gns.snakes-第22章

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　　Jesus　Christ；　there　might　be　a　nuclear　war　tonight　and　we'll　al！　be　blown　to　blazes！　'Don't　you　worry；　these　snakes　have　probably　high…tailed　it　out　of　the　area　and　in　a　couple　of　days　Stainforth　will　be　declared　safe　and　the　roads　opened　up　again。'
　　
　　'Maybe。'　Joan　Doyle　resigned　herself　for　the　second　time　that　day　to　the　fact　that　there　was　no　way　she　was　going　to　stop　her　son　from　going　out。　'What　time　will　you　be　back？'
　　
　　'Shouldn't　be　too　late。'
　　
　　The　only　way　he　could　end　these　conversations　was　by　going　out　and　closing　the　door。　She　would　sit　up　and　wait　until　he　returned；　damn　it；　that　was　her　fault。
　　
　　He　looked　at　his　watch。　A　quarter　past　eight。　He　had　not　realised　that　it　was　as　late　as　that。　Nevertheless；　he　had　given　the　Davis　family　plenty　of　time　to　return　home　if　they　were　going　to。　And　if　they　hadn't　then　he　might　just　go　back　to　the　Rising　Sun　again。
　　
　　Damnation；　he　still　had　not　filled　up　with　petrol。　It　was　too　late　now；　the　garage　would　be　closed。　The　needle　had　dropped　into　the　red　sector　on　the　gauge。　But　that　usually　meant　there　was　half　a　gallon　left　in　the　tank。　Or　thereabouts。　A　mile　to　the　Davis　house　and　a　mile　back；　it　should　be　plenty。　There　were　times　when　you　had　to　be　an　optimist。
　　
　　You're　wasting　your　time；　Keith　Doyle。　What　else　can　I　do？　I　have　to　do　something。　It's　all　part　of　a　parental　plan　by　the　Davises。　Take　Kirsten　out　of　the　environment；　work　on　her。　You're　wasting　your　time　on　that　Doyle　boy；　even　if　he　has　got　a　string　of　qualifications　he　hasn't　got　a。　job。　You've　been　in　Stainforth　too　long；　you　haven't　widened　your　scope。　There　are　shoals　of　fish　in　the　sea。
　　
　　The　snakes　came　in　very　convenient　when　you　needed　a　seemingly　bona　fide　excuse　to　whisk　your　daughter　out　of　the　clutches　of　a　man　you　did　not　approve　of。　Oh　yes；　they　had　e　just　when　they　were　needed　as　far　as　Jack　and　Mary　Davis　were　concerned。
　　
　　But　if　Kirsten　is　pregnant　that　really　throws　a　spanner　in　their　connivings；　Keith　smiled　to　himself。　They　would　have　to　let　her　make　the　choice　then。　Or　would　they？　Surely　they　would　not　force　her　to　have　an　abortion？
　　
　　Army　vehicles　still　lined　the　village　street　but　there　was　no　sign　of　the　hunters。　They　would　keep　at　it　until　darkness　fell。　He　remembered　that　half…promise　about　tomorrow。　I　don't　have　to　go　with　John　Price；　I　only　said　I'd　give　it　some　thought。
　　
　　And　then　he　saw　Kirsten　Davis！
　　
　　The　sudden　shock　caused　him　to　swerve；　bump　against　the　kerb。　It　can't　be；　I'm　having　hallucinations。　The　right　place；　just　past　the　church；　the　time　was　right　too。　Except　that　their　meeting　had　been　arranged　for　three　days　ago。
　　
　　The　van's　brakes　squealed　their　protest；　the　engine　stalled　and　he　was　leaning　across　the　passenger　seat　to　pull　the　door　catch　down　with　a　hand　that　shook。
　　
　　Kirsten　was　wearing　a　light　blue　dress；　almost　a　mini；　that　showed　her　shapely　legs　off　to　perfection。　A　low…cut　neckline；　a　cleavage　that　had　you　wanting　to　see　the　rest。　Only　her　expression　worried　him；　pale…faced；　eyes　that　were　red…rimmed　from　crying；　black　pouches　beneath　them　from　lack　of　sleep。　Distraught；　her　hair　was　not　as　immaculate　as　it　usually　was。
　　
　　As　she　swung　herself　into　the　passenger　seat　and　slammed　the　door　his　hopes　plummeted；　almost　had　him　wishing　that　he　had　gone　to　the　Rising　Sun　instead　and　kept　on　kidding　himself　that　everything　would　be　all　right；　not　knowing　for　sure　meant　that　you　still　had　illusions。　But　eventually　you　had　to　face　up　to　reality。
　　
　　'We'd　better　go　somewhere　where　we　can　talk。'　Her　voice　faltered　and　she　stared　straight　ahead　of　her。
　　
　　'All　right。'　His　stomach　was　churning。　Hell；　that　wasn't　easy；　not　only　was　he　almost　out　of　petrol　but　half　a　mile　further　on　there　was　a　police　road　block。　'Let　me　think　。。。　I　know；　the　sandpit。'
　　
