St James' Fair

by St James Fair (retail) (epub)

  ‘Thompson did say you put on a great display,’ agreed Canny, who was unable to conceal the pride in his voice.

  And Joe chimed in from behind him, ‘Everyone’s talkin’ about it. Miss Odilie was a sensation.’

  Then Canny remembered that he at least must continue to reprimand her, so he shot a quelling glance at Joe and told his daughter sternly, ‘But it wasn’t ladylike, Odilie.’

  She went on mollifying him. ‘Who cares about being a lady when she can be a Duchess and do what she likes – that’s what you said, anyway. Besides, I think I won quite a lot of money, about thirty pounds! I didn’t take it, though. The gypsies’ll drink it tonight no doubt.’

  Then she burst out laughing and her father knew he was beaten but he still sounded concerned when he asked, ‘And where’s young Grace Elliot? She was with you at the Fair, wasn’t she? Her father probably hasn’t heard about all this yet but he’ll be furious with her when he does.’

  Odilie put her hands to her mouth and gasped, ‘Oh poor Grace! She mustn’t get into trouble because of me. But she’s all right, Father. I left her with a fine-looking young fellow.’

  ‘You left her with a man? Who?’

  ‘I don’t know his name but he looked respectable enough.’

  ‘Odilie, this gets worse and worse. Let’s hope nothing happens to the poor lassie,’ groaned her father.

  At this point Joe Cannonball drew a letter from the pocket in the skirt of his linen coat and brandished it at Odilie with a broad grin on his face. ‘This letter came for you when you were out, Baby,’ he lied.

  She took it from him, feigning surprise, and read it. Then she explained to her father, ‘The Duke’s invited me to join his party at the Fair. What a pity. They’ll all have gone home by now.’

  Canny shook his head. ‘Oh no, he and his party were in the big tent when I left ten minutes ago. You’d better dress yourself properly and get across there directly.’

  Odilie sobered. All at once it seemed that the glory had gone out of the sun. Her day of mischief, her day of being someone else, was over.

  * * *

  In the field the Fair was still going on at full pitch. Adam Scott who was walking with Grace towards the lines of horses, looked up at the sky and frowned because instead of being bright blue and cloudless, the expanse above his head was slowly turning a deep shade of brownish purple like chased bronze. The sun still beamed down relentlessly but without its previous happy shimmer; it now held a gleam like the reflection from a shield of war, threatening and full of foreboding.

  ‘I think it’s going to thunder soon,’ he told his girl and as if to confirm his words, far away could be heard a muffled peal of thunder like the drumroll of an advancing army. Grace, who did not like thunderstorms, looked scared but Adam told her, ‘Don’t worry, it won’t come yet. It’s only threatening. It might not arrive till tomorrow but it’s on its way.’

  He took her hand and said, ‘Come on, my family will be wondering where I’ve got to.’

  Grace had been limping along but now she said, ‘Wait,’ and sat down on the grass to unlace the heavy boots and draw them off her white feet. ‘They hurt me,’ she explained. ‘It was Odilie’s idea to wear them. It’s easier to walk barefoot – and cooler too in this heat.’

  Adam sat beside her and put a hand on her bare left foot as he said, ‘There’s not much wrong with it, is there? But I think your limp’s very appealing. It’s what made me want to take care of you for the rest of our lives.’

  She looked up at him with the eyes of love. ‘It’s strange but I don’t care about my limp any more since I met you. A healer woman I met at Bettyhill yesterday said it could be cured. She told me to meet her here at the Fair. Perhaps you’ll come with me after we’ve been to see your family, Adam.’

  He nodded. ‘Yes, of course I will. But don’t worry about a cure – you’re perfect as you are.’ Then he added, ‘Isn’t this amazing? It feels as if we’ve known each other for ever. I want you to start at the beginning and tell me all about your life, Grace.’

  Her confidence in him was complete and she allowed pent-up words to flow out of her in a rush. He nodded as he listened and she could tell he understood.

