Sword to the Heart (Bantam Series No. 13) (16 page)

“Proud words!” Captain Swing sneered. “But do you imagine that His Lordship will listen? The first man who opposes a landowner is clapped into prison before he can even open his mouth.”

He looked around at the listening men.

“Only if we all act together, if we show these blood-sucking employers that we mean business, will anything ever get done!”

“You’re right, Captain! That be true enough,” a man shouted.

“It is not true!” Natalia cried angrily. “His Lordship has no idea that you are discontented. Your wage is above the average, but I agree it is not enough. I have already spoken to him, asking that you should receive more, and that extra money should be given for every child.”

‘If you’ve spoken to M’Master, what did he reply?” a voice asked from the back of the crowd.

“What I am suggesting,” Natalia said, ignoring the question, “is that you speak with His Lordship before you do anything so rash as to render yourselves liable for transportation or even worse.”

Captain Swing laughed.

“Can’t you see she’s trying to frighten you?” he asked the labourers. “It’s the usual threatening talk. ‘Lay one finger on my property, and you’ll swing from the gallows’—you’ve heard it all before and in the meantime, men and women starve!”

“You certainly do not look as if you yourself are starving, Captain!” Natalia said sharply.

“You must not always judge by appearances, M’Lady,” he replied suavely. “And now perhaps you should run along and leave us to get on with our business, which I assure you, is of National importance!”

“It is a business that might end up on the gallows,” Natalia warned. “These men are my husband’s employees and his responsibility. I will not allow you to encourage them to commit crimes that can only end in disaster.”

“And how will you prevent me?” Captain Swing asked.

He asked the question with an amused note in his voice, and then, as he looked at her, his eyes narrowed.

“I have an idea,” he said, “which I am sure will meet with Your Ladyship’s approval.”

“What is it?” Natalia asked, a little apprehensively.

For the first time since she had come into the barn, she felt afraid.

She knew now there was something evil about Captain Swing and had the idea too that he was slightly unbalanced.

She could understand how, because he was smart and glib and gave the appearance of being a gentleman, he could easily sway the poor, stupid labourers. They had never yet had anyone to speak on their behalf and were therefore easily inflamed by his recitation of their ills.

“I have thought of a better way to get what we want on this Estate,” Captain Swing said slowly.

“What be that, Captain?” one of the men asked.

‘Instead of breaking up His Lordship’s machine, or even firing his ricks, we will take possession of something which I imagine is even more valuable to him.”

“And what might that be?” a man enquired.

“We’ll take a hostage,” Captain Swing replied, “and who better than Her Ladyship?”

He moved towards Natalia as he spoke and instinctively she took a step backwards. A man standing near her took hold of her horse’s bridle.

“Do not dare touch me!” she cried. “If any harm comes to me, His Lordship will bring Troops against you all.”

Captain Swing took her arm and when she tried to shake herself free she found he did not release her.

She did not know what he was going to do and she felt a definite tremor of fear.

“Do not listen to him,” she begged the men. “Can you not understand that when he has incited you to do something that is illegal, he will disappear. He has not been caught in Kent or Sussex, Surrey or Gloucestershire, but the labourers there paid the penalty for their crimes. Do not heed anything that he may say!”

“Fine words, M’Lady!” Captain Swing remarked. “But I have the feeling that, because you are far from unattractive, His Lordship will be extremely anxious to have you back, and our terms will be quite simple.”

“Where’re ye a-going t’put her, Captain?” a man asked.

“That’s what you are going to tell me,” Captain Swing replied. “It has to be somewhere where His Lordship’ll not find her, and that rules out any buildings on the farm and your cottages.”

“Do you really think,” Natalia asked furiously, “that His Lordship will submit to blackmail?”

“He won’t like to think of you hungry, cold and very uncomfortable,” Captain Swing replied. “And doubtless he will be anxious for the return of his pretty Bride, not having been married long enough to have tired of you—as all men tire in time.”

“Oi’ve thought of a place, Captain,” one of the young labourers said.

“And where might that be?” the Captain asked.

“Th’ ol’ Mill.”

There was a murmur from the others as if they approved the idea.

“No-un has used it for years. ’Tis derelict, and Oi doubt if the Master be aware it be still there. ’Tis supposed t’be haunted.”

“The very place,” the Captain smiled. “Are you afraid of ghosts, My Lady?”

“I am afraid of nothing! Not even of you!” Natalia replied. “But I am genuinely distressed that these foolish men should listen to you. You are evil, and they do not realise it.”

“Now come along, my lads. There’s no time to stand here talking,” the Captain said. ‘What we want is action! How far is this place?”

“Less than half a mile, Captain, and if us goes along th’bank o’ th’stream, no-un’ll see us.”

“A good idea!” Captain Swing approved. “Two of you come with me and see that our prisoner does not escape. The rest of you go back to work!”

‘What about th’ horse?” asked the man who was holding it.

“Keep it out of sight,” the Captain commanded. “We’ll return it later to the stables with a note for His Lordship, setting out our terms.”

“Very good, Captain.”

They hurried to obey his orders with a quickness which showed Natalia how much they stood in awe of him.

It was hopeless, she thought, to try to persuade them any further. They would listen only to him. He was their champion, their leader, and they were ready to obey him slavishly.

The boy who had thought of the derelict Mill went ahead and Captain Swing, still holding Natalia by the arm, followed while two others walked behind.

They kept in the shade of the willows bordering a small stream, which ran beside the farm and twisted its way through open fields.

