Replenish the Earth (28 page)

After that, a proper watch was organised by the villagers. Sewell, still pretending to be a fellow victim, volunteered the services of his men, and the villagers dared not refuse them. But Hugh and Izzy were treated with extreme caution, and always set to guard Marsh Bottom, because no one liked being alone at night with such rascals.

There was not the slightest piece of evidence that they were involved, but apart from that one minor incident supposed to have happened at Marsh Bottom, it was noticeable that all of the victims had been people who’d crossed or offended Sewell.

‘Don’t have to poke me in the eye to make me take notice of who gets hurt and who doesn’t,’ Thad said. ‘He thinks we’re stupid, but we ent, and so he’ll find out.’

Chapter 15

One day in early January, Will heard a rumour that there were to be some new-style farm implements for sale, the sort he had read of in Mr Tull’s book, at the monthly stock market in Sawbury.

‘I can’t resist going over to see them,’ he told Sarah.

‘It’s a dreadful day. Is it really worth it?’ She had woken up with a feeling of dread and she didn’t want him going anywhere, but knew he wouldn’t listen to such vague worries and would put them down to her condition.

‘It is if I can get a good look at them. Thad and I are thinking of making things like that and selling them to other folk. There might be money to be made from it.’

‘Well, you’d better take him with you, then, hadn’t you?’

‘He’s busy here.’ He stared at her. ‘It’s not like you to fuss so, Sarah.’

Tears welled in her eyes. ‘I can’t forget that someone shot at you once.’

He smiled, indulgent with a pregnant woman’s fancies. ‘That was months ago. If they’d done it on purpose and were serious about it, they’d have had another go at me before now.’

‘Well, take Robin with you, then.’

‘He has his own work to do. Do you think me such a weakling as to need a nurse-maid for such a short journey?’

‘No-o-o, but - ’

‘It’d be different if I was going into Poole or further afield. I’d take someone with me then. But this is just Sawbury, a few miles away. What do you think will happen to me on a busy road? There’ll be other people coming and going the whole way.’

She brightened at that thought.

In fact, he had underestimated the effects of the cold weather. A week of sleet and rain had left only the hardiest buyers with any desire to attend the market. There were fewer folk around than Will had ever seen, and those who’d made the effort to come left as soon as their purchases were completed or their wares sold.

And the rumour proved to be false; no new implements were to be seen and no one from Sawbury had heard tell of any. They seemed to think this was something to be pleased about, but Will was bitterly disappointed. He made the few purchases his womenfolk had asked for, then met a kindred spirit, interested in new farming methods, so stayed for a drink of mulled cider in the inn. The conversation was so interesting that he stayed for longer than he had intended.

Now he would have to travel home in the dark, and Sarah would be fretting and worrying till he got back. This wasn’t good for a woman in her condition and he was annoyed with himself for being so selfish.

* * * *

The day passed very slowly for Sarah. By mid-afternoon, it had grown damp and misty. Long before Will was due back, she began peering out of the window and pacing up and down in her little parlour, where a high-banked fire of logs kept the chill at bay.

As it grew dark, with still no sign of him, she became more and more anxious, for it was unlike Will to be this late. Twice she thought she heard a noise and rushed to open the front door, only to be met by a blast of icy air, for frost was now threatening after the milder damp weather of the past few days. She stood staring out at a wall of impenetrable darkness, but strain her ears as she might, she could hear no sound of hoof beats, no sound of movement at all, except for the thin whining of the wind. The people at the Manor might have been alone in the world.

When Mary came in to check the fire and bring fresh candles, she saw her mistress looking out of the window. ‘Squire’s late, ent he?’ she said, ever a Job’s comforter. ‘He did say as he’d be back afore dark.’

‘Yes. I feel a little worried, I must admit.’

‘Ah. Bad time of year to be out after dark. An’ the weather’s turned frosty, too. Catch a chill, he will, staying out in this.’

Another hour went by and Jessie came to join Sarah, for she too had grown uneasy about her son. ‘It isn’t like Will to be this late,’ she said, adding more fuel to Sarah’s worries.

‘What do you think can have happened to him? Has he ever been so late before?’

‘Not often.’

The two women sat on together in silence, stealing surreptitious glances at the clock, each trying not to add to the other’s worries.

After a while, Jessie got up to put some more wood on the fire and the noise she made raking out the ashes to get it to burn more brightly must have masked the approach of footsteps. Suddenly, there was a hammering on the front door and a loud hallooing that brought everyone in the house running to see what was wrong.