  She started with, ‘I can only vaguely remember my mother. Her name was Lucy Allen and she went away for some reason. When I think of her I feel that she’s a friend like Odilie, not a mother really. In my memory she’s just a girl, pretty and gentle, soft to the touch and always kissing me. Then she disappeared. That bit’s black in my memory.’

  There was a short pause as she remembered that unhappy time and then, with a sad look on her face, she continued, ‘My father must have married Hester quite soon after my mother went away. I really hate her. I know you shouldn’t hate people but she’s so cruel. She made me believe that people were whispering about me and I thought it was because of my leg… the woman in Bettymill knew all about me. There’s so many questions that I’ve thought of since I met her and I want to ask her. I must see her again.’

  He nodded. ‘You will, don’t worry. I’ll take you to find her but you mustn’t be disappointed or sad whatever she tells you because it sounds like a very unhappy story and none of it could have been your fault.’

  Grace shook her head. ‘I won’t be sad, I only want to know. It’s awful not knowing.’

  He stared into her eyes. ‘I understand. We’ll go and look for the woman but let’s go to see my mother first.’ When he led her across the grass she left her heavy boots behind beneath the trees.

  Catherine Scott was fretting as she bustled about around her pony cart. A tarpaulin had been stretched from the back flap and was supported on a pair of poles making a shelter from the sun for the family. Tom and Sandy had been fetched out of the ale tent by Lily and they were a very subdued pair sitting eating slices of game pie. Leeb was there of course and so was Mary, flush-faced and flustered-looking in the company of the brawny young man who was introduced as Jockie Armstrong. But where was Adam?

  ‘I saw our Adam in the crowd at the jumping and he had a lassie with him,’ Mary told her mother.

  ‘Good for him,’ said Tom, reaching out for another slice of pie. ‘I met a lassie here once too, d’ye remember, Catherine?’

  ‘I remember well enough,’ she said, pushing his hand away from the pie. ‘You’ve had your share of that. I’m keeping it for Adam. Oh, where is he?’

  Mary, still blushing, created a diversion by saying, ‘Ma, Jockie here has asked me to marry him.’

  Catherine looked up from her task of covering up the precious pie. ‘And will you, Mary?’

  The girl glanced at her awkward swain who was shuffling about in the background. ‘I might. He’s awful persistent. He’ll no’ go away and he’s aye there when I need him.’

  ‘That’s a good reason to marry somebody,’ said Catherine approvingly, but she could not give her full attention to the betrothal because of her worry about Adam. Mary’s news seemed to have fallen flat as her mother looked out across the field again and groaned, ‘Oh, where’s Adam do you think?’

  ‘Och, cut into the pie and gie’ us all another piece,’ said her brother Sandy. ‘The laddie’ll turn up when he’s ready. If he’s courting he’ll not be wanting any pie.’

  The situation was saved when, ‘Here’s Adam coming now,’ called little Leeb staring out from under the tarpaulin flap. ‘And he’s got a lassie with him!’

  Grace was shy but that, plus her limp, endeared her to Adam’s family who all had tender hearts. They fussed around, making sure she sat in a shady place and pushed food on to her plate. Then they sat back and tried not to show that they were scrutinising her while she flushed under their concerted stare.

  ‘Grace is from Lauriston. Her father’s Mr Elliott, the lawyer,’ said Adam by way of introduction. His family nodded in unison, much impressed. ‘We’re getting married,’ was his next announcement.

  His mother gasped, ‘Not you too!’ astounded that her family could achieve two en
gagements at one Fair. Then she added, ‘So soon? At least Mary knew her lad before today. But you’ve only just met, haven’t you?’

  ‘We first met last year and I went looking for her this year again,’ said her son and Catherine was slightly mollified, for that seemed suitably lover-like to her. She smiled at Grace and said, ‘I hope you know it’s a hard life in the hills, lassie. And it’s lonely. Have you enough inside yourself for that?’

  Grace passed the test by not looking confused at the question. Only those with enough inside themselves knew what was being asked. ‘I think so,’ she said softly, ‘and anyway I love Adam.’

  First his mother and then his aunt and sisters kissed her while his father, uncle and future brother-in-law wrung Adam’s hand. They were all romantics and the deal was done as far as they were concerned. Two marriages had been arranged.

