To Grace’s surprise Alice replied in a pert Cockney voice not unlike Jem’s, ‘I give ’im ground ivy in ’is beer every morning and if ’e’s bad ’e gets poppy paste. I make it into an ointment and rub it on ’im – ’ere.’ She indicated the inside of her elbow.
‘Can’t do any harm I suppose,’ mused the Professor, ‘but watch him. I didn’t expect him to grow so big when Jem took him on. He must weigh upwards of fifteen stone now.’
‘Sixteen!’ said Jem proudly. ‘He once upset his caravan just by throwing himself at the walls.’
‘My God, poor creature,’ said the Professor. ‘Tell you what! When he dies, Jem, I’ll give you a hundred pounds if you bring me the body.’
Jem’s face was sombre. ‘I’ll be a sad man that day. I’m fond of him.’ He made a soothing sound to Billy, who sat back down again looking confused.
‘Something’ll have to happen soon. He’s not going to get any quieter,’ said the Professor in a brisk way as he departed, calling back over his shoulder, ‘Remember – a hundred pounds for the body.’
While the shadows of the evening lengthened outside, Grace and Adam sat eating the food that Alice pressed on them. Then, when Jem and the young man began discussing shepherding, Grace felt Alice’s hand reach out and grasp hers in the semi-darkness. How strange that I should feel such sympathy with this woman, she thought. It’s as if there’s a bond between us.
Alice leaned forward and asked, ‘Can I have another look at your leg, my dear?’ They stepped further into the dim interior and all of a sudden, as if she could not help herself, Alice threw her arms around the girl and hugged her close. ‘Oh my dear, you’re so lovely. Just the way I hoped you’d be. I’m so happy for you,’ she said with a sob in her voice.
‘Have you any children?’ asked Grace and Alice’s face went bleak.
‘No, no – I had a baby but I lost it. In fact I lost two,’ she said in a stumbling way.
‘I’m sorry,’ apologised Grace but Alice only said, ‘Don’t worry. It was bad at the time but it’s long ago now.’
‘You said you’d tell me about my mother,’ whispered Grace. The subject had hung unmentioned between them since she first sat down but now she felt that Alice wanted to talk and the mention of her leg was only a pretext.
‘What do you want to know?’ Alice’s hands were still holding Grace’s.
‘Where did you meet her?’ The lamps were coming on in the caravans all around them and it seemed they were alone in a secret little dark place that encouraged confidences.
Alice frowned. ‘I first met her here in this countryside at Bettymill, but I got to know her best in London.’
‘When was that?’
‘About twelve years ago.’
Grace nodded. ‘When I was six. That’s when I thought she’d died. But why did she go away?’
Alice’s eyes were dark and haunted as she stared out into the gathering evening and Grace sat forward attentively awaiting her reply. ‘She went away because she had to – she hadn’t any choice. She was sent away but she grieved sore at having to leave you. Every time she saw a child the same age as you her whole body ached… the pain was awful.’ Alice’s voice was eloquent with suffering.
Grace’s expression grew harrowed but she persisted. ‘If she loved me so much why didn’t she take me with her?’ ‘Your father wouldn’t let her do that.’ Alice’s tone became hard.
‘You know my father too? I can’t understand why he wanted to keep me because he’s never cared about me. I’ve only been a nuisance to him.’
‘But she cared for you so he kept you. It was to punish her. Besides, she couldn’t take you where she was going.’
Grace furrowed her brow. ‘Where was that? Did she leave him for another man?’
‘Oh, no. She went away alone. She didn’t know what lay before her and it was just as well. After that she began to see life through new eyes. That was when she changed.’
Jem half-turned on the step and was gazing in at Alice with a worried look on his face while she was speaking. She looked over at him from time to time as if she was telling him something as well as Grace. Both he and Adam were listening intently to what was being said between the women.
‘Tell me about Lucy. Tell me everything you remember,’ pleaded the girl.
‘She was a wilful, spoiled lassie when she was young. Her father doted on her because her mother died when she was wee and there was only the two of them. She had a lot of yellow hair that she was very proud of, a bit conceited I suppose but that didn’t last long. She liked singing and dancing and enjoying herself too… that didn’t last, either. She used to believe what people told her. That was the first thing to change.’
