Bonds of Earth, The (3 page)

‘Well, we got married and had you and although life was never easy we were happy enough. Then, when times became really hard, he took a job on a mine that had a bad record for accidents. I didn't want him to and had we not been so desperate for money he'd never have gone there. But he did … and only a couple of weeks later part of one of the tunnels collapsed killing him and three other miners.'

Recalling her husband's death distressed Mabel and bringing herself back to the present with a visible effort, she said, ‘But there's no sense dwelling on such things. Your pa's been gone a long time now and so have my ma and pa too. All that's in the past, but I'd be much happier if mines and everything to do with them stayed well away from us.'

Aware how upset his mother was, Goran said, ‘Don't let it worry you overmuch, Ma, I don't suppose I'll ever meet up with the girls again. Agnes wants me to find out in which direction their pa thinks he'll be tunnelling, but he and his miners will have plenty of work to do up on the moor so I doubt if they'll be any bother to us down here.'

I
N SPITE OF
the assurances he had made to his mother, Goran nursed a secret hope that he
might
meet the Pyne girls again. The life he led coupled with the long hours he worked meant he had come into contact with very few girls – and his encounter with Morwenna, Nessa and Jennifer had been revealing in every sense of the word.

Because of this, the freestone wall that formed a boundary between open moorland and the two farms of Elworthy Coumbe and Agnes Roach received more attention from him than ever before and every loose granite stone was carefully – and slowly – replaced, in the hope that while he was working he might catch sight of one or more of the Pyne girls exploring the moor on which the family had made its home.

Engaged in this self-imposed activity a few days later, his mind far away, he was startled to suddenly see a young boy of about thirteen years of age scramble untidily over the wall from the Spurre Estate, at the spot where he and the Pyne girls had made their escape from gamekeeper Grimble.

The boy jumped to the ground heavily and fell to his knees, but, scrambling quickly to his feet, ran in Goran's direction and was momentarily lost behind one of the clumps of gorse scattered about the field.

Leaving what he was doing, Goran ran to intercept him and the two met when the boy appeared from behind the gorse. He was in such a blind panic, an expression of sheer terror on his face, that he never even noticed Goran until he was almost upon him.

Changing direction immediately the boy tried to bypass him but Goran was too quick, grabbing first the threadbare, collarless shirt he was wearing, then one of the boy's arms.

He fought desperately to free himself but Goran only tightened his grip.

‘Hey…! Hey…! What's the matter…? What's your hurry?'

‘Let me go…!'

Catching the free arm that was flailing around in the boy's desperate bid to break free, Goran said, ‘Calm down! If you're in trouble tell me, I might be able to help.'

The frantic efforts gradually subsided, more a result of exhaustion than from Goran's attempts to calm him and, breathing heavily, the boy demanded, ‘Who are you … do you work for the big estate?'

‘No, I work here, on the farm … but what's happened in there to frighten you so much?'

Still breathless, the boy looked at Goran uncertainly and he saw tears springing up in his eyes.

‘Look, I'm nothing at all to do with the estate and am not particularly friendly with anyone there, so you can tell me what's happened.'

The boy held back for as long as he could but then, shoulders sagging, he said tearfully, ‘It's Pa … he's caught his leg in a trap in there and is bleeding … bleeding bad.'

‘He's caught in a mantrap?'

Goran was horrified, mantraps were a fearful form of deterrent used for many years by landowners to trap poachers. Made of iron and powerfully sprung, their sharp teeth were intended to trap a man's leg and hold him until he was found by a gamekeeper … or until he bled to death. Such ‘deterrents' had been banned by law some years before but Goran had seen one hanging on the wall of the local blacksmith's shop and it was rumoured such barbaric instruments were still being laid in the woods on the Spurre Estate, a rumour deliberately perpetuated by the gamekeepers.

‘Where's your pa now?'

‘Still in the trap, I couldn't free him and there's blood everywhere!' The tears were flowing unheeded now.

‘Show me where.' Releasing the boy's arms, Goran picked up an iron bar he had been carrying when he ran to intercept the boy. He had been using it to either prise loose stones from the wall or hammer them back into place. ‘Do you think you'll be able to find him again quickly?'

The boy nodded vigorously, ‘Yes.'

‘Come on then, there's no time to lose.'

The boy's father was some distance inside the estate but his groans could be heard long before they reached him. Along the way Goran had learned the boy's name was Jenken Bolitho and that his father, Albert, was a miner.

