‘An’ Bertie?’
May Jennings glanced towards the doctor before slowly shaking her head. ‘I’m afraid there was nowt could be done for Bertie Preston.’
‘What?You mean the fall killed him?’ Amber gasped, her eyes wide open now.
May shook her head. ‘No, lass, it were the knife your ’usband stuck in ’is chest that done for ’im.’
‘But Barnabydidn’t.’ Amber struggled to sit up. ‘I was there, they went over the cliff edge but Barnaby didn’t stab him! Bertie dropped the knife when Barnaby dragged him off me. And whereisBarnaby?’ She looked around wildly for a sight of him but apart from one of the policemen and Farmer Jennings the room was empty.
‘They’ve ’ad to arrest ’im. He’s been taken to the cells.’
‘But theycan’tdo that! He was only protecting me and he’s injured! His leg?.?.?.’
‘Don’t worry, the doctor can look out for him just as well there as he could if he were ’ere,’ Mrs Jennings told her with a sad shake of her head.
‘Are you ready to tell me exactly what happened now, Mrs Greenwood?’ the police constable asked as he stepped forward with his notebook and pen to the ready, and slowly, with tears streaming down her face, Amber told him all she could, although she could see by the look on his face that he didn’t believe a word she was saying. ‘But I’m telling you, Barnabydidn’tstab him!’ she ended with a sob as May Jennings put her arm about her.
The policeman nodded as he shut his notebook and put it away in his pocket. ‘Thank you, Mrs Greenwood, we may wish to speak to you again to make a formal statement but for now I’ll say goodnight.’ And with a solemn nod, he quietly let himself out.
‘I reckon it’d be better if I stayed ’ere tonight, Bill,’ Amber heard Mrs Jennings say. ‘This poor lass is in shock an’ she’s a little ’un to care for. Can you manage on your own?’
Feeling like she was in the grip of a nightmare, Amber barely noticed him leave. ‘But why have they taken Barnaby to the station?’ Amber cried in anguish.
Mrs Jennings cleared her throat. ‘He’s been charged wi’ murder, lass. May God ’elp ’im!’
And on that solemn note the doctor stepped forward to stitch the gash in Amber’s face.
Chapter Forty-Two
All through the night Amber lay staring at the shadows as they danced across the ceiling, but no matter how hard she tried, sleep evaded her so eventually she got up, crept downstairs and lit the oil lamp. Mrs Jennings was fast asleep in Barnaby’s room and luckily Charlotte hadn’t stirred so after making herself a strong cup of tea, Amber carried it to the back door and with a shawl about her shoulders she sat in her long cotton nightgown and watched the sun rise. A thick mist lay across the grass and as she stared sightlessly out to sea, she felt sick with fear. What would happen if the police didn’t believe what she had told them? She knew that Barnaby hadn’t stabbed Bertie but who would believe her? They clearly wanted to believe the worst of him and if she couldn’t prove that he was innocent she was all too aware of what would happen. He would hang. She shuddered at the thought and a tear slid down her cheek making the newly stitched wound smart.
She was still sitting there when Mrs Jennings joined her shortly after six o’clock and she sniffed her disapproval. ‘Whatever are you doin’ sittin’ there, lass?’ she scolded. ‘You’ll catch your death o’ cold. You’ve had a nasty shock and you should be abed.’ She bustled over to fill the kettle and once she had set it on the range to boil, she threw some logs onto the fire and poked the ashes to get it going.
Amber just stared at her dully. She felt as if all the fight had been sucked out of her, and now she was afraid for Barnaby. Mr Jennings arrived soon after with a large jug of fresh milk and as he glanced at Amber, not quite sure what he should say to her, his wife told him, ‘That were good timin’. The kettle’s just about to boil. Sit yourself down an’ have a cup o’ tea then you’d best get along to milk the cows.’
As they all sat at the table together, Mr Jennings commented, ‘You’ve got a right shiner on you there, lass. It were a good job Barnaby came along when he did, eh?’
‘Is it?’ she answered quietly. ‘It might have been better if he hadn’t heard me scream. He wouldn’t be sittin’ in a cell charged wi’ murder then. ButI swearto you both on Charlotte’s life that he didn’t do it! Hedidn’tstab Bertie!’
‘It ain’t me as you ’ave to convince,’ Mr Jennings said gently, feeling sorry for the girl. ‘Is there anythin’ more we can do for you?’
‘Yes, there is as it happens. I’d be grateful if Mrs Jennings could stay to keep her eye on Charlotte just long enough for me to get into town an’ back so I can see how Barnaby is. I don’t really want to take the baby to a jail.’
‘Of course I will, but would you just ’ave somethin’ to eat afore you go?’ Mrs Jennings leant across the table and gently squeezed her hand. Poor lass, it seemed that trouble followed her about.
Amber shook her head as she stood up and walked unsteadily towards the door leading into the hall. ‘Thanks, but I couldn’t eat a thing at the minute an’ the sooner I get off the sooner I’ll be back.’ So after hastily dashing upstairs to throw on some clothes she practically ran out of the door.
Mr and Mrs Jennings looked at each other and sadly shook their heads. It looked like Amber would have yet another battle on her hands if she was going to try and clear Barnaby’s name, because at the moment it did look suspiciously like he had stabbed Bertie, despite what she said.
The walk into town seemed to take twice as long as it normally did and Amber had to frequently stop to rest against the trees. She was covered in bruises from Bertie’s violent treatment of her and added to this her face was hideously swollen and throbbing, but still she pushed on – nothing could have stopped her. By the time the police station came into view she felt close to collapse but forcing herself to stand upright she marched inside and up to the desk where a young policeman was doodling on the blotter.
‘I’ve come to see Barna— my husband, Mr Greenwood,’ she informed him and he swallowed.
‘Right?.?.?. I’ll, er?.?.?. just go an’ get the sergeant. Luckily, he’s just come in,’ he said and scuttled through the door behind him.
He returned with the same policeman who had come to the house the night before.
‘I’ve come to see how Barnaby is,’ she told him without giving him a chance to speak.
