gns.thedruidconnection-第17部分

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en　I　can't　bring　her　back　to　life；　Kent。　They　killed　her；　the　ancient　order　of　Oke　Priests。'　It　was　best　that　way；　Kent　would　never　know　otherwise。　Furthermore；　it　was　true！
　　
　　'The　bloody　swines！'
　　
　　'That's　putting　it　mildly。　This　sword；　Kent；　it's　unbelievable。　It　could　just　be　King　Arthur's；　the　one　he　lost；　according　to　mythology；　hidden　away　by　the　Oke　Priests　for　centuries。　Who　knows？　Certainly　it　is　very　powerful；　rendering　its　user　almost　invincible。　For　the　time　being　we'll　have　to　hang　on　to　it。　Now；　the　problem　is　we've　got　a　body　on　our　hands。　。。。〃
　　
　　They　both　tried　not　to　look　at　the　pathetic　crumpled　form　of　Sheenah　again。　Only　twenty…four　hours　earlier　the　woman　claiming　to　be　her　mother　had　died　in　this　very　place。　Then　they　had　no　problem　because　it　was　merely　an　astral　body。　This　one　was　mortal　and　the　last　thing　they　wanted　was　the　police　questioning　them。
　　
　　'I'm　afraid　we've　no　choice；'　Sabat　stooped　down　beside　Sheenah；　remembered　everything　that　had　been　between　them。
　　
　　Kent　moved　alongside　him；　an　unspoken　request　being　carried　out　the　way　it　used　to　be　back　in　their　SAS　days　together。　Together　they　lifted　the　body；　carried　it；　a　silent　funeral　procession　winding　its　way　amidst　the　gravestones。
　　
　　The　Oke　Priests；　the　forces　of　evil；　had　struck　a　bitter　blow　against　Sabat　and　Kent。　Now；　for　the　two　men；　it　was　more　than　just　a　fight　against　the　dark　powers；　a　battle　against　corruption。
　　
　　They　seethed　with　a　desire　for　vengeance　on　those　who　had　brought　about　the　death　of　the　one　whom　Alda　called　Shyaena；　she　who　had　sacrificed　her　own　life　to　save　Sabat　from　certain　death　。　。　。　and　worse！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　TEN
　　　
　　MARION　HURST　glanced　sideways　at　her　husband；　an　expression　of　both　contempt　and　hate　in　her　eyes　for　the　man　behind　the　wheel　of　the　Jaguar。　Well　built　with　long　fair　hair；　she　had　once　likened　him　to　a　Greek　god。　Now　at　42　that　physique　was　running　to　fat；　affluence　was　to　blame；　she　told　herself。　Too　little　exercise；　too　much　to　drink　…　and　that　bitch；　Lola；　of　course。　Attractive；　just　having　passed　her　fortieth　birthday；　Marion　resented　a　younger　woman　having　designs　on　her　husband。　Oh　sure；　all　executives　had　their　fancy　women　and　Darren　had　had　them　before。　But　now　things　were　building　up　to　a　climax　and　when　the　whole　thing　exploded　she　was　going　to　make　sure　that　the　little　hussy　got　the　full　force　of　the　blast。　This　is　the　place；'　Darren　Hurst　swung　the　wheel　over；　eased　the　car　down　a　cinder　track　that　was　just　wide　enough　to　take　it。　A　hundred　yards　or　so　further　on　the　line　of　fir　trees　ended　and　gave　way　to　an　expanse　of　field；　rough　tussocks　of　grass　that　had　not　been　grazed　recently；　a　general　look　of　abandonment　about　it。　On　their　left；　partly　shielded　by　a　line　of　yew　trees　and　a　massive　oak；　they　saw　an　overgrown　cemetery　and　a　church；　the　roof　of　which　was　sagging　dangerously；　a　number　of　slates　missing。
　　
　　'Beautiful'　Marion　Hurst　muttered。　'What　a　crime　that　it　is　going　to　be　turned　into　a　housing　estate。'
　　
　　'Don't　put　it　that　way；'　her　husband's　voice　was　soft；　cultured　to　the　point　of　suaveness；　'Executive…style　residences；　my　dear。　Houses　which　will　enhance　the　locality；　hide　all　this　dereliction。'
　　
