Shooting his brother a look of disdain, Isaac replied, “I said she was attractive. That doesn’t mean I’ve turned straight.”
Matthew snorted. “I was only joking. Take some of those baby steps in the direction of getting your sense of humour back, eh?”
Grimacing, Isaac replied, “I’ll do my best.”
Isaac subtly checked Leah out as they approached. She really was attractive—tall, athletic, a very pretty face. Certainly a good match for his brother physically. He just hoped she could keep up with Matthew in every other sense.
It was then it occurred to him to look at who she was sitting with—she clearly wouldn’t be drinking alone in her hometown, even after a decade away. Sure enough, she was sharing a table with a man who looked to be around the same age. He obviously wasn’t her boyfriend—Matthew would have found that out before he even thought about chatting her up. Besides, their body language was all wrong. They were fond of each other, sure, but it wasn’t a sexual thing. More familial.
Fortunately, Matthew put his whirring brain at rest by muttering, “Don’t worry, he’s her cousin.”
Isaac nodded, then pasted a smile onto his face as they reached Leah and her cousin’s table.
“Hey,” Matthew said, his attention firmly on Leah. “Mind if we join you for a little while? I’m on a break and I wanted to bring Isaac over to say hi.”
“Of course not,” she said, grinning back, “take a seat.”
With murmurs of thanks, Isaac and Matthew sat down. “So,” Matthew said, “here’s Isaac. Isaac remembers you, Leah. Do you remember him?”
“Hi,” Isaac said, holding out his hand. She shook it. “Nice to, uh… meet you. That sounds silly, doesn’t it? What do you say to someone you haven’t seen in a decade?”
Leah laughed, her eyes glinting and dimples appearing in her cheeks. Cute. Yeah, definitely a good match for his brother. “I have no idea. Nice to see you, Isaac. I do remember you. And,” she indicated the other man at the table, “this is my cousin, Jonas.”
Isaac shifted slightly to face Jonas and held his hand out once more. They shook. In his emotionally numb state, he couldn’t be entirely sure, but Isaac thought he’d felt a frisson of… something as they’d touched. Maybe he couldn’t process this kind of stuff right now, but his subconscious had sure clocked on to the hunky stranger.
Without thinking, Isaac said, “Jonas Jones? Seriously?”
Shaking his head, Jonas chuckled. “Thankfully not. We’re related on our mothers’ side. I’m Jonas Grant.”
“Phew, that’s much better. Isaac Adams.”
“He’s a doctor,” Leah added. Needlessly, Isaac thought. Why was that relevant?
“For my sins. I work here in the village.”
“Good to meet you.” A curious look crossed Jonas’s face. Was the name ringing a bell for him? Had he heard about what had happened? It wasn’t impossible—Jonas’s mother had been brought up in the village, so she was privy to his and Matthew’s secret. Why shouldn’t her son be?
“You too. What brings you to Eyam? Just a family visit?” Isaac’s subconscious interfered and he found himself appraising the young man as he spoke. He was blond, blue-eyed, handsome. Tall, too. He’d bet Jonas was popular with the ladies.
“Uh, sort of. I’ve been travelling with Leah. We went together and we just kinda felt as if it was time to come home. My parents are away at the moment—pretty bad timing—so rather than going to an empty house back in Dronfield, I thought I’d come with Leah and see my aunt, uncle, and cousin. Feels weird seeing them before my parents, but hey, what can you do?”
“That sucks. But it’ll be great to see them when they get back, won’t it?” A memory had clicked into place as Jonas spoke—something harking back to when Leah had wanted to go off on a gap year. Her parents hadn’t been too keen at first, he remembered, but when she’d said she was going with her cousin, they’d relented. And apparently, they’d had such a good time that they’d carried on for ten years.
“It will, definitely. In the meantime, though, I’m crashing at Uncle Kevin and Aunt Patricia’s, delaying the moment when I have to get back to reality.”
“What do you mean?”
Jonas shrugged. “Well, we’ve been globetrotting for a decade and it’s been a truly amazing experience, one I wouldn’t change for the world. But now we’re back, we’ve kind of got to start from the beginning. Yes, we’ve got our families, thankfully, and they’ll let us move back in. But we haven’t got jobs or career prospects. We’ve got heaps of experience in various different industries, but no actual qualifications beyond A-levels. So, we’re starting from scratch.”
“Huh,” Isaac said, empathising fully with the young man, “I know exactly what you mean. I can’t help you, Jonas, I’m afraid, since you don’t live in the village. But, Leah, you might want to pop in to the surgery at some point and see the practice manager. One of our receptionists is about to go on maternity leave and we haven’t found a replacement yet. That should tide you over until you find something else.”
“Oh, thank you, Isaac. That would be great.” She broke into a grin. “I’ll go over first thing in the morning.”
“You’re welcome. So, Jonas, what sort of thing are you looking to do?” I know a position for an IT manager in Sheffield that probably needs filling.
