‘Why are you so conscientious all of a sudden? You’ve never done extra time before.’
‘Can you two keep the voices down? We’re trying to sleep in here,’ called an angry voice from the buildings round Lawn Court.
‘The batteries are stuffed. I’ve asked Jasper for new ones,’ Steven replied more softly.
‘I still don’t see why you’re doing another stint.’
‘It’s laundry tomorrow. You know what sort of trouble my boys will be in if the machines stop.’
‘What happens if Damian comes snooping around? He was after me again last night.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll take the rap. And I’ll give you a call as I head back.’
‘How long will you be?’
‘It depends on the levels.’
‘Midnight at the latest — any longer and I’m raising the alarm.’
Mark stood at the entrance to the battery racks as Steven hurried into the room.
‘It’s good to see you, Dad,’ Steven said as they embraced.
‘And you, son.’
‘I never thought you’d leave New Zealand.’
‘I need a new coffin.’
‘What? Wait, before you tell me, get back behind the racks. Damian has a habit of creeping about at night. He’s hoping to catch Duncan asleep on watch so he can put a bullet in his head.’
Mark slunk back into the shadows as Steven climbed aboard one of the cycles and began to pedal. ‘I might as well put a bit of power in while we talk, just in case Damian heads this way. I can’t be long, Dad.’
‘I know, I heard you talking to Duncan. How’s Allison?’ He knew from the time it took Steven to answer his question that she was dead.
‘I’m afraid she died in childbirth, when we arrived at Haver, Dad. I’m very sorry.’ Steven could hear his father choking back the tears. ‘You have a lovely son.’ Mark was silent, trying to take it all in. ‘I’m afraid I’ve more bad news,’ Steven continued. ‘Your brother Paul’s dead too.’
‘He’s not.’
‘He was ill. Jasper turfed him out into the park. He crawled into the bracken and died. They haven’t even let us search for his body.’
‘There is no body. He’s alive. Fergus and I found him. He’s had a stroke and he’s at Seal with the rest of us. Look Steven, given we’ve only got half an hour, the key requirement is to decide how we’re going to get you and your family out of here. Our news can wait till later.’
‘We can’t simply escape, Dad. We have to overthrow the Chatfields. If my family leave without Cheryl and Bridget, the Chatfields will wipe out them and their children. If we take them with us, they’ll massacre others. And there’s no way we can get everyone away without risking a bloodbath.’
‘If it’s possible to overthrow the Chatfields, why haven’t you done it already?’
‘I’ve got a plan, but it needs bodies. Everyone in Haver’s scared stiff and anyway, I’m not sure who I can trust and who I can’t. The only person I’m really sure of is Luke, but with me stuck in here seven days a week from six in the morning till eleven at night and him on call as Jasper’s manservant I hardly get to talk to him.’
‘Tell me about your plan.’
Steven quickly outlined his plan and together they modified it. They exchanged snippets of information along the way, but there was no time for either of them to tell the full story of what had happened in the period since they had last been together. Mark had deliberately not told Steven the most exciting news of all — that his sister Jane had survived the tsunami. He wanted that to be a surprise.
The clock chimed midnight. ‘I must get back, Dad,’ Steven said firmly.
‘How’s Penny?’
‘She’s fine.’ Steven’s voice lacked conviction.
‘She’ll be wondering why you’ve been so long.’
‘She doesn’t know I’m here. She was asleep. She’s always asleep when I finish my shift these days. We’ve had another child and she’s pretty tired.’
‘Maybe,’ Mark suggested, ‘it would be sensible to keep my presence and our plans secret from everyone except Luke. Even Penny could let something slip accidentally.’
‘Maybe you’re right.’ Steven sighed as he climbed off the cycle and walked over to the racks. They embraced again. ‘I’m so sorry about Allison.’
‘What’s my son’s name?’
‘Nigel.’
‘You’re joking.’
‘Dad, it’s a long story.’
‘But of all names!’
Steven was smiling. ‘You’ll understand on Sunday.’
They hugged again. ‘Till Sunday, then. Take care, son.’