Alice’s tone was bleak and Grace shivered as she listened. Then she asked in a trembling voice, ‘When did she die? What did she die of?’
Alice looked at Jem and asked, ‘When did she die? I can’t really say.’
Jem’s rough voice sounded low and consoling as he spoke to his wife. ‘I don’t think she died, Alice.’
She looked across at him with her eyes glistening and said, ‘Oh, she died all right, Jem. That girl died.’
Grace put a hand up to her eyes and gave a sob. ‘I wish she hadn’t. I wish I’d known her and could remember her better.’
Alice threw her arms around the girl. ‘Don’t cry, don’t cry. She’d be so proud if she could see you now and this young lad with you. She’d bless you both.’
Adam stood up and came into the caravan to hold the weeping Grace’s hand as he said to Alice, ‘We’re getting married, Mrs Archer.’
‘I thought you might be. I hope you’re very happy. Where will you live?’
He told her. ‘We’ll start at Fairhope above Hownam in the Cheviots. My father’s a shepherd there and we’ve an empty cottage on the place but one day I hope to buy a wee hill farm of my own. That’ll be a while yet though.’
Alice looked at Grace with her eyes shining. ‘Maybe not so long. Isn’t it lucky I met you at this time! When’s the wedding? Don’t wait, do it now – life’s short, you know.’
‘We’re going to tell my father tonight,’ said the girl.
Alice laughed. ‘That’ll be a shock to him. Ask him about your dowry when you’re at it.’
Grace shook her head. ‘Oh, I’ve no dowry. I told you that before but I think he’ll be glad to be rid of me.’
‘I wouldn’t be too sure. You ask about your dowry anyway. Your mother’s father was a rich man and you’re her only child. Ask what happened to her fortune. But if you want advice from me, get married before you tell him. There’s a marriage tent pitched down at the bottom of the field. Go there and get wed before you tell Elliot. It’ll be legal enough. Jem and I were thinking of doing it ourselves, weren’t we Jem?’
The young couple stared and Grace asked, ‘But aren’t you married already?’
‘We’re a couple of old sinners but we’re married in our minds though not officially. We’ve been meaning to do it for a long time. Maybe we’ll manage it one day. Jem wants to, don’t you, old man?’
‘I do that,’ he said fervently.
Grace and Adam looked at each other with love in their eyes and he was the first to speak. ‘I’m ready. Let’s go down to the marriage tent and get wed,’ he said to her.
She gendy took his hand. ‘Oh, I want to – but it’s only right that we tell my father before we do, and your people too. I could see how close you are to them. They’ll feel hurt if you got married without letting them know. We shouldn’t rush into it like two runaways.’
Alice seemed inexplicably agitated. ‘I’ve been thinking – don’t worry about telling your father. Get married first and tell him afterwards. Go and do it, Grace.’
Jem was surprised at her vehemence. ‘Hold hard, Alice! You’re telling them to rush into something you’d want to think about first yourself. The lass must tell her father. How old are you anyway, Grace?’
‘I’m eighteen,’ said the girl
.
‘That’s legal up here. She can be married without her father’s approval,’ said Alice urgently.
‘Who’s to say he won’t give it?’ asked Jem, puzzled.
‘You don’t know Andrew Elliot like I do…’ said Alice and as soon as she’d spoken, her voice fell and the words died away. They were all looking at her in astonishment and she followed her outburst up by saying weakly, ‘Oh, perhaps I’m being too impetuous. It’s just so romantic… Yes, go and tell your father Grace, but if there’s any trouble come back here to me and I’ll see what I can do.’
‘What you can do?’ repeated Jem in amazement gazing at her, but she avoided his eye.
‘Remember to come back and tell me if he’s difficult,’ she repeated urgently.
Grace stood up, full of resolution and excitement. ‘All right, I’ll come back,’ she promised, ‘but there’s such a lot to do. I want to find Odilie and tell her too because she’s my dearest friend and if I do get married today I want her to be there. She’ll be so surprised. This is like a dream. And I’ll have to dress myself properly. I can’t get married like this…’ She looked down at her working clothes and bare feet.
