Suddenly, to her astonishment the men moved forward and two of them took hold of her reins.
“Who are you?” she asked. “What do you want?”
She tried not to be frightened, but they were effectively holding her prisoner.
“You come with us,” one of them said. “We’ve got something to show you which will teach you that the man you’ve married ain’t what you think him to be.”
“Wait,” she said, “haven’t I seen you before?”
Now she recognised one of the men who had been standing here the first time she had ridden in this direction.
“You may have done,” he replied. “I’ve seen you before and I know who you are. Why did you have to complain about us? We never hurt you.”
“Complain? I never complained.”
“They said you did. Someone came to the village later that day and said we should keep out of her Ladyship’s way, because we’d upset her.”
“But I never said I was upset. Never. You must believe me.”
“Maybe we does and maybe we doesn’t,” he growled.
“Please, let me go.”
But they did not move. There was nothing she could do as two of them were holding on to the reins of her mare, while the other two had placed themselves on either side of her.
They passed through a gap in the hedge and in front of her she saw several small cottages and a number of women and children watching her approach.
One glance at them told Celina they were extremely poorly dressed in clothes which were both dirty and torn. The children were thin and emaciated.
As she came to a standstill, a number of women came out from some very decrepit and unpleasant looking cottages, which had broken windows and roofs which were lacking tiles.
More women and children appeared from the cottages to stare at her. Not only were they dirty but on some of them their clothes were almost falling apart.
These were neglected, destitute people, she realised. They lived with despair.
But what were they doing on the Torrington estate?
Then one of the men holding her horse said, “Now you’ll see how we’re being treated, how the children are being starved to death. Is that what you want – that we should all die?”
Celina stared at him and did not know what to say. He was looking at her with an expression that might almost have been hatred.
“What has happened?” she asked. “Why are you in such a state?”
“She wants to know why we are like this,” the man repeated ironically. “We’re like this because we’ve no money, because no one’s paid us and we’re starving.”
“I don’t understand,” Celina stammered.
“Well you married our Master and you might as well know what he’s like,” the man answered.
“He don’t worry about us,” another man said. “He just stays abroad, enjoying himself.”
Celina drew in her breath.
‘Can this really be true?’ she asked herself.
Then she remembered that he was quite right in saying that Robin was always away.
Because he had spent so much time in France the people on his estate were suffering.
The men were still looking at her in an alarming way, but she knew that she must suppress her fear and do something positive.
The man who had neglected them was her husband and she must put matters right.
She had no idea how to do so, but never in her life had she flinched from responsibility. Now she felt a pang of guilt. She was their only hope and she too had nearly abandoned them.
To give herself time to think, she dismounted and walked to where she could see some women, who had come out from the dirty cottages. They were dreadfully thin and moved slowly, as if movement was an effort.
“Tell me what has happened,” she cried.
Another man, younger than the rest, placed himself before her.
“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked.
“What is your name?” she asked.
“Never mind my name. None of us here have names – not really. We’re just ants to them in the castle.”
“Nonetheless, I would like to know your name. I do not regard you as an ant. Please believe me.”
He did not reply and she thought she understood. He was afraid of repercussions.
“Trust me,” she said. “I only want to help you.”
More silence.
They exchanged glances uncertainly. None of them knew what to think or say.
At last the young man admitted reluctantly, “My name is Egan Janner.”
“Thank you.”
To defuse the tension she turned away and walked towards one of the seats in front of the cottages. She sat down and said, “Now tell me what has happened and why you have no money?”
“Because his Lordship is never here,” Janner replied. “He’s always having fun in France and he only came back to marry you. Perhaps now you’ll tell him what’s been going on.”
“Yes, I will tell him,” Celina promised. “But why have you not been paid for your work, and why have your houses been allowed to fall into such a terrible state of disrepair?”
“I’ll tell yer right enough,” the man replied. “It’s because the Steward drinks away every penny he has, that’s if His Lordship gives him any.”
“The Steward? You mean Stanley Halyard?”
“Aye, that’s him. You know him then?”
“No, I have only seen him from a distance. I didn’t like the look of him.”
This brought a jeering laugh from those around her.
“If you don’t like him, how do you think we feel? We’re at his mercy. He has a free hand here. He does as he likes and us gets nothing.”
“I am sure if his Lordship knew what was happening he would be horrified,” Celina said. “Don’t worry. I will tell him.”
She felt half faint with what she was hearing. How could this have happened on Robin’s estate? It was easy to say that he was away and did not know, but he should have known.
Mr. Halyard was to blame, but Robin was also to blame for allowing him to get away with it.
“Now tell me more,” she said. “I want to be quite certain that I know everything before I talk to my husband.”
