Chapter 20

Sally was entranced by the painting. She noticed that the prince and the harpist were both sitting on actual bulges of rock from the cave wall. She wondered if they had really done that. Then she realised that the artist had used the surface of the rock to show folds in the men's clothes. She took more photographs of this clever and very effective demonstration of his skill.

So enthralled was she that she never heard the rattle of falling stones. She did hear the bang though when the roof of the cave cracked just at the end of the entrance shaft. She whirled upright at the noise and stared petrified at the cascade of small rocks falling from it. She was unable to move. Dimly she heard someone call her name but still she stood.

Nick saw her standing in a state of shock. He did not waste time shouting again but sprinted the remaining ten yards and, flinging her over his shoulder in a fireman's lift headed as fast as he could for the entrance. He was half way there when the second bang echoed through the cave and the shaft followed by the roar of tumbling rock.

"Dust!" he thought, swung Sally round and pressed her face into his chest so that his clothing would act as a partial filter. He himself took a deep breath and ploughed on.

They were enveloped in swirling dust but Nick could still dimly discern daylight. He stumbled on, his chest on fire and, just when he thought he would have to draw breath, they were clear. He veered to the right and collapsed managing to twist Sally so that she was on top of him. He gently rolled her to the ground.

They were both wracked by coughing, gasping for air in between. Gareth and David were beside them in an instant and carried them further away and upwind of the shaft entrance.

"Water!" said Gareth, "and lots of it."

David dashed away grabbing two of the gathering crowd to help him.

Sally lay where she was in deep shock. Nick managed to get to his hands and knees and then sit back on his ankles. He pulled a clean handkerchief from the breast pocket of his suit jacket, shook it out and held it to Sally's nose.

"Blow!" he ordered.

She did nothing.

"Blow!" He shouted at her.

She started and did as she was told.

"Again, Sally, and harder," Nick said sharply.

She obeyed.

Nick gave her the handkerchief and rather more gently said, "Keep doing it, my little tiger, "and see if you can cough up some more."

He took another handkerchief from his trouser pocket and blew his own nose hard several times.

David arrived back with six bottles of water. "The lads are bringing some more," he said.

Sally was incapable of drinking herself and Gareth sat down and nursed her. Nick drank greedily and then had another major bout of coughing and spitting. He took another drink.

"David," he asked, "could you wash my eyes?"

David sat down and took his head and neck across his legs. He held Nick's left eye open and gently poured water on it. He let go and Nick blinked carefully.

"A bit more," he said and David complied.

"Much better! Now the other one please, David."

David complied and they repeated the double dose.

"Thanks, David," said Nick. "I feel human again. Sally love, how are you doing?"

There was no response. She was still too shocked.

"Hot sweet tea," said David. He looked round. "Bryn?"

"Yes, David." He sprinted off.

"Hywel!"

"Yes, David."

"Get a gang and seal off the entrance."

"OK."

A dozen men moved away.

"Huw! Call for an ambulance."

Huw walked quickly away.

Nick was still feeling groggy but he could now see and breathe reasonably. He turned his attention to Sally again. Gareth was still gently rinsing her eyes.

Nick took her hand. "How are you doing, little one?" he asked softly.

There was no answer but a slight squeeze of his hand.

Nick tightened his hold on it slightly. "It's all over now, Little Tiger," he said quietly. "We're both safe. There's nothing to worry about."

There was another slight squeeze of his hand. Nick moved round so that he could hold her.

"Thanks, Gareth," he said. "I'll hold her now."

He held her in the crook of his left arm. "Someone's gone to get you a nice cup of tea. That'll make you feel a lot better."

"Is it teatime?" asked Sally weakly.

"Yes, Sally love."

"What happened?"

"The cave collapsed but I managed to grab you before it did?"

"Oh! Is Megan all right?"

"Yes, love. She's fine."

"Good. What happened?"

"The cave collapsed but I managed to grab you before it did?"

"Oh!"

"Shock," whispered Nick to Gareth. "Almost like concussion."

Huw returned. "Ambulance coming from Bangor," he said to Gareth, "but it could be half an hour."

"Thanks, Huw. Well done.

Bryn arrived with a mug of tea.

"Thanks," murmured Nick taking it from him. "Have a drink of this, Sally."

He held the mug to her lips and she took a sip.

"More, Sally love."

Her hand tightened momentarily and she drank more.

"Good girl. And some more."

She obediently did so.

"That's my girl. More?"

She nodded and drank again.

"Well done, little one. Would you like some more?"

She nodded.

Nick managed to get her to drink the best part of half a pint. She fell asleep and he continued to hold her. He was feeling desperately tired and a bit shivery himself. He drank the rest of the tea.

"Gareth," he said. "I've no doubt the ambulance boys will want to take me along as well for a check up and that we'll be in overnight."

Gareth nodded.

"Would you give Megan a ring and tell her what's happened. Ask her to ask Norman to stand in for me temporarily. I should be back tomorrow anyway but if I'm not..."

"Don't rush it, Nick."

"I won't. I want to be able to keep an eye on Sally."

"Sure."

"Would you ask Megan also to tell the CEO what's happened and that I'll be in touch with him one way or another tomorrow?"

"OK."

"That painting's gone, Nick. Even if you clear back in I'm pretty sure that cave will have collapsed."

Gareth nodded. "What about Sally's photos?"

"I reckon she dropped her mobile when I grabbed her. By all means look for it but I reckon it's under several tons of rock."

"So what do we tell the press?"

"You can tell the truth or you can just say that there was a rock fall and that your manager and his tech assistant just managed to get out."

"But the boys may talk about the painting."

"If they do it's unlikely to be believed. Most people think that cave painting went out with the Stone Age. If you're pressed, admit it but say that we're not prepared to spend time, money or risk lives trying to go back in there because the chances are ninety-nine point nine percent that it's been destroyed. The CEO will probably handle the PR and send someone down here immediately. In which case, 'No comment' until he arrives other than to admit that there has been a rock fall but that nobody has been hurt."

Gareth nodded. "OK, Nick. Got it. How are you feeling?"

"A bit bent but OK."

"And you saved Sally."

"Thank God!"

Gareth patted him on the shoulder. "And thank you, Nick. I'm sure she will when she's better." He grinned. "Bloody soldiers. Always into the heroics."

"Balls!" said Nick but smiled tiredly.

There was silence then but it was not long before the ambulance arrived and whisked them away. Charlie drove sadly back to Liverpool on his own.

Nick sat in the ambulance and nodded off into a fitful sleep. Sally was out for the count. The ambulance man reassured Nick that that was the best thing she could do.