Authors: Yelena Kopylova
And how he
got me from that shed up to the cottage will always remain a mystery, because the last I remember was
him dragging me towards that snow-covered bank that looked as high as all the hills in Alston put
together. So no matter what I think of him otherwise, I owe him something, and the only way I can repay
it is by seeing that he’s attended to now. So’ he drew in a long shuddering breath before ending, ‘bring
him here.”
“Here?” The word was small, and he turned on Mary Ellen, saying quietly, “You’re not
deaf, lass.
That’s what I said, here.”
“Well, if you say so, Mr. Roystan.” There was a note of relief in Charles’s tone, and he turned and
looked at John, and John said, “Aye, well let’s get going, the quicker the better.”
As they hurried from the room, Kate went to follow them, but stopped for a moment and
looked back
towards the bed. She did not smile at the man lying there, but their glances met and held for a moment;
then she was running across the landing and down the stairs, and as she passed through the kitchen, she
cried to Annie, “We’re bringing Ben here.”
And Annie replied calmly, “Good. Good, lass. Could be the beginning of the end.”
It wasn’t until sometime later, when she rushed through the cold house and into the
sitting-room and saw
the huddled still figure lying on the couch in the icy cold room that Annie’s words struck her as ominous,
“Could be the beginning of the end’.
It was thirty-six hours since they carried Ben upstairs and placed him in Kate’s bed, and for most of the
time Kate had remained by his side.
It was she who, with the help of Annie, had taken off his clothes and bathed his burning body. It was
she who constantly mopped the sweat from his running face, and quite often quietened
his gabbling with
her voice. Between times he would recognize her and his dried throat would croak her
name and his
cracked lips move in an effort to say more, but always the heaving of his chest cut off his words, and she
would stroke his face saying, “Tis all right, my love, ‘tis all right. I’m here. I shan’t leave you. Never,
never.”
The doctor had made the hazardous journey again today, and it was hazardous for the
slushed snow had
now turned to ice and the roads were more treacherous than ever. He came out of the
bedroom and
stood on the landing looking at Mary Ellen, and when he made no immediate comment
on his second
patient she said, “What d’you think, doctor?” As an answer to this, he moved his head in a small
despairing movement, then said, “I don’t know ... at least I do, but I don’t want to voice it. The infection
is congesting his chest. Yesterday his heart beat was strong, but today it has changed. The next
twenty—four hours should give us the answer, but’—he drew in a long breath “ I’m sorry to say it’s out
of my hands now. I can’t hold out much hope. In such circumstances I could say, he has youth on his
side, but that would be a platitude now. I . I think you must prepare Kate. “
“Oh, dear God!” When she hung her head he put his hand on her shoulder, patting it and saying, “She’s
having a bad deal all round, that girl. Well, I can do nothing mor< at the moment. I’ll be over first thing
in the morning, thais if it is at all possible.
It just wants to snow again on top o:
this ice and we’re really in for it. Now don’t worry, I’ll set myself out. The girls will have a drink waiting
for me. “
She stood still watching him walking down the landing to the stairs and not until he had disappeared from
her view did she move, and then slowly towards her owr bedroom. Once inside, she
walked as slowly
up to the bee and, dropping down onto the seat beside it, she looked a Hal, and he at her, and when he
opened with his usua word, “Well?” she answered with a break in her voice, “He ... he
says there’s not
much hope.”
‘ Go on. “ He went to hitch himself away from her, crying now. That can’t be. He’s
young and strong.
I know that he must oe as strong as a horse.”
“Well, he must have spent his strength because doctoi says he can do no more, it’s touch and go within
the nex twenty-four hours. Oh, Hal, what will she do?”
He turned his head from her and stared down the bed to the bump of wire that caged his foot. He was
the one that should be dying. He was twice the fellow’s age, and had ar infection of the chest that had
put paid to many a strongei man than himself. Aye, he was the one that should b< going.
And it would
have happened if that fellow hadn’ seen to him.
