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cottage and sat down, not knowing what to do. I wished Granny would come in. We would have to speak to Joe, make him understand the danger he ran in doing such a reckless thing.
    I waited and waited and still Granny did not come — nor did Joe. I reckoned that I had sat there for an hour when I could endure it no longer, so I dressed and, leaving the cottage, made my way towards the Abbas woods.
    It was a still and beautiful night. Everything seemed slightly weird but enchanting, touched by moonlight. I thought of the Six Virgins and wished that I were making that trip to see the stones, which I had promised myself, instead of coming out to look for Joe.
    There was a chill in the air but I was glad of it and I ran all the way to the woods. I stood on the edge of them wondering what to do next. I daren’t call Joe, for if any of the gamekeepers should be about, that would attract their attention. Yet if Joe had gone into the woods, it would not be easy for me to find him.
    Joe, I thought, you fool! Why do you have to have this obsession, when it makes you do things like this which could bring trouble … great trouble?
    I stood by the board which I knew said private, and told people that if they trespassed they would be prosecuted. These boards were all over the woods as a warning.
    “Joe!” I whispered, then wondered if I had spoken too loudly. I went a little way into the woods and thought how silly I was. It was better to go home. He might be there by now.
    Horrible pictures kept flashing in and out of my mind. Suppose he found a wounded bird? Suppose he were caught with the bird. But if he were foolish, there was no need for me to be. I should go back to the cottage, climb to the talfat, and go to sleep. There was nothing I could do.
    But I found it difficult to leave the woods because Joe was my charge, and I must look after him. I should never forgive myself if I failed him.
    I prayed, there in the woods that night, that nothing bad should happen to my brother. The only time I thought of praying was when I wanted something. Then I prayed with all my being, desperately and earnestly, and waited for God to answer.
    Nothing happened, but I still stood, hoping. I was delaying returning, because something told me that Joe wouldn’t be back at the cottage if I did go back, when I heard a sound. I was alert, listening; it was the whine of a dog.
    “Squab!” I whispered, and I seemed to have spoken louder than I thought, for my voice echoed through the woods. A rustling of undergrowth and then, there he was, thrusting against me, making low whining noises, looking up at me as though he wanted to tell me something.
    I knelt down. “Squab, where is he, Squab? Where’s Joe?”
    When he ran a little distance from me, stopped and looked back at me, I knew he was trying to tell me that Joe was somewhere in the woods and he could take me to him. I followed Squab.
    When I saw Joe, I was numb with horror. I could only stand still, staring at him and that hideous contraption in which he was held. I could think of nothing, so great was my despair. Joe, caught in the prohibited woods — caught in a mantrap.
    I tried to pull at the cruel steel but it would not yield to my puny strength.
    “Joe!” I whispered. Squab whined and rubbed against me, looking up at me, imploring me to help, but Joe did not answer me.
    Frantically I pulled at those hideous teeth but I could not pry them apart. Panic took hold of me; I had to release my brother before he was found in that trap. If he were alive, they would take him before the magistrates. Sir Justin would have no mercy. If he were alive! He must be alive. One thing I could not bear was that Joe should be dead. Anything but that, for while he lived I could always do something to save him. I would do something.
    You could always do what you wanted to … provided you tried enough, was one of Granny’s maxims and I believed everything she told me. And now when I was confronted by something