Bonds of Earth, The (22 page)

T
HE OUTCOME OF
Arthur's trial was never in doubt. The barrister engaged by a sympathetic Father Michael pointed out the strength of the prosecution's case and was able to persuade the young felon to plead guilty, in order that the judge might take his pleas into consideration when assessing the inconvenience he had caused, in addition to the offence for which he had been apprehended.

Sally, Nessa and Father Michael were in court for the hearing, the Old Nichol priest giving evidence on Arthur's behalf, pleading that in spite of Arthur's admitted previous minor convictions he was capable of redemption, pointing to Sally as an example of his sense of responsibility and declaring he needed only to be given the right guidance in order to bring this to the fore.

Judge Coltman appeared bored during Father Michael's impassioned plea on behalf of Arthur. Nevertheless, when the Old Nichol priest stepped down from the witness box, the judge, addressing Arthur, said, ‘Arthur Harrup, you have pleaded guilty to the charge of feloniously breaking into a shop and carrying away goods from within, a crime for which only a few years ago you would have forfeited your life. Times have changed but, unfortunately, the habits of criminals like you have not. It had been my intention to sentence you to be transported for the duration of your life. However, I have listened to what Reverend Jaye has had to say about you and have taken notice of the commendable demeanour of the young sister you have seemingly cared for in the absence of either father, mother or home….'

He paused to shuffle the papers in front of him and Sally whispered excitedly to Nessa, ‘Is he going to set Arthur free…?'

Before Nessa could reply the judge began speaking again.

‘… Rightly or wrongly I have decided to be merciful in the hope that when you have paid the penalty for your crime you will find redemption. I sentence you to be transported for a period of fourteen years…. The next case, if you please.'

So stunned was Sally that she did not fully realize Arthur's trial was over until he was ushered down the steps behind the dock by a policeman. Dismayed, she asked, ‘Where are they taking him…? You said I'd be able to speak to him!'

‘You will be,' Father Michael said quickly. ‘We'll go out of the courtroom and down to the cells.' The severity of the sentence, at odds with the judge's declaration that he was being ‘merciful' had taken him by surprise, too. He had accepted before the trial that Arthur might have been sentenced to a year, or even two, serving the sentence in a London prison where Sally would be able to visit him, but fourteen years' transportation…! Few convicts returned from the colonies at the end of their sentences and in fourteen years time Arthur would be a very different person – and so, too, would Sally.

The Old Nichol priest had made arrangements with the court officials for a post-sentencing visit to Arthur and no problems were put in their way. However, the visit took place with Arthur being in the court's prisoners' cage and the visitors being outside.

Sally was in tears and, in spite of his attempt at bravado, Arthur came very close to breaking down, but he said, ‘Don't you fret about me, Sal, I'm able to look after myself, you know that – it's you I'm worried about, although you are looking really well all dressed up like you are. I'm glad.'

‘Nessa … Miss Pyne is looking after me and has taken me home to live with her and some of her family on the other side of London. I wish you could see the house, Arthur, it must be nearly as big as the queen's new palace!'

Neither Arthur nor Sally had ever seen the as yet incomplete Buckingham Palace, but those who had declared it to have more windows than the whole of the Old Nichol – with glass in every one!

The knowledge that he was never likely to see either Buckingham Palace, or even the Old Nichol again left Arthur lost for words for some moments and Sally said unhappily, ‘Will you try to get someone to write to me when you get to where you're going, Arthur? I'll be able to read it now, after being at Father Michael's school.'

‘Of course I will, but I don't suppose I'll get where I'm going for a long time … it'll be a year, or even longer. They'll put me on a hulk first, until there's a ship to take me there, so don't expect to hear from me for a long while.'

‘Where
is
it the judge has sent you to, Arthur?'

‘I dunno, some says one place, others somewhere else, but it don't really matter very much, I'll get by, wherever it is.'

Sally was becoming increasingly upset and, cutting in on their conversation, Father Michael said to her, ‘I spoke to the chief warden before we came down to the cells and he told me Arthur will be going to the prison hulk
Warrior
, moored at Woolwich while he's awaiting transportation to Van Diemen's Land, and he doesn't think Arthur will leave for at least a year. He also said that if Arthur behaves himself while he's on the hulk he'll be allowed a visit every three months, so it seems you haven't seen the last of each other. You'll be able to meet again and tell him how you're getting on.'

