Roger nodded. ‘Perhaps with Jane and Anne adjudicating?’ he suggested. The two women registered their agreement.
‘After the vote,’ Mark continued, ‘we’ll have a general discussion about the future of Haver, and people can put forward suggestions and ideas for the committee to consider.’ He looked at his watch. ‘We’ll reconvene at three o’clock.’
Roger rose to his feet. ‘The result of the vote,’ he began. ‘Chairman — by a substantial majority — Mark.’ There was a round of applause. ‘The other two members elected to the committee are Duncan and Theresa.’ Mark was pleased Theresa had been elected; she had good organising skills. He wasn’t so sure about Duncan.
‘Thank you for your vote of confidence,’ Mark said. ‘I wish it to be known now that I will not be standing for office in three months’ time.’
‘But surely you shouldn’t be making that decision now,’ Anne challenged.
Mark shook his head. ‘I want to feel free to put forward suggestions and make unpopular decisions now without there being any political considerations.’
‘Suggestions such as what?’ Rick challenged. Mark was annoyed and his face showed it. He did want to put forward a radical idea, but he would rather have had time to lead into it. Rick had put him on the spot.
‘As I look around the Great Hall, it is clear to me that we have entered a new phase. There are twenty-eight of us seated at this table, and twenty-five children and babies playing outside. It is also obvious — looking around the table — that Roger is going to have his hands full delivering babies over the next few months. The Chatfield family has successfully survived the pandemic. Our future is assured.’
‘Unless,’ Jennifer interrupted, ‘another Nigel comes along.’
‘Or Jasper escapes,’ Duncan added. ‘Which begs the question, why are we taking any chances with the Chatfield boys? Luke solved the problem of Damian. Let’s deal to the other two.’
Agreement with Duncan’s proposal echoed around the room.
Mark took control again. ‘I’ll come back to the Chatfield boys shortly. But there’s an obvious way to eliminate the threat, to a large extent at least, of any another dictator taking over the community.’
‘So what’s your big idea?’ Rick snorted.
‘I think the time has come,’ Mark said, looking up and down the length of the table, ‘to consider leaving Haver.’
‘Leave Haver!’
The words seemed to escape from everyone’s lips in a collective sigh.
Mark could not help but see the irony of the situation. The threat of starvation had forced his relatives to move to Haver, where Nigel had enslaved and terrorised them. Following Nigel’s overthrow they had been ruled by Diana who, despite the introduction of some freedoms, had become dictatorial and autocratic. Finally, for the past twenty-six months they had been terrorised by Jasper and his brothers and lorded over by Virginia and her daughters. Haver had brought them nothing but misery. They had been prisoners. Now they were reluctant to leave. They had, like prisoners everywhere, become institutionalised.
‘I think the time has come,’ he said again, ‘to consider moving from Haver, to settle in Sevenoaks and the surrounding villages.’
‘What’s the advantage of that?’ Rick disputed. ‘This place looks just swell from what I’ve seen, particularly the staterooms.’
‘The staterooms belong to the English,’ Duncan said quickly. ‘We’ve been the ones looking after them for the last few years.’
‘The Morgans have been the ones looking after them,’ Theresa corrected.
‘I believe,’ Mark continued, intent on bringing the discussion back on track, ‘that Haver served us well immediately after the pandemic. The fact it had medieval water, sewerage and kitchen systems and was able to function without electricity made it a sensible place to live. But we’ve passed survival mode now.
‘I’m simply suggesting that those who want to consider moving away from Haver and perhaps adopting a village rather than a feudal lifestyle, should have the choice.’
‘But as you say, Haver has water and sewerage systems,’ Jennifer pointed out. ‘None of those services are functioning in Sevenoaks or the villages.’
Steven decided to speak up. ‘We didn’t have the advantages offered by Haver at Gulf Harbour, but it wasn’t too difficult to install septic tank systems and collect rainwater from the roofs of our houses. And if you were using rainwater rather than water from the reservoir it would be pure and you wouldn’t need to brew beer.’
