watched Mrs Watson’s lips almost disappear as her gaze became a glare.
Robert kept talking because he simply had to. Gesturing at the horses, he continued, ‘And he hopes to depend on the generosity of the Protestant population … that is …’
Marian was incredulous. ‘He wants our horses?’
She hoisted Georgie onto her other hip as she faced her mother. ‘He wants our Bess and Star?’
How Robert wished the widow would send the children back to the house. They were complicating matters needlessly.
Daniel reckoned that he had better help his brother and added, ‘Just for a while.’ He hoped he was telling the truth as he rushed on to explain: ‘You see we have a lot of equipment and thousands of men and, well, it’s faster on horseback.’
The only listener who looked convinced was Robert who nodded and said, ‘I’m sure you understand. When you think about it, you would be a part of King William’s campaign, without having to fight.’
Even as he spoke, Mrs Watson was already shaking her head. ‘Absolutely not. I need these horses. I wish the king well on his campaign, but these animals are my only farm hands.’
Robert opened his mouth to argue, but she interrupted him, asking him sharply, ‘How many children do you see?’
He stopped short and counted them. ‘Er … six?’
‘Yes, six!’ she snapped. ‘Six hungry mouths to feed. And how many parents do they have?’
Samuel wanted to help the conversation along and did so by answering, ‘Just you, mama.’
‘But …’ protested Robert.
‘No!’ said Mrs Watson. ‘I don’t care about your “buts”; Idon’t have time for them. If I cannot work this farm, my children will starve.’
As if to emphasise her point, she prepared to return to her ploughing and called the horses to attention. She also told Marian to bring her siblings back to the house. ‘Everyone now back to your chores.’
Robert kept quiet while the children reluctantly walked away in line behind their leader Marian. Samuel stuck his tongue out at Daniel, filling the young soldier with shame. When they were finally alone, Robert tried to sound as civil as he could. ‘I’m sorry, Mrs Watson. I understand your predicament but orders are orders. His Majesty needs more horses. Right now your neighbours are being told the same thing by our colleagues. You don’t have a choice.’
Daniel longed to distract himself by scuffing at the upturned earth with his foot, but he knew he had to show complete support for Robert and for King William.
The widow spoke through gritted teeth. ‘If you take my animals I have no way of feeding my children or paying the rent. We’ll lose our home.’
Robert shrugged helplessly. ‘I understand …’
‘But you don’t care, is that it?’ She looked as if she might spit at him, at the both of them. She tried another approach: ‘Does His Majesty wish more children to die in his name? Surely enough children starved to death in Derry.’
Daniel felt winded by her words because they were absolutely true. She was right; hundreds of children had died during the siege. A whole generation of youngsters had been wiped out and now slept underground within the cathedral grounds. An idea came to him then and he said to his brother, ‘Robert … I mean, Corporal, couldn’t we just take one of the horses? Wouldn’t that do?’
Daniel was desperate to appease the woman and save her children; he pleaded with her, ‘You could plough with one horse. Couldn’t you?’
It was a most practical solution, really the only one available to suit everyone as far as Daniel could see.
Alas he had made a mistake which worsened when the widow tilted her head to consider his suggestion and seemed to agree with it, asking Daniel, ‘And when will you return my horse to me?’
It was an impossible question to answer, right then and there, in the middle of the half-ploughed field as the rain began to spill once more.
Daniel saw fury on his brother’s face
Robert kept talking because he simply had to. Gesturing at the horses, he continued, ‘And he hopes to depend on the generosity of the Protestant population … that is …’
Marian was incredulous. ‘He wants our horses?’
She hoisted Georgie onto her other hip as she faced her mother. ‘He wants our Bess and Star?’
How Robert wished the widow would send the children back to the house. They were complicating matters needlessly.
Daniel reckoned that he had better help his brother and added, ‘Just for a while.’ He hoped he was telling the truth as he rushed on to explain: ‘You see we have a lot of equipment and thousands of men and, well, it’s faster on horseback.’
The only listener who looked convinced was Robert who nodded and said, ‘I’m sure you understand. When you think about it, you would be a part of King William’s campaign, without having to fight.’
Even as he spoke, Mrs Watson was already shaking her head. ‘Absolutely not. I need these horses. I wish the king well on his campaign, but these animals are my only farm hands.’
Robert opened his mouth to argue, but she interrupted him, asking him sharply, ‘How many children do you see?’
He stopped short and counted them. ‘Er … six?’
‘Yes, six!’ she snapped. ‘Six hungry mouths to feed. And how many parents do they have?’
Samuel wanted to help the conversation along and did so by answering, ‘Just you, mama.’
‘But …’ protested Robert.
‘No!’ said Mrs Watson. ‘I don’t care about your “buts”; Idon’t have time for them. If I cannot work this farm, my children will starve.’
As if to emphasise her point, she prepared to return to her ploughing and called the horses to attention. She also told Marian to bring her siblings back to the house. ‘Everyone now back to your chores.’
Robert kept quiet while the children reluctantly walked away in line behind their leader Marian. Samuel stuck his tongue out at Daniel, filling the young soldier with shame. When they were finally alone, Robert tried to sound as civil as he could. ‘I’m sorry, Mrs Watson. I understand your predicament but orders are orders. His Majesty needs more horses. Right now your neighbours are being told the same thing by our colleagues. You don’t have a choice.’
Daniel longed to distract himself by scuffing at the upturned earth with his foot, but he knew he had to show complete support for Robert and for King William.
The widow spoke through gritted teeth. ‘If you take my animals I have no way of feeding my children or paying the rent. We’ll lose our home.’
Robert shrugged helplessly. ‘I understand …’
‘But you don’t care, is that it?’ She looked as if she might spit at him, at the both of them. She tried another approach: ‘Does His Majesty wish more children to die in his name? Surely enough children starved to death in Derry.’
Daniel felt winded by her words because they were absolutely true. She was right; hundreds of children had died during the siege. A whole generation of youngsters had been wiped out and now slept underground within the cathedral grounds. An idea came to him then and he said to his brother, ‘Robert … I mean, Corporal, couldn’t we just take one of the horses? Wouldn’t that do?’
Daniel was desperate to appease the woman and save her children; he pleaded with her, ‘You could plough with one horse. Couldn’t you?’
It was a most practical solution, really the only one available to suit everyone as far as Daniel could see.
Alas he had made a mistake which worsened when the widow tilted her head to consider his suggestion and seemed to agree with it, asking Daniel, ‘And when will you return my horse to me?’
It was an impossible question to answer, right then and there, in the middle of the half-ploughed field as the rain began to spill once more.
Daniel saw fury on his brother’s face
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