A Certain Threat (The Merriman Chronicles Book 1) Read Free Page A

lady, “Mr. Merriman has amply displayed the qualities we have come to expect from our naval heroes.”
    “ Nothing heroic about it” mumbled Merriman, “I took the fellows by surprise, and to quote the proverb, ‘A man surprised is half beaten’”.
    “ Come Sir, you are too modest” she replied.
    Merriman, beginning to tire of this repartee rose to his feet and with a muttered excuse he left the room, convinced that the woman was laughing at him.
    Soon afterwards they all boarded the coach.  The driver settled himself on his seat and gathered up the reins and his whip and at his shout the ostlers released their hold on the horses’ bridles and jumped clear.  At the crack of the whip over their heads the eager horses lunged forward and the coach was on its way.

Chapter 2: Home on the Estate
     
    Two days later the coach arrived in Chester and with a flourish of his whip the coachman turned the horses into the yard of the “Pied Bull” inn.  The passengers alighted thankfully, straightening cramped backs and legs with relief.
    A small crowd had gathered to welcome the travelers and Merriman saw his father at the back, somewhat aloof from the rest.  A voice in his ear and a hand on his arm made him turn to find the soldier behind him.  “I shall be in Chester for some time, quartered near the castle and I should be honoured if you were to allow me to entertain you to dinner one evening.”
    “ I would be delighted Sir, I’ll send a message to you when I’m settled.  I’m sure you will be welcome to my father’s house in return.”  With mutual expressions of goodwill, and a handclasp, the two friends parted.
    Merriman pushed through the crowd suddenly realizing that the tall young fellow next to his fat her must be his younger brother Matthew, now nearly fourteen years old.  As he embraced his father Merriman could not help but think how much older his father looked although the grasp of the hand was as strong and the great booming voice as powerful as ever it was when his father commanded one of His Majesty’s frigates.
    “ ‘Fore God, James, it is good to see you again after so long, what, five years is it?  Your mother and sister are waiting at home, but young Matthew here has been beside himself with excitement for a week or more, ever since we heard that you were coming home, and he would waste no time in meeting you.”
    His father grasped him by the shoulders, looking keenly into his face.  “Aye son, you’ve weathered some and you need feeding up a bit, but a few weeks of good home fare will soon put that right.  Now then, who is this fellow?  A sailor if I’m any judge.”
    Owen was standing behind Merriman trying to look inconspicuous, but with his great breadth of shoulder and his air of confidence and compete nce it was no easy matter and his tarpaulin jacket and other clothing and the pigtail he affected marked him as a seaman to anyone.
    “ This is Owen, Father, topmast hand in Conflict .  Somehow he attached himself to me when I was injured.  Without him I do not believe that I would be alive today.  He is worth three men in a fight.”
    “ Owen, eh!  You’ll be a Welshman then!  Good man, we’ll find room for you.  I see that you have the Lieutenant’s baggage there already, so bring it along to the carriage and we’ll be off.”
    Whilst all this was happening, Matthew was practically bouncing with excitement, pulling on his brother ’s sleeve and asking questions one after the other without waiting for an answer.  “Steady on there”, said Merriman, laughing, “I’ll tell you all in good time, but let’s get home first.”
    Home was a small manor and estate near Burton, in the countryside north-west of Chester, which Captain Joseph Merrim an, fortunate in the matter of prize money and a small inheritance, had purchased many years ago.  It was a comfortable, late 17 th century gentleman’s residence with stabling and coach house and the servants quarters