Runaway Hill

by Oliver, Marina

  *

  'Mr Blagrave, Ma'am,' Meg announced, and Drusilla could have cried with annoyance and frustration.

  'Mr Blagrave, is aught amiss?' Elizabeth asked in alarm.

  'No, dear Mistress Matthews. Forgive me for calling so late, but I thought you might have heard rumours and been alarmed.'

  'We have heard of nought but the arrival of the barges,' Elizabeth replied, 'and as Drusilla saw them they are not rumour.'

  'It has been an eventful day.'

  He sat down on Elizabeth's invitation and accepted a glass of wine.

  'First the barges,' he said slowly, 'then for some reason, despite the reinforcements, Sir Arthur offered to surrender if he were allowed to march out with his men and baggage.'

  'What? And leave us to the mercy of Lord Essex?' Drusilla exclaimed.

  'I thought you maintained he would do you no harm?' Jacob asked, and Drusilla shrugged. She did not know what to think. 'But Lord Essex refused, saying he wanted the men. One cannot help wondering whether some message, some news of the King, came in by the barges which either made it advantageous for Sir Arthur to leave, or to make it appear so. However, he will make no more such decisions.'

  'Why so? Has he been killed? We heard the firing all day, but had become used to it!'

  'Not killed, but struck dumb from being hit on the head with a falling tile, and Colonel Richard Fielding is now in charge. I do not know how we shall fare with him. He ordered a sally, but it was repulsed and Essex has drawn nearer. He has more reinforcements, and I am told Sir William Waller has sent men from the west.'

  'Then James may be there! Oh, how soon will it take them to capture the town?' Elizabeth asked.

  Drusilla experienced a moment of panic. If the town fell Sir Randal might be taken prisoner, or even worse, killed, but if the Royalists were victorious James was in equal danger.

  She had no time for further consideration, for Meg again appeared, followed by Sir Randal, and Elizabeth, who had not known he was in the town, exclaimed in surprise and demanded to know how he had contrived to enter it. Jacob was staring at the newcomer with undisguised hostility while Drusilla, after one joyous glance, kept her head lowered and her eyes veiled for fear everyone should see the delight in them.

  'I came with the advance troops, Ma'am,' Sir Randal was explaining. 'The King marches from Oxford with Prince Rupert and will soon be here. But how have you fared since last I saw you? Have you news of your husband?'

  'He has been with Sir William Waller, who is now, I am told, outside the town!'

  'So I, too, have heard. Well, Mistress Matthews, although he and I are on opposing sides, I hope you will soon be reunited with him. If Essex is victorious then it will be easy, but if matters are settled differently I will do what I can to secure a pass for him to enable him to visit you.'

  He did not stay long, saying there was much to be done, but he would come to enquire after them on the following day. To Drusilla's surprise, Jacob rose to depart with him, saying he would walk with Sir Randal part of the way.

  *

  The men left and walked in silence for a while, Sir Randal surveying his companion in some amusement, for he was obviously labouring under the stress of some deep emotion. At last Jacob halted and took a deep breath. he jerked out, 'A moment, if you please'.

  Sir Randal leaned negligently against a convenient wall, his eyebrows raised interrogatively.

  'I would have you know Mistress Drusilla and I are betrothed, Jacob said in something of a rush. 'I do not permit other men to trifle with her and so, Sir Randal, I ask you to cease your visits to her, and your attempts to curry favour with Mistress Matthews by such ploys as offering passes you know well you will never be in a position to procure.'

  'You may be under the impression Mistress Drusilla is betrothed to you,' Sir Randal drawled, 'but that is a long way from marriage, especially in these uncertain times!'

  'Do you threaten me?' Jacob blustered. 'I demand satisfaction!'

  Sir Randal burst out laughing.

  'Pray do not be such a fool!'

  'Fool! You call me a fool? You shall pay for that! Who are your friends?'

  'I have many friends,' Sir Randal said, laughing, 'but none whom I would insult by asking them to support me over such a ridiculous matter with such as you! I do not fight unmannerly boys with imagined grievances, and so, Mr Blagrave, I will bid you goodnight!'

