by Farr, Cathy;
In the next second Lady Élanor was at his side. The noise in the hall was deafening.
She shouted above the din, ‘Wil, take off your shirt!’
‘What?’
‘Take off your shirt… and the bandage. Do it quickly!’
The silence was instantaneous. Everyone in the hall stared at Wil who was standing there in the cold hall, naked to the waist – with not a mark on him.
‘This cannot be,’ breathed Godwyn Savidge as he stared at Wil’s pristine shoulders. ‘But she told us… that bandage…’ As he grappled with the scene before his eyes another voice broke the shocked silence.
‘That, your Worship, was to protect his shoulder while he fired his bow.’
Lady Élanor glanced up at the gallery and nodded a serene bow. Wil followed her eyes and his heart filled with joy. There, in the gallery large as life, stood Mortimer, Seth and Gisella. It was Gisella who had spoken out – loud and clear so that there was no mistaking what she had said. She continued.
‘Becky and I were mistaken, your Worships. When we saw the blood all over Wil we thought he’d been injured, but it was the blood of the wolf. Its heart had exploded under the impact of my bolt. Wil was just in the way and got covered. Then we were busy with Olivia and the dead wolves…and then we all got split up, so Becky never got to see what had really happened.’
‘Yes, but he still got my son killed!’ Godwyn insisted angrily.
‘No, Sir. It was Giles’s fault he was taken,’ said Mortimer. He looked down at the red-faced man. ‘It was Giles’s fault too that he got injured before. He was so desperate to prove he should be a Chaser that he abandoned everyone else.’
The people around Mortimer gasped.
‘What nonsense is this?’ blustered Godwyn. He turned to Leon, Emmet and the others for support. But Mortimer persisted.
‘I was there, Sir. I saw what he did with my own eyes. Wil had nothing to do with it. Giles persuaded Olivia to swap places with him – even though he knew that she can’t shoot a crossbow. He left her to die, just as he left the others. If we hadn’t had Wil Calloway with us that night, I doubt that any of us would have come off Tel Harion alive.’
Mortimer’s words hung in the air. A few people coughed quietly and a small child started to whine. A ray of bright sunlight shone into the hall through one of the narrow windows. Wil could see particles of dust floating weightlessly in the beam. His skin started to prickle with cold.
‘Someone get that boy a cloak!’ ordered the Grand Wizen abruptly. Lady Élanor folded Old Barrowman’s cloak around Wil’s shoulders and walked out of the hall.
A short while later, Wil, too, stepped out into the morning sunshine - free at last. Godwyn Savidge had smouldered silently through the rest of the hearing; Oswald Beck had quietly accepted the unfolding events - although Fermina Fairfax had started to behave very strangely and kept laughing at nothing.
After Wil, Seth, Mortimer and Gisella were all questioned, followed by the others, but by then, Wil got the distinct impression that the Grand Wizen was more pleased to hear of Tinniswood’s demise at Esk Falls and the location of the missing hinds, than anything else. The Moon Chase was held a success and Giles’s fate was accepted as one of the risks that Fellmen know they are taking when they joined the hunt.
Finally Morten Mortens cheerfully declared Wil innocent and the matter closed. He then announced that he was going off to have a late breakfast and that anyone else who was hungry was welcome to join him.
Standing now in the town square, Wil let the fresh, autumn air fill his lungs. For the first time in days he felt he could actually breathe without a huge weight pressing down on his chest. Somewhere someone was cooking bacon – it smelt fantastic!
The sound of running footsteps made him look round. Tally was speeding towards him, beaming.
‘Wil, Eli says you’re to come to the Hall before you go home – please say you’ll stay another day! Please, Please! Martha’s baked a huge turkey and ham pie and the most wonderful smelling bramble pudding – and you should see the puppies – they’ve grown huge in the past week, you won’t believe your eyes when you see them…’
She gabbled on and dragged him by the arm along the main street. Once again people stopped what they were doing to look up at him, but this time some waved, others smiled and one lady came up and presented him with a shiny apple; two girls pointed and giggled behind their hands and a group of boys tucked their hands deep into their pockets and nodded in sullen approval as he passed close by.
