'You had no drink. I was watching you. Why not?' Jemmy spat on the floor disgustedly.
'There were so many of you parasites in there, I had not a chance of a drink for half an hour, and I'm late already. Now will you let me be?'
The soldier was being called by another already out in the yard, so he laughed, gave Jemmy a shove which nearly sent him sprawling into the road, and went on, whistling. Jemmy gave a sigh of relief, and set off as fast as he could on the road to Hythe. None of the troopers had yet come in this direction, and he was soon able to dodge behind a screen of bushes and double back to where Philip and his brothers were waiting. They had observed the scene in the doorway of the inn, and the dispersal of the troopers, and were exceedingly worried. Jemmy told them quickly what was happening.
'We must get away while they search,' Bob said. 'They are sure to find the men in the barn if they are thorough.'
'I cannot leave Caroline,' Philip declared.
'She will be safe till dark, till the Colonel returns,' Jemmy told him. 'But if you are caught, there will be little chance of rescuing both of you. And we must take the ponies away, or we will lose them too, most likely.'
'You are right, but where do you suggest we go?'
'Not far from here there is a cottage hidden in the Marsh. The path to it is known to but a few. We use it on our runs. We will hide there till dark, and will be safe, as they will never discover it. They will give up the search before then to get back to their quarters. We must then attack the ones left in the inn, Colonel Masters and his troop, most of whom are wounded by now, and in little state to fight.'
Philip considered Jemmy's plan, and finally nodded reluctantly. He did not like leaving Caroline in the hands of the troopers for so long, but with such superior numbers against him, there was little else to do. Will then offered to stay behind and keep an eye on the inn.
'They have none of them seen me,' he said, 'and I can pretend to be working in the fields. We ought not to let them out of our sight completely.'
This was agreed, so Philip, Bob and Jemmy set off, retrieving their ponies from the barn, and covering as well as they could the now conscious troopers with straw, before they rode into the Marsh. Away from the main tracks this was a desolate place, partially waterlogged and with many boggy areas to trap the unwary. Only those who knew it well dared try to cross it by the less frequented tracks.
Jemmy led the way along a firm but often water-covered path to a cottage where they found an old, but welcoming man, who gave them food, and provided Philip with a bed he was only too ready to drop into, as he was mentally and physically exhausted.
It seemed only a few minutes before Jemmy came to rouse him. There was no window in the room, so he could not tell what time it was, but Jemmy told him they would just be able to cross the Marsh before darkness fell. Philip gave the old man some gold coins and thanked him for the food and shelter he had provided, then they set off back across the Marsh.
It was dark by the time they reached the main track, and Jemmy led the way to the barn. After a quick reconnoitre he reported the troopers had gone, presumably released by their fellows, and there were no signs of anyone about. They tethered the ponies again, and hurried to the spot from where they had observed the inn that morning. Will was already there, and they dropped down beside him silently.
In whispers he told them the troopers had spent several hours searching the neighbourhood, returning at last with the two captured men. Then the larger troop had ridden back to Hythe, leaving behind at the inn, as far as he could tell, only the original troopers who had been with the Colonel. Philip breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed as though he would have to rescue Caroline by a frontal attack on the enemy, and the fewer able-bodied ones that were around the better.
Then Will told him another horseman had ridden up soon after the large troop had left, and he thought that this was the Colonel.
'Then we must lose no time. We are but four to seven of them, but three of them have been knocked on the head, and two have sword cuts, and ought not to give us too great a trouble. I suggest the best way to surprise them is to get into the inn parlour as though we were ordinary travellers, and attack them before they have time to realise what we intend.'
They approached the inn, and with Will and Jemmy, who were the least suspicious to the troopers, leading, they entered the front door.
*
Chapter13
Caroline was awoken by the sound of the key in the lock. She sat up, instantly aware of the situation, and afraid that it was the Colonel.
But as the door opened, she saw one of the troopers outside. It was broad daylight, and she must have slept for some hours. The trooper was carrying a tray on which were a loaf of bread and a lump of cheese, and a mug of cider. He set the tray down on the table, then returned to the door.
'The Colonel bids me send you his compliments, and he will visit you tonight when he returns,' the man stated, as though he had learned the little speech off by heart.
Caroline looked at him, suddenly hopeful.
'Then he has gone away?'
'Only to Hythe, on some business. He will be back by dark.'
Caroline breathed more easily. It was a respite, and surely something would happen before then. She wondered what had happened to Philip, and decided the trooper might tell her.
'Where is – my cousin?'
The trooper looked embarrassed suddenly, and backed out of the door.
'I am forbidden to talk with you,' he said, and despite Caroline's pleas, locked the door firmly, leaving her to her thoughts.
She looked at the bare little room, which was none too clean. Apart from the bed and the washstand, a table and chair, there were only a few pegs on the wall. The window was grimy and covered by a torn curtain.
She went over to it and looked out. It faced the back of the inn, towards the sea, which she could see glimmering in the distance, the crests of the waves white. Immediately below the window there was a yard with a couple of ramshackle sheds which she assumed served as stables. She could hear the snickering of horses through the cracks in the badly fitting window frame. One of the small panes was broken, and several were cracked.