It was less than Sally had been anticipating before the trial, but it was better than nothing at all and Nessa returned to Kensington that afternoon with a less unhappy Sally than she had expected to be dealing with. The thought that she would be able to see her brother again in the foreseeable future boosted Sally's morale – albeit only briefly.

D
ESPITE ALL THE
hopes entertained by Sally after her brother's trial, she was destined never to see him again. Three months after Arthur's trial when she pressed Nessa to arrange for her to visit him on the
Warrior
, Nessa asked Father Michael to make the necessary arrangements.

The Old Nichol priest submitted a written request for the visit to the authorities on the prison hulk, but one morning when Nessa arrived at the ragged school with Sally to begin the day's lessons, she was greeted by a visibly shaken Father Michael.

Fearing something serious had occurred at the school in her absence, Nessa asked him what was the matter, but instead of giving her an immediate reply, he spoke to the young girl with her.

‘Sally, run along and get ready for your lessons, I would like to speak privately with Miss Pyne for a few minutes.'

When Sally had gone to her classroom, Nessa asked, ‘Is something wrong, Michael … what is it?'

‘Come along to my office, Nessa. Something absolutely dreadful has happened. I just don't know what we are going to do about it….'

In a moment of sudden unwanted perception, Nessa asked, ‘Is it do with Arthur? Is that why you sent Sally away? Is he being sent to Van Diemen's Land sooner than was expected?'

‘It's worse than that, Nessa, far worse. I had a letter this morning from the governor of the
Warrior
in response to my request for a visit to Arthur. There has been a serious outbreak of typhus on board and thirty convicts died. Arthur was one of them.'

‘When did this happen, and why did no one tell us?' Nessa was horrified.

‘Arthur died almost a month ago, but the governor said that although he had Sally's name as next-of-kin he had no address for her, so Arthur was buried with many of the others, on the mud flats at Woolwich.'

‘This is absolutely dreadful! Sally is so excited at the thought of seeing Arthur again.' Fighting back her tears, Nessa added, ‘ I don't know how I can break the news to her, she'll be so upset….'

‘We'll tell her together. I'll get someone to take your class….'

‘No!' Nessa spoke positively. ‘I'd rather tell her on my own, Michael. Perhaps you could take my class and send Sally in here so I can tell her in private.'

‘Are you quite certain that's the way you want to do it, Nessa?'

‘Yes.'

‘Very well, I'll send her to you and tell the class what has happened once she is gone.'

When the grave-faced priest told Sally to go to his office because Nessa wanted to speak to her there, she realized immediately there was something seriously wrong. ‘Is it to do with Arthur? Won't they let me see him?'

‘Go to speak to Miss Pyne, Sally,' Father Michael said gently, ‘She'll tell you what it's about.'

Watching the young girl hurry away, he felt a deep pity for her, but could not help wondering what effect Arthur's death might have on his school. Sally's rise above the squalor and despair of the Old Nichol had brought a bright ray of hope into the lives of its children. So much now depended upon her reaction to the tragic news Nessa had to tell her.

‘Come in and sit down, Sally.' Guiding the young girl across the office with an arm about her shoulders, Nessa tried very hard to conceal the distress she felt about breaking the news of Arthur's death to her protégée.

Allowing herself to be led to a chair, Sally said, ‘It's about Arthur, isn't it … something's happened?'

‘I'm afraid it has, Sally … I'm so very, very sorry.'

Now Sally realized that what Nessa had to tell her was more serious than a refused visit to her brother. ‘What is it…? Have they already transported him?'

‘No, Sally, they've had a serious outbreak of typhus on board the
Warrior
….'

‘Typhus? Arthur has typhus?'

‘It spread among the convicts … the gaolers too.'

Searching Nessa's face, Sally saw the anguish there and she tried twice to speak before the broken words came out. ‘Arthur … he's dead, ain't he?'

‘I'm afraid so, Sally. More than thirty others died with him … I am
so
sorry.'

Sally sat silently rocking back and forth in her chair, gazing unseeingly down at the floor, her hands gripping each other tightly in her lap. There were no tears, but Nessa was aware of the intense grief locked inside her … and she knew of no way she might help her exorcise it.

Unexpectedly, Sally suddenly looked up and said, ‘Where is he, can I see him?'