　　'Crap！'　her　eyes　blazed。　'It's　all　one　big　fiddle；　Darren；　and　you　know　it。　If　the　truth　es　out　then　you　and　Stone；　and　that　toad　of　a　bishop　will　all　go　down　for　years。　It'd　make　the　headlines　of　every　newspaper　in　the　country。'
　　
　　'And　you　would　be　joining　us　in　prison；'　Darren　Hurst's　eyes　narrowed。　'Don't　forget；　you're　part　of　it；　Marion。　You　were　responsible　for　swaying　Stone。　I　couldn't　have　done　it　alone。　My　five　grand　wouldn't've　meant　a　thing　to　a　guy　on　twenty　a　year。　He　wouldn't　take　the　risk。　But　when　I　just　happened　to　e　home　and　caught　the　pair　of　you　upstairs；　his　trousers　and　your　knickers　hanging　on　the　bedside　chair。　。　。　。　'
　　
　　'Shut　up'　her　fists　clenched　and　for　a　moment　he　thought　she　was　going　to　strike　him。　'My　God；　what　a　fool　I　was　to　go　along　with　your　ideas。　I　must've　been　blind　and　mad！'
　　
　　'But　he　shagged　you　and　came　out　five　thousand　quid　the　better　for　it；'　he　laughed。　'Most　guys　would've　ended　up　with　nothing　except　a　broken　nose　and　a　black　eye。　But　that's　all　over　and　done　with。'
　　
　　'Is　it？　It's　blackmail！'
　　
　　'Don't　be　so　hasty；　my　dear。　Nobody　was　ever　threatened。　I　just　happened　to　mention　an　idea　and　a　sum　of　money　to　Stone　and　he　willingly　went　along　with　it。　Nobody　made　any　threats　about　what　might　happen　if　he　refused。　Now；　did　they？1
　　
　　'It　was　blackmail；　all　the　same；'　she　turned　her　head；　stared　out　of　the　window。　'You　tricked　me　just　like　you　tricked　Stone。'
　　
　　'I　did？　I　never　suggested　that　you　let　him　knock　you　off。　All　I　said　was　we　need　to　get　on　the　right　side　of　the　planning　officer　and　an　attractive　woman　stood　more　chance　of　doing　that　than　a　man。　In　fact；　darling；　I　was　quite　hurt　to　find　out　that　you　could　be　unfaithful　to　me！'
　　
　　'You　bloody　hypocrite！'　she　whirled　on　him；　a　stinging　slap　that　caught　him　across　the　face　and　banged　his　head　back　on　the　headrest。　'Like　I　said；　I　was　a　bloody　fool。　But　you've　been　screwing　other　women　for　years。　Away　for　days　at　a　time　〃on　business〃；　and　you've　had　dirty　little　whores　in　your　bed。　Now　this　Lola。　She's　nothing　but　a　slut　tarted　up　by　you　in　an　attempt　to　make　her　look　presentable。　But　her　pedigree　is　all　too　clear　beneath　those　layers　of　make…up。　What's　she　getting　out　of　this　deal？'
　　
　　'She　happens　to　be　my　private　secretary；'　Hurst　wiped　his　lips　with　a　tissue；　dabbed　at　a　trickle　of　blood。　'She　has　her　salary；　nothing　else。'
　　
　　'A　hooker's　wages！'　Marion　was　on　the　verge　of　hysteria。　'I　wish　you'd　set　her　up　for　Stone。　That　way　I　could've　walked　out　and　left　you　to　your　hussies。　Don't　you　ever　touch　me　again；　Darren。　I　don't　want　a　dose！'
　　
　　'You're　being　ridiculous；'　he　eased　the　car　door　open。　'Let's　take　a　waik　and　survey　our　new　kingdom。　Within　two　months　the　diggers　will　be　here　getting　the　footings　out　for　the　first　few　houses。'
　　
　　'You　hope！'　she　got　out；　slammed　the　door　shut　behind　her。　'There'll　be　an　appeal。　I've　heard　that　nearly　everybody　in　the　village　has　signed　a　petition。'
　　
　　'A　mere　formality　and　a　waste　of　everybody's　time。　Our　planning　permission　will　stand。　Enjoy　what　you　see；　my　dear；　for　you　were　instrumental　in　bringing　this　about。　Without　your　help　it　would　probably　have　remained　in　trust　to　the　church　forever　because　nobody　else　would　have　dared　to　even　think　of　building　on　it。　What　a　waste　that　would　have　been。'
　　
