The Purpose of Miss Shepley

Chapter Seventeen (part I)

It was hard to say who was more suprised. Roberts and I stared at each other, wide eyed and slack-jawed, while the baying of the hounds drew nearer.

Roberts looked toward the noise, then he looked back at us, frowning.

"I thought you were poachers..."

I shook my head. "I'm being forced to marry, and I won't."

Roberts nodded once. "After me. Quickly." He trotted toward the open door of his cottage, beckoning to us. We wasted no time following him.

Inside, he said only, "Hide yourselves." I dove deep under one of the beds -- Darwin was still soundly asleep in it -- and I cowered there, looking out.

Roberts quickly lit a lantern. He took down a black frying pan and put a great lump of fat in it, and then he cut slices off a side of bacon. The cottage was soon filled with the sizzle and sweet smoke. I almost drooled -- I was still so hungry.

The baying grew nearer and nearer til the hounds came right up to the door. They whimpered and pawed at it, their claws scratching against the wood. Soon, I heard the creak of hinges, and Roberts talking to Mr. Reeve.

"What's all this ruckus, Harry?"

"The girl's missing. You seen anything?"

"Naw, I just woke up."

"The dogs led us right to this door..."

Roberts laughed. "Well, I've got the bacon on, don't I? You want a slice? It's almost ready."

"Yeah, why not?"

I heard the clack of boot heels. The hounds sniffed round and round the floor of the cottage, snuffling toward me and then back to the cook fire, whimpering.

"Here, this batch is ready."

"This is good... You get this from Baxter?"

"Naw, I smoke it myself. The way they used to, you know. Winnie's father taught me."

"Say what you will about them, they sure knew how to cook a pig. Do you remember the way they did the boars at Midwinter...?"

"I wish I could forget...! Here, have another."

"None for you, you beggar!"

And so, I cowered there, my stomach growling, listening to the orchard master and the steward moan over bacon, the hounds whining and begging as much as I wanted to.

Eventually, the hinges creaked again. I heard Mr. Reeves say, "Dogs lost the scent, sir. Roberts was frying bacon."

At length, Roberts said, "I think it's safe to come out, now."

I slithered out from under the bed -- Darwin was still sound asleep, somehow. A cupboard door swung open and Bram slowly emerged from it, head and hands first, like a lamb being born. He was still clutching my canvas sacks.

He stood and stretched and heaved out a sigh. "Ach, I thought we were caught, for sure," he said, shaking his head.

"Well, not yet, you're not," Roberts said. He pushed a plate of fried bacon toward us, and I helped myself all too gladly. "You'd best get on your way, though. Not many hours of night left."

Bram shoved a slice of bacon in the corner of his mouth. "I'm in Riverton as far as anyone knows."

"Very well, then." Roberts gave him a nod, then he dipped his head to me. "Best of luck to you, Miss."

I offered him my hand. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Roberts."

"Naw, Miss," he said, though he took my hand and patted it. "It's the least I can do, after all your kindness to my Darlene."