The Ely Testament Read Online Free PDF Page B

minds. Youth, you know.’
    â€˜What about the sister who lives in the house near Regent’s Park – what’s her name?’
    â€˜Edith.’
    â€˜Why not make enquiries, as you put it, of Edith instead of traipsing to Ely? Perhaps she knows the whereabouts of this missing document.’
    â€˜Mackenzie is going to attend to that himself in a day or so, when the lady has recovered from the first shock of her brother’s death. But he still wants me to go to Ely. I shall have the chance to introduce myself to the brother and the other sister when they come to Lye’s funeral. A visit will be arranged.’
    â€˜For discreet enquiries.’
    â€˜Helen, I was thinking of what you said the other day, how you had a commission from that magazine editor to write about any place you cared to write about.’
    â€˜Mr Arnett at The New Moon . That’s right.’
    â€˜It occurred to me that we might travel together to the fen country. You could turn your eye on Ely or on Cambridge, perhaps.’
    â€˜While you are about your own business.’
    â€˜Well, yes.’
    Tom was encouraged. Helen had been adopting a slightly mocking attitude about his ‘enquiries’ but now her expression changed.
    â€˜Why not?’ she said. ‘It would be a little expedition.’
    â€˜But before that,’ said Tom, ‘we have a funeral to attend.’

Summer, 1645
    A nne witnessed the arrival of the men from her secluded position in the gallery overlooking the hall. The previous evening she had spied on her parents and Mr Martin while they dined. Now she watched as her father, still in his night attire, was summoned to speak to the leader of the armed band. He was accompanied by three of the men she had glimpsed at the edge of the grounds. The rest waited outside. The old steward of the house, James, stood by the front door, looking down at his feet. The men were soldiers, perhaps of an irregular sort. They wore dull-brown leather jerkins. Some were bareheaded with close-cropped hair. They carried pikes or staves but a couple had muskets. Unlike the others, the leader had lank pale hair and was wearing a cloak. He said that his name was Trafford. Then he was saying something about a fugitive. Even though his voice was subdued, it was possible to tell that he was angry.
    By contrast, her father spoke calmly and briefly. Anne was unable to hear what he said but it seemed to be some kind of denial, accompanied by swift shakes of the head. Now her mother appeared on the scene but said nothing. The leader of the soldiers turned on his heel and, followed by the others, went outside once more. Trafford issued commands to his men, crisp sentences that penetrated the door which was still ajar. She could not catch every word but it was obvious that the men were being told to search the house.
    Anne’s mother and father turned and stared at each other. They looked so helpless that Anne became truly afraid. At that moment the steward gazed up and noticed her peering over the gallery railing. He gestured in her direction. Anne’s mother looked up. She made frantic shooing motions with the back of her hand. Get away from there, go to your room.
    Anne did as she was told. She returned to her chamber and perched on the edge of the bed, her hands grasping at the bedcovers and her feet curled tight on the floorboards. Her sister Mary was sleeping on and it irritated Anne that she was not awake to share in the fear and the excitement of what was happening. Very soon, there was the sound of heavy steps from all about the house, of doors being brusquely opened and shut, the tramp of feet on stairs, the thud of fists banging on panelled walls without concern for any damage the blows might do. Once or twice Anne heard a female voice although it was so high and distorted that she could not tell whether it was her mother or one of the servants. By this time Mary had woken and, in her careful way,