by Val Wood
She leaned her forehead against the glass for a better view. Mr Edwin was heading towards the stable block again. Was he going back to confront Sam on his own? Then she saw he was carrying a field gun like the ones they used for grouse shooting, and she drew a breath.
The crack of the shot was heard in the house and Dora up by the window saw Edwin run back across the yard.
‘He’s killed him,’ she wailed. ‘He’s killed Sam.’ She clutched her hands to her face. ‘Will he be coming for me next?’ She began to shake. ‘What can I do?’
In her fear there was only one thing she could do, she decided, for no one could save her from the shame of her condition or being involved in a murder, and nobody would help her now that Sam was dead. Not Mr or Mrs Kingston. Nobody! She picked up her shawl and threw it round her shoulders and scuttled down the stairs towards the side door, which was hardly ever used. She rattled the rusty bolt with trembling fingers and it yielded, nicking her thumb and drawing blood. She pulled open the door and fled.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
‘Dora!’ Polly and Rosalie raised their voices in unison. They saw Dora look up, hesitate and then hurry on.
‘Where’s she going?’ Polly said.
They urged on their ponies and caught up with Dora, but she was reluctant to talk to them.
‘Dora! What are you doing out here so far from Nab Farm?’ Rosalie asked her. ‘You’ll catch a chill without a coat.’
‘I don’t care,’ she moaned. ‘I don’t care even if I die. There’s nowt left for me to live for.’
‘You’ll have a child to live for,’ Rosalie said unwisely, which made Dora howl even more.
‘I don’t want it,’ she wailed. ‘I’m too young to be a mother. It was forced on me.’
True, Polly thought. But there’s nothing to be done about it now.
Dora stopped her stumbling run and they reined in. ‘Besides,’ Dora gasped and held her side. ‘There’s summat else and I don’t want to be blamed for it.’ She began to weep and then to run again.
‘Wait! Wait!’ Polly jumped down, handed the reins to Rosalie and ran after her. ‘What? What’s worse? Has Edwin denied it?’
‘Yes. And he blamed Sam.’ She opened her mouth and howled. ‘And now Sam’s dead!’
‘Dead!’ Polly breathed. ‘How? Rosalie,’ she called. ‘Come here. She says that Sam’s dead. She’s hysterical.’
‘We must get her to some shelter.’ Rosalie dismounted and put her arm round Dora’s shoulder. ‘Will you come up on one of the ponies and we’ll find a place to keep dry?’
Dora shook her head. ‘No. I want to go home,’ she mumbled. ‘I want my ma.’
‘Is that where you were going?’ Polly asked her. ‘You said your ma wouldn’t have you.’
‘She’ll not begrudge me a night’s shelter.’ Dora wiped her eyes. ‘But I’ll have to be gone by morning. Especially when they hear about Mr Edwin and Sam. They’ll not want owt to do wi’ that.’
‘With what?’ Rosalie said.
‘Did they fight?’ Polly asked.
‘I don’t know,’ Dora snivelled. ‘I didn’t see. But I saw Mr Edwin carrying a gun and going towards the stables, and then I heard a shot. I ran,’ she said. ‘Cos I didn’t want to hear what had happened.’
‘So – you don’t know that Sam is dead,’ Rosalie said slowly and calmly. ‘You only think he is?’
‘Why else would Mr Edwin take a gun?’ Dora said. ‘If it wasn’t to kill him with it?’
‘To scare him,’ Polly said, ‘but ’boot should be on ’other foot. Sam should be ’one with a grudge.’
‘Where do your parents live, Dora?’ Rosalie asked. ‘We’ll take you home.’
Dora agreed to go up behind Rosalie and they rode towards the stone cottage between Littlebeck and Grosmont. The rain had almost stopped, but now and again they heard the distant crash of thunder.
‘It’s onny a summer storm,’ Dora muttered, when Rosalie remarked that she hoped the rain wouldn’t start again. ‘The weather changes quickly up here. One minute it’s sunny and the next you can’t see a hand in front of you.’
She seemed to have got over her crying fit, though every now and again Rosalie could feel a sudden sob shake her body.
Only Dora’s mother was at home when they arrived at the cottage about an hour later. There was a bright fire burning and a pan of soup simmering on it. Dora burst into tears when she saw her mother and it was left to Rosalie and Polly to explain what had happened.
‘Dora’s feared that you’ll disown her,’ Polly said. ‘But it wasn’t her fault.’
