Calico Road (42 page)

It felt to Toby as if they were dirtying his inn with their presence and he didn’t trust them an inch. He noticed Ross hadn’t stood or walked next to him if he could help it and knew that for a wise precaution in case Beardsworth tried to use his pistol.

Jad hardly spoke the whole time they were searching the inn, but the looks he gave Toby and Ross said he didn’t believe they didn’t know where Mrs Beardsworth was.

When they got back to the public room Andrew said to Ross, ‘You can stay here. We’ll get mine host to show us round the outhouses.’

‘I’d rather come with you.’ Ross moved forward and Andrew raised the pistol to aim it towards him. ‘Do as I say or suffer the consequences.’

Meg and Phoebe had been listening to them speaking and as soon as they’d gone outside, she rushed into the public room. ‘I don’t like this.’

‘Me neither,’ Ross said grimly. ‘Yon bugger’s up to no good, Meg lass. If he hurts Toby I’ll bring out the whole village against him and he’ll not get away, believe me.’ He went to glance out of the window. ‘I’m going to slip out while they’re in the stable yard and make my way up the clough. I know one or two men nearby who’ll come back with me to make sure he doesn’t hurt Toby. You and Phoebe had better stay inside, out of harm’s way, but if you can watch what they’re doing through the window, it wouldn’t hurt.’ He went out of the front door and moved quietly round the far side of the inn from the stables.

Meg went back into the house place and found Phoebe sitting at the table looking terrified.

‘They’ll kill him, I know they will,’ the old woman said. ‘They’ve killed enough men already that one more won’t make any difference.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘My husband worked for them years ago and they’d have killed him too once he was no use to them, only he had some papers they wanted to destroy. He told them he’d left the papers with a lawyer and that if anything happened to him, the lawyer would deliver them to the nearest magistrate.’

‘What papers?’

Phoebe was sobbing incoherently, so Meg shook her shoulder gently. ‘What papers? Tell me.’

So distraught was the older woman that she blurted out the whole story, leaving Meg standing dumbstruck.

‘And Toby doesn’t know about this?’

‘No. And think on, it’s safer for him if he doesn’t.’

‘Where are the papers? Still with the lawyer?’

‘No, they never were. They’re in the back place in the secret room, hidden behind a drawer in a bureau there.’ She got up to look out of the window. ‘What are they
doing?
If they hurt him, I’ll . . .’

Meg took a deep breath. ‘They’re not going to hurt Toby. I won’t
let
them.’ She picked up the poker and went to the side door. ‘You stay here, Phoebe.’

‘But what can you do?’

‘I don’t know. Something. I only need to delay them till Ross gets back.’

Under Andrew’s watchful eye Jad searched every outhouse and shed. ‘There’s nothing, sir, no sign of them.’

Andrew turned to Toby. ‘Where have you hidden them?’

‘Them? I thought it was your wife you were looking for.’

‘She has a girl with her. She’s fooled the silly child into helping her. And I don’t believe you know nothing.’

Toby moved to lean against a wall so that Mortley couldn’t take him by surprise from behind.

The two men stared at him and Andrew slowly brought the pistol up to aim it at Toby.

Peeping round the corner, Meg forgot everything in her terror that they would shoot him, that she would see his precious blood spilling on to the cobbles as Ben’s had. ‘Don’t you dare touch him!’ she shrieked, and ran across the yard brandishing the poker.

Toby moved swiftly sideways to prevent Mortley from attacking her and as the two men began to struggle with one another, Beardsworth tried to get a bead on Toby. But they were moving to and fro, and he couldn’t. As he took a couple of steps nearer, still trying to get a clear shot at Toby, he forgot about Meg. Seizing her moment, she knocked the pistol from his hand with the poker.

He swung round quickly and thumped her hard enough to knock her to the ground before she could use the poker again. She was struggling to breathe properly and could only watch in horror as he picked up the pistol and raised it again.

But at that moment Bram drove his cart round the side into the stable yard, reining in his poor donkey hard with a cry of, ‘What’s this?’

‘Mind your own business and get out of here if you want to trade in Tappersley again,’ Andrew snarled.

‘I’d be glad never to go there again, and this
is
my business since Toby’s my friend.’ Bram watched warily as the pistol wavered from him to Toby and back again. Behind Beardsworth, Meg was inching along the ground, trying to reach the poker.

