Chapter 6: Lies and Revelations
Abri’s life with Da hadn’t been a bad life, but…. She had no memory of her mother. Da had
taught her early how to work the farm. The more competent she became, the less she saw of him.
She learned discipline from the farm work. And she learned to entertain herself with long hours
alone with her thoughts.
taught her early how to work the farm. The more competent she became, the less she saw of him.
She learned discipline from the farm work. And she learned to entertain herself with long hours
alone with her thoughts.
During the long walk home from the work camp Abri’s mind was filled with foreboding. What
should she do now? How would Da react? Could Da run the farm if she left? Abri didn’t think it
likely that she would be able to stay and continue the work of the farm. Should she go to
Gillingham and turn herself in? If she did, would he send her to the work camp? Should she run
away? Where?
should she do now? How would Da react? Could Da run the farm if she left? Abri didn’t think it
likely that she would be able to stay and continue the work of the farm. Should she go to
Gillingham and turn herself in? If she did, would he send her to the work camp? Should she run
away? Where?
Abri knew that this much mental confusion would likely bring on a seizure and the voice would
speak to her again. She pondered why the voice had directed her to the work camp. What had
been the gain? What had she learned? What difference had her visit made for John?
speak to her again. She pondered why the voice had directed her to the work camp. What had
been the gain? What had she learned? What difference had her visit made for John?
She didn’t have long to ponder these things, however, because she saw two men on horseback
swiftly approaching. Quickly she hid herself in the trees and watched. One of the men was Da;
she could tell by his riding coat and hat, plus she recognized Da’s horse. The second man was…?
Abri squinted, “Gerald?” Her intonation rose with question and surprise and her nose wrinkled with
disgust. What is Gillingham’s nephew doing with Da? she thought.
swiftly approaching. Quickly she hid herself in the trees and watched. One of the men was Da;
she could tell by his riding coat and hat, plus she recognized Da’s horse. The second man was…?
Abri squinted, “Gerald?” Her intonation rose with question and surprise and her nose wrinkled with
disgust. What is Gillingham’s nephew doing with Da? she thought.
With childish reasoning (which was beneath her) Abri hid and watched the two men ride by.
Then she hurried home, stopping to check on the farm. She opened a gate at the weir pond and
flooded the fields. Then she walked home and began preparing the evening meal as if nothing
had happened. When Da got home she would claim that she had to go back to the fields to close
the gate (true enough), giving the appearance that she had been working the fields all day.
Then she hurried home, stopping to check on the farm. She opened a gate at the weir pond and
flooded the fields. Then she walked home and began preparing the evening meal as if nothing
had happened. When Da got home she would claim that she had to go back to the fields to close
the gate (true enough), giving the appearance that she had been working the fields all day.
It was very late when Da rode home.
Abri greeted him with “You’re late. Supper’s on the table. I’ve got to run back to the fields and
shut the weir gate.” With that she put on her jacket and made for the door.
shut the weir gate.” With that she put on her jacket and made for the door.
Da’s strong arm reached in front of her and took a firm grip of her left shoulder. “You’ll do no such
thing.” And he forced her into a chair at the table. Da positioned himself between Abri and the door.
His face was red, his eyes wide but with small, piercing pupils, and the veins at his temples bulged.
thing.” And he forced her into a chair at the table. Da positioned himself between Abri and the door.
His face was red, his eyes wide but with small, piercing pupils, and the veins at his temples bulged.
“You’ll start by telling me where you’ve been, Abi,”
“I’ve been at the farm. I have to go back and shut the weir.”
“That’s a lie!” and Da raised an arm into striking position.
Abri searched her mind. No one at the camp knew she had been there except John and he
would not have spoken a word. Certainly Da had looked for her there, but there could have been
no evidence.
would not have spoken a word. Certainly Da had looked for her there, but there could have been
no evidence.
“I’ve been to the fields. Da, I must go back to shut the weir. You can come with me to calm
your wild imagination if you like.”
your wild imagination if you like.”
Da raised his arm a little higher, an indication that he didn’t believe her. He felt the need to hit
something and brought his fist down hard on the table, rattling the plates and flatware.
something and brought his fist down hard on the table, rattling the plates and flatware.
The veins in Da’s temples danced with rage.
Abri thought to herself, He knows.
