Read Online The Tweedie Passion by Helen Susan Swift - Free Book Online
Authors: Helen Susan Swift
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and relapsed into surprised silence.
'I will take that response as agreement,' Hugh Veitch said. 'How did you come to be in this unfortunate predicament?'
I wondered if I should reply to a Veitch and decided it would probably do no harm. 'I was a prisoner of the Yorling,' I said and 'Wild Will captured me.'
There was silence for a few moments. 'I have never heard of this Yorling,' Hugh said. 'Why did he hold you?'
'I do not know,' I told him. 'He refused to say. Why does Wild Will hold you?'
'Oh I am to be hanged,' Hugh sounded remarkably calm. 'We are at deadly feud apparently, the Veitches and the Armstrongs.'
'I am sorry,' I said.
'No need for sorrow. It is the way of things. It seems that the Veitches are at feud with many people.'
I could imagine his shrug.
'Well I do not wish to be hanged,' I said, 'and neither should you be. Is there a way out of this place?'
His laugh was unexpected. 'If I find one I will let you know, Jeannie.' I heard him move, 'but chained to a staple it is hard to move, yet alone escape.'
'I am not chained,' I said. 'I suppose that Wild Will did not think it worthwhile chaining a mere woman.'
Hugh laughed again. 'I don't think any woman should be called 'mere” he said. 'It was because of a woman that I am here.' I heard the rattle of chains and a subdued curse as he moved again. 'These things are damnably uncomfortable. It will be a relief to be rid of them, even to be hanged.' His laugh was short and not without humour.
'Can I help you?' I stood up, feeling my away along the roughness of the wall. I had only taken five steps before I stumbled over the top of him, standing on his right foot. 'Oh I do apologise.'
'It is a small matter,' he said. 'I have another foot left.'
I felt around, grabbing hold of a foot and working my way up to an ankle until I found the iron clasp. 'I can free you,' I said. 'It is a simple device,' I drew the pin that held both halves of the machine together. Hugh pulled his foot free.
'Thank you,' he said, as I found the second ankle and released that also. 'Now could you do my wrists as well?'
I fumbled in the dark, following the line of his hard, lean body. His arms were pinioned above his head, with both wrists fastened to staples that had been hammered into the stone walls of the dungeon. The pins were rusty and harder to release so I struggled, gasping with effort as I strained.
'I don't think I have the strength,' I said. 'I have a woman's fingers.'
'And a woman's compassion and determination,' Hugh encouraged me as I worked the pin from side to side within its slot.
'How long have you been chained here for?' I asked.
'I do not know,' Hugh said. 'I lost count of time. You're doing well. Please don't stop now.'
I felt movement with the pin. I pushed and pulled, straining against the stubborn iron, until I pressed my knee against Hugh's shoulders for purchase and gave a final yank. The pin jerked out and I fell backward to land with a crash on the stone floor of that dungeon. I lay still as the pain added to that caused when Wild Will had hit me. The filth and stench on that floor was abominable, as you may imagine.
'Jeannie? Are you all right?' There was concern in Hugh's voice. I heard the slight rasp as he dragged free the final pin holding his other wrist and then he was kneeling by my side. 'Are you hurt?'
'I am all right,' I said.
His hands were on my shoulders, strong and hard as he helped me to a sitting position. 'Thank you.' He said simply. I knew he must be suffering from the return of blood flowing to his arms and hands after being so long in a cramped position but he made no complaint.
'Let me see,' Hugh's fingers probed my head. 'Nothing seems to be broken. Now we have to try and get out of here.' He stepped away and I heard him sit on the straw. 'You are correct; I have no desire to be hanged by Wild Will and I don't expect you wish to be his guest either.'
'I don't think much of the accommodation,' I said. I did not say that
'I will take that response as agreement,' Hugh Veitch said. 'How did you come to be in this unfortunate predicament?'
I wondered if I should reply to a Veitch and decided it would probably do no harm. 'I was a prisoner of the Yorling,' I said and 'Wild Will captured me.'
There was silence for a few moments. 'I have never heard of this Yorling,' Hugh said. 'Why did he hold you?'
'I do not know,' I told him. 'He refused to say. Why does Wild Will hold you?'
'Oh I am to be hanged,' Hugh sounded remarkably calm. 'We are at deadly feud apparently, the Veitches and the Armstrongs.'
'I am sorry,' I said.
'No need for sorrow. It is the way of things. It seems that the Veitches are at feud with many people.'
I could imagine his shrug.
'Well I do not wish to be hanged,' I said, 'and neither should you be. Is there a way out of this place?'
His laugh was unexpected. 'If I find one I will let you know, Jeannie.' I heard him move, 'but chained to a staple it is hard to move, yet alone escape.'
'I am not chained,' I said. 'I suppose that Wild Will did not think it worthwhile chaining a mere woman.'
Hugh laughed again. 'I don't think any woman should be called 'mere” he said. 'It was because of a woman that I am here.' I heard the rattle of chains and a subdued curse as he moved again. 'These things are damnably uncomfortable. It will be a relief to be rid of them, even to be hanged.' His laugh was short and not without humour.
'Can I help you?' I stood up, feeling my away along the roughness of the wall. I had only taken five steps before I stumbled over the top of him, standing on his right foot. 'Oh I do apologise.'
'It is a small matter,' he said. 'I have another foot left.'
I felt around, grabbing hold of a foot and working my way up to an ankle until I found the iron clasp. 'I can free you,' I said. 'It is a simple device,' I drew the pin that held both halves of the machine together. Hugh pulled his foot free.
'Thank you,' he said, as I found the second ankle and released that also. 'Now could you do my wrists as well?'
I fumbled in the dark, following the line of his hard, lean body. His arms were pinioned above his head, with both wrists fastened to staples that had been hammered into the stone walls of the dungeon. The pins were rusty and harder to release so I struggled, gasping with effort as I strained.
'I don't think I have the strength,' I said. 'I have a woman's fingers.'
'And a woman's compassion and determination,' Hugh encouraged me as I worked the pin from side to side within its slot.
'How long have you been chained here for?' I asked.
'I do not know,' Hugh said. 'I lost count of time. You're doing well. Please don't stop now.'
I felt movement with the pin. I pushed and pulled, straining against the stubborn iron, until I pressed my knee against Hugh's shoulders for purchase and gave a final yank. The pin jerked out and I fell backward to land with a crash on the stone floor of that dungeon. I lay still as the pain added to that caused when Wild Will had hit me. The filth and stench on that floor was abominable, as you may imagine.
'Jeannie? Are you all right?' There was concern in Hugh's voice. I heard the slight rasp as he dragged free the final pin holding his other wrist and then he was kneeling by my side. 'Are you hurt?'
'I am all right,' I said.
His hands were on my shoulders, strong and hard as he helped me to a sitting position. 'Thank you.' He said simply. I knew he must be suffering from the return of blood flowing to his arms and hands after being so long in a cramped position but he made no complaint.
'Let me see,' Hugh's fingers probed my head. 'Nothing seems to be broken. Now we have to try and get out of here.' He stepped away and I heard him sit on the straw. 'You are correct; I have no desire to be hanged by Wild Will and I don't expect you wish to be his guest either.'
'I don't think much of the accommodation,' I said. I did not say that
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