Three Round Towers (20 page)

I had some seeds of peony in my bag and asked Sam for some wine. He broke a bottle head from some stacked in the cellar and I was able to get Jeremiah to swallow them washed down with what was probably the most expensive of wines. I hoped they would calm his fears and would achieve some deep sleep that would be restorative.

Amongst my dried herbs, all individually wrapped in a square of paper, I sought some white dead-nettle. I had no flowers but the rest would do well to reduce the inflammation round the wound. I would use this herb when next I changed the bandage if indeed he was still alive.

It was late in the morning when I heard harsh voices above me. My Aunt Tilly appeared and came down the ladder. She was dressed as a man and her stony features gave no indication of feminine care.

‘Well Esther, Sam says you have done well and Jeremiah is on the mend.'

‘There is no certainty of that,' I said. ‘He is quieter but could still succumb to infection inside the body. I have no way of dealing with that – you must just hope and perhaps pray.'

She snorted. ‘We don't place no value on praying girl, we must look to ourselves for all that we do and achieve.'

She sat down beside her son and looking down on him I thought I saw a flicker of love but it was gone when next she fixed me with her cold gaze.

Sam be going to Lewes to fetch little Beth. When Jeremiah is better you can see her back at Southease. You will both settle with us now and be wed to Sam. As his wife you will be part of the family as your mother was before she ran away. See this as retribution for what she did in leaving me to fend for myself with the old man. Her mouth was fixed in a tight line as she studied my reaction to this wicked plan.

My mind barely took this monstrous idea in before I snapped, ‘No! I won't wed Sam and Mrs Jenkins will not give Beth to him.'

She laughed coarsely fixing me with a hard stare. ‘She will, my girl, and we will take a letter written and signed by you to that purpose. You be with us now and will earn your keep with your skills in the kitchen and herbs. You'll be our own medicine woman, there will be much for you to do.'

‘Sam, bring some brandy we will drink to your new woman, soon to be your wife.'

I was to remain in that cellar for five days, I think. Jeremiah took a turn for the worse and I had to try a different healing herb. I did not have an exhaustive supply in my bag but I did have some dried Herb Robert; Such a common little plant but with powerful properties in stemming blood flow and relieving inflammation. What I really wanted was some fresh Common Centaury but none was to be found so I made use of what I had and hoped for the best.

They forced me to write a letter to Mrs Jenkins asking that she give Beth to Sam and saying we would return to Lewes once my cousin was healed. Aunt Tilly watched over me as I wrote, she clearly knew her letters but I am not sure either of her sons did. I knew that I would not be allowed to leave as I told Mrs Jenkins but I hoped that somehow I would escape before the wedding service was conducted. I had tried to resist their demands but my aunt, after slapping me about the face, threatened me with abasement by members of the gang. I didn't doubt for one minute that she would see that through. I looked at Digger with appeal in my eyes but he just shrugged and passed me the quill.

I spent many hours of anguish suffering thoughts of my fate at the hands of these people. I wept and shivered with fear before I calmed myself and thought that I had been in dire straights before now and come through. I had to keep my wits about me and somehow, somewhere I would find a way of escaping. A little voice in my head kept saying that I had only achieved escape before because of others and that there were no others this time round.

Jeremiah and I were together in that dark dismal cavern permanently guarded by the amiable Digger who despite his friendship was no saviour for me. He had pitched his cap in with the gang many years before and there was no other safe future for him. I could look for no help in that quarter. I was glad, however, of his crooked smile and despite his frightening wolfish looks I knew I was safe in his company. It was a small comfort.

Sam had told me with a note of triumph in his voice that he had personally lifted Beth from the arms of Mrs Jenkins and she was now settled in the squalid conditions of the Southease cottage. Mrs Jenkins had taken my note on face value never suspecting that she was assisting in Beth's kidnap.

That was my lowest point. I wept and keened for my poor child as if she were dead.

Eventually, I was satisfied that Jeremiah would survive and recover fully despite some dreadful scarring and a hole the size of a guinea in his thigh. This realisation was a bittersweet moment for me. I had succeeded against the odds in saving his life but in so doing I was edging nearer to my miserable fate.

We were preparing to leave the cellar one still morning. I was carefully walking out of the barn with Jeremiah at my side on a makeshift stretcher when a body of men arrived singly and in pairs: they materialised soundlessly all about us. These were the men who carried the spoils inland and I heard the sounds of tethered donkeys and horses just beyond the clearing waiting patiently for their heavy loads. Loading would take place in the bright light of day because the smugglers were so confident of their hidden barn; travel across Sussex and Kent would be at nightfall. As I waited for a cart to take me and Jeremiah to Southease and Beth I noticed a boy staring at me. I looked back at him and saw that it was one of the Coad boys, the youngest. It all fitted; the mysterious wagons that purported to carry chalk and other goods that arrived at Coad Farm in the early hours of the morning and were hurried into the depths of the barns before we of the household could get nosy.

I moved over towards him, no one stopped me, they knew I was unable to escape.

‘You?' he said.

‘Aye it is me.'

‘What are you doing here?'

‘I have been kidnapped and so has Beth, your sister.'

His close-set eyes registered that strange thought – that he had a sister. His father's crime against Becca had obviously been seen as of the moment and he had not registered that the child who was the outcome was, in fact, his sister. I watched him turn the information over and saw a dawning understanding.

‘Aye, she is your sister and she is in the greatest danger. You must know all there is to know about this family and how they treat women. I am to be forcibly married to Sam and what will then happen to Beth when she grows into womanhood? Will you let that happen to your sister? Never mind what you think about me – she needs protection from this family.'

