‘It’s the oldest and the longest wall in the country: eight million bricks. Most of the Equals didn’t bother enclosing everything, just the house and immediate grounds. But not the Parva-Jardines. They did the woods, the whole lot. You see it?’
Despite herself, Abi’s attention shifted. She buzzed down the car window, as if that would somehow bring her closer to the ribbon of brick that wound around the lush green fields, wrapping up England’s landscape like a present – to be opened by the Equals only.
‘It’s not very high,’ she said in surprise. ‘I always thought the walls would be much taller than that. It doesn’t look like it could keep deer in, let alone slaves.’
The woman gave a short, barking laugh, as if she’d told a good joke. ‘It keeps them in all right. But it’s not the bricks that take care of that. Not even the Equals themselves can get into or out of that place, except when the Young Master lets them.’
‘The Young Master?’
That must be the youngest Jardine son: Silyen.
Abi knew that Skill was woven into most of the estate walls – a legacy of Black Billy’s Revolt of 1802. That had begun when a blacksmith led an army of labourers against their lords at Ide, and ended with the smith being tortured to death using monstrous implements he had first been Skillfully compelled to forge. Immediately after, the Equals had begun raising walls around their estates. It was said that some of the most powerful families additionally had gatekeepers, to maintain the centuries-old layers of defensive Skill. And the Jardines were the most powerful of all – the Founding Family.
Were the gatekeeper stories true? And if they were, Silyen Jardine – just seventeen years old – was surely an odd choice for such a responsibility. A bit like entrusting Luke with the sole key to the house, Abi thought, only to feel the sharp stab of her brother’s absence once more.
Meanwhile the LAB woman, mortifyingly, had misinterpreted Abi’s curiosity.
‘Don’t you be getting interested in the Young Master, my girl. From what I hear the boy’s a strange one, even among them lot. Never seen in a car; goes everywhere on horseback.’
Abi flushed. She caught the woman’s eye in the rearview mirror and saw something unexpected there: concern.
‘No, don’t you get interested in any of them. That’s the only safe way for folks like us. You see nothing, you hear nothing, and you do your job. People see these estates as a soft option, but I’ve heard stories that’d freeze your blood. When my time comes, Millmoor will be good enough for me, among my own kind.’
Abi sat back in her seat, cross and embarrassed. Who in their right mind would prefer a slavetown to this lush, open countryside? The air on her face through the open car window was fresh and sweet. No, she’d made the right choice in getting her family to Kyneston, she was sure of it. And she’d ensure Luke made it here, too.
The car’s wheels crunched over stones as it pulled onto the side of the road. There was nothing special about the spot, just more road and wall, same as there had been for the past ten minutes. Kyneston Estate must be huge.
‘Here we are,’ the LAB woman said. ‘Out you hop, and good luck. We’re half an hour early, but I could use the head start to get back up north. I’m sure that after all the effort you made to get here, you wouldn’t be thinking of disappearing.’
‘But there’s nothing here,’ said Abi. ‘What are we supposed to do, just wait? Will someone come and get us?’
‘I don’t know any more than you do, love. My instructions were to get the four of you here for 4 p.m. This is the spot. The GPS says so.’
‘Well, the GPS must be wrong.’
But the woman was having none of it. She was back to being a functionary, just following orders. There was no point arguing, so Abi opened her door, helped Daisy out, then went to the car boot and started hauling out their bags.
‘Have a quick ten years,’ the driver said.
Then she closed the vehicle windows so quickly you’d think the air was poisoned. Gravel flew from beneath the tyres as the car turned and sped off.
Mum slumped down on the small heap of their possessions, the fight temporarily gone out of her. Dad stood beside her, staring into the distance, still smarting with humiliation and impotence at his failure to rescue his son. At least Abi hoped that was it, rather than delayed concussion. Either way, they had both better snap out of it soon, or the Jardines would take one look and send the lot of them to Millmoor to join Luke.
Daisy settled into the clipped grass verge, making a chain of her namesake flower. Abi told her not to wander into the road, and got a do-you-think-I’m-stupid look for her pains. Checking her watch, she decided there’d be time for a brief exploration. Ten minutes to jog in the direction they’d been travelling, with the same time to get back, still gave her ten minutes’ grace before 4 p.m.