Imogen Robertson - Island of Bones

‘Yes, of course. Will you give me your hand down the bank?’

Mr Quince brightened considerably as Miss Hurst put out her hand to him, but his kind round face was soon creased with concern. Miss Hurst was determined to see the ruins of Gutherscale Hall at dusk. Miss Scales had told her they were magnificent and her wish for some peace had encouraged her to make a late-afternoon walk round the lake. Mr Quince was worried that she might get lost in the dark or stumble and injure herself. She declared herself determined.

‘I would insist on accompanying you, Fraulein,’ he said, ‘but I am tired even having walked round the gardens of Silverside.’

She shook her head briskly. ‘There is no need, sir. I am quite capable of going myself.’

‘Perhaps one of the servants from the house, if you’ll allow me. .’

‘Please, no!’ Her voice had become quite sharp, and as if sorry for causing poor Mr Quince any offence, she added quickly and more kindly, ‘Dusk is coming on, and I am anxious to be on my way. Please do not worry over me, Mr Quince. I would hate to think you troubled at all on my account.’

Mr Quince’s sickroom pallor was warmed momentarily with a blush. Stephen looked from one to the other.

‘I can go with Miss Hurst,’ he said. ‘If you can return to the house without my help, sir.’ It was Mr Quince who hesitated now. ‘I know the way — you know I have been there lots of times since you were ill, sir. And we shall be quite safe if we go together. I am not afraid of the dark.’

Mr Quince looked at Miss Hurst with a slight smile. ‘I would be much easier in my mind, Miss Hurst, if you would take Stephen with you. He can be a pleasant companion. Do not chatter at Miss Hurst, Stephen.’

Miss Hurst sighed. ‘Very well, sir, if it will make you easier.’ She proffered her hand and Mr Quince took it between his own. ‘I am glad to see your health improving. We shall go now, Stephen?’

Mr Quince watched them make their way up the slope to the higher path. It was a hard thing to see his charge at the woman’s side, since an evening’s walk to the ruins in her company would have been one of the great occasions of his life. The pair disappeared into the trees, and he turned away feeling rather defeated, and through the lengthening shadows made his way slowly back to the Hall.

Harriet avoided the parlour when she left Crowther, and instead returned for a moment to the office. Crowther’s blood was darkening on the carpet, his bloodstained coat and Casper’s shirt tumbled and ripped beside it. She thought of her husband again, the way his blood had seeped through her hands, how he had looked at her while he lay dying. She stared at her hands curled in her lap. Her dress was damp in places where she had tried to scrub Crowther’s blood from it in the kitchen and her cuffs were still marked. Some traces remained under her fingernails. She had felt blood run across her fingers too many times, she knew its smell and texture too intimately, too well. She felt the muscles in her arms begin to tremble and the world seemed to darken. When she heard the rap at the door she started, and turned away to wipe her eyes as it opened. It was Mr Kerrick, the girl’s father.

‘Will he do, madam? Lord Keswick?’

She nodded. ‘Yes, thank you. I believe he will as long as there is no infection, though he is in pain now.’ She tucked her handkerchief back into her sleeve and attempted to smile. ‘How is your daughter? She is a brave girl.’

‘We were so frightened, madam. Can’t say as her mother will ever let her out of the front gate again. Thing is, we want to get her home and rested and fed, but she says she needs to see Casper first, and he’s off on the hills gathering plants for the baron. . She won’t tell us why.’ He sighed, and Harriet recognised the love and frustration of fatherhood. ‘She’s as weak as a kitten, but stubborn as ever she was.’

‘Do you think she might speak to me? I would be happy to see her.’

His long face flooded with relief. ‘Yes, madam, thank you, I shall fetch her at once.’

Harriet was looking out over the dark lawn when Agnes appeared in the doorway. She was still wearing her muddied skirts but had a clean linen shawl over her shoulders. It was dark red. She was obviously conscious of the bruises and cuts on her hands, and was trying to hide them in its folds.

‘Come and sit here, Agnes.’ Harriet sat in one of the spindly dining chairs and patted the one next to her own.

‘I shall dirty it.’

‘It is Mr Sturgess’s chair. You may dirty it all you like.’ Agnes grinned quickly at that and crossed the room to her. ‘Now, is there something you want to ask me? Is it about Mr Sturgess?’

She shook her head. ‘No, madam. Not that one. It is just. . the German lady — she’s all right, isn’t she? Safe, I mean. No harm has come to her?’

Harriet frowned. ‘Miss Hurst is staying at the vicarage with Miss Scales, Agnes. I am sure she is quite safe. Why are you worried about her? You heard that Sturgess killed her father, I suppose. He knew Sturgess’s secret and was blackmailing him, I think. But I do not believe she had any part in the affair, and in any case Sturgess’s secret is out now. Her father brought her here for other reasons. .’

Agnes’s fists continued to work in the folds of her shawl. ‘He was going to shoot me. Put an arrow through my head. He wanted to know where the Luck was, and I was so scared. I said that the German lady had it. That Casper told her to take it away till all was safe again.’ Harriet was quiet a moment. ‘I’m so sorry, madam. I thought she’d be safest. I didn’t know it was him, but I reckoned whoever it was they’d have a harder time chasing gentry.’

Harriet patted her knee. ‘It was a good idea, Agnes. I would have done the same. Just the same. Go home now and rest. Sturgess has fled. Whatever his hope of finding the Luck, it is all gone now, I am sure. But I promise I shall send to Miss Scales. Perhaps Ham can make a bed there for a while, until Sturgess is taken or we are sure he is gone for good.’

Agnes smiled, and for the first time Harriet realised she was a very pretty child.

‘Thank you! Thank you, Mrs Westerman. I will sleep easy, knowing that. Lord, I am so tired I could stay in my bed a month.’ She yawned, showing her sharp white teeth.

Harriet delivered her to her parents and saw them ride away in Kerrick’s cart just as Mrs Tyers was emerging from the kitchen.

‘Mrs Tyers, you may see Crowther whenever you wish.’

‘Very well. He must hear it all now, I suppose. You got help enough, my dear? Lord, this house is looking poor.’

Harriet nodded. ‘Half of Keswick is here already, it seems.’

‘Mostly lawyers though,’ the old lady said, rolling her eyes. ‘I mean people who can work and be helpful, and tend to Master Charles.’

‘We have all the help we need for now, I think, Mrs Tyers.’

She narrowed her eyes and lifted her chin, examining Harriet carefully. ‘You may call me Lottie, I think, madam. Very well, when I’ve done talking to Master Charles, I shall be on my way.’

‘May I send someone to escort you, Lottie?’

‘Nay, lambkin. It’s hardly a mile. When I can’t manage that on my own roads with ease, I shall get into my bed and let the Devil take me off at last.’

Harriet watched her climb the stairs with a smile. She would go to her at some time over the next few days and ask for her stories of Crowther. First, however, she needed to write a careful note to Miss Scales and send Ham to sleep outside Miss Hurst’s door like a bulldog.

Stephen did not treat Sophia to another lecture on Austrian history on this walk. He could tell she was sad, and was still doing enough thinking and wondering of his own. They reached the ruins of Gutherscale Hall just as the sun was sinking. The haze in the air made for beautiful sunsets. To the south, Skelgill Bank began its steep black climb into the rose and gold sky; beyond Newlands Beck, Causey Pike and Outerside had become dark shadows. The last light struck the top of the pele tower through the trees, and the old hall was full of the voices of crows settling to sleep. They looked up at it together and it felt quite natural to Stephen to take Miss Hurst’s hand.