They had little time, or breath, for more talk, but Goran would later learn that the family had come from West Cornwall hoping Albert might find work with Captain Pyne. Unfortunately, although the mine captain had promised to take Bolitho on eventually, it would be to make use of his mining skills and not until the main shaft and the mine workings were in place. In the meantime, Albert Bolitho had a family to feed. With no money and his family suffering from hunger, he had turned to poaching.

When Goran and Jenken reached him, Albert Bolitho was lying on his back, exhausted by loss of blood and the vain efforts to free himself. The jagged teeth of the mantrap were firmly clamped about the lower calf of his left leg, his torn trousers heavily soaked with blood.

On the ground beside him two rabbits protruded from a satchel, one with a wire suture about its neck, incriminating evidence of Bolitho's activities at the time he trod on the mantrap.

However, in his present situation the miner was beyond caring about the legal consequences of being caught poaching. His face contorted with agony, he looked up at Goran and pleaded, ‘Get me out of here … my leg!'

Wasting no time on a reply and trying to remember the blacksmith's explanation of how a mantrap worked, Goran said to Jenken, ‘He's going to need your help. I'll prise the jaws open and hold them apart with the bar but you'll need to free his leg then help drag him clear. Do you think you can do that?'

Wide-eyed, Jenken nodded.

‘Good, then here we go!'

There was a bar on the trap so shaped that when the trap was sprung it held the serrated jaws clamped tightly shut on the unfortunate victim's leg. Goran needed to stand on this bar and bounce up and down upon it before it moved sufficiently to allow him to place the iron bar low down between the jaws and force them apart.

It was a painful process and although one of the jaws sprung free of Bolitho's leg almost immediately the other remained embedded in the flesh of his calf muscle. Speaking to the boy, Goran said, ‘You'll need to free your pa's leg before you can pull him clear, but hurry, I can't hold the jaws apart for very long.'

After only a moment's hesitation, the young boy did as he was instructed, sobbing intermittently as he pulled the mutilated leg clear of the embedded metal jaws.

‘Good boy, that's it! Now take hold of your pa beneath his armpits and pull for all you're worth. Ignore his cries of pain,
just do it – quickly
!' Striving with all his strength to keep the jaws of the trap open, Goran spoke with an urgency that spurred the boy on.

Goran needed to make an extra effort to force the jaws even farther apart when the miner's boot became caught in them – but suddenly Albert Bolitho was free!

Pulling the iron bar free from the closed jaws of the trap with difficulty, Goran dropped to his knees to inspect the miner's injured leg – and saw exposed yellow bone.

‘Do you think you'll be able to get to your feet?'

By way of a reply the miner struggled to make the attempt but failed. However, with Jenken's aid Goran succeeded in raising him and even managed to take a couple of steps with his arm about him for support, but it was going to take a long time to reach safety … too long.

‘Jenken, I want you to run to the mine as quickly as you can and tell Captain Pyne, or some of the men who know your pa, what's happened. Tell them we need help urgently with as many men as can be spared – and get them to bring something we can carry him on…. No, don't bother about that, there are a couple of sheep hurdles in the top corner of the field where you found me. One of those can be used when the men get here – but you need to be quick. Run as you've never run before. Your pa must be off Spurre land before anyone from the estate finds him, otherwise we'll all be in trouble. Deep trouble!'

G
ORAN'S PROGRESS WITH
the injured man was slow. Frighteningly so. He had picked up the satchel with its snares and dead rabbits so they would not be discovered, but was aware that if he met Grimble – or any of the other gamekeepers – with these in his possession Albert Bolitho could look forward to transportation and if Goran did not receive a similar sentence he would face a lengthy spell in prison as an accomplice.

It was a grim prospect but it was impossible to hurry the injured man. Albert Bolitho was so weak he twice collapsed in a faint and Goran could only stagger a few erratic paces with him before needing to stop and support the miner while he gathered strength again.

However, he could not afford to allow Bolitho to lie down and rest as he frequently pleaded to be allowed to do. If he did, Goran knew he would not be able to lift him to his feet again. Struggling on, he hoped Jenken would soon return with help.

Goran was less than halfway to the boundary wall with his burden when he heard a sound that struck dread into him, causing his stomach to contract in fear. It was the sound of a hound baying in the woods, an indication that a gamekeeper – most probably Marcus Grimble – was on his rounds.

Although the sound was still some distance away, if the gamekeeper was heading in his direction Goran knew there was no way he could reach the boundary wall with the injured man before the hound picked up their scent.

Then, to Goran's great relief he heard the sound of men running towards him from the direction of the estate's boundary wall. Minutes later young Jenken, accompanied by a number of men in miners' garb put in an appearance.

