The fear took hold of me. We’d been caught fair and square. Things were about to turn nasty. I braced myself for it, but one look at Will’s leg and Mrs Jessop ordered Jake to carry him straight inside. I followed right behind. The household was up now, the kitchens busy. Gracie’s mouth fell open as we trailed blood in through the back door.
‘What is it? What’s happened?’ she cried.
I shook my head at her. No one else stopped to explain.
We went to Mrs Jessop’s office where, with a grunt, Jake dropped Will into the nearest chair and disappeared sharpish. Mrs Jessop closed the door behind him. She stood very still, her arms folded across her chest. I hovered uneasily at Will’s side. Any second she’d spot a notebook out of place and guess what we’d been up to. Yet the fear in me was fast turning to anger. I knew her guilty secret now, the part she’d played in Kit’s death.
Mrs Jessop didn’t seem interested in her bookshelves, or even poor old Will. She was looking straight at me.
‘Well,’ she said.
Briefly, I met her eye. Then my gaze fell to her snow-crusted boots. Dead leaves were caught up in her skirts. Odd. There weren’t any trees on the lawn where she’d found us.
‘I believe you have something of mine,’ she said.
Will coughed nervously. I felt my cheeks burn.
‘Like what?’ I said, though my blasted hand went straight to the greatcoat pocket.
‘You know very well.’
I felt myself go redder, as if that gaze of hers could see right into my soul.
That’s right, Mrs Jessop, I do know very well. I know exactly what you did.
She held out her hand, palm upwards, twitching her fingers at me.
‘Come on, give it to me.’
I stood my ground.
‘I’m warning you, Tilly.’
‘I can’t believe what you did!’ I blurted out. ‘Kit might’ve lived if you’d warned him!’
Her eyes flicked over me. ‘You don’t know what you’re saying.’
‘Oh, but I do. It’s all written down.’
‘Give it to me!’
She lunged at me. I jumped back smartly. She stopped, breathing hard. A lock of hair had come loose across her face.
‘You’d better hand it over, young lady, or else I swear I’ll . . .’ And she went for me again, her arm raised like she was about to clout me one.
‘Blimey Tilly, just give it back to her!’ cried Will from his seat.
I wasn’t scared of a walloping. But Will was right. I’d got what I needed. I knew what had happened. What did I care about a lousy scrap of paper? My hands shook as I took it from my pocket. It was damp and crumpled, and the ink was beginning to run.
‘Here. Take it.’ I held it out to her.
Mrs Jessop hesitated. Her lip quivered. Then she took it between thumb and forefinger like it was the finest silk in the land. Ever so gently, she folded it into neat squares and put it in her pocket. There was something desperate in her look. With a shudder, she composed herself again.
‘He needs a doctor,’ she said, meaning Will. ‘And you, Tilly Higgins, had better stay right here until I decide what’s to be done with you.’
With a rustle of skirts, she left the room, pulling the door shut behind her.
‘I’m for it now,’ I said, beginning to panic. ‘Why did I have to go and mention Kit? I should’ve kept my gob shut just a bit longer . . .’
Will shrugged. ‘It’s not your strong point, is it? But she’d have done us for trespassing anyway, with or without the notebook.’
‘How did she know what we were up to?’
Will looked at me like I was stupid. ‘Where do you think she went last night?’
With those leaves on her skirt, it didn’t take much working out. ‘Ada’s grave, which is right near to the ice house.’
‘Exactly. I did tell you.’
‘And it wasn’t deer you heard in the woods,’ I said. ‘It was her.’
I flopped down heavily into a chair.
‘So now what do we do?’ said Will.
He’d gone a funny shade and there was sweat forming on his brow. Blood had pooled on the floor by his foot, and his trousers were plastered against his leg. It didn’t look good at all. Quickly, I made him a sort of bed with cushions and chairs, so his leg was up high and the blood began to slow. And since he was shivering, I covered him over with the greatcoat. Then I took his hand.
‘I’m all right really,’ said Will. ‘You mustn’t fuss.’
‘Let’s just see what the doctor says,’ I said, trying to sound cheerful though the amount of blood bothered me. ‘Now lie still and be quiet.’
‘You don’t have to stay with me.’
‘I in’t leaving you here, not with her!’
‘Mrs Jessop isn’t going to kill me.’
‘I don’t trust her,’ I said.
Will’s face darkened. ‘So you’ve made up your mind from one poxy notebook, have you?’
‘Well, if she’d only . . .’
‘She didn’t kill Kit. He was an idiot for going out on the ice in the first place.’
‘Don’t say that!’ I cried. What was it with Will Potter? Even with his leg in shreds, he still got right up my nose.
Will looked at me gravely. ‘Think about it. I bet this isn’t the whole story. So don’t waste your time sitting here with me.’
True enough, it wasn’t what I’d hoped for either.
Just then, Gracie peered round the door. ‘Oh Tilly, how is he?’
‘He’ll live,’ I scowled, then saw that she was carrying a bucket of coal. ‘Where you going with that?’
She looked flustered. ‘Upstairs, to Master Kit’s bedroom. Her Ladyship wants the fire building up. And Dorcas says I have to do it, no excuses this time.’
I tided my hair and smoothed down my skirts. Mrs Jessop might be back any minute. And Will was right about one thing, I certainly didn’t need to sit here holding his flipping hand.
‘Right. Give it to me then.’
‘What?’
Before Gracie could stop me, I’d snatched the bucket from her grasp.
‘I won’t be long.’ Then, feeling suddenly guilty, I added, ‘Look after Will. Keep his leg up. But if he asks you to, you don’t have to hold his hand.’
I rushed past her. She called out for me to stop. But I wasn’t slowing down for anyone.