A Captive Heart (14 page)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Colonel Ridgeway studied Tamsin’s pale face carefully. ‘It is as I said, Miss Trevenian, your father has been captured and is now our prisoner on the Isle of Tresco. We have successfully taken the Scilly Isles from the Royalists.

‘The Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell intends to make an example of him. He will be brought over to Helford Fort shortly where he will be executed.’

He
delivered this terrible news seated behind the oaken desk, his hands tucked under his chin.

She stood before him her hands held clenched tightly at her side. Determined not to give him any pleasure from this she said quietly, ‘I hear you. Will that be all Colonel Ridgeway?’

Her
resolve holding her in good stead she felt that she betrayed little to this man except for a sudden catch of breath. She was fighting a fierce battle against her fears. She was determined to save her father from his fate even if it meant risking her own life to do it.

‘You
will of course be allowed to see your father before this takes place.’ He stood up to walk slowly round the desk his hands held behind his back to gaze out of the window at the troopers drilling in the stable courtyard. He was silent for a moment or so then turned round to address her again. ‘The order for his execution document will be signed and sealed by General Cromwell, the Lord Protector, and brought here shortly by a special messenger.’

She swallowed hard and spoke out bravely, ‘Is this dreadful deed to be done to my father without a trial? He is an officer and gentleman and has a right to this surely, sir.’

Ridgeway shook his head. ‘He will be treated as such at Helford Fort. I’m sorry I cannot promise more than that, Miss Trevenian. That will be all for the present.’

She
turned and left the room. Tamsin knew that she had to help her father. By whatever means she must assist him to escape to freedom in France like the young Prince and the Royalist officers after him. But first of all she would have to get him out of Helford Fort.

She made plans quickly. Someone would be bringing the execution order signed and sealed here soon from Oliver Cromwell and she would be ready for them. Any delay in receiving it would surely give her more time to arrange for her father’s escape from Helford Fort.

She
waited till she could speak to Martha in her bedchamber where they were not overlooked. She told her nurse what had passed between her and the Colonel that morning.

‘It
is too dangerous for you. Your father will not agree to it.’

‘He will have to when I attempt it. It’ll be much too late to say for him to refuse. But…,’ She drew in her breath and announced gravely, ‘first of all I must delay the delivery of the document, Martha. I’ll be there to take it from Cromwell’s man.’

Martha looked grave. ‘You cannot do this, Tamsin. Your father would forbid it if he only knew what you’re trying to do.’

‘I need Reuben’s help, Martha. I can only trust him and no one else. I need him to help me to hold up the coach that will be carrying the emissary with the document from Oliver Cromwell.’

‘What!’
A gasp escaped Martha when she heard this. ‘Your father would not allow you to risk your own life trying to save his.’

‘I
have to do it, Martha. I have to delay the execution being carried out for as long as possible.’

Martha
, alarmed by what she was hearing, held up her arms. ‘Mercy me! God help us, child. You could risk all to do this? Your own life! Your Aunt’s home and safety here and everyone else involved if the Roundheads wreak punishment on us all for it. And you may be sure that they will.’

Tamsin
shook her head. ‘You are not listening to me. I will do anything - anything at all to set my father free. And I mean to. Whatever it costs me. You shall not stop me.’

Martha
stared hard at Tamsin but listened as the girl explained carefully how she planned her father’s escape. ‘If I am going to help him escape from the fort I will need someone else to assist me besides Reuben. Someone capable we can trust.’

‘And
who can that be child?’

‘The vicar... Mr Thomsett.’

Martha
shook her head. ‘The vicar! Never! You cannot ask him to do this!’

‘I
have already - and he has agreed to switch places with my father. I can rely on his help in this to carry it off.’

‘He
cannot do this, Tamsin. They will know it’s not him.’

‘No
they won’t. He is the same height and build as my father. He will play his role in it well. I’m certain of it. Now... you must alert the French Captain Jacque again, Martha. Whatever it costs us I will pay.’

Martha listened and was forced to agree. It was a bold plan. If it was carried out to order it could work but it also promised a dangerous sequel to those left behind at Treganna. And this was the only thing that troubled Tamsin. If her father made his escape safely then they could all be made scapegoats. The servants could be held responsible and punished.

‘You
must use the secret passage to leave the house or else you will be seen. We are watched by many eyes here,’ Martha cautioned. ‘And pray that no one questions the stable lad or Reuben about the horses you’ll use.’

‘Colonel
Ridgeway expects the coach to arrive late tomorrow evening with the document. He is so certain of it. He speaks about it plainly in front of me. I hate to spoil his plans,’ Tamsin said with a wicked smile.

Martha shook her head but chuckled. ‘You have no need to worry about Reuben’s answer. He would willingly give his life for you and your father.’

*

The following evening Tamsin changed once again into men’s clothing, a hat and black scarf covering most of her face and a dark cloak over her outfit. She carried a loaded pistol which she had known how to use well since her stay on Tresco. She had excused herself from the evening meal with a stomach complaint which was accepted without question by her Aunt and the officers.

Before
she left Martha clasped her in her arms and kissed her fondly. ‘Reuben waits for you in the spinney. He left half an hour ago. It will take you fifteen to twenty minutes to make your way carefully down through the passage. You have the flint to light the candles on the way.’ She sighed. ‘I cannot go with you as I would wish to do. I must stay here to keep them from seeking you out in the bedchamber lest they should they wish to question you on the state of your health.’

