Beneath the Major's Scars

by Sarah Mallory

  ‘You have your aunt here.’

  ‘Please.’

  Zelah responded with a nod to the major’s quick glance of enquiry.

  ‘Very well.’ He sat down at the side of the bed and took the little hand that reached out for him.

  ‘Would you like me to tell you a story?’ asked Zelah, but Nicky ignored her. He fixed his eyes upon the major.

  ‘Will you tell me how you got your scar?’

  Zelah stopped breathing. She glanced at the major. He did not look to be offended.

  ‘I have told you that a dozen times. You cannot want to hear it again.’

  ‘Yes, I do, if you please, sir. All of it.’

  ‘Very well.’

  He pulled his chair closer to the bed and Zelah drew back into the shadows.

  ‘New Year’s Day ’09 and we were struggling through the mountains back towards Corunna, with the French hot on our heels. The weather was appalling. During the day the roads were rivers of mud and by night they were frozen solid. When we reached Cacabelos—’

  ‘You missed something,’ Nicky interrupted him. ‘The man with the pigtail.’

  ‘Ah, yes.’ Major Coale’s eyes softened in amusement. In the shadows Zelah smiled. She had read Nicky enough stories to know he expected the same tale, word for word, each time. The major continued. ‘One Highlander woke to find he couldn’t get up because his powdered pigtail was frozen to the ground. A couple of days later we reached the village of Cacabelos and the little stone bridge over the River Cua. Unfortunately discipline had become a problem during that long retreat to Corunna and General Edward Paget was obliged to make an example of those guilty of robbery. He was about to execute two of the men when he heard that the French were upon us. The general was extremely vexed at this, and after cursing roundly he turned to his men. “If I spare the lives of these men,” he said, “do I have your word of honour as soldiers that you will reform?” The men shouted “Yes!” and the convicted men were cut down.’

  ‘Huzza!’ Nicky gave a sleepy cheer.

  Major Coale continued, his voice soft and low.

  ‘And just in time, for the enemy were already in sight. They were upon us in an instant, the French 15th Chasseurs and the 3rd Hussars, all thundering down to the bridge. All was confusion—our men could not withdraw because the way was blocked with fighting men and horses. Fortunately the chasseurs were in disarray and drew back to regroup, giving us time to get back across the bridge. We fixed bayonets and waited below the six guns of the horse artillery, which opened fire as the French charged again. The 52nd and the 95th delivered a furious crossfire on their flanks, killing two generals and I don’t know how many men, but still they came on and fell upon us.’

  He paused, his brow darkening. Nicky stirred and the major drew a breath before going on.

  ‘I found myself caught between two chasseurs. I wounded one of them, but the other closed in. His sabre slashed down across my face and chest. I managed to unseat him and he crashed to the ground. He made another wild slash and caught my leg, but I had the satisfaction of knowing he was taken prisoner and his comrades were in full retreat before I lost consciousness.’

  ‘Don’t stop, sir. What happened then?’ Nicky’s eyes were beginning to close.

  ‘I was patched up and put on to a baggage wagon. Luckily I had no serious internal injuries, for I fear it would have been fatal to be so shaken and jarred as we continued to Villafranca. I remember very little after that until we reached England. Someone had sent word to Markham, and my brother came to collect me from Falmouth and take me home. There I received the best treatment available, but alas, even money cannot buy me a new face.’

  He lapsed into silence. Nicky was at last in a deep sleep, his little hand still clasped in the major’s long lean fingers. Silence enveloped them. At length the major became aware of Zelah’s presence and turned to look at her. She realised then her cheeks were wet with tears.

  ‘I—I beg your pardon.’ Quickly she turned away, pulling out her handkerchief. ‘You have been most obliging, Major Coale, more than we had any right to expect.’ She wiped her eyes, trying to speak normally. ‘Nicky is sleeping now. We do not need to trouble you any longer.’

  ‘And what will you do?’

  ‘I shall sit with him...’

  He shook his head.

  ‘You cannot sit up all night. I will watch over him for a few hours while you get some sleep.’

