Brothers at Arms

by Brothers at Arms (epub)

  The following evening, he found two fruit-laden biscuits on the clothes chest by his bed, and guessed who had placed them there. Now he would have to pretend to the housekeeper he was to blame for raiding the stores.

  Charlie came through the door, with similar biscuits in his hand.

  “Did Sophie leave some for you as well? I’ve told her that she’s not to go near the stillroom again.”

  Every day Joshua showed them something new. He went from the lower level of the nursery wing of the Hall, to the classroom on the top floor where he did his lessons. There was nobody there, because his father decreed studies should cease while Charlie and Sophie settled into their new home.

  Assuming the girls would want to be friends, Joshua asked Lucy and Julia to join them when they took a walk in the gardens, but Sophie scowled at them and remained resolutely by her brother’s side. Undeterred, he tried again, but each day was the same, until he realised that Sophie was not like other girls.

  They were always neat and tidy, but despite having a bath and her hair washed, she persisted in wearing the black clothes in which she had travelled from Ireland – and the same scuffed boots. The only difference being her black hair was now in a thick braid that reached halfway down her back. That was all she would allow the maid to do to it.

  For the first week they contrived to keep out of Matthew’s way by taking long walks across the parkland; but as time went on, Joshua knew the chances of that continuing grew slimmer. He knew something would have to be done, but could not imagine what it might be. Then things came to a head.

  It was halfway through the second week, as they slipped through the stable yard, that Joshua heard Matthew’s bragging voice. He stopped, not wanting to be caught in the open, yet knew they should go on.

  “I want a decent horse today, Shelwick. Not one of the dozy hacks you gave me last time my friends came. I’ll take Thunderer, so you’d better have it saddled ready for when my friends come in half an hour.”

  There was a burst of laughter from the stable lads, before Shelwick spoke.

  “That you won’t, young sir. He is the master’s horse, and it would take more ability than you have in the saddle to ride him.”

  “Do as I say, or my mother will dismiss you,” Matthew Norbery screamed.

  “No,” said the head groom. “I won’t do that, for if you fell off and broke your neck, she’d blame me for that. You will take whichever horse I think you are capable of riding. It’s Squire Norbery’s orders.”

  “When I’m Squire Norbery,” he boasted, “you’ll sing a different tune – and my brat of a brother as well, if he’s still here by then.”

  “By that time, I’ll be too old to care what happens to you.”

  Listening horrified outside the stable door, Joshua heard the familiar sound of clicking heels, and tried to slip out of sight, but was too late. As the door opened, he came face to face with his brother. Matthew Norbery gobbled with rage, and Charlie leapt into action.

  “Come on, Josh, time to make ourselves scarce.” He grabbed Joshua’s arm as they hurtled through the stone archway into the park, with Sophie in tow.

  Joshua dashed out across the park towards his favourite oak tree. He hesitated only a minute, debating whether it would hide them, but realised there was not enough leaf cover, and now wasn’t the time to give lessons in climbing trees. He thought about the island on the lake, but could not be sure the boat was on the near side.

  Deciding against it, he set off again, knowing that if they could reach Aunt Jane’s cottage, they would be safe. Jessie was sure to be there, and she would find them some food. Returning home was a problem they would deal with later.

  Whatever he did, Joshua knew there would be risks. It was too late to wish he had kept walking through the stable yard, but he knew that Matthew would want to humiliate him in front of his friends. It was what he always did, and would use this as a way of frightening Sophie.

  “Where do we go now, Josh?”

  “I’m trying to decide on somewhere he won’t find us,” he said.

  “Don’t be silly, Josh; he won’t come after us.”

  Oh yes he will – and bring his friends.

  “Well, if he does,” said Charlie, hunting around for a stout stick to use as a weapon. “We’ll be ready for him, won’t we, Sophie?”

  She nodded agreement, and picked up another stick. Joshua found another one, but it broke the first time he slapped it against his boot, leaving him to carry two halves.

  “So where do we go?” Charlie repeated.

