The Buccaneer Farmer - Harold Bindloss
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She had come to meet Kit Askew, and now she reviewed her reasons for
doing so they did not look very sound. In fact, if Kit approved the plan
she meant to suggest, she would perhaps be meddling unjustifiably with
her father's business. After all, however, it was really not his
business. He had allowed himself to be persuaded to help Hayes and the
latter's accomplice, Bell, without quite understanding what this
implied. Her plan would prevent his doing an injustice he did not really
mean to do.
She suspected that there was a touch of sophistry about her arguments,
but would not own that she had come because she wanted to meet Kit. It
was necessary that she should meet him; yet when she stopped at a gate
and heard the tramp of horses' feet behind, her color came and went. For
all that, she looked very calm, when Kit pulled up his team, and went
forward to open the gate. He made an abrupt movement as he recognized
her, but his eyes shone with satisfaction.
"I suppose you are going for some peat," she said.
Kit said he was, and added that Peter and two or three neighbors were
loading the stone-boats on the moor.
"Then, I wonder whether you could let me have a small quantity when you
come down?"
"You can have a load if you want."
Grace laughed. "Two or three basketsful would be enough, and I don't want
them for myself. I went to see Mrs. Waite and found her old father
crippled by rheumatism. The kitchen was cold and damp, but she had a very
little fire. She said her coal was nearly gone and she had got no peat."
"Thank you for telling me; I didn't know," said Kit. "I'll take her a
sack as I go down the dale." He paused and hesitated, with his hand on
the open gate. "But it's rather cold. Am I keeping you?"
Grace noted with some satisfaction that he did not seem to think it
remarkable she had met him at the lonely spot.
"Oh, no," she said. "I am going up the hill. I like the view from the
crag and sometimes go to watch the sunset. When it shines over the
shoulder of the Pike it throws wonderful lights on the snow."
Kit agreed, and after he started his horses they went on together. By and
by Grace resumed: "When I met you yesterday, your father said the sledges
often ran down too fast and you could not put up a proper load."
"That is a drawback. You see, there's plenty peat cut; the trouble is to
bring it down. After the heavy rain, we couldn't drag the stone-boats
across the boggy moor, and although the snow has made this easy, it
hasn't helped much otherwise. If we put up a big load, there's some
danger of the sledges overtaking and knocking down the horses where the
track is steep."
"And you can't see a way of getting over the difficulty?"
Kit said he could not and Grace's eyes twinkled.
"Then I can. I'll show you a way, if you're not too proud to take advice
from a girl."
"Certainly not," Kit said, smiling. "I don't know why you think
I'm proud."
"Then perhaps you're obstinate; some of the dalesfolk are."
"We're slow. We like to try things properly; and then, perhaps we
stick to them longer than is needful if we find them good. But
caution's prudent."
"You're very cautious now," Grace rejoined. "You don't seem curious about
my plan. Are you afraid it isn't practical?"
"No," said Kit, rather earnestly; "since it's yours, it's no doubt
good." Then he pulled himself up and added with a twinkle: "But I
haven't heard it yet."
"Well, while your difficulty is that the peat comes down too fast, I
think it does not go fast enough. You are afraid about your horses, but
you needn't use them. The stone-boats would run down alone. Do you
understand now?"
Kit started. "I expect you have found the way, Miss Osborn, and we owe
you some thanks. In fact, you're cleverer than the lot!"
"The admission doesn't seem to hurt you," Grace rejoined. "But I imagine
to feel you had to make it was something of a shock."
"No," said Kit, with a laugh she liked. "We're often dull and our
womenfolk have helped us much. But somehow I did not expect--"
He stopped, and Grace gave him a level glance.
"You mean you did not expect help from me?"
"Well," he said, "I suppose I did mean something like that"
"Then I'm glad you owned it, because it allows me to clear the ground. I
don't want poor people to be cold in winter in order that Bell may get
rich. Neither does my father want it--you must believe this! He doesn't
know all that goes on; Hayes hides things from him. There is no reason I
shouldn't help you to spoil _Bell's_ plot."
Kit was silent for a few moments. The girl had pluck and he liked her
frankness. She was trying to persuade herself Osborn was not unjust, and,
although he imagined she found it hard, he did not mean to make it
harder. One must respect her staunchness.
"Bell is our real antagonist and he's an awkward man to beat," he said.
"However, the hint you have given us ought to be useful. I'll look for a
way down when we get to the top."