“Do you think he’ll listen?” Janner asked.
“He will have to listen,” Celina replied.
Two men, who had been standing back, now came forward. Celina realised they had been biting on pieces of wood.
She remembered reading once that people who were starving often ate wood because it made them think in some odd way that they were having something to eat.
Then one of the men said,
“We did what were asked of us and do you think we were paid? No. Do you know what this means to our women and children?”
“I can see it’s terrible,” Celina said. “And I will make sure that something is done.”
“But will he do anything just because you say so?”
“I am his wife,” Celina answered firmly. “I will make him listen.”
Nobody spoke. They merely looked at each other.
Celina guessed that they doubted her because they did not dare to let their hopes be raised.
“I promise you,” she said, “things are going to change.”
“But will he stay here long enough to change anything?” a woman asked. “You’ll be clever if you keeps him in England when he much prefers being in France.”
“Then I shall have to be very clever,” she said, trying to speak lightly. “I will go back now to speak to his Lordship.”
As she spoke she realised that two of the men were whispering to each other.
Then one of them, who looked more aggressive than the others, said, “You stay with us. If he wants you, he can come and fetch you.”
“But I need to – ”
“You stay with us,” he repeated firmly.
She looked around their faces, all of them sullen and unyielding. They were
desperate and if they were pushed too far, who knew what might happen?
There was no point in arguing. She would just have to remain patient and hope that Robin would come for her urgently.
In the meantime she was a prisoner.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Very well,” Celina agreed, trying to speak calmly, “bring me some writing paper and a pencil, so that I can write to my husband.”
Egan Janner went to fetch what she needed. He returned with a scrap of paper, on which Celina wrote,
‘Dearest Robin,
I am with some of your workers, who have been very badly treated. Please come as quickly as you can. They are good people and need your help.
It is most important that you come by yourself. Do not send your Steward instead or allow him to accompany you.
Your wife,
Celina.’
“I’ll take it,” said Janner. “I can ride your horse.”
She watched as he galloped away on White Fire. Then she turned and found the others looking at her with a combination of aggression and confusion.
For a moment she was afraid. Would Robin do as she wished?
But he must, she told herself. He must.
“Now,” she said, turning back to the women, “while we are waiting, I want to hear everything you have to tell me.”
Suddenly there was a scream from one of the cottages and the next moment a woman came running out, carrying a baby in her arms.
“He’s dead!” she cried. “He’s dead – starved!”
She pushed the baby towards Celina, who took it into her arms, horrified at this discovery. It was tiny and obviously only a few days old. Its eyes were closed, its thin arms fell limply down beside its body and it was cold.
Yet it seemed to her that there was still a touch of life in the minute body. Very gently, while the women stared at her, she opened the little mouth.
Then she breathed gently into it, not once but three times. There was complete silence as they all stood watching her.
Then the baby’s arm moved.
The mother screamed.
“He’s alive! He’s alive!” she exclaimed. “I thought he was dead, but he’s moving.”
“Yes, he is alive,” Celina replied, almost faint with relief. “Now you must keep breathing into his mouth yourself while we find him something to drink.”
The woman gave another cry.
“It’s a miracle. I thought he was dead.”
“But we need milk,” Celina said decisively. “Let someone run to the castle and tell the cook you have come from me and you want some milk. Then hurry back and we will save the child’s life.”
One of the men raced off. Now the women clustered round Celina, telling her their tales of hardship, how their babies had died or were sickly.
“And maybe it’s best for the poor little mites to die,” said one. “What kind of life can we give them?”
It felt like ages that Celina sat there talking, but mostly listening. But there was no sign of her husband and her feeling of disquiet grew.
Where was he? Why did he not come?
At last, to her vast relief, she saw Robin riding quickly through the trees.
Silently she thanked God that he had come at last.
He was not alone. Behind him rode several other men and some of them were armed.
Egan Janner was there with two men from the stables who seemed to be guarding him suspiciously.
Of course! She should have foreseen this. Robin thought that she had been kidnapped and had come prepared to rescue her with violence if necessary.
That must not happen. She had made promises, telling these people that they could trust her and now she must not betray them.
A ripple of apprehension was beginning to run around the group. They too had understood the implications of this little posse.
Celina thought fast. Everything might depend on what happened now.
“Come with me,” she said to the women on either side, “and bring your children. Let the men keep back.”
As she spoke she took a baby from the arms of one of the women and began to advance towards where Robin was bringing his horse to a halt.
The two women followed her. To Celina’s relief the men hung back as though understanding what was in her mind.
