Bumpy Escape

Chapter 24: Bumpy Escape

In the final week of May 1893, Priscilla saw her opportunity and decided to act on her plan.

Sir Nathaniel had turned his old house in the hamlet of Westerdale into a hospital, which he occasionally visited. Early on Friday afternoon, there had been a signal that his services as a doctor were required and he had left on Thunder. Francis arrived and after he had unloaded the cart, Fanny took the opportunity to show him her room. While that was happening, Priscilla sneaked downstairs, through the unlocked front door and hid under some empty sacks in the cart.

Abigail distracted the fraternal twins until Fanny spotted the horse and ushered Francis out of the house. The doctor’s return allowed the pair to set off with their concealed passenger bracing herself for the downhill trip. Because of the hill travel there was a divide so goods did not fall out so the most anybody looking would have seen of Priscilla was her tiny hand gripping the back of the vehicle.

This was one of those weekends during which brother and sister would travel to Whitby. Priscilla decided she would spend the night in the stable and would hopefully awake undetected. She was confident her sister was sly enough to explain her absence at supper, but if Nathaniel insisted on checking on her then it would not take him long to work out what had happened. She may have had the advantage of a doppelganger but, unlike Caroline, she did not underestimate her father’s intelligence. If her escape remained undetected until Saturday, she would at the very least have a morning of freedom in the port.

The Bells, despite having a raucous time the evening before, awoke early and lifted some trading items into the back of the cart. Priscilla, who had been jolted out her dreams by the opening of the shed, was terrified of detection but on that particular day fortune favoured her with the considerable aid of the darkness in the stable. She reflected on just how lucky she was to avoid being crushed and gained confidence in the soundness of her plan as a result.

“Come on Blossom! Come on Juniper.” called Francis addressing his 2 faithful steeds as he harnessed them up for the challenging journey to the coast. The terrain meant at least double the effort that it would have been on the flat but the horses were strong and well cared for. The stowaway would have loved to have listened in on the conversation of the siblings but the noise of the road provided a mutual muffling.

When they eventually stopped, Priscilla with her discomfort becoming unbearable hoped she had reached her destination. Sadly for her, Fanny and Francis had made their planned stop at Lealholm to enjoy a hearty breakfast at The Board Inn, where they were very popular visitors. The escapee nevertheless managed to deal with some hygiene issues away from prying eyes and rearranged her immediate vicinity to give herself greater comfort and privacy.

Nearly always in good spirits when together, those at the front of the cart enjoyed the final few miles, despite now being among the scarred Satanic hills of mining and industry. The gulls overhead indicated the proximity of the sea and Priscilla made ready her disembarkation. She had not really thought this far ahead and now assumed that if she stayed while they emptied the cart, revelation was certain. She was now free of the sacks and doing her best to peer over the divide and the side to pick an opportune moment. The exhilaration when it came almost made her cry out in triumph. Someone probably saw the lady fall into hay by the side of the road but the incident went unreported. Priscilla, for the first time in her life, felt the wind of freedom.