28 May; Twilight Trial

He'd screwed it up, hadn't he? He managed to get his shako on, salute and get outside without scowling at any of the officers, though it was a close call. He flopped on the grass by Newbury and swore viciously.

"Nor do I," Vickery replied, equally quietly. "Although I would be failing in my duty if I did not at least try."

Indeed. Blackwood managed a tight smile as the third Rifleman came into the tent and was sworn to oath. "Naturally. I should be happier, however, if Graham did not pursue his own duty quite so effectively." He shrugged then and was silent.

Pye saw Cotton leave and thought the man did not look very happy. He straightened and entered. He stood at best, with some resemblance to his old, yet still fresh ways of a redcoat. He swore his oath even when he had little attachment to that book to which he swore, and knew even less what the scribbles on it meant. But if they wanted that, why not.

Vickery waited until the oath had been administered. He clasped his hands behind his back. "Rifleman Pye, would you tell the court what the situation was between Newbury, Miss Ross and the provosts when you arrived on the scene?"

Pye looked at Vickery, and nodded. His expression was impossible to read. "..When I arrived at the point, from which I could see 'em, sir?" He asked, as if to make certain, but also to suggest that he had heard things sooner than he had seen them. Of course omitting one cry, could not be held against him were he to speak of it.

"From the point when you realised what was going on and who was involved, yes, Pye."

Vickery strove to maintain a relaxed appearance from the front, but found himself clasping his hands tighter behind his back.

"Yes, sir. " The lad said, and kept his gaze trained on Vickery. The officer mate him feel more at ease, calm. And he needed that. "..I 'eard a scream o' a girl, sir. Real terrible, made me think it was t' enemy come for us." He took a moment, even if his breath was far from lacking. "So I loaded m' rifle, n' went ter see what it was. When I came, I saw the ac...t' ones yer have here." He glanced briefly in their direction. No time to be smug, just composed.

"there wos' one.. that one.." He pointed his finger at Stephenson "He held t' bayonet sword in his hand, n' he was right atop t' lass, n' him there.. she was thrust into him." He pointed at the second accused.

"By t' looks of it.. that one.." He pointed at Skyes." Was jus' coming from .. Joe. " Which could only mean he had been assaulting him. Pye could see no other reason and hoped that neither did they.

Vickery nodded. That tied in with what Newbury and Cotton had said. "Go on."

"So, sir. Joe , ye see, he looked like he'd gotten a thumpin' of his life. Been all bruised...an' he was sort o' dragged up.. what I saw. Don' think he coulda done it 'isself. " He was explaining it in the commoner's way, by describing how he saw someone, if they thought it wasn't right he couldn't help it. "All black n' blue.. anyway, he tangled with one o' t' provosts, had them both fall." His eyes were again trained on Vickery's coat. "I saw the provosts attack so I called out ter them. Beg pardon, used m' language I dun want ter repeat here." He dropped his gaze. "But I had m' rifle trained on them. Tole them to stop! I think I aimed at 'im. Oh Aye, I did, couse 'e was holdin' t' lass front o' him ter see her in harm's way."

"So's he.. " The same man. " Shoved t' lass of' away from him and onto t' floor, made it look terribly painful, n' then grabbed fer Newbury, sir. By 'is coat 'round 'is neck. Yanked him up real rough like."

"I tole them to back off. Even as they'd started doin' wot' I tole them.. he,,." His hand went in the direction of Stephenson. "Kicked Joe. An' he tole me I wos' makin' a mistake. Somewhat like this way." He took a breath, and mimicked the same sentence said again. "But he'd done it more.. uh, you know."

"So, one of them was holding Miss Ross as a shield?" That was something new. "Could you point out which one of the three men here had hold of her?" He indicated the three prisoners.

"Yes sir, 'e had." He held his finger trained on Sykes. It just so happened it was the man he had aimed at first too.

"Where was Newbury when he was grabbed at? On his feet, or on the ground?"

"On t' ground, sir.  Not on 'is feet." The lad answered, after he gave the question some thought. He did not answer in haste. He did not want to mess things up, yet at the same time, all he had retold was the truth.

"So Newbury was on the ground, was pulled up and then thrown back down, to be kicked as the man assaulting him moved away, covered by your rifle. Did Newbury try to defend himself or fight back at any time while you were present?"

Pye thought on it. Thought hard so to give as accurate an answer - and not one he would feel would condemn in the wrong way - as possible. "..Sir. He didn't look like he could, didn't try much, no. Just wanted ter have t' man stop." And be pinned down. The one with whom he had tangled into a mess on the floor. It was a bit vague, but he thought his earlier narrative had been described well enough.

"Do you recall where Newbury's sword was during this scuffle, at all?"

"I saw Joe's bayonet sword with him." He pointed at Stephenson. "N' when 'e got is paw...er.. hands sir, when he got 'is hands in surrender, it was from 'im that the bayonet sword clattered ter t' ground."

Vickery nodded. "You mentioned earlier that one of the provosts was on top of Miss Ross. Did you mean he was lying on her, sitting on her, or what, precisely?"

"No sir. Like.. when you's leanin' over someone.. towerin' over them like.., Like you's close enough ter smell 'eir breath and t' other party don't have no balance couse o' it. Goin' ontop that way, sir. Goin' in t' direction of t' right 'top, when you's on someone, but not there yet. Still quite personal, certainly close like, t' way that made Jenny lass real upset n' strugglin' ter get away."

"All right. You made them back off and leave Newbury alone. Would you relate what happened after that, please?"

"Well.. after I was thretened n' tole I was makin' a mistake in stoppin' them..."Pye made sure to give some emphasis to that part. " Then t' rest came. N' it was over, couse with t' officers n' Gabe there.. well, they couldn't continue."

"Who was it, precisely-" he was getting too fond of that word "-who told you that you were making a mistake in stopping them?"

Had the officer not listened to him at all. He already told him who it was. He pointed him out, showed a finger in his direction. Keeping his impatience at bay he raised his hand to point at the same man, Stephenson, (i think) and repeated it. "He'd said it.. like in a sneer or summat."

He had to phrase the next question very carefully. "Pye, to the best of your knowledge, had Newbury said or done anything during the day that might have upset any of these men here?"