‘Is water rather than beer supposed to be an advantage?’ Duncan quipped.
‘Well at least we won’t have any trouble collecting rainwater!’ Susan joked.
‘What I don’t understand,’ Rick contested, ‘is you’ve got a perfectly good set-up here at Haver. Why break up the community?’
‘I know it’s a big house, but even so we’re all living cheek by jowl. I don’t think humans are meant to live crammed together.’
Rick contradicted him. ‘That’s the natural progression of things. People migrated from the countryside to villages, from villages to towns, and from towns to cities.’
‘And where were all the problems, pre-pandemic?’ Mark demanded. ‘Where were the murders, where were the drug problems, where was social unrest and crime at its worst?’ He answered his own question. ‘In the cities, where people were crammed together.
‘Anyway, this is not a decision for today. It’s something to think about over the next few weeks. Leaving Haver would be an option for those wishing to consider it.’
‘It would certainly be difficult for anyone to grab control in the way Jasper did if we spread out,’ Fergus said.
Mark was pleased with Fergus’s observation. The debate had started. He wasn’t so pleased with the next question.
‘So what about Jasper and Greg?’ Susan asked.
Paul struggled to speak, and became agitated when he failed. Cheryl listened carefully to her father’s slurred words and interpreted. ‘Dad says we should execute them and get it out of the way.’
There was a round of ‘Hear, hear.’
‘I don’t think we need to make a decision on the Chatfield bothers today,’ Mark said.
‘Why not?’ Duncan demanded.
‘We need their legs. Unless anyone else is volunteering for treadmill duty?’
‘Sounds from what I’ve heard they should be executed right away,’ Rick championed.
There was another chorus of ‘Hear, hear’. Mark felt himself being backed into a corner. ‘We need them until we can rig up some other means of power generation. I would like to suggest we delay any decisions about the Chatfield brothers for a further month.’
‘You’re just procrastinating. Execute them now,’ Rick challenged.
Mark rounded on him angrily. ‘This is not your fight. You were not a person wronged by either Jasper or Greg. Have you ever witnessed an execution?’ Rick did not reply. ‘Well, the people here have. You might think it’ll be an interesting spectacle but I’m sure that those here who have seen an execution don’t. It’s a terrible thing, irrespective of who is being executed. So I am saying that the committee should have the chance to discuss the matter and come up with a plan of action. I’d like a show of hands: if anyone here wants to witness Greg and Jasper’s execution now, and is also prepared to swing the axe, put up your hand.’
Not a single hand was raised.
‘Meeting closed,’ Mark said.
The passion of his words and the abruptness with which he closed the meeting surprised them all. It also surprised him. He continued more gently. ‘The committee will now meet and draw up temporary work schedules. In the meantime, you all know what needs to be done to keep this place running, so please do what you feel is necessary for the good of the community.’
‘And if anyone needs a doctor,’ Roger said, rising to his feet, ‘my surgery will be open at the old Haver Trust Coffee Shop in ten minutes’ time.’
Once again M
ark welcomed Roger’s contribution. Why couldn’t Rick be more like him?
Duncan and Theresa joined Mark at the end of the refectory table. Mark noticed the excited babble of conversation as small groups wandered away. There was talk about visiting Sevenoaks for a look around.
‘I must see the Doctor about my knees,’ Susan was saying to Cheryl as she passed by.
Louise, Anne and Julie came up. ‘What can we do to help?’ Anne asked. Mark looked at Duncan and Theresa.
‘I’m sure Cheryl could do with some help in the garden, what with Paul being ill,’ Duncan replied.
‘And Susan could certainly do with some help in the kitchen,’ Theresa added. ‘With me tied up here she’ll be hard pressed planning lunch and dinner. Maybe you can come up with some nice American food.’
The women moved off, discussing amongst themselves where each would help out.
‘They seem nice,’ Theresa said, looking at Mark, ‘and the doctor.’