　　She　nodded　but　did　not　speak。　The　'sandpit'　was　a　played…out　sand　quarry　just　to　the　rear　of　the　churchyard。　It　had　not　been　quarried　for　twenty　years　and　up　until　a　few　years　ago　the　village　bikers　used　to　scramble　there　at　weekends。　There　had　been　plaints　about　the　noise；　a　petition；　and　nowadays　nobody　went　there　except　teenage　courting　couples　who　did　not　have　transport　to　take　them　further　afield。
　　
　　A　bridle　path；　just　wide　enough　to　take　a　car；　led　off　from　where　the　wall　bordering　the　cemetery　ended。　A　hundred　yards；　rutted　and　dipping　sharply；　terminating　in　five　acres　of　overgrown　scrubland　surrounded　by　high　precarious　sandcliffs；　thorn　bushes　and　saplings　somehow　securing　a　hold　and　serving　to　create　an　atmosphere　of　dank　loneliness。　Even　in　the　heat　of　summer　it　was　cool　in　here。
　　
　　It　was　obvious　to　Keith　that　the　snake　hunters　had　beaten　the　place　out　thoroughly；　bracken　and　grass　flattened；　even　some　of　the　low…growing　bushes　on　the　steep　face　had　been　ripped　out。　At　least　there　was　no　danger　here。
　　
　　He　switched　the　engine　off；　was　aware　of　the　silence；　the　gathering　dusk　down　in　this　desolate　place；　the　tension　in　the　van。　We'd　better　go　somewhere　where　we　can　talk。　We're　here；　so　let's　talk。
　　
　　'Well？'　Unless　he　said　something　they　might　sit　here　like　this　all　night。
　　
　　'I'm　pregnant。'　She　stifled　a　sob。
　　
　　'Oh。'
　　
　　'What　d'you　mean；　'oh'？'
　　

　　He　didn't　reply。　What　the　hell　did　she　expect　him　to　say；　what　do　other　guys　say　when　their　girlfriends　inform　them　they're　in　the　club？
　　
　　'You've　had　it　confirmed？'
　　
　　'No；　not　yet；　it's　too　early。'
　　
　　'Then　how　the　hell　d'you　know？'
　　
　　'I　know；'　her　voice　rose；　almost　a　scream　of　frustration；　'girls　know　those　sort　of　things　long　before　they're　confirmed。'
　　
　　Keith　fell　silent。　Mixed　feelings；　jubilation；　you　can't　walk　out　on　me　now；　darling。　Apprehension　because　it　was　too　involved　even　to　start　to　prehend　at　this　stage。
　　
　　'I'm　not　running　away。'　His　tone　was　low　when　he　spoke　at　last。　'I'll　stand　by　you；　you　know　that。'
　　
　　'That's　not　the　point。'　Kirsten　was　back　on　the　verge　of　tears。　'You　haven't　run　away；　but　。'　have。'
　　
　　'What　。　。　。　whatever　arc　you　talking　about？'
　　
　　'Mum　and　Dad　decided　it　was　best　if　we　left　Stainforth　for　a　while；　at　least　until　the　snakes　had　been　rounded　up。　They　insisted　that　I　went　with　them。　As　you　know；　Dad　has　a　flat　in　the　city　and　we　all　squashed　into　that。　They　wanted　to　get　me　away　from　you；　thought　that　if　I　didn't　see　you　for　a　bit　and　that　if　I　was　introduced　to　one　or　two　of　Dad's　eligible　bachelor　business　associates；　or　their　sons；　they　could　persuade　me　to　finish　with　you。　Oh　God；　Keith；　it　was　awful。　The　pressure　they　put　on　me　。。。　all　snobbery　。　。　。'
　　
　　She　was　crying；　shaking　with　constricted　sobs；　and　he　slipped　an　arm　around　her。
　　
　　'I　walked　out　on　them　this　morning。'　It　was　a　couple　of　minutes　before　she　was　able　to　continue。　'We　had　a　fearful　row　at　breakfast。　Mum　must　have　guessed　something　because　she　accused　me　of　being　pregnant。　So　I　stormed　out；　caught　a　bus　and　walked　the　rest　of　the　way。　I　had　a　bit　of　bother　at　the　checkpoint　but　in　the　end　the　police　sent　an　army　cadet　to　escort　me　home。　Now　I'm　in　a　fine　mess。　I've　left　home；　I've　nowhere　to　go；　and　I've　also　lost　my　job。　Mrs　Holloway　has　sacked　me　for　not　turning　in　for　work。　Oh；　Keith　。　。　。'　Her　tears　came　in　a　flood；　her　face　buried　against　his　chest。　'Whatever　are　we　going　to　do？'
　　
　　'We're　going　to　get　married。'　He　tried　to　keep　the　jubilation　out　of　his　voice。　Sod　your　folks；　they　can　take　a　running　jump。　Then　a　sudden　awful　thought　occurred　to　him　and　he　added；　'If　you　want　to　get　married；　that　is。'
　　
　　'Of　course；　I　do。'　She　squeezed　his　hand。　'It's　just　that　it　all　seems　such　a　frightful；　awful　mess；　that's　all。'
　　
　　Silence　again。　Dusk　had　merged　into　near…darkness　down　in　the　quarry。　Only　by　craning　his　neck　could　Keith　see　the　evening　sky　up　above　them；　the　remnants　of　a　summer　sunset。　For　some　reason　he　remembered　the　date…21　June；　the　Summer　Solstice。　The　longest　day。　This　was　one　midsummer　night　he　would　never　forget。
　　
　　'What's　that？'　Kirsten's　head　was　suddenly　erect；　listening。
　　
　　'What's　what