Nessa shook her head, ‘He'll have already have been buried with the others, Sally.'

‘Where?'

‘Somewhere on shore with all the others, close to the hulk. Sadly, I doubt very much whether they will have marked the grave.'

‘Poor Arthur …' Sally was silent for a long while before saying, unexpectedly, ‘Perhaps it's for the best. Arthur's used to being leader of the boys in the Old Nichol, but I knew when I saw him with the others in the cell beneath the court that they wouldn't take orders from a boy. He'd always have been bullied and in trouble….'

Unable to prevent a sob escaping, she added in a choked voice, ‘He'd have been very unhappy.'

Nessa felt an agony of sympathy for Sally, but also a deep sense of helplessness. She wanted to take Sally into her arms and comfort her, but she had come to understand the young girl well enough to know it would be a mistake. Sadly, this was something Sally needed to work out for herself.

‘I want to go for a walk around the Old Nichol for a while, Nessa – on my own.'

The thought of Sally disappearing into the Old Nichol on her own in her present state alarmed Nessa, but she said, ‘If that's what you want – but you'll come back?'

Sally nodded. ‘I'll come back. It's what Arthur wanted for me and what I want too.'

Nessa was relieved by her reply, she had feared Sally might be contemplating returning to a way of life she had shared with her brother, but she was apprehensive too. Sally was no longer a girl who was at one with the Old Nichol urchins.

‘I don't think you should go wandering around the Old Nichol dressed the way you are now.'

Sally nodded agreement. ‘Can I borrow something from the store?' Father Michael had gathered a store of old but wearable clothing at the school, some donated by a rag-and-bone man, others by sympathetic pawnbrokers. Deloused and washed, they were kept in a storeroom for the benefit of new pupils to the school.

It was a good idea but, in spite of the young girl's assurance, Nessa was apprehensive when Sally walked away from the school some minutes later, with only her cleanliness setting her apart from the many urchins of the Old Nichol. She was afraid the memories of life with Arthur all around her might prove too much for her to abandon it once and for all.

She was greatly relieved when, some hours later, Sally returned to the ragged school. She never disclosed where she had been, or what she had done, but she appeared to have come to terms with the loss of Arthur, although she would remain uncharacteristically quiet for many days to come, carrying an almost palpable air of sorrow.

Nevertheless, when she changed back into her new clothes and agreed to being taken straight back to Kensington, Nessa knew the young girl had closed the chapter of her life in the Old Nichol.

1840

‘Y
OU'RE UP BRIGHT
and early this morning!' Goran made the comment as he entered the stables at Elworthy Farm and found Jenken feeding the two plough horses. Dawn had only just broken and it was a chilly but clear morning and on the way from the house Goran had glanced appreciatively at the trees growing nearby, their branches hidden by a cloak of leaves, proof that spring was now firmly established.

‘I wanted to make a start on clearing the turnip field now the sheep have been moved out. I think the horses are going to be kept busy one way or another this year.'

Goran nodded agreement, it was likely to be an exciting year. He was now tenant of not one farm but two, Elworthy and Roach being worked as one. The change had come about at the end of what had been a severe winter during which Agnes Roach's arthritis had seriously worsened, making her a virtual invalid incapable of performing all but the simplest of household chores and making supervision of the Roach farm impossible.

Mabel Trebartha had moved in to Agnes's farmhouse for a week to take care of her, leaving Goran to eat with the ever-increasing Bolitho family. By the end of the week Mabel had secured the services of a newly widowed village woman of middle age who moved in to the Roach farmhouse to care for the needs of both Agnes and Elworthy, although Mabel would still call in at least once a day to satisfy herself the arrangement was working satisfactorily.

Then, only a few weeks after this domestic arrangement had been made, Agnes sent for Goran and offered him the tenancy of Roach Farm at a ridiculously low rent, to work with Elworthy Farm as a single holding. Her only stipulation was that she and Elworthy would remain in her farmhouse and should anything happen to render her totally incapable, physically and mentally, Goran and Mabel would take on responsibility for her brother.

Goran agreed to her terms eagerly. He would be quite content to have Elworthy working with him again. He was hard-working and could be trusted to take good care of the farm animals and carry out any of the routine tasks about the farm.

