The Trojan Project

Chapter Two-1

Chapter TwoSarah awoke early; she hadn't slept well. For a moment she wondered why she was squeezed onto the small sofa in the children's bedroom. But as the events of the previous night flooded her memory she sat up quickly, wincing when a sharp pain ran down her cramped legs. Stumbling to her feet, she hurried downstairs looking for a sign that Pete might have come home. But there was nothing: everything appeared as she had left it.

Of course he hadn't been home! He wouldn't have slipped in and out of the house like a shadow without telling her. She swallowed hard. Pete would never have stayed out all night unless something serious had happened. Was he lying hurt somewhere on the hill? She recalled the dream she'd had during the night and her stomach turned over.

Taking a deep breath, she decided that once the children were dressed, she would leave them with Laura and drive up to Top Meadow to search for her husband.

“Where's Daddy?” Josie's voice came from the top of the stairs.

“Wait there for me, darling.” Sarah called out. “I'm coming.”

“He still hasn't seen my picture.” Josie held up her drawing.

“I'm afraid Daddy had to leave early this morning.” Sarah climbed the stairs and hugged her daughter. “He didn't have time to wait for you and Becky to wake up. But he's looking forward to seeing your picture later, when he comes back from the fields.” Despite her fears, Sarah smiled, trying to put on a brave face. “I've got an idea. Once we've all had breakfast, we'll go to see Laura. I'm sure she would love to see your picture. You could take your drawing pad and crayons. She might ask you to draw something for her.”

Downstairs Sarah slowly drew back the curtains. She hadn't dared do it earlier, fearing what she might see outside. But thankfully everything appeared back to normal. The strange green cloud, which had smothered the valley the night before had dispersed and the sun was beginning to climb into the sky. Even the cows in the fields nearest to the farmhouse were tugging at the grass as though nothing had happened. Could she have simply imagined the whole thing?

She was about to move away from the window when she caught sight of the animals in the lower fields near the farm cottages. They all appeared to be lying down. Looking more closely, she saw they were very still. Not one of them was moving. Why was no one seeing to them? Come to think of it, she couldn't see anyone at all. Normally by this time of the morning the farm was buzzing with activity. Perhaps she should call one of the herdsmen and find out what was going on.

Picking up the telephone she dialed a number. Receiving no reply, she tried another, and then another, but again no one answered. By now she was beginning to panic. Someone should have answered the phone. Most of the men had wives at home; where were they? It was only then that she thought about calling Tom.

Tom had joined the farm as a young man when Pete's grandfather had first acquired the land many years ago. Though he was now retired, Pete had allowed him and his wife Martha to stay on in their cottage. But then Pete had done the same for so many of the men who had helped his grandfather build the farm from this fertile land.

“They were all good men, Sarah,” Pete had told her. “Grandfather relied on them in the early years, especially Tom. I know he would have wanted them all to remain in their homes on the farm.”

Sarah's hand hovered over the phone. Should she disturb Tom? After all, he was getting on a bit now. Perhaps after years of getting up early to milk the herd he was at last enjoying the opportunity to lie late in the mornings. But she knew that wasn't the real reason for her hesitation. What really bothered her was how Tom would gloat at her having to call him.

Tom had never approved of Pete marrying a 'townie', always maintaining he should have chosen a woman more used to farming. A strong woman, a woman capable of helping out on the farm whenever necessary, in other words, a woman like Alice; his own daughter.

If only she could have reached one of the other men. Mick, Josh, even old Ned, any one of them would have been more sympathetic. Staring down at the phone, Sarah grabbed the receiver before she changed her mind.

“Hello.” Martha's voice came down the line.

“Hello, it's Sarah here.” There was a hissing sound on the line so she raised her voice. “I was wondering if Tom could come over to milk the herd this morning. I know he's retired and all, but I've tried ringing a few of the hands and I can't get any reply. It's so unusual, I can't understand it.” Not wanting the children to overhear, she lowered her voice. “Pete didn't come back from Top Meadow last night. I'm worried, Martha. Have you any idea who went up there with him? They may know what's happened.”

“No, I'm afraid I don't, Sarah, but I'll ask Tom to come over right away. Have a word with him when he gets there, he might know who went with Pete.” Martha hesitated. “It's strange, but now you come to mention it, I haven't seen anyone about this morning either.” She laughed. “Though I must admit, we overslept a little so we could have missed them.”

Sarah shivered. It was getting worse. Despite Martha's reassuring comments, they wouldn't really have slept late. Old habits died hard. After years of rising with the sun every morning neither of them could stay in bed, even if they wanted to. “The last time I saw the farmhands, was when they all ran from their homes to see the ball of light in the night sky,” she said at last. “By the way, what did you and Tom make of it? I found it very frightening.” As she spoke, the hissing sound on the line grew louder.

“What did you say, Sarah? Sorry but the line's bad.”

“Last night. What did you make of the light in the sky?” Sarah repeated.

“What light?” Martha raised her voice, trying to make herself heard. “Tom and I were in Wooler until very late last night. Everything seemed quiet enough when we got home.”