  “The farm is in that direction,” Joshua pointed, then turned around. “Aunt Jane’s cottage is over there, or we could go to the river.”

  “What time is it?” said Charlie, glancing up at the sky. “We don’t want to go too far away from food, so I think it should be Aunt Jane’s cottage.”

  That was only half a mile away, but it meant crossing open parkland. Still they had to do it, and with luncheon on their minds, they set off.

  Sophie saw them first, and tugged at Charlie’s sleeve. Thinking about food had made him forget to be cautious.

  “What is it?” he said, looking around, and saw a group of three men on horseback in the distance. Matthew Norbery he was sure they could deal with, but the other two looked somewhat menacing. He did not know what it was.

  Charlie shivered, and looked at Joshua.

  “What do we do?” he said.

  “Run,” Joshua said.

  Charlie was already running, hauling Sophie behind.

  “Where’re we going?” he gasped.

  “Split up,” shouted Joshua, several paces ahead. “You go to the stables.”

  “What about you, Josh?”

  “Never mind me. I will go where he can’t get me. Keep Sophie out of his way,” he huffed, throwing down a trail of his clothes in his wake – first the coat, then his waistcoat and neckcloth followed, leaving him stripped down to his breeches and shirt.

  In the background, the sound of hoof beats grew ominously louder.

  “No, Josh,” said Charlie, “We should stick together. He can’t hurt us.”

  “You don’t know him as I do.”

  Reaching the edge of a fishpond, Joshua kicked off his boots and was half way down the bank. “I’ll see you later,” he said.

  “I’m staying here,” said Charlie. “So is Sophie.”

  She was out of breath, and her little legs could not have carried her any further. Charlie felt a sense of disappointment as Joshua dived into the water, and came up gasping, before striking out across the pond.

  He gave one more glance and turned to face the horses. They looked huge and he felt small in comparison, but he was not going to show any fear. He braced his feet, gripped the stout stick in his hands and said, “Are you all right, Sophie?”

  She took up a similar stance, held up her stick and grinned.

  Nothing had changed. They were in this together, just as they always had been. Joshua would have to take care of himself, but it seemed chicken-hearted to run away from a fribble like Matthew Norbery.

  The horses approached at a canter, one to each side with Joshua’s brother straggling behind. Charlie scarcely noticed the one to the left, but the harsh-faced rider to the right seemed strangely moulded to the saddle, with his hands free. He saw the man’s expression and felt a tremor of apprehension.

  “Stand behind me, Sophie,” he hissed, and then gasped in disbelief, as the rider raised a pistol, and took deliberate aim across the pond.

  “No,” he yelled, hurtling forward, but he was too late. There was a loud report, a puff of smoke, and the villain laughed.

  Charlie stopped and looked fearfully across the lake, but there was no sign of Joshua. He felt tears threatening, but dashed them away, turning towards where Sophie stood at the edge of the pond, defiantly gripping her stick, her teeth bared in a grimace.

  “Now, you interfering whelp,” the voice rasped, “I’ll deal with you, and then her, afterward
s…” The man made to swing out of the saddle, but before his second foot left the stirrup, his horse bolted, dragging him across the park, with his head bouncing along the ground.

  Inexplicably, the second horse veered off in a panic towards the far side of the pond, and the horse carrying Matthew Norbery, suddenly dropped its head and sent the rider hurtling over the grassy bank into the water. There was a terrified scream, a dull splash, and then nothing.

  Sophie looked at Charlie, and said with a grin. “I did it.”

  Before he could speak, there were half a dozen grooms on horses milling around, scrambling down the bank to the water’s edge, wading in and dragging Matthew Norbery to the side.

  William Rufus came running up, “Where’s Joshua?”

  Only then did Charlie remember. He looked across the lake towards the island, and saw a slender figure, huddled against the trunk of a tree.

  “He’s there,” he said, pointing, as tears of relief streamed down his face. He felt a little hand grip his own, and found Sophie looking anxiously up at him. He sniffed, and said. “It’s all right, Sophie. Joshua’s safe.”

  Then his knees went from under him.