  Chapter 10

  As she bustled about with all her family around her, Catherine became calmer and more able to appreciate all that had happened. She looked at her dear Mary, fluttering and flirtatious, though she pretended not to be impressed by the dogged determination of her suitor Jockie. That big lad was good and true, decided Catherine, and he’d marry Mary right enough and prove to be a good provider: she could see that. In relief, she turned to her daughter and grasped her in a fond embrace that made up for her earlier distraction.

  Then she let her attention turn to Adam. His lassie looked awfully delicate and his mother hoped that a life in the hills would improve her strength and bring some colour to her cheeks. Catherine furrowed her brow. There was something she remembered hearing about the Lauriston lawyer’s family – what was it? Lily, her sister-in-law, would know because she loved gossip and could trace the genealogies of most local families back for at least four generations. Yes, Lily would have all the information on the Elliots but Catherine would have to wait till Adam and the lassie were out of the way before she could ask.

  ‘Maybe we should be making our road home soon,’ she mused as she looked out at the crowds of people still filling the fairground. It was best to go before the rush began and people all headed for the exit at the same time. Besides she always wanted to be away before the Yetholm knives were drawn and the drunks began fighting.

  ‘Oh no, not yet,’ cried her children in unison and Tom looked up to agree with them.

  ‘Not yet, Catherine. That thunder’s far away. It’s only a warning. The weather’ll not break till tomorrow.’

  ‘You mean you’ve not had long enough in the ale tent,’ scolded his wife but she respected his wishes as well as his weather lore.

  Now it was Mary’s turn to speak. ‘Jockie’ll see me back to Morebattle so don’t let the dray wait for me,’ she told her Aunt Lily and Uncle Sandy. ‘He’s brought his own gig.’

  The family all looked at the silent Jockie Armstrong with respect. To be driving his own gig at his age was a big recommendation for him as a husband for Mary.

  Then Adam stood up. ‘If you’re going home don’t worry about me. I’ll hitch a ride on some cart going back to Hownam later tonight. Grace and I have things to do – we’ve got to speak to her father and we’ve to see some friend she has at the freak show,’ he said, taking Grace by the hand.

  His mother cried out, ‘But lassie, you’ve nothing on your feet! When the dew falls, you’ll catch your death.’

  Grace looked down and wriggled her bare toes in the grass. ‘It feels lovely and it’s not a bit cold. I like going barefoot,’ she said. Then, as if this was a signal between them, she and Adam rose to their feet and after taking their farewells, went off together in the direction of the main concourse.

  They headed for the broad walk that stretched down towards the river from where the gypsies camped. At one end of it stood a pair of official tents used by the Provost of Jedburgh and his companions who had the administration and policing of the Fair as their responsibility, while at the other end, surrounded by a roped-off enclosure, was the impressive tent set aside for the Duke.

  The lovers walked past the Duke’s tent and along a line of attractions for children – coconut shies and canvas-backed open stalls where balls could be thrown at the heads of Frenchmen mounted on poles. Then they reached the animal and freak shows where the noise and the array of horrors chilled the blood though even the most gullible knew that many of the bizarre exhibits were only tricks. In the middle of the row they found the largest show of all, a curtained platform surmounted by a banner with Archer’s Freaks – Wonders of the World emblazoned along it.

  The very tall man with the long mournful face was still playing his fiddle on the platform and the tiny dwarf was still banging his drum.

  ‘Is Mr or Mrs Archer about?’ called out Grace and the dwarf nodded, pointing over his shoulder with the drumstick. Grace and Adam walked in the direction he had indicated and found themselves in a hidden encampment behind the platform. From the dark caravans, dwarves glowered at them and a miniature woman cuddled a baby protectively. Grace’s sensitive soul ached for the people who were on show because her own lameness gave her some inkling of how isolated and cheated they must feel. She was sorrowful-faced by the time they reached the last caravan of all and a big dog on guard at its door stood up growling threateningly at their approach. But its noise was heard and a voice called its name. A hand pulled its chain back when the hidden watcher saw who they were. Jem emerged from the caravan door and beckoned them up the steps.

