss and is buying drinks all round. They seem happy enough.
Matt waits till the rush is over and goes back up to the bar.
"Same again," he says placing the wine glass and beer mug on the bar.
"Tell me do you know anything about that Bar D ranch?"
"What d'ya want to know?"
"Well my wife and I thought it would be nice to ride out over the Moor. Just wondered if they had horses for rent."
"You could ask that man over there," he points to the table where the farm hands are sitting. "Hey Ben, there's someone here wants to talk to you," he calls out.
The man Matt had been watching get drinks for everyone, gets up and comes over. He seems to be in a good mood, smiling and extending his hand.
"Ben Bardee," he says
"Matt Dillon."
"What can I do for you?"
"Well, my wife and I are her on vacation and drove past your ranch. We thought it would be nice to ride out over the Moor and wondered if you rented horses. We are both used to riding if that worries you."
"Well now I've had people tell me that before – about being able to ride – then turns out they don't have a clue."
There was something about the man, maybe it was the way he stood there or the way his eyes couldn't hold Dillon's, but definitely, back in Dodge he would have kept a close watch on him.
"Tell you what, why don't we come over in the morning and you can ride with us a way, or even send one of your men with us." I assure you I have spent many hours in the saddle, so you have no need to worry about us or your horses."
The man looked uncomfortable but recovered his composure quickly, after all he was supposed to be in the business of making money from his animals.
"Well that's just fine then, come over early tomorrow and I'll see what I can fix you up with."
Matt reached out his hand, and reluctantly Ben Bardee followed suit.
"In the morning then. Thanks."
Matt returned to the table where Kitty was still sitting.
"Looks like we're going riding in the morning – I hope you brought some suitable clothes."
TBC