Page 36 of Eight for Losing, One for Loving

Chapter 10

Dear Harry,

Leo is a great gun, but he’s not half so daft as he makes out. You’ve got no chance before you’re one and twenty. Believe me, I tried everything when I was your age. No dice. Just accept it, cuz. You may not like to hear it, but you’ve still got a deal of growing up to do. I didn’t appreciate hearing that any more than you will now when I was in your position, but I can see the truth of it with hindsight. I’m really not a stick in the mud, as I hope you know, but you’ll only cause yourself trouble if you keep on. Take it from one who knows.

―Excerpt of a letter from Mr Felix Knight (son of Mr Gabriel and Lady Helena Knight) to his cousin, The Lord Harry Adolphus (younger son of Their Graces, Robert and Prunella Adolphus, The Duke and Duchess of Bedwin).

24th June 1850, Mud Pightle, Wrestlingworth, the Bedfordshire-Cambridgeshire border.

“Is that it?” Vi asked, looking through the branches of a tree at the faint glow coming from the ramshackle building before them with a sense of foreboding. The foul stench of a midden close by drifted on the warm night air, making her wrinkle her nose in disgust.

“That’s it,” Jenny agreed. “And the fellas that live there ain't no cleaner nor tidier than the house, if you can call that pile of rotten wood a house. I always knew Edgar was no good, but I never thought he’d do something like this.”

“Don’t like it, Jen. You ought not be here.” Mick’s deep voice rumbled through the darkness, but Jenny just hushed him.

“Hold your tongue, Mick. We just need to make sure Mr Huntington gets his cat back and away safe, that’s all.”

“But Ma will be cross with me—” the big man protested.

As Jenny had indicated, her brother was built on gigantic proportions but was not the sharpest knife in the drawer. She had explained several times already why they were here and that they wanted to stop any trouble, not make it.

“Edgar pinched my arse twice last week,” Jenny cut in, folding her arms over her skinny chest. It was curious how such a slight girl was related to a fellow the size of Mick, but Vi had seen the resemblance in their features when Jenny had introduced her at the inn.

Mick’s face darkened with rage at this information, and Jenny nodded with satisfaction.

“Now, Mick, there’s no need to break his head, but just help us make sure all goes as it should. You can leave Burt alone, he’s harmless enough. It was only Edgar. You got that?”

Mick grunted, cracking his knuckles in a way that made Vi wince.

“I’ll break his fingers,” Mick growled furiously. “Then we’ll see if he feels like pinching you again.”

Jenny patted her brother’s massive shoulder and made soothing noises, but did not seem to much mind this outcome. Vi shifted uncomfortably. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness now and she could see a large shape to their left. It moved and let out a soft whicker.

Mick heard it too and gestured to Jenny. “That’s Nipper, Harbottle’s pony. They’re here all right.”

“Well, I told you they were, didn’t I?” Jenny said, shaking her head.

“Yes, but now what?” Vi asked, and then sucked in a sharp breath as something warm and furry rubbed against her legs. Trying hard not to scream, she leapt back and then looked down to see large round eyes blinking up at her, glittering brightly in the darkness.

“Mau!” she exclaimed, falling to her knees and hugging the cat to her. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re all right.”

She ran her hands over the cat’s head and sleek back, checking for injuries.

“Miaow!”

Vi stilled as Mau made a series of rather urgent sounds that ranged from sharp little miaows to quick barks to a plaintiff yowl that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand all on end.

“Bleedin’ ’ell, it really is an Egyptian Water thingy,” Jenny said in wonder, staring at Mau in astonishment. “I admit, I thought you might have made that bit up.”

Vi let out a nervous laugh. “Mau is a very special cat,” she replied, evading the need to lie any further.

“He ain’t happy, whatever he is,” Mick pointed out, regarding Mau, who was flicking his tail irritably.

“No. I think Leo and the vicar must be inside. He gets terribly upset if he can’t be where Leo is,” Vi explained, trying to calm Mau so he didn’t draw attention to them.

“Well, what now?” Jenny asked, which was an excellent question.

Mick stood, rolling his huge shoulders. “Reckon I’ll go have a word with Edgar,” he said grimly, but before he could take a step or either woman could object and tell him to wait, the door to the building swung open and a man stepped out, hurrying towards a dilapidated shed some distance from the house.