Blood Brothers (20 page)

‘Jimmy!’ Tom shook him. ‘Don’t let me down! I’m counting on you to look after the women.’

‘I will!’

‘All right, but listen, Jimmy! Keep all the doors locked until the ambulance comes. Oh, and try to get in touch with Alice’s parents. Can you do that for me?’

Jimmy assured him, ‘Don’t worry.’ But it soon went out of his mind.

‘And now I need you to do something else for me.’ Tom did not want Nancy to know what he was planning.

Jimmy was eager to help. ‘All right, what d’you want me to do?’

Tom answered in a whisper, so as not to alert Nancy, ‘Get Carter out of the stable,’ he said. ‘Saddle him up, and I’ll be out directly.’

Jimmy was horrified. ‘But, Tom, you haven’t ridden him since…’ he glanced down at Tom’s gammy leg, ‘…since…’

Tom gave Jimmy a gentle push towards the door. ‘Go on. Quick as you can!’ He then glanced at Nancy, bent over Alice and doing whatever she could to help her.

Nancy looked up to see him watching her. ‘I’m so worried, Tom,’ she told him sadly. ‘She’s in a terrible state. Was it…
him
Tom? Did
he
do this to her?’

Tom went to wrap his arms about her. ‘We’ll soon know,’ he said. ‘I’ll see to it, don’t you worry, love. You take care of Alice. I’ll be as quick as I can.’

Fearing the worst, Nancy kissed her beloved husband. ‘Be careful.’ Nodding, Tom prompted Nancy, ‘Jimmy will ring the Jacobs soon as he can. You see to Alice. She’s the important one.’

As he turned to leave, Nancy glanced through the half-open doorway. When she saw Jimmy lead the horse out of the stable, she was frantic. Knowing she could not leave Alice, she called out to him, ‘No, Tom! You were lucky not to have lost your life the last time he threw you! You said he was crazed! You swore never to ride him again…that you’d only keep him because he was an old friend. I won’t let you ride him…I won’t!’

Determined, Tom yelled back, ‘This is an emergency, Nancy! Frank has one vehicle and Joe has the other. If I go on foot, I’ll never make it up to the rise, not with this gammy leg, and you know as well as I do there’s more at stake here than me riding an old horse.’

Nancy knew that what he said was the truth, but it did nothing to ease her fears for his safety.

Tom understood and ran back to reassure her. ‘Look, Nancy love. What happened that day maybe it wasn’t Carter’s fault. Something could have frightened him. I don’t believe Carter has an ounce of nastiness in him. He carried me backwards and forwards over these fields for nigh on twenty years. He would never have reared and kicked out like that, if he hadn’t been startled by something like an adder in the grass, I don’t know what it was.’ He knew it was Carter’s fault and that he had proved to be unpredictable but he didn’t want to worry her.

He turned away. ‘All I do know is that I have to get to the boys as fast as I can!’

Nancy knew he was right. ‘Go on then, Tom. Stay safe.’

‘I will!’

While Nancy watched over Alice, Jimmy had to give Tom a leg-up, though once he was in the saddle and had hold of the reins, Tom was at home again. ‘Old habits die hard, eh, Jimmy?’

Jimmy watched him ride away. ‘Don’t forget to lock all the doors!’ Tom called as he headed towards the spinney.

With Tom gone, Jimmy ran frantically round checking all the doors and windows, while Nancy persevered with Alice, keeping her as comfortable as was possible, and tenderly talking to her, while trying to hide her deep shock at the extent of her brutal injuries.

When Nancy had cut the last of the ropes, she could see where they had worked through, laying open the skin beneath. ‘Oh, Alice love, whatever made him do this to you?’

Visions of that little boy haunted Nancy’s mind. This was the same pattern of cruelty; though what he had done to Alice was much more vicious.

Frank had trussed the boy up so tight the ropes had split his skin in two places; while Alice had been subjected to an avalanche of terrible and barbaric treatment. Her lovely hair was butchered and torn. From what Nancy could see, Alice’s
tormentor had shown her no mercy. Quickly now, with the wounds accessible, Nancy went to the kitchen and brought back a bowl of warm water and a flannel.

She tested the water before dipping the flannel in. ‘Jimmy, see if you can find the salt, will you? Oh, and a spoon.’

A moment later, Jimmy returned with the packet of salt; the tiniest measure of which Nancy stirred into the water.

With the greatest of care, she applied the warm solution to the gaping wounds on Alice’s body.