‘And you, Dad.’
‘And don’t forget to get word to Luke that it’ll be there waiting for him on Friday night,’ Mark added as Steven slipped out of the room.
A few seconds later Mark heard Steven call up softly to the West Tower, ‘Hey, wake up Duncan.’
‘Cheeky bugger,’ was the muffled reply.
‘All quiet in the park then?’
‘Of course it is. It always is. About time Jasper agreed to end this stupid sentry duty and let me get a decent night’s sleep. No way is your father ever coming back now. The only person I have to keep an eye open for is you know who.’
‘You can relax then. No sign of any action down here.’
‘You know I daren’t relax, Steven. Goodnight.’
‘Goodnight.’
Mark waited a few more minutes before slipping out of the Punishment Room and making his way around Flag Court, keeping in the shadows. Upon entering the Great Hall, he diverted up the wooden stairs into the Minstrel Gallery. As Steven had suggested there was a machine gun on a tripod behind the lattice screen. The barrel was pointing towards the refectory table, a full belt of ammunition leading up to the gun from a tin box sitting beside it.
He retraced his steps down to the Great Hall and through the accommodation beneath the King’s Room. He was relieved to find the door leading out to the garden still ajar and, squeezing through the gap, he dashed to the safety of the shadows beneath the trees lining the lawn. He waited beside the stone pillars for a large cloud to obscure the moon, and made it safely over the locked gates to the open ground beyond.
‘Are we glad to see you,’ Fergus whispered when Mark reached the shelter of the bracken. ‘Why didn’t you come out last night?’
‘You had us worried sick.’ It was Jane’s voice.
‘I couldn’t stop her coming,’ Fergus explained. ‘Rick wanted to come too, to lead an assault party to rescue you.’
‘Typical,’ Mark whispered irritably. ‘Two rifles, three rounds of ammunition and an empty assault rifle against a Chatfield clan armed to their teeth with pistols, rifles and machine guns.’ He hugged Jane. ‘Your brother’s safe. I’ve spoken to him.’
‘And Allison?’
It took him a few moments to force the words out. ‘She died in childbirth.’ There was a great sadness in his voice. ‘I have a son,’ he added quickly.
‘What are you going to call him — Fergus?’ Fergus joked.
‘He’s already got a name,’ Mark whispered. ‘Nigel.’
‘Nigel! Why Nigel?’
‘Search me. We’ll find out on Sunday.’
‘Sunday? What’s happening on Sunday?’
‘Let’s get back to Seal. I’ll tell you then. We’ve got plans to make.’
36
Steven was worried. He’d given Luke instructions on Thursday morning, but he hadn’t managed to talk to him since so had no idea whether the young man had been able to carry out his assignment. Luke’s part in the plan was crucial.
As usual Steven and the boys were the last to arrive at the Great Hall for breakfast. He’d let the boys beat him to the door, as he often did — but not by very much. He’d checked that Duncan was on sentry duty on the West Tower as was normal on a Sunday.
Sunday was when Jasper announced the schedules for the coming week and issued his proclamat
ions. It was the time that there was most likely to be trouble from the peasants, which was why, on Sundays, Greg sat hidden behind the latticework in the Minstrel Gallery, manning the machine gun. Twice in the past few months there had been demonstrations when Jasper had made unpopular proclamations. On one occasion, Greg had fired a warning burst. The bullets were still embedded in the plasterwork above the great fireplace.
Steven glanced up at the Minstrel Gallery. Sometimes Greg would be lolling over the balustrade, but there was no sign of him today. He continued to worry. What if Luke had failed to execute his part of the plan?
He took his seat at the refectory table opposite Penny. She looked terrible. Her face was drawn and white, and her eyes were lowered as if she was frightened to look at him.
No one was allowed to speak until Jasper and his party arrived. He reached across and took her hand. She looked up momentarily. There were tears in her eyes.
He looked at Bridget. Her face was strained as well.