‘I don’t mind having a barefoot bride but if you want to be dressed fancy that’s all right with me too. Let’s hurry before the marrying man gets too drunk to remember what to say!’ laughed Adam.
When the young couple hurried off into the gathering darkness, Jem and Alice stood at the door of their caravan watching them go. As they turned the corner and disappeared she shivered and he put an arm around her, hugging her close to him. ‘I’m sorry you’re upset Alice. But what’s going on? I’ve not seen you so agitated for ages. What are you afraid of?’
She looked at him and said slowly, ‘I’m afraid of Andrew Elliot, Jem. He’s up to no good with that girl because of the property that was left to her. Oh Jem, I’m so frightened. This is not turning out the way I thought it would. There’s still so much that I haven’t done and I’m afraid to do it.’
He shook his head. Some of the puzzle was falling into place for him but he had not yet worked out all the unanswered questions. ‘Don’t be afraid. You’re the bravest woman I know. And you’ve only to tell me when you want help. Just say the word, Alice, and I’ll be there.’
‘I have to do this by myself but I’ll tell you the whole tale when it’s finished,’ she promised him solemnly.
There were noisy drunks filling the field and evening was drawing in when Adam and Grace found themselves outside the marrying tent. Adam peered inside and saw a tall man with a face like an ape and very long arms, dressed in a rusty black suit and a dirty cravat, sitting on a rickety chair with a bottle of porter on the grass near his foot. Three collie dogs lay beside him and empty bottles and bunches of wilting summer flowers, relics of other weddings that had taken place during the long day, were scattered around his feet. When he saw Adam peering in he looked up blearily and brightened at the sight of another amorous couple. ‘Come in, come in. Are you for a wedding? Just haud on a whilie till I find a couple of folk for witnesses…’
He got up and reeled towards the tent door but Adam put out a hand to stop him. ‘Yes, we’re wanting to marry but not yet. We’ll come back in an hour – exactly an hour – and I want to be sure that you’ll be here then and that you’ll be sober.’
‘Patie Mudie’ll be here. I’m ready and willing to marry folk till midnight. I’m not so sure about the sober, though, but that doesnae matter, it’s no’ me that’s taking a wife, it’s no’ me that’ll wake up sorry in the morning. Patie Mudie’s my name and dinna forget it. I’m the best marrier in the district. I marry folk in the toll-house at the end of Coldstream Bridge and I’ve joined some real nobs thegither. There’s another man who’s trying to do the marrying here today, but he’s not as good as Patie – or as cheap.’ He laid a finger along his bulbous nose and peered bibulously at the young couple.
‘How much will it cost?’ asked Adam. The question of money had not occurred to him before.
‘Five pounds?’ ventured Mudie.
Grace and Adam were obviously disappointed. ‘I haven’t got so much money,’ whispered Adam to his would-be bride.
Patie Mudie heard him. ‘A pound then,’ he offered, looking at the bride’s costume and doing a rapid calculation about how much he was likely to squeeze out of them. He’d marry a beggar couple for a florin and this girl was obviously just a farmservant but the laddie was dressed like a shepherd and he could rise to a pound surely. The calculation was correct.
‘I’ll pay a pound,’ said Adam with relief in his voice. ‘And you’re sure it’s legal? We’ll be married for true when you’ve done with us?’
‘As true as death and as legal as a lawyer’s will, you can be sure of that. It’s all right, dinna worry. I ken my Scots law and I dinna pretend to be a meenister or onything daft like that,’ was the promise.
Outside, lamps were sparking into light all over the showground, filling it with wonder and romance. The field that was once a town was becoming a place of fantasy. Grace’s eyes shone in the lamplight when the couple stood in bedazzlement at Patie Mudie’s tent door, staring at each other in happiness and delight. Every now and again a distant drumroll of thunder could still be heard as if the approaching storm was reminding everyone that it was on its way and could strike when it chose.
She broke the spell by gently touching Adam’s arm and telling him, ‘Come with me and I’ll show you which house is my home. Then I’ll go to Havanah Court to tell Odilie what’s happened before going home to break it to my father. You go back and tell your people while I’m at Odilie’s and meet me again at Viewhill. We’ll face Father and Hester together. I’ll need you with me when I do that.’
