I arrived at Allerton Hall unannounced, dressed in the classic style of a landed Gentleman while riding in a tolerably smart carriage pulled by a matched pair of Greys, driven by one Mr Barrington from Devonshire who had become my friend masquerading as a coachman.
The Earl Howarth's Butler rushed out in agitation crying "Are you expected sir, only His Grace is away at the whipping Sir." His Grace indeed, as if he was an Prince or Archbishop not a mere Earl.
"Oh! Then direct me pray," I requested, in as haughty manner as I could muster.
"In the town sir, Allerton, in the square sir, at the whipping sir," he said deferentially whereas by rights he should be ordering us hence.
"And the Lady Catherine?" I asked.
He paused as if confused, "At the whipping sir."
"Then to Allerton," I directed, and Barrington obeyed instantly cracking the whip and forth we lunged with flying hooves and myself desperate to retain possession of my ridiculously tall hat..
"I could get a taste for this John!" he turned and grinned at me and in that moment we shaved a gatepost by a whisker, "better than mining," he commented.
"Hah, not as lucrative," I laughed, "And not as safe with your driving, you better let me drive!"
We changed places and also changed coats and hats and we continued on our way, laughing.
I drove into Allerton at a good lick and swung into the square, thank god Barrington was alert because a seething mass of humanity confronted us and if he had not thrust the sprag through a wheel there should have been carnage for we should never have stopped.
I sat and stared, never having seen its like except at a hanging in Bodmin in August, for a great wooden stage had been set up against the Red Lion alehouse across from St Agnes church the whole market square was packed with all classes and upon that stage a serving wench was being whipped, she was naked to the waist, her gown or shift ripped from her and dangling from the string around her waist and her masked leather clad tormentor, the hangman Jenkins I fancied, was flaying her already scarred and bloodied back and then as she sought to avoid his blows by turning away he struck her shapely exposed breasts and the teats thereon with a measured ferocity.
Her hands were manacled and uselessly chained together and the chain tied to a high beam high above her head which served to hold her so she could do nothing but stand or swing uselessly from the wrist irons from which a trail of blood seeped already.
The crowd were transfixed and so fixed in their attention that they paid us no heed but I supposed that a public whipping was the height of their season, and all classes were present, merchants and peasants, workers and nobility indeed the Earl and Countess looked on from tiered seating set up for the purpose, the Lord Graham, his son, by his side and the Lady Phillipa his younger daughter with them, but I looked in vain for the Lady Catherine.
"We'll tether the horses and walk back," I suggested and I expertly backed the carriage through a T turn and tethered the team outside the Dragon Inn.
The maid was nothing but a limp and bloodied mess when I returned, and his worship Mr Justin Grant the Judge of the Trentham assizes was mounting the steps to the stage , "Observe and observe well one and all," he shouted to the assembled throng, "His Grace Earl Howard told me to apply the law in its full force, and here you see I shirked not my responsibility, and I commend and command that three months hence you shall assemble again to witness the punishment I laid down."
He paused for breath, "Note well that when I exercised leniency by refraining from having the wench transported to the antipodes, I was determined that punishment should never the less be carried out and seen to be carried out, and have you seen punishment?" he asked, "Have you?"
There was a murmur, "Have you seen that I Judge Grant am a man of my word and all are equal in my courts, that the lowest maid and highest lady can expect equality of treatment?" he demanded. There was a murmur of approval. "That the Lady Catherine received no preference when she abused her trust and stole a trinket, as she called it, one that should cost a servant five years toil?"
It hit me like a sledge hammer, the serving wench was the Lady Catherine, all bloodied and beaten.
"Six months has she toiled in the fields and six more shall she toil," he shouted, "I offered leniency should she confess as you all heard, but she will not admit her guilt, will not confess, will not apologise and without contrition there can be no leniency, no easy life as a house servant so shall she continue as the lowest farm girl until the after one year and a day then she shall be dismissed and be cast from her labours for her father to disown, I suggest she may have found the Antipodes preferable so be be warned one and all," he shouted his voice rising to a crescendo, "Thou shalt not steal."
"That's Catherine!" I gasped to Barrington.
"The girl you keep talking about?" he demanded.
"Indeed." I replied, scarcely believing my ears and eyes, "That's Catherine."
