Tristram was surrounded by several boys, all from the village. Having ganged up on the lone boy, they were each taking a turn at shoving and hitting him, hoping to bait him into losing his temper. They weren't to be disappointed, for suddenly Tristram started swinging his fists with little regard for aim. But with so many boys crowding so closely around him, he connected more than once with a jaw or nose that had pressed a little too close. Tristram couldn't hold them off and was knocked to the ground, where he began to roll and trade punches with one of the larger boys. The others stood around yelling excitedly, except for one boy who was struggling ineffectively to free his ankle from attack. A big-pawed dog, hardly more than a puppy even though he stood nearly two feet high at the shoulder, had grabbed hold of the boy's ankle and was growling menacingly as he tugged on it, refusing to give up his prize.
Angered by their victim's luck, for the larger boy was now holding his stomach and rolling in pain, three of the boys jumped on Tristram. Two of them held him down while the other one began to hit him.
Lily's cries went unheard even as she rushed forward. It was then that she became aware of the two men fighting near the back of the stables. She recognized the thatch of blond hair atop the taller of the two. Fairfax. But what was he doing fighting the blacksmith? Fairfax wasn't even supposed to be in the village.
Before Lily could reach Tristram, however, Romney Lee had already scattered the group that had been standing around cheering. The icy contents of the bucket of water effectively having cooled their hot heads, they ran shivering from the stables. The boy who'd been fighting the pup managed to free himself and fled as fast as he could, his hose hanging in tatters. The pup, barking wildly, raced in pursuit. the two who'd been holding Tristram down quickly retreated, disappearing out a back door. With his arms freed, Tristram's fist smashed into the larger boy's nose, sending him sprawling backward.
Finding himself fighting a losing battle now, the bully hastily scrambled to his feet. Romney Lee's hand, centered on the seat of the boy's breeches, guided him toward the stable door and sent him flying.
"Just wait 'till I tell my father that ye laid yer dirty hands on me, ye thievin' gypsy! He'll whip ye skinless," he threatened as he ran up the lane.
"I suspect I am safe for a while at least," Romney Lee predicted as he watched Fairfax Odell flatten the blacksmith with a bone-cracking punch that had the brawny fellow’s knees buckling beneath him. "That"--Romney gestured in the direction which the last boy had fled--"was the blacksmith’s son. I don't think I'll lose any sleep over that bloodcurdling threat," he added, glancing back to see the blacksmith stretched out unconscious at Fairfax Odell's big feet.
Lily was kneeling beside Tristram. She stared at her brother in disbelief, hardly recognizing the bruised face that only minutes before had been described as being so pretty by Jane Stubbles. "Tristram," Lily whispered as she soothed back the dark red curls from his swelling eye.
"The lad isn't hurt to bad, is he, Mistress Lily?" Fairfax asked in growing concern as he caught sight of Tristram's bloodied lip. Without a glance, he stepped over the blacksmith who was starting to moan. "I come in here to find them beatin' up on the young master. And him," he said, spitting in disgust as he glanced back ward at the blacksmith, "he was just standin' there watchin' with a big grin on his face. When I tried to break up the fight, he sneaks up behind me and hits me on the back with that poker. Made me awful mad. Should've twisted it around his bull neck. Figured, though, 'twas as good a time as any to settle an old score. He's been askin' fer it since we've been lads," Fairfax explained, sorry only that he had waited so long.
"Tristram?" Lily questioned worriedly as she helped him to his feet, steadying him as he leaned against her for a moment.
Tight-lipped despite the pain it must have caused, Tristram pulled away from Lily's comforting embrace, his expression furious.
They called me a bastard! A whore's son. She wasn't, Lily. She wasn't," Tristram cried, tears falling from his blackened eye. "I loved her, Lily. I wanted to hit them all for saying such things about her. Mother was a lady. She was. And Basil was a good man, a gentleman. Basil saved our lives. He loved us and Mother. Why do they have to say such horrible things? Why, Lily?" he said, choking on his tears. "I hate this place. I hate England! I wish we'd never left the island!"
Gazing into Lily's eyes, he asked in a quieter voice. "Why do I have to prove I'm Geoffrey Christian's son? Why? I am, Lily. I am!" he said again, his voice raised defiantly this time. I am, aren't I, Lily? 'Tisn't a lie?"