　　Marion　Hurst's　torment　of　guilt　had　escalated　these　last　few　hours。　Ever　since　they　had　left　St　Monica's　church　she　had　been　unable　to　get　the　whole　thing　out　of　her　mind。　Oh　God；　she　wished　she　had　never　gone　there；　set　foot　on　that　tract　of　land　which　up　until　today　had　meant　no　more　to　her　than　an　area　shaded　in　on　an　Ordnance　Survey　map　and　a　few　lines　on　a　sheet　of　planning　permission。　It　was　akin　to　a　surgeon　entering　the　theatre　to　carry　out　an　operation　and　discovering　that　the　patient　was　a　close　friend　of　his；　or　a　vet　being　asked　to　put　an　animal　to　sleep　and　developing　a　relationship　with　it　while　he　prepared　his　syringe。　No　longer　was　it　impersonal。
　　
　　Darren　had　gone　out　shortly　after　they　returned　home；　she　had　not　expected　him　to　stay　in。　She　didn't　even　go　to　the　trouble　of　making　him　invent　an　excuse。　Lies　were　meaningless　now。　Far　better　had　he　said　'I'm　taking　Lola　for　a　meal　and　afterwards　I'm　going　to　screw　her　on　the　back　seat　of　the　car！'
　　
　　No；　it　wouldn't　be　on　the　back　seat　of　the　car；　nothing　so　lowly　and　basic　as　that　for　Darren　Hurst；　recently　admitted　to　the　elite　ranks　of　the　nouveau　riche。　There　were　rumours　that　he'd　taken　a　flat　somewhere　in　town。　Lola　probably　lived　there；　his　own　private　whore…house！
　　
　　Bitterness　welled　up　inside　Marion　Hurst。　She　was　a　whore；　too！　Oh　yes；　she'd　gone　only　too　willingly　with　Walter　Stone　that　time。　Seduced　him。　He　had　tried　to　back　down　at　the　start　but　Marion　had　ways　of　getting　men　to　do　what　she　wanted　even　if　she　was　past　forty。　Surprisingly；　the　guy　had　been　quite　good　and　she'd　enjoyed　it。　They　had　just　been　wiping　themselves　off　with　tissues　when　Darren　had　walked　into　the　bedroom　…　as　she　knew　he　would；　of　course。　Damn　it；　that　had　spoiled　it　all　for　her。　She　wished　she'd　seduced　Stone　some　place　where　Darren　didn't　have　to　show　up；　didn't　even　have　to　know　about　it。　Then　it　would've　been　her　own　little　secret　and　nobody　would've　got　hurt。　As　it　was；　hundreds　of　villagers　were　going　to　have　their　locality　desecrated　and　Stone　and　Darren　might　end　up　going　to　gaol　。　。　。　herself　with　them！
　　
　　God；　she　hated　that　bastard　of　a　husband　of　hers！　She　meant　what　she'd　said　earlier；　he　wasn't　going　to　have　her　again。　Every　time　he　lay　on　top　of　her；　or　did　whatever　took　his　fancy；　he　degraded　her。　Now　she　was　his　pawn；　just　like　the　others。　If　you　looked　at　it　logically；　she　was　the　focal　point　of　all　this　corruption。　Without　her　opening　her　legs　for　Walter　Stone　none　of　this　could　have　e　about。
　　
　　She　helped　herself　to　another　malt　whisky；　her　third。　Darren　was　going　to　bloody　well　pay　for　all　this。　She'd　shop　him　to　the　police！　No；　that　would　involve　herself；　not　only　that；　there　was　some　legal　point　about　a　wife　not　being　able　to　give　evidence　against　her　husband；　she'd　read　about　it　somewhere　a　long　time　ago。　Anyway；　what　evidence？　She　didn't　have　any　proof。　Doubtless　the　others　had　covered　their　tracks　well　enough。　And　in　the　end　she　would　be　made　to　look　a　fool　and　a　liar；　a　woman　scorned；　trying　to　gain　revenge　on　her　husband　and　his　mistress。
　　
　　She'd　leave　the　bugger　then！　No；　that　would　be　just　what　he'd　want；　conveniently　get　her　out　of　the　way　so　that　Lola　could　move　in。　Oh；　Jesus　Christ　she　was　trapped　as　surely　as　a　fly　caught　in　a　spider's　web！
　　
　　Anger　and　guilt　mingled　with　alcohol。　She　contemplated　killing　Darren；　she　could　poison　him　or　even　stick　a　knife　in　his　guts　whilst　he　slept。　Temporary　revenge　because　before　long　they'd　put　her　away　and　she'd　suffer　a　lot　longer　than　he　had。　And　the　deal　wi