By the Sword (17 page)

He set the books on the table and sat down. She pulled her chair up next to him and opened the first volume.

It was early afternoon before Kate laid down her pen and leaned back in her chair. Due mainly to Sir Francis’ careful management over the last few years, the estate was not as badly off as it could have been. The fines, which had been massive, had mostly been met by the sale of lands not connected with Seven Ways itself and while no means wealthy, the estate had at least begun to pay its way again. However, there were a couple of disturbing matters revealed by the figures.

The first concerned the low price at which the stock was sold at market. Jacob, hastily swallowing the last of the pie the maid had supplied for his lunch, said, “That's Price's doing. We're forced to sell to him. No one else durst go over him for fear he will turn on them. It's no secret that he covets this land for himself and he hopes to beggar us by buying our stock at below cost."

Kate frowned. The necessity for an interview with Price became more urgent. She did not relish the prospect.

"What about the reports that his men have been trespassing on our land?” she asked.

"Aye. They've been harrying the tenants and there have been a few unexplained fires and stock losses.” Jacob frowned. “Nothing we can prove. Anyway even if we could, Price is the local magistrate."

Kate set aside the problem of Colonel Price for the moment and turned back to her tenants.

"What about the Barlows?” Kate tapped the cover of the second volume. “They're months behind in their rent."

Jacob nodded slowly. “I'll admit I've done naught about them,” he replied. “Truth is, Mistress, I've no heart to chase them. Old Jem Barlow took a bad knock on the head during the war and has been addled ever since. Good for naught is Jem. His wife Susan and their boy have tried their best but...” He shrugged eloquently.

Kate looked at him. “What do you suggest?"

"Well, Mistress, rightly speaking you should turn them out.” Jacob left an unspoken ‘but’ at the end of his sentence.

Kate sighed. “We'll ride over and see them tomorrow,” she said, “but first I think a visit to Colonel Price is called for."

"Do you want me to come?” Jacob asked.

Kate smiled. “Jacob, you're an old soldier, surely you have faced worse in the field?"

Jacob sighed, “Aye, Mistress, but I were better armed. Yon Colonel Price, he holds the whole armoury."

Kate stood up, briskly shutting the books. “Tomorrow morning, Jacob, please."

Colonel John Price stumped heavily into the parlour of Longley Abbey where his man had shown Mistress Ashley. He had no idea who this Mistress Ashley was or what her business with him could be, although the name sounded somewhat familiar.

The woman stood by the window looking out over the garden. She turned as he entered the room and curtsied politely. He returned the compliment. He saw a young woman with a comely face and a pleasing figure, dressed neatly in a plain black dress, enlivened only by a spotless linen collar edged with lace.

Kate, in her turn, saw a small, portly man, with a receding hairline, unsuccessfully disguised by brushing his hair over his pate. His florid, self-important face told her all she needed to know about the sort of man she had to deal with.

"You have business with me, madam?"

Kate smiled politely. “May I sit?"

He indicated a chair. “You have the advantage of me, Mistress..."

"Ashley ... of Seven Ways."

Price's eyebrows rose at the name.

"Ah, of course ... Seven Ways.” He took a seat. “Your, er, husband is not with you?"

"My husband is dead,” Kate replied mildly.

Price frowned. “Then who is this Thomas Ashley, who is said to have come into the Seven Ways estate?"

"My son."

Price blinked a couple of times.

"Your son? But surely you are not old enough..."

"My son is nine years old. I am guardian of his estate."

"You're a woman!"

"So I am!” Kate gave him the benefit of a charming smile. “And as your new neighbour, Colonel, I thought it incumbent upon me to make your acquaintance. You know my bailiff, of course?"

She indicated Jacob, who lurked uncomfortably in the shadows of the room. Price cursorily acknowledged his presence.

He began to recover his presence of mind. “It's my understanding that Sir Francis had only one grandson,” he said.

"You refer to the notorious delinquent, Jonathan Thornton? From what I hear tell of his exploits, he should be damned for all eternity.” Kate said a silent apology to her lover. “My late husband, Captain David Ashley of Sir Thomas Fairfax's Regiment, was also a grandson of Sir Francis and by his will Sir Francis has left Seven Ways to my son."

