Relief at finding her unharmed making his knees weak, all Davie wanted was to throw Faith on the back of his saddle and carry her to the safety of the village. But he couldn’t take her and the three boys, and he knew she’d never leave without them.
Noting the stream of men now approaching them, he calculated the distance to the stables, and realised he couldn’t get them there and harness a vehicle to take them away before the crowd reached them.
‘Who are you?’ he barked to the labourer who hovered at her side. If the man were part of the mob, keeping her here until the others could arrive, he could at least dispatch that threat.
‘Banks,’ the man answered. ‘She were helping my gran. Don’t think the two of us can hold ’em off, but we can slow ’em down.’
‘We won’t just slow them—we’ll stop them,’ Davie replied. Setting free his nervous, rearing gelding, who was more likely to trample them in his smoke-induced anxiety than provide a means of escape, he told Faith, ‘The village knows what’s happening, and the fire engine is on its way. Is there anyone you can trust at the stables?’
‘Yes. Abrams, the groom who is teaching the boys to ride. He’ll help us, I’m certain.’
‘Take the boys and go at once. Tell him to ready a gig or a farm wagon, whatever he can put a horse to the quickest, and drive you to the village.’ When she hesitated, he said, ‘I know you are worried about the servants at the main house. But your first concern must be the safety of your sons.’
Her face clouded, she nodded quickly and gathered the boys. ‘Come along, my dears. I’m afraid we’ll just be in the way here.’
‘Will you come with us, Mr S-Smith?’ Matthew asked, his voice breaking.
Fury coursed through Davie anew, that Faith’s home and perhaps safety had been put at risk, that her precious sons had been frightened.
‘I’ll come to you in the village afterwards.’
‘Sh-shouldn’t I stay, Mama?’ Edward said, his words at odds with the anxiety on his face. ‘This is my land, you’ve been telling me, and I’m responsible for the safety of its people.’
While Faith’s eyes filled with tears, Davie said, ‘You can delegate that task to me today, Ashedon. If you will allow me the privilege.’
The boy gave him a short nod. ‘I—I will.’
The faint sound of jingling harness had Davie looking over his shoulder. To his relief, an open farm cart approached from the stables, pulled by two shying horses the driver was struggling to control.
‘Abrams!’ Faith cried, spotting the vehicle. ‘It’s all right,’ she told Davie. ‘He’s the groom I told you about.’
‘Here, Your Grace,’ the man said, pulling up the team. ‘Climb up with the youngsters, and I’ll get you safely into the village.’
Without waiting for Faith to reply, Davie lifted her to the bench, while Dickon quickly assisted with the children.
‘Take her to the inn. I’ll come later.’
‘No!’ Faith cried. ‘Just to the edge of the drive. If things...get out of hand, we’ll continue, I promise. But I’ll not leave Ashedon Court’s people to the mercy of these rowdies unless I absolutely must.’
While Davie would prefer to countermand her, the mob was on foot, and as long as the cart kept its distance, the groom would be able to get her safely away, if necessary, before they could catch up.
He hoped it wouldn’t be necessary. Much as he’d like to break a few heads, it would be much better if he could defuse this situation before it got any more out of hand, resulting in far too many angry farmhands being hung or transported.
‘Very well. But make sure it’s a safe distance,’ he told the groom.
‘It will be, I promise,’ the man said, and set the vehicle in motion.
Watching until the wagon halted a good distance away at the curve of the drive, Davie turned back towards the manor house.
The first members of the crowd were almost on him.
* * *
Seeing his imposing size—and no doubt the furious determination on face—the first three halted, wisely hesitant to take him on by themselves. Spying a large boulder set decoratively at the juncture where the drive branched towards the stables or the house, Davie trotted over and scrambled up on it, until he stood a half-a-man’s height taller than the men gathering below.
Knowing the importance of projecting authority and confidence, he simply stood, holding the men below by the power of his presence, not attempting to speak until the majority had arrived from the courtyard. He had an orator’s voice, born for addressing a crowd, and as they assembled below him, he drew on every bit of it.
‘Men, you have a just grievance, and good cause for disappointment. But this is not the way to express it, or to bring to reality the goals we all share.’
‘We share?’ one of them shouted. ‘We seen you with the Duchess!’
‘Aye, you’re just one of their lackeys!’ cried another. ‘A pet canary, singing for them in the Lords!’
‘We aim to show ’em we won’t put up with them tunes no more!’
‘Why don’t we pull him off his perch?’ the first man shouted.
As several of the men moved forward, Davie braced himself, ready to play Big John to their Robin Hood at the river. But to his surprise, Banks put up his hands, warding them off.
‘What, you turned traitor?’ the first man snarled. ‘And you tole us you was jest goin’ to check on your old granny.’
‘I did! But I don’t hold with threatening women and boys. Besides, the Duchess was taking care of my sick gran.’
‘It’s not the Duchess or her children with whom you have a quarrel,’ Davie said. ‘You want your outrage to be heard, but continue in this way, and all you’ll hear is the snap of the rope at the end of a hangman’s noose. You’re local men, aren’t you?’
