Sons and Daughters (29 page)

With that she stalked out of the house, Joe following reluctantly in her wake.

Back at Buckthorn Farm, they saddled two horses and rode towards the town, then veered to the left. Neither spoke, each busy with their own thoughts and trying to keep an overwhelming fear in check.

They found him lying motionless in the long grass at the edge of the copse as if he’d been thrown there and callously abandoned.

‘My God!’ Joe breathed, as they both dismounted and ran towards him. ‘What have they done to him?’

‘He’s alive,’ Charlotte said, feeling for the boy’s pulse. She took off her coat and laid it over Philip. ‘You’ll have to fetch something to carry him home on, and a farm cart. If he’s been thrown from his horse and then set upon, there’s no knowing what injuries he’s suffered. Go to the manor, Joe, it’s nearer.’

‘Can’t we—?’

‘No,’ she said firmly. ‘We might cause more damage.’ Beneath her breath she added, ‘If that’s possible.’

They both glanced across at Philip’s horse. It was writhing in agony, trying to stand and falling again.

‘Bring Eddie back with you and tell him to bring a gun. That poor creature’s not going to make it.’ She forbore to add the word ‘either’.

It took a while, longer than the half-hour she’d promised Miles, but at least Philip had been found and carried home and upstairs into his own bed. His father had not called the police. At least, not yet.

Now it was the doctor they called.

Whilst they waited, Miles said, ‘If – if he lives, it will be thanks to you, Charlotte.’ His glance rested upon her as he added quietly, ‘But you seem to know what’s happened. Will you tell me?’

‘Of course. When the doctor’s been, I’ll tell you everything.’

‘He’ll have to go into hospital for observation. None of his limbs are broken, but he’s concussed and I’m worried about his spine. I can’t tell if there’s damage there.’

‘My God,’ Miles muttered, running his hand through his hair.

Within an hour, Philip was on his way to the cottage hospital in Lynthorpe. When Miles returned from accompanying his son and seeing him admitted, Charlotte was still waiting anxiously.

‘I need a drink,’ Miles said, leading the way back to his study. ‘And I don’t mean coffee. Brandy, Charlotte?’

‘I don’t usually, but on this occasion,’ she muttered grimly, knowing the task that lay before her, ‘I need it too.’

They sat down and sipped the liquor but Charlotte knew he was anxious to hear what she had to say.

‘I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but you have to know. I – I should have told you before, but’ – she sighed, wishing she’d not delayed even the few days – ‘Miles – Philip is the father of Lily’s child.’

He sat forward in his chair, his hand shaking so suddenly he almost spilt what was still in the glass he held. ‘Philip!’ he said hoarsely. ‘My son – my seventeen-year-old son has – has seduced a girl who was living in my house – under my
protection
?’ He groaned, closed his eyes and fell back in the chair. The glass slipped from his hand and fell to the floor, spilling the brandy on to the carpet.

Charlotte bent and picked up the glass, mopping the spillage with her handkerchief. She glanced up at him anxiously, fearing she was going to have to send for the doctor yet again. He sat slumped in the chair with his hand covering his eyes. She poured another brandy and took it to him.

‘Here – drink this.’

He pulled himself up like a man rousing himself from a nightmare. He took the glass, but his hand was still shaking. Charlotte remained standing close by. At last, he took in a deep, calming breath. ‘Thank you,’ he murmured.

She moved across the hearth and sat down again. ‘I’m sorry.’

Slowly, he raised his head to look at her. ‘Sorry? What have you got to be sorry about, my dear?’ He smiled wryly. ‘I’m not one to blame the bearer of bad news.’ He sighed, groaned and swept his hand across his forehead again. ‘What a mess!’

‘Joe and Peggy were very shocked, of course, but they’re standing by her.’

‘They know about Philip?’

Charlotte nodded and bit her lip. ‘Yes,’ she admitted huskily, ‘and I’m afraid that’s my fault. At first she refused to name the father, but of course her family wanted to know. They thought there might be a chance of whoever it was marrying her. But they realize that’s impossible now.’

