Disorderly Knights - Dorothy Dunnett [186]
They did not on this account meet the Scotts, who lost their beasts a little later in the day, the Turnbulls not being a numerous family, and set off eventually, under Sir William Scott, to rake Tyneside and Liddesdale. In doing so, they actually passed through the Turnbulls’ squalid encampment, but found it empty of all but women, since the Turnbulls had not gone home at all, but had wisely kept their booty in a quiet little valley north of the Border until the first twenty-four hours had gone by, the interesting point being that if they could retain possession of the beasts for six days they could keep them for good, since the unfortunate losers were allowed only so long to hunt for them south of the Border.
The family Turnbull, therefore, smart as Chinese Checkers, spent the two days after the robbery moving nimbly up and down hills and keeping successfully just outwith the reach of either the Kerrs or the Scotts, but moving imperceptibly southwards ready, when the time came, to usher their tired beasts into the Debatable Land and home.
They nearly succeeded, but being stupid men, they were beaten by one thing: Will Scott had posted scouts. When, at dusk on the 1st May, the man watching the pass at Canonbie saw the slow-moving, bleating patch of shadow in a far valley appear and make its herded and painful way towards the settlement of Turnbull, he put spurs to his horse, and within the hour, the Scotts had taken the road.
By then, Randy Bell was with them. Neither he nor Jerott nor Adam Blacklock had particularly enjoyed the ride from Dumbarton back to St Mary’s through the previous night, although the last two had slept at least since covering the same ground on the way north. They had reached St Mary’s to find that, as they had expected, Gabriel had long since left with the company to police the Trodd. Messengers hourly told them that he had located the Kerrs and was staying with them, but that the stolen animals had not yet been found. He had not so far been able to trace Will Scott and his party.
Lymond’s orders had been that all three of his officers should immediately join Gabriel. If the Scotts and the Kerrs were conducting a separate search, he had instructed that Gabriel, Bell and Jerott should stay with one faction, and Blacklock and Guthrie attach themselves to the other, with half of the remaining officers and the men of St Mary’s with each.
It was clear however, when the three men arrived at St Mary’s, that the double journey to and from Dumbarton without pause had been a good deal to expect from the doctor, tough as he was, without at least an hour’s rest before continuing south. Further, they found that Scott’s whereabouts were still unknown. So it came about that Jerott set off, after a brief meal, to join Graham Malett and the whole company of St Mary’s with the Kerrs, while Blacklock stretched his weak leg and snatched an hour or two’s rest beside the snoring form of Randy Bell.
The next messenger to arrive after they were astir had news of Will Scott. The stolen herd had been located in Turnbull country, and the Scotts were riding there. Bell and Blacklock paused only to send word to Gabriel, and followed them.
They caught up with the Scotts, riding through Liddesdale after dark, and Buccleuch’s heir, already out of temper at their head, looked less than pleased to see them. Will Scott, it was plain, had hoped to manage this little expedition without any interference from St Mary’s, and the news that Graham Malett and the entire company were on their way to help him retrieve his beasts was almost more unwelcome than the news that the Kerrs were sufferers also, and would be with him.
Adam Blacklock sympathized. He understood and was amused by the big,