"Your husband fought for ... Parliament?” Price was visibly shaken. He could see all his careful plans slowly unravelling.

Kate nodded. “His father was a member of both Parliaments and,” she added for good measure, “a personal friend of the Fairfaxes."

Price rose to his feet. “Madam, you must be aware that I hold an order to sequester Seven Ways and the Thornton land."

Kate pulled out Nathaniel Freeman's letter. “And I have a letter under seal of the Council of State, verifying Thomas Ashley's claim to Seven Ways and countermanding the sequestration order."

Price took the letter and turned it over in his hands as if it burned him. He opened it and scanned the contents. His lips tightened as he sank back on the chair.

"That appears to be in order,” he said.

"I should hope it is!” Kate said stiffly.

"You're aware, madam—” Price grappled to regain some lost ground “—that you are harbouring a nest of papists?"

Kate pursed her lips. “I am, Colonel, but in the name of Christian charity I can scarcely turn Lady Longley and her daughter out. As you are well aware, they have nowhere else to go."

She looked pointedly at him and was rewarded by an embarrassed flush rising to the Colonel's face.

Price leaned forward in his chair. “Mistress Ashley. You are obviously a woman of undoubted good sense, perhaps we could discuss the possibility of my taking Seven Ways off your hands. The estate requires a man's hand to bring it to rights again."

"Colonel Price, that is a very kind offer but you see I am merely trustee for my son, and Thomas has formed a great attachment for Seven Ways. At this point in time I feel honour-bound to continue Sir Francis’ work and perhaps restore Seven Ways to some of its former glory."

She stood up.

Price leaped to his feet. “Well think on my offer, Mistress Ashley. I am sure you will find you have set yourself a major undertaking."

"Thank you, Colonel. I shall think on your offer."

Kate held out her hand, and Price ponderously bowed over it. “Madam,” he said. “It only remains for me to bid you welcome and if I can be of any service?"

As Kate slowly pulled on her gloves, she said, “Well, there is one small matter, which you as a Justice of the Peace may be able to assist me with. My tenants are being harassed by men who claim, wrongly I am certain, to be acting on your orders."

Price blustered, his face going a pleasing shade of puce. “This is outrageous, madam. I shall make immediate investigations and such men will be sternly dealt with."

Liar
, thought Kate, but she smiled sweetly. “Thank you, Colonel, for your time. I hope we may meet again soon."

"You must dine with us, Mistress Ashley.” Colonel Price bent over her outstretched hand.

"I would be delighted, Colonel,” Kate said as he stood aside to let her pass.

She swept past him, with Jacob trailing in her wake. Their horses waited on the gravelled forecourt of the handsome Elizabethan house. Nell's house, Kate thought sadly, looking up at the mullioned windows.

She hoped Jacob didn't notice her hand shake as she took the reins of her horse from him.

"Did you mean what you said about Sir Jonathan?” Jacob asked boldly as they rode away.

Her words had gone against the impression he'd gleaned from servants’ gossip but then he paid no heed to gossip. She gave him an odd look, but he did not know her well enough to recognize its meaning.

"No, Jacob, of course I did not mean what I said. I have met Sir Jonathan and I have a high regard for him,” she said and smiled with more confidence than she felt. “I think the interview went well, don't you? I have certainly left him with something to ponder and I doubt our tenants will be harassed again."

Jacob looked at her shrewdly and said nothing. Kate smiled to herself and thought how Jonathan would have enjoyed being a witness to that interview. She had learned a great deal from him in their short acquaintance.

In some ways the next interview was going to be more trying, and Kate's heart sank as they turned into the yard of the Barlow's farm. It had all the look of neglect she had expected. She caught Jacob's sharp eyes on her, waiting for her reaction.

Susan Barlow waited by the door, her hands twisting in a not-too-clean apron. She was a thin, harried woman, who could have passed for twice her age. As Jacob helped Kate dismount, Susan smoothed the crumpled folds of the apron and curtsied to Kate.

"You're welcome, my lady,” she said.

Kate opened her mouth to correct her as to her correct mode of address but decided better of it.

"Would you care for some refreshment, my lady?” Susan held open the door of her house.