‘We hope that you’ll treat her kindly,’ Rosalie added.
‘What a showing up,’ Dora’s mother said, tight-lipped. ‘I don’t know what her da will say. He’s allus held Mr Kingston in such high esteem.’
Rosalie and Polly glanced at one another. Such repercussions. The shame of it would reflect on everybody, not just Dora and Edwin.
‘Will you allow Dora to stay for a few days?’ Rosalie asked. ‘Whilst the family decide what is to be done about supporting her and the child?’
‘Aye, I reckon so,’ the mother said. ‘We’ll not be able to afford to keep her, ’n’ that’s a fact. It’s hard enough to mek ends meet without bringing up a bairn as well.’
Rosalie and Polly then left, saying they must get back before dark as everyone would worry about them. Had the weather been favourable it would have stayed light for much longer, but the sky was heavy with rain clouds and they had a considerable distance to travel.
‘I’m so cold,’ Rosalie said as she mounted Damon.
‘Me too,’ Polly agreed. ‘And wet right through to my shift. Come on then, let’s be off. Can we find our way back, do you think, or will we get lost?’
Luke and Amos carried Sam into the house. ‘This is a fine kettle o’ fish,’ Amos muttered. Everyone had rushed outside when they heard the shot: Luke, followed by Anna, though she had made Elizabeth stay indoors; Mrs Moody and Amos, who were having a cup of tea in the kitchen. Sam was trying to stand but clutching his leg, which was bleeding profusely.
‘Just as well Mr Edwin’s a bad shot, sir, or we might have had a murder on our hands,’ Amos continued. ‘He never did manage to bag as much as a couple o’ brace o’ fowl.’
Luke nodded. And thank God for it, he thought. But where is he now and will Sam Little press charges?
They lowered Sam down on the hall floor and Anna and Mrs Moody brought a bowl of hot water, scissors and bandages. Luke cut through Sam’s breeches to expose the wound, and said, ‘Thank heavens. It’s only a flesh wound, but we might have to get the doctor to look at it.’
Sam grimaced and said, ‘Never had a doctor in my life, sir, but I don’t want it to go septic. I need my legs for work.’
Anna gently bathed his leg. The shot had grazed his calf, leaving a small hole, which was why there was so much blood, but she said she thought it would heal over.
‘We’ll get the doctor,’ she said, ‘in case he needs to put in a suture. I’m so sorry, Sam. So very sorry.’
The front door suddenly opened and Howard came in. ‘Where is everybody?’ he said. ‘We have a visitor and no stable lad – oh!’ He took a startled breath when he saw them all clustered round Sam. ‘What’s happened?’
‘An accident,’ Luke said. ‘Sam has sustained a wound.’
‘Cartridge!’ Howard said, looking down at the injury. ‘What was Sam doing with a loaded shotgun?’
‘I’ll tell you later.’ Luke straightened up. ‘Thank you, Amos. We can manage now.’ There was no need to ask for Amos’s discretion. Luke knew him well enough to know he would not discuss the incident. ‘Who is the visitor?’ he asked Howard anxiously. ‘Someone we know?’
‘Yes.’ Howard rubbed his hand over his stubble. ‘It’s Sonny Blake. He’s in the yard stabling the horses. I met him up on the moor. We got home just in time; there’s a storm heading this way.’
‘I’ll give him a hand, Mr Ho
ward,’ Amos said. ‘If I’m not needed here. Do you want me to fetch the doctor, sir?’ he asked Luke.
‘Yes, I think so,’ Luke said. ‘Just tell him there’s been an accident and would he come and take a look.’
Luke was very anxious. If Sam made a complaint and told the doctor what had happened, the medical man was duty bound to inform the constable and that would mean very big trouble for Edwin.
Howard and Luke helped Sam into a chair by the hall fire and Mrs Moody brought a foot stool for him to put his leg up.
‘I think a pot of strong tea is called for, Mrs Moody,’ Anna said. ‘And plenty of sugar in it for Sam.’
Sonny came in a few minutes later. ‘Amos told me there’s been an accident,’ he said. ‘Is there anything I can do?’
There wasn’t and so they all sat about looking at Sam and drinking their tea. Presently Sonny said casually, ‘And are the young ladies at home?’
‘Clemmie’s still in Scarborough,’ Howard told him. ‘I expect Polly and Rosalie are around somewhere.’