It broke her heart to see how Alice’s lovely hair seemed to have been hacked to the roots in places, ‘Just like the falcon.’ Hot, blinding tears flowed down her face. ‘Alice’s beautiful hair…torn away.’

She saw how Jimmy was nervously pacing the floor. ‘Jimmy?’

‘Yes, Nancy?’

Nancy discreetly wiped away her tears. ‘I think it might be a good idea if you were to watch for the ambulance from the window.’

‘All right, yes.’

A few moments later and much to Nancy’s relief, the unmistakable sound of bells shattered the air. ‘They’re here!’ Jimmy’s excited voice rang through the house.

Having treated Alice’s injuries as best she knew how, Nancy went quickly upstairs, returning a few minutes later with a clean sheet and a blanket, both of which she lovingly swathed about Alice; the sheet first, which would not stick to the wounds, and then the blanket for warmth. ‘Got to keep you warm, child,’ she murmured. ‘You don’t need pneumonia, on top of everything else.’

Suddenly, Alice stirred and Nancy grew excited. ‘Alice! Alice, love?’ But Alice appeared to have slumped unconscious again. ‘They’ve come to help you, dear.’ Nancy persevered. ‘You’re going to the Infirmary. You’ll be well taken care of now.’

The burly ambulance men made their way into the sitting room. After swiftly assessing the situation, and taking a short statement from Nancy, they were in no doubt about the seriousness of Alice’s condition. The stretcher was brought, and Alice was tenderly secured on to it.

Once Alice was on the stretcher, she opened her eyes, to look straight at Nancy. ‘Ssh, child!’ Nancy could see how Alice was desperately trying to tell her something. ‘It’s all right. You must save your strength for now. We’ll talk later…’ But Alice would not be calmed, and when she tried to reach out, Nancy took hold of her hand. Leaning down she felt her voice breaking. ‘Don’t try talking, sweetheart,’ she pleaded softly, ‘you’re on your way to hospital. Everything will be all right now,’ she assured her. ‘Me and Tom will follow on.’

When she tried to draw away, Alice held on to her. ‘What is it that can’t wait for you to tell me?’ She leaned closer. ‘All right, I’m listening now. So, what are you trying to say?’

Alice had the words in her head, but she couldn’t seem to get them out. ‘
My
…fault.’

Nancy shook her head. ‘No, no! You could never have done anything to warrant this!’

When Nancy leaned closer, Alice whispered in her ear, ‘Me…and…Joe.’ Tears ran down her cheeks. ‘Help…Joe.’ Her mind was in chaos. She was back there, launching herself at the window again and again, and when it buckled beneath the onslaught, she felt herself falling, and then nothing but Nancy’s soothing voice in her ear.

Alice wanted to tell her everything, but now she didn’t even have the strength to speak. All she knew was that Frank had hurt her, and that Joe was in danger, and she wanted to tell them it was her fault. She needed them to save Joe.

‘I’m sorry! We must get her to the Infirmary!’ Already moving with her towards the door, the ambulance man was anxious.
‘We have to go now.’ He added as he went, ‘You do understand, the police will need a full statement.’

Nancy nodded, but she could tell them very little, for she knew nothing of the events leading up to this nightmare.

As they carried Alice out, Nancy assured her, ‘We’ll find Joe. Me and Tom will be following on to the Infirmary. Meantime, I’ve got a few calls to make, and I need to be sure Tom is safe. You’re in good hands. We’ll be with you, quick as we can.’

Jimmy stood beside her as she watched them leave. ‘Will she die, Nancy?’ Jimmy was so afraid.

Nancy told him she would be well taken care of. ‘I should have gone with her.’ She ran forward, waving her hands, but the driver didn’t see her. ‘What was I thinking, I should be with her.’

‘They’ll look after Alice,’ Jimmy assured her. ‘Besides, Tom needs you to wait, and you have calls to make.’

He suddenly remembered. ‘Oh, Tom asked me to call Alice’s parents! I forgot. I’m sorry Nancy. I forgot.’

Like Nancy, Jimmy was fearful that once Tom caught up with his sons, anything could happen. All else had slipped his mind.

Felling guilty and ashamed, Nancy was torn between going after Alice, or waiting to see if her husband and sons would return safely. ‘I can only wait,’ she decided. ‘But I must call Alice’s parents. I’m so afraid,’ Nancy muttered aloud. ‘I have to wait for Tom.’

She promised herself that Alice was in good hands now, while out there, Tom was searching for his sons, one of whom had a shotgun. It did not bear thinking about.

She reassured herself that she was doing the right thing waiting for Tom. Her every instinct told her, this terrible situation was not yet over.

