death of grass by john christopher

Author:john christopher
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: science fiction, juvenile fiction, tuneyloon
ISBN: 9780141190174
Publisher: Penguin Classics/Press
Published: 2009-04-01T23:00:00+00:00

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tumbling waters. The sun was shining the length of the valley, but there were clouds directly above them, large and close-pressed.

`Where did you put her body?' she asked him. 'Before I send the children down to wash.'

`Well away from here. You can send them down.'

She looked at him without expression. 'You might as well tell me what happened. Pirrie isn't the sort to have accidents with a rifle, or to kill without a reason.'

He told her, making no attempt to hide anything.

She said: 'And if Pirrie had not appeared just at that moment?'

He shrugged. 'I would have sent her back down, I think. What else can I say?'

`Nothing, I suppose. It doesn't matter now.' She shot the question at him suddenly: 'Why didn't you save her?'

Ì couldn't. Pirrie had made up his mind. I would only have got myself shot as well.'

She said bitterly: 'You're the leader. Are you going to stand by and let people murder each other?'

He looked at her. His voice was cold. 'I thought my life was worth more to you and the children than Millicent's. I still think so, whether you agree or not.'

For a moment they faced each other in Silence; then Ann came a step towards him, and he caught her. He heard her whisper:

`Darling, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean that. But it's so terrible, and it goes on getting worse. To kill his wife, like that . . . What kind of a life is it going to be for us?'

`When we get to Blind Gill ... '

`We shall still have Pirrie with us, shan't we? Oh, John, must we? Can't we – lose him somehow?'

He said gently: 'You're worrying too much. Pirrie is law-abiding enough. I think he had hated Millicent for years. There's been a lot of bloodshed recently, and I suppose it went to his head. It will be different in the valley. We shall have our own law and order. Pirrie will conform.'

`Will he?'

He stroked her arms. 'You,' he said. 'How is it now? Not quite so bad?'

She shook her head. 'Not quite so bad. I suppose one gets used to everything, even memories.'

By seven o'clock they were all together, and ready to set out. The clouds which had come over the sky still showed gaps of blue, but they had spread far enough to the east to hide the sun.

`Weather less promising,' Roger said.

`We don't want it too hot,' John said. 'We have a

climb in front of us. Everything ready?'

Pirrie said: 'I should like Jane to walk withme.'

They stared at him. The request was so odd as' to be meaningless in itself. John had not thought it necessary to have the party walk in any particular order, with the result that they straggled along in whatever way they chose. Jane had automatically taken up her position alongside Olivia again.

John said: `Why?'

Pirrie gazed round the little circle with untroubled eyes. 'Perhaps I should put it another way. I have decided that I should like to marry Jane – insofar as the expression has any meaning now.

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