‘More than can be said for that Rick,’ Duncan grumbled. ‘One thing I do know,’ he continued in a loud voice as Rick disappeared beneath the oak screen, ‘the Americans aren’t getting the staterooms. It’s just like pre-pandemic days, bloody foreigners flooding into Britain snaffling the best houses and best jobs.’
‘We’re going to have to do something about the Chatfields, Mark,’ Theresa said, bringing the meeting back on track. ‘There are a lot of angry people here. I can understand that maybe you want to let things cool down a bit, but we have to face the issue.’
‘They’ve already been condemned to death,’ Duncan said. ‘It’s not as if there’s any decision to be made.’
‘The death sentence was commuted by Diana as I understand it,’ Mark corrected him. ‘Legally …’
‘Legally! What’s legally got to do with it? Legal is what we decide is legal.’
Mark looked at Theresa. Her mother had been a barrister, so she was a little more circumspect towards the law than Duncan. ‘It seems to me that going forward we need the rule of law, otherwise things will slide into chaos. We need to adopt a form of law that meets our new requirements.’
‘We’ve got law. We’ve got English law,’ Duncan pointed out.
‘It’s too complex. We need something simple, a basic statement of people’s rights and a simple set of laws.’
‘Like the American Bill of Rights,’ Theresa said.
‘Yes … something like that. I think we should draw up a document over the next three months so the community can vote on it when we elect the new committee.’
‘Sounds fair enough to me,’ Theresa agreed, ‘but we can’t wait three months to deal with Greg and Jasper.’
‘I’m with Theresa,’ Duncan said firmly. ‘If you don’t resolve the matter now, someone will take the law into their own hands. Steven well might, when he finds out the full extent of what Jasper’s been up to with Penny.’
‘I agree we have to do something,’ Mark said. ‘Let’s have a trial.’
Duncan threw up his hands. ‘We’ve already had one. They were found guilty.’
‘From what I’ve heard, it wasn’t a fair trial. They didn’t have defence counsel, for example.’
‘They didn’t need it. They were guilty. Anyway, they were asked if they had anything to say in their own defence — they didn’t. They were found guilty and sentenced to death.’
‘A sentence which, I’ve already pointed out, Diana subsequently commuted to life imprisonment with hard labour.’
‘And a fat lot of good it did her. They executed her! Even if your argument about Diana having commuted their previous sentences is valid, they need to be held to account for Diana’s murder.’
‘I agree. We’ll have another trial.’
The angry look on Duncan’s face suggested he felt he had been tricked. ‘If you say their previous trial was unfair then it cuts both ways. They should be tried for their original crimes again too. I want all their crimes re-tried: the murders, and the rapes — the whole lot.’
‘Fair enough. But we’ll do it properly — judge, prosecution, defence and jury. Do you agree?’
Duncan shrugged his shoulders. ‘That’s OK with me — it won’t make any difference to the outcome.’
Mark turned to Theresa. ‘Would you be prepared to act as judge, just to keep proceedings on an even keel?’
Theresa hesitated. ‘Well … I’ve attended enough of my mother’s trials, and listened to enough legal talk around the dinner table … and I did spend a year at law school before the pandemic broke out … But I wouldn’t want the responsibility of passing the death sentence … I don’t think I could handle that.’
‘Assuming they were found guilty.’
‘Assuming!’ Duncan exclaimed. ‘They’re as guilty as sin and everyone knows it.’
‘Assuming they were found guilty,’ Mark repeated, ‘the jury could make the decision on the nature of the sentence.’
Theresa nodded.
‘There’s only one problem with your daft idea,’ Duncan huffed. ‘You could find a dozen prosecutors, but you won’t find a single person prepared to act as defence counsel.’
‘I will.’
‘Who?’
‘I said, I will. I’ll defend them myself. If the Chatfield boys will have me.’
‘What! You’re crazy. You don’t stand a chance. And you’re asking for trouble. No one will forgive you if you try to defend their actions — least of all Steven.’
‘I tell you what,’ Mark said, jabbing his finger at Duncan. ‘You find the prosecutor and I’ll run the gauntlet of the unpopularity stakes.’
