Warleggan: A Novel of Cornwall, 1792-1793 by Winston Graham

Author:Winston Graham
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group
Published: 2016-08-10T16:00:00+00:00

Demelza’s sharp ears had caught the first distant crack of a musket, and she could stand it no longer. She started to her feet and was halfway to the door before the soldier was able to move.

‘’Ere, no, ma’am! None o’ that! You heard what the Captain said.’

‘I have a little boy upstairs! He will be frightened. I must bring him down!’

‘No, ma’am. Cap’n McNeil said ye was to stay here in this room.’

‘Please let me pass!’ she said furiously.

‘Now calm you down, ma’am. I has my orders and—’

‘I’ll not calm down! You don’t make war on babies, do you? Get out of my way!’

He hesitated, glanced at the Gimletts. ‘Is there a baby?’

‘Course there is!’ John Gimlett snapped.

The trooper turned to the drawn-faced young woman before him: ‘I don’t hear nothing. Which room is ’e in?’

‘The one at the head of the stairs!’

He rubbed his finger along his chin and slowly drew back. ‘I’ll watch for ye, then. Have a care there’s no trickery, ma’am.’

He followed her out into the hall and stood almost in the doorway where he could see into the room and also up the stairs. Demelza flew up the stairs and into their bedroom. Unaware of the dangers that pressed upon his parents, Jeremy slept peacefully.

This room had dormer windows looking both north and south. Demelza ran to the first of these, peered out. At first the night looked quiet and still, but then she detected the flicker of the bonfire on Damsel Point. She opened the casement window. From here the roof sloped sharply to the recently added guttering. But at the end, over the kitchen, it joined to the thatched end of the linhay where the carts were kept.

She wriggled her body through the small window and out on to the roof. Then she crawled along it like a cat to the end and slid off it into the thatch. She followed this to the lowest part, where there was a five-foot drop, and jumped.

She landed on all fours, tearing her skirt and bruising wrist and knee. Then she was on her feet and running towards the Long Field.

Breathless, she had just reached the stile when a figure climbed it. She had no difficulty in recognizing the set of his shoulders, the long lean head. They stared at each other in the dark.

‘Demelza!’

‘Ross! I thought you was killed … Thank God you’re safe! I thought—’

‘Not safe,’ he said. ‘Followed. Which way is best into the house?’

‘Neither. There’s a soldier there. I said you was in St Ives. Are you hurt?’

‘Nothing.’ While they spoke, they were walking rapidly the way she had come, he behind her in case of a shot. ‘I think I was – recognized. Not sure. Is the – upper valley guarded?’

‘Don’t know. I’ve been crazed with worry. You could go towards Mellin.’

‘They’ll send that way—’ At the entrance to their yard he stopped, listening. The yard was quiet except for a scratching at a stable door where Garrick was waiting to welcome him.

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