The door to a small, run-down stone cottage creaked open and a grizzled-looking man with a wart on his nose shuffled out. ‘I thought you ‘ad the makin’s of a Fellman, boy!’ he said to Wil, with a proud twinkle in his eye. ‘Yer mother’ll be proud o’ yer - make no mistake!’
He waved a thin, wrinkled hand and stepped back inside his home. Suddenly Wil wanted to see his mother. He promised himself that he would leave after he had seen Lady Élanor and said a proper goodbye to Gisella, Mortimer and Seth, and allowed Tally to tow him up the road towards Lovage Hall.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Lovage Hall Again
Despite the lateness of the year, the gardens surrounding Lovage Hall were still in full bloom. Every colour of the rainbow burst out of the flower beds, and the smell of herbs was almost overwhelming.
The second that Tally opened the gate and led Wil onto the cobbled path that led up to the house there was a scrabble of giant claws on gravel. From around the corner bounded a huge Fellhound. Her powerful tail whirled around, high in the air as she greeted her friend.
‘Farrow!’ exclaimed Wil as the hound almost took him off his feet. She pushed her head into his shoulder and then leant against him groaning with pleasure as he scratched her back and her ears. Tally let go of Wil’s arm and skipped into the house to announce his arrival.
A familiar voice came from the side garden, ‘Oh, right! Well I can see where her loyalties lie!’ Seth rounded the corner and beamed as Farrow bounded back to him and nuzzled his chin. ‘Yes, I know, Farrow, I’m pretty pleased to see he’s OK, too!’
Wil followed Seth and Farrow around to the side of the house. Gisella was sat on a tree stump sipping at a glass of Martha’s sarsaparilla and burdock. She didn’t get up.
‘So you decided to come back after all, did you?’ she said without a smile.
‘Uh, yer,’ answered Wil, suddenly feeling very awkward. ‘Well actually the horse decided to bring me back – and I think he had help!’
Gisella’s questioning look suggested that she might not know about Pricilla, so he changed the subject. ‘I’m glad I did anyway – although it was touch and go back there – where were you lot?’
‘Gisella discovered that the cut on her leg had got better,’ said Seth enthusiastically. ‘It was amazing – no scar or anything, so she said that we had to find you, because you’d be OK too. So we went looking for you.’
‘So even when you knew that I’d been injured, it didn’t make you think that I was guilty?’ Wil asked Seth before he could go on.
‘Oh yer! After all you did all that out there? Especially after I nearly got you all killed! There’s no way you’re guilty of trying to murder anyone, Wil, I don’t reckon!’
‘So why did you come to find me – if you knew I was innocent, why didn’t you just leave me to go home?’ asked Wil with a frown.
‘Because we wanted you to be able to clear your name,’ answered Seth simply.
‘And because that would have meant that we’d never see you again.’ Gisella said, studying a daisy.
Mortimer’s head appeared at the sitting room window. ‘Lunch is ready, if anyone’s hungry!’
They trooped into the living room and Mortimer enveloped Wil in a huge hug.
‘Hi Wil, it’s good to see you!’
‘It’s good to see you too, I can assure you,’ said Wil, momentarily overcome. He was so happy he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Lunch went on for m
ost of the afternoon. Lady Élanor and Tally sat listening while the four friends talked about Wraithe Wolves and waterfalls, fishing and fighting. As they talked Martha served up dish after dish of delicious food – first came creamy mushroom soup with warm, oven fresh bread then the turkey and ham pie that Tally had promised earlier, with fresh, crisp salad and potatoes dripping in butter. Later, Martha proudly presented her bramble pudding, which she insisted was served with great dollops of clotted cream - she seemed to have guessed that they hadn’t eaten much out on the Fells.
As each dish was delivered Mortimer pressed Martha for every ingredient and then listened intently as she shared the secrets of her melt-in-the-mouth pudding – apparently the only brambles worth cooking had to be picked with the dawn dew dripping off them!
‘Oh, I nearly forgot, Wil,’ said Mortimer polishing off the last spoonful of pudding straight from the serving bowl. ‘This really is yours and I don’t think Lady Élanor would forgive you if you didn’t take it back!’
