Chapter Seven. Highway robbery
"The circus is playing at Long Benton this weekend Peter. Why don't you go and
see if Betsy is there?" It was now a month after her thrashing and Martha could
move around but the welts were still very clear. "You are still in love with her
aren't you?"
"I don't want to influence her to come back. She's probably better off in her
own element, with her own kind of people, Martha."
Martha persisted and in the end he agreed to go provided she came with him. He
sent a booking for a room by courier to the Golden Fleece so they wouldn't have
the fifteen mile journey home after the show.
Martha still found it difficult to sit for long periods especially on the hard
seat of the carriage but they made it to Long Benton with plenty of time to
spare and could watch as the circus paraded through the street. It took a few
minutes before they recognised Betsy in her clown's costume and she appeared to
concentrate on her juggling and not to notice them. However, Betsy did notice
the pair together and wondered if Martha had replaced her in Peter's affections.
After the performance she quickly changed out of costume and wandered around the
sideshows until she spotted the pair. Peter had his arm around Martha and seemed
to be supported her as he walked in his ungainly way to the village centre.
Discreetly she followed and saw them enter the inn together.
"He's taken another of the maids as his lover now!" she told Rebecca later. "She
much prettier than I am so he won't want me now."
*****
For six months she toured towns in the eastern counties and made enough money to
keep herself and have just a little to spare. She enjoyed what she did but still
often cried at night. Rebecca came to her then and lay beside her cradling and
comforting the younger girl. She knew the full story now and could see that
returning to the manor would likely end in tragedy. All she hoped for was that
time would heal the wounds. She knew too, that Betsy wasn't getting any younger
and soon her agility would fail and she could have an accident that would
prevent her performing especially this was likely to happen if Betsy was in one
of her sorrowful moods.
The circus had set up camp on common land outside the village of Asfordingly,
the village where she had originally spooked Lord Nigel's horses. Rebecca, Betsy
and the two other performers sat in the Wagon's Way Inn supping jars of ale.
Four rough looking men entered and sat at a long table just behind the group.
Betsy, dressed in her by now usual clown's clothes, sat in the corner half
hidden by Rebecca's large form.
"Hah, there you are." A voice Betsy recognised and peering around Rebecca with
horror she saw Henry's large form, but it wasn't her he was talking too. It was
the four men. Henry took a jug of ale and joined them. Betsy tuned in to their
conversation. She hardly caught the words of the four men but Henry couldn't
seem to lower his voice to more than a very loud whisper which was clearly
audible.
"Her bloody Ladyship left Thaxfield early this morning and should arrive at the
cross roads about dusk, about an hour's time. You know what to do?" The men
nodded and muttered their agreement. "And we'll meet here in three days to share
out the money. You know what will happen to your wife James if you try and
double cross me so don't even think about it. I want enough to leave that bloody
house and get my own back on that Lady bitch." The group again muttered
agreement and finished their ale and left. Henry ordered another.
"Hide me from that man, Rebecca while I slip away. I must warn them at the
manor."
It was easy for Betsy to get away unseen. She took Queenie and rode fast to the
manor. A groom hearing the horse appeared just as she arrived and she threw him
the reins. "Wipe her down but have her ready again in a few minutes." Betsy
ordered. The groom of course knew Betsy even dressed as she was, but was hardly
expecting her to be giving him orders. "Do it or it will be your hide," Betsy
snapped. Martha appeared at the door expecting a visitor, Betsy rushed passed
her, "Where's Peter and Lord Nigel?" she asked.
"Lord Peter's in the library Miss and I think Lord Nigel is in the drawing
room." Betsy ran to the library. Tearfully she hugged Peter and then pushed him
away. "Get all the men together," she ordered, "Make sure as many as can be are
armed and have them ready to walk to the cross roads. Now! Your mother's life is
in danger. I talk to you later."
Leaving him to get on with her instructions she strode into the drawing room
without knocking. Nigel had one of the maids with him and was fondling her
breasts. "Leave her Nigel," Betsy ordered. Nigel was taken aback and was about
to give her a piece of his mind for entering a room without being asked and for
not using his title when the look in her eye stopped him. "Get your coat and
pistols and be ready to ride to the cross roads. Your wife's coach is about to
be robbed. And order any servants who are around to detain Henry and tie him up
until we return." Seeing a look of bewilderment on his face, Betsy went on,
"Sorry Sir, but if you wish to see your wife alive, then we must hurry. I'll
tell you more as we go along."
*****
"If they are going to ambush the coach, they will probably be hiding in the
woods this side of the cross roads," Lord Nigel stated. "We had better keep well
back in this copse until they show themselves. You had better be right over this
Miss or you won't sit for a month."