Miles’s head shot up. ‘Why? Why do they think that’s impossible?’

‘Well – they wouldn’t expect – I mean—’

Bitterly, he said, ‘They wouldn’t expect the squire’s son to marry the maid he’s seduced, eh? Well, that’s not what happens in my family. At least – ’ he closed his eyes and groaned again. ‘At least, I didn’t think it was.’

‘I have to tell you that Jackson and John went out looking for him. They brought him down off his horse and attacked him.’

For a long moment, Miles stared at her, a blank, unreadable expression on his face. Then, to her surprise, he muttered, ‘It’s no more than he deserves. If it’d been
my
daughter – if I’d been blessed with a daughter – ’ His voice broke with such an unexpected depth of longing, almost loss, that Charlotte was shocked. ‘I would have done exactly the same. I – I hope Philip’s not permanently injured, of course I do. But I can’t blame those lads, even though I know I should.’

‘You really are a most extraordinary man.’ She’d spoken the words aloud without meaning to, but now it was said, she went on, ‘You’re so kind and considerate of others’ feelings. And
very
understanding.’

‘I must go and see the Warrens at once,’ he said.

‘Do you want me to come with you?’

He shook his head. ‘No. I must face the music myself.’

Charlotte smiled sadly. ‘I think they’ll be thinking they’ve “music to face” now too. But just one thing, Miles.’ The name came naturally from her lips. She didn’t even stop to think about it now. ‘Just remember it’s not
all
Philip’s fault. It takes two, because I am sure of one thing. Philip didn’t force himself upon her. She was a willing – a willing – ’ She couldn’t think of an appropriate word, but Miles understood and nodded.

‘And you,’ he said huskily, ‘are very generous to be so fair-minded. My eldest son hasn’t exactly treated you with the courtesy and respect you deserve.’

‘He’s young.’

Miles’s face clouded again. ‘But not too young to sire a child, it seems.’

Charlotte returned to Buckthorn Farm to face her own particular music, whilst Miles saddled Midnight himself and rode over to the Warrens’ cottage.

Joe, grey-faced, opened the door and held it silently for the man to enter. Miles removed his hat and bent his head as he passed through the door. As he went into the kitchen, he saw that the whole family were gathered there, even Lily, almost as if they were waiting for him. Young Tommy was standing in the corner, his eyes fearful.

Miles glanced round at them all and then spread his hands. ‘I don’t know what to say to you. I’m so very sorry.’

He saw glances pass between them. Surprise, shock and the beginning of relief. Joe spoke first. ‘We expected the constable, sir.’

‘The constable? Whatever for?’

Joe gestured towards his sons. ‘We knew Miss Charlotte would tell you. Oh, she had to – don’t get me wrong. But we thought – when you found out what my – my boys had done . . . Is he badly hurt, sir?’

‘He’s in hospital and his back may be damaged. I don’t know yet.’

Lily let out a wail and buried her head against her mother’s shoulder, sobbing and distraught.

‘He shouldn’t have brought our Lily down,’ Jackson burst out. ‘We didn’t mean to injure him, sir. Not like that, not permanent like, but . . .’

‘I know,’ Miles said gently. ‘Like I said to Miss Charlotte, in your place I’d’ve done the same. Maybe not brought him off his horse, perhaps, but I’d have given him a good thrashing. In fact,’ he added grimly, ‘if he wasn’t lying in a hospital bed right now, I probably still would.’

‘So – you’re not bringing charges against them?’ Joe still couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing.

Miles shook his head and his glance went to Lily. ‘No – it’s Lily and her child we must think of now.’

Joe stuck out his hand awkwardly. ‘You’re very generous-spirited, sir. The lads shouldn’t have done what they did, but I’m sorry to say I can understand
why
they did it. And they’ve lost you a valuable horse an’ all.’

Miles shrugged. He was a kind man and the harm that had befallen the animal distressed him, but the welfare of his son was what mattered most.

