Chapter-9
My mistress was getting weak and unhealthy, day by day. She was frail. Ginger, I and Merrylegs missed her too much for the outings. My master looked so worried all the time that we had prepared ourselves for some bad tidings.
One day while we were enjoying our siesta, Ginger called me up and told me that she had heard the master say that they were going to leave the town for many years.
The doctor in his consultation had advised my mistress to go to some warm country to live, as a part of her treatment.
Next day, I overheard the master speaking to John that Merrylegs would be sent to the Vicar to live there. Even John had to look for a new place to work. The master had asked him which job he would like to do.
It did not take him long to decide that he could be a horse trainer or colt-breaker.
Joe Green was to go with Merrylegs to the Vicar where he would take care of Merrylegs till he was alive. When horses get old or are severely wounded, they are shot dead by masters. So, it was all settled on the part of Merrylegs.
For John Manly, the master had written a letter addressing to his agent who lived in London saying that he should find some place to work for John.
I heard John telling all this to Joe. I wondered where our next home was going to be. One day, John said that Ginger and I would go to Earlshall Park. The master living there was a very rich person and also a good friend of the Squire.
So, the preparations were being made in the depths of our hearts thinking that we should depart for the sake of the life and health of the mistress.
Finally, the day of adieu came. Since morning, one by one, the horses had been taken out of the stable to carry them to their new owner. Many of the servants were also missing. Even they had gone away. Joe came up to me. He had tears in his eyes. We had spent a long time together: I, Ginger, Merrylegs, John and Sir Oliver. But now, it was the end of everything. Then he caught Merrylegs by the bridle and led him out.
Ginger and I had to take the master and the mistress to the station.
By noon, all were gone except Ginger and I. Besides us, there were John, two or three servants and the master and the mistress. Each one of us had tears in eyes. I hadn’t come across such kind men.
Both of us were harnessed and the luggage was kept in the carriage. Finally, the master came downstairs with the mistress. I had seen her after a long period. She had been reduced to half her health. As we left Birtwick Park, I could feel each member of Birtwick Park weeping.
At the station, the master and the mistress came down the carriage to board the train. Joe helped the servants to take the luggage out of the carriage.
The mistress for the last time saw us, bidding us farewell. Joe stood beside me weeping silently and John was hiding his face in the carriage.
It was the worst day of my life. Next day, Ginger and I also had to leave Birtwick Park.
John led us to Earlshall Park. “Sir, you won’t get a better pair of horses than this one. They don’t even require a bearing rein or a whip. They are as swift and fast as wind,” John introduced us to Mr. York, the Earl’s coachman.
But what Mr. York told John was a matter of worry. John stood wondering if we could manage to stay there for long.
Mr. York said, “I myself don’t prefer the bearing rein much. The lordship does not mind either. But I fear the lady will have it on them.
She can never go out without the bearing rein on the horses put to her carriage. She appreciates that her horses hold their heads high towards the sky. It is her fashion and she believes in the latest trend.”
After this news, John didn’t actually want to leave us there. But he couldn’t break the promise he made to the master Squire. So he hung his head and left after patting us.
We stood thinking what was next in store for us.