  Billy, his shirt sweat-stained, sat on a stool in the farthest corner of the caravan with his hands hanging down between his knees. His head was lolling and his shoulders drooped as if he was asleep but his eyes revealed wakefulness because the whites could be seen glistening between slits of eyelids as he stared blankly at the light. As Grace and Adam entered, Alice was standing in the space in the middle of the floor but when she saw strangers in the doorway, she drew back into the shadows. Jem however raised his hand and told her, ‘It’s all right Alice, it’s your friends. It’s the girl who was here looking for you earlier.’

  The woman turned quickly on her heel with her face suddenly vibrant and alive, blazing with energy and emotion as if a light had been lit behind it. She rushed towards Grace with her hands extended, crying out, ‘Oh, I’m so glad it’s you, my dear. I wondered if you’d come. I’m so pleased to see you. Look Jem, this is the girl I met at Bettymill. Come in and sit down, my dear. Come in, come in, I want to look at you.’ She sounded as if she was greeting a long lost relative and Grace looked flustered and surprised as she found herself being pulled through the painted doorway into the big green caravan.

  Before she could settle down, however, she was startled by a strange gulping sound. Alice saw her disquiet and said reassuringly, ‘Don’t worry. It’s only Billy, he’s crying. Something’s upset him today.’ She turned and said to the huddled figure in the corner, ‘Hush Billy. Nothing’s wrong. Being shut up in this heat has been too much for you.’

  Jem pushed his way down the caravan and took Billy’s hand. He raised him to his feet and led off the sobbing figure. They listened to the sorrowful sounds receding as the shambling lad was taken out into the evening air and Alice called out after them, ‘Let him sit outside for a while, Jem. It’ll be like a furnace in his own caravan. I’ll give him another potion before the show starts.’

  Then she went over to a little barrel in the corner from which she drew two mugs of beer and carried them out to Billy and Jem, who downed them in a trice. Billy wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and smiled waveringly at her.

  ‘You liked that, didn’t you?’ she asked and he nodded.

  ‘I liked it,’ he said. When Billy was calmer he could speak properly, as well as understand what was being said to him.

  Jem and Alice nodded to each other and Jem put a shackle round Billy’s ankle before locking its other end to the caravan wheel. Meanwhile Alice was bustling back into the caravan, bringing out bread and cheese and filling mugs of beer for Adam and Grace. Though they had no appetite after
their gargantuan tea with the Scotts, they ate and drank politely rather than hurt her feelings.

  Before they could settle down to talk to each other, however, another figure loomed up by the caravan door. It was Professor Thompson, who pointed at Billy and without any formal greeting asked Jem, ‘I’ve been wondering how you keep that one under control. What’s the secret? D’ye have to dope him much?’

  ‘My woman – Alice, my wife – gives him potions and rubs things into his skin. We wouldn’t be able to keep him quiet without that. He’d tear the place apart,’ was the reply. Jem recognised the man who was speaking to him.

  The Professor went up to Billy and spoke in a coaxing voice as if he was addressing a dog. ‘Come on lad, let me see you,’ he said.

  Obediently Billy rose and stood erect but he didn’t like strangers and his eyes were reddened and his lips working, twisting and contorting as if he was trying to say something and the words would not come out.

  Jem took pity on him and explained, ‘This is Professor Thompson, an old friend of mine and of yours, Billy. He knew you when you were a little lad. He knew your great-granny.’

  Billy gave a groan and a sound like ‘Granny’, came from his mouth. Then he started to cry again.

  ‘He’s just seen her and he’s upset. But he’ll forget soon. He doesn’t remember anything for more than a couple of hours,’ explained Jem to the Professor, who nodded vigorously with an interested expression on his face as he looked searchingly at Billy.

  When he’d gazed his fill he turned to his companions who were standing well back from the wild man and gestured, ‘Look at his shoulders. Look at his biceps – what a specimen! With that body he must be related to the fellow who won the jumping. If he’d been born with even an ounce of sense he’d have been a world champion prize fighter, but his cranium is completely empty.’ He then turned to Alice and asked, ‘What did you say you give him?’