Heir to a Title Chapter 19

With mobiles to keep in touch throughout the week, the girl’s grounding passed fairly quickly and the Following Saturday found the girls rendezvousing at the meeting stone. The girls had arranged to meet at the break of dawn such was their determination to spend as much time together as possible. When Callie arrived at the meeting stone the high top was still surrounded in early morning summer mist. As she sat patiently waiting, Sandie eventually gave a soft neigh but it was still another quarter of an hour before Maggie and her horse Lucy emerged from the mist to face Callie’s questioning expression.

“The mist is thicker down by the old railway track, we had to pick our way carefully. I’m new to these parts don’t forget and Lucy’s only been here once before.” Maggie explained.

Callie nodded sympathetically then nodded towards the path that she knew led down to the woodlands that covered nearly a thousand acres to the northern end of the estate deep inside the national park and well away from Cragdale. Callie explained in a soft voice.

“If we walk the horses slowly and if we’re silent, we’ll see the deer, they don’t see a horse and rider as a serious danger and they’ll let us get quite close. If we disappear from sight they get spooked when we reappear.”
Maggie nodded and fell in beside Callie where the path was wide enough to allow. As they descended closer to the woods they went single file to avoid disturbing branches.

Soon, as they skirted a dense thicket, Callie stopped her horse and motioned to Maggie as she pointed towards a large grove of oak and beech trees.

Maggie’s eyes widened with delight as she saw a group of Fallow deer stood silently whilst fixing their gaze on the girls. Callie whispered very softly.

“As long as they can see us they’re not too bothered but if we disappear from their view, they’ll get skittish and bolt. We’re not a threat as long as they can see us.”

Both girls led their horses several yards off the path to a small hollow where they sat silent on their horses under a large oak tree and savoured the blissful sight. With just their heads and bodies visible behind their horses’ heads, both girls sat patiently silent until eventually some fawns emerged from the undergrowth and went to suckle off their mothers. Maggie’s eyes widened with delight as she sneaked out her mobile phone and started silently videoing the scene. Neither girl spoke as they enjoyed the additional treat in the blissful silence of the forest.

For long minutes they sat astride their horses until a violent commotion erupted in the branches above them. Suddenly a screeching, chattering tornado of fur and claws plunged out of the tree and landed heavily on Sandie’s croup. He let out a squeal of protest and reared backwards in an attempt to rid himself of the sharp clawed invader. Callie squealed more in shock than fear as she struggled to keep her seat whilst wondering what in the hell had landed. By the time both horse and rider had recovered, the deer had bolted and Maggie was cackling with surprised delight.

“I got it, I got it!”

“Got what?” Callie demanded as she struggled to calm Sandie.

“The foxes that crashed from the tree!” Squealed Maggie as she brandished her mobile.

“Don’t be stupid girl!” Callie scorned her. “Foxes don’t climb trees. They must have been squirrels fighting.”

“No, no! They were far too big for squirrels; though maybe they were, they had bushy tails.”

“Did you get them on your video?”

“I think so. It was so sudden. One minute they were fighting on Sandie’s croup then they fell off as he reared up. Then they went scrambling up that lone tree over there. They’ve gone now.”

“Well I didn’t see them, it was behind me and I was busy calming Sandie.”

Maggie was fingering her phone and then victoriously proclaimed.

“Here it is, yes they must be foxes; they’re far too big for squirrels!”

Callie edged the now calmed Sandie closer and craned her neck to see. She immediately recognised the culprits.

“Oh my god! They’re Pine Martens. Oh my God, oh my god! They are!”

“What are pine martens?” Maggie asked.

They’re like a giant ferret or weasel but they’re much bigger and they’ve got those long bushy tails – like a fox see!”

They watched the clip several times as Callie explained.

“They’re like, one of the rarest wild animals in Britain. We’ve had the nature people up here because of the reports but they never found anything definitive. Now we’ve got hard evidence. This is fantastic Mags'” Let’s go back and tell my mum, she’ll be delighted.”

“Well let’s try and get some more shots. They might still be in that tree. I haven’t seen them come down yet.”

“They jump from branch to branch through the canopy like squirrels, they’ll be long gone by now.”

Maggie pursed her lips and smiled wryly.