Robin had dismounted and was watching her approach with the child in her arms, frowning slightly. From the way he was standing she could see that his every nerve was on edge and he was ready to spring at any moment.
At all costs she must prevent a confrontation. If she seemed scared or upset there might be a disaster.
With a great effort she forced herself to look confident, even to smile, “Thank goodness you have come! I was so afraid you might refuse and you are needed here more desperately than you have ever been wanted anywhere.”
“What do you mean?” he growled. “Of course I came as soon as I received your note. How could you think I would ignore your danger?”
“But I am not in any danger. I am here of my own free will, so please tell your men to keep back and not to flaunt their weapons.”
After staring for a moment Robin nodded and did as she asked.
“Do you give me your word that nobody has hurt you?” he insisted.
“Do I look hurt?” she asked with a well-judged air of surprise. “Of course nobody has harmed me. I am among friends here. As my friends, they have asked for my help and as their friend I have promised to give it to them.”
She raised her voice deliberately so that everyone could hear what she had to say.
After a moment Robin nodded, indicating that he understood.
“But it would have been better if you had come for me yourself,” he said. “You must understand that your note made me fear the worst.”
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Egan Janner grow tense.
“I am sorry if I alarmed you, but I thought my time could be more usefully spent staying and learning about conditions here,” she asserted firmly. “Mr. Janner kindly agreed to take my message.”
She turned to the young man, still trapped between two armed grooms.
“Mr. Janner,” she said, “thank you for fetching my husband. I am very grateful to you for the trouble you have taken.”
At her friendly tone everybody seemed to relax and Janner gave a sigh of relief.
“So what is happening here?” Robin asked her. “I do not understand.”
Quickly and urgently she explained and saw his face darken.
“This is intolerable and you may be sure that I shall put matters right. I had no idea – ” Then he checked himself with a sound of impatience.
“But how did you come to be here in the first place?” he asked Celina.
“At my request,” she said emphatically, “they brought me here to show me how much they are all suffering. Oh, Robin, please do something for them.”
She spoke almost in a whisper, but her words were so intense that Robin put his arm round her shoulders.
“Of course I will. You were quite right to send for me. But why didn’t you want me to bring my Steward?”
“Because this is all his doing,” she cried fiercely. “While you have been in France he has done as he pleased, taken the money for himself and left these people with nothing.”
“Is that what they say?”
“Yes, it is, and I believe them. I know you will have to talk to him, but I wanted you to see the reality before he starts making his excuses. Robin, there can be no excuse for letting people live in this state. I do not care how he tries to explain it. It is unforgivable.”
“I agree, so you can calm down.”
“No, I cannot calm down,” she said passionately. “I will never be calm in the face of such a crime until I can see it put right.”
She faced him.
“I have promised them that things will change,” she said defiantly. “I have given them my word.”
A strange look passed over his face, but
all he said was,
“Have you, my dear?”
Then he moved to where several of them were standing in front of one of the broken-down cottages and said,
“I never expected to see such conditions on my land.”
“There is plenty more to see,” said Janner.
He started to walk away and as Robin followed him, the other men joined in, while Celina returned to the women.
She was still carrying the sick baby in her arms holding it closely against her breast, trying to warm it.
Suddenly, to her relief, she spied the man who had gone to fetch the milk. He was half running, half walking, so as not to spill the contents of a large jug.
“I’ve got it, I’ve got it,” he yelled excitedly.
The women sent up a cry of joy.
She dropped a little of the milk into the baby’s mouth and then a little more. With every drop the baby seemed to revive a little.
At last she handed the baby back to his mother, saying,
“Keep giving him just a little milk, only a little at a time, otherwise he might choke.”
She looked around for Robin, hoping he would return to her soon. At last, after what seemed a long time, he appeared. At once the women crouching near Celina rose to their feet and ran towards him.
He stopped and faced them all. Celina noticed that his face was very pale, as though he had received a bad shock.
“I can only say how sorry I am that you have been treated in this appalling manner,” he announced in a strained voice. “I had no idea and I promise you that your conditions will improve quickly.
“First and most important, you will all be paid what you are owed. Because of what you have been suffering, it will be doubled.”
Everyone stared at Robin, but no one spoke and Celina realised that they were not convinced.
“I will send men to work on your cottages at my expense until they are all restored.”
There was a feeble cheer that almost brought tears to Celina’s eyes.
Several of the women started weeping and sighing,
“Thank you, thank you.”
“And I promise you that this will never happen again,” Robin assured them.
Egan Janner confronted him bravely.
“You say that, my Lord, but how can you be so sure? What happens next time you’re away?”
“I will be here,” Celina chimed in before Robin could reply.
They Sought love Page 10