‘Aye, most of ’em,’ Dickon said.
‘Which means you could be identified, arrested, tried, and hanged or transported. That will not aid your cause, nor keep your families clothed and fed, until we pass the legislation we all want.’
‘What would the likes of you know about it?’ one of the men jeered.
‘A great deal. I’m David Tanner Smith, a Member of Parliament for Hazelwick, and I’ve been working towards the passage of a reform bill for ten years. I know you are all impatient that progress has been so slow. But it does continue, and the bill will pass. From there, we’ll move on to address the next great issue, opening the vote to all. But only if we do not give those who oppose us reason to brand us as hooligans, intent only on destroying property and the social order.’
While there were mutterings about how the social order ought to be destroyed, the fire in the crowd had been banked. Already a few, doubtless having second thoughts about the wisdom of attacking a ducal property, were drifting off.
‘How do you mean to get the bill passed, when all of them that killed it still sit in the Lords?’ one of the instigators demanded.
‘Because they may not be the only ones sitting,’ Davie said. ‘If it seems likely the Lords will vote down the bill in the next session, Grey will pressure the king to create new peers, enough to flood the Lords with supporters who will get the bill passed.’
At that moment, a horseman appeared at the corner of the drive, galloping past the farm wagon carrying Faith and the boys, and charging up the rise towards them. As the rider drew closer, Davie recognised him as Walter Downing, the Member of Parliament for the local district.
His arrival created a flutter in the crowd, some stirring as they identified their Parliamentary representative, a few more guiltily slipping away.
‘Men, what’s going on here?’ he demanded as he reined in.
‘Letting our displeasure be known,’ one of the leaders returned with a surly look.
‘Surely you don’t mean to jeopardise all our progress by doing something foolhardy!’
‘Is it true, what that man’s telling us?’ the leader asked, jerking his thumb at Davie. ‘That Grey and the King will make sure the bill passes in the next session?’
‘That man?’ Downing said, belatedly looking up. ‘Why, it’s Mr Smith! I don’t know what brought you here, but if you’ve kept these fellows from rash action, I thank you!’ Turning back to the leader, he said, ‘Henries, Mr Smith is one of the leaders of the Reform cause. Whatever he predicted, you can count on it!’ Looking towards the column of smoke coming from the direction of the stables, he frowned. ‘But what have you done here?’
Just then, the crowd’s attention was deflected to the farm cart now driving back towards them, saving Henries from an answer. To Davie’s displeasure, as he wasn’t convinced the danger had been completely defused yet, Faith herself handled the ribbons.
‘Your Grace!’ Mr Downing cried as she brought the cart to a halt before them. With an aggravated glance towards Henries, he said, ‘I hope the...disturbance today hasn’t alarmed you.’
‘An unfortunate...accident at the stables, I’m afraid,’ she answered. ‘But Abrams tells me all the horses were got out safely, and the fire engine from the village is on its way. I expect these men heard of it, and came to help. If you gentlemen could hurry on and man some buckets while we await the fire engine? Much of the building is stone, so I hope we can salvage the main part.’
‘Off with you, men,’ Downing said, waving them towards the stables. Most took to their heels immediately, apparently eager to put the incident behind them.
‘So you are not inclined to summon the magistrate and...press charges against anyone?’ Downing asked.
Faith turned a long, hard glance on the several ringleaders. ‘Not at this time. I hope they’re now convinced there is a better way to move forward.’
‘Magnanimous of you,’ Downing said. ‘Henries, Markham, and you others, why don’t you thank the Duchess, and go help the bucket brigade?’
After a chorus of mumbled ‘Thankee, ma’am’, the men set off, even the recalcitrant Henries finally offering Faith a grudging nod. As he strolled away, they heard the bells of the fire wagon in the distance.
Downing looked up to Faith and tipped his hat. ‘Thank you, Your Grace, for a forbearance and understanding that, frankly, would not have been forthcoming from your late husband. I must admit, as I rode out, I feared the day would end with half the local farmhands headed for gaol and a hanging.’
As Davie clambered down from the rock and strode over to stand by the farm wagon, Mr Downing came over to shake his hand. ‘Thank you, too, sir. I’ve heard the tales from Derby and Bristol and even as near as Wollaton. We don’t need that here, or we’ll never get that blasted bill passed!’
They all turned as the fire wagon appeared at the corner of the drive and laboured up the rise towards them. ‘Now that the brigade is arriving, Mr Downing, why don’t you encourage most of the men to return home?’ Faith said. ‘Abrams, take the wagon back, please. I’ll walk to the house with the boys, and come back to the stables after I check on the staff.’
‘Very good, Your Grace,’ Downing replied. ‘Thank you again.’
As the MP set off, Faith turned to the man who’d helped Davie hold off the crowd. ‘Mr Banks, a special thanks to you, for coming to our aide. Your granny raised a responsible young man.’
‘Man enough to admit when I been wrong. Thank you for looking after Gran. I’ll see what I can do at the stables.’ After doffing his cap to Faith, Banks waved down the fire wagon, hopped aboard and rode along as it passed them and headed towards the stables.
