Page 17 of Beatrix

Fortunately, the term industrious in the charity’s title didn’t include gardening, and the wilderness outside the back swallowed them up quickly.

Moments later, they were gathered underneath a wall which Billy privately thought could rival the one in a country called China he’d seen a picture of.

‘Now what?’ Charlotte hissed to the two Bristoleans.

‘Me an’ Arnold ‘ad a quick look down ‘ere last time afore we went in ter rescue young dodger, ere,’ Gladys hissed back. ‘The only way out’s a gap at the far end where the wall’s collapsin’. Yer’ll ‘ave ter watch yer step though. The garden behind’s a bit lower than this one.’ Without waiting to see if they followed, she hurried along the wall, keeping her head and shoulders tucked down. After a quick glance towards Charlotte, Arnold turned and followed, his large bulk almost forcing him to bend forward from the waist.

Instinctively the rest of the group looked towards Ben and Henry, clearly assuming them the font of all knowledge on any local police force, but it was actually Rob who got them all moving by wordlessly taking hold of Beatrix’s arm and propelling her, gently but insistently in the direction the other two had taken.

A few minutes later, they were gathered behind a large sycamore tree in the bottom corner of the garden where, sure enough, the wall had begun to collapse.

The result was a gap of about two feet. Unfortunately, however, the word gap could be open to interpretation, since getting up to the actual breach was still a precarious climb of at least three feet with only loose rocks to scramble up.

‘I can’t deuced well climb that,’ Charlotte declared, her usual strident tones reduced to a heated whisper.

‘It’s yer only choice, Mrs,’ retorted Gladys, busy tucking her skirts into her draws, ‘Unless o’ course yer fancy havin’ a chat wi’ the peelers?’

Without further ado, the barmaid took hold of Arnold’s proffered arm and stepped onto the first rock. Seconds later, she was at the top, her companion quickly following. To Charlotte’s consternation, the next move necessitated sitting down with exposed draws.The matron pursed her lips. It was one thing to be in a state of deshabille in front of family members but quite another to be so lacking in modesty in front of a man she had only recently met.

Strangely enough, it was only one particular man she was concerned about...

Glancing behind anxiously, Henry quickly realised they were in the shadow of the tree, and unless they were very unlucky, could not be seen from the house. That said, it was only a matter of time before those now searching inside realised their quarry had already left by the back door.

After a slight hesitation, Beatrix and Arabella began tucking their skirts into their underwear - the possibility of a night in a police cell overcoming any concern about propriety.

Finally, with a pained sigh, Charlotte followed suit. Billy couldn’t help blinking at the voluminous draws his mistress was wearing. They didn’t resemble anything he’d seen in Rossiters’ unmentionables department.

Wisely he chose not to comment. And more importantly, he also resisted the urge to snigger.

Rob briefly grasped the shoulders of the other two men, then stepped forward, taking hold of the tumble of rocks and climbing swiftly up with the ease of a man clearly accustomed to hill walking. Once at the top, he turned and whispered, ‘Henry, Ben, if you can assist each of the ladies as they begin the climb, I’ll take over as soon as they’re close enough for me to grasp.’

Beatrix went first. As she climbed, she couldn’t help wondering what all the fuss was about.

On reaching the top and staring down over the other side, however, she found herself muttering something unrepeatable under her breath. Eyes wide, she looked incredulously over at Rob, who astonishingly was grinning like a buffoon. Both Gladys and Arnold were standing at the foot of the gap on the other side of the wall.

A drop of about ten feet.

‘Sit down carefully,’ Rob ordered. Despite the expression on his face, his command brooked no argument. With only the slightest hesitation, Bea did as he asked, mentally wishing him the best of luck with her aunt. She took her time, with him holding tightly on to her arm until she was secure. Seconds later, he sat down beside her and leaned close to whisper her next move. Beatrix’s response was to wonder if he was quite mad…

In the event, she landed in Arnold’s arms with relative ease, as did Arabella after her.

Unfortunately, as ever, it wasn’t quite so simple with Charlotte.

The three remaining members of the party were getting noticeably more anxious with each passing moment as Charlotte wavered, only finally handing Billy her jacket and reticule as her sibling’s face turned a peculiar shade of puce.

After curtly informing Benedict to go ahead of them, Henry found himself standing directly underneath her while trying to avoid being kicked in the head. Unfortunately, that was where any relief ended. Staring up at her voluminous undergarments, revealed in all their glory by the tucked-up skirt, he gritted his teeth while tentatively placing his hands on her bustle with the purpose of giving her a bit of a boost. Unfortunately, as he’d found on the previous occasion involving the ladder, a lady’s bustle was not a particularly sturdy, motionless item of clothing and had a disturbing tendency to slip one way or the other when grasped firmly… on this occasion causing Charlotte to inadvertently use his head as a stepping stone.

Henry managed to avoid wobbling for all of three seconds as Charlotte endeavoured to place her other foot in a position that wouldn’t result in her doing a backward somersault.

Unfortunately, once the wobble started, it was away from the rock fall, rather than towards it. Slowly, Charlotte’s foot slid down next to his left ear, which in fairness possibly prevented a permanent brain injury. On the negative side, however, since his sister’s many talents did not include dancing in either the ballet or burlesque, the only effect her slow performing splits produced was the ominous - not to mention, very loud - ripping of her draws.

Henry’s strangled gurgling brought Billy hurrying up behind him. Dropping his burden, the boy turned round and shoved his back against his mentor’s, much as one would when trying to stop someone pushing a door open. ‘I’ve got yer Mr ‘Enry,’ he panted, while his feet slowly but surely slid out from underneath him.

Fortunately, mere seconds before Charlotte lost any lingering claim to modesty, Ben and Rob managed to catch hold of each of her flailing hands and pull her upwards to the top of the breach.

Unfortunately, however, such was their desperation, the force with which they propelled her upwards was perhaps a little over enthusiastic. In the event, her feet only momentarily touched the ground before momentum took her over the other side… and into Arnold's waiting arms.

Her shriek as she disappeared from view was more of a strangled whimper, leaving Henry staring upwards in silent horror.