Grace warned him about the inclination of the hillside to the rocks and
stopped at the bottom of the crag.
"I think I'll go across the hill and watch the first sledge come down, if
you're not too long," she said and paused for a moment. "Perhaps you
needn't tell the others it was my plan."
Kit said he would not do so and was strangely satisfied as he went on
with his horses. He understood her hesitation; it was delightful to feel
that she had given him her confidence and they shared a secret. At the
top, he found the others had loaded the sledges and were ready to start.
Since the dales folk are conservative, he had expected some opposition to
his plan, but they listened attentively and an old man supported him.
"I mind hearing my father say that yan hard winter after a wet back end
o' year, they let peat run doon t' fell. What has been done yance can be
done again."
Kit said nothing; for the other, by using a favorite motto, had banished
his companions' dislike of novelties.
"It was deeun no' so long sin'," another remarked. "In my time, they
browt slate doon on t' stane-boats across the Fleet-pike scree. Pushed
them off at top and let them go."
There was some further talk and when they resolved to make the experiment
Kit went down the hill. He said he wanted to see how the first sledge
crossed an awkward pitch, but it counted for much that he saw a small
figure below. Grace looked satisfied with his excuse for joining her and
they waited for a time while the men above moved the first load to the
edge. The sunshine had gone and it was getting cold; the shadows in the
dale had faded from blue to dusky gray and the frost was keen. All was
very quiet, but now and then distant voices and the musical rattle of
chains came down through the nipping air.
"It will be dark before they're ready if they're not quick," said Kit,
and Grace looked up the hill.
"I think they're starting the sledge. If there had been nobody about, I
would have liked to come down with the peat. You can't imagine how
exciting it is."
They watched the sledge slip over the brow of the descent. It got larger
as it came down, but it did not run as fast as the toboggan. One could
see it rock and swerve, shaking off loose peats, where the ground was
broken, and Grace glanced at the steep pitch Kit had come to watch.
"It will go down there with a splendid rush, but I don't think it will
upset," she said. "My plan is going to work."
The sledge got nearer. They saw the snow fly up about its front and heard
the scream the runners made. There was something fascinating about its
smooth but fast descent, and as it approached the top of the dip they
moved back rather unwillingly to let it pass. When it was nearly level
with them it slowed on the changing incline and Grace noted that there
was a narrow space between the back of the frame and the peat. She gave
Kit a quick look as she said, "If one wanted, I think one could jump on."
"Let's try!" said Kit impulsively, and they ran forward.
He reached the sledge first, and throwing himself down held out his hand
to Grace, who fell upon the runner log. Kit pulled her up and although
the light was going saw her face glow after the effort she had made. Her
eyes sparkled with excitement, but Kit felt half embarrassed because he
did not know whether he had persuaded her to venture on an undignified
adventure or she had persuaded him. It was a relief to hear her laugh.
"This is rather ridiculous, and I don't know if we can hold on," she said
as she tried to grasp the shaking peat.
The sledge ran faster and lurched violently as it plunged over the edge
of the steep drop. A shower of peat fell on them, the speed got furious,
and they heard the runners scream, but they were sheltered from the rush
of wind and could not see ahead. After a few moments Grace looked up with
twinkling eyes.
"You could drop off if you liked. Are you, sorry you came?"
"No," said Kit. "I came because I wanted, and now I'm here I'll stop."
"I really think you mean to be nice," Grace rejoined with amusement and
Kit understood; she saw he did not mean to admit that she had suggested
the adventure, but this was not important. It was something of an
adventure for a girl like Miss Osborn, although her having embarked on it
gave him a delightful feeling of partnership in a harmless folly.
"I hope there's nothing in the way," he said. "We're going very fast and
Hindbeck farm can't be far off. I ought to have looked before we jumped."
"It is too late now," Grace answered with an excited laugh. "I imagine
you're not as cautious as you think; but we won't talk. It's hard to hold
on and I haven't much breath."
Kit moved nearer and, seizing the edge of the frame, put his arm round
her waist. She did not seem to resent this, and for a time they sped down
hill with their feet plowing through the snow. Kit did not care how long
the swift rush lasted, but by and by he began to get anxious. The sledge
had gone a long way since they jumped on, and the hillside was steep to
the bottom, where it met the Hindbeck pastures. While he wondered whether
Grace would slide far and get shaken if he made her let go, the sledge
tilted up. It stopped with a violent shock, he heard stones fall, and was
thrown off amidst a shower of peat. When he got up Grace was sitting in
the snow some distance off and he ran towards her. She had lost her small
fur cap and her hair was loose, but to his relief she laughed.