Despite a big effort, she could not force open the window, which was so stiff it did not seem to have been opened for years.
The panes were too small for her to get through, had she broken the glass, or she would have risked trying to climb out, but there did not seem to be any escape that way.
Sighing, she returned to the table and ate the food provided, and then began to wonder what would happen. At last her thoughts were spinning round and round in her head so that she thought she must go mad, but suddenly her attention was caught by the noise of horses in the yard. Looking out of the window, she saw the yard full of horses, and several troopers attending them. What could this mean? Had the Colonel returned early with more men?
Anxiously she pondered this new development. Faintly through the door sounds came up to her, and she guessed the troopers were in the parlour. She began to hope, when no one came to her, that they were but passing, and when they soon reappeared and mounted, riding off, she breathed a sigh of relief. Then one of the troopers came to her door, opened it and looked in, but said nothing. He nodded and went out, locking the door again. Caroline did not know what to think of this, but soon gave up the attempt to solve the riddle. She spent her time between sitting at the table and looking out of the window, becoming more and more worried as time passed and nothing happened. She did not know what she expected to happen, but could not yet believe she was to be delivered up to the Colonel. She wondered fearfully what they would do to Philip, whether he could possibly do anything to save her, but she thought the Colonel would make sure he was well guarded, and she did not hope too much for rescue.
Late in the afternoon she was surprised to hear the troopers returning. Watching from the window, she saw them come in in twos and threes until the yard was full. Most of them remained in t
he saddle, but before she had time to speculate on this new development they all rode off again together.
Gradually it grew dark, and her fears increased. The Colonel would soon return. She jumped when she heard the key turn in her door again, but it was only the trooper bringing her some hot food, welcome despite her fears, for it was many hours since her last meal.
He had also brought a candle, which was stuck in the top of an old bottle, and she was thankful for this friendly light. If she had been left in the dark as last night she feared her control would snap, and she would soon be screaming for help.
Throughout the day, she had been tormented by thoughts of what had been happening to Philip. She ached with longing for him, and could not believe that after so short a time together with their love declared, she would be parted from him. She had some hope he would be safe while the Colonel was away, but she dared not think beyond that man's return. He had threatened her so much, and now had her in his power, and she knew enough of his character to know he would be merciless. She wondered fleetingly whether he knew of Philip's escape from Newgate, and her own part in that, but thought it unlikely, as no one had said any word about it during the ride to the inn. It was the most fiendish luck that had caused them to run into the troopers, and but for the presence of the Colonel, they might have won through.
*
She was deep in these thoughts when again the sound of the key in the lock startled her. She looked at the door as it slowly opened, and her heart beat fast as she recognised the Colonel. He was carrying a branch of candles, and in their light looked, to her terrified imagination, sinister and evil. She stood up from the chair where she had been seated, and backed away towards the window, and seeing this, he smiled grimly as he entered, closing the door behind him. He put the candles down on the table, and they threw a warm glow over the miserable little room.
'So we meet again, my dear,' he said, staring at her.
'What do you want of me?' she asked, in a low voice which she could not prevent from trembling, try as she could not to give him the satisfaction of seeing her afraid.
At her question, he laughed, then tossed his sword into a corner of the room before he threw himself down on the chair, sprawling inelegantly with his legs stretched in front of him.
'Surely you are not so innocent as to have doubts on that score,' he mocked.
She shivered, but he held her gaze, like a snake.
'You have kept me waiting overlong, my dear, and I do not wait for the favours of anyone. You could have escaped lightly if you had behaved sensibly at Lichfield. Not that I would have married you, as that fool aunt of yours was planning. Oh, yes, I know all about that little scheme. I am not so simple as they imagined. But you spurned me, and that insult I do not forgive. You will pay for every day I have been kept waiting!'
Caroline could not reply, her voice would not come. The Colonel smiled.
'But I am hungry, I intend to eat first, and if you wish, you may join me. If not you may watch me, and savour the pleasures of what is to follow.'
He rose, and went to the door, which he opened. Caroline heard him calling down the stairs, and soon one of the troopers appeared with a tray loaded with pies, capons, and wine. He set this down on the table and withdrew, without a glance at Caroline. The Colonel mockingly gestured to Caroline to be seated, but she scornfully refused, finding her voice to reply.
'Fortunately I have eaten, but were I starving, nothing would induce me to partake of a meal with scum like you!'
Instead of being angry, he laughed, and remarked, 'Good, the spirit has not deserted you. You give promise of a very pleasant night.'
Sitting down himself, he began to eat.
Caroline watched him with distaste and fear. She was wondering whether she could reach the door, which had not been locked, and decided to take the chance. Anything was better than waiting meekly for the shame he intended to inflict on her.
Choosing her time when he was engaged in picking at the leg of one of the capons, she suddenly ran for the door. He was quick too, and she only had the door half open when he reached her, and with hands greasy from the capon, pulled her by the arm and forced her back into the room.
She sobbed, and began to scream for help as loudly as she could.
