‘You have a very peculiar sense of humour I must say. This is the final straw. I don’t know if I can be bothered, this whole thing is going to be a sham. Honestly, Alicia. I thought you had better judgment but your decision is just too pathetic for words. Typical of a woman! I think you’ve finally lost it. Anyway you’ll be very sorry, you wait and see.’
From where she sat Diana took a sneaky peek at Leslie’s script. With some bewilderment she thought that the opened pages were blackened out. Blinking, and focusing properly, Diana realised that in fact they were not black but red. Blood red. The pages appeared to be seeped in what looked like shining wet blood. ‘What on earth
?
’ she said to herself. ‘Was she seeing things or was this some macabre joke?
Seconds later, the sun disappeared behind a lone cloud in the sky. A sudden breeze rippled through the trees behind them, and a small flight of bats veered and swooped with disturbed, shrill squeaks upon the party gathered on the terrace.
Away upon the hill, the church bell rang out its miserable dull tone. The sound echoed around the empty forlorn buildings, peculiar, as there was no service this evening, and therefore no reason for its sombre tolling. As if in sympathy to this incongruity, the breeze turned into an unseasonable chill wind that swirled along the paths and around the corners.
Startled, Diana jumped up and looked round her. The branches of the trees silhouetted against the hillside swayed and rustled, a whisper running through the canopy. A shiver tingled down her spine. She could have sworn she had heard something up there. It was something like a shrill cry then a low chant. But staring into the gloom, the space between the trees remained as empty as when they had all first arrived. Feeling silly, she returned to her seat.
You’re seeing things and hearing things, pages covered with blood and spooky sounds
, she thought.
Next time it’ll be goblins. For goodness sake get a grip on yourself and stop letting your imagination run away with you.
It
was
strange though, this was not the first time she had felt something here. Almost like a presence. She felt a little giddy as a small wave of nausea washed over her. Her palms broke out in sweat and her heart thudded in her chest.
Perhaps Steve was right and she had been doing too much lately. He’d been nagging at her to take it easier.
‘Your health is beginning to worry me. Can’t you slow down and take it easier, Diana darling?’ he’d said more than once.
Diane sighed. He really was such a softie. But she was glad he cared and wouldn’t have changed him for anything. But how could she take it easier?
After her conversation the other evening with Ann, she’d already decided a change of genre would be exciting for her next novel. Up until now her subject was historical fiction.
During the cast party while she and Ann stood off to one side chatting, Diana had watched and studied the various members gathered. ‘You know it’s time I wrote another book,’ she said dreamily gesturing with her hand. ‘Something compels me to. Look at this scene before us.’
Puzzled, Ann turned and looked at her, not understanding her gesture. She frowned and tilted her head to one side. ‘Sorry? You’ve lost me.’
‘All these people gathered here, and the setting so romantic, or even dramatic. I know it’s been done before, but surely the whole scene lends itself to something. Look, all around us are people, all different in age, nationality and class. Yes, there’s still a class structure despite what they say. These people are brought together for the production of the play. Here, we act together; we almost live in the same village. For the duration we cannot get away from each other until it’s all over. Then, we part, and go back to our other lives. The outsiders, perhaps we’ll never see again. The play kept us all as one.’
‘Well, apart from the play what else could bring us together then?’ asked Ann.
‘Apart from another play, you mean? I don’t know, a calamity possibly, or a strange or bizarre happening perhaps. I’d have to think about it,’ she broke off musing it over to herself.
Ann gave her a knowing smile, ‘Well, you’re the one with the writer’s imagination.’
Diana grinned back. ‘Something will come to me eventually, even if I have to write something completely different.’
Ann looked interested. ‘Really? What about a murder or a mystery?’
‘Ye-es there could be something there. A group already together, suspects in the making. There are enough weird and flamboyant characters to choose from to be the victim or the perpetrator.’
‘He would have to be evil.’
‘He?’ Diana queried her with a smile.
‘Well, it could of course be a she, as long as they’re horribly evil. The murderer I mean,’ she was warming to the theme. ‘Like in the Scottish play, you know, ‘
Of this dead butcher, and his fiend-like queen.’
Diana laughed. ‘Of course, I’ll give it some thought. My agent is breathing down my neck for me to write another novel. I’ve had my time off apparently,’ she grinned ruefully at Ann. ‘I do want to get back into it. But you’re right; it would need an evil person to portray as my murderer. Somebody the readers would love to hate.’
Ann looked back steadily at her for a moment before she replied. ‘Well there’s enough material around to give you some good grounding, and you’ve already noticed a few of the people from here are very weird. I bet Leslie’s right. They all have some dark secret or other to hide. I can even tell you a few stories I’ve heard myself. Not now, there isn’t time. We’ll do it over coffee one morning…’
~~~
…Diana shook her head. How on earth could she have drifted off thinking about the other night? She felt really strange and fuzzy. It took a strong will to turn her attention back to the present and Leslie.
