by Linda Finlay
‘Thief!’ he hissed at Lily, but it was the look of pure malice in his eyes that made her blood go cold. He was almost beside himself as he marched right up to her. ‘Miss Rose, I came here to carry out the inventory prior to you and your miserable family leaving and what do I find? Stolen property, that’s what!’
Bewildered, Lily stuttered, ‘But you said you were going to send your agent.’
‘Isn’t it just as well I came myself then?’ he retorted. ‘Miss Rose, I order you to attend the courtroom at noon tomorrow where you will be tried and sentenced. You will then see what happens to common thieves.’
‘What?’ she gasped. It was then she noticed what it was he was holding. ‘Oh, those were on the donkey-cart when I came out of work one evening. I was going to find out who left them there but, with all that’s happened in the past week, I forgot.’
‘You forgot. How convenient,’ the squire sneered. ‘Well, you can explain that to the Justice of the Peace tomorrow.’
‘Now come on,’ Rob began, but the squire whirled around. ‘And as for you, you are to be off these premises by sundown tomorrow or I’ll set my dogs on you.’
‘But there’s still over two weeks until quarter-day. Where will we go?’ he gasped.
‘I neither know nor care about you or her,’ the squire snarled, pointing at Aunt Elizabeth. Turning to Lily he gave a mocking laugh. ‘However, you, Miss Rose, being a common thief, won’t have to worry for you will be housed in a secure cell,’ he declared. Then, before they could answer, he stalked from the room, his cruel laughter following after him.
They stood there in stunned silence for some moments before Lily finally found her voice.
‘A common thief, am I? Well, I’ll show that Justice of the Peace. You wait and see,’ she declared bravely, although she felt sick inside.
‘But, Lily, Squire Clinsden is the Justice of the Peace,’ her aunt cried.
‘Well, he’s lying and he won’t get away with it,’ she said. ‘The truth will out, isn’t that what they say?’
But Rob looked at her pityingly. ‘I remember when old Miss Keys upset him. He accused her of stealing from him and had her sentenced to sixty days …’ Aunt Elizabeth gave him a warning look and Rob stuttered to a halt.
Lily sank into the chair and buried her head in her hands. ‘You will be there to support me, won’t you?’ she whispered.
‘We’ll do what we can, Lily, but we’ve to clear this place of our things, remember?’ Rob said. Looking up, she saw the grim expression on his face and the full implication of the squire’s visit hit her. Suddenly she felt very afraid.
‘You do believe me, don’t you, Tom? I didn’t steal those things, really I didn’t. I was up all night worrying about it.’
Tom slumped back against his boat, shaking his head as if he couldn’t take in what she’d told him. Lily searched his face, anxiously waiting for him to say something.
‘Of course I believe you. There’s no one more honest than you, Lily,’ he said, squeezing her arm. Leaning against him, she willed his warmth to stop the shakes that had been racking her body since the previous evening. No matter how hard she blinked, the tears still coursed down her face. Gently, he took out his kerchief and wiped them away.
‘Hush, now, don’t go getting yourself into a state again. Your eyes are all red and puffy as it is, and fretting ain’t going to help none, is it?’
‘I know, but if I’m found guilty, the squire could send me to gaol. Oh, Tom, I’m so scared. Why didn’t I take that veil and glove into the hostelry when I found them on the donkey-cart?’ she cried. ‘And if I’d begun packing my things for the move when I should have, I’d have come across them.’
‘Now, now, Lily, you’ve had more than enough to worry about recently. What I’d like to know is who put them in the cart in the first place?’ He glanced up and saw they were attracting attention from the other fishermen. ‘Come on,’ he said, taking her arm, ‘let’s get something hot inside you. I bet you’ve had nothing to eat or drink this morn?’
‘Oh, I couldn’t. I’d be sick,’ she grimaced but, ignoring her protests, he took her arm and led her up the beach.
‘What about your boat?’ she asked, glancing back at his lugger. With its red sails half hoisted, he’d obviously been preparing to put out to sea.