  He straightened, about to move away, and Jacob, spurred on to action by the contempt in his voice, flung the glove he had been nervously clutching into Sir Randal's face. Sir Randal, moving lightly and rapidly, sidestepped the blow and turned so that he was facing Jacob.

  'You need a lesson, you young booby,' he said quietly. 'Put up your fists!'

  Jacob, filled with vainglorious ideas of vanquishing Sir Randal by the superior method of swordplay, did not at all care for this turn of events. He backed hastily away.

  'I have challenged you!' he gasped.

  'You have insulted me, and I do not accept challenges from impertinent boys, I teach them manners!'

  So saying he moved forward, and brushing aside with contemptuous ease Jacob's reluctantly raised guard, floored him with a light but precisely delivered blow to the chin. As Jacob writhed on the ground, prudence overcoming his rage and humiliation and dictating he did not give way to his desire to resume battle, Sir Randal surveyed him dispassionately.

  'Next time I will cast you in the river to dampen your temper,' he warned, and turned, leaving Jacob to recover the shreds of his dignity alone, thankful he had chosen a deserted spot for his abortive attempt at forcing a duel on his rival, and already weaving schemes of vengeance.

  *

  Mr Blagrave did not visit Drusilla on the following day, during which the bombardment continued and the church of St Giles was damaged so severely the cannon in the tower had to be brought down, but Sir Randal came after dark, saying he could not stay long but wished to be told if there was aught he could do.

  He was leaving and had just stepped out of the door when from an alleyway opposite four men with knives and clubs attacked him. Randal had just time to draw his sword and back against the wall of the house before they were on to him.

  Meg, who had not closed the front door, screamed in terror, and Drusilla, followed by Elizabeth, ran out of the parlour to discover what was amiss.

  Defending himself with his sword, Randal was keeping the men at bay, but as she watched, aghast, one of them contrived to swing his club and get through Randal's guard, bringing the heavy club down on his left shoulder. Randal winced with pain, but did not allow his concentration to falter, and slashed out, cutting the tendons of one ruffian's arm so that he dropped his weapons and retired from the fight, howling in agony.

  'Come back into the house!' Drusilla cried, but it appeared Sir Randal was attempting to move away from the refuge of the door.

  In this he was unsuccessful, for one of the bullies was creeping along the wall at the far side, hugging it closely, and forcing Sir Randal backwards. In the confined space and with the two others to deal with also he could not use his sword to advantage. He did disarm another of the men, who collapsed, moaning and clutching his leg which the sword had cut open, but at the same moment one of the others threw a cloak, and Sir Randal, in leaping backwards in a vain attempt to prevent his sword from becoming entangled in it, was almost by the door.

  Meg, with a scream, fled back towards the kitchen regions as the two remaining attackers rushed on Sir Randal and bore him and a fiercely resisting Drusilla back into the house.

  They swept past her, leaving her clinging to the doorpost, and she saw one of them had Sir Randal's sword arm in a fierce grip, while the other was on the point of bringing down his cudgel on Sir Randal's head. Not stopping to think she flung herself forward and seized his arm so the blow was deflected. In the brief respite Sir Randal wrenched himself free and sank his dagger deep into the body of the man who had been holding him, then turned to face the last opponent
, who had retreated to the stairs and stood a little way up them, a knife ready in one hand and his cudgel in the other. Sir Randal started towards him, and taking careful aim, the villain threw the knife straight at Sir Randal, and leapt down in expectation of finishing him off with a blow from the cudgel.

  Sir Randal, however, had anticipated the attack and swerved to avoid the knife, at the same time springing forward so that the man, unable to halt the impetus of his forward movement, fell with a groan on to Sir Randal's sword.

  Dragging his sword free and wiping the blood from it, Sir Randal surveyed the bodies of the two men he had killed.

