talking with Roki and the others in the village. They will be angry now. We must be careful.” Jotin was beside Daniel and looked at Trynor solemnly. “We had better suggest moving out of the area for a while, until tempers cool. I had a quick look round the rest of the country. It has been a dangerous summer for the landowners.”
Daniel shuddered, then took a deep breath and stood up, helping Eloise to her feet.
“Come indoors, Madame. I cannot think any more tonight. It will be better in the morning, I can talk to the men when they are sober again and we can be reasonable.”
“Of course!” Eloise was relieved. “It was because they had wine. They are not used to it. Piquette is so weak no-one ever gets drunk on it. Even I feel a bit light headed and I am used to wine now. I will go and look at the baby, then go to bed. Good idea.”
Chapter 25.
“Go, now! Run, behind the barns, make your way to the village, to your mother’s. You can hide safely there, they will not harm a village girl. No-one will see you, they will not know you have left. I must fetch some papers, some other things. When it is safe I will catch you up.” Daniel pushed Eloise and Pascale out of the back door into the dark evening, kissed Eloise quickly on the cheek and ran back inside, waving his hand towards the barns, saying “I love you, go quickly now,” before closing the door. After a few moments Eloise heard the bolts shoot across behind her and was appalled. He had locked them out. But she could hear the mob shouting at the front of the house and knew that Daniel had gone to meet them, to talk some sense into them. There was no help she could give, nothing she could do anymore. She was a village girl who had become a lady, she belonged nowhere in these confusing times. Eloise stood uncertain, in the shadow of the house, sure no one would see her here. Marie-Claire, in her arms, stirred and whimpered. Pascale put her arm through Eloise’s and they stood, shuddering.
“I think Daniel thought we had already run away,” Pascale said, squeezing her sister’s arm. “I do not think he intended us to hear the bolts, he does not mean to shut us out, just those noisy ones.” The noise from the front of the house was growing louder, a thumping started. Eloise thought she could hear Daniel’s voice, remonstrating. The baby wailed and as she did, a dark shape moved around the house. They pressed themselves harder into the shadow of the porch.
“Come on,” a raucous voice cried, too close. “We can get in the back here.” Feet pounded and Eloise heard laughter. She broke away from the house and ran towards the barns, not looking back, trusting Pascale to follow, hoping the moon’s light would not betray them. The noise of the crowd grew louder behind them, laughter and angry shouts in equal measure.
In the shadow of the barn, she stopped, leant against the wall and tried to catch her breath. She rocked Marie-Claire, hoping she would not cry, would not hear the mob and be alarmed. But you should be alarmed, my little one. Your Papa is in there on his own, trying to protect the house, to keep it for us, to look after us. She put her hand to her neck and fingered the gold flowers that hung there.
“He looked after me, until now, when he locked us out. Why did he not run with us?” Eloise asked.
“I do not know, he must have some good reason, he is a man,” Pascale muttered, her bravery deserting her as she cowered beside Eloise.
“Because he knows they do not want to hurt you, you are not in danger, so long as you keep out of sight. It is the master of the house who is at risk. He is going to get out another way and draw them away from you.” Trynor hovered, looking back towards the house. “Jotin is encouraging him to leave, now, out of the far windows. He will be safe in the marshes. The crowd will find the wine and get drunk and do no more harm. Come on, away we go, into the wood.” Trynor pushed Eloise, hoping she would feel him and Eloise turned away from the house and walked around the back of the