"Oh," she said, "it really was ridiculous! But the plan will work. The
peat will run down!"
"That is so," Kit agreed, with a breathless chuckle. "I think it would
have run into the Hindbeck kitchen but for the wall."
"Then it was a wall that stopped us. It felt like a rock."
"Come and see," said Kit, holding out his hand to help her up.
"I think," she said, "I'd rather you looked for my hat."
He went off and it was two or three minutes before he found the hat among
the scattered peat. When he came back it was nearly dark, but Grace's
hair was no longer untidy, and the snow that had smeared her clothes had
gone. She walked with him to where the sledge rested on a pile of stones,
and looking through the gap, they saw a woman with a lantern cross a
narrow pasture between them and a house.
"What's t' matter?" the woman shouted and turned round. "Janet, gan on
and see what's brokken t' wa'."
Another figure came out of the gloom and Grace looked at Kit.
"I don't know who Janet is, but I do know Mrs. Creighton. She talks," she
said. "If you'll stop and explain matters, I'll go down the lonning. It
was a glorious adventure! Good-night!"
She stole away round the corner of the wall and Kit, who understood that
he was, so to speak, to cover her retreat, waited until the two women
came up. The one who carried the lantern was fat and homely; the other
was slender and looked like Janet Bell.
"It's Kit, an' stane-boat stucken in t' wa'!" said the first as she held
up the light "But where's team? An' hoo did you get here? There's nea
road this way."
Kit laughed. "It's lucky I left the horses at the top. This is a new plan
for bringing down the peat and it certainly works, although next time we
must try to stop a little sooner."
Mrs. Creighton asked him some questions before she understood what had
happened. He was in the light, because she had put the lantern on the
wall, and although he could not see her companion's face, he suspected
from Janet's quietness that she was studying him.
"Then you left the others on the moor," the girl remarked.
"I did," said Kit. "We sent the stone-boat off by itself, and it was
half-way down when I jumped on."
"Then none of the men came with you?"
"No," said Kit, who felt annoyed because he saw Janet suspected
something. "I went down to watch the sledge and see if we had hit the
best track."
"It's strange!" said Janet. "I thought there was somebody else when I
first came out. Still, of course, it was nearly dark."
Kit was puzzled because he could not tell how much Janet had really seen,
and thought the situation needed careful handling. If she knew Miss
Osborn had been with him, it would be a mistake to make the thing look
significant by pretending that she had not; but it was possible that
Janet did not know. Then Grace had hinted that she did not want their
adventure talked about.
"I don't expect you could see very well if you had just come out from the
light in the kitchen," he replied. "Anyhow, none of the men came with me
and I must go back and tell them not to send off another lot. We'll see
about mending your wall to-morrow, Mrs. Creighton."
He went off to a gate that opened into the lonning. This was the wisest
plan, because he did not want to talk to Janet. He was half afraid of
her, but not because he thought she sympathized with her father's plots;
it was known that Bell and his daughter quarreled. The girl was a
dangerous coquette and had tactfully hinted that she rather approved Kit.
This had alarmed Kit, who knew she was clever and resolute.
When he reached the lane he stopped abruptly as he remembered something,
and took out his pipe, although he did not mean to smoke. He must be
cautious, since he was not sure if Janet had gone in. Striking a match,
he held it between his hands as if he were going to light his pipe and
stooped in the shelter of a wall.
The light shone on the ground and he knitted his brows as he saw sharp
footsteps in the snow. The farm people did not wear boots that would
leave marks like these; moreover, the footsteps would lead anybody who
thought it worth while to follow them to the spot where the sledge upset.
Kit threw down the match, and frowned as he went on again.
CHAPTER X
JANET MEDDLES
Bright moonlight sparkled on the snow when Kit left Ashness to post some
letters he had written ordering new machines. He was young, but since he
came home Peter had allowed much of the business of the farm to fall into
his hands. Kit's judgment was sound; he had studied modern methods at the
agricultural college and was progressive without being rash. For the most
part, his experiments had paid, and Peter sometimes thought the lad's
talents were wasted in the quiet dale. Kit had ability, particularly for
management. Then, although he was rather reserved, people trusted him and
often asked his advice.
