The Song of the Siren

It proved a good idea and Clarissa was so intrigued with the idea that she ceased to fret about leaving Damaris. It gave the horses a good rest too. We found a pleasant spot on the road and under a great oak tree we had our feast.

The two grooms joined us and Clarissa plied them with questions about the horses and told them a story about a pig and a hedgehog which Aunt Damaris had told her.

It ended with: “And they all lived happy ever after.”

Then she went to sleep.

It was a beautiful day and the sun was warm. We dozed a little, which meant that we stayed later than we had intended to.

Finally we were back in the coach and rumbling on our way.

As we were passing a wood through which a path had been made, a man on horseback stepped out of the shadows.

I vaguely saw him as he flashed past the window. Then the coach drew up with such a jolt that we were thrown forward in our seats.

“What’s wrong?” cried Harriet.

A face appeared at the window. It was a man and he wore a mask over his face.

“Good day, ladies,” he said. “I fear I am going to inconvenience you somewhat.”

Then I saw that he held a blunderbuss in his hands and I realised that we were facing the situation which we had heard so much about and until now had had the good fortune to avoid.

”What do you want?” I cried.

“I want you to step out into the road.”

“No,” I said.

His answer was to lift the blunderbuss and point it towards me. Then he wrenched open the door.

“Pray step out, ladies,” he said.

There was nothing we could do but alight. I held Clarissa’s hand tightly in mine.

I did not want her to be frightened. I saw at once that she was not but she was regarding the highwayman with intense interest.

As I stepped out into the road I saw the two grooms. There was a second highwayman, who was covering them with his blunderbuss, and I prayed that someone might come along at this moment and rescue us.

Then the highwayman said: “What great good fortune. My lady.” He bowed to Harriet, repeated “My lady” and bowed to me. “’It is rarely that one meets such beauties on the road.”

“Why are you stopping us?” asked Clarissa in an excited voice.

His attention was on her. I made a step forward. I had had a sudden impulse to try to snatch the gun. That would have been madness. Besides, there was the other one.

Aware of my intention, his lips curled mockingly. “Unwise,” he said. “You would never do it.” Then he looked at Clarissa. ‘It is all in the way of business,” he told her.

“Why?”

“Just the way of the world,” he said. “Your child is of an enquiring mind,” he added, and then suddenly I knew that what had seemed a vague possibility had become a certainty.

He was no ordinary highwayman. Could I be mistaken in one with whom I had lived so closely?

The man behind the mask was Hessenfield.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“Your purse, of course. Or have you anything more to offer me?” I took my purse from my pocket and threw it on the ground.

“Is that all you have to offer? And you too, my lady?”

“My purse is in the coach,” said Harriet.

“Get it,” he said.

She obeyed. Then he came close to me.

“How dare you!” I said.

“Men such as I am dare much, my lady. ‘Tis a pretty locket you are wearing.” His hands were on it, caressing my throat.

“My father gave it to her,” said Clarissa.

He snatched it suddenly. The clasp broke. He put it into his pocket.

Clarissa said: “Oh!”

I picked her up. “It’s all right, darling,” I said.

“Put the child down,” he commanded.

“I intend to protect her,” I replied.

He took her from my arms, still holding the blunderbuss. Clarissa did not know fear.

I suppose it had never occurred to her that anyone would ever hurt her. She was petted and loved by all who saw her. Why should anyone in the world want to hurt charming Clarissa.

She studied him intently.

“You look funny,” she said. She touched the mask. “Can I have it?” she asked.

“Not now,” he said.

“When?”

Harriet had stepped out of the coach.

She said: “I can’t find my purse.” She gasped. “What is he doing with Clarissa?”

“Will you please put the child down?” I said. “You’re frightening her.”

“Are you frightened?” he asked.

“No,” said Clarissa.

He laughed and put her down.

“My dear ladies, cease to fret. I will call off my man and you shall go on your way in peace. Of course I have the lady’s purse and I have her locket. Have you some little token for me to remember you by, my lady?”

He had his eyes on a bracelet Harriet was wearing.

She took it off and handed it to him. He smiled and put it into his pocket.

“You’re a robber,” said Clarissa. “Are you hungry?”

Her face wrinkled in pity. One of the greatest calamities she could visualize was to be hungry. “I’ll give you the tail of my sugar mouse.”

“Will you?”

She felt in her pocket, produced the mouse and broke off the tail.

“Don’t eat it all at once or you’ll be sick,” she told him, repeating my mother.

“Thank you. I won’t. Perhaps I won’t eat it at all. I might keep it in memory of you.”

“It’ll get sticky in your pocket.”

He touched her head gently and she smiled up at him.

Then he bowed.