It took a few minutes for Kate's eyes to accustom themselves to the gloom of the kitchen. Like the farm it bore the imperceptible signs of neglect, dust and cobwebs where there should be none. By the fire a man sat, staring at nothing in particular. As Kate watched he would twitch and jerk and unintelligible sounds would come out.

Susan followed her gaze and laughed nervously. “Don't you mind my Jem, my lady. He don't mean no harm.” She paused, looking sadly at the man. “He's not been quite right since the war."

My husband is dead
, thought Kate with a shudder,
but that is nothing compared with this living death
.

Susan indicated a chair at the table, and Kate sat while Susan busied herself with some broth and freshly baked bread.

A tall, lanky boy of about fifteen stomped in from outside. “What's to eat, Ma?” he demanded.

"Now, Sam, mind your manners! My lady and Master Howell have come to visit,” Susan said awkwardly.

The boy whipped off his hat and apologized. Kate smiled at him and he took a seat at the other end of the table, ostensibly concentrating on his food but occasionally casting Kate furtive looks.

Brushing the last crumbs from her skirt, Kate folded her hands on the table. “Mistress Barlow,” she began. “You must know why we have come."

The woman looked at her unhappily. “Aye, my lady. It's about the rent. It's just with only the boy and me—” she cast a glance in the direction of her husband “—we just can't seem to make ends meet."

"Have you no one else to help?” Kate asked.

She shook her head. “I've put five children in their graves, my lady, and my brother was lost in the war. I've no one but Sam and my girl Essie, who works up at the hall."

Kate stood up and wandered unhappily around the room, looking for inspiration. She stopped to inspect the work on a loom that stood beneath the window. She had been the daughter of a clothier and knew enough of the art to recognize quality.

"Did you weave this?” she asked Susan.

"Aye, my lady. I do a bit of weaving for the extra money it brings in."

"It's good work,” Kate observed. She looked at Jacob, thoughtfully biting her lip. “Jacob, is there a vacant cottage in the village?"

Jacob scratched his head. “Aye. Old widow Read's place. It needs a mite of fixing up though."

Kate looked back at Susan, seeing the small glimmer of hope beginning to flicker in the woman's eyes.

"Mistress Barlow, it is plain that you cannot cope with the farm and the responsibility of caring for your husband. I have no choice but to turn you out of the farm, but if I were to offer you the cottage instead, as a grace and favour for the service your husband did for the Thorntons, you could work full time on your weaving and earn an income doing what you're good at. Would that be acceptable to you?"

The woman's face broke into wreaths of smiles and she grabbed her son's hand. “Oh, my lady, would you do that for me?"

Jacob cleared his throat. “I know Master Knowles has need of a good boy, if young Sam would be interested?"

With Susan Barlow's effusive gratitude ringing in her ears, Kate left the sad little farm. “Have we anyone to put into the farm?” she asked Jacob.

Jacob thought a minute then nodded slowly. “Aye, Jeremiah Knowles’ eldest boy has just taken a wife. They're an honest, hard working family. They'll soon put the farm to rights.” He paused a long while, before clearing his throat and saying gruffly, “You've done well, Mistress Ashley."

Kate allowed herself a small, self-congratulatory smile. She could understand any reticence on the part of the tenants and villagers. Not only was she a foreigner but a “Roundhead” as well, but if she had won Jacob Howell over, general acceptance of herself and Thomas would follow.

As the days passed, it became obvious that she had underestimated the weariness of the Seven Ways tenantry. They had lived with penury and uncertainty for so long that Kate's coming was, perhaps, a relief. Of course, Jacob assured her, they would have preferred to see Jonathan take his rightful place, but they had known that were that to happen the land would be immediately sequestered and some crony of Colonel Price's assume the position.

Given a choice between that possibility and a boy of good Thornton blood, loyalty to Kate and Tom seemed assured. Respect still had to be won, but Kate's fair treatment of the Barlows was well received and Susan Barlow became Kate's staunchest defender to any doubters remaining in the village.

The full impact of Kate's influence came at the first market at Kidderminster following her arrival. For the first time in what seemed years, the Seven Ways tenantry received full price for their stock. Colonel Price passed the new Mistress of Seven Ways as meek as a lamb, doffing his hat and bowing. For the time being anyway, he was not willing to earn the enmity of a personal friend of the Fairfaxes.