The long grass beneath the willows was white with frost and soon the velvet skirt of Natalia’s riding-habit was wet and she could feel the damp seeping through the short ankle-length boots she was wearing.

She was certain too that her white, lace-edged petticoat would soon also be soaked. But this was not the moment to worry over minor details.

What really perturbed her was how soon Lord Colwall would learn that she had been taken hostage, and what action he would take.

After they had been walking a little while, Captain Swing released her arm.

“I’m suggesting it would not be sensible to try to escape. I’m quite fleet of foot and I doubt if you could out-run any of us.”

“I shall not do anything so foolish,” Natalia answered proudly. “I
shall merely wait for His Lordship to rescue me, which he will undoubtedly do. Then those poor idiots you have persuaded into agreeing to your nefarious schemes will be punished.”

“Proud words, M’Lady!” Captain Swing said with a grin, “but before your husband receives you back into his manly arms, he’ll agree to our terms—otherwise he’ll not learn where to find you.”

“Someone will undoubtedly tell him,” Natalia said.

“You are being over-optimistic,” Captain Swing replied. “I assure you that these men are loyal to me and to themselves. They know how much depends on their solidarity—how much they stand to gain, and how little to lose.”

“Only their freedom!” Natalia snapped.

“Freedom to starve because a threshing-machine is taking away their livelihood?” Captain Swing asked.

Because it was difficult not to agree with him, Natalia pressed her lips together and made no reply.

They walked on in silence until a turn of the stream brought them in sight of the old Mill.

“It certainly looks dilapidated!” Captain Swing remarked.

Natalia’s heart sank as she realised she had never seen it before and there was every likelihood that His Lordship had forgotten its existence.

The trees had grown up densely all round the building so that from a distance, she thought, it would be indiscernible.

Shrubs stood thick around the pool and the great wheel was rusted.

The boy walking ahead of them pulled open the door which was practically off its hinges.

“Th’ room be at th’top,” he said, pointing his finger. “ ’Tis where they used to keep th’grain.”

Natalia looked apprehensively at the rickety stairway; one rail had broken away and some of the slats were missing.

“Is it safe?” the Captain asked the boy.

He was obviously referring to the stairway.

“Safe enough” the boy replied. “Oi often went oop there when Oi was a kid.”

“Very well,” the Captain said. “You go first and Her Ladyship will follow you.”

“Th’ only thing ye didna’ want t’do is t’fall into th’pool. There be a current in it that’ll suck ye down. Nothing that goes in ever comes oop again!”

“Then that is something we must all avoid. Come along, My Lady!”

Reluctantly, though there was nothing else she could do, Natalia climbed the rickety stair-way.

The boy who had gone ahead opened the door at the top and she saw a small, square room where the grain had been kept.

It was completely empty and the one window had been boarded up roughly so that only a few chinks of light came through it. But it was enough to show her that the room, unlike the approach to it, was strong and secure.

Captain Swing looked around him with satisfaction.

“I regret,” he said, “that we cannot provide Your Ladyship with any furniture, not even the pallet to which prisoners are usually entitled! Let us hope that you will not have to linger here for long.”

Natalia heard the boy rattling down the stairs again.

She was alone with Captain Swing and she turned to look at him, realising that in the dim light which came through the boarded-up window he looked even more evil and unpleasant.

“Let me beg of you, Captain,” she pleaded, “to reconsider your actions. You must know what terrible retribution will be brought upon the men who work here. I agree with you that the wages are low, but this is not the way to improve their lot—not when dealing with a man like my husband!”

“I think we shall find that His Lordship will be amenable,” Captain Swing replied with a leer. “You’re a very pretty young woman, Lady Colwall, and he will undoubtedly find his bed a lonely place without you.”

The impertinence of his words made Natalia draw herself up proudly.

“Then there is nothing more to be said, Captain Swing,” she said coldly. “My husband, I am sure, will deal with the matter most effectively. I only hope you will be there when the moment comes!”

“Your courage does you credit.”

The Captain bowed ironically, then went out through the door which led to the stairway, and Natalia heard a heavy bolt shoot into place.

She sat still listening to the sound of his footsteps going cautiously down the stairway.

There was a murmur of voices below as he gave the men some orders, and after a moment or two there was silence.

She walked across the room to pull at some of the boards which covered the window, but found it impossible to move them.

She then tried the door knowing even as she did so it was hopeless.

There only remained the shaft down to the floor below, but this too was boarded up. It was in fact, she had to admit, a very effective prison.

She would not suffocate as there was plenty of fresh air coming through the gaps in the boards.

She knew, however, that if she were to be cooped up here until late in the day, she would become very cold.

She began to walk up and down, realising that while she was warm now from the walk, she would need to exercise herself continuously when the sun began to set in the afternoon.

She told herself that she must be rescued before then, but she felt in fact far from sure of it.

She reckoned that the time was now about half past ten o’clock in the morning. It was doubtful if His Lordship would return to the Castle before noon.

Presumably Captain Swing’s letter informing him that she had been taken as a hostage would be waiting for him.

She hardly dared to contemplate how angry Lord Colwall would be, and what was more, she told herself with a little sigh, he was certain to think it was her own fault!

Perhaps it had been stupid of her to have gone to the barn, but how could she have known that the horse was not his?

It was easy now to regret that she had not taken a groom with her, but she had been so sure that she had only to catch up with His Lordship and they would ride together for the rest of the morning, as they had done so often before.