Struggling hard, she made it difficult for the Colonel to get her back into the room, but he managed it, kicked shut the door, and by twisting her arms behind her till they hurt agonizingly, held her while he turned the key in the lock.
Now he was angry. Roughly he turned her to face him.
'You little fool! Who do you think is going to hear you, let alone come to help you. And what are you afraid of, anyway? What I will do to you, is, I wager, no more than that fancy fellow you were with has done.'
'What have you done with Philip?' she gasped, the pain in her arms almost causing her to faint.
'You need not worry about him. He has gone away and left you.'
She did not understand, and he did not elaborate. Suddenly he let go of her arms and put his own tightly round her.
He forced back her head and kissed her fiercely on the mouth. Then she could feel his hands fumbling at the fastenings of her shirt. She struggled more, and suddenly was able to reach his hand with her teeth, digging them into the flesh as hard as she was able. With an oath he let her go, but before she could take more than a step backwards, he was at her again.
He pushed her backwards, and she was powerless to resist. She felt the edge of the bed behind her knees, and suddenly collapsed backwards on to it, the Colonel on top of her.
He gave a grunt of triumph, and again she felt his hands tearing at the stuff of her shirt. He was heavy, and she could scarcely breathe. Her strength was almost gone, and her heart was beating so loudly she could hear nothing else. She could not think. She was possessed with sheer terror.
Somewhere a long way off, she was aware there were other sounds, but they meant nothing to her, then suddenly, the weight of the Colonel pressing down on her body was removed. She opened her eyes, fearfully, and realised there was someone else in the room. With a cry of relief she recognised Philip. He had pulled the Colonel away from her and was facing him with drawn sword. Behind him Caroline saw the door swinging brokenly on one of its hinges, and she realised Philip must have burst it open.
The Colonel had immediately reached for his sword when he discovered Philip was there, and unfortunately had been able to pick it up from the corner where it was standing. Now the two men began to circle one another warily. Caroline shrank into a corner of the bed. The room was so small, it did not allow for much movement, and normal swordplay was out of the question.
The Colonel made the first attack. He lunged at Philip, who evaded it and moved round into a more favourable position, with the light from the candles out of his eyes.
They lunged and parried, tensely, and with death in their eyes. They were both excellent swordsmen, and neither could see an opening, so they continued in the same way for some time, feinting, lunging, and parrying.
Suddenly the Colonel turned, took a step backwards, and knocked over the table, plunging the room into darkness as the candles fell to the floor. By the greatest good fortune they did not set fire to the room, but now the combatants could not see, and Caroline could hear confused movements as they both tried to make for the doorway. Heavy breathing was the only guide to their whereabouts, but suddenly there was a gasp, as the point of a sword found a soft spot and sank home. Then all was noise and confusion. They seemed to be grappling together, and there was a loud thud as they fell to the floor. Then a scream tore through the room, followed by sobs and groans.
Caroline, petrified, hid her face in her hands, but a gleam of light penetrated them, and she looked up, to see a strange man dressed in plain breeches and a dark coat standing in the doorway holding a lantern. The light showed the Colonel lying on the floor, in a twisted heap, and Philip rising to his feet, his hands covered in blood.
Sobbing, she ran to
him, and regardless of the blood flung herself into his arms.
'Are you hurt? My beloved, are you hurt?' she cried.
'No, no,' he reassured her. 'It is this fiend's blood.'
The man with the lantern approached and bent down over the Colonel.
'You've done for him, sir,' he remarked with satisfaction.
'Is he dead?' asked Philip, seeming not interested.
'As mutton!'
'Are you all right, Caroline?' he turned and held her away from him, regarding her anxiously.
She suddenly became aware of the torn shirt, open and revealing the curve of her breasts, and she blushed, putting up her hands to hold the torn edges together.
'Yes,' she whispered, then began to sob as though her heart was broken. Philip gently soothed her, and then lifted her up in his arms and carried her from that ghastly room.
'The others have gone for the ponies, sir,' the strange man said, as they reached the parlour.
Inside, the troopers were lying on the floor, all efficiently trussed like chickens.
Philip put Caroline down and got one of the trooper's cloaks for her, then gently wrapped her up in it. He took another for himself, since theirs had been removed by the troopers when they had been tied up after the capture.
'Can you ride?' he asked.
'Yes,' she replied, somewhat recovered. 'I am not hurt, just so very, very glad to see you.'
'Good.' He smiled at her, then turned to the man who held the lantern. 'Let's get out of here.'
They went out of the inn, and Philip asked, 'What of the boat, Jemmy?'
'It can be made ready almost immediately, sir.'
'Good. Jemmy, will you see whether our horses and saddle bags are still in the stables?'
Jemmy went off to the back of the inn, and Philip put his arm round Caroline's shoulders while they waited.
Soon Jemmy returned to say that the horses and saddle bags were gone, and there was no trace of them.
'Oh, well, we have lost them. Fortunately there was nothing of value in them. I have all that I value in the world with me.' He smiled down at Caroline, who snuggled thankfully into his comforting embrace.
Cavalier Courtship Page 17