“God Almighty!” He groaned the words alouc and then turned his head slowly and
looked at Mary
Ellen And what she next said brought his teeth dragging over hi;
lower lip.
“I know one thing,” she said, ‘that if she lose;
him, we’ll lose her . you’ll lose her, for she’ll never sta here. I don’t know what she’ll do, but she’ll go.
I know v in me heart she’ll go. And anyway, if he was by som( miracle to get better,
there’s still you and
your manic that’s bent on keeping them apart. She’s got that in her mind, and he must
have an’ all,
because as you’ve drummed into both of them, you’re not the kind of man to change his
mind. Are
you? “
“Mary Ellen’—his voice was low and sad sounding ‘you’ve never hit below the belt
before, don’t start
now. I know what I am without you puttin’ it in writin’.”
When he turned his head right round onto his other shoulder, she swiftly put her hand
onto his where his
fingers were scratching at the eiderdown and she said, “I’m sorry, Hal. I’m sorry. But as I see it, either
way she has little to hope for.”
There remained a long silence between them; then, with his head still turned from her, he said, “Well, if
it’s any news to you, I know when I’m beat. So if hope in that direction will be of any help, you can pass
it on to her.”
“Oh, Hal.” She lifted his hand and pressed it against her cheek, but he did not turn his head towards
her, for she knew that he couldn’t bear even her to witness his weakness.
She left him quickly now and, crossing the landing, she quietly entered Kate’s room.
Going to the other
side of the single bed she saw that Ben was conscious and she bent over him, and he
looked at her but
could not speak, and now slowly and quietly she said, “You’ve got to get better, Ben.
D’you hear me?
You’ve got to get better. Hal sent you a message. He says, you saved his life, and he’s got to repay
you, so don’t go and do the dirty on him. And he knows the only way he can repay you is to be willing
to let Kate go to you. And he said to tell you that. And also-’ Her imagination taking over, she added, “
You can be married as soon as he can put his foot to the ground and walk to your
wedding. Now d’you
hear me? “
The dark sunken eyes showed her no sign that he had heard her. But Kate certainly had, and apparently
the message had on her the opposite effect from that in tended, for now, getting to her feet, she motioned
her mother from the bed and outside onto the landing, and there she almost hissed at her,
“Well! you
take a message back to Dad and tell him he’s too late, about a week too late. I know what the doctor
said.
He told me. “
“Now look you here, Kate.” Mary Ellen was gripping her daughter’s arms.
“Where there’s life there’s hope, and where there’s dismay there’s death. And you go
back in there with
your thoughts set on him going, and by God! he’ll do just that. As I said, where there’s life there’s hope.
Will him to keep alive. Look as if you are over the moon at the turn of events. And
believe me, it is a
turn in events, ‘cos never did I expect to hear my man say what he said to me a few
minutes gone. It
was as if he was broken in spirit.
Now, you get yourself back in that room there, girl, and tell that man of yours he’s going to come
through. Push it out of your head that he’s not. Just keep telling him that he’s got to.
Come the night will
be the testing time. But you’ve got till then to work on him. “ Her voice softening, she now said, “ I
know you’re worn out, lass, but get him over the next twelve hours or so and, pray God, there’ll be a
turn for the better. Go on now. “ She pushed her gently back towards the door.
Kate went slowly back into the room; her face was still set, even grim. When she reached the bed she
placed her lips against the side of his dry and panting mouth and, her voice trembling, she said, Tis going
to be all right. It . It’s right what Mam said. “Then looking into his eyes, she asked, “ Do you
understand me, Ben? Do you hear what I’m saying? Dad is for us. We can be married,
and | . and
from this house. Only you . you’ve got to get , well. Do you hear me, Ben? You . you’ve got to get |
well. You’ve got to fight. You must, Ben. “
When he coughed and brought up some phlegm, she wiped it from his mouth, then
looked aghast at the
streak of blood running through it.
