Always: You'll Never Walk Alone (11 page)

Chapter Fifteen

Jim and Ceec were gone for the rest of the day. Annie brought me breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which I ate in the kitchen downstairs. My body was still weak, but I refused to rest, and spent the day in a state of anticipation and excitement. I was so close. Jim and Ceec arrived back shortly after dark. I was ready to go, but Jim suggested we wait till morning, then get an early start. Annie made them a late supper, and prepared lunch for the next day, before we all went off to bed for the night. I was too excited to sleep and lay on my bed tossing and turning until dawn. I was the first one up and when Jim, Ceec and Annie finally came down, I was pacing around the house waiting for them. Annie made some breakfast that I could hardly eat I was in such a rush to get going. Finally, everyone finished their meal, the dishes were cleared away, the coach loaded, the horses hitched, and we were on our way.

The sun was bright in the sky as we left Exeter. I sat up front with Jim, while Ceec and Annie sat inside the coach. They chattered away constantly, breaking out into riotous laughter every so often. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but just hearing their voices and their laughter made me feel good. Jim and I sat in companionable silence as we drove through the countryside.

At midday, we pulled off to the side of the road. Annie got out the lunch she’d prepared and spread it on a blanket. The day was uncharacteristically warm as we ate the sandwiches and drank the beer. Finishing the meal, we all lay down in the grass enjoying the feel of the sun on our faces.

It would have been nice to lie there all afternoon but I was impatient to get moving again. So, clearing everything away we set off once more. The afternoon was a repeat of the morning, with Ceec and Annie chattering and laughing as we made our way ever closer to Sarah. The countryside changed from gently rolling hills to rugged cliffs. Then just as the sun begun to slip below the horizon, Jim turned to me smiling, and said, “We’re in Cornwall.” My heart leapt. Cornwall, I’d finally made it! I asked him how far it was to St. Ives. When he told me we would get there late tomorrow I almost jumped out of the coach. Tomorrow! Could we just keep driving through the night? But no, the horses needed to rest, and Jim said Ceec and Annie had a surprise for me. What sort of surprise? Well it wouldn’t be a surprise if he told me would it? He pulled the coach to a stop and called down to Ceec. “Where do we go from here?”

Ceec got out and told me to swap places with him, so he could direct Jim the rest of the way. I climbed down and joined Annie inside the coach as we started off once more.

“Where are we going?”

“Well if I told you ‘t wouldn’t be a s’prise would it?” Repeating would Jim had said moments earlier. “You’ll just ‘ave t’ be patient. It’s not far.” And she wouldn’t say another word.

The sun disappeared, to be replaced by the biggest pinkest moon I had ever seen. It was so bright it lit the land as if it was still day. As I looked out the coach window, I saw two young foxes running along beside the coach. Then, leaving the road we turned onto a wooded track. The coach bucked and bounced as tree branches struck its sides. The foxes continued to keep pace with us. We travelled deeper and deeper into the woods, the nightsounds getting louder.

Is that music? The sounds disappeared. There it is again. Pipes, drums… Then I heard laughter. I looked at Annie, who was smiling back at me.

“What is it?”

“You are the most curious boy I ever met. You’ll see soon enough.” And I couldn’t get another word out of her.

The music was getting louder. I could hear shouts and more laughter. I wanted to put my head out of the coach, but the trees were too close, so I just had to sit there, squinting out into the night. Suddenly, we were out of the woods. I leaned my head out of the coach as the foxes took off ahead of us. We were at the top of a hill, in the valley below us were a hundred caravans drawn in a circle ‘round a massive bonfire. The music was clearer now, but it was unlike any I’d heard before. We drove into the valley, as we reached the edge of the circle we found ourselves surrounded by a crowd of people, forcing Jim to stop the coach. With the combined light of the moon and the fire, I could clearly see everyone there.

For a moment I thought I was dreaming, there was a sea of reds, blues, greens, golds, yellows and purples, and I stared in disbelief.

“What’s the matter wiv you lot? D’ya fink we weren’t coming?”

“Annie?”

“No, it’s the Virgin Mary. Course it’s me, Oo were ya ‘specting.”

“Where’s Hoot?”

“Ee’s upfront.”

