‘It’s good to see you,’ Luca said, realising how much he meant it. He went to take her hand but Shara hesitated, pulling back from him and crossing her hands in front of her. There was a sudden air of formality about her that made Luca’s smile quickly fade.
‘Is everything OK?’ he asked.
‘How is your head?’ she said, ignoring the question and studying his forehead where a cut ran back into his hairline.
‘Got a hell of a hangover, but I’ll be OK. More importantly, have you heard any more about Bill?’
‘He’s regained consciousness, but is still very weak. Now we have to wait to see how he copes with the secondary infections.’
Luca stared into her eyes. There was a distance there he had never seen in them before. Even when she had been angry with them in the village, she had at least been directing all her attention on them. Now there was a cool detachment in her manner that seemed so out of place given all they had been through together.
‘But he is going to recover,’ Luca persisted, dragging his mind back to Bill. ‘We made it here in time, didn’t we?’
‘I don’t know, Luca. We’re just going to have to wait and see what happens.’
There was silence as her words sank in. Luca shut his eyes, thinking back to what had happened that night in the cave. The thoughts and images were still confused: the terrible silence, the fumbling in the dark, and then, right behind them, that almighty roar. He could remember the feeling of Shara’s soft skin as she had pressed her face against his, whispering that a bear was in the cave.
Luca halted, mid-thought, and rewound the images in his mind. There was something about this that wasn’t making sense.
‘When you woke me in the cave, you were already dressed,’ he said, slowly piecing it together. ‘You were getting ready to leave, weren’t you? You must have been planning to ditch us and head to Geltang on your own.’
Shara began to shake her head. ‘Luca…’
He glanced across to where Dorje was slowly inspecting the line of plants set into marble alcoves. He looked entirely absorbed in what he was doing, but was easily close enough to hear their conversation. Luca refocused on Shara’s face as if for the first time and lowered his voice. ‘Bill was right about you. You were hiding something all along.’
Shara sighed and stared down at her hands. When she looked up again, the detachment was gone and her face suddenly showed lines of anxiety and fatigue.
‘What I told you was mostly true. The guide due to take me here had fallen sick and I needed your help to get above the rock-face. After that, you’re right, I was going to head off alone into the Kooms and come all the way to Geltang. I didn’t want to lie to you, Luca, but there is so much more to this than you realise.’
‘So why were you coming here in the first place? I mean, what’s a woman doing here amongst a load of monks?’
Shara paused, pushing back a strand of hair from her face.
‘I was granted exceptional permission to come to Geltang because I was replacing my brother and delivering something.’
‘Your brother? What’s he got to do with all this? What was he delivering?’
‘I can’t tell you that. But please, Luca, don’t ask any more questions. It’s not…’ she paused again, choosing her words carefully ‘…it’s not wise for you to ask too many questions.’
‘Come on, Shara. We went through hell up there and now you’re telling me not to ask questions!’
‘Keep your voice down,’ she hissed, casting an eye towards Dorje. She leaned closer. ‘Look, it doesn’t matter what I was delivering, but please, just do exactly as Dorje says. I beg you.’
Luca looked at her, bewildered by the obvious sincerity in her eyes. Why was she so reluctant to answer any of his questions? They were already at the monastery. Surely the secret was out?
‘Geltang is one of the hidden beyuls, isn’t it?’ he said suddenly. ‘That’s what you’re trying to protect.’
Shara’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘Where did you hear that word?’
‘That’s what this place is, isn’t it? It’s one of those sanctuaries?’
‘Don’t talk about things you don’t understand. Never mention that word again.’
Shara was glowering at him, as she had before at the village, then she stepped back a pace and inhaled deeply. The tension seemed to drop from her shoulders as she stared directly at him, her green eyes pleading once again.
‘I know how determined you can be, Luca. But this is not something you should get involved with. Just let it go. All you have to do is wait until Bill gets better, then you two can leave and go back to England.’
‘I’m only asking you to tell me what the hell is going on. I think I have a right to know.’
Shara was about to speak again when Dorje materialised behind them. He was staring at her and as he stepped closer, she dropped her gaze to the floor.
‘It is time for evening prayers,’ he said, a terse edge to his voice. ‘Miss Shara, I am sure you will be wanting to get back to your quarters to prepare for the service.’
Shara nodded, her eyes catching Luca’s for a moment before she moved away around the side of the fountain.
‘Wait a second,’ he protested, attempting to follow her, but Dorje gently grasped him by the arm, preventing him. Luca looked down in surprise at the mild-looking monk who had managed to stop him in his tracks.
‘Mr Matthews, we have our own arrangements to attend to. Please do not concern yourself. You will see Miss Shara in only a few hours, after this evening’s meal.’
‘But I want to…’
Luca’s sentence trailed off as he watched Shara stride past the fountain and with a final glance to where they stood, retreat into the inners of the monastery and disappear from view.
‘Come, Mr Matthews,’ Dorje said cordially, ‘the eastern balcony is only one part of the monastery. There is still so much to see.’
For a moment Luca stood still, ignoring Dorje as he motioned for him to follow. Then he looked back towards the pyramid mountain. It was now completely shrouded in cloud.
There was something about this place that didn’t add up, and he was going to find out what is was. With or without Shara’s help.
Chapter 37
‘Is that right?’ Luca said, chasing a clump of starchy rice around his bowl.
He was seated at the small wooden table in the corner of his room with Dorje perched opposite. Arranged in a semi-circle before them was a series of white porcelain bowls that had arrived on a tray carried by Dorje. They contained a modest assortment of rice, pulses and vegetables which he’d been picking at half-heartedly for the last half-hour.
Since the trip to the eastern balcony Luca had been locked in his room, pacing restlessly from wall to wall, waiting until dinner and the chance to speak to Shara once again. But as Dorje had just politely explained she wouldn’t be joining them this evening after all, nor did he know when she would be next available. Instead he continued with an endless litany of pleasantries while Luca’s frustration steadily grew.
‘That is indeed right,’ Dorje replied. He then paused and inhaled deeply, possibly a prelude to yet another lengthy silence.
‘One’s duties must come before social visits and I am sure you understand that Miss Shara is most busy with her work. Now, have you eaten enough of the vegetable mo-mos? They are considered something of a delicacy here in Tibet and the ingredients are grown just below our monastery near the…’
‘I understand that she’s busy,’ Luca interrupted, laying down his chopsticks. ‘You’ve already told me that. But she said she would be here for dinner and promised to answer some of my questions then. There is so much about this place that doesn’t make sense to me.’