'You are the one they call the Yorling, I presume?'I tossed my hair; I may have mentioned that I have black hair, and long.Tossing it always worked with the young lads in the Lethan.It did not work with this man.
'I am that one,' the Yorling agreed.He stood three feet in front of me with a broad smile on his lips and his hands on his hips.
I edged slightly further away.I hoped that I might be able to find a space between two of his callants and run for the hills.I knew the Lethan Valley and its surroundings as well as anybody, man, woman, boy or girl and I was sure that once I got away from these reivers I could lose them in the tangle of hills that surrounded the Valley.Perhaps sensing my intention, the reivers tightened the circle around me.
'Why that name?'I asked, still trying to unsettle him.'A yorling is a bird, a yellow-headed finch that is no good to anybody.Are you a small bird?'I flapped my arms and made what I hoped were chirping noises.
The Yorling glanced down at the yellow jack.'I am named after my jack,' he said, 'and after my father, who was also called the Yorling.'
'A whole family of birds,' I mocked.I took a casual step backwards.'Before your feathered father kicked you out of the nest, did he give you another name as well as Yorling?'
'Not one that I will tell you,' my enigmatic captor said.'We have ten minutes here and then we are off.Is there anything you wish to do?'He asked the question with such innocence that I was not sure what he meant.
'No,' I said, 'except return home.'
'As you wish,' the Yorling said.'You may wish to avert your eyes while I and my men use this time.'
'Oh!'I belatedly understood as he fiddled with the drawstring of his trousers.'Oh, you dirty devil!'
I turned away to avoid the sight, only to see all the young men performing a similar act, luckily all facing away from me.I must have blushed crimson.I certainly felt extremely foolish to be surrounded by a circle of men all answering a call of nature.Naturally, I became equally affected.
'I will have to join you,' I said at last.
'Feel free,' the Yorling did not hide his smile.'Don't let me stop you.'
Now my face felt as hot as any winter fire.'I need privacy,' I said.
His smile grew broader.'I will take you somewhere private,' he said, 'as soon as you ask me politely.'
I am sure that I stamped my foot with annoyance.'You are nothing but a yellow devil!'
'I know,' he said, chuckling.'Now: will you ask nicely?Or will my lads and I all stand and watch?'
I heard the ripple of laughter from his followers and knew there was no help for it.Swallowing my pride, I said, 'please may I have a few moment's privacy, Mr Yorling?'
'Why?'He assumed a face of utter innocence.
'You know very well why.'I did not like playing his little game.
'I will come with you,' he decided.
'You had better not!'I was becoming flustered now as my need became desperate and the circle of young men were smiling, nudging each other, and making suggestions that were a little too rude for me to hear.
'Don't be too hard on her.'I was surprised to hear one of the Yorling's followers coming to my help and looked around to see the young boy who should by rights have been hanged.
'And who are you to object?'the Yorling asked.
'She tried to save my life,' the youngster said.'You must not treat her so.'
'Oh?'The Yorling seemed amused.'I think I have the right with my own captive.'
'I have an idea,' the boy said.Before I could move, he had taken the reins from a spare horse and had looped them around my arm in a slip knot.He pulled them tight and handed the loose end to the Yorling.'Now she can shelter behind a tree and you will still hold her safe.'
I did not thank him for his kindness.Instead, I slunk through the laughing circle of men and found a convenient sheltered spot.I tugged at the reins around my arm to find that the Yorling held them tight.'If you look…' I began and stopped.He already had his back turned.
We rode on a few moments later.They sat me on a spare horse with my feet securely tied beneath and a rider on each side.Although I could not escape, my tongue was free, and I made the most of it.I lambasted the Yorling and all his companions for as long as my breath held out.
'I don't know what you want,' I said, more than a few times.'I do know that you won't get it.My father will lead all the men in the Lethan after you.He will be organising a hot trod right at this minute if he is not already on his way.'A hot trod, in case you are unaware, is an immediate pursuit of reivers.A cold trod is a more measured chase that takes place a day or more later.'My father will hunt you down and hang you like a dog.'
