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‘About one. It normally takes me two hours.’
‘Was Leo’s car there when you left?’
‘I think so. I cycle so I don’t always notice cars.’
Nelson shows Jenna the picture of Cathbad.
‘Have you ever seen this man?’
‘Yes,’ says Jenna. But, before Nelson can get too excited, she adds, ‘I think there was something about him on Twitter.’
‘He’s gone missing,’ says Nelson. ‘Have you ever seen Leo Ballard with this man?’
‘No,’ says Jenna. ‘I think I’d remember.’
As Nelson leaves, he asks Jenna if Leo has ever mentioned Emily Pickering. ‘I don’t think so. He normally talks about gods and goddesses. He’s a strange man but there’s no harm in him.’
That, thinks Nelson, is very much a matter of opinion.
Ruth and David don’t talk much as they skirt the lake. With exams over, a few of the students are trying kayaking and windsurfing. There’s not really enough space for water sports but it gives the campus a holiday feel. It’s another beautiful day with just enough breeze to flutter the surfers’ sails but not enough to propel them across the water. Ruth feels her headache lifting.
‘It’s such a shame,’ she says.
She doesn’t have to say more. David knows what she means. ‘I’d be sorry to leave too. I went to school in Norfolk– as you know– and I never thought I’d come back here. But I’ve been happy here.’
Ruth knows that David’s schooldays were not happy. Now he lives in a cottage in Stiffkey and seems reconciled to the county. For herself, she has loved the flat landscape ever since she saw it on the henge dig, more than twenty years ago.
‘It’s a good department,’ says David. ‘It deserves to survive. Those things you said in the TV interview, about archaeology being the study of ordinary people, that’s why it’s so important. That’s why this government hates it, of course. They’d prefer history to be an endless study of kings and queens and battles that were won by the English.’
‘Our Island Story,’ says Ruth. ‘But, all that stuff about being an island race, undefeated in battle, invictus, it’s just rubbish. This country is the result of recurrent waves of invasion.’
‘You don’t have to tell me,’ says David. ‘I’m writing a paper on the Bell Beaker Culture at the moment.’ The Beaker Folk, who spread across Europe during the Bronze Age, are particular favourites of David’s. Ruth wonders if he’s writing the paper in the hope of getting another job.
‘What will you do?’ asks David. ‘If they do shut us down.’
Ruth tells David about the job offer from Colin Bland. She’s surprised at his reaction.
‘You can’t become dean! It’ll be endless admin. You love teaching. You should get a job somewhere else. Any university would be proud to have you.’
‘Except there aren’t that many archaeology departments left,’ says Ruth.
‘Ruth. . .’ David puts his hand on her arm. Ruth’s senses are all suddenly on high alert. Her headache returns and she feels as if her skull is actually pulsating. She doesn’t know when she’s been so relieved to hear Shona’s voice, hailing them from the other side of the lake. ‘Yoo-hoo!’
Shona is with Phil but even this doesn’t discourage Ruth. The two couples walk towards each other and meet at the jetty where another group of students are feeding the ducks.
Phil, who had a heart attack a few years ago, now looks tanned and well. He greets Ruth with a kiss on both cheeks and exchanges hearty handshakes with David.
‘Is this a council of war?’ he asks.
‘Yes,’ says Ruth. Although that wasn’t what it had felt like.
‘It’s a bad business,’ says Phil. ‘But I’m not really surprised. Archaeology was always under fire, even in my day. That was why I was always so keen on raising our profile.’
Ruth remembers mocking Phil for his obsession with ‘relatable archaeology’, projects that would attract the attention of the press, especially TV. She now feels that she misjudged him.
‘Ruth is one of the highest profile archaeologists in the country,’ says David, sounding rather belligerent.
‘Women who Kill,’ says Shona. Ruth remembers that she had been fascinated by the programme, even at the time.