“Never mind, Martha,” Sarah yelled into the phone. “I'll speak to you later, please ask Tom to come as quickly as he can.”

Once Sarah had hung up, she washed and dressed the children. She was strapping Becky into the child's seat in the car, when she saw Tom herding some cows towards the milking shed.

“Morning, Sarah. Lovely morning.” He glanced fleetingly at the sky. “Quiet though. Not much happening. I haven't seen a soul this morning – must all be too busy.” He jerked his head towards the herd. “I'll get this lot sorted and then I'll go down for the others in the lower fields.” He paused. “Mind you, I'd have thought you could do this for yourself by now, lass. Good thing I'm still around. Now, my Alice could have milked this lot with her eyes shut.”

“Good for her,” muttered Sarah. She was annoyed at the way Tom spoke to her. She had put up with it these past five years, but today she was in no mood for his stupid remarks. Lifting Josie into the car, she told her to wait with Becky. “I'll only be a minute, sweetheart. I'm going to have a quick word with Tom.”

Moving across to Tom, she took his arm and steered him a little way from the car. “I'm sick and tired of your ridiculous comments. For God's sake man, didn't Martha tell you why I asked you to come up here? Pete didn't come back last night. He believed I was in Alnwick and that the children were waiting for him at Laura's, yet he didn't turn up to collect them, nor did he call her to explain why. Now, you and I both know he would never simply go off and leave the children waiting. Do you understand what I'm saying?” She paused for breath. “Are you simply being more stupid today or still trying to score points? If you know who went up to Top Meadow with Pete, then tell me.”

Tom rubbed his chin. He was unused to being spoken to like that, especially by some chit of a girl. “I don't know for certain, I didn't see them go off, but I reckon it would be Josh and Ned. They're the two he normally takes up there.”

He grinned. “Fancy you not knowing that, you being the farmer's wife and all. I'd have thought Pete would have discussed it with you the night before he went up there.”

But Sarah was unimpressed at his sarcasm. “Tom, don't you ever give up?” she retorted. “Yes, I am the farmer's wife. Not your daughter Alice as you'd hoped, but me, Sarah, 'a townie'.” She made quotation marks in the air with her fingers. “I had thought you'd be used to it by now. But whether you like it or not, I'm here to stay. I have enough to worry about this morning without you twittering on about how your Alice could run the farm with both arms tied behind her back.”

“I…” Tom began.

But Sarah hadn't done with him yet. Five years she had listened to his spiteful remarks, at last she was going to have her say. “Shut up! I haven't finished. It may come as a surprise to you, Tom Marsh, but during the long evenings in the farmhouse, the farmer and his wife have far more pleasurable things to do than discuss whom he may or may not take up to Top Meadow!”

Tom blushed. He was surprised at her outburst. “I'm sorry. I don't really mean anything; I'd always hoped that…”

“Yes, I know exactly what you hoped,” she interrupted. “Over the last five years you've made it perfectly clear that you wanted Alice to be the farmer's wife. But Pete chose me, not Alice.” She sighed. This wasn't the time for arguments, but she was so worried about what had happened to Pete that she needed to lash out at someone. Still, she hadn't meant to sound so harsh and besides, she quite liked Alice. “Your daughter married a good man. Luke loves her and will do anything for her. They're expecting a baby soon aren't they?” Sarah hesitated, “Your first grandchild.”

“Yes,” whispered Tom, tears forming in his eyes. “The baby's due next week.” He looked away. Sarah was right: Alice had found herself a good man in Luke.

When Pete had chosen Sarah, it should have been an end to the matter. But instead he had tried to make her feel out of place from the first moment she set foot on the farm. What had he hoped to achieve? Had he really believed that Sarah would move out to make way for his daughter Alice?

He had been a fool to even think it. It was obvious to everyone that Pete and Sarah were besotted with each other. And Sarah was right, Pete would never leave his children and go off somewhere without a word to anyone. Even he knew how Pete doted on his kids.

Another thought suddenly struck him. Sarah couldn't have told her husband of his bitterness towards her. If she had, there was no doubt Pete would have spoken to him. Perhaps he and Martha would have been asked to leave the farm. Where would they have gone? How would they have lived?

Reaching out, he touched her arm. “It won't happen again,” he muttered gruffly.

She nodded. “Thank you, Tom. We won't mention it again.” It wasn't much of an apology, but she guessed how much it had cost him. Tom was not the sort to use the word, 'sorry'. “Now I must go and find Pete.”

“I'm sure there's no need to worry, Sarah. It's probably taken them longer than expected to round up the sheep. Up there on Top Meadow there're no fences to keep them in, so the stupid animals roam everywhere. Even with the dogs, they're difficult to round up. My guess is the men spent the night in the old shepherd's hut to save going all the way up again today. There's always some tinned food up there, soup and the like. And as for not ringing anyone, perhaps Pete couldn't get a signal up there in the hills.” He shrugged. “He probably realized Laura wouldn't mind looking after the children 'til morning.”

“I expect you're right, but I'd still like to see for myself.” Despite Tom's words of comfort, Sarah was unconvinced. Pete would never have stayed away all night, without calling Laura first. He would have made darned sure he found a spot where the signal was good.