Mortimer gave Lady Élanor an impish wink and handed the pink silk bag across the table to Wil.
‘So it was useful then?’ asked Tally waspishly. Her mood had changed slightly since they had sat down to eat, but Wil was enjoying himself so much that he decided to ignore her mood in the hope that she would snap out of it. He reached over and took the bag.
‘Oh, yer thanks. It was great – Tinniswood’s face was a picture when he pulled out that juniper! And to think - Giles thought it was a wash bag and threw it away!’ Wil said waving the little silk bag towards Gisella.
‘I’d forgotten about that – how did you get it back?’ said Gisella. Lunch had been served with a number of jugs of elder wine and her cheeks had gone quite pink!
‘I, er, just went back to get it - before we all left for the Moon Chase,’ answered Wil - he really wasn’t sure how much they knew about Lady Élanor. A glance in her direction confirmed that his silence was appreciated.
Gisella looked thoughtful for a moment and then said
‘He really wasn’t a very nice person, was he?’
‘Who - Giles? Misguided and spoilt, I’d say!’ said Mortimer. ‘Although - we will certainly miss his father’s money on the Moon Chase!’
They all sat in silence for a moment. The thought of future Moon Chases hadn’t occurred to Wil at all. He wondered how Mortimer would manage without a hound, but decided it was probably best not to ask, especially as it was partly Seth’s fault that Tarek had been killed. He was sure that Seth felt bad enough as it was.
They talked for a while longer and then Mortimer announced that he really should go home and see his parents. Seth, too, said that if he didn’t go and reassure his mother that he really was still alive she’d be sending out another search party!
‘I’ll go with you then,’ said Gisella, although it was obvious that she really didn’t want to leave.
‘Oh, er… well… I could walk down with you later…. if you want to stay a bit longer?’ said Wil suddenly awkward.
‘Am I to assume that means you will be staying tonight, then, Wil?’ smiled Lady Élanor.
‘If that’s alright with you, Lady Élanor? The eagards will be out hunting soon and I think I’ve pushed my luck far enough in the last few days!’
‘You are more than welcome. Tally has already made up the spare bed for you.’
Tally was looking even more miserable now. She’d sunk down into her chair and was concentrating on picking her nails. ‘Thanks, Tally,’ he said – she shrugged her shoulders but didn’t look up.
‘I think I’ll go up to see Willow’s pups – do you want to come, Wil?’
She slid off her seat and headed for the kitchen.
‘Er, no, I’d better stay with this lot, thanks Tally. Maybe I’ll come up in a bit?’
‘Suit yourself!’
Wil definitely detected a flounce as she left the room.
‘So, when are you thinking of leaving then, Wil?’ asked Mortimer oblivious of Tally’s silent strop. He was now scraping out the empty bramble pudding dish with his spoon. Martha gently prized it away from him. Mortimer surrendered both the bowl and his spoon and beamed at her. ‘We’ll help with those, now, Martha!’
‘I want to get going at first light. My mother will be worried sick– although she probably thinks I’m dead by now – I hope it’ll be a nice surprise when she finds out I’m not!’
‘Oh, I’m sure it will be!’ Mortimer reassured him with a grin. ‘Hey, how about we ride out to the forest with you? At least we can make sure you get that far!’
‘Not until you’ve all had a proper breakfast!’ shouted Martha from the kitchen.
Gisella and Seth didn’t need any persuasion. Wil was delighted by Mortimer’s suggestion. ‘That would be great – but I’ve got no intention of riding anywhere! I’ve used my legs all my life and they haven’t let me down yet. Horses – not for me thanks, they’re too high up and it’s too far to fall!’