  “What happened, William Rufus?” Tom Norbery demanded. “I want the truth, not some story concocted by Matthew’s friends about Joshua falling in the lake and Matthew trying to save him. We all know that is not true, for he cannot swim. Then you may tell me what the deuce Nathan Stretton was doing here?

  Tom was in his library, trying to piece things together after Matthew had half-drowned in the lake, with Joshua sitting on the island, refusing to come off. He had heard several garbled versions of the events, with each trying to shout the others down. He knew the one individual was a family connection of Kate, from Norcott, but the other shifty character was unknown.

  “Nor would I tell you that, sir. It was the other way around. Matthew and his friends were herding the little ’uns towards the lake. Whatever they said, Joshua is not cowardly for running off like that. He knew what his brother intended, and ran ahead of the others, chucking his clothes off, and dived in. Then he was off to the island, thinking Matthew wouldn’t hurt the others if he wasn’t there.”

  “I see,” said Tom, under his breath. “Dear God, where do we go from here? All right, you might as well tell me what happened to Charlie and Sophie.”

  “Well, that’s the funny thing. Charlie was carrying a big stick, and he stood at the water’s edge, ready to defend his sister…”

  “Yes,” said Tom, beginning to laugh, “and what did Sophie do? I feel sure that she did something to bring about this penchant for swimming in the lake.”

  William Rufus shook his head. “I dunno, sir, but whatever it was, the horses didn’t like it. Matthew and his two friends were riding hell for leather towards them, and suddenly the other two veered off to the sides; and Matthew’s horse shied, and pitched him over the head, into the water. I never saw anything like it.”

  “Where were you when this happened?” Tom asked.

  “I was coming across the park, and met the grooms exercising the horses. The little ’uns had slipped away earlier, and I was looking for them. As soon as we saw what happened, they helped me to drag Matthew out again. He’s all right, but it will teach him not to go near the water in a hurry.”

  “Was the ambush deliberate, do you think?”

  William Rufus stopped and rubbed his chin. “Oh, yes, sir,” he said. “No doubt about it.”

  “I wonder what she did.” Tom mused. “Something dastardly, I’ll be bound.”

  “No, sir, the little wench couldn’t have done anything to affect the horses like that. We’d have seen her.”

  “But could you hear her, if she made a sound? I begin to think that I have brought, one of the Irish little people to Linmore,” said Tom. “From now on, William Rufus, I want you to make the children’s safety your first concern, until I sort out Matthew’s future.”

  Tom knew he would have to contend with Kate, blaming him for his lack of consideration towards her beloved son. The Cobarnes had been here for less than two weeks and Matthew was trying to kill Joshua. He could only hope that Jane’s plan to send Kate and Matthew to Rushmore Hall would come to fruition, and then they might relax.

  The underlying problem was more serious. Matthew’s friend and cousin, Nathan Stretton had a pistol, lined up on Joshua swimming in the lake. The grooms had told him they saw that. Charlie might have spooked one horse, but not three. No, he would take a bet on it being Sophie who caused Matthew’s horse to shy and the others to veer away around the side of the lake. It was bad enough for Matthew to try to hurt Joshua, but if a Stretton joined the hunt…things had turned nasty. They had no morals, scruples or fear of retribution.

  It was just as well Nathan had a sore head to nurse for the next week or two. Taking a toss had slowed him down, but when the horse dragged him back to the stables… Tom wished he could have seen it.

  CHAPTER 6

  Two anxious hours later, after Joshua had been retrieved dripping and shivering from the island, Charlie sat beside his bed and finally had the chance to ask, “Why did you run away?” He realised his words sounded accusatory, but he felt aggrieved that no one had bothered to enquire how he or Sophie felt after the ordeal. The servants were more concerned with providing Joshua with a hot bath to wash the green slime and pond life from his hair.

  “I didn’t,” Joshua said, shaking with the ague.

