Three policemen stood in the drive of Loxley House, one of them, with a pang Edith realised was Sergeant Willis.
She hesitated a few steps forwards trying to identify the man struggling with the third policeman and gasped. "Bernes!"
"M'lady! Somebody's called the police! Why've they called the police?"
Irene. Edith choked. What have I done? She ran forward, "Please! Please officers! You can't take him! Let him go! He has nothing to do with this! It's all my fault - take me! Take me instead!"
"I'm afraid I can't do that M'lady. And judging by the looks of things we'll be taking the both of you to the police station. First we just need a word with Sir Anthony."
"No, please! You don't understand! I'm the one who yo-" Edith protested.
"And I'm sure I will very soon, in the meantime - I'm sorry about this, but you'll have to be handcuffed." Sergeant Willis proceeded to take her wrist firmly and before Edith could resist she was clicked into shiny metal bangles. Then she was handed to the officers who were wrestling with Bernes. "Bernes, Bernes I'm so sorry!" Edith shouted.
"Sir this would be a lot better for you if you didn't make attempts to resist! You'll only add charges to yourself I should tell you!" The officer with a ginger moustache warned him.
Disgruntled, Bernes shook his shoulders and stopped. This officer then took Edith's arm too and seated the two criminals in the back of the police car, handcuffing them both to the shiny handles on doors. He then made off with the other officers to the door of the house, they were about to call Anthony out.
"Bernes, I don't understand wh- I'm so. Sorry-" Edith greeted, she was limp, and numbed by everything that had just happened. "I don't know what I've- Bernes? Why are you looking through my hair? It's a mess, there's not much you can do to fix it, what's-"
"Do you have a hairpin, M'lady? Something long?"
"Why? OH. We're not seriously going to try that are we?"
"Yes. We are. Now do you have any?"
Edith sifted her fingers through her giant mess of hair with her free hand and found nothing. It had all come out. "Oh! I've got nothing!"
"Right, then we'll have to thin-"
"No I have an idea! But look the other way."
"What? Why-"
"There's no time! Just look that way!" Bernes turned his head. He didn't think he'd been more confused about everything in his entire life. But he trusted her. Edith pushed a hand down her undergarments and felt for the wire in her breast-supports. Hastily, with a shaking hand she felt for the sharp edge and pushed it through all the fabric. "Here! Will this work?" She asked anxiously.
"That'd be perfect!" Wasting no time he took it from her and tried it with the handcuffs. "Where on earth did you get this from?" He asked as he worked. "No... don't tell me. M'lady! You didn't -"
"Well d'you want me to shove it back in? Hurry up!" Edith's heart was in her ears. She could almost hear Bernes' heart too, he struggled with the wire, forcing it into the lock on his handcuff at different angles until... click. The two looked at each other, raptured before Bernes jumped up and started on Edith's. She was beginning to feel lightheaded with all this disbelief. She held her breath and stared at him, his dark hair flopping down the side of his face and trembling as he concentrated on setting her free, the lamppost casted light onto his cheekbones, Edith hadn't noticed how structured his face was - and then there was another beautiful click and before Edith could register it Bernes had grabbed her by the hand and they were creeping in silence towards the road.
"What about the car?" Edith looked after the vehicle that was now behind them.
"Oh what a wonderful idea, let's get into the car owned by your father which the police have chained, now have in their notes and escape in that!" Bernes hissed.
"Where are we going anyway?"
"I don't know!"
They were running faster than their feet would go, and Edith winced as she remembered that hers were bare, she lagged behind as Bernes pulled her by the hand. Just as he was about to pull them both into the darkness of the trees Edith stopped. The prickly forest bed was too much. "Ow- ow- ah!" Just then there were shouts in the distance. Bernes looked back at Edith "What's the matter?"
"M-my feet are bare!"
"What? Where are your shoes? You know what," he looked up at the obscured night sky and puffed, willing good God for patience, he bent down and before Edith knew it she was dangling over his shoulder.
"What are you doing- put me -down!"
"Don't you hear them? I can't!" He panted quietly and jogged through the trees some distance in from the road. Edith felt his heart beating against her as he flew them through the night. The voices were louder now and were following some distance away, they sounded like they came from the road. Edith was shaking.
And now torch lights were being pointed through the trees, Bernes had to go deeper through the wood until the voices were only discernible. They reached a big evergreen and Bernes set Edith down gently at the vast trunk. He let out a short breath and fell next to her, breathing heavily. " I don't think they'll come this way, there's a slip-road they'll be more interested in down there." Bernes gestured in some sort of direction behind him.
"I hope you know where we are."
"Think so," he nodded, and for a minute there was silence while the two of them listened for the voices to go. And by a miracle, they did. Edith shut her eyes, her heart was furious.
"So... are you going to tell me what the hell we're doing running from the police at this time of night? And why you look like you've been attacked by a fox?" He asked gently, turning to her, completely lost, attempting to debrief her with his eyes.