The doors flew open and we stepped down into the crowd with everyone talking at once. I was standing next to Jim, who looked as bewildered as me. While Ceec and Annie were kissing and hugging everyone. After about fifteen more minutes of kissing, hugging, talking, and laughing, Annie pushed her way back to me and Jim, grabbed our hands and said, “Come on you ‘ave t’ meet everyone.” And, commenced to introduce us to a sea of brightly dressed people. We were taken inside the circle of wagons, where the party was in full vibration. Glasses of some sort of wine were put in our hands; there were pigs being roasted and tables of food. We were given plates and told to help ourselves. The band was playing, the music oscillating through the night. I hardly finished eating what was on my plate before it was filled again. Pork, rabbit, chicken, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, and vegetables I had never seen. It was the best meal I’d ever tasted and my glass was continually refilled. Finishing the meal I found myself dancing with a beautiful dark eyed girl, whose name I never did get.

The music got faster, wilder, and it wasn’t long before I had to sit down, or fall down. I went to join Jim, but he seemed to be enjoying a conversation with one of the women we’d met earlier, and I judged it best to leave them to their communion. This was confirmed for me, when a few minutes later they went off into the night, hand in hand.

Annie was dancing up a storm with a group of people, so I sat down by myself and watched the party continue.

I hadn’t been sitting long before a woman of about thirty came over; she had the most piercing green eyes I’d ever seen. Smiling, she asked if she could join me, sitting down without waiting for a reply. She took my hand in hers. “You’ve had a hard journey Stephen.”

“Were you talking with Annie?”

She laughed. “No Stephen. You can be proud of yourself. Not many boys your age could have survived what you’ve been through. You must continue to be strong, you and Sarah will ALWAYS be together.”

I told her I would be in St. Ives tomorrow and we would be together very soon. She looked at my hand then back at me. “Everything will happen when it’s supposed to. Didn’t Winifred tell you that?”

“You know Winifred?”

“Winifred set you on your way to here. She told me you’d be coming.”

“When did you see her? How is she?”

“Oh I haven’t seen Winifred in ten years or more, but she’s fine. Be strong Stephen.”

Before I could ask her more she had gone, and I sat there alone, thinking of what she said.

My thoughts were interrupted by the silence around me. Everyone had moved in closer to the circle and the girl with the beautiful eyes, that I’d danced with earlier, took my hand, and led me through the crowd. Standing in the centre of the circle was a man who could have been fifty or could have been ninety! He had a guitar strapped over his neck, which he started strumming slowly. The girl with the beautiful eyes left me and moved next to him. She started to sway in time to his strumming and a low murmur went through the crowd. The performance continued the man softly strumming as the girl swayed. The chords got stronger, and she started to dance. Taking a scarf from around her waist she moved sensuously with the music. She seemed to float above the ground as the scarf danced around her body. I was mesmerized, and then I heard a sound more beautiful than I could imagine. The man had started to sing…

The murmur from the crowd turned in to a sort of low moan as the song continued. He sang in a language I had never heard before, but even without understanding a word, I could feel the emotion of the song. It was a song of love and loss, the bittersweet melody floating into the night. The stars fell down from the sky. We were surrounded by the heavens. I felt weightless; all I could see were the stars. Gradually the stars became the beautiful eyes. I could hear the guitar, the sound of his voice, the notes shimmering through the night. The melody resonated deep in my soul. I felt myself floating through time, but always the eyes were with me. Emotions were coursing through my body, joy, sorrow, laughter, anger, happiness, despair. I was crying. I was laughing. I was shouting. I was singing. But always… the eyes. Chords caressed my mind. The voice haunted my being. The eyes…

I felt like my body would explode. The eyes were Sarah’s. She smiled as I took her in my arms. My head was spinning, I saw a tear in her eye as the stars went back to the sky, the last chords died, and Sarah faded away, leaving her tear on my cheek.

Chapter Sixteen

The camp was silent. Everyone transported to their own secret place. Nobody moved. The fires crackled. An owl hooted. Then almost as one everyone sighed, and a great cheer went up. It crescendoed. I thought it would never stop. The band started playing again. Soon everyone was dancing. The dancing got wilder, the music faster. It went on and on. I looked for the girl with the beautiful eyes, but she seemed to have vanished and I danced on alone.

It was morning before the band finally stopped playing and the last holdouts finally slept. I was sandwiched between an old woman and an old man, who snored in unison. I was so tired and had drunk so much wine that it sounded quite soothing and in no time, I was snoring along with them.

