Silence Breaking (Storm and Silence 4)

Lady Samantha’s face lit up in a manner that was not entirely appropriate for a lady who had just been told one of her son’s friends was about to take a trip to the hereafter.

‘She will?’

‘Yes, My Lady.’

‘And…how long do you think you will be gone?’

‘A few days, certainly.’

‘And…you will all be staying in the same house?’

‘I imagine so.’

‘And…will Miss Linton be spending a lot of time with my son?’

‘Oh yes. Definitely. Why?’

‘Oh, nothing, nothing.’ Hurriedly, she waved my question away. ‘By all means, go. Of course you must, it’s the right thing to do. I shall have Hastings get the coach ready for you.’

Woah! I had not seen that coming. Wracking my mind, I desperately searched for an excuse why it would be difficult for a coachman to take me, Mr Ambrose and my non-existent sister to Newcastle.

‘That…um…that won’t be necessary. Mr Ambrose has already procured transportation.’

‘Oh.’ She appeared positively surprised. ‘And is it appropriate for a lady such as your sister?’

If you consider a saddle-bruised butt to be appropriate… ‘Yes, absolutely.’

Lady Samantha smiled. ‘He really has changed for the better. Could it be that you and your sister are having a mellowing influence?’

Ha! In my most outlandish dreams!

‘Thank you for the compliment, Your Ladyship.’ I bowed. ‘I’m afraid I will have to take my leave. I still have to prepare things for the journey, and-’

‘Of course, of course! Go attend to your duties, Mr Linton. If you need any supplies, let the cook know that I said to let you have anything you want. The sky is the limit.’

‘Thank you so much, Your Ladyship.’ Although, actually, the size of my saddle bag is the limit. ‘We’ll be back as soon as we can.’

‘Oh, don’t you worry.’ She smiled at me reassuringly. ‘And do give your sister my warmest regards, will you?’

*~*~**~*~*

We were on the road to Newcastle within half an hour. It was just the four of us - Mr Ambrose and me, Mr Baker and Karim, whom I had fetched from his room back at Battlewood. While we rode, Mr Coal-Blackened Assistant Manager laid out the details for us. The farther we got, the blacker things seemed. And that wasn’t just because of the thick black smoke we saw, rising up from the horizon.

‘They’re completely out of control,’ Baker panted. Underneath his coating of coal dust, he looked pale, and he was hardly able to keep himself on his horse. Naturally, Mr Ambrose hadn’t suggested we stop and rest yet. ‘They’re rioting all around the mine, seizing anyone who even looks as though he might be management. Some have even gotten pickaxes, and are roaming through the town, smashing shop windows and plundering.’

‘Indeed.’

‘Yes, Sir! They absolutely refuse to go back to work. After all the accidents we’ve had recently, that explosion was simply the last straw. They-’

‘There were more accidents?’

‘Yes, Sir. As I was saying-’

Mr Ambrose didn’t particularly seem to care what Baker had been saying. ‘What kind of accidents?’

‘Oh, well…ropes snapping, brakes on mine cars giving out, that sort of thing.’

‘Did those kind of things always happen that frequently at your mine?’