Amazed, she found he’d already turned on his heel and was stalking away from the startled group. There was a stunned silence as they all sat open-mouthed at his rude departure, not believing what they had just heard. Embarrassed, they looked at the stricken face of Alicia. Her freckles stood out like a hectic rash upon her face and throat. Blinking and flushed; an ugly red stain crept up her neck and across her cheeks.
Diana felt sorry for Alicia as she obviously struggled to keep her composure.
Alicia looked up from the script that Leslie had just thrust at her, confusion clouding her features.
She took a gulp. ‘I don’t understand. I only wanted to try something new. Leslie was well aware I was going to make this production contemporary. I don’t see what’s wrong in setting the play in the present and making the cast into modern armies. Guns and army fatigues would make a fine change from medieval costume’. She paused, then continued shakily. ‘I’m sure he’ll see reason once he calms down.’
‘He was bloody rude and arrogant to boot,’ stormed a nearby member shaking his head in anger. ‘I think you did very well not to have had a stand up row. If it had been me, I’d have bloody well thumped him. ’
‘Well, that’s not my thing, Bernard. Anyway, I’m only relieved he threw a wobbly now and not at some later crucial stage. At least we have plenty of time to plan around him if necessary. It is important that everyone takes part in this production. We want to put our theatre group of Agios Mamas firmly and right with the rest of the Cyprus theatre scene. We have this splendid opportunity with our own open-air amphitheatre so let’s take it. I’m not going to be put off by a minor irritation like Leslie.’
She paused, and then in a firmer but soft voice spoke to herself. Only Diana, who was nearest to her, heard the venom in her words. ‘No. This time he’s
not
going to be allowed to upset any of my plans.’…………….
Click to buy “The Assassin’s Village” from Amazon
Excerpt from “Children of the Plantation” by Faith Mortimer
“Children of the Plantation” by Faith Mortimer.
Prologue
Opening the kitchen door, she spotted a vixen standing near the refuse bin. Hermione clapped her hands, and it shot through the hedge at the bottom of the garden.
Hermione's heart was thudding in her breast as she considered what next to do. Casting a look around, she gave thanks that the clouds scudding overhead made it a dark night. This had to be done in complete privacy.
Giving herself a mental shake, she crossed the damp grass to the shed and picked up a spade. A clod of earth still clung to the sharp blade from where she had been digging in her vegetable patch earlier that afternoon. It seemed such a long time ago now. She paused, still not completely certain she was doing the right thing. Making up her mind, she walked over to the newly turned earth.
The air smelt fresh after the rain shower, and a light breeze blew the mixed garden scents her way while she dug. The hole was to be small but deep, especially as she had just driven the fox off. Satisfied, she stood back and peered down into the soft loamy material, a sorry place for such a pathetic bundle.
Sick at heart, but knowing they had no choice, Hermione laid down her spade and walked back into the kitchen. She picked up the tightly wrapped package and carried it outside; it weighed no more than a couple of pounds as she gently laid it down into the hole.
Covering it with fresh earth, she scattered pebbles around and knelt on the grass. Had there been any other choice? Whatever were they going to tell him when the time came?
Chapter 1
October 2011
High above Kuala Lumpur's international airport, the Emirates airbus began to make its controlled descent.
From her window seat, Diana had a marvellous view of the capital of Malaysia. She had supposed they would be looking down upon a sea of luxuriant vegetation, jungle and scrub, but the serried rank and file below suggested organised plantations rather than virgin wilderness.
"Well, Mrs Rivers. What can you see?" Steve asked, leaning towards her from the adjacent seat. "Can you see the tall towers of KL yet?"
"Mmm. We're circling now. It's a much bigger city than I remember and more modern. When I was last here, there was only a handful of skyscrapers. I suppose this is progress." She sounded disappointed.
Steve gave a chuckle. "You're getting older. You have to remember nothing stays the same for ever. Practically every country in the world wants to improve itself and if that means modernising its towns and cities, it will. The west has used more of the world's resources than the rest of the world put together; you know that."
"I do, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's better or that I have to like it. I wanted Malaya to be how I remembered it when I was young."
"Stop grumbling. Your trouble is you're tired from a long flight. How do you feel, darling?"
Diana smiled at her husband. "Sorry, you're right of course. I am tired and I feel
et-see ket-see
(so-so) as we say at home. My ankles have swollen. I have never had that happen before! I'll be glad when we're finally on the ground."
"Not long now. Look! We're lining up with the runway. This is fun watching our landing on the screen." Steve indicated the overhead monitor showing a frontal camera view. The runway stretched directly ahead. "We'll soon be in the hotel and you can put your feet up. You mustn't overdo it, despite the doctor saying you're fine."
Diana nodded and smiled, thinking back to her last antenatal visit. Thankfully, as everything was in order, her doctor and midwife had agreed she was fit enough to fly long-distance to the Far East for an exotic holiday. As she was healthy and so long as she followed their instructions, she should have no worries. This baby was their first, so both parents were excited and looking forward to completing their family.
The trip to Malaysia was a new experience for Steve, Diana having lived here during part of her childhood. She carried treasured memories of those years and planned to rediscover some of her old haunts, if possible. Looking at the vast and so far unrecognisable city below, she realised that it might prove difficult.