George Fraser - The Candlemass Road

So I did, first Master Carleton, who with a fine bow would have come forward at leisure to address her, but she marred it for him by turning aside to Susan, which may have been by design, for it took him in his preamble, so must he start again, while my lady gave sweet apology. And then Yarrow, who smiled on her boldly and preened himself, whereat she began to eat her marchpane and bade Susan give refreshment to all of us there, and to Master Lightfoot, her man of affairs, who was come in, one of your portly sleek flat-caps with a wealth of words on both sides, not aye, not no, but mayhap, of which we had surfeit when she put to him the matter of Bell, for she seemed to set that before all, that had not yet changed her shoon, but sat forward in her great chair, cup in hand, while they strove to make all clear to her.

Now, you have heard it and need not that I weary you with it again, but I, taking no part, yet lightly marked how each spoke his side in it, save Yarrow, who was silent and left off not gaping at her like a clown at the fair when he sees the tricksters. Hodgson made poor shift to defend himself, and Master Carleton must needs instruct her, but in a lofty sort that I could see had her teeth on edge, and Master Lightfoot confirmed him on blackmail, how, albeit it was an unlawful and hateful thing, yet were poor men wont to pay, at which she cried out on them, was this how the law was kept, and Master Carleton pointed to redress before the Wardens, and that it was no great matter, and “the custom of the country”, and no fault of any, save Bell himself, that looked to move my lady’s pity. But ever she kept to the point, a very Portia, that here were fell thieves harassing a tenant of hers to his hurt and ruin, and how was it possible that a creature of the Dacres should pay criminal rent to such leeches, and no help at law or any way. And through all my poor bailiff knuckled his head and nay-but-madamed her, and the Land Sergeant’s head higher by the moment, and Lightfoot wagging on to try the patience of a saint, and she no saint that sat there, but a lady justly moved, that I was right glad to see, yet sorry to see her at such a rough education as she could hardly believe, that here were Queen’s officers of the peace, but no help from them. For Carleton budged not from saying it was not in his charge, which was for Gilsland only, not Triermain, at which the bailiff shot me a great wink of the eye, as he would say “Said I not so?”

So we had to and fro of “Nay, will my lady but hear me, she doth me wrong” and “Peace, rogue, you kicked him black and blue, go shuffle again!” and “Under correction, madam, here is great ado for a snivelling arrant fellow that hath brought the mischief on himself” and “a God’s name, sir, are people of mine in thrall to Scotch thieves?” and “I did not invent blackmail, lady, nor the sorry state of the world”, and “in truth, my lady, the Land Sergeant has the right of it, ’tis matter for the Wardens”, and on that conclusion they fell silent, my lady a-weary and small of a sudden, and bade them bring in Bell that she would answer him.

While we waited, she said, “Susan, this chair likes me not, I had better be on the rack. Nay, let it be, the others look no better. And for dust, my barn at Blackheath is cleaner! Are there no maids in this house?” But Bell coming in, and a sorry snail he was in his rags and bloody bandage, she left off and spake him kindly, asking for his head.

“Poorly, my good lady,” says he, and cringed. “But poorly. I am not young, I cannot take these knocks, please you, my lady.”

She compassioned his ill-usage, and said the gentlemen had heard of it, and the Warden would see justice done on the Nixons. But at this he raised a great cry of terror that he looked not for justice, but security. “’Tis not what they’ve done, my lady, but what they’ll do yet! They have sworn to ride on me again, and my folk and our poor beasts, aye, this night! They’ll take and burn all, because I cannot pay Ill Will’s tribute! Oh, my lady, I fear for my life!”

Now it was news to her that peril threatened him so close, so up starts she at Carleton, demanding was this so, and where were his watches and troopers, or was this the nether side of Russia, that a man’s life and goods could be torn away? The whiles Bell pawed at her shoe, crying, “Ill Will will have us, lady, oh, sweet lady! Liddesdale never promised but performed! He’ll have us! I’m Dacre’s man, and served your grandsire,” and the like. The Land Sergeant said again ’twas not his charge, and if he rode to every hamlet that feared a raid o’ the Scots, he would never be done, and this being so, it behoved men to pay or fend for themselves.

“For themselves?” cries my lady, white as the wall. “Look at him, sir, can he fend for himself or anything? Or do you mean that I, his landlord, must take the field and fight, because your law cannot or will not?” She swore the Queen should know of it, and Carleton said, curtly enough, that Her Grace knew already. Lightfoot interposed that there was much ill, and much wrong, on the border, but it must be looked to, aye, and redress made, given time and much labour to perfection, and anon and anon, until she cried him down, and stood biting her lip to find herself at a loss what to do, and vented her rage on poor Wattie, who was at the fire, bidding him go clatter elsewhere. Then she turned on Carleton, speaking more composed, but still moved inwardly.

“Master Carleton, you cannot aid me with your office, it seems. Yet you were my grandfather’s friend, and you have a name as a stout gentleman. Will you, then, not aid me as a friend, that am in sore need? I ask not the Land Sergeant, but your own self, sir.”

He would need a heart of stone that resisted her (for she was fair, and brave in her distress), and then I saw Tom Carleton as near out of countenance as ever I saw, for he was a proud man, and a valiant, and but for his own policy I believe had offered his sword. To do him right, I believe he weighed in his mind what might come of fronting the Nixons, and what mischief would follow, and would have seen Bell and Triermain in Hades that put him to the choice. But a politician always, he said he might not, for it lay not in his charge, and would have spake more but she turned straight to Anton Yarrow and asked of him the same. And he stood dumb, and looked askance at Carleton, and said he might not, for he was bound by his office likewise. It choked him to say it, for he would fain have said Aye.

To my astoniment, she turned to me, and said something could be done, surely. “You are a priest,” says she, “no matter what persuasion, and were these pillagers as cruel and wanton as demons, they will hardly strike where the Church protects.” She said it so piteous, and her so proud, that I was near to tears to nay-say her.

“For when I was first in this country, I did such a thing, offering myself as a sacrifice, even, for the Lord’s sake. And, lady, they laughed and rode by, crying ‘Bless us, father’, and when I cursed them, they laughed again. Oh, good lady, if you have seen the baited bear snap his chain and rush among the mastiffs, ravening, you would as well reason with him as with Ill Will Nixon and his folk, when they have a foray before them.”

She made no answer, but sat her down, and fingered the crumbs upon her plate, and then called up Bell again.

“I am but lately come, and all at sea here, Master Bell,” says she. “But this I tell you: you shall have security of me, your liege lord. So go up now to your place, and none shall harm you. Go.” And when Bell had slobbered his thanks, and blessed her, and her grandsire, and all else that came to his mind, and gone away in wonder, rejoicing, she looked about full calm, and when Carleton and Lightfoot would have remonstrated at her, told the latter to confer with the bailiff, and give her news of the estate anon. To Carleton she inclined her head and said: