Narrator’s Foreword

The summer festival, over which the lady Jennifer the younger presided as “Festival Queen” was such a critical moment in the formation of the new dynasty that I make no apologies for dwelling on it in such detail. This was, after all, the melting pot into which so many divergent people and random factors were thrown; the crucible in which the alloy of the resurgent House of Mathom was forged. We can see with hindsight that the young people brought together during the maelstrom of war were the shoots of rejuvenation but, at the time, it was by no means universally apparent. Many of the components of the future dynasty found themselves washed up in Mathomdale in confusion and uncertainty with no inkling of the importance of their arrival. Some, of course, were so very young, lately displaced by conflict and upheaval and the Vale of Mathom seemed but a strange dream in the passage of their youthful lives. Others were embroiled in their own indecisions and unable to see the sprouting forest for the boles of the trees.

It has been argued that, alone among the many people involved, Lady Mathom was the only person to realise the significance of the gathering collection of talented young slaves beginning to accumulate under the eaves of Mathom Hall. This however is misleading. While it is true that the Lady was proactive in the acquisition of some remarkable new young slaves, she was equally unaware of others that in effect made their own way into her coffle. There were some indeed of which she remained almost completely ignorant until they were literally thrust beneath her nose. She may have set the snowball rolling but even she would be surprised at the extent of the avalanche it precipitated although, afterwards, she would be the first to recognise just what had been unleashed.

Many historians have understandably focussed their attention upon the female branch of the new generation of the Slaves of the Amethyst. It is, however, a disservice to the, in its own way as important, male component of the new dynasty. It may be that the female slaves are those which seem the most glamorous and sparkling in retrospect but it is also certain that the menfolk of the order were critical to the foundation of the dynasty as well. This part of the narrative attempts to redress that imbalance in perception and deals somewhat more thoroughly with the rejuvenation of the male branch of the order starting with the reopening of the male slaves wing at Mathom Hall.

This then is the continued attempt to bring together the threads being woven at the Mathomdale Summer Fair. It may seem, at times, complex and bewildering a weave indeed but it is crucial in any understanding of the fine fabric which would result.

Chapter One

It was nearly lunchtime before Julie’s car dropped her at the steps to the front beer garden of the Mathom Arms. Margaret was keeping an anxious eye open for her. The other girls were already out, attending the duties of officially opening the agricultural fair. The village was already packed and more and more people were streaming in by the minute. Julie’s driver had had a fiendish job negotiating his way through the crowds and, had he not had the crest and number plates of the House of Mathom on his limousine, the stewards would have never let him near the village square. Another hour later and he wouldn’t have made it in any case. He dashed around to usher Julie out of the car and she dismounted sheepishly. Margaret had watched the arrival of the car with astonishment and that astonishment grew when the bashful looking Julie emerged from it, clutching something to her breast.

In enormous relief Margaret dashed out of the pub, across the terrace and flew down the steps to grasp Julie to her, blessing the Goddess that nothing had happened to her. “Julie!” she gasped “Thank heavens! I’ve been worried sick about you.”

“’Ere Mrs Wilkinson! Watch out! Mind our Tiger.”

“Y.. your what?” Margaret held Julie at arm’s length and for the first time saw the tiny furry bundle in Julie’s arms. Her eyes grew wide. “What the….” Tiger, stirred from his slumbers, mewled and squirmed in Julie’s grasp.

“This is Tiger ma-am.” Julie told her.

“Oh! What an absolute little sweetheart.” Margaret enthused. “Who does he belong to?”

“’E belongs ter me ma-am.”

“T… to you?” Margaret was baffled “What on earth’s going on?”

“Aye ‘e’s mine ma-am. T’ lady Shiro gave ‘im ter me.”

Margaret shook her head in wonderment. There was a story here somewhere she realised. “Well Julie we’d better have a sit down and a drink and you can tell me about it.”

“Oh ma-am I’m sorry I’m late but t’ lady Shiro wanted us ter do summat for ‘er this mornin’. Are t‘ other lasses already out?”

“Don’t worry about it Julie. I’m just glad that you’re back. We’ve been worried about you.”

“I didn’t want ter let anyone down ma-am.”

“You haven’t Julie. It’s only a bit of a walkabout this morning and the opening ceremonies for the agricultural show. Just showing the flag really. The real work’s this afternoon for the judging and prize giving. We managed to cope without you Julie. The girls will be back in about three quarters of an hour for lunch in any case. Come along there’s a quiet table at the back. Let’s sit awhile. You don’t want to stress your little cat do you?” Julie allowed herself to be led to the back of the terrace and sat down with a glass of coke. Margaret sat opposite her and Julie placed Tiger on the table for her to admire. Margaret seemed fascinated with the kitten. “What are you going to do with him Julie?” she asked.

“I’m going to keep ‘im ma-am.” Julie sounded very firm, even a little defiant. Margaret decided not to push her.

“You say that Shiro-san gave you him?”

“Yes ma-am.”

“Well that makes him one very superior moggy then Julie. Shiro-san breeds top class pedigree Siamese cats. This little fellow’s probably got a name as long as your arm.”

“Oo eck! What’s ‘e want wi t’ likes o’ me then?”

Margaret laughed, “Well if he could talk he probably wouldn’t want to speak to either of us.” Margaret leaned over to rub a finger along the little animal’s head. “Goddess look at the size of those ears! And those eyes! I’ll bet you, you couldn’t buy this little chap for anything less than five hundred nicker and more if he’s show quality.”

“Bloody ‘ell!” breathed Julie.

“Oh yes some of Shiro-san’s broods sell at over a thousand pounds apiece Julie. Did Shiro-san give you his papers?”

Julie shook her head “N…no ma-am.”

“Well you’ll have to ask her for them and his vaccination records of course.”

“Er what jabs does ‘e need ma-am?”

“Well feline enteritis and cat flu for a start Julie. You’d better have him vetted for worms and canker too. Pedigree Siamese can be delicate Julie. You’ve got to look after them.” Margaret paused. “Have you ever had a cat before Julie?”

“No ma-am. I allus wanted cats an’ dogs but me parents wouldn’t ‘ave it.”

“Well if Shiro-san gave you this little chap she must certainly want you to have him. Shiro-san adores her cats and she wouldn’t let any old Tom, Dick or Harry have one of them. You’ll have to learn to take care of him though.”

“I was thinkin’ o’ getting’ some books out o’ t’ library ma-am ter learn about t’ job.”

“That’s a good idea. I’ve got a few books myself you could borrow. We’ve always had cats here.” There were currently three cats in residence at the Mathom Arms. “I don’t think we’ve anything specifically on Siamese cats but I’ve kept them before and I know a bit about them. Do you know anything about Siamese cats Julie?”

“No. Not really ma-am.”

“Well to begin with this little bloke is what you call a “seal-point”.”

“Seal-point ma-am?”

“Yes Julie. Siamese cats are categorised according to the colour of their points.”

“Points ma-am?” Julie was puzzled.

“The points are the colours on their faces, paws and tail Julie. See here. This fellah’s points are very dark brown almost black. That’s characteristic for a seal point. It’s supposed to be the colour of a seal. Then you get chocolate-points, blue-points, caramel-points and Goddess knows what else. The seal-point is one of the classic variations. The very first Siamese cats brought to this country were seal points apparently; back in the 19^th century.”

“Blimey they go back that far?”

“Oh Goddess yes! Siamese cats are one of the oldest known breeds of domestic cat in the world Julie. They go back centuries. They were originally the exclusive preserve of the Royal House of Siam, the area we call Thailand now, and no one else but royalty was allowed to keep them. Old style Siamese cats used to have a kink in their tails and the legend is that a princess of Siam had them bred that way so that she could put her rings on their tail while she was bathing so she wouldn’t lose them. There’s another story that whenever a member of the Royal house died they would give a Siamese kitten to a monastery for the person to be reborn in and the cat would live a life of luxury in the monastery being pampered by all the monks. There’re all sorts of stories and legends about them.”

“Blimey so little Tiger ‘ere would ‘ave lived in a big posh palace if’n ‘e’d bin born ‘undreds o’ years ago.”

“Yes but he might have looked a bit different Julie. He’s what we call “Modern Siamese”. They were originally somewhat more robust and less slender with more rounded faces and smaller ears. Modern show cats are bred to be very slim and they have these pointed faces and huge ears. This chap has show standards written all over him. You’ll probably be able to show him when he gets older.”

“Flippin’ ‘eck!”

“One thing they have more or less eliminated with modern breeding Julie is the eye defects you often used to see in Siamese. Lots of Siamese used to be cross-eyed but they’ve more or less done away with that. Also the kinked tail they used to show a lot has pretty much disappeared although you can still feel the kink on some of them.”

“Blimey an’ I thought I were just getting’ a kitten.”

“Oh but you are and a lovely one too. Siamese have the most wonderful temperaments Julie. They’re the antithesis of every cliché you’ve ever heard about cats being aloof and self-centred. They’re incredibly affectionate and devoted to their owners, more like dogs in some ways than cats. I have a friend near Brawton has a lovely blue-point. When she takes the dogs out for a walk the cat insists on coming with them. Siamese cats are renowned for their devotion to their owners.”

“Blimey!” Julie’s eyes were riveted on her new pet as she stroked him in wonderment. Margaret watched her carefully, recognising the wisdom of Shiro-san in Julie’s deep fascination. “Well ‘ow do I bring ‘im up like ma-am? I mean where do I start?”

“Well let’s see Julie. Let me have a proper look at him.” Margaret lifted the little kitten from the table to a mewl of protest.

“’E sounds funny ma-am. I’ve never ‘eard a cat sound like that before.”

“Oh that’s normal Julie. They call it “meezing” and all Siamese cry like that. They sound more like a baby crying than a cat. It’s another of the characteristics that distinguish them. Hmm he’s got a nice body colour away from his points. When they are young they’re supposed to have this ivory colour to their coats but, in cold climates like ours, it usually gets a bit darker with age. Actually the Siamese colour pattern is a form of partial albinism. That’s why their eyes stay blue all their lives like a kitten’s. He’s got lovely classic almond shaped eyes and healthy too. No sign of mucus in them at all.” Julie listened in fascination. She had quite forgiven Margaret now for their confrontation yesterday as Margaret admired her little kitten. “He’s let’s see about nine or ten weeks old, I would think Julie. That’s a bit young but all right. You’ll need to feed him about four times a day for the moment. In a few weeks you can cut that down to three times a day. We’ll get you some proper kitten food for him. Don’t be giving him too much milk though. It’s not good for him. He’ll need a sleeping place and a cat litter as well because you shouldn’t let him out for a few weeks until he’s had all his injections and had time to settle in. You’ll need a scratching post for him too Julie. That’s very important for a Siamese. Did you know that Siamese cats can’t completely retract their claws like other cats so they have to continually wear their claws down? So you’ll need a scratching post for him. Your mum won’t be too amused if he tears all the furniture to bits.”

“Should I get a basket fer ‘im ter sleep in ma-am.”

“Well you can do Julie but to be honest I think at this age the best thing you can give him is a cardboard box with a hole cut in the side and soft bedding in it. Little kittens can be very insecure Julie and he needs a quiet dark place to run and hide in if he feels frightened. Just keep it in a warm dry place away from drafts. Oh and he’ll need lots of toys too.”

“Toys ma-am?”

“Oh yes Julie. All kittens are playful but Siamese kittens are exceptionally so. They’re very active little extroverts and they play all the time. In fact they’re very playful all their lives. Some people say they never really grow up. So he’ll need plenty of toys to play with.”

“What sort o’ toys ma-am?”

