The Song of the Siren

I came to a small hill and I rode up this and as there was a clump of trees there, I dismounted, tethered my horse to a tree stump and looked back.

I could still see the ship.

And as I stood there I saw a boat lowered from the side of the ship and rowed ashore.

Then I saw them lifting the General int o the boat.

I watched and I waited there until the boat had reached the ship and they were all on board.

Then I untethered my horse and rode on to Lewes.

The episode was over.

A Child Is Born

It was dark when I arrived at Eyot Abbass. I had received instructions in Lewes and at length I had come to a road which was familiar to me.

I rode into the courtyard and one of Harriet’s grooms who was there gave a great shout when he saw me.

I called out: “Yes, I’m here. At last I have arrived.”

He rushed to help me dismount. “I must go and tell the mistress. They’ve been that worried.”

“Yes,” I said. “I’ll come with you “

We ran into the house. I was shouting: “Harriet. Gregory. Benjie. I’m here.”

Harriet was the first to appear. She stared at me for a few moments and then she ran to me and caught me in her arms. “Oh, Carlotta,” she cried. “Wherever have you been? We’ve been worried to death. Gregory. Benjie. She’s here. Carlotta’s here.”

Benjie came running into the hall. He swept me up into his a^ms. There was no mistaking his joy.

Then there was Gregory-dear quiet Gregory, who might be less effusive but who was as delighted to see me as the rest.

“You’ve come alone....”

“Harriet, I’ve had such an adventure....”

“But you’re worn out. You need something to eat and your clothes ...” That was Harriet.

“The grooms came here without you. They said you must have been attacked on the way from the inn to the farm where they were staying.”

“I’ll tell you all about it. I hardly know where to begin.”

“I do,” said Harriet, “with food and a wash and change. Your saddlebags arrived.

I can tell you we’ve been frantic. Now you men, leave Carlotta to me, and, Gregory, go and tell them to speed up supper, but first some chicken broth for Carlotta and it is to be brought to her room.”

Harriet took me up to the room I always occupied at Eyot Abbass. She brought out a gown from my baggage and almost immediately the chicken broth arrived. I took it greedily and then I washed in the hot water which was brought to me and changed into my gown.

Harriet came back to see how I was getting on.

“You’ve had an adventure,” she said. “A pleasant one.”

“I narrowly escaped being murdered.”

“You look elated. We’re longing to hear. I won’t question you now, my dear. You can tell us all over supper.”

So I told-at least what I wanted them to know. I had decided on my way here that there must be some truth in my story. I would soon be caught out if I made up something entirely different, which at first I had felt inclined to do because I did not want to put Hessenfield in danger. But he was safe now. I had watched him board the ship.

He would probably be in France at this moment.

So I told them of our late arrival at the Black Boar and how all the rooms were taken by a party of six men and how all I could get was the small room on the same floor, which had not pleased them.

I went on to tell them how I had discovered that they had with them a sick man whom I recognised as General Langdon.

“Why, he has escaped from the Tower!” cried Benjie.

“Exactly,” I said. “They had rescued him. They were going to kill me because I knew who the General was, but one of them wouldn’t allow it.”

I wondered if a soft note had crept into my voice I thought if might be so because Harriet looked especially alert.

“They took me with them to a house on the coast. A ship came and they went away in it.”

“And they released you then?” said Gregory.

“I suppose they thought they were safe, the vile wretches,” added Benjie.

“They believed in a cause,” I pointed out. “They really believe it is right to restore James to the throne.”

“Have they made a Jacobite of you?” said Harriet.

“Of course not. I’m not interested in their stupid causes.”

“What a terrible ordeal,” went on Harriet. “We’ve been frantic.”

“My mother?” I began.

“I didn’t tell her. I thought I’d wait awhile. I had a notion you were safe, and you know what she is. She would imagine the worst But it couldn’t have been much worse. You ... in the hands of those desperate men.”

“I don’t think Hessenfield would have let them kill me Right from the first he saved me before ...”

I was tired. I wasn’t thinking what I was saying and Harriet could always see farther than most people where human emotions were concerned.

“Hessenfield!” cried Gregory.

“Hessenfield,” repeated Benjie.

“Great heavens!” cried Harriet. “Lord Hessenfield, of course. We have met him in the old days. He was a close friend of James’s. Of course, he’s a leading Jacobite.

All the Fields were hand in glove with James.”

“Fields!” I said blankly.