The Planting of the Penny Hedge Read online

  With his father being the chief of police, and his mother having been a social butterfly around town Matthews couldn’t go anywhere in Whitby without people knowing who he was. Most just said hello in passing, some were more intrusive and insisted on consoling him on his mother’s recent death. Luckily for Matthews he was not one to feel pressured into hanging around for a conversation with anybody, especially when he had things to do.

  Matthews managed to get to the general store for some more cleaning supplies, the bakery for what little supplies of bread they still had, and the fish mongers to make something for his dinner. Everyone that served him wanted to chat with him about his mother and father and welcomed him back to town. By the time he came to the door of the final shop, he nearly walked past it out of sheer exhaustion of hearing the same old questions. He was stood outside the greengrocers and decided he better go inside, otherwise he would be eating the fish he purchased on its own.

  ‘Are my eyes deceiving me or has Benjamin Matthews just walked through the door.’ A young bearded man hollered with a deep husky voice. Matthews sighed at yet another interaction before realising who it was.

  ‘It can’t be little John Travers Cornwell, the scrawny kid who followed me around at school every day. What on earth are you doing in here…and behind the counter, not steeling things are you.’ He joked, and the two men laughed. ‘I thought you had joined the navy? Last I heard you’d gone to Plymouth, and had no intention of returning.’

  Matthews dumped his bags in the corner and went to shake his old friends hand. John was twenty-four years old, the same as Matthews, yet his thick unruly beard, wiry hair and tired face made him look twice the age of the detective. He was tall like Matthews, and had bright blue eyes that stood out against his dark beard and pale skin, he had broad shoulders and was much more muscular than Matthews remembered. He was the typical tall, dark and handsome type.

  ‘It sure is. Friends call me Jack these days.’ The two friends shook hands across the counter. ‘Returned to Whitby only last week to be precise, this is my father’s store. It’s the best I have now that the navy discharged me.’

  ‘Oh, why so?’

  ‘Injury, I’ve been in hospital the last couple of months. An explosion shattered my leg, took them a long time to retrieve the shards of metal and glass lodged in there. Thought I might lose my leg at one point, but thankfully I still have it, be that with horrendous scars and I can’t walk too far anymore…but it could have been much worse.’

  ‘Jack I’m so sorry, I remember it was always your dream, it’s all you’d talk about as a child.’

  ‘Well I lived that dream, now it’s time to find out what the next one is. I’ll be dammed if I’m staying in this poky shop the rest of my life. By the way, I heard about your mother, my condolences to you and your family.’

  ‘Thank you. We should go for a drink sometime, catch up properly.’

  ‘I, that we should. Although I hear you are a big deal police officer now, is it okay for you to be seen out with a simple shop assistant like me.’ Jack laughed, as did Matthews.

  ‘I think I can make an exception for an ex-navy hero,’ replied Matthews. The two men talked and talked until Jack realised that it was closing time. He served his friend for the items he wanted, some potatoes and carrots, and Matthews left him to close up.

  The walk home was not long, but with armfuls of shopping the journey appeared longer than normal, he regretted sending Harvey and the carriage home. As he reached his house, he was surprised to see his sister Charlotte standing on the doorstep. She was a lot shorter than her brother, but had the same brown hair which she always tied up, and the same striking green eyes. She lived with their father, and was a school teacher in the town. Having only just turned eighteen she looked barely a child herself. Their mother’s death had hit Charlotte the hardest, they were the closest in the family and spent so much time together that Charlotte was struggling to adjust. Matthews knew that his father had put in the request for Matthews return to Whitby in the hope it would make Charlotte happier, and for her to have somebody to fuss over no doubt.

  ‘Ah… here you are,’ she rushed to help him with his groceries, ‘I wondered if you would be home.’

  ‘Lotty, it is good to see you.’ Matthews gave her a hug the best he could through all the items in his arms. ‘What are you doing here?’ He led her inside and she closed the door behind them.

  ‘I knew you would be busy, father told me he has assigned you a case already; I told him that was a little unfair not to give you a day or two to settle in.’ She looked around the kitchen as Matthews placed his shopping on the table. ‘It certainly needs a bit of love in here doesn’t it?’

  ‘More than a bit I would say.’

  ‘I brought you a couple of bits down, I didn’t think you would have had time to shop, but I see I am too late.’ She placed a basket besides his shopping. ‘Just a small number of things I baked earlier today, there is always far too much for just me and father.’ Matthews thanked her as he started to unpack his shopping. The cleaning items he left out, ready to tackle the house again. Charlotte offered to help, and assisted whilst her brother began cleaning the kitchen counters.

  ‘It is good to have you back in Whitby, I never liked you being so far away.’

  ‘I was only in York, Lotty, it was not exactly that far away.’

  ‘I know, but we used to have tea together most nights, and that all stopped after you moved away. Mother was upset too, but she would never say because she knew it was what you wanted.’ She spoke whilst standing on a stool wiping down the dirty window. Her brother besides her, cleaning out the bare cupboards that were filled with dust and cobwebs that must have been there for months.