Lily pulled Tristram into her arms and hugged him tight. "No, Tristram, it isn't a lie. You are Geoffrey Christian's son. Mother told you the truth. She would never have lied to you. Basil loved you as if were his own son, but you are not his. You and I had the same father, never doubt that, Tristram. Never," Lily told him. she wished there were some way she could convince him of that, but staring down into his bruised face, she could still see the doubt in his eyes.
"Damn them," Lily said beneath her breath, wishing she had a couple of those boys within her reach right now. Her arm tightened around Tristram's slumped shoulders as she heard steps approaching from outside. Lily's green-eyed gaze narrowed dangerously as she recognized the swaggering figure that entered.
"Good Lord! What the devil has been goin' on here?" Farley Odell said as he entered and saw Tristram Christian's disheveled appearance. But when he spied his brother's broad grin, a look of comprehension dawned across his face. "I should’ve known ye'd be in the thick of things, Fairfax."
"I didn't start it, Farley. Honest I didn't," the younger but larger brother was quick to say. "But ye know he's been asking fer it fer years," he added, jerking his head in the direction of the blacksmith, who was still stretched out in the straw.
Farley Odell removed his hat, holding it nervously before him as he met Lily Christian's angry gaze, for although she was a slight young woman she had a lot of her father in her. "Mistress Lily, I'm really sorry about this," Farley Odell began contritely, his expression becoming woebegone when he looked more closely at the young master's face. "Did that damned bas-"
"No, he didn't hit Master Tristram. 'Twas that son of his and a bunch of his friends. They were pickin' on the boy when I come along and tried to stop them. Then he hit me, Farley. And from behind," Fairfax said, shamefaced that such a thing could have happened to him.
"Who? Him?" Farley demanded angrily, his baleful stare coming to rest accusingly on Romney Lee.
"No, not him, I think he came in with Mistress Lily," Fairfax quickly explained.
"He did?" Farley didn't like the sound of that. If the gypsy had been bothering Mistress Lily, then he'd have a thing or two to say to that bastard.
"And where have you been? Why weren't you here with Tristram?" Lily demanded.
"Well, I--"
"Oh, I found him over t'Oaks, just like they said. Drinkin' and laughin' as if he'd the whole afternoon to while away. Had the whole place in an uproar with one of his stories. Never met a better storyteller," Tillie supplied helpfully, that proud of Farley and always eager to please her mistress. But when she looked over at Farley and caught his jaundiced eye on her, she realized rather belatedly how that must have sounded to Lily Christian and her smile faded as tears filled her eyes. "Oh, Farley, I didn't mean it. I only meant to help," she cried.
"Now don't start blubberin' on me, Tillie," Farley complained, patting her hand comfortingly. "I know what ye meant by it. Ye be real proud of me and I'm appreciatin' that. If I'd have known this was goin' to be happenin', I wouldn't have left the lad alone, Mistress Lily. Ye got to believe me. I didn't leave him here. He come with me, Mistress Lily."
"You took Tristram into the Oaks?" Lily asked, growing angrier by the minute.
"Oh, no, Mistress Lily. Certainly not. The lad was goin' about an errand. A secret one, so he said," Farley explained, looking over at Tristram for confirmation. But the sight of the boy only made him feel guiltier, and more understanding of Lily Chri
stian's anger, although he still didn't understand what Romney Lee had to do with it all.
" 'Tisn't his fault, Lily. Honest it isn't," Tristram said, his words sounding muffled through his quickly swelling lips, "I wanted to pick up my gift for Dulcie."
"But the ring and cloak are from both of us, Tristram. You needn't have gone to any trouble."
"I wanted to give her something special, Lily. Something just from me, that I got for her with my own money," he explained, glancing around dejectedly. "It's gone," he said.
"What did you get Dulcie? Maybe we can replace it if one of those boys stole it."
"We can't. Besides, 'twouldn't be the same," he protested, kicking the straw beneath his feet in angry frustration.
"How did you pay for the gift?" Lily asked, curious because she knew he had no money. Even she'd been saving for over a year most of the small allowance Hartwell Barclay doled out to her in order to pay for the alterations on the cloak and ring. The extras she treated Dulcie and Tristram to whenever they came into the village had come out of that allowance too.
Tristram remained silent and avoided meeting her eyes.
"How, Tristram?" she persisted.
Lily heard Tristram draw a deep breath before he glanced up, but there was a defiant look in his eye when he admitted, "I broke into the coffer Hartwell keeps locked up in his bedchamber."
"Tristram!"