But rage at seeing her ill-treated had made Toby forget his usual rule not to let anger rule him when fighting, and it fuelled his strength. Jad yelled in shock as he suddenly found himself picked up like a toy and smashed into the nearest wall. As he slid to the ground and lay there, groaning and dizzy, Toby marched across to Beardsworth, heedless of the fact that the man was still holding a pistol trained on him.

He smacked the weapon from his hand and shook Beardsworth like a rat. ‘Touch her again and you’ll be in no fit state to beat anyone.’

‘You can bear witness that he’s threatening me!’ Andrew said to Bram.

‘I heard no threats, only a man defending his lass,’ the pedlar said at once.

‘Nor we didn’t hear any threats, either,’ another voice said from the rear of the yard. Ross’s voice. This time he was accompanied by two neighbours, men who glowered at the millowner and his over-looker in a way that said they knew who they were and didn’t like them.

‘I think it’s time you left Calico, Beardsworth,’ Ross said.

‘And if you ever so much as step over the threshold of my inn again,’ Toby said, ‘I’ll be the one laying a complaint about today before the magistrate. I’ve enough witnesses.’ He took the pistol, discharged its two barrels into the air and handed it back to its owner.

Jad hauled himself to his feet, swaying and holding on to the wall. Blood was dripping from his cut, swollen lip and he said thickly, ‘You’ll be sorry for this, Fletcher.’

‘I can bear witness that he’s threatening you,’ Ross said, mimicking Beardsworth’s earlier words and tone.

Andrew also looked at Toby. Though he said nothing, his expression spoke more clearly than words.

Everyone could see that Toby had made a dangerous enemy. Beneath the gentleman’s clothes was a killer, those eyes said, as their chill gaze moved from one man to the next as if memorising their faces.

But the men of Calico were not to be intimidated. Ross and his two companions accompanied the unwelcome visitors out to their horses, which were cropping the grass by the side of the road. The three men stood in front of the inn while the others mounted and began making their way down the hill.

‘Didn’t think Toby knew how to fight,’ Ross said thoughtfully. ‘He’s allus so calm and cheerful.’

‘He looked like he could take on anyone today,’ one man said appreciatively. ‘I’d like to see him in a fight. I’d put money on him.’

‘Never mind that. We’re
all
in trouble now,’ the other said. ‘That bugger won’t rest till he gets his own back at us. Where’s his wife got to, do you think?’

Ross shrugged. ‘Don’t know. But I pity the poor woman, I do that, an’ I hope she gets away.’

‘Has Toby got her hid somewhere, do you think?’

‘Who knows? If he has, he’s not telling – an’ I’m not askin’.’

When the others had left the stable yard Bram watched Toby go across to Meg and put his arm round her. With a grin he went into the house and left the two of them alone.

‘Are you all right, love?’ Toby asked gently.

‘A bit bruised.’

‘Eh, was there ever such a brave lass? That’s the second time you’ve come to my aid out here.’

She buried her face in his chest. ‘I couldn’t bear it if they hurt you, Toby.’

He held her close and murmured in her ear, ‘Nor I when that vicious devil thumped you, Meg love. Are you sure you’re all right?’ When she didn’t answer, just continued to cling to him, he lifted her chin so that she had to look him in the eyes. ‘It’s time we talked about how we feel, don’t you think, my little love?’

She looked at him, shy now, almost as afraid of what was happening between them as she had been when Beardsworth pointed his pistol at Toby.

Just then Ross came back into the stable yard, laughing at something one of his companions had said, and although he stopped and held out one arm to stop his friends from moving forward, the moment was lost.

‘Later,’ Toby whispered, giving Meg a gentle push towards the house. ‘Go and get your breakfast now, lass.’ Then he turned to the men. ‘Is it too early to offer you a pot of beer?’

‘Never too early for me,’ one said, and clapped him on the shoulder.

21

O
nly after the two men who’d come to Toby’s aid had drunk their beer and left did Ross reveal that he had Harriet Beardsworth and a little lass called Jane hiding in his house. ‘I reckon it’s better they stay there, too, because yon buggers will be keeping an eye on this place from now on. Beardsworth won’t let up, you know. His wife running away will make him a laughing stock.’