‘Beg pardon, sir,’ Sam said, clutching his cup. ‘Miss Polly and Miss Rosalie have gone out.’
Anna glanced towards the window. ‘I hope they haven’t gone far. The sky looks very threatening.’
‘Towards Kirk Moor, ma’am,’ Sam said. ‘Heading north, anyway.’
Howard bit on his lip. ‘That’s where the storm is coming from. I hope they’ve got waterproofs with them.’
‘It wasn’t raining when they set out,’ Sam said. ‘The sun was shining. It was about half hour afore – afore Mr Kingston and Mr Edwin came to the yard.’
Mrs Moody came up the back stairs. ‘Excuse me, Mrs Kingston, but I’ve just been told that Dora isn’t in her room and has hardly been seen in the kitchen since first thing.’
‘Mm,’ Anna murmured anxiously. ‘I’ve been meaning to speak to you about her.’
The housekeeper folded her arms over her chest and said grimly, ‘Young scullery maid said she saw her talking to Miss Polly earlier, and just after we heard the commotion from the yard she saw Dora running down the track.’
Clearly, from her tone of voice, she was blaming Polly for the maid’s absence.
‘I’d asked Polly to speak to Dora,’ Anna said. ‘And I’m afraid she was very upset when I spoke to her.’
‘Who was upset?’ Howard interrupted. ‘Polly?’
‘No.’ Anna glanced at him, noting his instant reaction. ‘Though she was concerned about Dora. My dear,’ she said to Luke, ‘I’m afraid you’ll have to explain this situation; distasteful as it might be there is nothing else for it. And by the way, where is Edwin?’
Sam didn’t want to stay whilst the revelations of the day were being discussed, and asked if he might be taken to his room above the stable. Howard and Sonny piggybacked him across the yard and saw him safely up the wooden steps to the loft above.
‘Very cosy,’ Sonny said. ‘Almost as comfortable as mine.’
Sam nodded. ‘I expect I shall have to move out now. I can’t work here any more. It’d never do.’
‘So what’s happened, Sam?’ Howard asked. ‘Let’s hear it from your own lips.’
When they arrived back at the house, Sam had told them everything, and Anna had explained to Mrs Moody, who flatly refused to believe that Mr Edwin would ever do such a thing.
‘The girl must have led him on,’ she declared. ‘You can’t blame him. It’s man’s nature to – to ...’
‘It is not to be tolerated, Mrs Moody,’ Luke bellowed. ‘I will not have such conduct condoned. Now, please leave us. I expect you to be discreet about the whole affair.’
‘Well, of course, sir,’ she sniffed. ‘That goes without saying, but I know Mr Edwin as well as anybody in this household—’
‘Enough!’ Luke said curtly, his eyes cold. ‘I don’t wish to discuss it.’
Howard and Sonny came in to find that Anna and Luke had adjourned to her sitting room.
‘Sam has told us,’ Howard began. ‘I’m so sorry, Luke, and sorry for the girl.’ But I’m not sorry for that blackguard Edwin, he thought. And I hope that his father drums him out of the house.
‘I’m getting concerned about Polly and Rosalie,’ he said aloud. ‘If you don’t mind I’d like to go and look for them.’
‘We,’ Sonny interrupted. ‘I’ll come with you. The rain’s heavy now and if they haven’t gone prepared for bad weather we’d be as well to take waterproofs with us.’
‘Yes, of course,’ Luke muttered. ‘They don’t know the moors; they could easily take a wrong path. But what about the servant girl? Where do you think she’s gone?’
‘Perhaps she’s gone home to her parents,’ Howard said. ‘They live somewhere between Grosmont and Littlebeck. We’ll keep an eye open for her.’
There was a sudden crack of thunder overhead as the storm reached them.
‘Oh, dear.’ Anna was concerned. ‘Yes, please do go, Howard. I’d hate it if they got lost. But who knows where they went?’
‘I think I might have an idea,’ Howard said. ‘Sam said they’d gone north and Polly mentioned the other day that she wanted to see the standing stones up at Ramsdale. She’s intrigued by them. I reckon that’s where they’ve gone.’
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
The two men reined in and looked into the distance. They’d ridden almost as far as Ramsdale, but Howard had called a halt.
‘They’d be on their way back by now,’ he said. ‘And there’s no sign of them so they must be returning by a different route. They could be anywhere.’