The door behind the dais opened and Luke walked in, dressed in his butler’s tails and waistcoat. ‘Be upstanding for His Lordship,’ he commanded. Jasper, in a smart business suit, strutted through the door with his entourage: Damian looking dapper in light blue jeans, a white silk shirt and wide red braces, and Virginia, Beatrice and Amy all resplendent in designer dresses.
Jasper walked to his throne. ‘Sit,’ he commanded the peasants.
There was confusion at the top table. Steven noticed the extra chair on the dais and his heart sank. Something had changed; where there were normally five chairs, now there were six. His plan relied on the Chatfields following their usual routine. Did the extra chair mean Greg would be sitting at the top table too?
The lectern Jasper used for his address was missing too. His sense of alarm intensified. Then he tried to reassure himself. Sometimes if Jasper had little to say, he would dispense with the lectern and simply address the hall from his throne. But Greg had not appeared. Who was the extra chair for?
Virginia and her daughters seemed to be as confused as Steven. Only Damian seemed assured. He moved one place over, leaving the seat to Jasper’s left empty. Beatrice and Amy took their usual places at opposite ends of the table. Jasper patted the seat on his right, indicating Virginia was to sit there.
‘What’s going on?’ Steven whispered to Bridget who said nothing. He looked at Penny, who was cradling Christopher. She was close to tears. ‘Penny, what’s the matter?’ She just shook her head. ‘Please tell me what’s wrong,’ he pleaded.
‘Leave her,’ Bridget said gently. ‘You’ll find out soon enough.’
‘Find out what?’
‘Just let her be,’ Bridget implored.
Steven noticed the other members of his uncle’s family were staring at him too. Even Cheryl, sitting at the other end of the refectory table playing nanny to Prince Nigel and the other royal children, seemed to be gawking at him. Or was it just his imagination?
He realised this was not the time to confront Penny. She was in no state to handle his questions. He looked up anxiously at the Minstrel Gallery again. There was still no sign of Greg. He felt everything was unravelling.
He turned towards the dais hoping to attract Luke’s attention, but Luke was busy serving breakfast to Jasper and his family. He saw a huge domed silver serving dish on the dresser at the back of the hall and wondered what special treat the Chatfields would be enjoying today. The dish was large enough to hold a swan. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d had a royal bird for breakfast. At least the sixth chair was still vacant. Greg had not appeared.
The hall seemed a little quieter than usual, but the mood was always subdued at Sunday breakfast as the peasants waited and wondered what orders Jasper would bark out during his end-of-breakfast address. The question uppermost on everyone’s mind was, ‘Will next week be as miserable and hard as the past week has been?’
Steven picked at his breakfast in silence. He didn’t feel hungry. He looked across at Lee and David sitting beside Penny, concern for their mother clear on their faces. They appeared to be as much in the dark as he was.
Penny wasn’t eating either — she was cuddling baby Christopher close as if she was frightened to let him go. He wondered if she was pregnant again. They had not made love for weeks. Was the fact she was pregnant the reason she always claimed to be too tired? But her being pregnant had never stopped them before. Was she ill? Unanswered questions swirled in his head.
His thoughts were shattered by the rat-tat-tatting of a gavel. ‘Pray silence for His Lordship, Lord Jasper of Haver,’ Luke’s voice boomed.
Jasper stood up and glowered down at the hall. ‘Duties for the coming week,’ he announced, ‘will be the same as last week.’
There were either sighs or groans from those sitting at the refectory table. Steven relaxed a little; at least that explained why there was no lectern today.
‘Bring me Prince Nigel,’ Jasper continued, beckoning to Cheryl. She scrambled to her feet, lifted the baby from his highchair and hurried up to the dais, where Jasper took the baby from her and waved her away. He looked down on his son, dressed in a richly embroidered suit, and smiled. He was the image of a doting, proud father. With the exception of Cheryl, those at the refectory table were surprised by his tenderness. They had never seen him display so much affection before.
Cheryl was not surprised because he had often seen Jasper playing with Nigel in the nursery. There was a crack in the wall of her adjoining bedroom. Jasper would creep into the nursery when he thought there was no one about and stare down at Prince Nigel and talk to him. He would tell his son how, when he grew up, he would reign at Haver. He would tell the prince many other things too. He would complain that Virginia was barren and that Beatrice and Amy had both produced him daughters yet again. And he would promise the prince a brother. In return Prince Nigel would lie on his back chuckling, giggling, kicking his feet in the air and saying ‘Dada’.
