The Country Bride

by Dilly Court

  ‘I don’t know. It doesn’t seem fair.’

  He shrugged. ‘It doesn’t look as though there’s much choice. I can bear it, if you can.’

  They finished their meal not exactly in silence, but the pleasure had gone from the outing for Judy. She knew that Ma would be worried sick, and there was no way of contacting her to allay her fears. The sound of raucous laughter and loud voices filtered through from the taproom, and she found herself wishing that the Crooked Billet had as many customers, but the thought of spending the night in such a rowdy place was even less appealing. It was late afternoon and it was already dark outside. They had just finished their coffee when the landlord sidled into the parlour.

  ‘I have two gentlemen who would like to dine in private, so perhaps you would like to see your room, miss. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind retiring to the snug, sir? It’s very congenial.’

  Judy shot a wary glance in Rob’s direction, hoping that he would refuse to budge, but he merely smiled and nodded.

  ‘Excellent idea,’ Rob said a little too heartily. ‘I’m sure you’d like to see where you’ll spend the night, Judy.’

  Left with no alternative other than a point-blank refusal, Judy followed the landlord into the taproom, but she came to a sudden halt, staring at two men who were propping up the bar. She backed into the parlour and slammed the door.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Rob rose to his feet. ‘You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.’

  She attempted to speak but she seemed to have lost her voice and she was finding it hard to breathe. The landlord stood in the doorway, looking red in the face and flustered.

  ‘The young lady just bolted, sir. It wasn’t anything that I said or did.’

  Rob guided Judy back to the settle and pressed her gently onto the seat. ‘I think the lady is unwell. A glass of brandy, if you please.’

  The landlord disappeared again, closing the door quietly behind him.

  ‘What did you see that upset you?’ Rob demanded anxiously. ‘For heaven’s sake, speak to me, Judy.’

  ‘I saw a ghost from the past, or at least I think I did. I have to leave now. I won’t stay here another minute.’ She jumped up and made a grab for her cape and bonnet. ‘I’m going home even if I have to walk all the way.’ She opened the door almost bumping into the landlord, who was holding a glass of brandy in his hand. ‘Is there a way to the stables without going through the taproom? I’m leaving this instant.’

  ‘Turn right and straight ahead …’

  Despite protests from both Rob and the landlord, Judy left the parlour and ran.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Judy had barely reached the back door when Rob caught up with her.

  ‘Where do you think you’re going?’

  She wrapped her cape around her shoulders and pulled up the hood. ‘I’m going home. I can’t stay here. Don’t try to make me.’

  ‘But it’s madness to make the journey in this weather, and it’s pitch-dark. The roads will be treacherous.’

  ‘I don’t care,’ she cried passionately. ‘I’m not going back in there. You don’t understand.’ She wrenched the door open and ran out into the raging storm. Rob caught her up as she barged into the stable.

  ‘Will you tell me why you are in such a panic? Why won’t you stay here?’

  She rounded on him furiously. ‘Did you go into the taproom? Did you see who was standing at the bar?’

  ‘No. The landlord was as surprised as I am by your reaction. I threw some money at him and chased after you. For God’s sake, tell me what’s wrong.’

  Judy beckoned to the stable boy. ‘We’re leaving. Harness the horse to the chaise, please, and do it quickly.’ She glanced over her shoulder. ‘They might have seen me.’

  Rob took her by the shoulders, holding her firmly so that she could not escape his iron grasp. ‘Who are they? I won’t ask again. If you don’t tell me I’m going to carry you back to the inn and set you down in the taproom. Then you can point out these monsters.’

  ‘You wouldn’t dare.’

  ‘Try me.’

  Judy took a deep breath. ‘It was Jay and I couldn’t see his face but I’d swear that Jack was there also.’

  ‘You mean the Fox brothers? Or Tattersall, whatever Jay calls himself these days.’

  ‘Yes, it was definitely Jay and if it was Jack, he was cured. He was standing unaided and he must have walked into the bar.’

  ‘There’s nothing to be afraid of,’ Rob said gently. ‘I’m with you, and surely they were your friends.’