She put her arms around him and kissed him on the lips. The sweetness of the embrace made them both breathless with delight and desire. ‘I love you so much,’ she sighed, but when he tried to kiss her again, she pushed him firmly away. ‘Not now. Come on, we’ve so much to do. We mustn’t let ourselves be side-tracked – no matter how much we want to.’
The footbridge was groaning and creaking beneath the weight of crowds of people returning home from the Fair. Pushing across it were tired adults carrying sleeping or querulous children, all exhausted by enjoyment; there were staggering drunks who every now and again broke into bursts of song; there were old people straggling in groups and gossiping among themselves about the scenes they had witnessed that day; there were lovers with arms amorously entwined; there were traders with empty baskets on their arms and pockets swinging full of coins, for this had been a good day for them thanks to the clemency of the kindly weather.
Holding Adam’s hand, Grace limped along in the middle of the press of people, jostled from every side, but happier than she had ever been before. She did not feel tired any longer and her leg did not hurt for she was buoyed up with an almost uncontainable energy and excitement. When they reached the far bank, she pointed up at a grim grey fortress of a house that reared above her head. ‘That’s Viewhill,’ she told him. ‘Be at the gate in three-quarters of an hour. Now back you go and tell your family. I hope that they’ve not set off for home already. I want them to come to our wedding.’ They kissed once more with passion and then they parted.
Havanah Court was blazing with light when Grace turned in at the tall gate-posts. For a second it seemed as if Joe did not recognise her when he first answered the door but he took a second look and exclaimed in astonishment, ‘Oh, it’s you, Miss Grace! Don’t you look fine! But you’re in trouble, Miss, your father’s been down here twice tonight looking for you.’
She put up a hand to stop him and said, ‘No, no, I don’t care about him. Let me in. I must see Miss Odilie. Where is she?’ Her tone was quite different from that normally used by the shy and humble Grace and Joe stood back with respect as she swept inside.
‘Well, I can tell you one thing that’s happened at the Fair today. Miss Grace’s sure had a revelation of some sort,’
he announced in the servants’ hall when he went downstairs.
Odilie was lying on her pretty bed with its flower-embroidered curtains when Grace rushed into her bedroom. She looked as if she had been crying but Odilie never cried, thought Grace, she was probably only tired. Excitedly the visitor limped across the silken carpet and plumped down on to the soft coverlet beside her friend. ‘Odilie, listen. I’m getting married.’
Her friend sat up like a jack in the box. ‘To that fine lad with the golden hair? That’s quick work.’
‘Quicker than you think. We’re going to do it in the marrying tent in the fairground in an hour. You must dress yourself and come with me as my best maid.’
Any sadness that Odilie had been feeling disappeared and she swung her feet to the ground, groping for her slippers with her toes. ‘What’re you going to wear? I know, there’s that dress with the rosebuds that you liked – and the big hat with the feather round it that I trimmed for you. That’s what you’ll wear.’
She was across the floor and rummaging in her cupboard like a frantic squirrel, throwing out pieces of finery that draped themselves over the furniture like wraiths. ‘Here’s the dress. You’ll look beautiful in it! I’ll wear my pink – I have to do you justice. Ring the bell and we’ll send one of the maids for Aunt Martha. She won’t want to miss this either.’
‘No, no, just you. I don’t want too many people. Besides, I’ve not told my father yet. I’m going home now to do that and then I’ll go back to the fairground to meet Adam – that’s his name – Adam Scott. Will you join us at Patie Mudie’s marrying tent at nine o’clock exactly?’
Odilie paused in her rummaging and nodded agreement. ‘All right. So he’s called Adam. That’s a good manly name and he looked nice, too. Put on the dress and take the hat with you – and those pink slippers, your feet are the same size as mine, aren’t they? Oh, I’m going to miss you Grace when you’re married. Where does this Adam Scott live, anyway?’
Grace laughed. ‘I don’t know really. It’s called Fairhope and it’s in the Cheviots some place. He says the nearest neighbour is four miles away. His father and mother have one cottage on the place but there’s another next door that’s not used. We’re to have it.’ Her face was shining and she did not seem at all worried about the prospect of living in such isolation.
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