Howard nodded. ‘I feel terrible because there was a map of where to look. It was made by an old man who used to walk past the petroglyph every day on the way to his land. Edward thought he knew where it was but we just couldn’t find it when we went together. Bastian needs to see and record the petroglyph for himself.’
‘Can’t you scan the map and send it to … Bastian?’
‘I doubt it would come out clearly enough. It’s in pencil and very faint. Anyway, Bastian really wants the original to follow. He’s writing a paper – more of a thesis, really – about the history of the island and the petroglyph is part of it. He needs to find it. I feel I owe it to him. And you taking the map personally will be the absolute safest way of getting it to him.’
‘Couldn’t you use a courier?’ asked Cass.
‘I’m not sure Dominica is set up for couriers, and I’d worry. I’d much rather you took it in person. I’d go myself if it wasn’t for my work. I can’t take time away.’ He smiled ruefully. ‘I’m late with my deadline as it is.’
‘Well, going to Dominica wouldn’t be a hardship.’ Cass smiled. ‘Since you mentioned it earlier, all sorts of memories have come back.’
‘For example?’
‘They do all run into each other, but the waterfalls, rivers you could swim in – I mean comfortably!’ She laughed. ‘We brought eggs with us to one place and buried them in the hot mud.’
‘Where the volcano bubbled up?’
Cass nodded. ‘They were cooked in minutes.’
‘What was your favourite place?’
‘That’s a hard one, but on the last day before you and I had to go home, I remember – what was her name? Patricia? She drove us up to a place right at the top of the mountain. The road was terrible and it took ages—’
‘Syndicate. Where the parrots are.’
‘That’s right! We did see the parrots, but it’s the trees I remember. Huge roots, almost like rooms.’
‘That’s one of theSloaneaspecies.Sloanea caribaea, I think,’ said Howard. ‘Sorry, I remember hearing it at the time. I can remember that, but can’t remember if I’ve brushed my teeth or not.’
Cass smiled. Her father seemed as on the ball as he ever was, but she realised he was in his mid-seventies now. ‘Is that what it’s called? But the thing that most surprised me was that there was a visitors’ centre at the top. We’d climbed so high, through tiny banana plantations, hardly seeing a soul. I felt we must be on top of the world and there was this very informative centre and a little stall. I bought a necklace with wooden beads. I think I’ve still got it.’ She paused. ‘When would you like me to go?’
‘As soon as possible. Bastian has a deadline for thispaper and he has to make it. There’s a prize being offered, and if he wins it, it’ll mean thousands of pounds that he has promised to use for the good of the island. And the kudos from winning will mean that the publisher administering the prize is likely to want him to turn his material into a book for them. But of course, he’s not the only one after the prize. It’s generous and there’s competition for it. The money could easily go to someone else.’
‘Has not having the map slowed him down? Getting the paper – or thesis – written, I mean.’
‘Possibly. He’s spent a lot of time looking for the petroglyph. He needs proof it exists. I’m his last hope of finding it. Or, actually, you are.’
Cass exhaled. ‘It’s a lot of responsibility.’
‘I know. But I have faith in you. But you’ll need to make sure you have suitable clothes and I’ll make sure Bastian can put you up. Probably in a couple of weeks’ time?’
Cass was excited. ‘It’s a bit different from what I expected to be doing this summer. I had thought I’d be staying here. But I’d love to go back to Dominica!’
‘I don’t just want you to take the map though,’ said Howard. ‘I’d like you to take a picture of the petroglyph, too, when you find it.’
‘But surely someone else has taken a picture, in all these years.’ Cass was daunted. It was one thing delivering a map to someone, quite another to try to find something no one else had managed to find in over thirty years.
‘Not according to Bastian’s email. I’d really like you to do it. Please, Cass.’
Cass was tremendously flattered but equally terrified. ‘Of course, I’d do my absolute best, but—’
‘You can do it, Cass. I know you can.’
A little later, Cass went off to have a shower. She had a lot to think about and found hot water pouring over her body helped the process. Also, her hair was full of salt from her morning swim.
She put on a dress and a bit of make-up and then went to find her father. He and Eleanor were in the sunroom with Ranulph.
Ranulph, she noticed, looked a bit caught out when she entered; they had been talking about her.
