As they approached the welfare unit, Clare saw Crabby coming through the gate at the bottom of the field. ‘What does he want?’

Jo sounded considerably happier about the Druid’s appearance than Clare felt. ‘He probably just wants to see how things are coming along.’

Clare turned away from him, trying to usher Jo into the welfare unit. ‘They would’ve been going a damned sight better if he hadn’t dragged the press into it.’ Jo gave her a reproving look. ‘Well, I’m just saying. Come on, I’m thirsty.’

But it was too late. There was a tap on her shoulder.

As she turned, Crabby’s deep baritone intoned, ‘Blessed be!’

In as cold a tone as she could muster, Clare said, ‘Hi, Crabby, what can I do for you?’

Jo dug her in the ribs, and Clare returned the favour, trying to keep a straight face.

He looked first at Clare, then at Jo. ‘I wanted to apologise. For what happened the other day with the TV people. If I’d known they were going to come here and cause trouble I’d never ’ave invited them here. After the kindness you showed to the old souls. Well, I’d not blame you if you didn’t want to see me again.’

Clare hesitated, but Jo stepped into the breach. ‘It’s the TV guys who should be ashamed of themselves, not you, Crabby. We know you were only trying to help them out. Isn’t that so, Clare?’

Sensing Clare’s reluctance, Crabby turned to her and, placing his hand gently on her arm, looked straight into her eyes. ‘Can you forgive me, Clare?’

Clare held his gaze for a few seconds then crumbled. She reached out to give him a hug. ‘Oh, Crabby, there’s nothing to forgive.’ Stepping back, she said, ‘Come on, let’s get a mug of tea and then I’m going to take you up to the trench and show you what we’ve found.’

Twenty minutes later the three of them were sitting together cross-legged, slurping the last of their tea by the side of the cutting.

Crabby said, ‘So Beth was right all along. This place was a temple. I knew it. She’d have been so pleased at what you’ve done here.’

Neither Clare nor Jo knew quite what to say.

Crabby gestured in the direction of Neil, who was deftly wielding a pickaxe in the top of the newly discovered ditch. ‘And she’d have been pleased you kept young Neil on too. It was Beth who gave him a second chance, you know. She told me she could always see he had something about him.’

Clare turned towards Crabby, puzzled. ‘A second chance?’