  Zelah wavered. She was bone-weary, but she was loath to put herself even deeper in this man’s debt. He gave an exasperated sigh.

  ‘Go and lie down,’ he ordered her. ‘You will not be fit to look after the boy in the morning if you do not get some sleep.’

  He was right. Zelah retired to the little anteroom. She did not undress, merely removed her shoes and stretched out on the bed, pulling a single blanket over her. Her last waking thought was that it would be impossible to sleep with Major Coale sitting in the next room.

  * * *

  Zelah was awoken by a cock crowing. It was light, but the sun had not yet risen. She stared at the unfamiliar surroundings, then, as memory returned, she slipped off the bed and crept into the next room. Nicky was still sleeping soundly and the major was slumped forwards over the bed, his shaggy dark head on his arms.

  The fire had died and the morning air was very chill. Noiselessly Zelah crossed the room and knelt down by the hearth.

  ‘What are you doing?’

  The major’s deep voice made her jump.

  ‘I am going to rescue the fire.’

  ‘Oh, no, you are not. I will send up a servant to see to that.’

  He towered over her, hand outstretched. She allowed him to help her up, trying to ignore the tingle that shot through her at his touch. It frightened her. His presence filled the room, it was disturbing, suffocating, and she stepped away, searching for something to break the uneasy silence.

  ‘I—um—the story you told Nicky, about your wound. It was very...violent for a little boy. He seemed quite familiar with it.’

  ‘Yes. He asked me about my face the very first time he saw me and has wanted me to recount the story regularly ever since.’ He was watching the sleeping boy, the smile tugging at his lips just visible through the black beard. ‘I was working in the woods and he came up, offered to help me finish off the game pie Mrs Graddon had packed into my bag to sustain me through the day.’

  ‘You must have thought him very impertinent.’

  ‘Not at all. His honesty was very refreshing. Most people look away, embarrassed by my disfigurement.’

  ‘Oh, I beg your pardon. I hope you did not think that I—’

  The smile turned into a grin.

  ‘You, madam, seemed intent upon inflicting even more damage upon me.’

  The amusement in his eyes drew a reluctant smile from Zelah.

  ‘You did—do—look rather savage. Although I know now that you are very kind,’ she added in a rush. She felt herself blushing. ‘You have been sitting here all night and must be desperate for sleep. I can manage now, thank you, Major. You had best go...’

  ‘I should, of course. I will send someone up to see to the fire and order Mrs Graddon to bring your breakfast to you.’

  ‘Thank you.’ He gave her a clipped little bow and turned to leave.

  ‘Major! The chasseur—the one who injured you—was he really taken prisoner?’

  He stopped and looked back.

  ‘Yes, he was.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘I may look like a monster, Miss Pentewan, but I assure you I am not.’

  Chapter Two

  Nicky was drowsy and fretful when he eventually woke up, but Dr Pannell was able to reassure Zelah that he was recovering well.

  ‘A little fever is to be expected, but he seems to be in fine form now. I think keeping him still is going to be your biggest problem.’

  * * *

  Zelah had thought so too and she was relieved when Reginald arrived with a selection of toys and games for his son.
>
  ‘Goodness!’ She laughed when she saw the large basket that Reginald placed on the bed. ‘Major Coale will think we plan to stay for a month.’

  Reginald grinned.

  ‘I let Nurse choose what to send. I fear she was over-generous to make up for not being able to come herself.’

  ‘And what did our host say, when you came in with such a large basket?’

  ‘I have not seen him. His man informed me that he is busy with his keeper and likely to be out all day.’ He glanced at Nicky, happily sorting through the basket, and led Zelah into the anteroom. ‘I had the feeling he was ordered to say that and to make sure I knew that he had given instructions for a maid to sit up with the boy during the night. Setting my mind at rest that he would not be imposing himself upon you while you are here.’

  ‘Major Coale is very obliging.’

  ‘Dashed ragged fellow though, with all that hair, but I suppose that’s to cover the scar on his face.’ He paused. ‘Maria asked me to drop a word in your ear, but for my part I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.’

