The Lady of the Ravens by Joanna Hickson

The Lady of the Ravens by Joanna Hickson

Author:Joanna Hickson [Hickson, Joanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2019-11-11T17:00:00+00:00


25

NO ONE WAS MORE excited than Maria when she learned that her pair of ravens was roosting in the woods beyond the ditch. She took kitchen scraps out to them on a daily basis and brought me regular reports, while I was preoccupied with little Hal until the two local women Richard had managed to recruit began their work.

One was the breast nurse, Mistress Strood, a tenant farmer’s wife who was willing to boost their income by sharing her plentiful milk supply now that her own year-old little girl was beginning to rely on more solid fare, and the other was Hetty, the sixteen-year-old daughter of a blacksmith from the local village of Rolvenden, who we employed to live in and officially act as the rocker of Hal’s cradle. She also took a shine to Lizzie, who was soon following her around like a little dog, bringing her toys and treasures she found on their walks around the demesne. After Luce took Hetty under her wing, she became a favourite of the entire family and happily performed any task that was requested of her. In fact there came a time when I had to order all the older children not to overwork her.

Mistress Strood lived only a short walk away at the farmstead her husband rented from Richard, the closest to Halden Hall. She came daily with her own toddler Sarah, who played with little Lizzie, and also brought fresh milk from her nanny goat to leave for Hal’s night feeds. Within a week I had become confident to leave the little ones to them and pursue my usual household duties again.

Richard was far from happy about the ravens settling down in the home woods, pointing out as he prepared to mount up for a hawking session that George would not be able to practise flying his sparrowhawk there and would have to rely on the falconer taking him further afield when he himself was not there to do so. ‘Every young man of gentle birth should know how to handle a hawk and George needs more practice than most because he seems to fear his bird,’ he told me.

‘He’s suspicious of all birds and becomes too boisterous around them. He also believes you when you call the ravens carrion devils. Perhaps he should go with Maria and learn how to get close to them,’ I suggested.

Richard took his horse’s reins from the stable lad and pursued his theme. ‘Well, he won’t hear any praise for ravens from farmers around here, I can tell you that. They don’t only feed on carrion. In the spring, boys of George’s age are sent into the pastures to throw stones and scare them off because they attack the newborn lambs. Out hunting I’ve seen a flock of ravens gang up and feast on a live fawn if the hind is not close by to chase them off.’

I stood my ground. ‘Well, she won’t be, will she, if you’re hunting her! I believe there



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