  ‘You know I didn’t go to York to get away from you Lotty, but I wanted to be an officer and I couldn’t do that on my own merit here with father as chief.’

  ‘But surely you are pleased to be back, this house is much bigger than the room you were renting in York, and being a detective is a promotion most officers only dream of.’

  ‘It is not a promotion when it is handed to you for no other reason than your father being the chief. Lotty I would take that room in York any day over this filthy house and job. Father had no right in meddling in my career.’

  ‘He was only trying to do right by you, he wanted you to have a secure job, a roof over your head; can’t you at least be grateful for that.’ She stepped off of the stool and threw the rag into the sink. ‘You only have one family Benjamin, don’t let your pride stand in the way of seeing a good opportunity.’ She stormed out of the kitchen and headed for the front door, Matthews followed her.

  ‘Don’t leave Lotty, I don’t wish us to argue.’

  ‘I have to go, father will be wanting his dinner on the table when he gets home. I’ll come back tomorrow if you like, you’ll need help cleaning this place up, and I don’t see you getting many offers to help. Let’s be honest, I’ve only seen down here and it’s going to take days just to get it respectable; I may need to come a couple of days as you can’t do this and solve a case on your own.’ She flung open the door and before he could answer she left, leaving Matthews in the doorway watching her march along the street. He knew his sister wouldn’t stay mad at him for long, in fact her offer to come back and help showed she wasn’t really that angry with him; but although Matthews could see his father’s gestures were meant in a good way, he still saw them as an unearned achievement that the rest of the Whitby Police Force will see as a hand-me-down.

  As he went to close his front door a distant voice caught his attention.

  ‘Detective Matthews!’ The voice shrieked up the street. He returned to the doorstep to see Harvey running along the road towards his house at full speed.

  ‘What’s the matter boy?’ Harvey skidded to a halt, and through desperate breaths tried to speak.

  ‘De-tect-ive…’ he gasped. ‘Come quick…the library closes in thirty minutes.’

  ‘What are
you going on about, come in and I will pour you a drink.’

  ‘N… No t… time Detective. You need to c-come to the library with me now. I have found something that m-may tell us what the structure holding down the dead man was.’

  ‘But surely it was simply something to restrain his body?’

  ‘No detective, I think it is more than that.’

  Chapter 10

  Matthews raced inside for his hat and coat and was back at Harvey’s side within seconds. The two of them barely spoke as they raced down the street and back towards the town.

  ‘Why did you not bring the book to me?’

  ‘I’m sorry, Sir,’ Harvey spluttered, ‘I do not have a library card and the librarian wouldn’t let me take it.’

  Matthews led the way down a narrow passage between two buildings as a short cut down to the harbour side where the library was located. Whitby had many of these dark narrow passages and Matthews knew them all like the palm of his hand. He had often heard Whitby being described as an ant’s nest, with so many paths and passages leading off in different directions any unfamiliar traveller would easily become lost if strayed from the main streets.

  As they approached the end of the alley, the sound and smells of the harbour started to become clear, and upon turning the corner Matthews slammed straight into an oncoming lady, nearly knocking both of them over.

  ‘I do apologies Miss…’ Matthews stopped, his hand still holding onto the woman’s arm as he had tried to catch her from falling, and realised who it was. ‘Grace, I do beg your pardon.’ She retrieved her arm from his grasp, brushed down her dress as though wiping away any dirt, and recomposed herself.

  ‘Well no harm done,’ she said with a smile, ‘good day detective.’

  Grace was beautiful and elegant and charming, but here before him now she stood with a cut under her eye and what was clearly the start of a bruise around it. ‘Is everything okay?’

  ‘Why would it not be, I am just returning home.’ She continued passed him, but he quickly jumped back in front of her.

  ‘Tell me, I know you wish to protect him, but did he do this to you?’ She did not say a word and brushed passed him again.

  ‘Detective,’ Harvey called, Matthews ignored him and again blocked Grace’s path.

  ‘Grace please, I do not wish for you to get hurt. I need to know if he did this to you. Violence will not be tolerated and I can stop him, but you need to tell me.’

  ‘Detective,’ Harvey shouted again.

  ‘Thank you for your concern detective, it is good to know that the police force has men who care for the citizens, but please do concern yourself with somebody who actually needs your help.’ She again tried to pass him, but this time he took hold of her hand.

  ‘Grace, don’t let him win. Don’t let him keep hurting you.’

  ‘I would appreciate it detective if you unhanded me,’ her voice turned angry, ‘I do not wish for you to start idle gossip about me being beaten, this cut on my face was a simple accident in which I would like you to mind your own business. Now good day, detective.’ She snatched her hands from his grip and took off along the pavement at a brisk walk, holding up her long dress slightly so she did not trip on it.

  ‘Detective, please.’ Harvey called.

  The detective stood and watched Grace disappear around the corner. He then turned back to Harvey and they continued at speed towards the library.

  ‘Harvey I would like you to do something for me.’ Matthews sounded serious as he continued marching along the road.

  ‘Yes detective?’

  ‘I believe that Grace is in danger, and that she is protecting her fiancé who is hurting her. I need you to keep an eye on her for me.’ Harvey nodded and neither of them said any more on the subject as they reached the library.