Solemnly, he took Joe’s outstretched hand. ‘There is just one more thing . . .’ As he released Joe’s hand, his eyes sought Tommy, skulking in the corner. The young boy had been listening to every word, yet taking no part. Miles crooked his forefinger, beckoning the boy towards him. Tommy came, dragging his feet and hanging his head.

Miles put his hand gently on the boy’s shoulder. ‘It’s all right. I’m not angry with you, but I just want your promise that you will not fight little Georgie again. At least, not over Lily. He’s too young to understand what it was about and he’s in tears at home – not because of his bloodied nose and black eye –’ Miles heard Peggy’s gasp, but he carried on, saying gently – ‘but because you’ve fallen out with him. What’s happened is not Georgie’s fault. And he shouldn’t have to bear any retaliation. Do you see that, Tommy?’

The boy nodded. ‘I’m sorry, sir. It was just – it was just – ’

Miles squeezed his shoulder. ‘I know, I know. And sticking up for your sister does you credit. But—’

‘What happened?’ Joe interrupted sternly.

Tears streamed down the boy’s face now. ‘I’m sorry, Dad. I – I thumped Georgie because I heard you saying Philip had hurt our Lily.’

‘Oh Tommy,’ Peggy cried. ‘You shouldn’t have done that. Poor little boy. It’s not
his
fault.’

‘Miss Charlotte saw us and stopped us. She – she took Georgie home.’

Joe’s face paled. He glanced round his family. ‘Miss Charlotte knows it all. Everything you’ve done.’ There was a veiled threat in his tone. His sons, all three of them, had brought more trouble on the family than Lily had caused. She might have brought shame upon them, but her trouble would not see them dismissed and turned out of their home. But the action of his sons might well do so when Osbert Crawford got to hear about all this. Even Charlotte would not be able to save them then.

Miles cleared his throat.

‘I’ll talk to Philip. We must arrange a marriage as soon as we can.’

Now the whole family was dumbstruck. They’d not expected this. Even Lily’s sobs subsided and she looked up at him, her eyes swimming in tears.

‘Marriage?’ Peggy said. ‘You – you’d
want
them to get married?’

‘I presume they must love each other, else – ’ He waved his hand unable to find the words, though everyone knew what he meant.

‘Oh we do, we do,’ Lily burst out and, wrenching herself from her mother’s arms, she went to Miles and caught hold of his arms. ‘I do love him, sir, with all my heart and – and he loves me. I know he does.’

Miles put his arms round her. ‘There, there, Lily. Don’t cry, my dear. We’ll sort it all out. Your parents and I. Everything will be all right, I promise.’

‘Where’s Warren? And those idle sons of his? They’re not at their work.’

When Charlotte stepped back in through the front door of Buckthorn Farm, she was startled to find her father standing in the middle of the hall, thumping his stick on the floor. ‘I want to see him. Good for nothing layabout.’

She sighed. Today of all days he would have to decide to take a sudden interest in the workings of the farm again.

‘Joe and his sons have all had the influenza. The boys have done the evening milking and they’ll all be back at work full time tomorrow.’

Osbert scowled at her. ‘Mind they are. And you can stop their wages for the days they didn’t work.’

Charlotte didn’t reply. She’d no intention of doing any such thing. But he’d never know that. One thing he never did now was look at the paperwork in the farm office any more. That had become her domain.

He turned away, heading once more for his sanctum. She watched him go, biting her lip. It seemed he’d forgotten all about ordering her and the Morgans to leave his house. Or, more likely, he’d chosen to forget it.

But what would happen, she wondered, when he learned the latest news of his protégé, Philip Thornton? What then?

It was four days before Osbert found out. Four days in which Charlotte had learned that Philip had been moved to a hospital in the Midlands for tests on his spine.

‘He – can’t feel anything,’ Miles had told her distractedly when they’d met accidentally whilst riding on the beach. ‘They think his spine might be broken.’

‘Oh, dear Lord,’ Charlotte had breathed. ‘No!’

‘And there’s another thing,’ he said, his eyes dark with anxiety and something that Charlotte couldn’t quite define. Disappointment? Shame? At his next words, she understood.