“Actually,” Jonas fiddled with his hair, “I’d like to train to be a doctor. Part of the reason I went travelling—other than to see the world, of course—was because I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, career-wise. But now I’ve seen all kinds of things, all kinds of people, from different places, different cultures. And it made me want to do something that involves caring for people, looking after them. Improving their lives. I’m not talking about becoming a field doctor or anything. I’m quite happy to stay in this country and have holidays, like most people. But a GP or hospital doctor.” He sighed. “But I think I may be too late. Too old. Most people start on that career path right from school age, don’t they? There are years of education and training, which all cost money. I know my parents won’t exactly kick me out on the streets, but I can’t expect them to feed me and put a roof over my head for nothing while I train. It’s not fair on them. They’ve had an empty nest for a decade and I’m about to fly back into it.”
“You’re an only child?”
“Yeah.”
“Hmm, okay. Let me have a think about this. If it’s what you really want, I’ll help you in any way I can.” It would distract him from his own miserable life. Who knew, spending time with a cute young guy could be the kick up the arse he needed to drag himself out of the doldrums.
Jonas nodded frantically, his eyes wide. “Yes, yes, it definitely is. And any help whatsoever would be hugely appreciated. Thank you.”
“I haven’t done anything yet.”
Jonas laughed. “No, but I have every faith in you. Maybe we can catch up in a couple of days? Let me buy you a coffee in return for your wisdom?”
“Can do. I dunno about wisdom, though.”
Beside him, Matthew shifted in his seat. “Guys, I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to get back to work.”
As he turned to acknowledge his brother’s words, Isaac saw the shit-eating grin on his face and realised he’d been well and truly set up. Whether Leah was in on it too, he had no idea, but it was clear Matthew was attempting to play the part of matchmaker. Presumably that meant Jonas was into men.
Matthew glanced at Jonas, then back at Isaac, and gave him a meaningful look. “See you later.”
Yeah, Isaac thought as he smiled politely at Leah, then turned back to the eager-looking young man who’d just invited him out for coffee. You bloody well will.
He’d been burned so badly last time that he wasn’t in any hurry to return to the dating game just yet, but when he was, Jonas would be a damn good candidate. Attractive, smart, and worldly for his age. And to paraphrase his brother, the fact he wouldn’t have to keep his secret from Jonas was a
huge plus point.
It was still January, so he decided it wasn’t too late to make a New Year’s resolution. He didn’t normally bother, hadn’t for decades. But this time, it was different. Last year had been horrific, so it was up to him to make sure this one was better. Much better. And deep down, something was telling him Jonas would be playing a big part in that.
I resolve to let go of the past, look to the future, and allow myself to love again.
*****
A note from the author: Thank you so much for reading The Persecution of the Wolves. If you enjoyed it, please do tell your friends, family, colleagues, book clubs, and so on. Also, posting a short review on the retailer site you bought the book from (as well as Goodreads and BookBub, if you have them) would be incredibly helpful and very much appreciated. There are lots of books out there, which makes word of mouth an author’s best friend, and also allows us to keep doing what we love doing—writing.
Addendum—the History of the Plague in Eyam
In early September of 1665, the bubonic plague came to a small village called Eyam—pronounced Eem—in Derbyshire, England. The disease was rife in London at the time, and it is thought it was brought into Eyam on some cloth from the capital. The cloth had been transported in a box, and when it arrived in the village, was found to be damp and was laid out to dry off. This took place in the house of Mary Hadfield, previously Mary Cooper, where the travelling tailor, George Viccars, was living at the time.
Viccars became ill not long after opening the box. At the time, it is unlikely the villagers would have known what was happening, but we now know that fleas, or their eggs*, on the cloth, started a plague epidemic in Eyam. When the cloth was unfolded, the fleas would have moved out in search of nourishment. Normally, they would feed on the blood of rats—it’s believed rats brought the disease to London in the first place, aboard ships from the continent—but in their absence, they would settle for any other creature. And it so happened that George Viccars was the first source of blood the fleas found. He died a few days later.
Sadly, this was not an isolated incident. Within about a fortnight, the plague claimed its next victim, Edward, one of Mary Hadfield’s sons from her first marriage. Things quickly escalated and, within three weeks, there had been six deaths, which in a village of around three hundred and fifty people—though this figure has been disputed and has also been given at around eight hundred—was a big deal, especially since those mortalities had been from four neighbouring houses. The villagers quickly realised this was no coincidence—something was seriously wrong, and panic spread. The lack of medical knowledge in those days would have exacerbated the situation greatly.
People began to leave the village, particularly the more affluent families who had somewhere else to go and the means of getting there. Those who could not abandon their homes and their livelihoods were forced to stay. Many stayed, as they believed they were being punished by God for their sins, and therefore believed their punishment must be endured. Neither group had an easy time. Many of those who left the village were persecuted by people in neighbouring villages and towns, as they knew where the people had come from and they didn’t want the disease in their homes. The people of Sheffield, for example, erected barriers and manned guard posts to stop any strangers from entering the town. Many Eyam refugees were driven away with violence. People were afraid, and with good cause.
Meanwhile, back in Eyam, the plague had claimed more victims. Twenty-three people died in October, and the total number of deaths from the disease, twenty-nine, already exceeded the annual mortality rate over the previous decade. So it is easy to see why the villagers were so terrified—this was no ordinary illness. It was a ruthless killer.
