Read Online Midsummer's Eve by Philippa Carr - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Philippa Carr
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happened to him?”
“We kept him in the Dogs’ Home. He’s been there all this time.”
“I took him food from the pantry,” I added.
My father put an arm round us both and there were tears in my mother’s eyes as she looked at us.
“I’m proud of you,” said my father. “Proud of you both. We’ll bring the boy out now.”
I looked at him fearfully. “You’ve no idea what the people can be like. Nobody could know who hadn’t seen them. They’re not like the people we know generally … They were mad … wicked … cruel. They might harm Digory.”
“They will not,” said my father. “They will know they have to answer to me.”
“What will happen to Digory?” I asked.
“He’ll work for us. He will be under our roof … under my care.”
An immense relief swept over me.
I knew that my father would know what to do.
We went at once to the Dogs’ Home. When Digory saw my father he made as though to run but Jacco caught him and said: “It’s all right. He’s one of us.”
I saw my father’s lips turn up at the corners at that and he said in a wonderfully gentle voice: “He’s right, my boy. Everything will be all right now. You’re going to live here … work for me, and I look after people who do that.”
Digory was silent. He had changed a little from that boy whom we had at first brought here, but the hunted look remained in his eyes. He was suspicious of everyone except Jacco and me. I knew that he had gone into the woods at night and seen that burned-out cottage. I could well imagine his emotions at the sight. If I had grown up in that terrible night, so had he.
He had lost that impish bravado, that desire to show he was as good as—no, better than—the rest of us. There was in a way a sort of resignation, an acceptance of the tragedy of life; but I knew, too, that there was a burning resentment.
My father said: “First we’ll find a bed for you.”
“They’ll take me … like they did me granny. They threw her in the river. They tried to drown her. Then they burned her all up.”
“They will not dare,” said my father. “I shall make them understand that. Come to the house with me now.”
He was still reluctant, but Jacco took him by the arm and he trusted Jacco. I felt my spirits lift because of the trust he had in us.
We walked to the house and my father told Jacco to take Digory into the small room which led from the hall and to come out when he called to them.
Then he rang one of the bells and in a short time Isaacs appeared.
“Isaacs,” he said, “I want all the servants assembled in the hall.”
“Now, Sir Jake?”
“Immediately.”
“Very good, sir.”
I could almost feel the tremor which passed through the house. I was aware of running footsteps, whispering voices. In a very short time they were all present, forming two lines with Mrs. Penlock at the head of one and Isaacs at the other.
My father addressed them very seriously: “A wicked and most shameful event took place during my absence. Senseless savages murdered a defenseless old woman. Oh, I know that you are telling yourselves that the fire in the woods was an accident, but in your hearts you know it was not so. It is hard to believe that anyone today, people we meet in our everyday life, who before this had seemed ordinary decent folk, could be guilty of such a crime. I am not asking you to come forward and confess your guilt—if any of you are guilty you will know that and have to live with your consciences—but let me tell you this: there will be no more savagery on these lands, for the simple reason that anyone who is caught performing these evil deeds will no longer be on this land. On Midsummer’s Eve an old woman was sent to her death. She had a grandson living with her. Providentially that boy was saved from a mob of hooligans. He has been deprived of his home and his guardian and he is now under my care. He will work here; he will live among us. He has suffered a great deal and
“We kept him in the Dogs’ Home. He’s been there all this time.”
“I took him food from the pantry,” I added.
My father put an arm round us both and there were tears in my mother’s eyes as she looked at us.
“I’m proud of you,” said my father. “Proud of you both. We’ll bring the boy out now.”
I looked at him fearfully. “You’ve no idea what the people can be like. Nobody could know who hadn’t seen them. They’re not like the people we know generally … They were mad … wicked … cruel. They might harm Digory.”
“They will not,” said my father. “They will know they have to answer to me.”
“What will happen to Digory?” I asked.
“He’ll work for us. He will be under our roof … under my care.”
An immense relief swept over me.
I knew that my father would know what to do.
We went at once to the Dogs’ Home. When Digory saw my father he made as though to run but Jacco caught him and said: “It’s all right. He’s one of us.”
I saw my father’s lips turn up at the corners at that and he said in a wonderfully gentle voice: “He’s right, my boy. Everything will be all right now. You’re going to live here … work for me, and I look after people who do that.”
Digory was silent. He had changed a little from that boy whom we had at first brought here, but the hunted look remained in his eyes. He was suspicious of everyone except Jacco and me. I knew that he had gone into the woods at night and seen that burned-out cottage. I could well imagine his emotions at the sight. If I had grown up in that terrible night, so had he.
He had lost that impish bravado, that desire to show he was as good as—no, better than—the rest of us. There was in a way a sort of resignation, an acceptance of the tragedy of life; but I knew, too, that there was a burning resentment.
My father said: “First we’ll find a bed for you.”
“They’ll take me … like they did me granny. They threw her in the river. They tried to drown her. Then they burned her all up.”
“They will not dare,” said my father. “I shall make them understand that. Come to the house with me now.”
He was still reluctant, but Jacco took him by the arm and he trusted Jacco. I felt my spirits lift because of the trust he had in us.
We walked to the house and my father told Jacco to take Digory into the small room which led from the hall and to come out when he called to them.
Then he rang one of the bells and in a short time Isaacs appeared.
“Isaacs,” he said, “I want all the servants assembled in the hall.”
“Now, Sir Jake?”
“Immediately.”
“Very good, sir.”
I could almost feel the tremor which passed through the house. I was aware of running footsteps, whispering voices. In a very short time they were all present, forming two lines with Mrs. Penlock at the head of one and Isaacs at the other.
My father addressed them very seriously: “A wicked and most shameful event took place during my absence. Senseless savages murdered a defenseless old woman. Oh, I know that you are telling yourselves that the fire in the woods was an accident, but in your hearts you know it was not so. It is hard to believe that anyone today, people we meet in our everyday life, who before this had seemed ordinary decent folk, could be guilty of such a crime. I am not asking you to come forward and confess your guilt—if any of you are guilty you will know that and have to live with your consciences—but let me tell you this: there will be no more savagery on these lands, for the simple reason that anyone who is caught performing these evil deeds will no longer be on this land. On Midsummer’s Eve an old woman was sent to her death. She had a grandson living with her. Providentially that boy was saved from a mob of hooligans. He has been deprived of his home and his guardian and he is now under my care. He will work here; he will live among us. He has suffered a great deal and
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