Eventually Jasper looked up. ‘Prince Nigel,’ he announced, ‘needs a brother. Unfortunately, Lady Virginia has been unable to provide me with another son.’
A look of thunder spread across Virginia’s face. Jasper looked at Beatrice and Amy, opened his mouth to speak to them but appeared to change his mind.
‘Lady Virginia and I,’ he continued, ‘have therefore decided that I will take a second wife.’
It was clear from the look on Virginia’s face that she had agreed to no such thing. It was equally apparent that her daughters knew nothing of the idea either. The gasps that came from the refectory table confirmed that Jasper’s plans were a well-kept secret.
‘My second wife has already produced three sons, and she will now produce a son for me. Come up here, Penny.’
Penny burst into tears. Steven was dumbfounded. He tried to stand but his knees felt weak. He couldn’t have stood up anyway; Bridget and Susan were standing behind him, pressing down on his shoulders.
Then suddenly, above the tears and babble of agitated voices, came a strange sound: one which had never been heard in Haver before.
37
Steven was one of the few in the Great Hall who recognised both the voice and the wailing chant that echoed off the high ceiling.
E pari rā e ngā tai
ki te ākau.
E hotu rā ko taku manawa.
Aue! Me tangi noa
Ahau i muri nei
Te iwi e
He ngākau tangi noa …
The tall figure of Nicole emerged from behind the latticework of the Minstrel Gallery. Penny stopped crying and looked incredulously at Steven.
‘What’s going on?’ she hissed.
‘Who the hell are you?’ Jasper yelled. Everyone else on the top table was equally dumbfounded. They sat with their mouths wide open.
‘Stop that noise!’ Jasper bawled.
The chant continued and a second wailing voice joined in.
Tē nā rā! Tahuri mai!
E te tau! te aroha.
T
ē nei rā ahau te tangi nei.
Mōhou kuā wehea nei.
Haere rā! mahara mai.
E te tau! kia mau ki au.
Haere rā! ka tūturu ahau.
Haere Rā!…
It was Steven’s turn to be dumbfounded as his sister Jane appeared from behind the latticework. Emotion got the better of him and he began to sob uncontrollably.
‘Stop that noise!’ Jasper roared again, pointing up to the gallery. ‘Greg, where are you?’
But still the chanting continued.
Jasper thrust Prince Nigel towards Virginia, but she refused to take the child so he dumped the baby in Damian’s lap instead. As Jasper and everyone else turned their attention back to the Minstrel Gallery, Luke collected the silver serving dish and put it on the top table. Jasper took his pistol from its holster and pointed it towards Nicole. ‘Stop now or else!’ he yelled at the top of his voice.
Concerned faces glanced alternately up to the Minstrel Gallery and back at Jasper. Still the chanting continued. Jasper took aim at Nicole and pulled the trigger. There was a click. He pulled the trigger again and again. Each time there was another click.
Damian thrust Prince Nigel into Beatrice’s arms and pulled his own pistol from its holster, as Luke lifted the silver dome from the serving dish and grabbed what had been hidden there. Rick’s assault rifle pressed into Damian’s temple.
The chanting ceased.
‘Put your pistol on the table,’ Luke said. ‘Now!’
The terrified Damian did as he was told, and Luke picked up the pistol up and backed away.
Duncan walked into the room. Jasper instinctively opened his mouth, intent on castigating him for leaving his sentry position, then apparently realised he was powerless, and slumped down onto his throne.
To the sound of many feet clattering down the wooden staircase from the Minstrel Gallery, Cheryl hurried up to the dais and took baby Nigel from Beatrice. Luke, meanwhile, dragged the silver serving dish to the corner of the table, laid the assault rifle on the dish and covered it again with the silver dome.
Blood Roots: Are the roots strong enough to save the pandemic survivors? Page 23