It was noon when I woke. The camp was starting to come to life. Campfires were burning all around. A hundred breakfasts were being cooked. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and went off in search of Ceec and Annie. My head pounding, what was I drinking last night? I finally found Ceec, Annie and Jim sitting with a group of people drinking tea.

“Hello Stephen. How’re you feelin’? You’re lookin’ a little green. Enjoyin’ the wine a little too much?”

I groaned and asked for some tea. By the time we finished breakfast I was starting to feel a little better. The pounding in my head had slowed, and my stomach was almost back to normal when Jim said “we should be getting on.” We still had a long way to go to St. Ives. Annie said “I’m sorry but we have t’ stay here. These’re our people. The gathering lasts for the rest ‘f the week, we’d like t’ go wiv you but we’d only hold you up. So we’ll hafta’ meet ya here on ya way back.” She threw her arms around me and held on tightly. “Your future is set. We’ll be here for you whenever you need us. Now get on ya way.”

I thanked her and promised I would see her in a few days but I had one question. “Why did that man when we arrived call Ceec, Hoot?”

She laughed. “We was up in Scotland and Ceec ‘ad been drinkin’ that Scottish ale and eating ‘aggis. Well next day ‘e couldn’t stop fartin’, so they called ‘im Hoot ‘n eversince we’ve been called Hoot ‘n Annie.”

She fell over laughing, joined by Ceec. It took me a minute before I understood what they found so funny. Then I was sitting on the ground next to them, laughing ‘til my stomach ached.

The clouds rolled in and the first drops of rain fell as we got on our way once more. Jim looked to be suffering from the previous night’s revelry, as much as me and we drove along in silence. The rain got heavier as the afternoon wore on. The road getting muddier, and the horses getting slower, until at about four Jim said we would have to stop to give the horses some rest. We were just outside Redruth. About an hour from St. Ives, so we drove into the village and stopped at a small tavern. Once again, Jim knew the owner and we chatted amiably while eating a pasty, drinking some beer and waiting for the rain to stop. But the rain just kept getting heavier until finally Jim said we’d have to stay the night.

I was disappointed, but we had no choice and as Jim said if we did get there tonight there was nothing we could do till the morning anyway. We’d get on our way first thing in the morning and be there before ten. So, we settled the horses for the night, drank a few more beers and retired early. Still suffering from the effects of the previous night, as soon as I lay down on the bed, I was asleep.

It was still dark when I felt Jim shaking me awake.

“It’s nearly eight. Time to get moving if we want to get there early.”

I could hear the rain dripping from the eaves. I looked outside. It was still raining lightly, and I pulled my coat around me as I went with Jim to get the horses hitched. When we returned the proprietor had prepared breakfast. Finishing up, Jim paid our bill, thanked him for his hospitality and we were on the last leg. Sarah was only an hour away.

As we drove through the drizzle Jim asked me if I had any plans as to how to rescue her. Then I realized I had absolutely no idea. All I had thought about was getting here. What I would do next had not even entered my head.

“Well we’d better start thinking, because I don’t think we can just go up to the front door and ask for her.”

Try as I might, I couldn’t think of any plan. All these weeks of making my way here and I’d never thought of anything except getting to Sarah. Jim pointing to a town in front of us interrupted my thoughts… St. Ives!

My heart raced. We were here. Sarah was just a mile ahead of me.

“We’ll go to the coach stop and stable the horses. From there we’ll make enquiries as to exactly where Castle Harvard is, and make our plans from there, alright?”

I nodded my agreement, the rain running down my back as I did. Jim looked over at me and smiled. “What’s that grin for?”

“What grin?”

Another few minutes and we were in St. Ives. The smell of the ocean, I had last smelt at Lymington, was strong on my nostrils. We drove through the almost empty streets, the rain keeping everyone inside, and ten minutes later, we were at the coach stop.

“Hello Jim. What are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting you ‘til next week?”

“Hello Bill. It’s a personal trip this time. I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. Bill this is Stephen. Stephen, Bill.”

He took my hand in his. Or maybe I should say he engulfed my hand. He had the biggest hands I’d ever seen. They were covered in callous’ and were as hard as oak.

“Pleased to meet you Stephen.”

“You too Sir.”

He broke into laughter. “Bill will be just fine.”

