I could not resist saying that perhaps the money would bo more useful than blue blood.
”That’s true, Lenore. Would you put another cushion behind my back. That’s better. I get so tired. And I have dropped my fan. Oh there it is. And another cup of tea, Lenore. Take this scone away. Oh dear, it seems to have gone all over the floor. Is that Madeira cake? I’ll have a piece… . No. I think I’ll try the fruit. And more cream please. Yes, the Countess is considered to be ideal. She knows her way about society and her origins make her pushing… and practical. But everyone seems to have forgotten all that and the name Ballader counts for a good deal. It is a great tragedy that I, as your Mama, Julia, cannot do what should be done for you.”
She then began to discuss what dresses would be needed.
“I shall have to ask Madame Cleremont to come and see me. There will be so much to do. I don’t know how I shall manage.”
I could not help smiling knowing that Lady Sallonger would have very little trouble in managing, for others would do that for her.
There was talk of little else but Julia’s coming out. Grand’mere was very excited about the dresses she would make for her. She did a good many sketches. I did one. Grand’mere said it should go down with the rest for approval, but she would not say it was mine until the choice was made.
Almost every afternoon we rode out together—Julia, Cassie and I. If there were three of us we were allowed to go without a groom providing we did not go beyond the little hamlet of Branches Burrow on one side and the King’s Arms on the other.
The forest within five miles radius of the house was very well known to us, but to stray beyond the boundary would be most unsafe, for it was an easy place in which to lose oneself.
I shall never forget the horror of that day. We were riding through the forest and it was all so peaceful. The sun, shining through the leaves, made a dappled pattern on the ground and there was the lovely smell of damp earth in the air. Julia was talking—as she seemed constantly to be doing—of her coming out. Cassie looked thoughtful, possibly wondering with some apprehension whether she would have a season. I had no such fears to worry me. I was not sure whether I was pleased or sorry about that. I think Grand’mere was hoping I should be asked to share … not in Julia’s perhaps, but in Cassie’s, which I imagined would not be such a grand undertaking.
We were coming to the lake and as we approached it I heard Hounds of shouting voices and shrieks of laughter.
“Some of the boys from the villages play round here,” said Julia. “It’s a favourite spot.”
As we came in sight they saw us. They were scarcely boys being in their teens—sixteen or seventeen I imagined. There was a hush as we rode forward. I could not believe what I saw. Willie was tied to one of the trees.
I shouted: “Willie, what are you doing?”
The youths—there were about six of them—stared at us for a few seconds. There was something evil about them. I sensed that before I realized what they were doing.
One of them shouted: “They’re from the house.” And they all sprang into action and ran.
I leaped from my horse and went to Willie. He was incoherent, trying to speak to us, but he could not find the words. There was an expression of fixed horror on his face. Julia and Cassie had come up.
“Oh look,” said Julia pointing.
Then I saw. It was the mongrel dog. He was tied to another tree. There was blood on his coat and he was lying very still.
I untied Willie.’ ‘What happened?” I cried. He did not answer. He ran to the dog and took it in his arms. It made no sound and was unaware of him so I knew it was dead. Those boys had killed it. How could they do such a cruel senseless thing?
“Tell us what happened,” said Julia.
But still he did not answer. He stood holding the dog against him. I noticed that one of its legs was broken.
“Willie,” said Cassie gently, “could you tell us what happened?”
Willie shook his head in abject misery.
“It was those boys,” said Julia. “Oh they are wicked. Willie, what made them do it?”
But it was no use trying to speak to him. He could only think of one thing: his dog was dead.
There was no one Willie had ever loved as he had loved that dog; and no one had ever loved Willie as that little creature had. They had found each other, comforted each other and lived for each other. And now he had been wantonly killed by mindless boys whose aim had been to inflict pain on a helpless animal and a poor lad whom they considered to be inferior to themselves.
I did not know how we were going to comfort him.
Cassie was crying silently. I think that helped him to realize we cared.
“Willie,” I pleaded, “if you try to tell us what happened …”
He spoke suddenly. “We was by the lake … sitting … looking. They came and laughed at us. I didn’t look at them. Then one of them said: ‘You do like the lake, don’t you?’ And they took me and tried to throw me in.”
He looked at the dog in his arms and went on: “He bit him … when he laid hands on me … he bit him.”
“I hope badly,” I said.
“Then they put the ropes on me and they took him up and tied him to the tree and they threw stones at him.”
“I shall tell Carter about this,” I said. “They ought to be punished.”
“It can’t bring back the poor little thing,” Julia pointed out.
“It will show them what happens to hooligans.”
But I knew that Carter had no jurisdiction over boys who did not belong to our stables.
“We shall have to bury him, Willie,” I said.
Willie began to walk away with the dog in his arms.
We mounted our horses and made our way to the stables where we found the head groom Carter and told him what had happened.
“Did you see what boys they were?” asked Carter.
“We didn’t know them. They ran off when we appeared.”
” He thought the world of that dog.” That is why they did what they did,” I said. “I wish we could find them. I think they should be severely punished.”
” If it was any of my stable lads I’d see that they heard from me. None of them, I hope, would do such a thing.”
” Willie will have to be gently treated.”
” The Missus will see to that. We’ll have to get rid of the dog. I fancy he might want to keep it. He’s very simple in lots of ways. ”
We left him and went sadly home. We were all deeply shocked and Julia did not mention her coming out for a whole day.
I knew enough of Willie to realize that he would not want to give up the dog. He would rather have it dead than not at all.
It would soon be forcibly taken from him, and I decided to see what I could do. I found a little box of stiff cardboard and some twine and went in search of him. I did not think he would be by the lake but he was. He was seated beside that tree to which they had tied the dog and he was holding the animal in his arms.
I said: “Willie, we shall have to give him a burial. He can’t be happy like that.”
“They’ll take him away from me.”
“Yes,” I said. “So let us give him a proper burial and then they won’t.” I held out the box to him. “He wants to rest,” I went on. “He’s tired. He must be left in peace to sleep.”
To my surprise he put the dog in the box.
I said: “We’ll bury him and I’ll make a little cross. Here are these sticks, see? If I cross them like that and bind them up with twine they make a cross and that gives him a Christian burial.”