‘Fair enough,’ Duncan agreed, holding out his hand. ‘Better you than me. You always were an obstinate bugger, even as a kid.’
Mark took Duncan’s hand and shook it. ‘Right, now that’s out of the way, how do we get this place really humming? How can we improve everyone’s lives?’
40
Jasper and Greg’s trial was set down for the third Saturday in May. The charges had been agreed and posted up on the noticeboard in the entranceway to the Great Hall. A copy had also been handed to Greg and Jasper.
The lists were daunting. Greg was charged with the murders of Cameron Steed and Diana Morgan, and with being an accessory to the murders of Margaret Dalton and Mathew Grey. He was also charged with four counts of rape.
Jasper’s indictment was even longer. He was charged with the murders of Warren Dalton and Diana Morgan and with being an accessory to the murders of Margaret Dalton and Mathew Grey. Ten counts of rape were also listed. His last-named victim was Penny.
‘It doesn’t look good, does it?’ Jasper said, looking Mark squarely in the eye. All three were sitting on wooden crates in the Punishment Room. Jasper had been surprised when his unarmed uncle had allowed himself to be locked in the room with him and Greg, and then asked his escorts Duncan and Steven to leave.
‘No, it doesn’t.’
‘Do you feel safe, locked in here with triple murderers?’
‘What do you have to gain by harming me?’
‘Well, we’ve got nothing to lose by killing you.’ Greg replied, shrugging his shoulders. ‘Judging by these charges, they’re going to execute us anyway.’
‘Even if that is the case, do you have anything to gain by killing me?’
Greg shrugged again. ‘We should kill you. You were responsible for Miles’s death — whether you shot him yourself or not.’
‘Your brother was shot because he, like you, was trying to prevent our escape. And we were escaping because your brother Damian had done something, or was planning to do something — and I still don’t know precisely what — to my son. And I have no doubt that your father, in a fit of rage, murdered my Aunt Margaret in revenge. In other words, cause and effect — a whole string of cause-and-effect scenarios.’
‘Why are you here?’ Jasper asked.
‘I’m offering to defend you against these charges.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I w
ant to try to save your lives.’
Jasper was staring down at the list. ‘Why would you want to do that?’
‘My paramount reason is that I feel that by killing you we would lose your genes, together with whatever other contribution you could one day make to the future of this community. Much as I hate what you have done,’ he continued, jabbing his finger at the list of charges, ‘including raping my daughter-in-law and every one of my female cousins …’ He was so angry that he was struggling to get the words out, ‘… you showed just a glimmer of decency by protecting Lee, Ruben and Harry from Damian. And despite your threat to Penny, I don’t believe you would have handed any of them over to him. For that reason, I’d like to try to save your lives.’
Jasper’s voice had lost its former arrogance. ‘Diana commuted our death sentences to life with hard labour. I’m not sure I could face life imprisonment, hard labour or no hard labour. I’m only forty-one.’ He shook his head. ‘Thirty or forty years locked up in a place like this? I don’t think so. I’d go mad.’
‘I can’t make you any promises,’ Mark said quietly. ‘Locking you up indefinitely doesn’t make sense to me either. What we have to do — what you have to do — is come up with some way you can repay the community for the harm you’ve done.’
‘You’re no lawyer,’ Greg sneered. ‘What makes you think you can defend us? We’d be better off defending ourselves.’
Mark shook his head. ‘Greg, you’re a fool. The prosecutor won’t be a lawyer either. What you’re faced with here is mob rule. You’ve done your relatives so much harm that the minute you open your mouth to defend yourself, they’ll be baying for your blood. You need someone to plead your case. And to be blunt, I’m the only person at Haver daft enough to take on your defence.’
‘I’d like you to represent me — both of us,’ Jasper said. He held out his hand. Mark refused to take it.
‘I want to defend you for my own selfish reasons, but I can’t forgive you. Not until you’ve accepted what you’ve done is wrong and I believe you’re truly sorry.’
Blood Roots: Are the roots strong enough to save the pandemic survivors? Page 25