“Oh nothing fancy Julie. Get him a couple of cat balls and a catnip mouse. Don’t use a ball of wool though, it’s likely to get everywhere and Siamese cats suffer from a condition known as wool sucking and they can ingest the stuff and make themselves poorly or even endanger their lives. Get a stick with a length of string on it for him to chase and you can amuse him for hours with an old stuffed sock, as long as it’s not woollen, for him to batter about and chase. It’s important though. They’re very active little creatures and they need a lot of stimulation to keep them healthy. Don’t let him play with you though. By that I mean don’t let him use your hand to bite or scratch. It sets a bad precedent. You’re his owner not a plaything. By all means play with him but if he gets too boisterous with you tell him off and give him his ball to bite. Oh yes and give him something to climb about on otherwise he’ll be trying to run up your mum’s curtains. Get him a couple of old boxes too. For some reason kittens just love jumping in and out of old cardboard boxes. Goddess knows why.”

“But it’s all right if I play with him?”

“Oh yes of course. Essential in fact. Siamese are very affectionate creatures Julie and they need a lot of fuss and attention. They don’t just bond to a dwelling as many cats do. They bond directly to a person and they can be very demanding. You’ll have a hard time keeping him out of your bed or off your lap.” Margaret was fingering through the kitten’s fur. “Hmm well I can’t see any fleas which is a blessing. Keep an eye open for canker though. Siamese seem very prone to it. It’s those big ears I suppose. They pick up all sorts of mites and things in them. If he starts scratching at his ears too much get him along to the vet.”

“What about diet then ma-am?”

“Ah yes!” Margaret began to discuss Julie’s kitten’s diet in exhaustive detail; nutritional content of kitten foods, balances of proteins to grains, when to introduce him to dry foods, vitamin supplements, what to do about diarrhoea, constipation and what oils to use in case of it, mineral contents, feeding patterns, Julie could have sat there all day listening to her.

“Worrabout ‘is litter ma-am?” she asked.

“Oh all cats are very tidy like that Julie and they don’t need much teaching to use a litter. Every time he wakes up or he’s just finished eating or he squats down just lift him onto his litter and he’ll soon get the idea. Make sure the litter’s big enough. It has to big enough for an adult cat to turn around in. Oh and keep it clean regularly as well. He won’t use it if it’s dirty but don’t use strong disinfectant to clean it. Cats don’t like the smell and they won’t use it if it pongs.”

“Blimey I’ve gorra lot ter learn ma-am.”

Margaret handed Julie back her kitten and sat back, taking a sip of wine and contemplated Julie with satisfaction. “You know what Julie? I know you’ve got a lot to learn but I’ve got a good feeling about this. You know when you first showed me your little kitten I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t sure if… well if you were doing the right thing. I mean an animal takes a lot of caring for. I wondered if you’d… well have the time for it. Well I’ve changed my mind. I think it will be good for you to look after your own pet and I think you’ll be conscientious about it. I bow to Shiro-san’s greater wisdom.”

“Ma-am about well… you know about what we was talkin’ about yesterday.”

“Hush Julie. Let’s talk about that one some other time. I… well maybe I was a little too precipitate yesterday. I didn’t want to upset you or anything. Let’s table the subject for the time being. There’ll be time enough to talk about it after the festival. Now how are you feeling today?”

“Much better Mrs Wilkinson.” Margaret looked at Julie and agreed. She looked much happier now petting her little kitten.

“Are you sure Julie? If you don’t feel up to it we can always reschedule the events to cover for you.”

“No ma-am I can manage. Honest I can. But what shall I do about Tiger ‘ere?”

“Oh that’s not a worry Julie. We can find a quiet place for him in the back scullery for this afternoon and he can share your dorm until you take him home after the festival. Or maybe you could take him home today and your family can take care of him until you go back. I mean you’re only over the road.”

“No ta ma-am. I’d rather ‘e were where I was. ‘E can go ‘ome when I do.”

“Will your mother and father mind you having a cat Julie?”

