to the Far Blue Mountains (1976) (6 page)

Riders would have gone out to all the ports and towns, and it behooved us to hold to the back ways, as we had done.

Another night we stopped in a village and bought cheese, bread, and ale. Then we found ourselves a woodcutters' hut in Pamber forest, built a small fire on the hearth, rolled up on the floor in our coats, and went to sleep.

Suddenly, I heard a faint creak. How long had I slept? In an instant my eyes were open. There was someone at the door. Slowly the door was pushed open, and a head appeared, a head and a hand, then a blade.

A man stepped in. Behind him was another. With my left hand I threw back my blanket and with my right I lifted the pistol from my saddle holster.

I heard Tom stir.

"Come in, gentlemen!" I said. "But please, no quick movements as I've no wish to be cleaning scattered brains from the wall, and my pistol never travels alone.

It has a mate."

Tom came to his feet near the wall, a cutlass in his hand.

"If you wish, Barnabas, I'll carve a bit of meat for you," he said.

"Now, now!" The man in the door came a step farther into the hut. "No need to get your backs up."

"Stand fast!" I said quietly. "Tom, throw some fuel on the fire. We'll want to see our guests in a better light."

With his left hand, Tom threw a handful of brush to start the morning fire on the dying coals. When the fire flared up, he added sticks.

The man in the doorway was blond and smiling, although his leather jerkin was scarred and torn, his shirt almost gone, and there were bloody stains on both shirt and jerkin. The light in his eyes was cheerful.

"Aye!" he said, "A lucky chance is this! You'll be Barnabas Sackett, and a lot of the devil's trouble you've brought us!"

"Us? Who might you be referring to?"

"Let me get closer to the fire and I'll do some talking. You've naught to fear from us, though we're perhaps the only men in England can say that. What a noise you've raised, my friend! Why, the woods and roads are alive with men, all searching for Barnabas Sackett! What is it you've done, man? Stolen the Crown jewels?"

"Are you followed?" Tom asked. "Speak up, man!"

"No. We gave them the slip, the ruddy beggars. But not by much, and I'd say that before the day is broad you'd best not be about here. They've roused the country to search for you."

He squatted by the fire. "Not four hours agone they came suddenly upon us, rushed in with halberds and blades, even some with forks. We'd a lively set-to there, for a bit, and we lost a lad, but accounted for two or more of them, and some hurt. We drove them off, then we went through the hole in the wall of an old abbey and escaped." He laughed with satisfaction. "They thought us surrounded, snug and tight. Tell us, Barnabas. Are you guilty?"

There was no use lying. "Almost a year back," I explained, "I came upon a rotting leather purse, buried in mud on the Devil's Dyke, nigh on to Reach.

There were some gold coins inside. I sold them."

The blond man stared at me, his eyes twinkling a bit. "And they think you've found the royal treasure! Have you?" He searched my eyes.

"The gold coins was all, and I think them lost by other means at another time,"

I replied. "But they'll have me hidden deep in a dungeon at Newgate, trying to torture it out of me, and I have other plans."

He held out his hand to me. "Pimmerton Burke is the name. Pim to my friends, and you'll be among them, I hope. I am afraid I cannot vouch for all the scruples of my companion here, but he's a likely lad in a bit of trouble. Sam Cobbett's his name yon. He took a wicked blow on his pate with a club, and he's been addled ever since."

"Addled? Who says I'm addled?" Cobbett grumbled. "I'm not so addled as you, Pim, but I'll confess the head aches something fierce."

Outside, the wind was picking up. Wind blew down the chimney and guttered the fire. We added fuel and huddled closer. These were landless men and probably thieves, wanted, maybe, by the law. Or, worse still, wanted by no one.

Pim looked a good man, but I wanted to test him.

"You know the country about here?" I asked.

"I know it." He drew in the dust of the floor. "See? There's an old place, some earthworks ... ditches and a rampart. It is a mile or so, perhaps two miles this side of the village."

"I think," I said abruptly, "that we'll go west." I got up. "And we'll go now."

"Now?" Pim was reluctant.

"Now," I said.

Sam Cobbett looked up at us. "Leave a place like this? It's blowing out, and there's rain a'coming. You go if you like. I'm snugged in here, and here I'll stay."

Pim shrugged. "I'll go along."

Outside, we saddled quickly. Pim led off, but when we were scarce a half mile out, I stopped him. "Now for your earthworks," I said.

He stared at me, then laughed. "You don't trust easily," he said.

"I don't," I said.

"Well, now. There's a man," he said, and led off into the driving rain, our cloaks billowing about us, the track slippery beneath.

We came to the earthworks, low green mounds and trees covering several acres.

With Pim and Tom I went to the top of the wall, just our heads rising above it.

Pim pointed a way that led down lanes among trees, a way that would keep us free of people unless there was a chance meeting on the road.

"It would help," he said, "if I knew exactly where you were going."

It was then I took a risk. This man could help me with his knowledge of the people and the area, knowledge I did not possess. "I am for the New World," I said. "I love England, but my destiny lies yonder ... over the seas. Come with me, Pim."

"I have thought of it," he agreed. "It is a temptation when all else is gone. I have only strength and ingenuity, and neither trade nor land."

"It is a far land," I said, "and a dangerous one."

"I'd venture it," he said, "though a simpler land would be more to my wishing."

He pointed. "A track lies yonder. The road is traveled by few, and will take us well on our way."

He looked at me. "Is it Bristol, then?"

"A likely place," I agreed, "with ships for any land, but mostly for ships to the west."