Abri glared at Da. He glared back.
“OK. I didn’t go to Lord Gillingham’s as you told me.” Da had been with Gerald, Abri thought,
so he knows that much. “But I have been to the fields, Da. I have.”
so he knows that much. “But I have been to the fields, Da. I have.”
“Have you been to the work camp?”
Abri’s hesitation would have said enough, but Da already knew the answer.
“Da, I’ve been to the fields.” This technically not a lie, but it wasn’t an answer either. It was an
evasion.
evasion.
Abri felt like she was caught in her own web of lies. Da knew something. She looked up and
met Da’s stare. She wanted to speak but couldn’t get her mouth to work. The struggle filled her
with nausea, and she thought that one way or another something was going to come out of her
mouth,
met Da’s stare. She wanted to speak but couldn’t get her mouth to work. The struggle filled her
with nausea, and she thought that one way or another something was going to come out of her
mouth,
Da broke the silence. “There’s a young man at the labor camp with his tongue cut out. What do
you know of that?
you know of that?
Abri shook her head. “Nothing!” Her exclamation was out of horror that a tongue would be cut
out, but she had not put details together yet.
out, but she had not put details together yet.
“That’s horrible, Da. Is it anyone we know?” Abri’s question was sincere. And then it hit her.
“John!” she exclaimed and burst into tears. Her whole body shook violently but not from a seizure.
She tried to ball her hands into fists, but couldn’t. The realization of what had been done to John
and why was more than she could bear. She fell to the floor and curled up trying to find a place
where this terrible thing could not reach her.
She tried to ball her hands into fists, but couldn’t. The realization of what had been done to John
and why was more than she could bear. She fell to the floor and curled up trying to find a place
where this terrible thing could not reach her.
“Da. Da, what have I done. Oh Da.”
The rage drained out of Da as he witnessed Abri’s emotional state. He picked her up and carried
her to the bed. The cottage didn’t have a separate bedroom on the main level. Abri had a bed in
the loft and Da slept in a corner opposite the kitchen area.
her to the bed. The cottage didn’t have a separate bedroom on the main level. Abri had a bed in
the loft and Da slept in a corner opposite the kitchen area.
“Da, I’m so sorry. I went to see if I could help John. I….” Abri couldn’t finish the thought. She
had sense enough not to reveal what John had told her and not to give any hint that there had
been a conversation. She regrouped her emotions and asked, “Da. why?”
had sense enough not to reveal what John had told her and not to give any hint that there had
been a conversation. She regrouped her emotions and asked, “Da. why?”
“The clan is a cruel lot, Abri. John was warned as much before he joined, but being a young
man he didn’t understand. What did John tell you?”
man he didn’t understand. What did John tell you?”
Abri would have to lie again. Because she was still quivering, it was easy to cover. “Nothing,”
she sobbed. “Nothing important.”
she sobbed. “Nothing important.”
“Well, the clan thought different. Abi (Da’s anger was abated and he used the nickname) you’re
in danger.”
in danger.”
“What?”
“It’s sure an’ if the clan suspected John enough to cut out his tongue, they’ll suspect that you
know something they don’t want known. Abi, they’ll be coming for you.”
know something they don’t want known. Abi, they’ll be coming for you.”
Abri turned pale.
“Abi, I’m taking you to Gillingham’s in the morning. You’ll spend the night in my bed. There’ll be
no slipping out. I’ll be on the chair and settee by the door.”
no slipping out. I’ll be on the chair and settee by the door.”
“But Da, I really did open the weir gate. We must go and shut it.”
The cool night air settled Abri’s nerves. Soft moonlight gave the landscape a deep blue shade
and the stars seemed somehow brighter in the great kaleidoscope sky. Silent tears coursed down
Abri’s cheeks as she and Da walked the mile to the fields and the mile in return. A dog smelled
them passing and let out a string of barks to say, “This is my domain. Get you gone!”
and the stars seemed somehow brighter in the great kaleidoscope sky. Silent tears coursed down
Abri’s cheeks as she and Da walked the mile to the fields and the mile in return. A dog smelled
them passing and let out a string of barks to say, “This is my domain. Get you gone!”
Abri wanted Da to hold her, to protect her from the world, and from herself. But she made no
more audible sobs
more audible sobs