  ‘What did she wish you to say to me?’

  He chewed his lip for a moment.

  ‘She was concerned. Coale was well known as something of a, er, a rake before the war. His name was forever in the society pages. Well, stands to reason, doesn’t it, younger son of a viscount, and old Lord Markham had some scandals to his name, I can tell you! Coale’s brother’s inherited the title now, of course, and from what I have read he’s just as wild as the rest of ’em.’ He added quickly, ‘Only hearsay, of course. I’ve never had much to do with that side of the family—far too high and mighty for one thing. The Bucklands are a very distant branch. But that’s neither here nor there. We were worried the major might try to ingratiate himself with you—after all, we are mighty obliged to him—and Maria thought you might have...stirrings.’

  ‘Stirrings, Reginald?’

  He flushed.

  ‘Aye. Maria says that sometimes a woman’s sympathy for an injured man can stir her—that she can find him far too...attractive.’

  Zelah laughed.

  ‘Then you may set Maria’s mind at rest. The only stirring I have when I think of Major Coale is to comb his hair!’

  * * *

  Reginald stayed for an hour or more and after that Hannah, the chambermaid appointed to help Zelah look after Nicky, came up to introduce herself. By the time dinner was brought up it was clear that she was more than capable of nursing Nicky and keeping him amused, and Zelah realised a trifle ruefully that it was not Nicky’s boredom but her own that might be a problem.

  * * *

  Zelah and Hannah had taken it in turns to sit up with Nicky through the night, but there was no recurrence of the fever and when Dr Pannell called the following morning he declared himself satisfied that the boy would be able to go home at the end of the week.

  ‘I will call again on Friday, Miss Pentewan, and providing there has been no more bleeding we will make arrangements to return you both to West Barton. You will be the first to use the major’s new carriageway.’

  ‘Oh, is it finished?’ asked Zelah. ‘I have been watching them repair the drive, but I cannot see what is going on beyond the gates.’

  ‘I spoke to the workmen on the way here and they told me the road will be passable by tomorrow. The road-building has been a godsend for Lesserton, providing work for so many of the men. The problems with grazing rights is making it difficult for some of them to feed their families.’

  ‘Is this the dispute with the new owner of Lydcombe Park? My brother-in-law mentioned something about this before I came away.’

  ‘Aye, Sir Oswald Evanshaw moved in on Lady Day and he is claiming land that the villagers believe belongs to them.’ The doctor shook his head. ‘Of course, he has a point: the house has changed hands several times in recent years, but no one has actually lived there, so the villagers have been in the habit of treating everything round about as their own. The boundaries between Lydcombe land and that belonging to the villagers have become confused. He’s stopped them going into Prickett Wood, too, so they cannot collect the firewood as they were used to do and Sir Oswald’s bailiff is prepared to use violence against anyone who tries to enter the wood. He’s driven out all the deer, so that they are now competing with the villagers’ stock for fodder.’ He was silent for a moment, frowning over the predicament, then he shook off his melancholy thoughts and gave her a smile. ‘Thankfully Major Coale is of a completely different stamp. He is happy for the local people to gather firewood from his forest. It is good fortune that Nicky chose to injure himself on the major’s land rather that at Lydcombe.’

  * * *

  Zelah had agreed, but as the day wore on she began to wonder if she would have the opportunity to thank her host for his hospitality. With Hannah to share the nursing Zelah was growing heartily bored with being confined to the sickroom.

  * * *

  When the maid came up the following morning she asked her casually if the major was in the house.

  ‘Oh, no, miss. He left early. Mr Graddon said not to expect him back much before dinner.’

  She bobbed a curtsy and settled down to a game of spillikins with Nicky. Left to amuse herself, Zelah carried her work basket to the cushioned window seat and took out her embroidery. It was a beautiful spring day and she could hear the faint call of the cuckoo in the woods.

  The sun climbed higher. Zelah put away her sewing and read to Nicky while Hannah quietly tidied the room around them. The book was one of Nicky’s favourites, Robinson Crusoe, but as the afternoon wore on his eyelids began to droop, and soon he was sleeping peacefully.

