A Dinner Of Herbs (78 page)

back to its shelter.

Ben watched the animal disappearing before, turning and hunching forward, he again

looked towards

Hal and called, “Come in!” then made towards the door of the cottage. And Hal’s voice

came back to

him, crying, “I’m as near to you as is safe, for you that is.”

“Mr. Roystan, please!” Ben was shouting now.

“I want you to listen to me.” And Hal’s voice was as loud but checked by his gasping

breath as he

cried, “Listen to you? I know all I want to know about you, young man.. And ... and I’ve just come to

tell you something’.. and you’d better take heed.... You keep away from my Kate, ‘cos if you don’t, the

next time we come face to face I ... I won’t come empty-handed. I mean that. I’ve dways said I would

swing for one of the Bannamans if I ever came across them ... and I’d be quite willing to ... to do that

rather than let you put a finger on her, more than you have done up to now.... So, the best advice I can

give you, is to get back onto a boat an’ ... an’ get back to your homeland an’ forget you ever came

here.”

“Have you had your say?”

Hal was slightly nonplussed by the seeming calmness of the reply, and he blustered more loudly than

ever: “Yes, I’ve had me say, all that needs to be said, and from what little you know of me you’ll have

guessed I’m a man of me word. An’... an’ I promise you, you won’t live to tell the tale if you come ...

come near her again.”

“What about her?”

“She’ll do as she’s told.”

“Not if I know Kate, she won’t. And you can’t chain her up as much as you would like to.

Drive me

too far, Mr. Roystan, and I’ll take Kate out of this country under your very nose.”

“By God!” The words were ground out through Hal’s teeth, and Ben could just make out

the older

man’s hand roughly wiping the snow from his face before he cried again, “It’s a damn

good job I made

me seif come empty-handed, ‘cos it wouldn’t have been buckshot I would have filled you with, but ... but

a bullet at this minute. Now I’ve told you.”

The hand was stretched out towards him. That’s me final word. Take heed of it. “And at this he turned

about and began to stagger back the way he had come. And he was on the point of

exhaustion as he

leant against part of a dry stone wall in an effort to get his breath And as he stood

gasping, he knew this

business wasn’t finished, not by a long chalk, for he was up against someone who was as determined as

himself.

When he straightened up he saw the dark blur of the goat jumping through the snow just ahead of him,

and in a way it was clearing the path for him, so, stumbling on, he followed it. Goats, he knew, were

notoriously surefooted and it could likely make out the track better than he could, for now the snow was

falling and swirling so thickly that he could hardly see more than a few yards ahead.

The goat was making for its hut, which was its home and from which its master had

dragged it a short

while ago. It was used to the man who fed it, and milked it, and talked to it, but even he she butted

whenever the occasion presented itself. Her irritation mounted when, reaching the gate that led into the

bottom of the field where the hut was situated, she found it barred, and so it was natural that she should

turn on the figure that was looming out of the snow and to lower her head and charge it.

the man he had come in search of and who, as yet, was unaware of him, for he was

pulling on a short

rope, at the end of which was a goat.

It was when the goat decided to stop the tug of war and to come quietly that Ben almost fell on to his

back in the snow, and as he twisted around he could just make out the outline of the

huddled form

standing some yards away. For a moment he imagined it was Kate; then when he

straightened up and

saw who it was, his grip on the rope slackened, and the goat taking advantage of this, scampered away

towards the field, not knowing that the gate was closed and that it would have to make a long detour

back to its shelter.

Ben watched the animal disappearing before, turning and hunching forward, he again

looked towards

Hal and called, “Come in!” then made towards the door of the cottage. And Hal’s voice

came back to

him, crying,”I’m as near to you as is safe, for you that is.”

“Mr. Roystan, please!” Ben was shouting now.

“I want you to listen to me.” And Hal’s voice was as loud but checked by his gasping

breath as he

cried, “Listen to you? I know all I want to know about you, young man.... And ... and I’ve just come to

tell you something’.. and you’d better take heed.... You keep away from my Kate, ‘cos if you don’t, the

next time we come face to face I ... I won’t come empty-handed. I mean that. I’ve always said I would

swing for one of the Bannamans if I ever came across them ... and I’d be quite willing to ... to do that

rather than let you put a finger on her, more than you have done up to now.... So, the best advice I can

give you, is to get back onto a boat an’ ... an’ get back to your homeland an’ forget you ever came

here.”

“Have you had your say?”

Hal was slightly nonplussed by the seeming calmness of the reply, and he blustered more loudly than

ever: “Yes, I’ve had me say, all that needs to be said, and from what little you know of me you’ll have

guessed I’m a man of me word. An’... an’ I promise you, you won’t live to tell the tale if you come ...

come near her again.”

“What about her?”

“She’ll do as she’s told.”

“Not if I know Kate, she won’t. And you can’t chain her up as much as you would like to.

Drive me

too far, Mr. Roystan, and I’ll take Kate out of this country under your very nose.”

“By God!” The words were ground out through Hal’s teeth, and Ben could just make out

the older

man’s hand roughly wiping the snow from his face before he cried again, “It’s a damn

good job I made

me self come empty-handed, ‘cos it wouldn’t have been buckshot I would have filled you with, but ... but

a bullet at this minute. Now I’ve told you.” The hand was stretched out towards him.

“That’s me final word. Take heed of it. “ And at this he turned about and began to stagger back the

way he had come. And he was on the point of exhaustion as he leant against part of a dry stone wall in

an effort to get his breath And as he stood gasping, he knew this business wasn’t finished, not by a long

chalk, for he was up against someone who was as determined as himself.