  'Thank you for your timely assistance,' he murmured, glancing with a crooked smile at Drusilla, and then his expression changed and he stepped hastily over to the doorway of the parlour. Looking round, Drusilla, somewhat dazed, saw the crumpled figure of Elizabeth lying in the doorway where, unnoticed, she had collapsed in a swoon.

  'I will carry her to her bed. Summon the maids,' he ordered briskly, and Drusilla fled to the kitchen where Meg and Joan, with the cook and Willy, the groom, were cowering at the far side of the table.

  'Quickly, the mistress has fainted. Go to her, Meg. I must fetch the midwife!'

  They gaped at her, then Joan, quicker witted than the rest, seized a bowl and filled it from the kettle hanging above the fire.

  'Send Willy,' she suggested, but Drusilla shook her head distractedly.

  'No, for there may be more of those scum waiting outside. They will not attack me, and I will go by back ways. Go and do what Sir Randal tells you!'

  'Is – is he hurt, Mistress?' quavered Meg, but Drusilla did not wait to reply, running out of the back door and across to the gate near the stables which led into a side road.

  All was peaceful outside, and she soon reached the house of the old woman who acted as midwife.

  'I fear my sister-in-law will miscarry after the shock,' she gasped breathlessly, but the old woman, fuddled with drink and warmth after an arduous night and day attending a difficult delivery, did not wish to be dragged from her comfort.

  'Pooh, nonsense! She was healthy when I saw her last week. She's past the danger of miscarriages, unlike the other times, and will soon recover from a swoon. It's common in her state, for she's too much sensibility. Now let me be!'

  None of Drusilla's entreaties could move her, and at last she was forced to return home, praying desperately the old woman was right and no harm could come to Elizabeth.

  *

  Her hopes were misplaced, for she found when she ran back into the kitchen Willy was distractedly busy boiling cauldrons of water and carrying them up to Elizabeth's room. Running before him, she met Randal at the door and he took her hands in his.

  'She is in labour. Where is the midwife?'

  'She would not come! She was drunk! What shall we do?'

  'You can help most by trying to sooth her. I'll fetch the garrison surgeon. Is there no other midwife?'

  'No!'

  'Some older friend, with children of her own?'

  'Mistress Tanner, our neighbour, has a large family, but as she is so much older we have never seen much of her. She seems kind, and would most likely help.'

  'Send Willy for her. I'll go to the garrison, but I'll return very soon.'

  'They might attack you again!' she protested.

  'No, no, for we accounted for them all,' he reassured her, but humoured her to the extent of agreeing to leave by the back door.

  Elizabeth was stretched on the bed, her hands clenched and her face pale. As Drusilla tiptoed across to her a spasm of pain gripped her and she cried out in agony.

  The next few hours were ever afterwards a blur to Drusilla. She had an impression of Elizabeth writhing in agony, and screaming unbearably, while a tall dark man and Mistress Tanner conferred in worried whispers, and the servants hovered anxiously by the door, speeding off to execute the surgeon's commands or fetch what he requested. The words 'too soon' and 'badly positioned' echoed constantly in her brain, and she remembered resisting Sir Randal at first, so he ignored her protests and picked her up to carry her from the room and downstairs where he forced her to take a glass of wine, restoring her senses somewhat.

  It was not until half way through the following day Elizabeth gave birth to a shrivelled, stillborn infant who would have been the son she and James had longed for. The midwife, having thought better of her refusal the previous night, appeared midway through the morning and was sent packing with a few blistering words from Sir Randal. Having done all he could, the surgeon left Elizabeth in Mistress Tanner's charge and ordered Drusilla to bed, giving her a sleeping draught and promising to come back in the evening to see how they did.

  *

  Drusilla awakened at nightfall, to find Elizabeth tossing in a delirious fever, and Mistress Tanner seriously concerned.

  'She had not the strength for such an ordeal,' she said quietly.

  'You must need rest yourself,' Drusilla responded, 'for you have been with her all last night and today. Tell me what to do and I will sit with her now. Thank you for – for – ' she broke off, wiping away her tears, and Mistress Tanner tried to comfort her.