“You may have not noticed professor, but there’s no canopy. That tree stands alone.”

Callie stopped and frowned. Maggie’s idea might just be true. She nodded to her newfound friend.

“You could be right. Let’s look.”

As they circled the tree Callie noticed a hole about twenty feet up and wondered.

“They don’t seem to be in the branches, but that hole looks like a possible den or something. Here give me a leg up.”

“Are you sure about this? They looked pretty lethal to me.”

Callie smiled uncertainly then shrugged. Cautiously, they manoeuvred a still nervous Sandie close to the lowest branch and Callie removed her riding boots before using boyish climbing skills to quickly pull herself onto the lowest branch. Then she took out her own phone and cautiously climbed her way up from branch to branch until she was level with the hole. Without a word she switched on the camera with its light and stuck the illuminated phone into the hole. Angry chattering ensued as very pissed off marten exploded out of the hole and spat into Callie’s face before streaking along a large branch and taking station several yards out of reach. Callie squealed with surprise before recovering her composure and turning to focus her camera phone on the angry home-owner.

As she looked up Maggie offered advice.

“If he’s not running away maybe he’s got family to protect in the hole.”

Callie grinned.

“Good thinking bat-man.”

Both hand and illuminated phone returned to the innards of the tree and Callie cautiously rotated the camera blindly in her hand until she felt a sharp pair of teeth rip into her finger.

“Ouch! Fucking hell!”

“Very lady-like I’m sure!” Maggie riposted.

“The bastard bit me!”

“So there’re two of them.” Callie confirmed as she stuffed her phone into her bra and gingerly descended.”

“Have you got a bandage?” She called down to Maggie.

“Oh yeah, I carry them around with me all the time. Here, you can use my hankie.”

When she finally reached to safety of Sandie’s saddle Maggie tied the hankie around Callie’s bleeding finger then Callie recovered her phone from her bra. Maggie operated it to stop getting more blood on the buttons or screen.

“Ha, there you are. No wonder she’s angry, look, down at the bottom, there’s babies.”

Callie’s face lit up partly with the success of getting conclusive evidence that they were breeding and partly from confirming there were definitely martens on her estate. English nature would most certainly continue classifying the woodland and therefore the rest of the estate as an SSI (Site of Scientific Interest). They galloped home in a high state of excitement and simply abandoned their horses uncharacteristically in the stable yard as they dashed into the house.

Ellie had gone to work in Hull but Nana Molly was in the drawing room entertaining Jack Tyler the Dale’s Preservation Secretary. Both adults turned with surprise as the girls barged in excitedly.

“Really girls! Manners, manners!” Molly scolded them.

“But Nana, look! Look at this. You too Mr Tyler; plee-ease! It’s fantastic!”

Callie proffered her phone to Molly while Maggie handed hers to Jack Tyler. Both adults studied the videos as their mouths curled into delighted smiles. The adults swapped phones as Jack grinned at Callie.

“You’re a good horseman for staying on like that. The horse must have been terrified.”

“So was I.” Callie grinned ruefully. “I couldn’t see it but it sounded like an attack by a leopard or something with all the noise and stuff.

“I don’t think so,” Jack smiled.”

“How can you be certain Jack,” Molly added,” it’s a huge piece of woodland and there’s two deer herds immediately to hand. A leopard could easily survive.”

“Well it wasn’t a leopard was it; it was those two martens fighting.”

Maggie settled the discussion.

“We found them both in the den later.”

“Then there are possibly three of them. Males and females don’t usually fight.” Jack opined.

“I dunn'o,” Maggie grinned, “you should hear my mum and dad sometimes.”

“More likely an invader getting too close to the den.” Jack continued.

“I’m transferring this to my ‘puter’ immediately, come on Mags’” Callie declared as both girls hurried off to Callie’s bedroom. Jack and Molly followed eagerly, both keen to see the expanded images.

As all four studied the computer screen the kits were to be clearly seen at the bottom of the den before the adult female leapt up and bit Callie’s finger.

“How many can you see?”

“About three I think.” Maggie replied.

The others agreed and when they had finished securing the images, Jack suggested they call English Nature.
“Do we need the anorak and boot brigade tramping all over the woods?” Jack wondered.