Tristram looked around him. Tillie was staring at him open-mouthed, her eyes wide with disbelief. Farley and Fairfax Odell were grinning, and the stranger was watching him with a gleam in his eye, almost respectfully, Tristram thought.
"I took what was rightfully mine, Lily. I took one of the gold pieces from the island. He had no right to take that money away from us. Anyways, I only took enough to pay for my gift. I even brought back the change. I'm tired of having to beg from him. I get mad every time you have to ask him for something, Lily. I don't like the way he looks at you. We shouldn't have to be him, Lily. 'Tis ours! Everything there belongs to us, not him. Highcross belongs to the Christian family. It was our father’s. Now 'tis ours. I'm not sorry, Lily."
Lily sighed. He was right, even if he was wrong to have stolen that money. But what worried her now was what would happen when Hartwell Barclay discovered the theft.
"You aren't mad at me, are you, Lily?" Tristram asked quietly, staring up into face.
"No. I can't blame you for wanting to do something nice for Dulcie."
"What did ye get fer the little one, Master Tristram? Maybe if we look real careful like around the stables we'll find it. Might not have been stolen by one of them whelps," Farley suggested helpfully. "Come on, Tillie dear, give us a hand," he told the maid, who was wiping at her tears.
"Ooooh, we just got to find it, Farley," she sniffed, thinking there'd never been such a sweet lad as Master Tristram. Droppin' down on her hands and knees she started searching the straw covering the stable floor, her fingers seeking out some small trinkey, perhaps, or a fragrant bouquet of flowers tied with a pretty ribbon. So loving a lad, she was thinking as she crawled about determined to save the day. Suddenly Tillie let out a shrill squeal as she heard a growl and felt something sniffing around her backside. Ready to box Farley Odell's ears, she started to rise and turn around when something heavy landed against her, knocking her to the ground.
It wasn't Farley, she thought unhappily as she saw the flash of long, pointed teeth and gleaming yellow eyes and closed her eyes against the attack. she tried to cover her face against the foul hot breath panting against her face.
"He came back! He's back!" Tristram cried out as he ran to the barking dog, who was now slobbering excitedly as he licked Tillie's face with his wet tongue.
Spying Tristram, he raced to the boy, jumping up and down as he barked playfully. He rolled over, his big feet pawing the air as Tristram rubbed him on the stomach.
"Be careful, Tristram. This is the same dog that was attacking one of those boys," Lily warned as Fairfax grabbed a pitchfork and Farley a spade, even though Tillie was clinging to his arms.
"Good dog!" Tristram said patting the dog's head. "He's my dog, Lily! Well, I bought him for Dulcie, that is," Tristram informed his surprised sister as he stared down proudly at his gift. "She's always wanted a puppy, Lily," he added, just in case his sister needed convincing, which apparently she did.
"Puppy?" Lily said, eyeing the mastiff with a less than friendly eye, but that didn't stop him from trotting over and sitting down before her and staring up at her with large, soulful eyes.
"I knew he'd like you, Lily. Do you think Dulcie will like him?" Tristram asked hopefully.
"I'm sure she will. She's always wanted a pony," Lily said bemusedly, thinking of what Hartwell Barclay's reaction would be to this latest addition to their menagerie.
"We can keep him, can't we? It's my gift to Dulcie, Lily," he pleaded as he stared down at the big puppy with its sleek, dark, fawn-colored coat and dark brown ears and nose. "He's a beauty, isn't he? Just wait till he grows up."
"Where have you kept him all of this time?" Lily asked curiously.
"Looks like one of the litter from that bitch of Joe Riley's. She's a real fine-looking dog. Didn't realize he had any of the litter left."
"I got him to keep this pup for me until Dulcie's birthday," Tristram explained, patting the dog on its big head. "Had to pay extra for the good it has been eating all these months."
"Aye, Joe Riley drives a hard bargain, that he does," Farley agreed, vowing to find out later just what Joe Riley had charged the young master for the dog.
"Can I give him to Dulcie, Lily? Can I, please?" Tristram pleaded, staring up at her with his bruised face. Lily didn't have the heart to deny him.
"Well, since you have paid for him," she began, but Tristram did not allow her to finish as he hugged her, and the puppy,, sensing he had been accepted, promptly started to bark excitedly and jump up and down as he raced around the two figures; then he was pawing at one of the packages that had fallen to the ground
"Hey!" Fairfax cried out as he saw the dog's nose disappear inside the package, the reappear with a big chunk of gingerbread grasped in his jaws. Sensing this time that he had somehow erred, the puppy scampered across to where Lily stood, and with his tail wagging engagingly, he crawled as close to her skirts as he could.
