Jamaica Inn, Part 5, Lost on the moor "

Mary narrator There was nothing but a few sacks and the rope in the locked room. My uncle has returned and is very angry about Mr Bassat’s visit. He storms out of the house and sets off across the moor. Suddenly I have a mad plan. I put on my shoes and follow him.

Mary He’s walking too fast. I can’t keep up. It’s no good - he’s disappeared! It’s getting dark. I must go back… Do I go right or left here? I don’t remember this stream… Oh no! I’m totally lost!

Vicar Hello, what are you doing out on the moor?

Mary I’m lost.

Vicar Where are you going?

Mary Jamaica Inn.

Vicar That’s the other side of the moor - but you’re exhausted ! Come back with me. You can rest and I’ll take you back.

Mary
You’re very kind.

Mary narrator He looks strange. His hair is white, and his eyes are pale. His voice is young, though.

Vicar I’m Francis Davey, Vicar of Altarnun. Please, come.

Vicar Are you feeling better now?

Mary Yes, thank you.

Mary narrator He has white hair and his eyes are like a blind man’s - and yet his voice is gentle.

Vicar It was lucky I ran into you. Why were you on the moor tonight?

Mary narrator Suddenly I want to tell him everything.

Mary It’s terrible! You’ve probably heard rumours. They come at night, with their wagons. That first night there were six or seven of them. They brought huge boxes - they put them in a room by the bar. A man was killed - I saw the rope! Oh! What have I done? I shouldn’t have said anything!

Vicar Don’t worry - I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want me to .

Mary But what should I do?

Vicar Wait. Watch your uncle. When the wagons come, tell me immediately .

Mary What about the man who was killed? Can’t we do something about that?

Vicar I think not. If there was a body, the police would surely investigate - but that’s unlikely now. Could it be your imagination? All you saw was a piece of rope.

Mary I heard my uncle threaten him.

Vicar People threaten others every day. Listen: you can talk to me any time.

Mary narrator He drives me home. My uncle has been drinking. He stays drunk for five days. Today it’s sunny, so I am out on the moor again.

Mary Where do these ponies come from?

Jem Hey! Mary!

Mary Oh, hello!

Jem I didn’t expect you so soon!

Mary I didn’t plan to come this way.

Jem So what’s been happening at Jamaica Inn?

Mary We had a visit from Mr Bassat.

Jem Did you now? How much do you know Mary?

Mary I just want to get my aunt away. Your brother can drink himself to death for all I care.

Jem So the smuggling doesn’t shock you? What about murder, though?

Mary I don’t know what you mean.

Jem Why are you so silent, Mary? Even a child would know something was going on at Jamaica Inn. ‘We’re bad, us Merlyns - and Jem is the worst.’ Is that what you’re thinking?

Mary Something like that, but I’m not afraid of you. I’d even like you if you didn’t remind me of your brother .

Jem I’m better looking!

Mary I must get back.

Jem Are you coming with me to Launceston on Christmas Eve? I want to sell this pony.

Mary And if you’re caught selling a stolen pony, I’ll go to prison like you.

Jem I won’t be caught. Come, don’t you like a bit of excitement?

Mary Well… where shall we meet?

Mary narrator It’s late when I get back and my uncle is lying drunk in the kitchen, surrounded by empty bottles. My aunt is in bed.

Joss Who’s there? Put away that knife!

Mary Uncle Joss, it’s me, Mary.

Joss Mary - where are they?

Mary There’s no one here. What’s wrong, Uncle Joss?

Joss They can’t hurt me now. They’re all dead. Sit by me, Mary… It’s this drink! I’ve killed men with my own hands. But when I’m drunk I’m afraid. I see them in my dreams, floating on the water… The ship: it was on the rocks but the water was flat and they were coming into the shore alive! We had to kill them all. One woman - she was holding on to some wood with her child. The water was only up to her shoulder. She cried out to me to help her: I took a stone and smashed her with it. I watched her and her child drown in four feet of water. We killed them all with stones and rocks.

Mary narrator My blood turns cold, and I feel sick. My uncle is a murderer - that I suspected, but what he has just told me chills me to the bone. What terrible crime will he carry out next?

Join me in the next episode when I go to the horse market with Jem, but things don’t go to plan.