He looked at Toby, drained his pot and added, ‘I haven’t told anyone else in the village. My wife and kids know how to keep their mouth shut an’ so does Bram here, but other folk’s childer sometimes let things slip.’

‘Where was Mrs Beardsworth heading?’ Toby asked.

‘Here, I reckon, but if I’d not taken her in she’d never have made it. She was carrying the little lass piggy-back, because the child had been so badly beaten by Mortley she could hardly walk.’

‘They’re an evil pair, those two.’ Toby could remember another little girl with strap marks gouged deeply into her tender flesh. The mere sight of them had made him feel physically sick.

‘I reckon you’d better hire Bardy Thomas to work in your stables for a few days. He’s a big lad and he dearly loves a fight.’

‘Well, I don’t love a fight and I don’t want anyone here who’ll stir up trouble,’ Toby said irritably.

‘Bardy won’t stir it up, just help out if necessary.’ Ross looked at him, saw the stubborn expression on his face and grinned. ‘You’ve got no choice, lad. One man can’t defend a place this size. Oh, and I’ll send my Pippa across to help with the cooking. You needn’t pay her, just feed her. There’s no one as nimble as that lass. She could slip through a line of men in broad daylight and no one would even notice her. If there’s trouble she’ll run home for help without being told – an’ she’ll get there, too. Good as a lad, she is.’

Before he left he went into the kitchen to speak to Phoebe, who seemed to have aged five years in the past few hours. ‘Cheer up, old lass. Us moor folk know how to look after our own.’

But she shook her head. ‘My Hal used to work for Beardsworth and Greenhalgh years ago. I know what they’re capable of – murder and worse.’

Ross and Toby exchanged quick glances then turned back to Phoebe, who didn’t need urging to continue speaking.

‘They’re wicked to the core. You’re a fine pair of men, but you won’t be able to stop them.’

‘They’ve turned respectable now, though,’ Ross reminded her. ‘They’ll have to be a bit more careful-like.’

‘That’s only the coats they’re wearing. They’ll never turn decent inside,’ she threw back at him. ‘I keep telling you, they’ll stop at nothing. Why won’t you listen to me? We should leave here, all of us. It’s the only way we’ll stay alive. It doesn’t matter for me, my life is nearly over, but you and Meg have so much to look forward to, Toby love.’

‘I’m not giving up my inn,’ he said firmly. ‘Nor am I running away.’ He patted Phoebe on the shoulder then went to the door with Ross, saying quietly once they were standing outside it, ‘She knows something else, but she won’t tell me what, says it’s too dangerous.’

‘Aye, well, I’ll find out from Mrs Beardsworth how she was planning to get away from here. You send Bram round in an hour or so pretending to sell goods and I’ll tell him what I find out. And don’t forget, lad: you’ve friends all around you.’ Ross shook his hand and went striding off to his farm.

Toby stood there for a moment, feeling a warm glow at his neighbours’ support and remembering how suspicious everyone had been of him when he first arrived – especially with a Greenhalgh face. He took a deep breath of the chill air, but even the memory of today’s trouble didn’t dispel the warmth and determination inside him. This was his home, something worth fighting for, and he was damned if he was going to be driven away.

And Meg loved him. His grin broadened. Eh, what a brave lass she was! His mother would have loved her, he was sure – but not as much as he did.

Meg waited until everything was quiet in the public room except for a couple of men on horseback who were on their way back from Halifax and seemed to want to chat. She’d persuaded Phoebe to go upstairs and rest, because the older woman still wasn’t well. Now, after checking that Toby was still chatting, Meg left Pippa in charge of the house place with instructions to stir the pan every few minutes.

This might be her only chance to check what Phoebe had told her.

She took a lit candle with her, shielding its flame as she walked along the draughty corridors and hoping the travellers would keep Toby occupied for a while. In the ancient room at the back of the inn she sighed and stood quietly for a moment or two, finding some of the peace of mind she needed simply by being in this place.

Things were going to get worse before they got better, she was sure of that, and she wanted to be able to open the hidden room in case Mrs Beardsworth needed to hide there. She’d never met the woman but felt deeply sorry for her, especially after Ross telling them how she had been carrying the little girl on her back, putting her own hopes of escape at risk to save the child. When she’d heard that Meg had determined to help her if she could.