When he straightened up he saw the dark blur of the goat jumping through the snow just ahead of him,

and in a way it was clearing the path for him, so, stumbling on, he followed it. Goats, he knew, were

notoriously surefooted and it could likely make out the track better than he could, for now the snow was

falling and swirling so thickly that he could hardly see more than a few yards ahead.

The goat was making for its hut, which was its home and from which its master had

dragged it a short

while ago. It was used to the man who fed it, and milked it, and talked to it, but even he she butted

whenever the occasion presented itself. Her irritation mounted when, reaching the gate that led into the

bottom of the field where the hut was situated, she found it barred, and so it was natural that she should

turn on the figure that was looming out of the snow and to lower her head and charge it.

Ben stood in the middle of the little room and looked about him. He knew it was the last time he would

see it. The fire had smouldered low, but there was a pile of logs to the side of it. There was some food

left in the cupboard and blankets on the single wooden platform bed. The door he would leave unlocked

just in case some helpless traveller should be stranded this way. That was how he had

found the place

when he was stranded, although it wasn’t as comfortable then as it was now.

He had put his books and papers into a canvas bag, and these he had slung across his

shoulder, leaving

his arms free to catch that drat ted goat. He knew where it would have made for, but it wouldn’t be able

to get in for he had locked the gate. He had become fond of Biddy. She had supplied him with milk and

acted as an audience to his mutterings many a time. But going on last year’s experience he knew that if

the weather kept like this the hills would become inaccessible, and without food or water she could easily

die.

After his visitor had departed he had sat at the table and his anger had been equal to that of the man he

had hoped to make his father-in-law. Of one thing he was certain, and that was Hal

Roystan meant

every word he had said and was capable of taking a’gun to him.

Well, that being so, he would have to show him that he, too, equally meant every word he said. And if

he were to find it impossible to spirit Kate away from the house, then he would call in the law. The

English always put themselves over as being a people that liked fair play. So, he would ask the law to

come to his aid. But with or without it, he meant to have Kate. He had at times wondered why she had

come to mean so much to him, and had asked himself if one of the reasons was that she

was connected

with the family that had suffered at his mother’s and his grandfather’s hands;

and, too, if it was a form of erasing inherited guilt. But the answer was always no:

whomsoever Kate

had belonged to it would have been the same, for there was a deep affinity between them; she warmed

him; she made him feel whole; besides which she was intelligent and humorous.

He planned in his mind now to go to the house and await her coming, and if she didn’t

appear within the

next two or three days he would then enlist the help of Charles. If this failed, then he would let the law

take over.

He went out and closed the door behind him, pressing the sneck down hard. He did not,

however,

make his way towards the track but along by the side of the cottage and towards the gate that led into

the field, it being a short cut to the hut. In parts the snow came up to the top of his gaiters and got

deeper as the field sloped steeply down wards.

Making his way to the gate that he had closed only an hour or so before, he was surprised to see that

Biddy wasn’t on the other side of it waiting impatiently to be let into her home.

Having forced the gate open, he peered along by the wall and made out the small dark

form of her

standing there. Ploughing now towards her, he again felt surprise when she didn’t come at him head

down with annoyance. And then a yard or so from her he came to a dead stop and stared

in

open-mouthed amazement at a boot sticking up out of the snow, and another near it but

turned inwards.

He bent down quickly and saw the form half-buried in a drift. The head was clear but

pressed against

the wall and was blood-covered.

“Oh God!” Throwing the bag of books from his shoulders, he bent down and, putting his

arm around

the still form, dragged it out of the shallow ditch and onto the comparatively firmer

ground of the track.

The head was bare. and he could see the cut on the temple. The blood had congealed on it and had

stained the grey hair around the ear and brow.

In the name of God! what was he to do? Was he dead? No, no; the chest was heaving.

He’d have to

get him into shelter. But where? The goat’s hut? Even his nose wrinkled at the thought, but better that

than out here until he could get help.

He got behind Hal now and eased up his shoulders by putting his own arms under Hal’s

oxters, and

began to drag him towards the gate, the goat slowly following of its own accord now.

It was as he pulled him sideways through the small aperture the gate afforded that Hal let out a cry that

was something between a groan and a scream. Ben stopped and, laying him down, bent

over him,

saying, “What is it? Where are you hurt?”

But there was no answer. The eyes were closed. The face was as it was before.

He was gasping hard himself when, at last, he pulled the limp form into the small,

smelling, dark

straw-covered hut, and when he had him stretched out he slumped down for a moment to

recover his

own breath, only to lift his head sharply as Biddy made her appearance in the open door.

And now he

cried, “Get away! Stay there!” Then turning his attentipn to the man who had, just a short while ago,

threatened to kill him, he asked himself what he was to do now One thing was certain, he couldn’t stay

here; they’d both freeze to death. He’d have to bring him round in some way or another.

This in his

mind, he began to slap gently the rough prickly cheek, saying, “Mr. Roystan, come along.

Mr.

Roystan.”

When he had almost given up hope of this having any effect, Hal groaned, a long deep

groan; then his

lids slowly opening, he looked up to the wooden roof not five feet above his head, and he muttered

something unintelligible before his eyes took in the face to the side of him. His mouth fell open; then he

gasped, “Bloody goat!”

Ben looked from him to where the goat was still standing at the open door; then he

almost wanted to

laugh as Hal’s voice came again, saying, “Butted ... me.”