The contrast could not have been more marked.
Here, there was still order and great beauty.
The square walled area had been cleared and planted. Raised beds, which appeared to have been made from old tyres and scraps of wriggly tin, were full of vegetables, mainly tomatoes and cucumbers, and soft fruits such as raspberries and strawberries. Around the walls were flowering shrubs, sweet-scented and busy with bees and butterflies. There was a lean-to shelter in one corner of this garden made from a tarp and some planks. Next to this little structure was a huge compost heap, and sitting on an upturned bucket next to both was Harry. Snodgrass was upside down asleep by his side in a wheelbarrow filled with desiccated weeds. He could have been dead. It was hard to tell.
Harry rose politely to his feet when he saw them, and Snodgrass twitched his tail. ‘Well, this is nice. Hello, again, son.’
Aleksey dipped his head in acknowledgement of the greeting.
‘Ah. You must be Diesel. Michael described you, but we put it down to his general nonsense and tendency to stretch the truth a little. However, it appears that in your case he was not exaggerating in the least. How do you do?’
As Radulf’s nickname had with him, Aleksey immediately saw that theDieselset Ben at ease, for he huffed at this and held out his hand. ‘Yeah, well, he’s an idiot, and it’s Ben.’
‘It is sometimes hard to untangle the twaddle, yes. May we offer you some tea?’ Harry sat down again abruptly. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry; I don’t think we have any fresh milk.’
Aleksey glanced at Ben and offered, ‘There is a café just a little way…would you like…?’
‘Ah, you’re most kind, but no.’
Seeing nowhere to sit, Aleksey eased himself down to the ground and wrapped his arms around his knees. Ben sat next to him, then turned onto his belly and propped his chin on his hand. Seeing this, Aleksey chuckled privately and ducked his head. When Harry glanced at him enquiringly, he just waved it away with an embarrassed, ‘I felt as though I was in a Millais painting for a moment.’
‘Oh, yes, spot on. You’re young Raleigh, and I’m about to impart great tales of the sea. Would that were so, son, would that were so.’
Ben was looking between them, clearly not following, so for his benefit Aleksey switched tack. ‘You’ve been here a while. Done a lot.’
Harry nodded, gazing around contentedly. ‘We try to grow a few fresh things for the lads. Think they’d live on pot noodles if they had their way. But it’ll all be gone soon. We’ll be moving on again, I suppose.’
‘Gone?’
‘Redevelopment. Whole abbey’s going to be turned into housing. Reclaim the marshes. Three hundred thousand new houses a year. Isn’t that the government’s target? Won’t be anywhere left for the likes of us soon, will there, Snoddy? We’ll be pushed back as far as the ends of the earth, I shouldn’t wonder. Ah well, I’ll save some seeds if I can.’
‘I did what you suggested. I went out and about and tried to talk to people…but there was only one. A young man called Lee.’
‘And Misty? That’s a poignant tale. Poor old girl. But they’re all sad, I suppose.’ Suddenly, he jumped up, startling all three of them—Snodgrass to such an extent that the tail twitched again. Harry went over to one of the raised beds. ‘Where are my manners? Here, they’re wonderfully ripe; you must try one.’ He brought them over a strawberry each.
Aleksey took his and held it, turning it thoughtfully. ‘Lee said there used to be a lot of people in the homeless community in Exeter. But hardly anyone now. Is that what you meant? Is that what you wanted me to see?’
He could tell Ben was watching him very closely. He’d probably be in serious trouble later. Ben probably felt that he spent his entire life being blindsided byhisunwillingness to share anything until he had it sorted in his own mind. He couldn’t deny that Ben had some justification for this belief.
‘Come and see my raspberries, son. They’re coming along splendidly.’
He trotted off out of sight behind a pile of bamboo canes.
Aleksey sighed and accepted Ben’s offer to be levered to his feet. ‘I’m sorry. Even I wish we were looking at nice boats now.’
Ben cast a quick glance around then cuffed him with eyes-narrowed annoyance. ‘Do you remember when we had a conversation about your thought processes?’ Before he could respond one way or the other, Ben continued, ‘Because I didn’t mean you just continue to have bad, bizarre impulses, only now you don’t tell me about them.’
‘You are—’ A finger on his lips silenced him. Or it could have been the flash of warning in the green eyes. He had a suspicion this conversation would be resumed later when they didn’t have an audience.
When they located the older man, on the other side of the garden, they discovered a small shed amidst the flowering shrubs. It was a cheap, modern thing with a black felt roof and wonky pine slats that had a bit of a skewed appearance, as though someone had struggled to put it up alone and with no tools. Nevertheless, Harry was patting it like an old friend, and when they stepped closer, he knocked gently on the door and enquired, ‘Neil? It’s just Harry. May I come in?’ He held up his hand to keep them out of sight, but when there was no reply, took this for affirmative and opened the door, disappearing inside.
Ben folded his arms, still annoyed from their discussion and muttered, toeing the ground, ‘Funny name for a raspberry: Neil.’
After a moment Harry stuck his head out and beckoned them to follow. The space was too small for them to easily enter as well, so they both just stood in the doorway regarding the contents of the shed, which as Ben had predicted, didn’t include soft fruits.
There was a man. He was huddled under some blankets, although it was a hot day, and sweltering inside the little wooden structure.
This single occupant didn't look well at all. His face was unusually pale as though he had severe anaemia. His eyes were huge, staring, although they held little awareness in them. He hadn’t replied to Harry’s knock, and he seemed completely oblivious to their presence now. Nevertheless, Harry murmured cheerily, ‘These are friends, son.’ He knelt with evident difficulty and adjusted the man’s blanket. ‘Neil, tell us what happened. Just like you told me before. We’re all friends here. No one’s going to hurt you again.’
