by the village Residents' Association, and there's not a blind thing you can do about it. We're not after any treasure – frankly I don't even believe in it – but we do want this well properly restored and fit for use. If you don't want to help us with that, then at least don't try to hinder us.'
Gaskin met her gaze steadily for a long moment. The two of them stared at each other, as if each was willing the other to break the silence. Finally, in surprisingly gentle tones, Gaskin said, 'Very well, if that's your final word on the matter – I'll let you waste your time and money on a pointless exercise. It'll be your loss.' He turned to leave and then paused. 'But don't say I didn't warn you, Angela.'
And with that he strode off towards the manor, with the Collie dog at his heels.
Sadie clapped her hands. 'Oh, well done, Angela! Bravo! You were superb!'
About time someone stood up to him,' muttered Angela. She seemed suddenly deflated, as if the confrontation had taken all the energy out of her.
Martha was frowning. 'But what was that all about at the end – what warning? What did he mean?'
'Don't take any notice, dear,' Angela said wearily. 'He's full of hot air, that one. He's just trying to frighten you.'
'Which is interesting,' the Doctor said quietly to Martha. 'We've heard all about the treasure and the highwayman and the well... but he's the first person to mention anything about monsters.'
NINE
The Doctor checked the last buckle on his harness and grinned at Martha. 'All set?'
'No,' said Martha, arms folded. Angela and Sadie were busy fitting a new rope to the windlass, having supplied the Doctor with the necessary equipment. Angela still had a lot of her ex-husband's climbing gear and had dashed home to fetch it. Now the Doctor wore a sort of mountaineer's belt fitted with leg-loops and various metal hooks over his own suit. 'Isn't there anything else we can do?' Martha asked eventually.
His expression grew more serious. 'Nothing – except just walk away. Go back to the TARDIS and leave. And we're not going to do that, are we?'
'No.'
'There's no point standing around up here wondering what's down there,' the Doctor told her as he fastened a karabiner to his climbing harness, 'when we can easily go down and just have a look.'
'But you saw what happened to the bucket,' Martha argued. 'It nearly broke the windlass.'
He shrugged. 'Sadie could be right, it could have been an accident.'
'You don't really believe that, do you?'
He didn't reply. He simply turned to Angela and asked, 'All set?'
She gave him the thumbs-up and demonstrated the winch and pulley system she had set up under the new windlass. 'It's a modern equivalent of a block and tackle,' she told them. 'Very simple to operate – it lets the rope out at a steady rate through this...' she rattled a steel handgrip through which the rope passed. There was a hand-operated lever attached so that it looked like an oversized bicycle grip and brake. 'If I keep the lever pressed the rope plays out. If I release the grip then it locks. Safe as houses.'
'This rope is a lightweight nylon mix used by mountaineers and potholers,' explained Sadie, holding up a length of bright blue cord which led back to a large drum. 'It's perfect for this kind of job.'
'You're certainly well prepared,' commented Martha, impressed.
'The secret of our success, dear.'
'We'll lower you down,' said Angela, as the new rope was attached to the Doctor's climbing harness. 'Take it slowly because we really don't know what you'll find – there could be partial collapse of the shaft wall, tree roots, undergrowth, anything. You'll need this, too.' She handed him a large torch. The Doctor switched it on and trained it on his other hand; even in broad daylight the beam looked powerful. There was a lanyard attached, which the Doctor hooked onto his belt.
'Take this as well,' Sadie said, handing him a compact radio. 'Walkie-talkie. You can stay in touch with us up here, and
Gaskin met her gaze steadily for a long moment. The two of them stared at each other, as if each was willing the other to break the silence. Finally, in surprisingly gentle tones, Gaskin said, 'Very well, if that's your final word on the matter – I'll let you waste your time and money on a pointless exercise. It'll be your loss.' He turned to leave and then paused. 'But don't say I didn't warn you, Angela.'
And with that he strode off towards the manor, with the Collie dog at his heels.
Sadie clapped her hands. 'Oh, well done, Angela! Bravo! You were superb!'
About time someone stood up to him,' muttered Angela. She seemed suddenly deflated, as if the confrontation had taken all the energy out of her.
Martha was frowning. 'But what was that all about at the end – what warning? What did he mean?'
'Don't take any notice, dear,' Angela said wearily. 'He's full of hot air, that one. He's just trying to frighten you.'
'Which is interesting,' the Doctor said quietly to Martha. 'We've heard all about the treasure and the highwayman and the well... but he's the first person to mention anything about monsters.'
NINE
The Doctor checked the last buckle on his harness and grinned at Martha. 'All set?'
'No,' said Martha, arms folded. Angela and Sadie were busy fitting a new rope to the windlass, having supplied the Doctor with the necessary equipment. Angela still had a lot of her ex-husband's climbing gear and had dashed home to fetch it. Now the Doctor wore a sort of mountaineer's belt fitted with leg-loops and various metal hooks over his own suit. 'Isn't there anything else we can do?' Martha asked eventually.
His expression grew more serious. 'Nothing – except just walk away. Go back to the TARDIS and leave. And we're not going to do that, are we?'
'No.'
'There's no point standing around up here wondering what's down there,' the Doctor told her as he fastened a karabiner to his climbing harness, 'when we can easily go down and just have a look.'
'But you saw what happened to the bucket,' Martha argued. 'It nearly broke the windlass.'
He shrugged. 'Sadie could be right, it could have been an accident.'
'You don't really believe that, do you?'
He didn't reply. He simply turned to Angela and asked, 'All set?'
She gave him the thumbs-up and demonstrated the winch and pulley system she had set up under the new windlass. 'It's a modern equivalent of a block and tackle,' she told them. 'Very simple to operate – it lets the rope out at a steady rate through this...' she rattled a steel handgrip through which the rope passed. There was a hand-operated lever attached so that it looked like an oversized bicycle grip and brake. 'If I keep the lever pressed the rope plays out. If I release the grip then it locks. Safe as houses.'
'This rope is a lightweight nylon mix used by mountaineers and potholers,' explained Sadie, holding up a length of bright blue cord which led back to a large drum. 'It's perfect for this kind of job.'
'You're certainly well prepared,' commented Martha, impressed.
'The secret of our success, dear.'
'We'll lower you down,' said Angela, as the new rope was attached to the Doctor's climbing harness. 'Take it slowly because we really don't know what you'll find – there could be partial collapse of the shaft wall, tree roots, undergrowth, anything. You'll need this, too.' She handed him a large torch. The Doctor switched it on and trained it on his other hand; even in broad daylight the beam looked powerful. There was a lanyard attached, which the Doctor hooked onto his belt.
'Take this as well,' Sadie said, handing him a compact radio. 'Walkie-talkie. You can stay in touch with us up here, and
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