The Quarry

36

Once Max had set off on his short promotional tour, Vendela was alone in the house for the first time, and suddenly it seemed even bigger than before. Too big — the living room with its high ceiling and thick beams reminded her of Henry’s barn. Her steps echoed emptily when she walked across the stone floor. But she had hung old Gerlof’s Turk’s head mat on the kitchen door, and smiled to herself each time she looked at it.

Aloysius was still there, of course, and was good company. And he was so well! It was just fantastic. When Max had gone, Ally got out of his basket and walked around the ground floor several times, without bumping into a single piece of furniture. And Vendela thought he was looking at her all the time now, without her needing to call him. She wasn’t really surprised, because that was exactly what she had wished for.

And now she was going for a run up the coast with Per Mörner.

‘Hi,’ said Per when she opened the door.

‘Hi,’ said Vendela.

‘Are you ready?’

‘Absolutely.’

They set off from the quarry side by side, and soon fell into rhythm with one another, breathing together as they ran, keeping abreast of the setting sun.

A chill moved in from the sea, up across the shore and the rocks. The sun stained the sky dark red. They picked up speed as they reached the gravel track, and Vendela felt strong, keeping up the same fast pace as Per. She could hear his deep, steady breathing, and the proximity of his tall body gave her fresh energy; she felt as if she could run all the way to the neighbouring village of Långvik.

But after three or four kilometres Per turned and asked, ‘Shall we head back?’

She could see that he was tired. ‘Sure. We’ve come far enough.’

They stopped and rested up above the shore for a minute or so, looking out across the dark-blue sound, with not a boat in sight. They didn’t speak, but took a deep breath at almost the same moment. Then they set off towards the south, keeping up a steady pace.

They didn’t start talking until they were back at the quarry.

‘There’s something I wanted to ask you,’ said Per, getting his breath back. ‘That business with the stone... my daughter’s lucky stone from Iceland. How did you do it?’

‘Me?’ said Vendela, letting out a long breath. ‘I didn’t do anything.’

‘But you knew where it was... on her bed.’

Vendela nodded. ‘Sometimes you just get a feeling about things.’ She wanted to change the subject, and asked, ‘So has your family gone now?’

‘My father’s still here. My children have gone to Kalmar.’

‘Me too... well, my husband. My little dog Aloysius and I are still here. He stayed out of the way during the party on Wednesday, but he’s around now. Would you like to meet him?’

‘Sure.’

Per walked up to the house with her. She opened the door and took a last look around, east towards the alvar and west towards the shore.

‘We live between the trolls and the elves,’ she said.

‘Do we?’ said Per.

‘My father always told me the trolls lived down in the quarry, and the elves lived out on the alvar. And when they met, they would fight until the blood flowed.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, there are still traces of their battles down in the quarry. Traces of blood.’

‘The place of blood, you mean?’ said Per. ‘Do you believe in that?’

He looked at her quizzically, and she laughed out loud. ‘Maybe... but not in trolls.’

He was smiling now, as if they were sharing a joke. ‘And what about elves?’

‘Yes,’ said Vendela; her smile suddenly disappeared. ‘Perhaps they do exist. But they’re friendly creatures — they help us.’

‘Do they?’

‘Yes.’ And she went on without thinking, ‘They were the ones who helped to find your daughter’s lucky stone.’

‘Really?’ said Per.

‘I asked them about it, and they showed me an image of where it would be.’

Per said nothing, but Vendela could see he was looking sideways at her. She shouldn’t have babbled about the elves, but it was done now.

The silence was getting a little too long and awkward, so she turned around. ‘Ally!’

After a few seconds she heard the sound of pattering feet as the greyish white poodle made his way cautiously towards the door.

‘Hello,’ said Per.

Ally raised his head, but was unable to focus his gaze on their guest. So that Per wouldn’t notice anything, Vendela bent down and scratched the back of Ally’s neck.

‘Thanks for your company,’ said Per behind her.

She turned to face him. ‘Thank you. Shall we do it again tomorrow?’

A straight, direct question, and she hadn’t even laughed nervously as she asked him.

Per looked slightly hesitant, then nodded.

When Vendela had closed the door behind Per, the telephone in the kitchen started to ring. She stayed in the hall with Ally; she had an idea of who it would be, and wasn’t sure if she wanted to answer.

The piercing tone rang out twice, three times, four — and by the fifth ring she was over by the worktop picking up the receiver.

‘Hello?’

‘Where have you been?’ said a male voice. ‘I’ve called three times.’

It was Max, of course.

‘Nowhere,’ Vendela said quickly. ‘Out on the alvar.’

‘Out for a run?’

‘Exactly.’

‘Alone? Weren’t you going to go for a run with our neighbour?’

Vendela didn’t even remember mentioning it, but Max had remembered, and of course he had to bring it up. She couldn’t understand his need to be in control. She waited a few seconds, then came up with a less than truthful response: ‘I went on my own.’

‘Is there anybody else left in the village?’

‘I don’t know... a few people, I expect. I’ve been indoors most of the time.’

‘OK... well, I rang anyway.’

Silence. She heard the sound of pattering feet, and Ally came into the kitchen. Vendela clicked her fingers and the poodle listened hard in order to find his way over to her.

‘How’s the tour going?’ she asked.

‘Not bad.’

‘Many people?’

‘Some. But they’re not buying many books.’

‘I’m sure it’ll improve,’ she said.

‘Anything else?’ he said quietly.

‘Like what?’

‘Have you taken any tablets today?’

‘Only two,’ said Vendela. ‘One this morning and one after lunch.’

‘Good,’ said Max. ‘I have to go now; I’m having dinner with the organizers.’

‘OK. Sleep well.’

After she had put the phone down, Vendela wondered why she kept on lying about the tablets. She hadn’t taken a single one for several days. Her running was much more important now.