  ‘Once upon a time, yes. But I haven’t heard from Jack since they left for Australia. He obviously doesn’t want to know me, and I hadn’t the slightest notion that he was cured. I don’t want to meet him like this. Please, Rob, take me home or I’ll drive the chaise myself.’

  He nodded to the boy, who was hovering a little way from them, gazing uncertainly as if waiting for his confirmation. ‘All right. Do what the lady says.’ He tossed a coin and the boy caught it with a grin and set about putting the harness on the horse.

  ‘Thank you,’ Judy said, sighing.

  Rob went to help the stable boy and within minutes they were climbing into the chaise and setting off into the storm. Despite the fact that the hood was pulled up it gave very little protection from the rain and sleet. The horse plodded against the wind and even though Rob had wrapped the travel rug around her, Judy was cold and wet before they had gone even half a mile.

  ‘Just remember,’ he said through clenched teeth, ‘this was your idea, not mine.’

  ‘You wanted to stay for the night,’ Judy countered angrily. ‘We could have left hours ago and be home by now.’

  His reply was lost in the pounding of the horse’s hoofs, the sound of the rain lashing on the leather hood and the wind howling around them like spirits in agony. Rob had to concentrate on the road ahead, attempting to guide the horse away from the deepest of the ruts and huge puddles. Judy clung on for dear life as the chaise swayed dangerously from side to side. It was a light vehicle and much better suited to travelling in more clement weather. She was beginning to regret her impulsive decision to run away. Maybe it would have been better to brave a night at the inn and a possible embarrassing reunion with Jack. She huddled beneath the blanket, although it was impossible to keep warm and she leaned against Rob’s tense body as he struggled to control the frightened animal. Now they were faced with winding lanes and the wind whipped the overhanging branches into a frenzy, lashing the hood as if intent of causing damage. It was impossible to sleep, but Judy kept slipping into a state somewhere between waking and dreaming. At one moment she imagined she was curled up by a roaring fire, and then cold reality brought her back to the present with a start. She was sliding into another more pleasant place when suddenly there was an almighty crack. The horse uttered a horrific sound so like a human scream that Judy covered her ears with her hands. Seconds later the chaise tilted to one side and the horse reared up in the shafts as the vehicle toppled over. Rob was thrown to the ground but somehow Judy managed to hang on, although one leg was trapped in the buckled woodwork, and a tear-inducing pain in her ankle made her cry out.

  ‘Rob.’ She called his name again and again but there was no reply. One carriage light had been smashed, but in the dim glow of the other one she could just make out one broken shaft. As if by a miracle, the horse remained upright, although trapped and obviously terrified. Of Rob there was no sign. That side of the wrecked carriage was in complete darkness and his silence was even more frightening. Very carefully she pulled herself to a sitting position and slowly, and with great difficulty, she managed to free her ankle from the splintered footwell. She sat upright, not daring to move for a few agonising moments, and then she leaned over to massage the injured ankle. Her boots had saved her from a more serious injury and she could wriggle her toes, even though it was painful. She could only hope that it was a bad sprain and nothing worse. But her main concern was for Rob and she edged herself over the wr
eckage, calling his name, but still there was no answer.

  She slid down into the tangle of metalwork and splintered wood, and felt about in the darkness as best as she was able. She was limping badly and the wind had tugged off her bonnet and dragged her hair from its confining snood. Rain-soaked and blinded by the water dripping into her eyes, she almost fell on top of Rob’s inert body. She went down on her knees regardless of the deep puddle of muddy water, and as she ran her hands over his body she realised that he was trapped by a branch of the fallen tree that had caused their accident.

  For a terrible moment she thought he was dead and her breath hitched in her throat, but as she struggled to free him she heard a faint moan, and she used all her strength to drag the thick branch away.

  ‘Rob.’ She bent over him, putting her lips close to his ear. ‘Can you hear me?’

  Another faint groan made her heart beat even faster as she attempted to lift him from the muddy bank, but he was too heavy and reluctantly she abandoned her effort. There was another and more urgent call on her energies and that was the terrified horse. He was thrashing about as he tried to free himself from the remaining shaft, and Judy raised herself to her feet. She made her way with difficulty over the debris, and despite the pain in her ankle she managed at last to calm the frightened animal. It took a while to free him from the tangled harness, but eventually her numbed fingers managed to undo the straps that held the traces in place and the horse bolted into the darkness, leaving her alone with an injured man.