Jessie Pursley got to the door first and when she wrenched it open, the Haplins stumbled in, carrying Will’s unconscious and bloody body between them. ‘Dear Lord! Don’t tell me he’s dead!’ she cried as they laid her son’s body on the floor.

Sarah rushed over to kneel by his side with an anguished,
‘Will!’
The figure lay motionless and she couldn’t even tell whether he was breathing.

‘He ent dead,’ said Ted, ‘but he’s bleedin’ like a stuck pig.’

‘Lord ha’ mercy!’ quavered Mary. ‘What happened to’n?’

‘Let me see to him, Sarah!’ Jessie commanded, pushing her daughter-in-law to one side. Like every farmer’s wife, she’d had experience of tending the inevitable accidents. ‘Do as I tell you!’ she said sharply when Sarah didn’t move. The chalky whiteness of Sarah’s face made her afraid for her unborn grandchild as well as for her son, especially when Sarah looked wildly around, as if she could not recognise anyone.

‘I must tend Will’s wound,’ repeated Jessie, ‘And ’twill do him no good if you make yourself ill and lose the baby!’

Hannah stepped forward. ‘She’s right, mistress. Do you come and sit down over here on the settle. We’ll see to the master for you.’

‘No, I must . . ‘

Because Sarah suddenly felt breathless and dizzy, she let the two women lead her to the settle.

Once she was seated, Hannah pushed her head down towards her knees. ‘Don’t try to talk for a minute, mistress, just take deep breaths,’ she ordered, in a firm voice. ‘You’ve had a shock. You must think of the child! Mary, go and fetch some of that brandy for the mistress! Quickly, now!’

Mary clattered off, ignoring Petey, who was whimpering with fright in a corner of the hall.

At Jessie’s command, Ted and Joe moved Will so that he lay on the rug in front of the hall fire, then she bent over him to examine the wound. When she called for more light, Hetty ran to get a candle from the parlour and hold it over her master’s body. The two Haplins moved back and left explanations until the blood that was still trickling from Will’s shoulder had been stanched.

‘Hot water!’ ordered Jessie and Hannah went running.

‘Fetch me some clean cloths, Hetty. One of those sheets that Mary washed yesterday will do!’

‘Ted Haplin, hold this candle for me.’

Mary came back with a jug of brandy and a battered pewter tankard. Hannah took them from her trembling hands and told her to go and help Mistress Pursley.

‘More candles,’ ordered Jessie, holding her rolled-up apron against the wound.

Joe, seeing that everyone else was occupied, poked his head into the nearest room, from whence he fetched and lit some more candles.

‘Build up that fire!’ 

Again, it was Joe who hurried to obey.

‘Bullet’s passed clean through him, the Lord be thanked,’ said Jessie, after a while. ‘Be you all right, Sarah girl?’

‘Yes.’ But Sarah’s voice was faint.

Jessie spared a moment to look at her. Dear Lord, not that too, she thought. ‘Lie down, my lovie!’ she commanded. ‘That’s always the best thing to do if you’ve had a shock. Won’t do Will no good if you lose his son for him.’

‘Is he . . ’

‘He’s all right. Not going to die, but he’s lost a lot of blood. Best if we sent for Doctor Shadderby. I’ve seen him sew people up so they’re as good as new. I do b’lieve that’s what our Will needs now. Ted Haplin!’ Her voice was so sharp that Ted jumped and spilt some wax on the floor.

‘Watch what you’re doing with that candle! Now, did you bring Will’s horse back with you?’ 

‘Ah. ’Twere the mare as found us in the first place. That’s how we knowed somethin’ were wrong. She come gallopin’ along to the gatehouse with no rider, so me an’ Joe caught her an’ run back along the road to see what’d happened to Squire. Found’n fighting with two men. Another one were up on a horse, tryin’ to get a shot at him. They rode off when they seen us, so we couldn’t catch ’em, more’s the pity. But one of ’em turned round and loosed off a shot, bad cess to him! When we saw Squire was hit we reckoned we’d best leave off chasin’ ’em and carry him home.’

‘You did right, but you can talk your head off about it afterwards,’ cut in Jessie. ‘Just now we need someone to go and fetch the doctor from Sawbury. You take Will’s horse, Ted Haplin, and get off as fast as you can. 

He stood gaping at her.