Nevertheless, Goran took on four additional farmhands to help him carry out the many plans he had for all the land now at his disposal. There would be no problems in the immediate future financing his ambitious projects. The dues from the Wheal Hope mine had exceeded all expectations, not only delighting Goran and Agnes but also the adventurers who had financed the mine and who now saw their investments reaping a rich reward.

‘Have you heard about the trouble they had at the Spurre Arms, down in the village, last night?' The question came from Jenken.

‘No – but how do you know anything about it, you won't have seen anyone this morning? Were you there?'

‘You won't find me wasting my money on drink,' Jenken said firmly. ‘No, Pa was working very late on the mine engine and some of the men coming on night shift told him about it. The trouble was between gamekeeper Grimble and Alan Toms.'

Goran was instantly interested. ‘What sort of trouble?'

‘Grimble had been drinking at the inn for some time on his own and wasn't happy that so many miners were in there, even though they were apparently ignoring him. Anyway, some of the miners were talking about the news that Jacob Barlow had been transported for life for stirring up trouble among the coal miners up north. Grimble pricked up his ears when he heard the name because, of course, it was Barlow and his men who gave him such a beating. He made a loud comment to the landlord that Barlow should have been hanged, together with all those miners who supported him. Alan once being one of Barlow's men made an equally loud remark that there were some gamekeepers who deserved to be hanged too – one in particular.

‘It seems Grimble took offence – as Alan no doubt intended he should – and wanted to fight him. The landlord threw Grimble out and warned Alan that he'd do the same to him if he caused any more trouble.'

Goran shook his head in disapproval. ‘Alan will need to be careful, we all know what sort of man Grimble is … and from all I hear he's become worse since he took to drinking heavily as a result of what happened at the last Liskeard Fair, you winning a cup while he returned home with nothing.'

Grinning happily at his memory of that day when he had been presented with a small silver cup and five guineas for coming second in a ploughing contest, Jenken said, ‘I think Sir John went away even unhappier than his gamekeeper that day.'

‘And with good reason, I believe,' Goran said, ‘Rumour has it that Sir John gambled a lot more than he could afford on Grimble winning the shooting contest, same as he had for the last five years.'

Grimble had been favoured to win the gamekeepers' shooting contest but the prize had been taken by a newcomer who, it later transpired had served as a sharpshooter with the Spanish Legion, fighting in the Iberian Peninsular. He had shot so well that a dispirited Grimble could manage no better than fifth place. Sir John had been additionally galled because the winner's employer was a man who had made his riches from mining ventures and was regarded by the baronet landowner as an ‘upstart'.

‘That was the beginning of Grimble's fall from favour,' Jenken agreed, ‘but after what he did to Pa I won't waste any sympathy on him. I learned only last week that his wife left him some years ago because she'd had enough of him. Ma and Annie were talking about it when Annie came down to the house a couple of evenings ago.'

‘I haven't seen Annie Pyne for months. How is young Jennifer and the rest of the family?'

‘The family's fine. In fact Annie came down to tell Ma that Morwenna's expecting, so I doubt whether Alan will be spending much time in the future drinking with his mates.'

‘Did Annie mention Nessa? I've hardly heard anything of her since she went away and I often think of her.'

Jenken's mother had told him that Mabel had at one time thought a romance was blossoming between Goran and Nessa. The old ploughman, Horace Rundle, had also mentioned the bracelet Goran had bought for Nessa at the Liskeard Fair when the two men first met. Jenken wondered what had gone wrong for them, but thought it might be time Goran forgot about her and moved on.

‘It seems she's doing well teaching up in London. Annie says her letters are full of the young vicar who's started a school for poor children. Nessa's working there with him. He's from Cornwall too and Annie says that from the way Nessa writes about the wonderful work he's doing she wouldn't be at all surprised to hear there was something going on between the two of 'em.'

Goran felt unexpectedly despondent by the news. He had always nursed a forlorn hope that one day Nessa would return to the Wheal Hope, remember the accord they once had and realize it had been more than friendship.

He believed the sole reason they had taken different paths in life was because he had only just taken over Elworthy in those early days and had been so busy she must have believed she meant nothing to him. But he had never forgotten her and was reminded of what he had hoped the future held for them both every time he opened the drawer in his room where the box containing the bracelet he had never presented to her was kept.

Suddenly aware that Jenken was giving him a quizzical look, Goran said quickly, ‘Well, we've both got a great deal to do so we'd better get on with it before there's a change in the weather, or something.'