‘Bugger the boat, Lily, this is more important. First of all we’ll go and see Mrs Bodney and tell her what’s been going on. Then I’m taking you home, young lady. No, don’t look at me like that,’ he said as she opened her mouth to protest. ‘You can’t think on an empty stomach, and you’ll need your strength to defend yourself. Don’t worry, Mother’s out visiting so we won’t have to tell her anything.’
She let out a sigh of relief. Much as she liked Tom’s mother, she really didn’t have the strength for any more questions this morning. And what if she thought Lily really was a thief?
Tom called to a wizened man who was sitting atop a lobster pot, giving the impression of mending his nets, although Lily knew he’d been watching them keenly.
‘Hey, John, tell Michael to skipper the boat. Something’s come up.’
‘Right ye are, Tom,’ he answered. He was about to say something else but, seeing the scowl on Tom’s face, shrugged and turned back to his nets. Tom took Lily’s arm and together they trudged back up the beach.
Mrs Bodney took one look at Lily’s tear-stained face and ushered them straight into the parlour. Then, instead of ringing her bell as was her wont, she called through to Tilda to bring them cups of strong sweet tea immediately.
‘Do sit down and tell me what’s happened,’ she said, looking enquiringly at Tom.
‘Forgive our intrusion but Lily’s in a spot of bother.’
Mrs Bodney turned to Lily, smiling encouragingly, ‘Come along, my dear, it can’t be as bad as all that surely, unless you’ve spilled the beans on what we are making here?’ she said, only half joking.
‘Of course not, as if I would,’ Lily spluttered. ‘No, it’s the squire. He came to the cottage yesterday to take the inventory himself. He’s accused me of stealing.’
‘Surely, there must be some mistake. I’d stake my life that you are an honest person, Lily Rose.’
‘That’s what I said,’ Tom declared.
‘I am, really I am but …’ she stuttered to a halt as hot tears trickled down her cheeks once more. Tilda, appearing at that moment with the tray of tea, looked quite alarmed.
‘Thank you, Tilda, that will be all,’ Mrs Bodney said firmly, and the maid scuttled away.
‘Right, Tom, tell me exactly what this is about.’ Her calm manner encouraged him to repeat what Lily had told him earlier. When he finished, the room was silent apart from the tick of the clock on the mantel above the fireplace.
Then Mrs Bodney said, ‘Lily, I want you to think hard. Are you absolutely certain that you’d never seen this veil and glove before you found them on the donkey-cart?’
‘I swear it. Oh, why didn’t I take them straight into the hostelry?’ she wailed, dabbing at her eyes with Tom’s kerchief.
‘Introspection’s a wonderful thing,’ her employer replied. Then, seeing the puzzled look on both their faces, added, ‘It means that if we knew what the future was going to bring, it would save us a lot of trouble. The mystery is, who put these things on your donkey-cart and why?’
Mrs Bodney glanced in Tom’s direction before continuing. ‘Lily, may I ask you something delicate?’ Puzzled, Lily nodded. ‘Have you in any way upset the squire?’ Mrs Bodney’s eyes were boring into Lily. She felt her cheeks burn.
‘Ay, I’ve been wondering that,’ Tom said, staring at Lily as well.
‘Well, erm, er …’ Lily stuttered, wringing the kerchief between her fingers.
‘Look, Lily, if we’re to get you acquitted, we need to find a motive.’
‘We?’ she said, looking at Mrs Bodney in surprise.
‘Yes, Lily. I, for one, am anxious to get to the bottom of this and I’m sure To
m is too.’ He nodded vigorously. ‘But in order to do that, you need to answer my question. Now think carefully and then start at the beginning. It’s the best way, I always find.’
‘Yes, you’ve told me that before, Mrs Bodney,’ she said. ‘It was at the Harvest Supper. I’d been serving at table and the squire, he …’ she shuddered to a halt.
‘Yes, go on, Lily,’ Mrs Bodney encouraged.
‘He, well, he jumped out on me from the linen cupboard and tried to touch my—’
‘I knew it!’ Tom shot to his feet, fists clenched. ‘I’ll see that bast—’
‘Tom, please sit down,’ Mrs Bodney interrupted. ‘I can understand you being upset but we need to ascertain the facts. Now, Lily, did anything actually happen?’
