where they would be set on the
fire, gradually being pushed into it as they burned.
Hoppon’s dog Tab came to Bill’s side and thrust his nose into his hand, lifting his head to make Bill’s hand fall down the
dog’s sleek skull and stroke him. ‘You’re no fool, eh, Tab?’
‘So, Bailiff,’ Hoppon said as he returned, a jug in his hand, cups balanced on top. He set down his crutch, hopped nearer
and sat back with a grunt. ‘What do you need?’
‘You know that, Hoppon. We still need to find the men who did it.’
‘Ach, what good will it do us? They won’t be punished, not if I’ma judge. They’ll not suffer, but we will. We’ll have to pay for their crimes again, paying for the court to listen to the
case.’
‘Hoppon, you’re all alone up here, aren’t you?’ Bill said, looking about him as though for the first time.
‘You know I am.’
‘And I’m on the edge of the vill too. Even men who live with their families in the middle of Jacobstowe, they still have only
a few homesteads about them, eh?’
‘Aye. What of it?’
‘These men were happy enough to kill all those men and women. And the children, Hoppon.’ Bill’s eye lighted on Tab at his
side. The dog’s eyes showed their whites as he gazed up at the bailiff. ‘They even killed a bitch and her whelp. Do you think
you or I or any other could stand against such a force? No. So should we accept that, and wait until they come here and kill
you and me, maybe my little Ant, rape my Agnes, and knock Tab on the head? You think we ought to do that?’
Hoppon growled deep in his throat, but his eyes wouldn’t meet Bill’s. ‘You know that’d be wrong. I couldn’t let that happen.’
‘If we don’t stand up to these bastards, we may as well throw them all our families and belongings, Hoppon.’
Hoppon passed him a cider cup, and drank deeply from his own, still not meeting Bill’s gaze. ‘You think I’m a coward?’
‘No. You had your leg harmed in that fire, Hoppon. I know that well, just as do all the others here. Your courage isn’t doubted
by me, old friend.’
‘What do you want me to do? I didn’t see them. Nor did anyone.’ Hoppon was truculent, but Bill was unsure why. Unless he felt
guilt at not admitting to knowing something. That was something Bill felt he had to press.
‘Hoppon, I’ve been all the way to Oakhampton, asking all whether they heard anything that night. No one did, so they say.
These men didn’t go north past Jacobstowe itself. I’ve been west from the road too, but there’s no sign of people going that
way. The only place they could have gone is here. Right by you.’
‘You say I heard them?’
‘You are a good fellow. I know you as well as I know any man in this vill. And I know you have a dog there.’
‘What of him?’
‘He has the ears of a bat, Hoppon. He would hear a mouse fart in the woods.’
Hoppon grinned a little at that. ‘He is a good guard.’
‘How many were there, Hoppon? Which way did they go?’
Now Hoppon met Bill’s gaze at last. He glowered at him. ‘What’s the point, Bill? If we find out who they were, the most likely
thing is, you and me’ll be found hanging by our heels from the tallest oak in Abbeyford. That what you want? What of Agnes
then?’
‘And if we don’t, they’ll think they can kill, rob or rape any one of the folk about here. Do you want to live in fear all
your life, Hoppon?’
‘I’ve never lived in fear, Bill. Never will.’ And then he shook his head. ‘Ach, what’s the point? You’re determined to see
yourself killed, are you? Well, it was Tab. He woke up and woke me too. Heard something. I didn’t. Thought it was a ghost
at first. Then I heard the horse neigh. It came up from Abbeyford, then east up behind my place.’
‘How many?’
‘I’d reckon on fifteen or so. No more. But I heard them, true enough. There were weapons rattling all the way.’
‘And you know who led
fire, gradually being pushed into it as they burned.
Hoppon’s dog Tab came to Bill’s side and thrust his nose into his hand, lifting his head to make Bill’s hand fall down the
dog’s sleek skull and stroke him. ‘You’re no fool, eh, Tab?’
‘So, Bailiff,’ Hoppon said as he returned, a jug in his hand, cups balanced on top. He set down his crutch, hopped nearer
and sat back with a grunt. ‘What do you need?’
‘You know that, Hoppon. We still need to find the men who did it.’
‘Ach, what good will it do us? They won’t be punished, not if I’ma judge. They’ll not suffer, but we will. We’ll have to pay for their crimes again, paying for the court to listen to the
case.’
‘Hoppon, you’re all alone up here, aren’t you?’ Bill said, looking about him as though for the first time.
‘You know I am.’
‘And I’m on the edge of the vill too. Even men who live with their families in the middle of Jacobstowe, they still have only
a few homesteads about them, eh?’
‘Aye. What of it?’
‘These men were happy enough to kill all those men and women. And the children, Hoppon.’ Bill’s eye lighted on Tab at his
side. The dog’s eyes showed their whites as he gazed up at the bailiff. ‘They even killed a bitch and her whelp. Do you think
you or I or any other could stand against such a force? No. So should we accept that, and wait until they come here and kill
you and me, maybe my little Ant, rape my Agnes, and knock Tab on the head? You think we ought to do that?’
Hoppon growled deep in his throat, but his eyes wouldn’t meet Bill’s. ‘You know that’d be wrong. I couldn’t let that happen.’
‘If we don’t stand up to these bastards, we may as well throw them all our families and belongings, Hoppon.’
Hoppon passed him a cider cup, and drank deeply from his own, still not meeting Bill’s gaze. ‘You think I’m a coward?’
‘No. You had your leg harmed in that fire, Hoppon. I know that well, just as do all the others here. Your courage isn’t doubted
by me, old friend.’
‘What do you want me to do? I didn’t see them. Nor did anyone.’ Hoppon was truculent, but Bill was unsure why. Unless he felt
guilt at not admitting to knowing something. That was something Bill felt he had to press.
‘Hoppon, I’ve been all the way to Oakhampton, asking all whether they heard anything that night. No one did, so they say.
These men didn’t go north past Jacobstowe itself. I’ve been west from the road too, but there’s no sign of people going that
way. The only place they could have gone is here. Right by you.’
‘You say I heard them?’
‘You are a good fellow. I know you as well as I know any man in this vill. And I know you have a dog there.’
‘What of him?’
‘He has the ears of a bat, Hoppon. He would hear a mouse fart in the woods.’
Hoppon grinned a little at that. ‘He is a good guard.’
‘How many were there, Hoppon? Which way did they go?’
Now Hoppon met Bill’s gaze at last. He glowered at him. ‘What’s the point, Bill? If we find out who they were, the most likely
thing is, you and me’ll be found hanging by our heels from the tallest oak in Abbeyford. That what you want? What of Agnes
then?’
‘And if we don’t, they’ll think they can kill, rob or rape any one of the folk about here. Do you want to live in fear all
your life, Hoppon?’
‘I’ve never lived in fear, Bill. Never will.’ And then he shook his head. ‘Ach, what’s the point? You’re determined to see
yourself killed, are you? Well, it was Tab. He woke up and woke me too. Heard something. I didn’t. Thought it was a ghost
at first. Then I heard the horse neigh. It came up from Abbeyford, then east up behind my place.’
‘How many?’
‘I’d reckon on fifteen or so. No more. But I heard them, true enough. There were weapons rattling all the way.’
‘And you know who led
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