  When Matthews and Harvey entered the library, Harvey rushed off to retrieve the book and Matthews went to speak with the librarian who was sitting behind a tall counter.

  ‘Good evening Ms, my name is Detective Matthews, I work at the Whitby police department…’

  ‘I know who you are, you’re little Benjamin Matthews, your grandmother and I were close friends.’ The elderly woman smiled at Matthews. ‘How can I help you?’

  ‘I am working on a case and my…’ for a moment he wasn’t sure how to introduce Harvey, was he his assistant, his driver….what? ‘…my assistant wishes me to see something he found in a book that may help the case, do you mind if we take a quick look before you lock up.’

  ‘Of course not detective, in fact it takes me a while once I’ve locked the doors anyway, so take your time and let me know when you want to leave.’ She took out her keys and started heading towards the doors, Matthews made his way through the aisles of tall bookshelves to find Harvey.

  ‘I’m over here detective.’ Came Harvey’s voice, he had found a small seating area and was flicking through an old tatty book. ‘Here detective, this is the page.’ He handed over the book. There on the paper was a hand drawn sketch of the small fence like structure which had bound the victim.

  ‘How did you come across this Harvey?’

  ‘I’m sorry detective, I did something I know I’m not supposed to, but you see there is this girl who works at the library, she has gone home now, and I was telling her I was assisting you. Well I may have gone too far and told her a few things I shouldn’t and I mentioned about the fence like restraint on the man. She told me about this ritual and told me that it would likely be written about in one of these books, and after a short search, I found it.’

  ‘Harvey your wandering mouth is not appreciated, especially in the means of impressing girls. However you do seem to have come across something, let’s see what we have here.’ He moved closer to a burning candle perched on a table, the library was quite dark back here away from the windows. Keeping hold of the page he needed, he turned the book over to inspect the cover. A simple old leather-bound book with a marble styled pattern on the front and back. The spine again covered in the brown leather, with a small square darker section with gold writing that read “History of Whitby”. The book was certainly worn and smelt of old leather and paper combined. Matthews sneaked a look onto the first page to see if there was any more information on the book. On the inside cover was a fold out map of the town, and on the first page read the words “A History of Whitby and of Whitby Abbey”. The authors name was Lionel Charlton and it read that this was one of three books regarding the history of the town. He turned back to the page Harvey had given him and began to read.

  “Every year on the eve of Ascension Day the ceremony of the Horngarth, or the Planting of the Penny Hedge, takes place in Whitby’s upper harbour. Ascension Day being chosen for the ceremony because it falls forty days after Easter Day, ensures that the tide is always low at the appointed time.”

  ‘So is it a religious ceremony?’ asked Harvey.

  ‘I’m not sure yet, did you not read this already?’

  ‘Not really, I saw the picture of it and came straight to see you.’ Matthews gave a snigger, amused by Harvey’s eagerness and also his lack of checking facts. He turned back to the book and continued to read it out loud.

  “The penny hedge is constructed with nine upright hazel stakes driven into the mud with an ancient mallet, nine ‘yethers’ or pliant branches for intertwining, and is braced at each end with ‘strout-stowers’…It must be strong enough to withstand three tides.”

  ‘Well it certainly managed that.’ Matthews smirked.

  ‘But what is the point of it?’ Harvey quizzed. Matthews scanned the page as though trying to find the part he wanted.

  “In the fifth year of the reign of King Henry II, (1159) the Abbot of Whitby imposed a penance on three hunters, and their descendants for all time, for murdering a hermit at Eskdale. The hermit, who survived his injuries for three days sought to forgive the hunters and wished them no harm on the promise that they and their dependents enact a penance.”

  ‘What does that mean?’
Asked Harvey.

  ‘It means that he wished for them to perform a task. It looks like they were to make the penny hedge each and every year, on Ascension Day, and their descendants had to continue the penance every year.’ Matthews continued scanning the story.

  ‘When is Ascension Day?’

  ‘It says forty days after Easter,’ Matthews face screwed up for a moment whilst he tried to remember when Easter had been. ‘I think Easter Sunday was the 29th March, or somewhere around the, which means that forty days later would be about the time it was made, but what I don’t understand is why there was a body entangled in it this year. Nothing in this story mentions a sacrifice of any kind; the penny hedge is simply to be made to withstand three tides, that is all. So where did a body come from?’

  ‘You also read that the penny hedge is built on the upper harbour, but this was on the beach. So maybe it’s not the same.’ Harvey said.

  ‘Looking at the description, and the pencil sketch, I think it is certainly an exact match. The problem is why was is done on the beach, and what does James Robinson have to do with it all?’

  ‘Does it say anything else?’ Harvey enquired.

  ‘It does say that the penny hedge ceremony must be performed under the supervision of the Bailiff of the Manor of Fyling. But considering I have never heard of the Manor of Fyling we may need to do a little more digging.’

  Chapter 11

  It was Saturday morning and Detective Matthews had made a start cleaning his living room before his sister arrived. He knew she would arrive early, and as expected she knocked on the door at half past eight.