They all laughed and agreed to meet up at dawn. Both Martha and Lady Élanor insisted that they all came up to the Hall for breakfast before they set off. Wil was secretly convinced he’d just eaten enough to keep him going for a week but could see that declining was not an option. So they accepted the invitation and helped Martha to clear away the dishes. Joking and chattering, they carried the cleared plates into the kitchen where, on Lady Élanor’s instructions, they piled every dish into the big, stone sink until Wil seriously thought they were risking an avalanche of crockery. But Martha was unconcerned, so they carried on until the table was completely cleared. But as Seth and the others went to give Farrow her supper Wil spotted a knife on the floor. He scooped it up and went back into the kitchen. To his surprise Lady Élanor and Martha were nowhere to be seen and the sink was completely empty. He went over to the dresser and opened one of the cupboards – there was the crockery they had just used – edged with pretty yellow primroses. Every dish gleamed as if it had never been touched. With the faintest smile on his lips Wil closed the cupboard and without a backward glance went out to join his friends.
The air around Lovage Hall was far warmer than it had been up on the Fells. The four friends stood in the garden and talked for another hour before Mortimer and Seth finally headed for the gate.
‘Look, I think I’ll go with the others, Wil. It’s late now and, well, I’m going to have to face my mother some time,’ Gisella said with a frown.
He was disappointed that they were going - particularly Gisella. ‘Are you sure you won’t have another glass of elder wine? Or more bramble pudding?’ he smiled hopefully. Gisella laughed but she was adamant that it really was time to go.
As they all said their goodbyes she hurriedly kissed him on the cheek and then turned away blushing and trotted off to catch-up with Seth and Mortimer. Wil stood smiling as he watched them go. Mortimer’s confident voice drifted back up the path, followed by gentle laughter. Something inside Wil would be very sad to leave the next day.
Tally didn’t appear at breakfast the next morning. Lady Élanor made no mention of her absent sister and Wil noticed that Martha had only laid breakfast places for four at the big table in the living room.
Mortimer and Gisella arrived together – Seth, breathless and looking crumpled arrived just as Martha was dishing up fried eggs and bacon.
‘Goodness me, did the smell wake you up?’ grinned Mortimer as Seth bundled into the room doing up his shirt. His hair was sticking up and his shirt was only half tucked into his trousers.
‘Uh… sorry… my mother didn’t want me to come so she didn’t call me – she said I’ve had more than enough danger for a boy of my age!’ He helped himself to a piece of buttered toast. ‘Luckily Farrow caught a rabbit and woke me up to show me.’
‘How can your mother say you’ve had enough danger, Seth? You’re training to be a Chaser!’ Gisella did nothing to hide her exasperation.
‘Yer.. well, that’s my dad. It’s him who wants me to be a Chaser – to be honest I’d much rat
her be a Bearer – I can shoot much better than I can ride!’
‘Well you can certainly shoot, Seth Tanner – thank goodness!’ agreed Mortimer with a wry smile. ‘Why don’t you just tell your father – surely he’d understand. I mean, it’s dangerous enough on Tel Harion if you want to be there – but if you don’t…! Do you want me to have a word with him?’
‘Gosh, No, please don’t do that! He’d be devastated!’
‘But Seth – you could be really useful as a Bearer. And now that Giles is gone we’re going to need to find someone new. You’d be perfect!’ said Gisella. Wil silently agreed. Seth was small for his age and, try as he might, Wil couldn’t picture him as a Chaser – he was just too accident prone!
‘I know, but ever since my brother was killed – my father has always hated the Wraithe Wolves. He was so proud when I was picked to train – I just can’t let him down.’
For a few moments the only sounds to be heard were scraping cutlery on china and the rattle of tea cups as they sipped their nettle tea. Then, Mortimer swallowed his last mouthful of bacon and broke the silence.
‘So Wil, what are you planning to do when you get home?’
Wil told them about his mother’s roof and about how he helped with the chores and repairs because his father had been taken by Rexmoore’s men years before. Gisella was appalled.
‘Don’t you ever want to go and find out what happened to him, Wil?’ she asked, wide eyed. ‘I mean – I know that my father is dead and that he died by falling into a vat of maple syrup. My mother always says he came to a sticky end – I don’t think she liked him much and I was only a baby, so I can’t remember him. Aren’t you tempted to go and look for your father?’
‘It’s not that easy – my mother needs me. How would she cope if they took me as well? Anyway, a few years ago one of the village Elders, Garth Fengal, told my mother that my father was dead – Garth had been to Armelia on business and heard that Rexmoore had killed my father and four others as an example to everyone to make them pay their taxes.’