A Killing Too Far by Andrew Wareham

Author:Andrew Wareham [Wareham, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Electronic Book Company
Published: 2018-12-13T13:00:00+00:00

Ten bodies in a day! Sam led his catch up to the White Hart and saw them fed and sat in the cart and sent them on their way, not perhaps rejoicing, but reconciled to the necessity. He walked back down to the marketplace and folded up his banner and sought out the bailiff.

“Eightpence more I owe you, Mr Bailiff. I do not have the coppers in my pocket, so here is my shilling, for I will owe nothing to any man. If I am not here next market day, then I shall be the one following, for I like the way you do business, sir.”

The bailiff, an extra groat in his pocket, all unexpected, replied in kind; he would look for other young fellows over the next week or so.

Only as he rode back home did it occur to Sam that he had not enquired whether any of his catch had been literate. Few farm labourers had their letters, but the chair bodger, Archer, was a cut above the common hind and might perhaps have the basics of reading and writing, or he might have been able to send one or more of the boys to dame school in better times. Letters coming back to England might well prove an embarrassment in a future year, Sam thought. To be practical, there was no regular postal service as such – any letter written would be put into the hand of a merchantman crossing the Atlantic and relying on the good faith of one of the ship’s officers to be sent inland, probably on a carrier’s cart. The process was slow and unreliable, but occasionally worked, though mainly for those with money who could afford to put a substantial sweetener in a merchant’s pocket.

It was an unlikely off chance, Sam decided, but not impossible – he should have taken care to discover and refuse any literate hind offering himself to go.

Josie was dismissive – who would a single man or widower send a letter to? Those who could be persuaded overseas almost certainly left few kinsfolk behind them, and those few probably glad to see the back of unemployed layabouts who might have a claim on their charity.

“Nothing to fear, Sam, and a certain five pounds and maybe more in our pockets for your day’s endeavours. A very worthwhile excursion, I believe, sir, and one to be repeated. Where next, Sam? Will you go to Stafford? Would that be wise?”

It most definitely would not be prudent, in Sam’s opinion. He rather thought that he might go as far as Nantwich, a fine old town, he believed, and one that drew upon a large and agricultural part of Cheshire for its sustenance.

“As soon as the carriers are back, then a week on the road, standing in the marketplace of the town and then perhaps making a tour of the villages out to the west, towards the Welsh Marches, known to be poor lands. There might well be some few of more skilled men on their beam ends there.

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