Page 130 of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

Tiggy shrugged. ‘I suppose so. Well, I’d best go back down to my cabin and finish the diary off.’

‘Okay,chérie. I will speak to you later.’

Once Tiggy was out of sight, Ma hurriedly laid Bear down on the soft cushions and sent a text message to Georg Hoffman.

1951–93

I spent the return journey to England planning out a list of where Elle might be. I knew the task would be a mammoth one, as it would involve retracing our steps across Europe – not that there was any guarantee that she was in a location we had been to before. But I had to start somewhere.

Ralph Mackenzie had been nothing short of exemplary when I contacted him to say I was leaving Australia. He came to wave me off in Adelaide as if I was an old friend or brother.

‘Thank you, Atlas. You’ve resurrected the Mercer empire almost single-handedly. The opal mine has allowed us to do so much, not least restore the rather dilapidated Hermannsburg Mission, which means so much to Kitty. From the bottom of my heart, I truly appreciate everything you’ve done.’ He hugged me.

‘Likewise, Ralph. Thank you.’

‘I hope you’re travelling back first class?’ I laughed and held up my second-class ticket. ‘But Atlas... you’re a multi-millionaire. Your ten per cent has seen to that.’

‘I suppose old habits die hard. That reminds me, I might need your assistance transferring my funds back to Europe.’

‘Absolutely. I’ll do anything to help. I’m so sorry to lose you, as I know the men in Coober Pedy are. That day you saved the miners from the collapsing shaft will live in theirminds forever. You’re a hero.’ Ralph genuinely looked a little overcome with emotion.

‘Actually, Ralph, I rather think it was they who saved me. Plus, Michael will do a fine job in my absence.’

‘Until we meet again.’ He put his hand out, and I shook it, before turning and walking up the gangplank of theOrientonce more.

The crossing itself remains a haze to me. You see, I am rather afraid that, for the first time in my life, I heavily indulged in the numbing qualities of alcohol. On my first night, I entered the bar to toast my time in Australia with a whisky, and ended up spending the entire evening there. I returned the following evening. And the evening after that. Then, soon enough, I was there in the daytime too.

What can I say? It seemed to make the time pass quickly and the days without Elle less difficult. It was true enough to say that I had a renewed purpose, but until I found her the pain of the journey was going to be intense. Regrettably, I didn’t leave the bottle on theOrientwhen I came ashore after my two-month voyage. I knew that I was going to be reunited with ghosts from my past, and I continued to drink to help me face them.

Upon my arrival back in England, I returned to Arthur Morston Books, where Rupert was so shocked to see me that he spilt his cup of tea over a box of new stock.

‘I say, old man! You could blow me over with a feather! Good Lord! How are you?’

I explained the events of the last two years as concisely as I could.

‘My word. You poor, poor chap. I wish I could give you some good news and tell you that she’s been here. But alas, I cannot.’

‘Oh well. It was worth a visit.’ I turned towards the door.

‘Hang on, old boy, you look like you could do with a strong coffee, and perhaps a cosy bed for the night. You know, Louise and I would be happy to—’

‘When we parted, Rupert, you said that you’d look into Kreeg for me.’

He looked chastened. ‘Yes, I did, and I kept my word. Just as you predicted, the bugger hardly seems to have existed at all. There’s neither hide nor hair of him in any of our records. My pals at the Circus did find mention of a Kreeg Eszu in an old Russian census, but it doesn’t do you a lot of good.’

‘No,’ I sighed. ‘Did he ever come back here?’

‘Never, old chap. We watched the place like hawks for weeks after you’d left, but there was no sign of the man.’

I looked around the shop. The shelves had been painted white, which made the whole place appear brighter. Elle would have approved. ‘Thanks, Rupert.’ I had a thought. ‘I wonder if it might be possible to contact Flora to see if Elle has been in touch with her?’

‘Of course,’ Rupert replied, making his way to the back of the shop. ‘I’ll telephone right away. She’s back up in the Lakes these days.’ He jogged up the stairs, but eventually returned shaking his head. ‘Sorry, old chap, Flora hasn’t heard a peep from her. But she would love to see you. She said it’s an open invite.’

‘Right. Thanks, Rupert,’ I inevitably slurred, shaking his hand.

‘Are you sure we can’t get you a nice cup of strong—’ I had shut the door to Arthur Morston Books before my old friend could even finish his sentence. I made my way back to Claridge’s Hotel, where I had booked myself in, and instructed the concierge to arrange the next leg of my journey to Switzerland.

Without a doubt, Mr Kohler was less pleased to see me than Rupert. When I walked into Kohler & Schweikart on the Rue du Rhône, the secretary did a double take.