The shock of seeing Catherine was profound, to see her displayed so cruelly as a thief, I could scarce believe it. I scarce recognised her as she was cut down, filthy bloodied and yet to my eyes beautiful,though her hair was no longer neatly cut and her cheeks were now not painted but naturally ruddy and her shoulders firmed and muscled, and then as the ropes were cut and she fell and sprawled in the dirt so her shift fell away revealing an iron chastity belt.
A great laugh arose and jarred Catherine from her stunned immobility and she grabbed her torn smock around her, desperate to preserve the modesty that in truth was lost, and all the while her eyes were crying but her tears had run dry until just the tear tracks remained in the filth of her face.
"That's your girl?" Barrington queried, "She's a beauty!"
"Don't joke," I warned.
"I do not!" he said, "I bet she scrubs up really nice."
I realised she had an iron collar around her neck and she was taken down from the stage and chained barefoot behind a dung cart hauled by an ox and so was she pulled from the square.
"What now?" Barrington asked.
"Find Catherine," I suggested, "Follow that cart!"
It was a slow and painful process, but by and by we made progress until at length the yokel riding the cart saw we were no menace to them and pulled Catherine aboard so the Ox could proceed at its best pace which in all honesty was no better than when Catherine had been staggering behind.
Its destination was his Lordships piggery, set away from the main house and farm because of the smell it was a low stone built building with a stone tile roof on timbers, and there in the mud and filth lived his Lordship's pigs, and with them we soon discovered also resided Catherine chained as she was to an iron in the wall which I noted his Lordships agent fastened her chain with a pad lock.
"And what's your interest here master Matson?" he asked as he spied me watching.
"I have been away sir," I replied, "I am most curious as to why the Lady Catherine is so treated."
"She's no Lady!" he laughed, "A sow like the rest," he said and he tore away the last of her clothes leaving her naked, "She'll get plenty of swill come morning and she can enjoy a life of ease," he laughed, "No sir I must ask that you be gone as this is private land."
"Oh, yes indeed," I agreed, "Most certainly, good day sir."
"What now sir?" Barrington asked as we went away.
"Find your beloved in Rotherham of course!" I ordered, "Drop me at my father's and take the carriage."
I directed him the way to my fathers modest abode standing as it did high on the hillside overlooking meadows and pastures my father pretended to the world that he owned, yet sadly such was not the case, indeed there was a time in my youth when my father spoke to me earnestly, "John," he said, "You are the oldest son of a second son, you have a good name but no fortune, so my son it is for you to create your own fortune, shall you join the Militia, the Admiralty, the Church? he asked, "Or the Law."
"No father," I had answered "I shall be an adventurer and travel the world in search of treasure."
"Indeed," he exclaimed, "And marry a princess?"
"No the Lady Catherine." I said proudly, though in truth at that time I had barely exchange two dozen words with the girl.
"Ha!" he exclaimed, "Earl Howarth's daughter!" he laughed, "Oh my lord what a thought!" he laughed but Uncle Henry lent the money for my education and I attended Salford University and studied geology and chemistry and the way to establish purity of the precious metals with an eye to seeking gold prospecting and so by degrees my education progressed until with a loan from Father that he could ill afford I bought passage to Mexico.
I had a last summer at home, a brief spell of dances and fetes, and I saw the Lady Catherine often, I amused her, it seemed, but she sought not amusement but a rich suitor to woo her, but for the while my company sufficed when there was no more eligable batchelor present and indeed such was our companionability that the Earl himself challenged my intentions.
"Why to earn a fortune in the New World and wed Catherine sir," I replied.
"And if you return penniless?" he asked.
"I do not intend to return penniless," I explained, "Either I return with funds or not at all that is my intention."
"Then do not distract Catherine, you amuse her, but she has but a short season, you do understand?" he asked reasonably.
"I shall be gone before the London Season starts sir," I said, "I shall not trouble her again unless I return well set up."
I set of for Mexico but sea sickness afflicted me and it was a great relief when we hit a gale off the Longships reef and had to limp into Newlyn for repairs, and once ashore nothing would induce me to venture to sea ever again, and it was in Cornwall and not the new world that I made my fortune.
Thus it was with mild disinterest that father watched Barrington drive the carriage up to our house and then he watched in amazement as I descended, only to view its disappearance when I had unloaded my own baggage as sign that it was as a mere passenger in a hire conveyance rather than the man of substance as I appeared.
It was Mother that rushed to greet me, "John where have you been?" she asked, "Have you made your fortune?" she asked.
I admitted to a fortune of a thousand pounds and she insisted on hearing how I had fared before I even removed my bags from the roadside.