Peter knew Kit was satisfied to stay at Ashness; but, for all that, if
the lad felt he wanted a wider field for his energies later, he would not
stand in his way. The time might come when he must let him go, for Peter
had a brother who had got rich in America and was willing to give his
nephew a start. Indeed, Adam had written again not long since, asking if
Peter was going to send him. It was a relief when Kit laughed and
declared that he did not mean to leave Ashness yet.
When he passed Allerby mill Kit looked about. Icicles covered the idle
wheel, a snow cornice hung over the flagged roof, and water splashed
softly in the half-frozen race. Farther on, the snowy road was
checkered by the shadows of hedges and bare trees. Low roofs, touched
by hoar-frost, rose behind the trunks, and here and there a gleam of
yellow light shone out. The road, however, was empty, as Kit was
relieved to note.
He had once or twice recently, when he went to the post in the evening,
met Janet Bell coming from the little shop in the village. In fact, the
thing began to look significant. Kit was sorry for Janet, because Bell's
rule was harsh and his neighbors extended their dislike for him to his
family. All the same, Kit did not trust the girl and would sooner she
left him alone. He might be taking too much for granted, but romantic
pity was a treacherous guide; Janet was pretty and clever, and he was
human. He had thought about changing the time he went to the post, but
felt it would be cowardly. Besides, he was occupied all day and letters
could not be written until the outside work was done, while a postman
called at Allerby early in the morning.
There was, however, nobody about and for a minute or two Kit went on at a
quick pace. He passed Bell's house, and then hesitated with a frown as a
figure he thought he knew came round a bend in front. Close by, the tall
hedgerow was broken by a stile, from which a path led across a field and
joined the road farther on. He was in the moonlight and if he vanished
the thing would look too marked. Moreover, there would be something
ridiculous about his running away.
Kit went forward, wondering whether Janet had noted his hesitation, and
she stopped him near a big ash-tree. The shadow of the branches made a
black, open pattern on the snow and a belt of gloom lay behind the wide
trunk. Kit would sooner Janet had stopped in the moonlight, since the
villagers often went to the shop and post in the evening, and his
standing in the shadow gave a hint of secrecy to the accidental meeting.
He thought it strange that Janet did not see this.
"You were walking fast," she said. "I believe you'd have gone by if I
hadn't spoken."
"The frost is sharp enough to make one move briskly and I've something to
do when I get back."
"Busy lad!" said Janet, in a mocking voice. "You're always in a hurry,
Kit I suppose Peter works you hard?"
"He says I work him harder than he likes," Kit replied, smiling. "Perhaps
the truth is he lets me have my way."
"You're lucky," Janet remarked with a sigh. "It's nice to be able
to do what you like. There's only one way at the Mill house, and
that's father's. But I suppose you agree with him that women's
ideas don't count?"
"I daresay their ideas are as sound as ours, but I don't know much about
it. We have no women except old Bella and the dairymaid at Ashness."
"And you never miss them? In that big, lonely house!"
Kit mused for a moment. Sometimes, particularly on summer evenings when
they did not light the lamps and the shadows of the fells rested on the
old building, Ashness was lonely and drearily quiet. He had thought now
and then the difference would be marked if a woman's laugh rang through
the dim rooms and a graceful figure sat by the hearth. Still, his
imagination had not pictured Janet there.
"Oh, well," he said, "we're out all day and when we come home there are
letters to write and books to read."
"Letters and books!" said Janet. "Kit, I wonder if you're quite alive."
Then she laughed, provocatively. "Anyhow, you don't seem to know when
you're given a chance of being nice."
Kit did not answer and wished she would let him go. He felt awkward and
thought Janet knew this, for she resumed: "However, one mustn't expect
too much and you want to get back. It's a habit of yours. You were in a
hurry to get away the last time I saw you, when the stone-boat broke
Creighton's wall."
"I'd been at work since morning in the snow."
"And Miss Osborn was waiting for you in the lonning?"
"No," said Kit sharply; "she was not."
"Anyhow she was with you, before she stole away."
"She didn't steal away," Kit began indignantly, but hesitated. Now he
came to think about it, Grace had gone as quietly as possible.
"You mean Miss Osborn does nothing undignified? For all that, she didn't
want Mrs. Creighton to see her. I don't suppose Osborn would be pleased
to know his daughter and you went for moonlight walks on the fells."
Kit knew Osborn would not like it, and since the dales folk are fond of
gossip saw he must stop the story going round.
"I had not gone for a walk with Miss Osborn. I met her as I came down
from the moor. She didn't know I was coming."
"So she wasn't waiting for you?" Janet remarked, with a hint of mockery.