The door opened and Florrie entered carrying a tray. And Kate, going quickly to her, took it from her,
saying, Tell Mam I want her. “
A few minutes later when Mary Ellen entered the room, Kate showed her the piece of
linen, and Mary
Ellen, looking at it, paused a long moment before she said, “Oh, that’s nothing. That
comes through the
straining from coughing. Your dad’s always bringing up streaks
of blood, has for years. That’s nothing. “
“You sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Now don’t be silly. Drink up that hot milk, then we’ll wash him down
again and get him
ready for the night, because it could be a long one.”
It was two o’clock in the morning. The room was hot and quiet, except for Ben’s
laboured breathing.
Gabriel was asleep in an easy chair to the side of the fireplace. Kate, weary and hardly able to keep her
eyes open, had just replenished the four candlesticks which she placed two on the
dressing-table and two
on the mantelpiece, and she was about to take her seat once again by the bed when Ben
flung his arm
wide and, bringing his shoulders from the pillow, coughed up some phlegm, then cried
out in a clearer
tone than he had used before, “Kate! Kate!”
“I’m here, darling. I’m here.” She put her arms about him in an endeavour to press him backwards, but
when he began to struggle with her, she turned her head and cried, “Gabriel! Gabriel! “
And Gabriel,
coming out of sleep, ran to the other side of the bed and, gripping Ben’s arms, he said,
“There you are.
There you are, old fellow. Lie down. Lie down.”
Slowly they eased him back on to the pillow, but he still thrashed, and when his breathing became
painfully fast and each breath sounded like a gasp, she said quickly to Gabriel, “Go and bring Mam.”
When Mary Ellen came hurrying into the room, pulling a gown around her, she merely
glanced at Ben
before she said, “This is it. Bring the dish and towels.”
For the next half-hour they alternately sponged Ben’s face and neck and hands, and tried to stop him
rising from the bed, and it seemed to them that he had been imbued with a last fatal bout of strength.
It was towards three o’clock when he became limp in their hands and lay still. And Kate let out a cry,
“Oh, no! Oh, no! Ben! Don’t go.
Please! Please, don’t go. Don’t leave me, Ben. Don’t leave me. “
“There, there, lass, there. He’s all right, he’s all right. Look, he’s still breathing. Give over.”
“Don’t be silly, Kate.” Gabriel was pulling her from the bed now.
“Look, it’s as if he was asleep. Look, his chest’s still moving. Stop it! Stop it!”
Stretching her head towards the bed, Kate saw only the closed lids and the long white
face, and she
wondered why Gabriel was telling her to stop it. Of a sudden she was shivering from
head to foot, her
teeth chattered and she looked at her mother and asked pitifully, “Is he? Is he?”
“He’s all right, lass. It’sover. He’s passed it. “ The words seemed to convey that he was gone, and
she pulled herself from Gabriel’s arms and went to the bed, crying, “Ben! Ben!” Then
when Ben slowly
raised his lids and as slowly closed them again, she turned and staggered to the chair and, dropping into
it, she began to cry. One hand across her eyes, the other straining across her open mouth, she
endeavoured to dull the sound of her sobbing, and when Gabriel remonstrated with her,
saying, “Quiet,
Kate, you’ll wake him,” Mary Ellen turned to him, saying, Tis all right. Let her be.
“Twill do her good. They’ll both sleep after this. Now go and wake our Maggie, she’ll
stay with me, it
will be a kind of penance for her, because this one here is dropping on her feet.” She now drew Kate’s
head towards her, saying, “There, there, lass, the travail is over. Pray God He’ll show us some peace
from now on.”
Ben’s recovery was slow. It was a full fortnight before he was able to sit up in the bed.
That he had
neared death, he knew only too well. He could recall the moment when it almost touched him. It had
seemed to keep its distance for days, and had actually backed away once when a voice
had come to
him, saying that he had leave to marry Kate, that the stubborn bull-headed man had given his consent.