Explanations could wait for later. Breathlessly, Goran said, ‘Quick! Carry Bolitho back to the wall and get him off Spurre land; there's a gamekeeper heading this way with a foxhound that'll pick up our scent in no time. If we're caught we'll all be in serious trouble.'

The miners wasted no time and when two men lifted Albert Bolitho bodily between them the party hurried him towards the boundary wall.

The sound of the hound was much closer now, its excited baying suggesting it had picked up their scent. It was with great relief that the miners lifted their injured colleague over the wall into Agnes Roach's field before the animal and its keeper came into view.

For a moment Goran was taken aback to find the three Pyne girls there. They had been with their father when Jenken reached the mine with his dramatic news and had followed the rescue party at a slower pace, arriving at the scene just as the miners lifted their injured colleague over the wall.

However, this was not the moment to question the reason for their presence, the hound was dangerously close and Goran took it upon himself to give orders to the miners carrying Albert Bolitho.

‘Take Bolitho to that second clump of gorse, there's room to hide him there. Take the haversack with you – and keep him quiet. If it's gamekeeper Grimble with the hound, he'll be carrying a gun and won't hesitate to use it.'

‘Tom, Arthur … go with Albert and do as the boy says. Gag him if you think it's necessary.' The man issuing the order spoke with authority and Goran realized this must be Captain Pyne.

Within minutes the gorse bushes had closed around the miners and the injured man, but they were only just in time. The branches had hardly ceased trembling when a foxhound came over the wall from the estate and Goran recognized the same young hound he and the girls had met with before. It seemed the hound recognized the girls too. It bounded towards them, tail flailing the air in pleasure and the miners looked on in momentary amusement at Jennifer's feigned protestations when she was singled out for special attention.

Their amusement was short-lived. Appearing on the far side of the wall, gamekeeper Grimble took in the scene and, reaching over, placed his gun against the wall on the field side. Climbing over after it, he called in vain for the frisky young hound to come to him.

‘Your dog is too pleased at making new friends to hear you.' The comment was made by Captain Pyne.

Retrieving his gun, Grimble growled angrily, ‘It's a hound, not a dog, and he's bred to hunt foxes, not to make friends.'

‘It would appear his training is not yet complete,' Captain Pyne said, ‘but we haven't been introduced. I'm Piran Pyne, captain of the Wheal Hope mine we're opening up a little way along the edge of the moor.'

Ignoring the hand held out to him, Gamekeeper Grimble said, ‘In my experience mines and miners bring nothing but trouble in their wake and unless I'm mistaken it's already arrived. Someone's been trespassing on Spurre land after rabbits. I've been aware of the snares for a day or two and today I found a lot of blood close to a warren. Whoever hurt himself would have needed help to get away. Nobody I can see looks to be hurt but it's more than coincidence you all being here. What have you done with the poacher?'

‘I really don't know what you're talking about, but this so-called poacher … how was he injured? Did he have a gun and accidentally shoot himself, or was the injury caused in some other way? Perhaps you'd like to take me to the place where this “accident” happened, so I'll have some idea how badly he's been hurt, then I can check to make sure none of my miners is involved.'

‘You'll keep off the Spurre Estate – you
and
your men, or you'll find yourself in serious trouble.'

‘I don't think so. In fact, I intend coming on Sir John's estate very soon. He's been to see me about the dues he can expect if we follow a lode beneath his land and has said I can go anywhere I like on Spurre land in order to locate worthwhile lodes. While I'm about it I'd like to see where this accident took place, then I'll be able to pursue the matter further.'

Captain Pyne had called Marcus Grimble's bluff and the gamekeeper knew it. He also knew that if the mantrap was found there would be serious consequences for him and his employer. He would need to remove the trap – and others like it – before the mine captain ventured onto the estate.

‘If Sir John has given you permission to go on his land there's nothing I can do about it, but while you're there you'd better remember what it is you're supposed to be doing and not get up to anything else … neither you nor any of your men.'

‘Of course not, laws are made to be obeyed, aren't they? We should all be fully aware of the punishments that will be dealt out to those who break any of them.'

Grimble glared uncertainly at Captain Pyne for a few moments before turning and heading back towards the tumbledown section of the boundary wall.

‘Don't forget your hound, gamekeeper. You don't want him to become too attached to my girls.'

Turning back, the gamekeeper called the hound to him in a voice that brooked no disobedience. Knowing it was in trouble, the hound leapt to obey the furious command but when it neared the gamekeeper, aware of the aura of fury emanating from him, it dropped to its belly and crawled towards him obsequiously. Reaching him the hound looked up fearfully. It had seriously overstepped the mark and anticipated certain chastisement.

