The Avenue of the Dead Read Free Page A

understood her love for the Russian defector. He hadn’t understood how she could go into Russia and risk her life on the man’s behalf. When they left England to live in Australia he had sincerely wished them happiness, but he still hadn’t understood his daughter and he never would.
    He was grateful to James White for trying to help her return to normal. ‘It’s good of you,’ he said. ‘Betty and I really appreciate what you’re trying to do for Davy. She needs to pull herself together, but one can’t say that, of course. She’s very difficult to talk to, even now. I just hope she takes this job.’
    James White nodded. He placed his hand on the captain’s shoulder for a moment. ‘I hope so too,’ he said. ‘Washington’s a very social place. She’d meet a lot of new people, and the job is – well, it’s just keeping an eye on the domestic situation. This chap’s wife has been ill and can’t cope with all the entertaining. It would be just what Davina needs to put all this behind her. And Washington is full of attractive men. Don’t let her feel she’s being pushed. But encourage her, if she talks to you about it.’
    â€˜Oh, we will, we certainly will. By the way, did we tell you we’re going to be grandparents any minute? Charlie’s baby is just about due.’ Fergus laughed and his face lit up as he spoke of his second daughter. ‘It’ll be late, of course; Charlie’s never been on time in her life. She’s very happy, I must say. John seems to be absolutely the right person for her.’
    â€˜Yes.’ The brigadier smiled. ‘It’s a good marriage from all I hear. I never thought she’d take a middle-aged bachelor like Kidson. Such a beautiful girl – all the more power to him to have got her!’
    â€˜And held on to her,’ the captain said. ‘She settled down with him like a lamb. I can’t wait to see the baby. Goodbye James, mustn’t keep you any more. Lovely to see you. And thanks again for thinking of Davy.’
    â€˜Not at all.’ The brigadier climbed into his car. ‘We always look after our own.’ He waved, wound up the window and set off down the drive.
    Davina woke while it was still dark. She had slept badly, waking with a pounding heart and the cold sweat of anxiety. She got up, pulled back the curtains and saw the faint rim of crimson on the horizon that presaged the dawn. She dressed and went downstairs, taking care to be quiet. Her mother was a light sleeper, and that evening she had looked tense and tired. Nothing was said about James White’s visit. They watched television, had dinner and her father settled down to read while Betty Graham worked on her embroidery. Davina had gone upstairs early, and the house was in darkness by eleven o’clock.
    She drank a cup of coffee in the kitchen, and then pulled on an anorak against the morning chill. She knew where she was going, and didn’t question the impulse; she had learned enough about herself in the last five years to let instinct have its way at times. Ivan had taught her that; she was always remembering things he had said. Odd remarks would float back to her, and sometimes they made her smile. ‘Stop rationalizing everything. Use your intuition – it’s not to be despised.’ And intuition sent her out that morning in the predawn darkness, into her car and off on the deserted road to Stonehenge.
    The vast plain was empty. When she began to walk towards the circle of great stones the wind tore at her in gusts. The sky was like an artist’s palette, rioting with colour. Davina watched as the sun rose in triumph, the rays breaking over the horizon and bathing the stones in golden light.
    They had come here together, a couple of the tourists shuffling round the barrier of ropes; they were not lovers then, but soon to be, though neither of them knew