The Secret Of The Cathars (2011) Read Free

could arrange for my holiday to start in about three weeks?”
    “ That seems perfectly possible. Leave me your home address and telephone numbers and I will contact you when I’ve got the cheque ready.”
    “ One thing I need to check,” said Philip, “is exactly when my gran died.”
    He left with the delightful information that Marie Sinclair had died two days after the decree absolute was issued. That meant his ex-mother-in-law wouldn’t be able to sink her claws into any of his inheritance. She would be furious.
    In the smart reception lobby he scandalised the receptionist by blowing her a kiss as he went. On the landing outside he found that the lift was waiting for him with the doors open. As he walked out of the building the sun came out to brighten the dull London street.
    - 2 -
    Andre Jolyon pulled the Land Cruiser into the lay-by.
    “ This is as close as we’re going to get.”
    Jacqueline climbed down from the passenger seat and walked round to the front of the car, her slim body moving easily. She rested one hand on the warm bonnet and gazed up at the small part she could see of the ruins of the chateau, clinging to the series of precipitous rocky peaks which projected from the forested slopes.
    Andre leaned on the steering wheel and watched her. A teasing wind was blowing a veil of dark hair across her cheek and partly obscuring the beautiful Viking blue eyes which had captivated her TV audiences. He had admitted to himself a while ago that he was in love with her. He certainly didn’t want to be anywhere else but in her company. He knew his devotion was a waste of effort. The emotion wasn’t returned. Jacqueline Blontard was already the most famous archaeologist in France, and as far as he knew she had reached the age of thirty-two without losing her heart to anybody. With a sigh he pushed open the door and joined her in front of the vehicle.
    “ There it is then, Jo.” She linked her arm through his. “Not much to see, is there?”
    “ Is it worth all the effort?” As far as he knew she had been camping outside the Department of Ancient Monuments for nearly a year to get permission to excavate at this location. But he didn’t understand why it was so important to her.
    “ We won’t know until we get up there and start clearing away more than five hundred years of vegetation and detritus.” She turned and grinned at him in that heart-stopping way that had made her such a hit on television. “Come on. Let’s go up and have a look around.”
    She set off with long, energetic strides along the overgrown path that led up the hill. He followed close behind her ready, as always, to help her if she got into difficulties. They passed a small sign which informed the few members of the public who got this far that they were approaching the ruined Cathar stronghold of le Bezu.
    Jolyon always made sure he was ready when she needed him. He realised that to her he was just her special assistant - part minder, part enabler, part enforcer, part organiser - but he would never be any more. He performed all of his duties to her complete satisfaction. His reward, as well as sharing a part of the funds and the reflected glow she attracted, was the occasional night in her bed and the knowledge that she looked on him as her best friend and support. And he had decided to accept that was as far as their personal relationship would ever progress. He would have to keep his love to himself.
    They didn’t talk much on the ascent. Instead they kept their breath to cope with the steepness of the path and the irregular rough stretches of scrambling over rocks.
    “ You will have to make sure the diggers wear safety harnesses,” she observed as they struggled over one particularly difficult section. “We can’t afford to have any accidents.”
    “ I’ve chosen three guys for the start who also have experience of rock-climbing. I’ve warned them that the terrain is very rugged. That’s really wetted their appetites.