‘I shall be careful, don’t worry about me.’

Martha
shook her head. ‘But I do. They’re bound to be suspicious about your behaviour. Especially with the document expected this evening.’

Martha had her reservations still. Ridgeway was not a man to be crossed. His word was law there. He would punish anyone who tried to go against what he stood for…

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Tamsin had never felt so lonely as she did when the door in the panel closed tight and secure behind her in the dark passage way leaving Martha and safety on the other side.

Now
she was on her own entirely and it was essential she took great care, one hand feeling along the wood panelling until she left the entrance to it far behind. Her way was lighted by the candle lantern she held and the other candles she lit along the shadowy passage reminded her of the Piper Hole where she had first found Adam, lying wounded and alone.

She
trod slowly, choosing her steps carefully down the winding steps cut out of flag stone that led directly into the long winding, underground passage. High above her head she heard slight movements and mouse like sounds coming from a colony of bats that also used it as their home. It smelt musty and damp and she sneezed loudly, the bats disturbing dust particles as she passed under them.

How
she wished that it would lead her to Adam right now, so that she could run straight into his arms when she heard the soft scrabbling and squeaking of field mice that she disturbed in their nests as she passed them by, these small creatures in a way serving to encourage and cheer her on her perilous adventure that was about to begin.

Martha
she knew would put off and prevent anyone wishing to disturb her in the bedchamber. It was a long, lonely journey through the passage that was used by priests a century ago to enter and leave the house unseen.

She
was glad she had practised this well beforehand and sighed with relief when she saw the chinks of moonlight, and crept out at last through the hidden ivy clad entrance. She found Reuben waiting with their horses close by in the dark shadowy woods. He held out his arms to her.

‘Reuben!’
She flung her arms around her friend and hugged him. ‘If you want to go back, I’ll manage this from now on my own.’ He shook his head and helped her up onto her horse and got on his own. ‘Bless you, dear friend. I couldn’t do this without you.’

They rode at a good pace across country to the Illogan crossroads where they would wait well hidden by the thick clumps of trees through which the coach was bound to reach before it branched off towards the long ride to Helford Fort.

It could be a long wait for them. They were close by the spot where felons were hanged on the gibbet and a ragged clothed body still hung there. She blanched and smothered her scream when she saw it swaying in the wind. It served now to bring home to her sharply what she was risking in doing this.

She
saw Reuben glance up at the miscreant swinging and creaking in the wind and knew that he feared that fate too when he crossed himself quickly. She wished then that and only then that they could ride clear away from what she was attempting to do. Perhaps she should have listened to Martha. She was the sensible wise one after all. Was she making the biggest mistake of her life? The last one perhaps...

An
owl hooted and was answered by another flying overhead. This was followed by the loud drumming clatter of horses’ hooves and carriage wheels on the road coming ever nearer.

Tamsin
felt sick with fear, her mouth dry and her heart pounding in her chest - it felt as if it was coming up into her mouth it beat so fast when the coach at last came into view.

She
spurred her mare forward and rode out into the road.

‘Stand
and deliver!’ she shouted out boldly in the deepest voice she could muster to the coachman. ‘Stop this coach immediately!’

The
coachman reigned in the horses quickly on seeing the pistols in their hands and halted on the spot.

A loud voice shouted back from the coach window, ‘Let us pass, you rogue! We are about Parliamentary business. We have no valuables or gold on board to hand over.’

Tamsin
riding up closer looked down into the coach window and was shocked to discover that she was looking straight into Adam Carey’s quizzical green eyes.

‘I want the document that you bring to Colonel Ridgeway. Give it to me! I want nothing else, sir,’ she declared gruffly.

‘Why
do you want it?’ he spoke out loudly with authority. Loud enough for the coachman to hear. That alone should have made Tamsin aware that he had recognised her immediately.

‘That’s
my business. Give it to me, sir.’

‘
And if I don’t?’

‘A good man could die. And so will you, sir. By my hand. If you refuse me I shall have to take it from you by force. Hand it over to me now.’

She
was trembling, very near to breaking down. Her sweating hand on the gun was shaking. How could she threaten the life of the man she had chosen to save only a few weeks before? A man she knew now that she loved?

Reuben at that moment chose to fire his pistol over the coachman’s head who cried out in alarm and the horses reared up shaking the coach and throwing Adam backwards. He made a quick grab for the window pulling himself together. A second later he handed over his leather case to the frightened girl.

‘Here, take it and be gone instantly. This you know cannot save him, Tamsin,’ he whispered. ‘But I salute you for your courage. You’d best make your escape now. Begone quickly. Before the troopers seek you out and shoot you both dead…’

‘Adam
...’ escaped her lips involuntarily.

‘Go!
God go with you, my love’

As they rode away a shot rang out. The coachman had picked up his musket and fired. She heard a groan come from Reuben riding fast beside her. Had he been hit?

She called out, ‘Reuben? Are you hurt?’ He glanced over at her reassuringly and shook his head. Would Adam give them away? Or would she give herself away by her absence at the house? They must get back quickly before their absence was discovered.

What had they done? What had she brought down on their heads at Treganna? There would be an almighty fuss when Ridgeway heard about it. And Oliver Cromwell would find out soon enough. Despite it all though she hoped Adam wouldn’t be blamed for handing over the document.