  Charlie had no sympathy for someone who turned tail and ran, leaving him and Sophie to face the enemy unarmed apart from a stout stick apiece. They were the ones who prevailed, and yet they had missed not only their lunch but tea as well. Then they had to sit in the nursery while Joshua was cosseted by the servants, and given a cordial to ward off the effects of the cold, before slipping between the warmed sheets of his bed on which extra blankets had just been placed. He’d be well served if he had swallowed a few water beetles. It was more than Charlie or Sophie had to eat.

  “If you’d stayed with us,” he said, “they wouldn’t have dared to shoot at you.”

  “No,” said Joshua. “If I was there, they’d have thrown us all in the lake. It’s happened before.”

  That silenced Charlie for a moment.

  “What happened to the others?” said Joshua, burrowing his head into the pillows.

  Sophie, sitting at Charlie’s side, leaned forward and whispered in his ear.

  “No, you didn’t, Sophie,” her brother said, patting her hand.

  “What did she say?” Joshua asked.

  “She says that she whistled, and scared the horses.” Charlie lowered his voice, while Sophie glowered and sat nodding her head insistently. “It didn’t happen like that. I whacked the gunman’s horse, just as he was dismounting, and it bolted, dragging him with it. I would not normally have done it, but he was going to hurt Sophie. Who was he?”

  “Nathan Stretton,” said Joshua, yawning. “Matthew’s cousin. They do not acknowledge me as family. I don’t know who the other man was.”

  Charlie continued in a voice full of scorn. “Your bleater of a brother accused us of trying to drown him. If he can’t sit a horse better than that, he needs to be on a leading rein.” He stopped, realising that Joshua’s eyes had closed.

  “Well, look at that, Sophie; he’s gone to sleep while I was talking. I must have a word with William Rufus. He looks just the man we need to toughen Joshua up.”

  Charlie hoped Joshua was not going to be timid about everything. He too was terrified when the man with the face of a rat levelled a pistol, but refused to show fear before the enemy. A gun he could understand, but Josh could not have known that when he started running. He sighed, and resigned himself to the task ahead. Guarding Sophie was one thing, but Joshua quite another.

  They found William Rufus sitting outside Joshua’s bedroom door, but it was a bit too public for Charlie to say what he wanted, so he bided his time, knowing there would be a better opportunity when Joshua recovered. That
did not take long.

  The physician visited once, stayed long enough for a quick examination, and then said, “He’ll do, Miss Jane. Just keep him warm and ensure he has plenty of rest. Let him get up in a couple of days, and give him what he wants to eat. He will come to no harm. Now, I must see his brother…again.”

  Beyond the solid oak door at the far end of the corridor, servants were running around with mustard baths for Matthew Norbery, while the physician had called three times to attend him and gone away shaking his head in disbelief.

  By the time Joshua recovered, and the Cobarne children similarly emerged from his bedroom, the house was a hive of activity. Everywhere they ventured above stairs, maidservants dusted and polished, while others bustled around carrying piles of bedlinen. On the lower levels, kitchen staff dashed back and forth to the storeroom, so busy that no one had time to tell them what was going on.

  Moreover, on entering the stillroom in search of sustenance, they found an empty biscuit jar, and learned that Mrs Delbury, the housekeeper, was too busy to make biscuits. That was an unmitigated disaster, which could only mean one thing – visitors were expected. The question was… who was coming to stay?

  For several days, they retreated to the nursery corridor, and found the answer when Hayton carried in a tray of supper.

  When they finished eating, Joshua and Charlie dashed off to Aunt Jane’s sitting room, with Sophie trailing two steps behind.

  “Hayton says Lord and Lady Cardington are coming, Aunt Jane.”

  “Yes,” she said. “They are bringing the family, en route from London.”

  “Who are they, Aunt Jane?” asked Charlie. “Are they mine and Sophie’s relations as well?”

  “Yes, Charlie, they belong to you both. Lady Cardington is my older sister, but you may call her Aunt Clarissa. Her husband is Lord Cardington, and I think it best if you address him as ‘Sir’. He will expect that.”

  Charlie nodded his understanding, as Joshua took up the story.

  “When Parliament is in session, Uncle Humphrey goes to London to sit in the Upper House. Papa is in the Lower House, because he does not have a title.”