‘Well, go on! What are you waiting for?’

Joe lounged forward. ‘I’ll go, mistress. Ted don’t deal so well with horses.’ He pulled a mocking face at his brother and was out of the door before anyone had time to agree or disagree.

Soon after he had left, Will stirred and began to mutter. Sarah immediately tried to sit up.

‘Lie down, Sarah!’ ordered Jessie, and Hannah pressed her mistress back onto the settle, because her face was still white and her breathing ragged, as if she were holding back sobs. After a moment, she stopped trying to move, but lay watching her husband, her feelings for him showing in her face.

She do love him true, thought Jessie to herself. She’s a nice woman and doesn’t deserve all this trouble. Then her son claimed her attention again.

Will’s eyes flickered open. ‘What happened?’ he muttered thickly. ‘My shoulder - hurts.’

‘Lie still, son,’ said Jessie in a calm, reassuring voice. ‘You been shot, but they only hit your shoulder. No real harm done, but if you move, you’ll start it off a-bleedin’ again.’

‘Oh yes - I remember now.’ He winced as he tried to move his arm. ‘Three men. I thought - thought they wanted my money. Two of them attacked me, pulled me off my horse . . . ’ His voice trailed away, but he didn’t lose consciousness. ‘Sarah?’ he asked, after a moment.

She slipped off the settle and went to kneel at his side. ‘I’m here, Will.’

‘You were right,’ he murmured. ‘Shouldn’t have gone alone.’

He seemed to drift off into unconsciousness again, and after a while, she let Hannah help her back to the settle. Oh, God, she prayed silently over and over, don’t let him die, don’t let my Will die! She gave no thought to herself, but Hannah and Jessie were worried about the effect of the shock on a pregnant woman.

Petey was still whimpering in the corner. ‘Mary, take that son of yours down to the kitchen,’ ordered Jessie, without looking up, ‘or he’ll drive us all mad with that whining! Then you can go round and make sure that all the doors and windows are locked.’ 

Mary gasped and hesitated to go off alone.

‘I’ll go with her,’ said Ted, ‘if the little lass will hold this here candle. I got a sharp knife, Mary. If we find anyone we shouldn’t, I’ll stick it into him quick as a flash. We’ll jest make sure the house is safe, eh? You got any cider in that kitchen o’ yours? Gives a man a thirst, a bit of excitement does.’  

‘Get him some cider, Mary,’ said Jessie. ‘He’s earned it.’ 

Sarah pulled herself together after a while and sent Hannah to brew the women a dish of tea. She went to sit on the floor by Will to allow Jessie to stand up and stretch her legs.

‘Oh, my love, my dear love, what have they done to you?’ she whispered, thinking no one could hear her.

But though his eyes were closed, Will caught what she said. He lay there without moving, savouring the thought that a Bedham could love a common farmer like him, for he had doubted that she could do more than grow fond of him. With a great effort he opened his eyes and whispered. ‘I’ll be all right, Sarah, lass. I’m just a bit tired now.’  

She clasped his hand convulsively and there she stayed while they waited for the doctor.    

It was two full hours after Joe had left before they heard the sound of horses galloping up the dark driveway. Footsteps crunched across the gravel towards the front door and Ted Haplin lounged in again from the kitchen, a loaded gun in his hand, which he had found and appropriated during his tour of the house.

‘Best take no chances,’ he said and motioned Hannah back from the door, before opening it himself, just a crack. Immediately he saw who was there, he lowered the gun and threw the door wide open. ‘It’s the doctor,’ he said unnecessarily. 

‘Good evening, ladies,’ said Dr Shadderby, his manners as polished as ever. His glance lingered for a moment on Sarah, struggling to her feet, then he left her to Hannah and turned his full attention on to Will.

‘We didn’t like to move him,’ said Jessie. ‘He keeps breaking out a-bleedin’. Bullet passed straight through, though.’

‘Mmm.’ The doctor examined the wound with gentle fingers. Seeing that Will had roused again, he said cheerfully, ‘You’re very lucky, sir, very lucky indeed. The bullet just missed a main blood vessel. But it may have glanced off the bone, in fact, yes,’ he ignored the way Will winced beneath his probing, ‘I think it probably did. We shall need to clean out the wound very carefully before I sew it up - we can’t leave any fragments of bone in it or they will putrefy. And then afterwards, we’ll just bleed you a little, to be on the safe side.’

Three voices spoke as one. ‘No!’