“It’ll secure our SSI status for the foreseeable future.” Molly replied even as she was picking up the phone. “Besides Jack, you’re one of the anorak and boot brigade yourself.”

“We’d better tell mum first.” Callie suggested. “Technically she’s the guardian of the estate.”

Molly nodded and redialled her daughter-in-law Ellie before handing the phone to her granddaughter Callie. Ellie answered and Callie responded excitedly.

“Hello mum.”

“Hello darling I noticed you disappeared early this morning, off to see Maggie I suppose.”

“Yes and whilst we were out riding, we found some pine martens and their den and their young.”

“Really, are your sure they were martens?”

“Of course they were, I’ve heard enough and read enough to know by now. Besides, we’ve got some supper videos of them. Shall we call English nature?”

“By all means petal. You know why?”

“Yeah, the SSI License thing. Okay mummy. Here’s Nana she want's to chat to you.”

Molly briefly chatted to Ellie before handing the phone back to Callie.

“Go on darling, call them.”

Callie searched on her computer and found a number then dialled the connection. A brief conversation soon brought one of the senior conservation officers to the phone. She persuaded Callie and Maggie to send their videos. Within a few minutes the identity of the martens was ‘officially confirmed’ and a conservation team was immediately despatched from York. With the phone-call over, Callie turned to her Nan.

“Officially recognised! That’s a bloody cheek as if I don’t know a pine marten when I see one.”

“They’ll still have to confirm it and get the location protected.” Jack Tyler warned. “Otherwise we’ll have every idiot and his brother tramping around the woods.”

“It’ll be difficult to keep people out Jack,” Molly replied, “there’s several public rights of way and the locals have treated those woods almost like public property. Harry never objected except if he caught poachers after the deer. Then the local police were always keen to help because the offenders were invariably hardened criminals from Leeds or Manchester. They stand out as strangers and find it hard to hide. The police usually charged them with poaching and fire-arms offences.”

“Be that as it may, they’ll have to get a court conservation order to protect the site. Nobody will be allowed within miles of the place – well, a few hundred yards at least.”

“What about us,” Callie protested, “it’s our land so surely we can go there.”

“If they don’t let us, we won’t tell them where it is.” Maggie chuckled.

“I’m sure if you’re nice and co-operate with them, they’ll be more than keen for you to join their team of observers to watch them.”

Callie was mildly mollified but not completely. She felt miffed that a bunch of bloody wild-life scientists could order her around on her own land; “And it is MY land!” She reminded herself, “After all I’m the duke around here.”
However, she kept her thoughts to herself. It didn’t do to play the ‘lord-of-the-manor’ too much around Yorkshire-men. They could be a stiff-necked and stubborn lot.

‘Bloody noblesse oblige’ she ruminated angrily.

“The locals will be more than pleased to co-operate darling,” Molly reassured her granddaughter.

“Will they want to set up an observation thingy?” Maggie wondered.

Molly and Jack shrugged simultaneously.

“I don’t know,” Jack confessed, “I don’t know how shy they are and if they’re likely to abandon the den if there’s too much disturbance. English Nature will sort all that out. They’re the experts.”

Callie pursed her lips and smirked.

“Yeah; and we all know that an ex is a has-been and a spurt is a drip under pressure.”

Molly had never heard the expression and she struggled to contain her smile.

“Now, now young lady, you’re becoming a right little cynic and only just in your teens!”

For the rest of the morning Callie and Maggie studied pine-martens on the computer while Molly prepared to receive an unknown quantity of visitors. Jack Tyler stayed to help whilst secretly hoping to be invited on the first visit to the pine-marten’s den.

The conservation officers and television crew arrived at eleven and both Callie and Molly realised they must have dropped everything in their haste. Introductions were made and both teenagers were invited to accompany the team and guide them to the site. The girls excitedly grabbed their binoculars whilst Molly and Jack were left frustrated back at the house where the communications team rigged up the satellite link to the nature-watch BBC studios in Bristol. Then they could only wait until the observer team had set up the recording equipment at the den.