‘No. Other than I had to keep dodging his blinking hands. Like an octopus, he was. I called him a few choice names, I can tell you.’
‘Did anyone see or hear you?’ Mrs Bodney asked, watching her closely.
‘No, I don’t think so,’ she said.
‘Well, I think Molly might have,’ Tom said. ‘She’s been insinuating about you and the squire for ages now. Goes on and on, she does; has a right thing about it.’
‘That’s ’cos she wants you back,’ Lily blurted out.
‘Wants me back where?’ he asked, looking puzzled.
‘She wants you to step out with her again, like you did before you met me.’
‘What?’ he spluttered. ‘Me and that fat, gossiping besom? Oh, Lily my love, you do have some weird ideas in that woolly head of yours. The only time Molly and me was together was when we attended lessons at the charity school. Even then I kept well away from her, I can tell you.’
‘But she said—’
‘Look, excuse me for interrupting, but I think this is something you two can sort out between yourselves later on,’ Mrs Bodney stated. ‘If we are to have our strategy worked out by noon we must stick to the matter in hand.’ She got to her feet and began pacing the room.‘You say you refused the squire’s advances, Lily. Has he made any since?’
Lily looked down at the floor and nodded. ‘He wanted me to accept a position at the manor when I leave the cottage.’
‘And you declined?’
‘Oh, yes, Mrs Bodney. I wanted to stay working here on the … well, you know. Anyway, the position he offered meant living in and that would mean … well, I’d be on hand, as it were, if he were to …’
‘Yes, quite,’ replied Mrs Bodney, sighing and sinking back into her chair. ‘I think we get the picture.’
‘Oh, Lily, my love, why ever didn’t you tell me?’ asked Tom. ‘I’d have had it out with him and made sure he didn’t bother you again. I said we was to have no secrets between us.’ He shook his head sadly, and sat there twisting his cap in his hands.
‘I know, Tom. But you know what they say about there being no smoke without spark, and I couldn’t take the risk that—’
‘Quite,’ said Mrs Bodney. ‘Does Lady Clinsden know about the squire’s behaviour towards you, Lily?’
‘I don’t know but he’s not exactly subtle. Poor woman, whatever made her marry a swine like that? She seems such a nice lady.’
‘She is, Lily, but things aren’t always straightforward for the upper classes. Surprising as it may seem, life can be more complicated for them. They have to satisfy parental requirements, especially where the matter of estates is concerned. Now,’ she said briskly, jumping to her feet, ‘I have some enquiries to make, so I suggest you go and get some fresh air. I shall see you at the courtroom at noon.’ And with that, she ushered them out of the door so quickly they didn’t see the worried look on her face. She knew only too well how the squire stopped at nothing to get his own back on anyone who crossed him.
CHAPTER 18
As Tom and Lily made their way to the courtroom, they may have been walking side by side but the gap between them was wider than the brook. Suddenly she could stand it no longer.
‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the squire, Tom,’ she burst out, turning towards him. He stopped walking and looked at her so sadly her heart seemed to hit the cobbles.
‘So am I, Lily, love,’ he said, giving a deep sigh. ‘It pains me to think you didn’t trust me enough to confide in me.’
Hearing the anguish in his voice, her heart sank. Desperate to heal the breach, she smiled tentatively up at him.
‘Heaven help the squire if he pesters you again, that’s all I can say,’ he muttered, then gave her a wry grin. ‘Come on, let’s get this over with, eh?’
‘Oh, Tom, it will be all right, won’t it?’ she asked.
‘You’ll be fine, Lily,’ he said, trying not to think of what had happened to others who’d crossed the squire. ‘Come on, chin up,’ he urged.
Despite the sun being overhead, Lily shivered and when she saw the crowd gathered outside, her legs nearly buckled beneath her.
‘Steady, Lily,’ Tom whispered, taking her arm and leading her inside.
‘I bet they’re all hoping I’ll be found guilty so they’ll have something to gossip about later,’ she whispered.