Julie looked up at Margaret. Her eyes had turned to blue flints. “They ‘aven’t any say in t’ matter Mrs Wilkinson. I’m ‘avin’ ‘im. I’ve med up me mind. If they don’t like it they can lump it.”

“Ok, ok Julie! I’m just asking.”

Julie turned her attention back to her kitten. “I’ve allus wanted cats an’ dogs Mrs Wilkinson but me sister sez she’s allergic to ‘em and so me mam wouldn’t let me ‘ave any.”

“Oh dear. That can be a problem Julie. I mean if your sister has an allergy.”

Julie snorted contemptuously. “Nah it’s a load o’ rubbish. She ‘asn’t an allergy to ‘em ma-am, she just can’t be doin’ with ‘em. T’ only things she’s allergic to is owt like work or not gerrin’ ‘er own way.”

“Now Julie that’s no way to talk about your sister.” Margaret admonished although privately, on the basis of her own experience with Julie’s sisters, she was inclined to agree with the analysis. “Anyway listen…” she began but before she could continue she was interrupted by a squeal.

“Julie!” Jennifer was dashing across the beer garden closely followed by Debra and the other girls. Jennifer flung herself at Julie almost sobbing in relief. “Oh Julie, Julie! We’ve been so worried.” Jennifer snatched Julie and began kissing her and Debra joined the melee hugging her passionately. Tiger whined in sudden consternation.

“’Ere steady lasses. Yer scaring Tiger ‘ere.”

“What, what?” Jennifer yipped and then she caught sight of the kitten squirming in Julie’s arms. “Aaawww! He’s adorable!”

Debra’s eyes were wide as well. “Oh Julie. A little Siamese. Isn’t he lovely?” They were joined by the other girls and soon all of them were in raptures over Julie’s new kitten, bending down to fuss over him until Julie put her foot down.

“Come on lasses. Give ‘im a bit o’ room like. ‘E’s not used ter so many folk at once.”

“That’s right girls.” Margaret intervened “Back off and let the poor little thing breathe. You’ll stress him out all trying to pet him at once.” Margaret looked at her watch. “Well girls your lunch will be ready in a few minutes. I’ll go and find Tiger some bedding and food Julie and then we’d better put him somewhere quiet away from all the people.”

“Yes thank you ma-am.”

Jennifer sidled onto the bench next to Julie grinning at the tiny kitten. “Tiger? Is that what you call him. Wherever did you get him Julie?”

“Shiro-san gave us ‘im Jen.”

Debra settled on the other side of Julie. “Tiger? What a funny name! Normally you only call tabby cats “Tiger”.”

“Aye well there’s a story there Debbie. Shiro-san called ‘im a little tiger in Japanese so I thought t’ name were jus’ perfect.”

“Well I think he’s beautiful.” Debra’s green eyes were sparkling.

“Oh Julie!” said Jennifer. “We were so worried about you. We missed you.”

“I’m sorry Jenny. Ah didn’t want ter let yer down. Ah just…. Well I just needed ter get me ‘ead round a few things. I’m sorry ah worried yer.”

“Oh it’s nothing Julie! I’m just glad you’re back.”

“Are you joining us for the afternoon Julie?” Debra wanted to know.

“Aye love. I’m in.”

“Are you sure Julie?” asked Jennifer. “If you’re not feeling up to it I’m sure we can manage. It’s only the cattle shows and all that.”

“I can do it Jenny love.”

“It might be a bit of a strain Julie.”

“They’re only cows Jenny love.” Julie grinned. Jennifer was terrified of cows.

Jennifer blushed as Debra and Julie giggled. “Well it’s alright for you country girls. You’ve been brought up with them. Until I came to Mathomdale I’d never been near a cow in my life.”

Julie laughed and kissed her “Never mind love. I’ll protect yer.” She grinned as Tiger played with her finger and thought of the monstrosities of the Dragon’s Mouth. “After all t’ beasts wot I’ve ‘ad ter deal wi terday a few cows aren’t gonna frighten me.”