We mounted once more. It was a weary time, for neither Tom nor I had slept but the least bit, and our eyelids drooped. Pim Burke led the way, pausing from time to time as he approached a turn in the lane to look before him.

It was scarcely light when we came up to the door of an inn, in Odiham, a fine-looking timbered building scarcely fifty years old, and Tom led our horses around to the stable while Pim Burke opened the door and led the way inside.

A stout, red-faced man was kindling a fire. He turned to look. "Ah? Is it you again? You are a rascal, Pim. Will the Queen's men never take you?"

"I hope not," Pim said cheerfully, "although Newgate might be better than some places my head has lain this past fortnight. Can you have something put on for us, Henry? My friends and I have a hunger two days old ... or so it feels."

"Sit yon." Henry pointed toward a table in a corner near another door. "

'Friends' did you say? Are there more?"

"One more. He stables the horses now."

"We will pay," I said.

"Ah? Did you hear that, Pim? Did you listen well? Such words are music to an innkeeper's ears. You would think we held open house here, the way you come by to eat whenever you're near."

"It may be the last time, Henry. I am for Raleigh's land, across the sea."

Henry turned and looked. "Well. I shall be sorry to see the last of you, Pim, but you're a good man, too good to be strung up at Tyburn, and that's where you'll end if you stay on here."

Henry went to the kitchen and emerged with a large meat pie which he served with a quick stroke of his cleaver. "It is cold," he said, "but good. There's some lentils, too, and a bit of pudding. You have the look of travel behind you, and you'd best eat whilst you can."

He put his hands on his hips. "I'd be about it quick, too, if I were you, for there's two or three of the locals who come in, and they're curious."

He turned away. "I've ale or beer, but if you want it there's milk and buttermilk. We be country folk here, and there's milk in plenty."

"Milk," I said, "by all means. There's always beer."

He looked at Pim. "Get your man in here. I'd like you to be off before the locals come."

When Pim disappeared through the door to the stable, the innkeeper walked back and planted his big fists on the table, one of them still clutching the cleaver.

"He's a good man, Pim," he told me. "I've known him twenty year. Strong ... a fierce fighter at the fairs and such like, always in trouble but nothing bad.

There's not an evil bone in him. He's my wife's brother, and I love him like he was my own, but I fear for him. Is it you he'd be going with to America?"

"Likely," I said. "I've a ship coming."

He looked at me again, for after a few rough nights of travel in rain and wind I looked like no man who would have a ship.

"As you see," I said quietly, "all has not gone well. Pim is not the only one with troubles, but the ship awaits and I've been over the sea before."

"You're not from about here. Your voice has a twang to it."

"I'd say the same of yours."

He did not speak his doubt but I could see it plain enough. It mattered little.

He was not anxious to know, nor I to tell.

We ate then, and we ate well. When scarcely an hour had passed, we were gone.

We rode on, avoiding traveled roads, avoiding inns. At last we rode into a lovely village in a hollow of the downs, a place called Rockboume.

There we took rooms for the night. We brushed and cleaned our clothes.

Pim sat on the floor near the window, watching me. "Something worries you, Barnabas."

"Aye."

"Do you know a place called Durdle Door?"

"Aye."

"At daylight then."

We had come far, but not fast, for we had skirted around villages and towns instead of riding through.

Where would our ship be? Had it been seized by Her Majesty? That well might be.

I walked to the window and looked down onto the cobbled street.

"Tom?" I said.

Something in my tone drew him, and he stepped near, looking onto the street where I looked.

A man in cloak and boots stood across the street. A stocky man, well set-up. And as I looked down, he looked up, and we saw each other plain. He lifted a hand to me, and started across the cobbled street toward the door.

I had seen him before!

Chapter
5

It needed no guessing to know this was indeed the man. The air of assurance, the stride in his walk-all carried an air of purpose.

"What will we do?" Tom asked.

"If he wishes to talk, then talk I will."

"Be careful," Tom advised.

"We shall want a small boat," I said to Pim, "a boat with a sail and with some speed."

Pim looked up at me, his feet against the wall. "To go where?"

"To sea, perhaps," I said. "If we must, we will buy it. If you find what we need, return here, but keep a sharp eye out, for there may be trouble brewing."

I went downstairs.

The man waited in the common room with two flagons of ale, one left standing on the table for me. My flagon, if I sat where it was, left my back to the door.

Taking up the flagon I moved it to where I could sit and see the door.

He smiled, with genuine appreciation. "Good! I like a cautious man." He leaned forward. "Now Barnabas Sackett, let us talk."

"Talk, then. I shall enjoy the ale, the quiet of this room, and the view of the river yonder."

"You are in a delicate position, Barnabas."

He proceeded to present the Queen's case against me. I listened patiently, hearing him out. I was wondering what he wanted. When he had finished, I told him of the leather bag, and the contents therein.

The man smiled. "And the other coins?"

"What others?"

He smiled, but he was not amused. "Do not take me for a fool! I took you for a shrewd young man, but yours is the story of a fool."

"Nevertheless, a true one."

"No more of this!" He slapped a hand upon the table. "You have found the treasure. The Queen wants it. England owns it." He paused. "Others want it, too.

If you are caught, the Queen will have it from you, have no doubt of that. You will get Newgate or Tyburn for your trouble."

"And-?"

"There are others. Such a treasure could give a man wealth, and such wealth is power. If you deal with those others, you could get something ... enough to make you rich. Also, you could be given a chance in some other country."

"Who are you?" I asked suddenly.