  She threw back her head and screamed with frustration. If she had managed better she might have ridden off to find help, but now they were marooned in a remote country lane, surrounded on all sides by darkness. She limped back to where Rob lay and she dragged the rug from the chaise. Even though it was sodden it made a pillow for his head, and she huddled beside him, attempting to use the warmth from her own chilled body to protect him from the bitter cold. A further examination in the flickering light of the carriage lamp did not reveal any obvious injuries and the only blood she could see was on a gash on his forehead.

  ‘It’s all my fault, Rob,’ she whispered, chafing his cold hands. ‘If I hadn’t panicked and made you drive out into the storm this wouldn’t have happened.’

  He groaned again and this time his eyelids flickered and opened. She touched his cheek gently. ‘Rob, speak to me.’

  He muttered something unintelligible and closed his eyes again. Judy gave him a shake.

  ‘Don’t do this. You can’t go to sleep here. You’ll die of cold.’ She was suddenly desperate. It was happening all over again – he would be crippled for life, as it had seemed to be with Jack – and it was all her fault. She shook him harder this time. ‘Open your eyes, Rob. Talk to me, please.’

  ‘Stop nagging me.’

  The words were faint but clear, and tears of sheer relief rolled down Judy’s cheeks.

  ‘You’ll be all right. Can you move at all?’

  He opened his eyes, frowning up at her. ‘What happened?’

  ‘I don’t know exactly, it was all so sudden. I think the fallen tree must have crashed onto your side of the chaise and toppled it over. You ended up on the ground, and I freed the horse but the wretched animal bolted. I’m afraid we’re stuck here until a passer-by finds us.’

  Rob raised himself with difficulty. ‘My head hurts, but I don’t think I’ve broken any bones, although I’m sore all over.’

  ‘Can you stand up?’ Judy scrambled to her feet. ‘We might be able to find somewhere to shelter, if you could walk, that is.’

  ‘I’ll try. Give me your hand.’

  Slowly, with Judy’s help, he managed to raise himself to a standing position.

  ‘That’s good,’ Judy said carefully. ‘Can you take a step or two?’

  He raised his hand to his forehead, grimacing as his fingers found the bloody gash. ‘I feel as if I’ve got a hundred imps with pickaxes hammering at my skull, but there’s no use remaining here. There’s unlikely to be any traffic until morning.’

  ‘Then we have to make a move.’ Judy winced as she put weight on her damaged ankle. ‘I’m game, if you are.’

  ‘You’re hurt.’

  ‘Just my ankle. I can walk, if you can.’

  ‘Maybe we’ll find that blasted animal grazing somewhere along the way. At least one of us can ride.’

  ‘That’s right. We’ll take it in turns.’ Judy proffered her arm. ‘I’ll lean on you and you can lean on me. We can do this, Rob.’

  ‘Most of the women I know would be having hysterics right now.’

  ‘Not this woman,’ Judy said, laughing. ‘I’m made of sterner stuff, and it was my fault in the first place. I’m sorry I made you leave the comfort of the inn for this, Rob.’

  He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. ‘Never mind that now. Let’s get moving before we both succumb to lung fever or worse.’

  ‘You could have been more gracious about it,’ Judy grumbled as pain shot upwards from her injured ankle. ‘I rarely admit I’m wrong.’

  He laughed. ‘Why doesn’t that surprise me?’ He looked up into the lowering clouds. ‘It’s stopped raining but it’s started to snow. We’d better walk faster.’

  They tramped along the muddy lane with Judy limping painfully and Rob having to stop every few minutes to catch his breath. The rain had turned to sleet and then to snow and the world around them was rapidly turning from darkness to shining silvery white as the hedgerows and fields took on a mantle of snow. It felt a little warmer and the wind had ceased, but Judy was uncomfortably aware of her wet garments and when she glanced up at Rob she could see that he, too, was in pain. She did not voice her fears, but she suspected he might have broken a few ribs when he was thrown from the chaise, and the fallen branch had caught him across the chest, adding to her worries.