‘Let me accompany you to the house,’ Davie said, helping Faith and the boys down from the wagon. ‘Just in case any recalcitrants are lingering in the vicinity.’
‘Thank you, Mr Smith, the boys and I would appreciate that.’
Though he was finally able to draw an easy breath, Davie wouldn’t be completely satisfied until he’d verified that the house was safe. Anger still stirred in his blood at the thought that those ruffians had threatened her and her boys—but how brave and magnificent she’d been, facing down that crowd!
‘How did you happen to come to Ashedon today, Mr Smith?’ Faith asked as he fell in beside them, arms held stiffly at his sides to resist the urge to sweep her into an embrace, just to feel the steady, normal beat of her heart against his chest.
‘We read in the papers about the disturbances in the countryside after the defeat of the bill. When Wollaton was mentioned, I knew I had to come check on you. So you must excuse my dirt.’ He motioned to his mud-splattered attire. ‘I rode straight through.’
‘From London?’ She looked back at him, startled. ‘You must be starving, as well as exhausted! We’ll find something for you in the kitchen—assuming that mob didn’t ransack the place.’
‘If they did, you may have to reconsider not pressing charges. We need a new England, but not one built out of coercion and law-breaking,’ Davie said grimly. ‘I haven’t worked the last ten years of my life for that.’
A few minutes later, they arrived at the main house and skirted the front to go to the kitchen wing. Rapping at the door, which unaccountably appeared locked, they were admitted by the butler bearing a fireplace poker and the cook brandishing a rolling pin, while several maids wept in the background.
‘Your Grace! Thank the Lord! You are unharmed, I hope?’ the butler asked.
‘We are all well,’ Faith replied. ‘What of you in the house? Is everyone safe? Goodness, what a smell of smoke!’
‘Oh, ma’am, I thought they would murder us!’ one of the maids wailed.
‘They first sought admission at the front door, which I locked after refusing them. They tried to force their way in here, but Mrs Pierce and I were able to prevent them. They did manage to set fire to part of the roof—’
‘Trying to burn us alive!’ the maid wailed again.
‘But I sent the footmen up. They were able to put it out before it spread from the kitchen wing, but I fear it may take a long time to air the smoke from the rooms.’
‘Thank you, Knoles, and Mrs Pierce, for your bravery and resourcefulness! Despite the turmoil, might there be something in the larder for Mr Smith? A close friend of the family, he read about the disturbances in the newspaper, and has ridden straight through from London to offer us assistance.’
‘Of course, Your Grace, I can manage something,’ Cook said. ‘Susie, Mary, stop your snivelling and give me a hand.’
‘Mr Smith, you were the one standing on the rock, addressing the crowd?’ the butler asked. ‘I could see you from the upper windows.’ When Davie nodded, the butler said, ‘We owe you a great debt. The crowd might have decided to rush the doors, or tried harder to set this building afire, had you not deflected them. Whatever you told them must have been very persuasive!’
‘Dismay at their rash actions had begun to set in by then, and common sense to reassert itself. Mr Downing’s calming presence finished the matter,’ Davie said. ‘I would appreciate a quick bite, Mrs Pierce, and then I’m off for the stables. I’ll send the fire brigade down to check the roof, once they have the damage there contained.’ Turning to Faith, he said, ‘Why don’t you take the boys up to the nursery, out of all the commotion?’
‘Can I go to the stables with you?’ Matthew asked. ‘I like commotion!’
‘Later,’ Faith intervened. ‘We don’t want to distract the men from their work.’
‘The housekeeper is making a survey of the main and bedchamber wings now, Your Grace,’ the butler said. ‘To see how far the smoke spread, and determine what needs to be repaired.’
‘Very good, Knoles. I’ll take the boys out of harm’s way. Mr Smith, thank you again for your intervention. One hopes the crowd would have come to their senses before inflicting any more...damage, but I shall always credit you with making sure of that.’
Her eyes telling him she’d like to say—and do—more, she simply pressed his hand. A sudden tremor running through him at the thought of what an angry crowd might have done to her, Davie felt that reassuring touch all the way to his bones.
‘We’ll talk later, Mr Smith,’ she promised as she gathered her sons. ‘Upstairs with you, now, boys! I bet Mrs Pierce will find something nice for your tea, as well as Mr Smith’s!’
‘So I shall, Your Grace,’ the cook said as Faith ushered the children out. ‘Mr Smith, Knoles will show you to the morning room. I’ll have something sent up in a trice.’
‘Just a quick nibble in the servants’ hall will do for me, if that won’t disturb your work,’ Davie said, watching Faith walk out. Why did it always seem as if the light in the room dimmed, once she’d left it? ‘I’d like to get down to the stables as soon as possible. By the time I get back, the housekeeper should have her report ready, and we can help the Duchess decide which repairs are needed first.’
Mrs Pierce nodding her agreement, he followed the butler to the servants’ hall. Not until they’d sorted out the uncertainties left in the wake of today’s disturbance, and he assured himself that Faith and her sons were truly safe, could he think about broaching the question he’d been wanting to ask her for the last three weeks.