‘I tell you what, Jimmy,’ she said. ‘Why don’t you go and make us both a nice cuppa tea, eh? It’ll calm our nerves. While you’re doing that, I’ll ring Alice’s parents but not go into too
many details. I’ll just tell them she’s hurt bad and on her way to hospital. I’m hopeful they’ll go straight there.’

Three times Nancy tried the Jacobs’ number, and each time there was no reply. ‘Where the devil is she? Out with that daughter of hers, I’ll be bound!’ She replaced the receiver, then picked it up and tried again. ‘Jimmy!’ she called out. ‘Jimmy, I need you to go over to the Jacobs’. If you don’t find them at home, leave this note.’ She scribbled a message and handed it to him.

Jimmy groaned. ‘Tom said I was to stay here and look after you.’

‘Never mind about that. Do as I ask, there’s a good man,’ Nancy cajoled. ‘Once you’ve done that, you can go after Tom, while I keep trying to reach the Jacobs on the phone.’

Still grumbling, Jimmy set off at a run, leaving Nancy frantically dialling their number. ‘I should have gone with her,’ she muttered to herself, ‘I should have gone with her.’

Realising she needed another plan, Nancy’s thoughts turned to Mandy. Flicking through the book beside the telephone, she opened the page, picked up the receiver and began to dial.

The telephone rang at the other end for what seemed like an age, before Mandy’s mother answered. ‘Oh, Jean, it’s me Nancy. Listen Jean, I haven’t got time to go into detail, but Alice has been taken to the Infirmary, and I wondered if there’s any way you could get Mandy to sit with her until me and Tom get there. No, we don’t know how it happened, but I have to tell you, she’s in a bad way.’

She listened for a moment. ‘Yes, it is very worrying. No, it’s not anything broken as such, at least not that you can see, but she’s taken a terrible beating…shocking! And I can’t seem to get hold of the Jacobs. Look, I have to go, Jean. Tom will be here any minute and I need to be ready. Oh, thank you, yes, I’d appreciate that.’

After replacing the receiver, Nancy stood a moment, her
head bowed in prayer. ‘Please, Lord keep Alice safe, and bring my men home safe and well.’ But she had a bad feeling, and try as she might, she could not relax.

‘I’d best go and get myself ready. As soon as Tom’s back, we’ll be away,’ Nancy muttered to herself as she made the sign of the cross. ‘Keep them safe Lord. Keep them all safe.’

As she made her way upstairs, Nancy continued, ‘First the falcon, then Alice, and now Tom’s out there searching for the boys.’ She had to ask the question, ‘Why did Frank take the shotgun and when did he get a hold of it?’ One thought led to another. There’s no reason why Frank should be stalking Joe. What’s happened between them? What’s made him so mad?

Nancy had not fully understood what Alice meant, but having spent time in the barn while Joe was tending the falcon, Alice had obviously seen the bond between Joe and the bird. Maybe somehow, Alice had heard about the falcon being attacked, and she was concerned that it would upset Joe?

Not knowing what Alice was so desperate to tell her and with all manner of suspicions running through her mind, Nancy was clutching at straws.

The shocking things that were happening seemed to draw her back to Frank’s turbulent childhood. Creatures that were brought home by Joe, damaged and in pain. How was it that he always managed to find them like that?

She reminded herself how Frank had been such a secretive, moody boy; envying every little thing his younger brother had in his life. Even though right from birth, the two boys had always been loved and treated the very same, Frank seemed to have always resented his brother.

And what about the matter of the falcon? It was Joe who found the injured falcon. He loved it, tended it, and if it had survived, Joe would have launched it to the skies, and freedom.

Reluctantly, Nancy was forced to ask herself. Was it Frank who had attacked and destroyed that poor bird? And what
about Alice? What bad thing had happened to cause all this pain and suffering? Was Frank to blame?

Her motherly instinct recoiled at the idea that her own son could actually do the terrible things that had been done to Alice. And yet, the more she thought about it, the more she feared that Frank might be deeply involved.

There were too many coincidences, she reasoned. Too much of the past repeating itself. If her suspicions were right, what could have happened to raise such evil in her own son? And how was it possible that two brothers could turn out to be so different when the same blood flowed through their veins?

With these disturbing thoughts churning over in her mind, and her husband Tom out there determined to confront Frank, Nancy could not rest easy.

At that very moment, high on the ridge, Tom was about to witness a scene he never in his life thought to see.

Having dismounted the horse before the going got more difficult, Tom left Carter to simply meander about in search of fresh green grass.