wasn’t it? — whereby everyone was made to feel wanted. Well, it seemed to work. She’d even proved susceptible herself.
Although there were several faces she knew from Friday, Nina was relieved that the schoolgirls were not among them. Perhaps their interest had been only a flash in the pan. There were also some people she’d not seen before, among them a tall, broad-shouldered man with an attractive craggy face and an air of authority that aroused her interest.
‘Who’s that, do you know?’ she asked Pam, unconsciously interrupting her flow of chat.
‘Brad Lübekker — I was introduced to him a few minutes ago. He’s an American, from London. One of the group, and quite high up, I think. No doubt come to give us the once-over!’
Daniel clapped his hands and the chatter died away as they turned expectantly towards him. The tall American moved to his side. ‘Hello, everyone, it’s great to see you again. I’d like to introduce you to Brad Lübekker here. He is an Elder in our Movement, in charge of all the units in the south-west of England. During the evening he hopes to have a word with everybody.’
‘What did I tell you?’ whispered Pam in Nina’s ear.
‘In the meantime, we’re going through now for another short talk by Captain Bellringer, after which we’ll divide into groups and begin to get to know each other. So if you’d like to come along, we can get started.’
Obediently they filed into the corridor and through a door they hadn’t used before which led into the platform end of the meeting room, where the screen was set up. This time, however, the divider had been drawn across the large room, making two smaller ones.
As they settled in their seats and the lights went down, Nina tensed. After the disillusionment of listening to Bellringer’s speech with her mother, she was determined not to be hoodwinked again. But the minute the kindly face appeared on screen and the slow, soothing voice flowed over her, she relaxed in spite of herself.
‘Hi there!’ he began, setting the informal tone of the evening. ‘Good to see you again. This evening is a momentous landmark in your lives, my friends, for together we are going to take the first, tentative steps towards salvation.’
Nina made a heroic effort to free herself from the soporific effect of his words but her mind was filled with images of deep, crystal-clear pools, of running water, wooded pathways. Relax, a voice said insistently inside her, there’s nothing to worry about. Everything is taken care of.
She shook herself and sat up straighter, scrutinizing the screen for the subliminal messages she was sure were bombarding them. But if they existed, they were too swift for her consciousness to register. He was talking of mountains, of a shining new Jerusalem, of their survival when the rest of the earth perished. None of it made sense, yet all of it did. She just wanted him to go on talking, so that she needn’t think, or make decisions, or worry about anything at all.
Then it was over, the screen faded and the lights came on again. For a moment or two there was silence. Then Daniel, who this evening had been sitting in the front row with Lübekker and the other three leaders, got to his feet and turned to face them.
‘Now, I’d like you to divide yourselves into four groups. Sarah and I will take two into the front room and the other two will stay here with Adam and Mattie. We’ll come together later for a general discussion.’
He walked past them to the divider and opened a small door in it. Nina, still bemused, followed him towards the opening. When she stepped through it, she thought confusedly, what other threshold might she be crossing? She was about to find out.
Chapter 7
When Partridge made his report the next morning, Webb checked the phone number Kershaw had dialled from his hotel. Learning that it belonged to a firm of solicitors in Franklyn Road, he decided to walk round and inform them of the
Although there were several faces she knew from Friday, Nina was relieved that the schoolgirls were not among them. Perhaps their interest had been only a flash in the pan. There were also some people she’d not seen before, among them a tall, broad-shouldered man with an attractive craggy face and an air of authority that aroused her interest.
‘Who’s that, do you know?’ she asked Pam, unconsciously interrupting her flow of chat.
‘Brad Lübekker — I was introduced to him a few minutes ago. He’s an American, from London. One of the group, and quite high up, I think. No doubt come to give us the once-over!’
Daniel clapped his hands and the chatter died away as they turned expectantly towards him. The tall American moved to his side. ‘Hello, everyone, it’s great to see you again. I’d like to introduce you to Brad Lübekker here. He is an Elder in our Movement, in charge of all the units in the south-west of England. During the evening he hopes to have a word with everybody.’
‘What did I tell you?’ whispered Pam in Nina’s ear.
‘In the meantime, we’re going through now for another short talk by Captain Bellringer, after which we’ll divide into groups and begin to get to know each other. So if you’d like to come along, we can get started.’
Obediently they filed into the corridor and through a door they hadn’t used before which led into the platform end of the meeting room, where the screen was set up. This time, however, the divider had been drawn across the large room, making two smaller ones.
As they settled in their seats and the lights went down, Nina tensed. After the disillusionment of listening to Bellringer’s speech with her mother, she was determined not to be hoodwinked again. But the minute the kindly face appeared on screen and the slow, soothing voice flowed over her, she relaxed in spite of herself.
‘Hi there!’ he began, setting the informal tone of the evening. ‘Good to see you again. This evening is a momentous landmark in your lives, my friends, for together we are going to take the first, tentative steps towards salvation.’
Nina made a heroic effort to free herself from the soporific effect of his words but her mind was filled with images of deep, crystal-clear pools, of running water, wooded pathways. Relax, a voice said insistently inside her, there’s nothing to worry about. Everything is taken care of.
She shook herself and sat up straighter, scrutinizing the screen for the subliminal messages she was sure were bombarding them. But if they existed, they were too swift for her consciousness to register. He was talking of mountains, of a shining new Jerusalem, of their survival when the rest of the earth perished. None of it made sense, yet all of it did. She just wanted him to go on talking, so that she needn’t think, or make decisions, or worry about anything at all.
Then it was over, the screen faded and the lights came on again. For a moment or two there was silence. Then Daniel, who this evening had been sitting in the front row with Lübekker and the other three leaders, got to his feet and turned to face them.
‘Now, I’d like you to divide yourselves into four groups. Sarah and I will take two into the front room and the other two will stay here with Adam and Mattie. We’ll come together later for a general discussion.’
He walked past them to the divider and opened a small door in it. Nina, still bemused, followed him towards the opening. When she stepped through it, she thought confusedly, what other threshold might she be crossing? She was about to find out.
Chapter 7
When Partridge made his report the next morning, Webb checked the phone number Kershaw had dialled from his hotel. Learning that it belonged to a firm of solicitors in Franklyn Road, he decided to walk round and inform them of the
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