A stern-faced official showed her to a seat at the front of the dingy room, but when Tom made to follow, he shook his head and pointed to the seats directly behind. Wondering how it was possible to feel so alone in a room packed with people, Lily stared down at her boots. The holes in the toes seemed to have grown even larger and the soles were coming away. She would see the cobbler as soon as she left here. Unless she was sent to gaol – the thought came unbidden, making her feel sick. Then Tom leaned forward and patted her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her skin.
‘Good luck, my love,’ he whispered, and she nodded.
Nervously, she took a quick peek around and was disappointed not to see her aunt and Robert there to support her.
The voice of the court official boomed out, ‘Please be upstanding.’ Everyone rose to their feet as Squire Clinsden strutted regally into the room looking as if he owned the place, which, of course, he did.
‘Call Lily Rose,’ bellowed the official, which she thought unnecessary as she was sitting right in front of him. She stumbled to her feet and Tom leaned forward, whispering to her to be strong.
‘Do you, Lily Rose, swear solemnly to tell the truth?’ the official demanded importantly.
‘Of course, I do. I always have and always will,’ Lily retorted. The squire, pompous in his role as Justice of the Peace, glared at her and she made a supreme effort to stare him straight in the eye.
The court official read out the charge that she, Lily Rose, had stolen goods belonging to Lady Clinsden, namely a black veil and one single calfskin glove. Then he held up the items cited as evidence so that everyone could see.
‘I never stole anything from anyone, and I didn’t know these things belonged to Lady Clinsden. They were on my donkey-cart when I went to collect it,’ Lily said indignantly.
‘Silence,’ barked the squire, banging his gavel on the desk. ‘Miss Rose, you are required to speak only when spoken to. It is not your place to question the charge brought against you.’
She glared at him, thinking how ridiculous he looked in his lopsided wig and with his face powdered. But, even from where she was standing, she could see the jubilant look in his eyes and realized he was enjoying her discomfort. Refusing to be intimidated, she continued glaring at him.
‘Call my wi— Lady Clinsden,’ he barked.
As Lady Clinsden walked regally to the stand, she gave Lily a reassuring smile.
‘Can you identify these items, my dear?’ the squire asked, smiling benignly at her as the official held up the veil and glove.
Lady Clinsden took the veil and glove, studied them carefully, then shook her head.
‘I’ve never seen these items before in my life.’ There was a gasp from the room as the squire clattered to his feet and turned on his wife.
‘Of course you have, you stupid woman. They are yours,’ he snapped.
‘They most
certainly are not. Besides, there is only one glove here and I would never be so careless as to mislay any of my clothing, especially when I have such a hard job getting it in the first place.’ She smiled sweetly at her husband, who was turning redder by the moment.
‘Of course they belong to you. I took them out of your dress—’ the squire stuttered to a halt. Then, making an effort to compose himself, he forced his lips into something resembling a smile. ‘My dear, clearly you are mistaken. Why, I remember purchasing these very items for you only recently.’
‘You purchased these for me, recently? No, I think not, for I would have remembered such a phenomenon, husband, dear,’ she said, shaking her head, ‘and, for the record, I feel I must state that my dear husband is not given to generosity.’ A titter rippled around the courtroom, for it was well known that the squire parted with as little money as he could get away with, unless it was for his own enjoyment. Lady Clinsden grimaced at her husband, eyes glinting like steel. ‘Husband dear, I think you are rather more concerned with what a lady does not wear rather than what she does.’
At this, the courtroom was rocked by gales of laughter. The folk of Bransbeer had never seen or heard anything like it. They were in their element, looking from squire to lady, eagerly lapping up all the personal details that were being revealed. They seemed to have forgotten it was Lily who was on trial.
‘Now, husband dear,’ continued Lady Clinsden, ‘if you observe the size of this glove, you will see that it fits my hand perfectly. However, it would never stretch over Miss Rose’s capable working hand, so I ask you, what possible use could it serve her?’
Lily looked from the glove Lady Clinsden was holding out to her own broader hand and shook her head. Why hadn’t she noticed that herself? The squire, realizing his wife was determined to outwit him, was almost beside himself with anger. His face was so suffused with colour Lily thought he would have apoplexy at any moment.
‘I feel in this case, dear, you have clearly been mistaken, and Lily Rose should be found innocent forthwith.’ Lady Clinsden smiled sweetly at her husband.