"How would I know your wife was coming back by coach at this time if what I said
wasn't true?"
"That's one reason I believe you."
The coach was later than expected. For half an hour they waited for the sound of
hooves to announce its imminent arrival. Hardly had it passed over the crossing
when four horsemen appeared out of the shadows. Two grabbed the reins. A shot
rang out and Joshua fell. Fortunately the bullet went into his shoulder but the
force with which the rotund man hit the ground cracked several ribs. The coach
door was opened and her ladyship and Gwen were pulled out. One man held a pistol
to Lady Haversham's head, "Where's the valuables?" the man asked Gwen. Gwen
indicated a box under the seat and this was quickly removed.
"Snap!" One of Lord Nigel's men stood on a branch. In the quiet of the evening
gloom it sounded like a rifle shot and alerted the bandits. However by this time
two of the manor gamekeepers were level with the coach and on orders from Nigel
shot the two horsemen holding the horses. The coach shot forward as the team
bolted and careered along the road.
"Drop your weapons. You are surrounded." His Lordship ordered. The man carrying
the box dropped it and tried to run but didn't get very far before a shot
wounded him.
"Drop your weapon." Nigel again ordered.
"Not likely Sir. Not while I 'ave 'er ladyship. You daren't shoot. I got no
choice but to tak 'er. And it will na' matter if I kill 'er or noo. I'll get
hung for this anyway if they catches me so killin' 'er ain't goin' to make any
diffrence. You stay where's yer are or she gits it." He started to back away
dragging her ladyship with him. She, terrified was screaming and yelling at the
top of her voice.
Betsy meanwhile had worked her way silently around the woodland and now
appeared, ghost-like in her ight coloured clown's costume, behind the bandit. A
knife gleamed in her hand for a second before it flashed through the air
catching the bandit in the neck. Blood flew everywhere much of it covering her
ladyship's body and clothing. She thought she had been killed and fainted away.
*****
"You know our agreement," Peter said, "If you brought Queenie back you had to
stay as well."
"What about Martha? She's taken my place in your life hasn't she?"
"Yes and no. Come and see her, please," Peter requested. Martha was in Peter's
bedroom which confirmed Betsy's suspicions. "Martha please remove your dress so
that Betsy can see one reason why you are here."
"Oh my God Martha. Henry?"
Martha nodded and then went on, "Betsy, I've slept with Peter most of the time
since you left, partly for his comfort but largely for my safety. I don't love
him. I have Alfred and hope to marry him in a few months time. I'll have to take
part time work but we'll manage. Peter loves you and always has. I've just been
a substitute. Stay with him here."
"Or at the cottage Betsy. You've seen it and liked it."
"But I can't leave my friends at the circus. Not without a goodbye or anything."
"Invite them to give a performance here. We'll pay them well after what you
did."
Two days later, Betsy gave her last performance as a member of the circus. Nigel
sponsored them to attend and invited all his friends. Lady Haversham he ordered
to attend even though she complained of faintness and ill health from having
bandit blood on her. However when she learned the dowager countess was attending
her health dramatically improved. The event was a great success for the circus
and the audience.
Later Nigel came to Betsy. "I have formally thanked you for saving my wife. Now
I am giving you my blessing to be with Peter. He was very morose and unwell when
you left here so we gave him Martha as his mistress which improved him
considerably but we all knew she was only a makeshift. She tells me he often
called your name in the dark when she was fucking him. Now he is almost like a
young boy again which is what he should be. If you both decide you wish to
marry, then I will not stand in your way. You are free to stay here or you may
prefer to move into the cottage. That will be up to you. I know neither of you
relish our parties although I would not mind a repeat performance of the one you
attended." Nigel laughed. "I am not saying you have to stay, only that you are
free to do so if you wish. My wife has almost forgiven you for spraying her with
blood especially as she now realises it could have been her blood if the highway
man had his way."
"Thank you M'Lord. Peter and I have discussed this at great length and have
decided to move into the cottage as soon as we can get it ready. Probably in the
next week or so. We have asked Martha to come with us as even after all this
time she is not fully healed. Alfred, her future husband will be joining us a
gardener and handyman. We are discussing having a double wedding and I wish my
circus friends to attend as well so it may well be an unusual and memorable
day."
"I just hope you don't walk down the aisle juggling balls, circus girl" laughed
Lord Haversham. "And doing a strip at the same time," he guffawed. "You have my
blessing Betsy. Keep him happy and give me a grandson or granddaughter."
Finis
