But Margery had thought of a better meeting place than the tomb, and had told Ned her idea in a brief conversation during the service. Following her instructions, Ned now walked around the site of her father’s new palace. On the far side he checked that he was unobserved. There was a breach in the fence here, and he stepped through.
Sir Reginald’s new house had floors, walls, staircases and a roof, but no doors or windows. Ned stepped inside and ran up the grand stairs of Italian marble to a broad landing. Margery was waiting there. Her body was swathed in a big red coat, but her face was eager. He threw his arms around her and they kissed passionately. He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of her, a warm fragrance that arose from the skin of her neck.
When they paused for breath, he said: ‘I’m worried. My mother has just loaned your father four hundred pounds.’
Margery shrugged. ‘They do that sort of thing all the time.’
‘Loans lead to quarrels. This could make things worse for us.’
‘How could things be worse? Kiss me again.’
Ned had kissed several girls, but none like this. Margery was the only one who came right out and said what she wanted. Women were supposed to be led by men, especially in physical relations, but Margery seemed not to know that.
‘I love the way you kiss,’ Ned said after a while. ‘Who taught you?’
‘No one taught me! What do you think I am? Anyway, it’s not as if there’s one right way. This isn’t bookkeeping.’
‘I suppose that’s true. Every girl is different. Ruth Cobley likes her breasts squeezed really hard, so she can still feel it later. Whereas Susan White—’
‘Stop it! I don’t want to know about your other girls.’
‘I’m teasing. There has never been one like you. That’s why I love you.’
‘I love you, too,’ she said, and they started kissing again. Ned opened his cloak and unbuttoned her coat so that they could press their bodies together. They hardly felt the cold.
Then Ned heard a familiar voice say: ‘Stop this right now!’
It was Rollo.
Ned reacted with a guilty start, then suppressed it: there was no reason he should not kiss a girl who loved him. He released Margery from his embrace and turned around with deliberate slowness. He was not afraid of Rollo. ‘Don’t try to give me orders, Rollo. We’re not at school now.’
Rollo ignored him and spoke to Margery, full of righteous indignation. ‘You’re coming home with me right now.’
Margery had lived a long time with her bullying older brother, and she was practised at resisting his will. ‘You go ahead,’ she said in a casual tone that sounded only a little forced. ‘I’ll be there in a minute.’
Rollo reddened. ‘I said now.’ He grabbed Margery’s arm.
Ned said: ‘Take your hands off her, Rollo – there’s no call for physical force.’
‘You shut your mouth. I’ll do as I please with my younger sister.’
Margery tried to pull her arm away, but Rollo tightened his grip. She said: ‘Stop it, that hurts!’
Ned said: ‘I’ve warned you, Rollo.’ He did not want violence, but he would not give in to bullying.
Rollo jerked Margery’s arm.
Ned grabbed Rollo by the coat, pulled him away from Margery, and gave him a shove, so that he staggered across the landing.
Then Ned saw Bart coming up the marble staircase.
Rollo recovered his balance. He raised a warning finger, stepped towards Ned, said: ‘Now you listen to me!’ and then kicked Ned.
The kick was aimed at the groin but Ned moved an inch and took the blow on his thigh. It hurt but he hardly noticed it, he was so angry. He went at Rollo with both fists, hitting Rollo’s head and chest three times, four, five. Rollo retreated then tried to hit back. He was taller and had longer arms, but Ned was angrier.
Ned vaguely heard Margery scream: ‘Stop it, stop it!’
Ned drove Rollo across the landing then, suddenly, he felt himself seized from behind. It was Bart, he realized. Ned’s arms were pressed to his sides as if by a rope: Bart was much bigger and stronger than either Ned or Rollo. Ned struggled furiously but could not break free, and suddenly he realized he was in for a hell of a beating.