He looked bewildered, he was never the quickest but he was the gentlest and I often thought he could be different if he was not egged on by his older brothers.

‘You must help me to save her. Please?'

‘What can I do?' he muttered as he raised his hand acknowledging my cousin Sam.

‘You must go to Dr Grieve's house and tell them we are in dire danger and I only have a few days left before I am force-put to Sam. I doubt they will bother with calling the bans but the result will be the same. I will be wed to all intents and purposes and unable to leave. Beth will become their stepdaughter and they will have power over us both. We will never get away and God knows what will happen to her.'

He walked away from me to sort his merchandise. As he went he turned and whispered

‘Is she bonny?'

‘Aye, as bonny as her mother was.'

He was gone and I had no idea if my appeal had fallen on deaf ears.

The cart we were awaiting pulled up at Jeremiah's side and I hurried over to ensure he was lifted carefully. He winced at every movement and I offered him some poppy seed tincture to help dull the pain. He refused but thanked me. I turned away and looked gloomily into the woodland that edged up from the brooks.

Beth was excited beyond belief when I pulled her grubby little self into my arms. Oh, how I had missed her wet kisses and loving cuddles. I held her tightly to my chest and buried my face into her beautiful hair. Aunt Tilly had looked after her but not as I would and I itched to give her the care that only I could give. She had been sleeping in a tiny crib near the man who had forfeited the right to be treated as a decent human being. I snatched her little crib and removed it to one of the side rooms where there were cot like beds presumably used by my cousins. I looked to my aunt and said primly, ‘Beth and I will sleep here together.'

She didn't respond other than shrugging her shoulders. But a little later she came towards me saying, ‘You can make yourself useful and prepare a meal for tonight. You'll find grub in the scullery.'

It was not what I would call a kitchen but needs must so I did what I could with the meagre ingredients and prepared a hearty soup using the remains of a coney which I found in the meat safe. I cooked it long and hard as there were flies eggs and maggots embedded in the carcass. I used some of my precious herbs for flavour. There was some bread that I dipped in warm ale to make it more palatable and softer on the gums.

Jeremiah was made comfortable in one of the outhouses, which had been cleaned for the purpose. There was plenty of room for him and I spent time checking his wound and trying to get him to do some movements so he didn't stiffen up too much. He was a fit young man and had vigour on his side so I expected him to make a full recovery in due course. As I bathed him he grasped my hand and held it to his face. I pulled away: I wanted none of that, not even his thanks.

No one had come seeking him so Aunt Tilly had thought it safe for us to return from the underground cellar. I was soon to learn that there were safe areas all round the property and if anyone came calling Jeremiah could slide through a trap door into another cellar. The church itself was utilised as a hiding place though no one told me how.

Sam returned before twilight and made short work of my food. I had already given some to Jeremiah but left the others to help themselves. Beth and I ate in our little cubbyhole.

I was delighted the next morning to find many herbs growing nearby and as it was a sunny day I did some harvesting. I remembered that my mother had learned her skills from her grandmother and it was only after she died that my ma had fled Southease.

My pleasure did not last long as there was much work to do in cleaning our sleeping area and distributing clean dry grasses to comfort us. Beth pottered around my feet and generally helped. At some point I put her down to sleep before tackling the food area.

I thought often of escape but every time I moved outside the dog accompanied me and barked continuously. I had no chance to run without everyone knowing in an instant. Aunt Tilly kept Beth near her as an inducement to keep me within range.

I had insisted that Sam go into Lewes and buy some fresh food. Jeremiah needed good vegetables and decent meat to build his strength. I also asked him to go to the doctor's house and tell Mrs Jenkins that we were well and hoped to return soon. He refused but I insisted that they would come looking for me if I didn't keep in touch.

Later, I found that he had visited and had behaved oddly enough to arouse Mrs Jenkins' suspicions but for now I felt I had no hope. All I could focus on was Beth, Jeremiah and cleaning. If I had to stay here then I would at least be comfortable and to be comfortable I had to be clean.

Jeremiah improved daily; he worked hard to reinvigorate his muscles. I anointed his scabs with oils to help clean healing. I shaved him and cut his hair. He seemed grateful and became more courteous. I wondered whether if he was shown kindness and generosity he would change his ways but with the old man's blood running through his veins it was unlikely. His was the only smile I received in that Godforsaken place.

Sam, for all his pretty looks, was as cold as his mother though he played with Beth in a boisterous fashion, which she loved. I was always nervous when she was with any of them. I listened shamelessly to his conversations with his mother when they thought I was asleep; he no more wanted to marry me than I him but he accepted his mother's view that I was better in the family than out. She pointed out the advantages – the healing, the cooking, and finally, the bedding. I heard him snort in disagreement and she replied ‘all cats is grey in the night'.

God help me.

Eventually I gleaned knowledge of their plans and it appeared that my day in church would be three days hence. The old priest who would officiate did not ask questions of such a family and just to set the seal the entire gang would be present to witness me becoming a part of the smugglers' troupe.

There were no preparations other than broaching a barrel of best undiluted brandy. My last two days of freedom were spent in the same manner, cooking, cleaning and working with Jeremiah.

I was told on the morning that I was to be wed that day. Little Beth was to be my flower girl and Jeremiah was to give me away: cynical token civility.

I made a pretty garland for Beth but otherwise had no finery or pretty things to adorn myself with. I was instructed to make the bridal bed and was watched by my future mother-in-law – she had a vindictive glint in her eye as I spread the sweet smelling ladies' bedstraw. I had the thought to kill myself, I had the means in my bag, but I couldn't abandon Beth.