  They trudged on until suddenly Judy spotted the swinging lights of carriage lamps not too far ahead. ‘Look, Rob. Someone’s coming.’

  As it drew nearer she realised that it was a farm cart, driven by a man who was well-muffled against the cold. He drew the vehicle to a halt.

  ‘I knew it,’ he said triumphantly. ‘Didn’t I tell my pa that there was an accident somewhere on the way? I’ve come to help you.’ He leaped to the ground and swung Judy up on the driver’s seat without giving her a chance to protest. ‘Can you climb onto the cart, mate?’ he asked, peering closely at Rob. ‘That be a nasty gash you got on your forehead. I bet that stings.’

  ‘Yes, I can manage, thanks.’

  ‘I’m Seth Trundle. I knew there was trouble when the horse trotted into our yard half an hour ago. I says to my pa, that’s no old nag, Father. I bet there’s trouble up yonder. I’d best go and see who needs help.’ He climbed up to sit beside Judy. ‘We’ll be home in no time at all. I told Ma to put the kettle on the hob because some poor soul must be suffering in the cold. Nasty weather, and likely to continue for some days.’ Seth flicked the reins. ‘Walk on Skipper.’

  Judy’s teeth were chattering too much to allow her to speak, and Seth did not seem to need answers to the questions he fired at them, barely stopping for breath. Rob was silent as he was bounced around on a bed of straw in the back of the cart, and Judy sighed with relief when she saw the lights of the Trundles’ farm getting closer. Seth actually stopped talking for a while as he helped her to alight and then turned his attention to Rob. Two sheepdogs raced up to them, but subsided instantly at a word from Seth.

  ‘Come this way, if you please,’ he said politely. ‘Ma will look after you, lady. And Pa will tend to you, mate. He’s used to patching me up when I’ve had a fight. I got a fierce temper when roused, but you don’t need to worry about me. I’m as docile as a lamb with people what I like, and I consider that I likes the pair of you.’

  Judy exchanged amused glances with Rob as they followed Seth into the farmhouse.

  ‘Ma, I found ’em. I reckon as how they’ll be ready for a cup of tea, and the lady has hurt her ankle. I could hardly h
ear myself talk for the sound of her teeth chattering together.’

  Mrs Trundle rushed forward. ‘Pull up a chair for the young lady, Seth.’ She guided Judy towards the table. ‘Sit down, my dear. I’ll give you a nice hot cup of tea and then we’ll see to your injury.’

  Farmer Trundle rose from his seat by the range. ‘So what were you doing driving out on a night like this, I might ask, sir? Is it an elopement? If it be then I cannot condone such behaviour, being a God-fearing man.’

  ‘No, indeed, sir,’ Rob said firmly. ‘Miss Begg and I are just friends. Our journey was ill-judged, I admit, but it’s easy to be wise in hindsight.’

  Judy picked up the cup and sipped the hot, sweet tea that Mrs Trundle had placed on the table in front of her. ‘It was my fault, Mr Trundle. I insisted on getting home to Little Creek tonight. I knew that my mother would be worried sick if we didn’t arrive.’

  ‘Well, miss, you might have perished out there in the bitter cold if my boy had not had the forethought to go looking for you.’

  Seth took off his cap and tossed it across the kitchen so that it hung on a wall peg. ‘You can thank your horse, mate. A fine animal, if ever I seen one, but you was lucky he come here and didn’t make his way back to his own stable.’

  ‘Never mind all that.’ Mrs Trundle handed a steaming mug of tea to Rob. ‘You’d best sit down, too, mister. That gash on your brow needs attention.’ She turned to her husband. ‘You’d best see to him, Joe. I’ll go upstairs and make up two beds.’

  Judy cast an anxious look in Rob’s direction. ‘No, really, we can’t put you to so much trouble, ma’am.’

  ‘It’s no bother, I can assure you, miss. You can’t go anywhere if your vehicle is damaged, and it’s no good trying to sort it out until morning.’

  ‘We’re very grateful, Mrs Trundle,’ Rob said hastily. ‘And we can pay for the night’s board.’

  Mrs Trundle smiled and shook her head. ‘No call for that, sir. We’d do the same for any travellers in distress.’ She hurried from the kitchen.