The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

Author:Alex Michaelides [Michaelides, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781409181699
Google: GeQPEAAAQBAJ
Amazon: 1250304458
Publisher: Orion
Published: 2021-06-09T23:00:00+00:00

Part Three

The perfect plot, accordingly, must have a single, and not (as some tell us) a double issue; the change in the hero’s fortunes must be not from misery to happiness, but on the contrary from happiness to misery; and the cause of it must lie not in any depravity, but in some great error on his part.

Aristotle, Poetics

1

The body had been found in a field, on the edge of Paradise. It was medieval common land, for which farmers had ancient grazing rights, and a farmer, putting his herd of cows out to graze that morning, had made the grisly discovery.

Mariana was anxious about getting there as soon as possible. Despite Zoe’s furious protestations, Mariana refused to allow her to accompany her. She was determined to shield Zoe from as much unpleasantness as possible. And this was bound to be unpleasant.

Instead, she set off with Fred. He used the map on his phone to guide them to the field.

As they walked along the river, past the colleges and meadows, Mariana breathed in the smell of grass and earth and the trees – and was transported back to that first autumn, all those years ago, when she had arrived in England, having exchanged the humid heat of Greece for the charcoal skies and wet grass of East Anglia.

Since then, the English countryside had never lost its thrill for Mariana – until today. Today she felt no thrill, just a sick sense of dread. These fields and meadows she loved, these pathways she’d walked with Sebastian, were forever tainted. No longer synonymous with love and happiness – from now on, they would only ever mean blood and death.

They walked mainly in silence. After about twenty minutes, Fred pointed up ahead. ‘There it is.’

In front of them lay a field. At the entry to the field was a line of vehicles – police cars, news vans – parked behind one another along the dirt track. Mariana and Fred walked past the cars until they reached the police cordon, where several officers were keeping the press at bay. There was also a small crowd of onlookers.

Mariana glanced at the onlookers, and suddenly remembered the ghoulish crowd that had gathered on the beach to watch as Sebastian’s body was dragged from the water. She remembered those faces – expressions of concern masking prurient excitement. God, she’d hated them – and now, seeing the same expressions here, she felt sick.

‘Come on,’ she said. ‘Let’s go.’

But Fred didn’t move. He looked a little uncertain. ‘Where are we going?’

Mariana pointed past the police cordon. ‘That way.’

‘How are we going to get in? They’ll see us.’

Mariana looked around. ‘How about you go over and distract them – give me the chance to slip past?’

‘Sure. I can do that.’

‘You don’t mind not coming?’

Fred shook his head. He didn’t meet her eye. ‘To be honest, I’m a bit squeamish about blood – bodies and things. I’d rather wait here.’

‘Okay. I won’t be long.’

‘Good luck.’

‘You too,’ she said.

He took a moment to summon up his nerve.

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