Free Faraday 01 The Gigabyte Detective by Michael Hillier Page A

up.
    She stretched out a restraining hand. “Not in here.”
    “Oh, later then.” He grinned. “I’ve had two very hot baths and those eased it a lot. My dear old landlady moaned about all her hot water disappearing so I agreed to pay her an extra pound. However it’s still quite stiff, so I’ve decided not to do too much walking until it feels better. It’ll have to be a car day today.”
    “The agony doesn’t prevent you from driving?”
    He affected a careless swagger. “One can do anything if they’re tough enough.” Then he turned serious. “I’ve decided to go to Berry Pomeroy Castle first, then I’ll carry on down the coast to enjoy the sea views.”
    “Berry Pomeroy?”
    “It’s a beautiful place. There’s a castle which juts out of a steep hillside above a narrow valley in the middle of thick woods.” He shook his head. “I’m amazed that so few people visit the place.”
    “It sounds lovely.” She smiled wistfully. “I admit I’ve never been there.”
    He stared at her. “But it’s less than ten miles from here. How long have you been in Torquay?”
    “I know,” she admitted. “I’ve lived here for more than ten years but there are all sorts of places that I’ve never visited. Stephen’s always too tired to go out when he is down here. And otherwise I’ve only got women friends. We tend to meet up and stay in town. None of them have ever suggested going out to explore.” She suddenly discovered that she very much wanted to see the castle.
    He leaned forward. “It sounds to me as though your education needs some improving. How would you like me to take you to look at Berry Pomeroy Castle?”
    She hesitated, not sure of herself. She had to admit would like to go with him. But she was also aware of how her friends would regard her behaviour and would be suspicious of her motives. Even she was slightly shocked at herself for leading him on to make the invitation.
    He seemed to misunderstand her silence. “I promise to return you to your home the moment you ask,” he vowed.“No matter where we are, we’ll turn back to Torquay whenever you decide you’ve had enough, and no matter what the reason is. How’s that for a promise?”
    “But how do I know you’ll keep it?” She couldn’t resist teasing him a little more.
    “Well, you’ll have to test me out. I’ll take you to Berry Pomeroy first. That’s only a few miles away. If I were to abandon you there, it would only cost you a fiver to get back by taxi. There’s a phone at the castle.” He sat back with a smile on his face. “Then, if I behave decently there, you can trust me to take you a bit further - and so on.”
    She laughed at his mixed-up logic. “All right. I suppose so.”
    “That’s great. Is your car all right where it’s parked?”
    She nodded, suddenly filled with the kind of excitement that she’d seldom experienced since she left the theatre.
    “Then we’ll finish our coffee and be on our way, shall we?”
    While they drank he told her about the castle. “You leave the road, go through a little sort of yard between two cottages and down a drive which must be the best part of a mile long. The woodland is very dense and there are great masses of rhododendron and laurel crowding in on both sides of the road. The driveway has only two or three passing places. Then suddenly you come round a bend and there it is, right in front of you.”
    “It sounds very isolated.” She suddenly felt a stab of uncertainty.
    “That’s what I like about it,” he enthused. “When you’re there you can imagine that you’re back in the middle ages. There’s a strip of rich green grass with a bank at the back, It’s the sort of place where they would have held tournaments and fairs in medieval times. On top of the bank is the castle wall. The gatehouse is to the left at one corner. What’s left of the main apartments show they were three stories high. On the far side of the courtyard are the ruins of the Great