The Flight of Swallows by Audrey Howard Page B

hardship, but although he knew little about farming, he was determined to learn. He inspected Cec Eveleigh’s excellent Fresian herd at Holly Farm, his pigs and his sheep, moving through the autumn sunshine on to Jack Emmerson’s golden fields of corn and wheat and barley, drinking, as he always did, a glass of Mrs Emmerson’s home-brewed ale or her cowslip wine. He was invited to inspect pigs, geese, laying hens and arrogant cockerels. Even the dairies were not overlooked and he observed that it was no wonder there was such a plentiful supply of fresh eggs, milk, butter and cheese readily available at his table. He had no need really to oversee any of the farms for they were all good tenants, paying their rents on time, keeping their stock in good condition and the farm buildings in repair. Stables were spotlessly clean, hedges trimmed and yard and enclosures pleasant and well kept. He rode through great belts of old timber rising from a jungle of undergrowth, two miles across and about a mile deep with a shallow mere at its centre on which water lilies floated. He made estimates of the value of the timber. He spent many evenings poring over accounts, assessing profits from his land but at the same time wondering what made him so concerned with it all since he could well afford to hire an agent and perhaps spend more time with his young wife.
    As soon as he and Charlotte returned from their honeymoon he took out his guns and joined his neighbours in the shooting season which had begun on 12 August with grouse, continuing with partridge on 1 September and pheasant on 1 October. Many ladies were included, for in the past he and his neighbours held shooting parties where wives were present. When Charlotte was more settled he meant to invite friends from all over Yorkshire to shoot his birds which had been hand-reared by his gamekeeper. In November the foxhunting season would begin and as autumn drew on he and Arthur Drummond, also back from his wedding journey, the Ackroyds, the Dentons and others of the Danby Hunt took the young hounds out ‘cub hunting’, teaching the puppies to hunt. Foxhounds may hunt mammals other than foxes by natural instinct and have to be trained and encouraged to make the fox their only prey. Cub hunting consists of training the young hounds – which were owned by Arthur Drummond who could now afford a pack thanks to his rich young wife – by first surrounding a covert with riders and foot followers to drive back any foxes attempting to escape and then ‘drawing’ it with the puppies, allowing them to find, attack and kill young foxes.
    Charlotte was horrified when Brooke explained it to her and asked her, since she was learning to ride, to come with him one day.
    ‘You will meet and make the acquaintance of many of my friends, which will be a good thing, for we must soon go out into society and return hospitality so it would be an advantage to you if you—’
    ‘How absolutely appalling. Deliberately to train young puppies to attack and kill.’
    ‘But how else are we to train our hounds, Charlotte? The season starts in November and goes on until March or April and I shall be spending a good deal of my time with the hunt. As you are under eighteen you will wear a tweed jacket but I and other members wear scarlet. You must have seen us out—’
    ‘I shall be wearing neither scarlet nor tweed since I shall not be joining you. Oh, I enjoy riding, the little I have learned so far but I shall not be out killing innocent animals. It is barbaric.’
    ‘Charlotte, as my wife you must conform to the ways of our society. I don’t expect you to shoot but ladies are expected to join shooting parties. Charlie Denton of Park Mansion puts up a magnificent luncheon. His servants bring everything out into the woods that surround his house and—’
    ‘Stop right there, Brooke. I shall not shoot nor hunt nor take part in any of the horrendous activities which your friends . . .’
    Brooke’s face