"He's no fool," Romney Lee said as he began to gather up the rest of the packages, ignoring the Odell brothers, who were staring at him belligerently now.
The stable doors banged loudly as the wind blew against them. "You've a long ride home, Mistress Christian" Romney advised. "The boy will need seeing to. I've some salve of oil of roses and henbane you might wish to use if the bruises become too painful or infected." Romney eyed Lily Christian's brother with a professional eye. "And some white poppy if the boy has trouble resting. Please don't hesitate to ask me for anything." His eyes met hers as he continued to stare up at her.
"That--" Lily began to thank Romney, only to be interrupted by a red-faced Fairfax Odell.
"I think Farley and me have been in enough fights to be knowin' how to see to the young master's needs."
The look of battle in his eye, Fairfax stepped forward, seemingly to tower over the other man. "Farley and me might just be wonderin' what ye be doin' here with Mistress Lily," he said, glancing over at his brother for the usual nod of approval, but Farley was frowning.
Romney Lee had smiled, and Farley, having seen that smile before, called to his brother, "Get ol' Merry, Fairfax, I'll see to the cart. We oughta get back to Highcross. Don't want Master Barclay comin' into town after us now, do we?" he warned his brother.
That threat accomplished what the threat of rain had been slow to do, and soon Tristram, the puppy sitting happily on his lap, and Tillie, a place saved next to her on the seat for Farley, were sitting inside the cart. The packages had all been collected and safely stored on the floor of the cart.
Fairfax, holding Merry's reins, glared over at the gypsy as he stood watching
as Farley gave Lily a lift up into the saddle. Standing there as if he'd every right to watch the young mistress, Fairfax grumbled to himself.
Muttering beneath his breath, Fairfax forgot to keep an eye on Merry, and before he was aware of it, the horse had nipped him on the shoulder. With a curse threatening to erupt, Fairfax rubbed the painful spot, daring Romney Lee to give vent to the laugh he could see widening on the gypsy's grin.
Farley eyed his brother as if wondering if they could possibly be related. "That reminds me. What the devil are ye doin' in town anyways?" he demanded.
Fairfax frowned, as if wondering about that himself, then slapped his forehead. "Fergot all about it, I did! 'Twas Master Barclay who sent me to town in the first place. See, I did have a reason fer comin' into town, Farley. Come to tell ye, Mistress Lily, that the Whitelaw ladies and the gentleman be at Highcross."
Romney Lee was the only one who noticed the strange expression that crossed Lily Christian's face. As he stood outside the stable and watch the cart rumble along the lane toward Highcross Court, Lily Christian riding beside it on the big white's back, he was to remember that expression and wonder about the love he had seen in her eyes.
I am as constant as the northern star.
SHAKESPEARE
Chapter Fourteen
NEVER HAD THE ROAD between East Highford and Highcross Court seemed so endless. More than once Lily glanced impatiently at the oxen-drawn cart, its wheels churning so slowly through the thick mud. She wanted to touch her heel to Merry's flank and send him galloping up the lane. As it was, she feared they would never reach home. Fairfax was whistling contentedly and lazily tapping the one now and again to keep the cart trundling along at a steady pace.
Lily's Impatience came more from anticipation than from a fear of the downpour that threatened to drench them at any moment. Although she had said nothing to anyone, secretly Lily had hoped that Valentine Whitelaw would arrive for Dulcie's birthday celebration.
Quinta Whitelaw and Artemis had been frequent visitors at Highcross, but it had been two years since last she had seen Valentine, and yet he had never been far from her thoughts. Her pride, wounded by the conversation she had overheard between Valentine and Cordelia Howard in the gardens of Tamesis House, had been slow to heal, but Lily could no more deny the love she felt for Valentine Whitelaw than stop her heart from beating. During the three years since their return to Highcross Court, her love for the man who had rescued them had not lessened. Carefully nurtured and guarded in her most secret dreams, her love had become her inner strength. It guided her and comforted her when her spirits were at their lowest. When the terrifying nightmares threatened, she would think of her love and would no longer be frightened of the dark. But it was a secret love, and it would always remain so--even to Valentine Whitelaw. The humiliation she had experienced when hearing his laughter and incredulous denial that he could ever fall in love with her still caused her to cringe in mortification.
Wild Bells to the Wild Sky Page 29