Part 3 (1/2)

The soldiers were placing the rope around Colin's neck. In line were Jamie, the Doctor, and Ben, each bound. 'You're right,' said Polly. 'It's horrible. Can't they be stopped?'

Kirsty looked at her in tears. 'How?'

Polly shook her head. 'I dunno, there must be something we can do.'

Kirsty, used to the more pa.s.sive ways of 18th century women, shook her head in resigned sorrow. 'We can but mourn.' She started to weep.

Polly, an independent girl from the sixties, shrugged her shoulders in disgust. 'You're a weeping ninny. You've still got breath to run, haven't you?'

Kirsty looked up, nodding. Something in the other girl's tone gave her fresh hope.

'Then,' said Polly, 'let's create a diversion, shall we?'

She looked around her and picked up a stone. Then, running forward down the path a little way, she flung it as hard as she could towards the group around the cottage.

The stone fell just short of them, and the men looked around towards the two girls.

'Look, sir,' Klegg grasped Lieutenant Algernon Ffinch's arm. 'Away on that hill there.'

Algernon shaded his eyes and stared. 'It looks like a wench,' he said. 'And demme, there's another one,' as Kirsty got up and ran out beside Polly, also waving her arms and gesticulating, shaking her fists down at the group of British soldiers.

'Puts me in mind of what Sergeant King of the Dragoons said, sir.'

'Uhh?' Algernon didn't follow the Sergeant.

'The Dragoons have orders to stop every woman, sir.

Not that they need orders like that, of course,' he said with the hint of a smile.

'Get to the point, Sergeant,' Algernon said crisply.

'Sorry, sir. The thing is, they've heard the Prince is trying to escape disguised as a girl.' He turned back to look at the two figures on the hill. 'Shall I go after them, sir?'

Algernon thought for a moment and shook his head. 'No, Sergeant, you stay here, I'll go.' He turned and beckoned to two of the Redcoats. 'You two men come with me.' The Lieutenant, followed by the two soldiers, strode up the hill towards the girls. Behind them, the Doctor and Ben had noticed the two.

'That looks like Polly and that Scots girl,' Ben whispered to the Doctor.

'Keep quiet about it,' the Doctor returned. 'They're trying to create a diversion.'

'A what?' Ben began, then seeing the Doctor's gaze he closed his mouth.

Polly and Kirsty made sure that they were being followed, and then Polly turned to Kirsty.

'This is our chance,' she said. 'That officer's coming after us. They can't hang them with the officer away. Time to go, fast.'

Kirsty shook her head. 'It'll do nay good.'

'Rubbish. You must know the moors better than they do.'

Kirsty thought for a moment, then nodded. 'Aye, there is a track.'

'Good,' said Polly, 'then let's take it. Come on, girl!

We're younger than they are. They'll never catch us.' They turned and began scrambling along a narrow cow track indicated by Kirsty. Behind them, Algernon and the soldiers also burst into a trot, sweating in their heavy uniforms, and obviously no match for the agile girls.

'Vat a great devotion to duty your Lieutenant shows, Sergeant,' said the Doctor.

The Sergeant turned cynically to look at the Doctor.

'Devotion to duty my... ' he laughed. 'Devotion to the 30,000 reward for the capture of Prince Charlie, that's what he's after.'

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. 'You think he'll catch them then?'

The Sergeant spat. 'That young whelp? He couldn't catch his own grandmother.' A couple of the soldiers standing by caught his words and laughed, but the Sergeant turned and stiffened them back to attention with a fierce glare.

The Doctor clicked his tongue in disapproval, sensing an opportunity. 'Ach! Sergeant. Disrespect to your superior officer. I could report you for that, you know.'

The Sergeant smiled at him. 'Yeah, you could, but you won't.'

'Perhaps,' said the Doctor, 'I vill, and perhaps I von't.

But, at a price.'

'Never mind the price,' said the Sergeant. 'You won't, because you won't be here when he gets back.' He turned to the soldiers. 'Right, proceed with the hanging, you sc.u.m.' He looked at Colin who had now slumped down unconscious, and then turned and pointed at Ben. 'We'll start with that ruffian.'

The soldiers took the rope from around Colin's neck and, dragging the protesting Ben over to the tree, made it fast around his neck.

'Hey,' said Ben, 'you can't hang us with your officer away. It ain't proper.'

The Sergeant shrugged his shoulders and brought out a small clay pipe which he proceeded to fill with tobacco.

'Why do you think he went away? Delicate stomach, he has. Always leaves the dirty stuff to others like me.' He turned to the soldiers. 'Right,' he called 'haul him up.'

The soldiers bunched around the rope and began pulling it taut.

'Take the strain,' said the Sergeant. 'Stand by.' He raised his hand, and Ben, now on tiptoes, felt the rope tighten around his neck. 'Ready,' said the Sergeant.

Just then, Solicitor Grey strode around the corner of the cottage, followed by Perkins. 'One moment,' he called. He came over, brought out a lorgnette and looked Ben over carefully.

'Who the devil may you be?' asked the Sergeant.

Grey ignored him and finished his examination of Ben.

'Perkins,' he called over his shoulder.