  ‘Best thing for’n. Little mite.’ Hannah looked down fondly at the sleeping boy. ‘Why don’t you go and get yourself some rest, too, miss? I’ll sit here and watch’n for ’ee.’

  Zelah sighed, her eyes on the open window.

  ‘What I would really like to do is to go outside.’

  ‘Then why don’t ’ee? No one’ll bother you. You could walk in the gardens. I can always call you from the window, if the boy wakes up.’

  Zelah hesitated, but only for a moment. The spring day was just too beautiful to miss. With a final word to Hannah to be sure to call her if she was needed, she slipped down the stairs and out of the house.

  The lawns had been scythed, but weeds now inhabited the flowerbeds and the shrubs were straggling and overgrown. After planning how she would restock the borders and perhaps add a statue or two, she moved on and discovered the kitchen garden, where some attempt was being made to improve it.

  The hedge separating the grounds from the track that led to the stables had been hacked down to waist height, beds had been dug and cold frames repaired. Heartened by these signs of industry, Zelah was about to retrace her steps when she heard the clip-clop of an approaching horse. Major Coale was riding towards the stables on a huge grey horse. She picked up her skirts and flew across to the hedge, calling out to him.

  He stopped, looking around in surprise.

  ‘Should you not be with the boy?’

  She stared up at him.

  ‘You have shaved off your beard.’

  ‘Very observant. But you have not answered my question.’

  ‘Hannah is sitting with him. It was such a beautiful day I had to come out of doors.’

  She answered calmly, refusing to be offended by his curt tone and was rewarded when he asked in a much milder way how the boy went on.

  ‘He is doing very well, thank you. Dr Pannell is coming in the morning to examine Nicky. All being well, I hope to take him back to West Barton tomorrow.’ He inclined his head and made to move on. She put up her hand. ‘Please, don’t go yet! I wanted to thank you for all you have done for us.’

  ‘That is not necessary.’

  ‘I think it is.’ She smiled. ‘I believe if I had not caught you now I should not have seen you again before we left.’

  He looked down at her, unsmiling. His grey eyes we
re as hard as granite.

  ‘My staff have orders to look after you. You have no need to see me.’

  ‘But I want to.’ She glanced away, suddenly feeling a little shy. ‘You have been very kind to us. I wanted to thank you.’

  She could feel his eyes boring into her and kept her own fixed on the toe of his muddy boot.

  ‘Very well,’ he said at last. ‘You have thanked me. That is an end to it.’

  He touched his heels to the horse’s flanks and moved on.

  ‘I wish I had said nothing,’ she muttered, embarrassment making her irritable. ‘Did I expect him to thaw a little, merely because I expressed my gratitude? The man is nothing but a boor.’

  Even as she spoke the words she came to a halt as another, more uncomfortable thought occurred. Perhaps Major Coale was lonely.

  What was it Mrs Graddon had said? He was a great one for society. That did not sit well with his assertion that he had no wish for company. His curt manner, the long hair and the shaggy beard that had covered his face until today—perhaps it was all designed to keep the world at bay.

  ‘Well, if that is so, it is no concern of mine,’ she addressed the rosemary bush beside her. ‘We all have our crosses to bear and some of us do not have the means to shut ourselves away and wallow in our misery!’

  * * *

  When Dr Pannell called the next day he gave Nicky a thorough examination, at the end of which Zelah asked him anxiously if he might go home now.

  ‘I think not, my dear.’

  ‘But his mama is so anxious for him,’ said Zelah, disappointed. ‘And you said he might be moved today...’

  ‘I know, but that was when I thought the major’s new road would be finished. Now they tell me it will not be open properly until tomorrow. Be patient, my dear. Major Coale has told me his people will be working into the night to make the road passable for you.’

  With that she had to be satisfied. Nick appeared quite untroubled by the news that he was to remain at Rooks Tower. His complaisance was much greater than Zelah’s. She hated to admit it, but she was finding the constant attendance on an eight-year-old boy and the company of an amiable but childish chambermaid a little dull.