Breakfast was the only meal of the day at which the children were allowed to partake with the adult members of the family, at all other times meals were taken under the supervision of Miss Wesley, the governess, and Nanny Francis.
Breakfast hadn't gone too well this morning, both Becky and Martin had been told off by their father for showing poor table manners; he had since sent for Miss Wesley and told her, in no uncertain terms, how dissatisfied he was and that he expected her to be teaching the children some of the finer points of life in addition to their schooling.
When the children had arrived at the schoolroom later she wasn't very happy and they had spent the best part of the morning practising ..... how to sit at the table ..... how to ask politely ..... which fork to use .... which spoon ... which knife ..... and so on..... and so on..... and so on.
It was now 12 noon and Miss Wesley rose to go to her room, "Stay here children I will be back momentarily. You may read your books whilst I'm away." Then she sailed like a galleon, through the door, her skirts rustling.
"I'm fed up of this", moaned Martin.
"Me too", replied Becky, "I wish we could run away somewhere".
"What a brilliant idea", said Martin, enthusiastically. "We could get some food from the kitchen and I've got three pennies left from Christmas".
"I've got one penny left, look", said Becky, holding up her shiny penny, "so we've got lots of money, haven't we?" and she clapped her hands together excitedly.
"All right then let's do it, but we'll have to hurry before Miss Wesley comes back. Stay close behind me", he whispered and headed to the door. He then made sure no-one was about and started to creep down the grand staircase with Becky at his heals. From there they made their way to the back stairs which led to the kitchen and descended quietly. At the bottom Martin peeped around the corner to see if the coast was clear. "Good, no-one in sight", he said, "you get some fruit from the sideboard and I'll get that pie from the table. Hurry before anyone comes".
Quick as a flash the fruit and the pie were placed inside a towel and the corners tied over, then they both quietly left through the back door and sneaked around the side of the house towards Back Lane. Once there they ran as fast as they could, but when they reached the bend which wound its way to the village green they made a detour across the field leading to Darkes Lane.
They were half way across the field when Becky said she felt tired, the sun was very hot and she needed a drink. Martin, who had assumed the position of leader of this venture, made the decision to take a rest and to each have an apple. Becky thought she had never tasted such a delicious apple in her life before. "That was absolutely scrumptious," she told Martin who was now lying back in the long grass feeling very sleepy.
"Hmm," he said lazily, "but we're going to have to move now before we're seen. Let's make our way to Daggers Wood where there's some cover." So off they went, both of them unaware of the commotion their disappearance was causing up at the Hall.
When they reached Darkes Lane they ran quickly across it and onto the footpath which skirted around Daggers Wood. However, unbeknown to them, they had been seen by Old Tom who was on his way home.
They had never been so close to Daggers Wood before and it looked very sinister to them now at such close range. Becky was beginning to wish she had never mentioned running away but she didn't want Martin to know so she just stayed close as they made their way into the trees. Inside it was very still with just the odd sound of the leaves rustling and birds singing, and they felt totally alone ...... but they weren't!
"Well, what 'ave we got 'ere?" said a voice behind them. Both Becky and Martin turned slowly towards the menacing voice. Just a few yards away stood Jimmy and Jack, the Bates twins.
Standing with his hands in his pockets and wearing a wide grin on his face, Jimmy Bates threw his head back and cried, "Why, it's the posh kids from the big 'ouse. Lost yer way 'ave yer? Well this is our camp and yer not welcome 'ere, so clear off."
"What do you mean - your camp - this is my father's land".
But Jimmy wasn't put off, he just retaliated with "So, what yer gonna do 'bout it then?"
Martin stood his ground, and the two young bucks faced each other, neither giving an inch.
"Oh Martin, let's go, please?" begged Becky, feeling very frightened.
Jack, who had noticed how frightened Becky was told his brother "Leave it Jimmy."
"Nah", he replied and made a lunge at Martin. Martin grabbed him and the two of them were locked together like a pair of young deer, each of them pushing and pulling until they both lost their foothold and fell to the floor, but the fight went on.......
Becky was hopping up and down. "Oh, Martin, do be careful. Oh stop that you brute", she called to Jimmy.
Jack had come to stand next to her. Of the twins he was the quietest one, not as strong as Jimmy, and always willing to give in to his stronger brother.
"Don't worry," he told Becky, "yer bruvver's puttin' up a good fight."
"But they shouldn't be fighting", she wailed, "they'll get hurt."
"Mm, s'pose so, but I don't think they're much bovvered 'bout it."
As they looked on the two warriors started to roll down a slope to the bottom where a great muddy hollow received them, and still the fight went on.....
"Oh, no!" sobbed Becky, "Look at your clothes, Papa will be ever so angry, I wish we had never run away now."
All the watching pair could see now was a pair of muddy shapes, they couldn't even tell who was who. Finally, both tired out, the warriors just sat in the mud, looking at each other, and all they could see were each others eyes, white and wide. It was just too much, and they both started to laugh.
"Yer not a bad fighter fer a toff", laughed Jimmy.
"Neither are you," replied Martin and they helped each other up out of the mud and back to the top of the slope where Becky and Jack were waiting for them.
The four of them made their way to the edge of Daggers Wood back into the sunlight. "I want to go back home", pleaded Becky to Martin.
However, Martin had difficulty doing anything because both he and Jimmy were quickly turning into statues as the sun dried the mud to a lovely silver grey.
Just then the sound of hooves could be heard along the path and Lord Smallwood came into sight; he didn't look very happy.
"What on earth ......" he began, but got no further because he just couldn't believe his eyes, and instead of giving them the telling off of their lives he just scooped Becky up into his large arms, instructing the three boys to follow.
The sorry procession made its way along the footpath to Darkes Lane where Old Tom was waiting with his horse and cart. Lord Smallwood put Becky in the cart, then helped up the boys and told him to drive back to the Hall.
When they arrived at the Hall Miss Wesley was waiting, along with Cook who was holding a rather large wooden spoon in a very threatening manner. Lord Smallwood told Miss Wesley to take Becky up to her room where she was to be made presentable before Lady Smallwood came back from shopping with Miss Elizabeth. Then he called to his manservant to bring some large towels down to the lake.
Now for the boys. "Down to the lake Tom, if you will".
"Certainly, m'lud," said Old Tom smiling to himself.
Upon reaching the lake all three boys where practically thrown into it by Lord Smallwood, clothes and all. "You will all clean yourselves up, take off those clothes and give them to Tom here. Then you will wrap yourselves in towels and he will bring you back up to the Hall. Is that clear?" "Yes sir", they all came back in unison and Lord Smallwood left, taking long strides in the direction of the Hall whilst leading his horse by the reigns.
When Jimmy and Jack arrived home that evening their mother just couldn't believe it. They had new clothes, new shoes (albeit second-hand) and a basket full of fruit and vegetables and the most wonderful pie she had ever seen. But the boys had far more, they had made two friends today, very special friends, but then that's another story.
Copyright © 2002 Smallwood Village