She stopped, and putting her hand on Kit's arm, pushed him nearer the
hedgerow as a man and woman came round a neighboring corner.
Kit was annoyed, but he waited and watched the people as they passed. The
shadow was not very dark and he thought the woman give him a curious
glance. He knew her and imagined that she knew him. When the people went
through a gate Janet laughed.
"That was very unlucky, Kit! Old Nanny's fond of talking; I'm afraid your
character is gone."
Kit frowned. He did not see much humor in the situation, although Janet
was amused.
"Oh," she said, "you are dull! I expect you couldn't be nice if you
tried. But we were talking about Miss Osborn. You were not riding on the
stone-boat when you met her. I don't suppose you could have stopped it."
"No," said Kit, shortly, "I was not."
"But I saw you and somebody else hardly a minute after the stone-boat hit
the wall."
"You saw _me_."
"I did," said Janet. "The snow was sticking to your clothes as if you
had fallen, and you looked angry when Mrs. Creighton put the lantern
on the wall." She paused for a moment, and went on: "I begin to see;
you did come down on the stone-boat and Miss Osborn came with you. You
were both thrown off by the upset at the wall. Well, if you persuaded
her to join you in an adventure like that, it looks as if you were
pretty good friends."
Kit said nothing. In a sense, Miss Osborn had persuaded him, and it was
difficult to explain that both had really given way to a rash impulse.
Somewhat to his surprise, Janet gently touched his arm.
"Be careful, Kit! I wouldn't like to see you hurt. Miss Osborn's friends
are not your kind of folk; she only wants to amuse herself when they are
not about."
"That's ridiculous," Kit declared. "Miss Osborn is not amusing
herself with me."
"Perhaps you ought to know," Janet rejoined with some dryness. "Now I
come to think of it, you're not always very bright. Anyhow, when she
finds the game tiresome, she'll soon get rid of you."
"I meet Miss Osborn now and then and sometimes she stops and speaks. That
is all," Kit said sternly.
"I imagine it's enough," Janet remarked. "Well, I don't want to see you
made to look a fool; you're rather a good sort, Kit, if you're not very
clever. Be careful and remember you have been warned."
She gave him a friendly nod and went off, but after a few moments turned
and looked back. Kit was walking down the road with swift angry strides.
Janet smiled, but when she entered the mill-house kitchen her face was
flushed. Soon after she sat down by the fire, Bell came in and leaned
against the table with an angry frown.
"There's two mair trucks o' coal, and I canna find room for t' stuff," he
said. "Yards is full and I only sold three or four car loads last week."
Janet knew silence was prudent when her father was disturbed, but he had
given her a lead. Kit was a fool, and although she doubted if he were as
dull as he pretended, she was angry with him. Anyhow, it might be
possible to stop his ridiculous infatuation for Miss Osborn.
"You can't sell coal when the Askews are giving peat away," she said.
"Looks like that," Bell agreed. "I'd ha' broke the others before noo if I
hadn't had Peter and Kit against me. Hooiver, if I canna sell coal, I
canna pay the rent and landlord will have to do something. Mayhappen it
will be easier for him if he kens the Askews started the plot. Osborn's
none too fond of them."
"He wouldn't like them any better if he knew what I know," Janet remarked
with a malicious smile.
"What do you ken about them?" Bell asked scornfully.
"I don't imagine Osborn wants Kit for his son-in-law."
Bell started and then laughed harshly.
"Old wives' crack! Kit's not such a fool!"
"You know best," said Janet. "If you like, I'll tell you what I've seen."
She did so and Bell's mean face got thoughtful. On the whole, Janet did
not exaggerate much, although she now and then made a rather unwarranted
implication. She threw a fresh light on matters the gossips already
talked about; among others were Grace's visit to Mireside the morning
Railton's sheep were counted and her meeting with Kit before he went to
look for the Herdwicks. When she stopped Bell knitted his brows.
"If it was used right, I might mak' some use o' this," he
observed. "We'll see what Osborn says about coal yards and the
alterations at mill."
He went to his office and Janet sat quietly by the fire. Her plot would
work; Miss Osborn should not have Kit.
Bell made some calculations. His money was getting short; he had bills to
pay, and his stock of coal was large. He could not hold it much longer,
and since the Askews were bringing down large quantities of peat, there
was no ground for imagining the dalesfolk would give way. It looked as if
he must meet them and he wrote a notice that coal would be delivered by
the trailer lurry at a reduction of two-and-six a ton.