  'There, there, little one! This often happens, fever after the birth, and we must not expect the worst! Promise you will send for me if there is any change? If you promise that, I will go home now.'

  Drusilla dried her eyes and tried to smile.

  'I will do so, for I could not manage without you,' she said.

  'Good. The surgeon is to come soon, and no doubt Sir Randal will be here again. He has called almost every hour since you were put to bed.'

  For the first time Drusilla recalled the fight that had been the cause of Elizabeth's swoon.

  'What did he do with – with those men?' she asked hesitantly, but Mistress Tanner knew nothing, looking puzzled, and Drusilla learned later from Joan Sir Randal had thrown the bodies into the street while she herself was fetching the midwife, and had afterwards brought back some soldiers as well as the surgeon and had them removed.

  'Willy says he recognised one of them, a tailor who works for Mr Daniel Blagrave.'

  'The town councillor?' Drusilla commented. And Jacob Blagrave's cousin, she added silently, a horrible suspicion forming in her mind.

  'And Meg saw Anne Butcher today, and discovered her brother Ben, who's always getting drunk and into brawls, has a cut arm. Didn't Sir Randal almost chop the arm off one of them?' Joan asked ghoulishly, and Drusilla shuddered.

  'Has – has Mr Blagrave called today?' she asked, and was told he had not been seen.

  She had little time for further reflection, however, for all her attention was taken with nursing Elizabeth. Meg came in with the news the besiegers had moved closer, and had caught and hanged a deserter who had been in the process of blowing up their ammunition train, but Drusilla scarcely listened. She sat with Elizabeth all night, and rested for a few hours when Mistress Tanner returned and firmly told her she would do Elizabeth no good by making herself ill.

  When Sir Randal came she refused to walk out with him, saying she dared not be long away from Elizabeth. On the following day, however, Elizabeth's fever seemed to have subsided, and Mistress Tanner's exhortations, coupled with Sir Randal's persuasions, made her consent to take the air for a short while.

  As they walked towards the river, Drusilla did not speak apart from repeating her thanks for the help Sir Randal had given, but after a time, when his silent sympathy had calmed and somewhat restored her spirits, she asked whether he had any notion of who might have attacked him, and why.

  'I have a suspicion,' he replied. 'Do you know aught?'

  She told him what she had heard, and he nodded.

  'We took the bodies away, but they have not been claimed. I hope still to identify them. We searched for the two I wounded, but they had been able to get away. I think I'll visit this fellow Butcher. He might be willing to loosen his tongue, for gold or threats!'

  He did not reveal to her his encou
nter with Jacob Blagrave, but tried to distract her thoughts by telling her of the bravery of a man named Flower, a servant of Sir Lucius Dives, who had swum across the swollen river to bring news the King was on his way to the relief of the town.

  'We shall soon see the last of them,' he promised, indicating the army encampment below where they stood, on the Forbury ramparts.

  *

  For the next two days, however, nothing seemed to change. There was no further news of the King's approach, and no major assault on the town. Elizabeth lay in a state of drowsiness, from which she roused with occasional lucid intervals, and Jacob Blagrave, uncharacteristically, did not visit them until the morning of Tuesday, the twenty-fifth. Hoping to discover whether her suspicions were correct, Drusilla consented to see him and descended to the parlour.

  'My dear!' he greeted her, and moved forwards, his hands outstretched.

  She evaded him and sat down.

  'I cannot leave my sister for long.'

  'No, of course not. I came to commiserate with you, and see how she does.'

  'The same,' Drusilla replied. 'I have been surprised not to have seen you since the night it happened. One of your cousin Daniel's men was involved,' she said bluntly.

  'What is that you say?' he said in a puzzled tone, but his eyes evaded hers.

  'One of the men who tried to murder Sir Randal in this house was recognised as a tailor who worked for your cousin,' she stated calmly.

  'And from that you blame me? Well, that is beyond a jest!' he blustered.

  'It is no jest Elizabeth was caused to lose her baby, and possibly her own life,' Drusilla retorted.