Book of JUDAS

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Sutton Dean, Oxfordshire

That same evening back in the comfort of Tudor Hall, Simon marched down the hallway and into the main kitchen. Although the house had been extended on several occasions, the core, including the spacious kitchen with its exposed brick and wooden beams, dated back to the mid-eighteenth century. In the olden days there had been a staff of over twenty servants working below stairs in the mansion itself and on the estate outside. Simon crossed the cobbled stone floor and entered the large adjoining room that doubled as a cloakroom-c*m-laundry. Picking up his stout hiking boots and leather jacket, he sat down at the kitchen table to pull them on.

“You should take the path through the orchard,” remarked Mrs. Vines cheerfully without looking up. She was busying herself cleaning around the cooking range on the other side of the kitchen.

“Good idea,” he replied.

“Are you ready?” Philip called impatiently from the front door.

“On my way,” Simon yelled back loudly. He stood up and pulled on his brown leather jacket, patting his pockets for his wallet.

“Will you be back for supper?” she asked.

Watching the brothers growing up had been one of the joys of Mrs. Emily Vines’s life. Regrettably, she had never been able to have children of her own and the failure to produce a family had been the main contributory factor to her divorce. She had joined the household shortly after her separation when the boys had arrived to stay with their grandfather. They took to her straight away and she revelled in their affections, rapidly becoming the mother figure they had lost.

“No thanks! Don’t worry about us tonight. We’ve made plans to eat out − we’ll be back around ten’ish,” he called as he hurried out of the room to catch up with his brother.

Mrs. Vines chuckled as she watched him dash up the steps in to the hallway.

He never changes, she thought. Always the last one to get ready.

She had a big soft spot for Simon. As far as she was concerned he was the most caring and charming young man anyone could hope to meet. With his handsome good looks and confident personality, he had attracted the attention of many beautiful women but, surprisingly, he had entered very few long-term relationships. She smiled as she remembered how he often joked that he could never find anyone that could cook like her.

Yes, he’ll make a perfect catch for some lucky girl one day, she sighed and continued preparing the breakfast table for the next day’s meal.

Philip, wearing his green Barbour jacket, jeans and a white Aran jumper, was still holding the front door open, waiting for him.

It was approaching six-thirty as the brothers stepped out into the fresh air of a typical clear May evening with the light just beginning to fade.

The long evenings make all the difference, thought Simon as they set off.

Around them, the flowerbeds were blooming with spring colour as they strode down the gravel drive between the well-manicured lawns. As they reached the halfway point, instead of continuing down the drive towards the metal gates they suddenly took a detour, crossing the lawn to their right past a rickety old trellis barely holding up under the strain of the blossoming wisteria. Beyond, was the path through the vegetable garden that led towards a wooden doorway built into the twelve-foot high outer perimeter wall. Simon fished the key out of his pocket and they stepped through into the apple orchard with rows of blossom filled trees spreading out ahead of them.

On the drive back from Professor Palanski’s they had agreed to follow a path they had trodden many times before to one of their old drinking haunts in the pleasant Oxfordshire countryside. The walk would give them the opportunity to talk and think things through after all his revelations. One way or another they were going to have to decide what to do.

“It must be over three years since we last did this journey,” said Simon, recalling those carefree days when they both used the route on a more regular basis. Friends, girlfriends and even their grandfather had joined them on many occasions for the pleasant walk through the countryside.

“Yes, we had some great times didn’t we?” replied Philip, grinning at some of the happy memories that came flooding back.

“Do you think it will be open?” asked Simon as they passed some run-down old beehives at the end of the orchard.

“It should be by the time we get there,” responded Philip, marching on with hands pushed down into his Barbour pockets.

The journey through the orchard and the field beyond was quiet except for the gentle sounds of the countryside. There were very few houses and the only contact with the occasional traffic was when the path criss-crossed over one of the surrounding country lanes. As they strolled along, they reminisced about their grandfather and some of their earliest childhood memories.

The picturesque walk took around twenty-five minutes. Towards the end was a hill from which they could see their final destination – a relatively unknown country pub and restaurant that survived through its excellent reputation with the locals for good country fare. Apart from the food, it was also admired for its glorious location, particularly in the summer. As the brothers wound their way down public footpath, they could see the gardens and outbuildings at the rear of the main house that bordered the River Isis, a tributary of the Thames. In the slower months the owners would simply shut their doors but now the place was open – Simon could see people sitting down to eat at the wooden benches in the garden.

After ducking to enter the old pub, Philip went up to the bar and ordered their drinks, which they carried out to a riverside table along with a menu.

“I’ve thought it through,” said Simon sipping his drink. “I’ve made up my mind to try and find the book − I hope you’ll join me?”

Philip didn’t look up but stared down at the menu.

“I won’t be joining you,” he replied after a few seconds. “I’ve thought about it a lot and I just can’t see what there is to achieve. How can bringing this book, the Bible of the Antichrist, into the world be a good thing?”