The winter of 1665 slowed the spread of the disease, but the organism causing it was resilient and managed to find warm places in the village cottages in which to survive the cold weather. Rats were much more common due to the poor hygiene of the time, and would likely have been nesting in the thatch and roofs of the cottages, unaware of the disease they were harbouring. The death rate was still well above the normal winter average, and by the end of April 1666, there had been seventy-three deaths, though it is thought some of these were from other causes.
As the winter slowed down the disease, it was thought the spring would bring a huge resurgence. However, the total deaths in May were only four, and two were not believed to be due to the plague. Things were getting back to normal in London, too, so the villagers could be excused for thinking the worst was over. There were strong grounds for hope, but unfortunately, it was not to be.
June 1666 brought a dramatic increase in the death toll. Families had already suffered huge losses, including the Sydalls, where six of eight members were dead, and the Thorpes, where all nine people had died.
Some people had succeeded in fleeing the area, and many children were sent away, including those of the rector, William Mompesson, and his wife Catherine. Catherine had previously tried to persuade her husband that they should all leave, but he refused, as he felt his duty lay in the village. So Catherine stayed with her husband, a decision that later cost her her life. It is thought that some time in June, Mompesson realised the summer months were only going to make things worse, so he took positive action. He was a newcomer to the village, but someone had to take charge—and this fell to him.
It wasn’t easy for him. Much religious unrest had taken place in the village prior to his appointment, and one of the men involved, Thomas Stanley, returned to the village despite the Act of Parliament that prevented dissenting clergy from coming within five miles of their former parish. Stanley was a staunch Puritan, and due to the unrest, he and nearly a thousand priests with similar beliefs were all but forced to resign their livings. He was able to live the last five years of his life in Eyam, and part of this was taken up working with Mompesson against the spread of the plague.
The age difference and the varying religious beliefs between Mompesson and Stanley meant they had very little in common, but they managed to put all of this aside for the good of the village. Their united front meant they could get all the villagers on board, whatever their approaches to faith. If the two men had worked separately, they would likely have divided the village. As it was, their teaming up worked to everyone’s benefit, and they devised a scheme, which they put to the villagers. This plan was, to this day, the most important event ever to take place in the village of Eyam. It brings visitors from all over the world to hear the tragic story that resulted in many deaths, but prevented even more.
The two clergymen proposed three parts of a larger plan, which the villagers agreed to. One was that there would no longer be any formal funerals or churchyard burials. The demand for graves could not be met—particularly as the sexton had passed away—and it was felt the clergy would be better off shifting their focus to the sick, dying, and bereaved. Thomas Stanley would also make the preparation of wills one of his main tasks. Therefore, people were told to bury their own dead wherever they could—in gardens, fields, or anywhere they could find. This was disturbing for many reasons—having to physically dig a grave and bury a relative would have been heartbreaking, plus the religious implications of not being buried with loved ones on consecrated ground were not favourable. The corpses also needed to be disposed of quickly, as once they were cold, the infection would be released from the body and into the atmosphere. According to Daniel Defoe’s book, A Journal of the Plague Year, the practice of burying bodies in graves six feet deep began at this time, in the hope that infection could not rise up from this depth.
The second part of Mompesson and Stanley’s plan was that the village church should no longer be used for services—having the villagers in close proximity would increase the spread of the disease. At the time, they weren’t sure exactly how people were becoming infected, and there was lots of contradictory information, but everyone agreed locking the church and holding services out in the open air was a good plan. A safe distance of about twelve f
eet was agreed, and it was a happy medium, because it meant the deeply religious villagers could still unite in prayer without putting themselves at risk.
On the outskirts of the village is a natural amphitheatre called Cucklett Delph, and it was here that Mompesson delivered his sermons to the congregation from a large outcrop of limestone where he could stand and see everyone and be heard. Now an annual service is held there on the last Sunday of every August to commemorate the outbreak of the plague.
The third and perhaps most famous measure the villagers took was to cut themselves off from the outside world, put themselves in quarantine. It was a tough and very heroic thing to do, and it is believed that only the strong religious faith of the villagers compelled them to agree to this. They would essentially be sacrificing themselves to save others, as Jesus Christ had done.
The decision wasn’t only difficult to make, but difficult to carry out. The small village could not support itself and needed supplies from the outside world. So Mompesson and Stanley had to find a way of ensuring the villagers would not starve to death. In the end, the Earl of Devonshire of Chatsworth House, a few miles away, arranged for food and medical supplies to be sent to the village. They were left at the southern boundary of the village, and the people of Eyam would collect the things some time later, so no one actually came into contact with the outside world. This was a huge help, of course, but additional requests were left at the Boundary Stone—a large rock with holes in the top, which can still be seen on the edge of the village—along with money that was put in the holes and covered with vinegar. The vinegar was thought to kill infection.
There were other such points on the edges of the village, including Mompesson’s Well and Wet Withens stone circle, which lies on a now very difficult to access part of Eyam Moor. Wherever possible, money was put in running water or in vinegar. And so the villagers had the solution to their supply problem, while preventing the spread of the disease.
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