They led her out of the block, across the stableyard, through the paddock, and down to the river. A flat barge was moored at the narrow dock, and a man stepped out of the trees as they approached with the mare.
"Let me see." His voice was a harsh, rasping whisper in the bitter night. He too ran his hands over the animal's belly first, before checking the rest of her. He grunted with satisfaction. "This is the one, all right. Keep the blanket over her, I don't want her getting chilled on the river." He stepped back and gestured that they should load the horse onto the barge.
She went trustingly. She had never been given cause to fear humankind. The hands that had touched her hitherto had only been of the gentlest; the voices she had heard hitherto had always been soft and caressing. And, indeed, she had nothing to fear from the earl of Ravenspeare, who watched sharply as she was led onto the barge and secured to the rail. She was too valuable a property to be treated with less than the utmost respect.
Jenny stood at the garden gate, listening for the sounds of Edgar's gig on the cart track. It was still dark and her mittened hands were chilled holding the handle of her basket. She heard the cottage door open behind her.
"Edgar's late," she called over her shoulder to her mother. "It's not like him."
She turned and came back up the path. "You shouldn't stand out in the cold in that thin robe, Mother." She pushed Sarah back into the warmth, following her in and closing the door. "Shall I make some more tea?"
Sarah nodded. She went to the small window, frowning like her daughter. Edgar was as reliable as the moon's cycle. If he said seven o'clock, it would be seven o'clock.
"I hope he hasn't had an accident." Jenny spoke her mother's thoughts as the kettle on the hob steamed. "Overturned the gig or something." She poured boiling water unerringly onto the raspberry leaves in the pot, and the fragrant aroma wafted upward.
Sarah brought mugs to the table and sliced bread from the quartern loaf on the board. She buttered the slices thickly and spread honey on the butter, handing one to Jenny.
"I might as well eat breakfast," Jenny agreed, pouring tea into the mugs before biting into the bread. "I wonder if I should walk up to the lane, see if I can get a ride to the castle from a carter. Or maybe someone will have news if anything's happened to delay him."
But something had, she knew, and she didn't demur when her mother put on her own cloak and accompanied her out into the now lightening morning, up the track to the lane running between the village and the castle.
A dray approached and came to a halt beside the two women. "Mornin', Mistress Sarah, Miss Jenny." The carter touched his forelock. "It's early fer you to be standin' around in the cold. Can I take you anywhere?"
"We were waiting for Edgar from the castle, Giles." Jenny recognized the man's voice. "He was supposed to come for me at seven, but something must have delayed him. Lady Ariel caught a chill yesterday and I was going to see how she's doing this morning."
"Oh, well, you 'op up, then, Miss Jenny." The carter jumped down to give the young woman a hand. " 'Ow bad is Lady Ariel? Is yer mam comin' too?" He glanced inquiringly at Sarah, who shook her head firmly and stepped back onto the verge. She had no need now to pass beneath the archway into Ravenspeare Castle.
"Ariel had the fever," Jenny said, not needing to see her mother's movement to know that she had refused the carter's offer. "She has a weak chest, you know, so it's always a matter of concern if she gets chilled."
"Oh, aye," the carter agreed sagely, raising a hand in farewell to dumb Sarah as he set the dray in motion again. "We can't 'ave Lady Ariel fallin' ill. What'd 'appen to the rest of us?" He turned the dray expertly on the narrow lane to return the way he'd come. "But we'll be losin' 'er soon enough, o'course. When she goes off to 'Awkesmoor."
Jenny murmured something that could have been taken for assent. Even if Ariel didn't go to Hawkesmoor, she didn't intend to stay at Ravenspeare. But Jenny was beginning to wonder about her friend's plans, and how Hawkesmoor would fit into them.
The question absorbed her and banished the puzzle about Edgar's failure to appear until the carter drew up before the arched door leading into the kitchen courtyard of Ravenspeare Castle. " 'Ere y'are, then, Miss Jenny. Should I come in wi' you?"
"No, I can find my way to the kitchen, thank you, Giles."
He nodded and jumped to the ground to assist her to
alight. "There'll be plenty of folk in the kitchen to 'elp you out."
Jenny smiled her agreement and went into the castle. She edged her away along the narrow path between two rows of vegetables in the kitchen garden and reached the opened door without misstep.
"Eh, Miss Jenny. You be come to see Lady Ariel, I'll be bound." Gertrude's cheery voice hailed the blind woman as she stood somewhat uncertainly in the doorway.
"Edgar was to come and collect me from home at seven, but he didn't appear." Jenny allowed her arm to be taken, allowed herself to be eased into a chair at the long table. "I begged a ride from Giles, the carter."
"That's funny." Gertrude frowned. "I 'aven't seen Edgar meself, this mornin'. 'E's usually in 'ere fer 'is breakfast by six." She looked around the busy kitchen. "Eh, Mister Timson? You seen Edgar this mornin'?"
Timson shook his head. "Can't say as I 'ave, Mistress Gertrude." He glanced around and grabbed a potboy by one thin but wiry wrist. "You, boy, run to the stables and see if Mister Edgar's there."
The lad raced off and Gertrude sat down beside Jenny, saying comfortably, "So, 'ow's yer mam doin' these days? She was 'ere lookin' to Lady Ariel, Doris says."
"She's well enough, thank you," Jenny replied, squashing memories of her mother's strange troubled behavior on the previous day. Her mother had seemed perfectly well ever since, so there was no point continuing to fret over it.
"Oh, Mistress Gertrude, Mister Timson, ye'd best come quick!" The potboy reappeared in the kitchen door, his eyes wide with a mixture of fright and excitement. "It's Mister Edgar. 'E's dead. Stone-cold dead."
"What?" Timson was at the door before Jenny and Gertrude were on their feet. He clipped the lad over the ear. "If this is one of yer jokes, young Benjie, I'll 'ave yer 'ide."
"'Tisn't, Mister Timson. Swear to God, it isn't," the lad burbled, chasing after the footman. Gertrude took Jenny's arm unceremoniously and hurried with her after them.
Edgar lay on his cot beside the now cold brazier. His eyes were closed, his face as white as milk. Not a twitch of breath, not a sign of life.
Timson stood somewhat helplessly looking down at the inert figure. Gertrude bustled over with Jenny, then stood aside respectfully so that the younger woman could make her own examination. Jenny bent over, her fingers deftly unbuttoning Edgar's jerkin and pulling up the rough homespun shirt beneath. She laid an ear to Edgar's bare chest, placed her flat palm over his mouth.
"He's not dead," she pronounced quietly.
"Ooo, I did think 'e was, Mister Timson," the potboy wailed, stepping out of the footman's reach. " 'Onest to God, I thought 'e was. It weren't no trick, mister."
"Scarper!" Timson ordered, raising a threatening hand. The lad scarpered.
"It's a death sleep," Gertrude pronounced in a voice full of doom. "I've seen 'em like that afore. Sleep like death, then off they goes, sliding into God's 'ands." She wiped her eyes with her apron. "Poor Mister Edgar. Such a good man, 'e was. Lady Ariel'll be beside 'erself."
Edgar twitched and a small popping sound came from between his closed lips.
"Death sleep or not, looks to me like 'e's wakin' from it," Timson observed. The tankard by the wall caught his eye, and he picked it up, sniffing judiciously. "Dipped a bit deep in the blackstrap, if you asks me. Powerful stuff'tis."