“Don’t you think there’s a responsibility, Philip?” countered Simon. “If the book’s going to be found, and if it’s going to be revealed to the world, then don’t you think it’s better if the good guys find it first and not these Satan worshippers?”

“If we believe what Professor Palanski’s telling us, finding the Book of Judas can only bring harm and chaos to the world as we know it,” said Philip pragmatically. “Think about it Simon! It’s been lying dormant since the time of Christ and this ‘evil’ cult is poised, waiting for the day they find the manuscript − the whole thing’s absurd and destructive… We should stay as far away from it as possible − even if there is an element of truth why should we risk our lives?” he continued forcefully.

“What about our grandfather – wouldn’t you do it for him?” queried Simon.

“I…” Philip stopped in mid-flow as a young girl with long hair wearing an apron, approached the table to take their order. They ordered just a main course and she promptly span on her heels and headed for the restaurant’s kitchens.

“No, I wouldn’t,” said Philip, starting again. “Don’t you see? This decision’s far bigger than me, you or our grandfather. Besides I’ve got Heather to think about!”

They both fell quiet, looking at their drinks.

“I see…” said Simon at length. “What are your plans then?”

“I’m going back to New York tomorrow evening and I want you to come back and stay with us for a while.”

Simon looked up sharply, and read the genuine expression of concern on the face of his older brother.

“It’s not going to be safe here and I think it’s best if we stay together. Come back to New York with me and after I’ve made a few arrangements we’ll travel… The three of us can take a little sabbatical for a while − what do you think?”

Philip’s so stubborn, thought Simon. He had made up his mind and Simon knew there was no way he could change it. The heartfelt fear Philip sensed for his brother’s safety was real and if there was anything he could do or say to make him change his mind then he would have done it immediately. However, he was equally stubborn.

“I can’t do that,” he said finally. “I’ve made my decision; I’m going to find this book with or without you.”

Simon paused before looking directly into his brother’s eyes.

“You’ve always been there for me in the past… If you won’t do it because it’s right, and you won’t do it for grandfather, will you do it for me?”

Philip shook his head.

“I can’t,” he said sadly, “What you’re doing is wrong and I’m not prepared to risk everything, including Heather. I’m sorry I can’t convince you of that.”

He found it difficult to hold his brother’s penetrating stare.

“How are you planning on getting started?” Philip asked, moving the subject on.

“Well… I hoped we’d be talking about this together,” replied Simon cynically, but Philip didn’t respond to the jibe.

“Well, we know the third fragment’s been found off the coast of Thailand so that’s where I’m heading but before that I’ve got some things that need to be taken care of.”

“Such as?” said Philip.

“Well, speaking to Bairstow, it seems the scrolls are kept overseas in some international bank’s security deposit box. I’ll need to open it to get the scrolls out along with the map of Judea and the secret location of the two bone fragments that he discovered earlier. I also need to go back and speak to the Professor; there are a few questions that have been playing on my mind since our first meeting. I spoke to him and fixed a time for tomorrow morning.”

“I see,” said Philip.

Despite being adamant that he was making the right decision, he also felt guilty at the thought of not being there to support his younger brother. Simon could sense the way he was feeling.

“Don’t feel bad, Philip… I fully understand your reasoning. I wasn’t so sure myself to begin with.”

“I feel like I’m letting you down,” said Philip, looking up at his brother.

“I understand,” replied Simon smiling. “Look, I’ll keep you informed where I am all the time and if you want to join me at any stage then you can.”

Philip looked away towards a white swan that was gliding elegantly with the current of the river.

“There’s one other thing,” he said, continuing to gaze out over the reeds on the riverbank.

“What’s that?” asked Simon.

“What about the new heiress? Who’s going to meet with Anna Nikolaidis and tell her of her ‘new-found’ fortune?

“Yes, I’d already thought about that… I’m going to try and meet up with her on my way to the East,” said Simon. “After all, you heard grandfather… Maybe, if she wants to, she could help me find the book.”

He looked up and smiled at Philip with the thinly veiled remark.

Behind them they heard the footsteps as the same long-haired girl appeared with their meals. She laid the tray in front of them and as they thanked her and helped themselves to the plates and cutlery she favoured Simon with a lingering smile before turning daintily and departing.

“I think you’ve got a fan,” remarked Philip, looking amused as he pulled open his serviette.

“You’ve either got it or you haven’t,” said Simon grinning.

After a moment, Philips smile faded.

“I know I can’t stop you going − I just hope to God that it works out for you,” he said seriously.

“Thanks,” said Simon. “Listen, what time are you going tomorrow – if I can I’ll try and get back in time to take you to the airport.”

“The flight’s at four-thirty from Heathrow.”

“Fine, let’s leave our goodbyes to the airport then,” said Simon, as he began tucking in to the plate of food in front of him.