Before anyone realized what was about to happen, Grimble lowered the gun he was holding and, with the end of the barrel against the hound's head, pulled the trigger.

The sudden loud report startled the watching miners and terrified the young girls. As the hound fell on its side, dead, Morwenna and Nessa screamed and Jennifer burst into tears.

Angrily, Captain Pyne demanded, ‘Was that really necessary – and in front of the children?'

‘If it wasn't for them it would still be alive. A foxhound's bred to hunt foxes, not get friendly with every child it meets. The hound was no good for the job it was bred for.'

With this Grimble turned to walk away, but Goran, who was upset at the callousness of the gamekeeper, called after him, ‘What about the hound?'

‘It's no good to me, feed it to your pigs.'

He had reached the wall when Goran said, ‘You leave a dead hound on Mrs Roach's land and Sir John Spurre will find it lying across his doorstep in the morning with a note tied to it telling him to ask you for an explanation.'

Grimble turned back angrily with the apparent intent to take issue with him about his remarks, but two of the miners, who had been as appalled as Goran at the gamekeeper's callous action, moved to stand alongside him.

Coming no closer, Grimble said, ‘You're growing too big for your boots, young Trebartha, you'd do well to stay out of my way.'

With this, he reached down and taking hold of the dead young foxhound, heaved it over the wall before climbing after it.

The two oldest Pyne girls were tearful and Jennifer was sobbing bitterly when her father picked her up. Comforting her he gave instructions for his men to carry Albert Bolitho to Wheal Hope on one of the sheep hurdles. A doctor had been sent for when they set out to rescue him and the miner would be treated there.

This done, the mine captain turned to Goran. ‘Are all the estate gamekeepers like that one?'

‘They all do a job I wouldn't care for, but most are reasonable men. Marcus Grimble isn't. He goes out of his way to upset people and enjoys doing it.'

‘He's upset my girls and my men too, so word will get around about the type of man he is. He'd do well to steer well clear of Wheal Hope miners, they're hard on men like Grimble. But you stood up to him … and I understand you did the same for my girls the other day. Now you've saved Albert Bolitho from transportation – and saved his life too, probably. None of us will forget that, so if Grimble gives you trouble let me know, we have ways of dealing with men like him.'

Embarrassed by the nods of approval from the remaining miners and the way the two oldest Pyne girls were looking at him, Goran said, ‘Thanks. I hope I never need to call for your help but it's good to know it's there. You mentioned that Sir John has given you permission to make checks on his land. Do you expect the underground work of the mine to extend this far?'

‘Probably. We've started work on a copper find that will likely go down deep where we are at the moment, but I've also come across another lode that seems to be running in this direction, and in my opinion it's likely to be a rich one.'

Knowing the position of the mine, the extent of the Spurre Estate and Agnes's words when he had told her of his first meeting with the Pyne girls, Goran pursued his questioning. ‘That means you'll be working beneath the farms of both Agnes Roach and her brother, Elworthy Coumbe. I work on both, and we're standing on Agnes's land right now. Their lands extend up to the ridge and along it for six or seven fields to where the moor dips into a valley. I think she's interested in mining rights.'

Captain Pyne frowned, ‘When I met Sir John we discussed the direction the lode was likely to take and he told me all mining rights on the edge of the moor around here were his. We even discussed the percentages of dues he wants for working beneath his lands.'

‘Well, nothing has been said about it to Agnes. She didn't even know you'd begun mining up this way until I told her … and that wasn't until after I'd met your girls.'

‘I don't like the sound of this. I hope Sir John isn't trying to get more than he's entitled to. If the lodes are as rich as I believe them to be there could be a lot of money involved – and disputed dues and mining rights have resulted in more than one good mine failing. Will you tell your two employers I'd like to come down and speak to them as soon as I can find time? But I need to get back to the mine, there's a lot of work going on there right now. Thank you once more for all you did for Albert Bolitho, he's got enough troubles without this. I'll make certain he and his family don't starve but, much as I'd like to, I can't afford to support every out of work miner and regrettably there are far too many of them.'

Captain Pyne left with his remaining miners and the three girls, the still sobbing Jennifer being carried in his arms. After the unwelcome confrontation with Marcus Grimble and what Captain Pyne had said about mining rights and dues, Goran had been left with a great deal to think about.

He felt a little better when, before the party from the mine passed out of sight, Jennifer waved to him over her father's shoulder and Nessa turned and did the same. However, she turned back so quickly he was not sure whether she saw him raise his arm in acknowledgement.