“If you’re wondering where he got those paws from. Bill was a fisherman before he got lazy and took over the coach stop. They say he just used to put his hands in the water, and the fish would get so scared they’d jump right into the boat. Didn’t even need to use a net.” Jim put his arm around his shoulders as we went into the bar. I followed behind.

The bar was decorated with old fishing nets, glass floats and pieces from fishing boats. A fire was roaring in the grate and the aroma of cooked mackerel wafted from the kitchen and filled the room. It wasn’t quite ten, and the bar was empty besides the three of us. Bill poured us all some beer, then asked Jim what would be bringing him here, if it wasn’t work. Jim told him my story and asked if he knew Castle Harvard. Bill looked at me then turned back to Jim. “Jim, I don’t know how much you know about Lord Beecham, but I can tell you, this is not a man you want to tangle with. Certainly this boy here is no match for someone like him. I think you’d best forget your friend Stephen. I’m sorry.”

I was about to speak, when Jim interrupted. “He may look like just a boy Bill, but this is no ordinary boy. I can’t even start to tell you what he’s been through to get here. I think I would’ve given up long before now, but he’s not someone to give up. If there’s any way, he’ll find it.”

I felt myself sit up straighter and a smile came to my face, at this unexpected compliment. Bill stared at me for a long time, as if appraising me. Then said, “Castle Harvard is about an hour outside of town. It’s right on the coast. I’ll take you both to see it. Then maybe you can make some sort of plan, although I’m not sure what. Give me an hour and I’ll take you.”

We sat down by the fire and drank our beers while our clothes and hair dried. “If there’s any way of getting Sarah, Bill will help us, don’t worry. I just wish this damn rain would stop. Sometimes I wish I’d gone to sea when I was young. I hear there’s places where it hardly ever rains, and it’s so hot the women all walk around half naked.” He broke into a coughing fit that wouldn’t stop. I was starting to get worried, when Bill came over with a glass of water and helped him drink it down. “That’s a nasty cough you’ve got there. Are you sure you want to go out in this weather? Maybe we should wait till it stops raining.”

He shook his head, “No, no we didn’t come all this way to sit by a fire. We could’ve done that in London. I’m fine just a little cough, nothing t’ worry about. If you’re ready let’s go.” And he got up.

“Okay. If you’re sure, let’s get going.”

We went out to the coach. Jim told me to get inside while he and Bill sat up top, so Bill could give him directions. “No point all of us getting wet!”

I climbed inside, and we were on our way to the castle. As we drove through the streets, I remembered the first time I had sat in the coach. It seemed like a lifetime ago. The rain got heavier and I wondered what it would be like to live in a place where it never rained. It sounded like heaven. We left the town and drove along the coast road. For the first time, I had a chance to see the ocean. The waves pounded relentlessly against the rocks, their power overwhelming, and I was amazed to see seagulls diving through the rain into the ocean, then returning with fish wriggling in their beaks.

The rain never let up, it slowed our progress, but finally the castle came in to view. I had no idea it would be so big. The walls were solid stone and rose to a height of fifty feet or more. My heart sank, this was a castle designed to keep whole armies out. It appeared deserted, and we drove closer, pulling up fifty yards from the front. There was absolutely no way of getting in uninvited. We slowly drove around the perimeter of the castle. It was enormous it seemed to take forever to get all the way around. Just as we were getting back to the front, a man on a horse galloped out from a door that opened out of the bigger doorway, which appeared to be the main entrance. He came straight towards us and pulled up in front. “WHAT DO YOU WANT HERE?” He demanded.

Jim started to answer but broke into another coughing fit, so Bill said, “Nothing Sir, we were just admiring the castle.”

“YOU’RE TRESPASSING. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE ARRESTED THEN YOU BETTER LEAVE NOW.”

Jim was still coughing so Bill apologized, took the reins from Jim and turned the horses back to the road. Reaching the road, Jim still hadn’t stopped coughing and Bill pulled the horses to a halt, “Stephen come up here and help me get Jim down. We need to get him out of this rain.”

I climbed up to help him, and was shocked to see Jim looking deathly pale. We helped him inside and he sunk back against the side. I used my shirt to dry him as best I could, while Bill whipped the horses into a gallop back towards St. Ives.

Arriving at the coach stop, Bill helped me support Jim back inside. We took off his wet coat and sat him down by the fire. Bill went back to the bar to fetch a glass of whisky. I stood up to take my coat off…

Standing in front of me was Mr. Mortimer!