My hero is actually a caveman. Poor Arnaut.
When he first appears in the story, he walks out from the depths of a cavern. He’s hiding there for a very special reason [ *see older post about The Heavenly Horse]. The local people are familiar with the many ancient caverns in the region and use them from time to time for shelter. In this case, Louise and her local guide take refuge from a fierce storm and to escape a pair of Napoleon’s secret agents.
Arnaut is not at all pleased to see them invading his hideout and Louise would rather be anywhere than enclosed in the dark and eerie bowels of the earth.
Photo: Heinrich Wendel (© The Wendel Collection, Neanderthal Museum]
She is oppressed by being shut in this warren of rough and uneven areas, with unexpected columns of rock jutting up from the ground or dipping down from above to bump against her head. When at last Arnaut leads her back to the entrance, she’s overjoyed to see the blue sky and green hills.
Louise sets off to complete her mission. As she rides away, she wonders what Arnaut has done for him to be living in such a bleak place. But Louise comes from London and everything about the Pyrenees is strange to her at this point in the story.
The endless steep mountains and deep valleys…..
The small, sure-footed Merens horses
The mysterious Lake of Bethmale 
but she’ll learn…………..
…and my Caveman? Acually, he’s very charming.
