Aunty

4

The three hedgehogs. That's what Zadie called us. Three hedgehogs going up against a fox. Was Walt a fox or a wolf? Fox, wolf, what did it matter? They all had nasty teeth.

We had decided to bypass Thrapston, cutting through fields, glens and walking creeks to get to the Washington estate. We currently traipsed up a small bare hill. The rain was heavy. If anyone was out in this weather, they'd have little interest in three bumps lurching through the muck. I didn't know if I had gotten us lost but trudged on anyway. The doe that Horence had killed yesterday gave me renewed strength, so I pushed my toeless shoe into the thick, wet grass like a vaunted field marshall.

We passed the bottom of the hill and ran into a hedge, which butted against yet another stand of small trees. It looked thick. I looked right then left, rain pouring down my face. There was no break, so I headed straight in. The sticks were not forgiving. Strong brown and slightly yielding a large branch whipped against my neck, yet I cared not. I came through, and finally we had reached the road.

Horence came next to me. Old friend. Tenuous. Grimy and sulking. He stared straight to the ground. His shaggy brown hair covered his face except for the greasy nose. He turned to me with a look as if to say, "Disappoint me again Rupert, won't you,"?

I shrugged.

Who has not angered a friend? Is it not those who you cross and yet still come back to you, your faithfuls?

I peered left and right, trying to get my bearings. The ground raised to the right. The trees were thinning out to the left, becoming more willow and beech than elm and lime. Thrapston would be to the left, it lying on the Nene river banks where it called to the water loving trees. Washington's estate will be south, up the hill, where the trees stomped through the drier ground.

It was near noon when we came upon the approach. The rain had stopped, and the sun was a white ball trying but failing to get through the clouds. Leafy shadows confused my legs. Zadie looked at me with a glance. Was she scared or excited? I couldn't tell. She did not scare easily, but Walt was a whole nother beast.

I slowed and came to the left side of the road, and we crunched together. I put out my hand, palm raised to quiet Z and H. My leather shoes were annoyingly loud, creaking even when I stood still. I took a deep breath, bent forward a tad, ear first. I could hear far off a saw. Then a horse whinny. Was that a voice? Deep and mumbling. Maybe the gardener quieting the animal. The only other sound was a creek.

I lifted my head. We were still a good quarter mile off, hidden behind a large elm. The Washington lane was empty, stretching on like a belt. Trees and flowers were impeccably trimmed on either side. The lane itself was flat and spilled its gravel onto the dirt road. The air was sour as I smelled the leaves begin their autumnal wasting. The sky was too bright for us to approach close to the lane.

"Let's sneak around back. The daylight is troublesome,".

Zadie peered at me.

"You don't think we could come up with a frontal approach? Like we're looking to sell something,"?

I shook my head.

"Don't they have dogs,"? she asked.

"Shit,".

Zadie was right. Dogs would cause problems.

"What if you and Horence head on up the lane and draw attention? That would let me sneak in around back,".

Horence spoke, "I could offer my services as a ditch digger, and report back,".

That had a ring of luck to it.