‘Do they have a favourite ride?’ Sonny asked. ‘Somewhere they’ve been before?’
Howard shrugged. ‘They were becoming quite adventurous. They’ve been to Old Wife’s Neck but that’s not so far and they’d have been back by now.’
‘Suppose they’ve been to Ramsdale and decided to cut across the top end of Fylingdale towards May Beck. That’s a nice ride when it’s fine.’
‘Yes, you’re right,’ Howard agreed. ‘Or they might have gone on to Littlebeck; I took them there one day.’
They swung about and set off at a canter. They both sat well in the saddle although Howard had a more confident seat. He rode every day when he was checking on the sheep. Sonny only rode when he came to the moors or when he was abroad. Both were wearing heavy waterproofs and hats and carrying blankets and waterproofs in case Polly and Rosalie needed them.
Another half-hour and no sign of anyone. The sky was overcast with dark and ominous clouds and there was an occasional rumble of thunder. Howard reined in again.
‘I’m getting very bothered,’ he said. ‘I think we might have to go back to Nab Farm and raise some help.’
‘Wait a minute.’ Sonny pointed. ‘Over there. Towards the ridge. Can you see? Two riders.’ He put his hand to his forehead and narrowed his eyes. ‘I think it’s them!’
Howard exhaled. ‘Thank God! This is no time to be out on the moor. Come on.’ He dug his heels into his horse’s flanks. ‘Let’s go and give them both a piece of our mind.’
They hollered as they drew nearer and waved their hats, and saw the girls wave back.
‘Where in heaven’s name have you been?’ Howard shouted when they were near enough. ‘Everybody’s worried sick.’
Sonny glanced at him and gave a wry grin. It was Howard who was more worried than anybody. ‘We were about to send out a search party,’ he added, knowing full well that he was anxious too.
‘We wish you had,’ Polly called in return, and as they met she blurted out, ‘We found Dora; she was running away so we took her home. She gave us some story about Sam being shot by Edwin. Is it true?’
They said that it was but that it was only a flesh wound and Sam was going to be all right.
Polly sneezed. ‘Good,’ she sniffed. ‘We got lost coming back from Dora’s. I think we took the long way home.’
There was another crack of thunder, nearer this time, and as Howard glanced east towards the coast he could see
flashes of lightning lighting up the sky.
‘We’ll have to find shelter,’ he urged the others. ‘We can’t stay out here.’
‘High Ridge House then?’ Sonny said. ‘It can’t be far.’
‘It’s not,’ Howard said. ‘Thirty minutes if we get a move on, fifty if we dawdle. Are you ready, ladies? Have you the energy to canter?’
They had, they both agreed. Anything to get out of the constant rain. Urging on their mounts, within thirty-five minutes they arrived at the house on the hill. The horses were brought inside for shelter too and soon their flanks began to steam.
‘I wish I could build up heat like that,’ Polly said. She shivered; she was so cold that her teeth were chattering.
Rosalie too was shaking so much that she could barely speak.
‘Here,’ Sonny said. ‘Take your jackets off; they’re soaked through.’
Their fingers shook as they unbuttoned their jackets, while Howard took the blankets and waterproofs from the horses’ backs. He and Sonny wrapped the girls snugly into them, and then without a moment’s hesitation each enclosed a girl within his arms, Sonny holding Rosalie and Howard hugging Polly.
They stood by a cracked window and looked out at the storm, which was unleashing all the violence of strong wind and sleeting rain; heavy bursts of thunder and streaks of forked lightning lit up the sky and the moor.
Howard rested his chin on top of Polly’s head. ‘Magnificent,’ he murmured. ‘I know you’re cold, Polly, but isn’t that a wonderful sight?’
Polly nodded. It was; and she felt she was beginning to thaw now that she had the warmth of Howard’s arms round her. It was very comforting, she thought; and safe.
‘You think this is magnificent,’ Sonny said, ‘and it is. But I’ve been out in summer storms by the Italian lakes and that is a sight worth seeing. Simply fantastical.’
‘I’d like to see that,’ Rosalie’s voice trembled. She was unnerved by being so close to Sonny. He was much taller than she was and had his arms about her shoulders, encircling her completely. It was not at all unpleasant, she thought, just unexpected. It is as well that there is no one to see us, for I don’t know what anyone might think. She swallowed hard. He is being kind, protecting me from the cold, but is he taking advantage of me? Will he speak of this incident to anyone else?