The chief conservationist explained to Callie that peace and quiet where of the utmost importance and that the less disturbance there was; the more likely the pine-martens were to stay at their chosen den. He was impressed with both children as they kept total silence during the approach until they stopped and signed towards the huge ancient oak. Callie crept alongside the chief conservationist and slowly they slithered on their bellies through the bracken where the children’s horses had earlier made a path. Eventually they were on the right side of the tree and Callie pointed towards the hole, high up the trunk. Both of them silently pointed their binoculars towards the hole and simultaneously tensed as each saw a pointy nose, and sharp beady eyes staring out. The pair remained stock still as a long musteline body slid out of the hole followed by the bushy tail that confirmed it as a marten. Callie sensed the conservationist tension as he let out the slightest of gasps while the Marten scampered down the trunk and paused at the foot of the tree. There it groomed itself for a minute or so then slinked off towards the opposite edge of the clearing to disappear into the trees.

While the conservationist followed its track as long as he could see the marten, Callie had turned her binoculars to watch the den again. As another musteline face appeared she cautiously prodded her companion. He turned slightly irritated until Callie slowly pointed towards the den then his grin widened with delight as he mouthed ‘sorry’ and they both remained perfectly still. The face kept poking in and out of the hole for several minutes and Callie wondered if the second marten had spotted them. She was reassured when finally the animal emerged and settled to lie on the main branch. It did not seem disturbed or stressed and eventually the conservationist motioned to Callie to slide away on their tummies. Cautiously they returned to the rest of the party where finally the man was able to release his pent up excitement. In a hoarse excited whisper he declared.

“The girls are quite right! They’re pine Martens! – and I'm certain they’re the breeding pair.”

Silently the group returned to the house where preparations were started to set up a hide and install the cameras at the den. Callie and Maggie watched with growing excitement as various devices were removed from the Land-Rovers and tested before emplacement. By two o’clock the party were trudging back through the forest and by four the hide was set up.

“I’d dearly love to get a camera set up to see inside the den.” The camera-man declared.

“I’m afraid to risk the disturbance this soon,” the chief conservationist replied. “Let’s just see how they react to the hide.”

Finally and reluctantly, the main party departed leaving just the camera-man and a junior conservationist occupying the hide. Back at the house, Molly had made her library available as a base of operations. There, she and Jack were already watching the several screens when the observer group returned.

When they were enjoying a splendid tea Jack posed the same question that the camera-man had asked.

“Are you going to try and get a camera inside the den?”

“I’m hoping to but let them get used to the hide first. These young ladies have been a great help with their local knowledge; we were able to get right up to the clearing with a superb view thanks to their knowing about the hollow gulley in the bracken. It will make our approach invisible when we change watches.”

Maggie suddenly realised that the original hollow where they had been watching the deer could be utilised if the Martens proved to be unstressed by the first hide. She explained to the conservationists that it was closer to the tree and they nodded approval.

“Very good Maggie, we’ll go back tomorrow and look at it. It might enable us to condition them to accept us climbing up to the den.”

“How long will that take?” Callie asked.

He shrugged uncertainly.

“A couple of days I hope. This is all new territory.”

“Will we be able to watch them occasionally?” Maggie asked hopefully.

“Once the site is set up, yes, I see no reason not to.”

The girls shared excited smiles and left to examine some of the expensive camera equipment. A young female student showed the girls everything and they fell to nattering about the forest.

“Oh it’s huge,” Callie explained, “and it stretches for miles up the dale onto the moors but that’s mainly coniferous plantation. There’s another deciduous bit on the other side almost at the top of the dale but that’s miles up the dale. Hardly anybody goes up there it’s too remote and there isn’t a proper path. I sometimes ride up there with Sandie but I haven’t taken Maggie to that bit yet. The martens are living in the main deciduous part and that is natural ancient forest. It’s mostly on our land though the section that lies across the river belongs to Maggie’s family.”

“Well the deciduous forest is a boon to these guys, lots more food for them.” The student explained.

“Yeah, pity they can’t cross the river, then they’d have more forest to hunt in.”

“Oh dear, is there no crossing point?” The student asked.

“Not here,” Callie replied, “there’s one lower down but it’s a road bridge and they’d be in danger from the traffic.
The little wooden footbridge was damaged by floods before I came to live here. Consequently I started to cross further upriver where Sandie could wade without me getting my feet wet. That’s how I found the other ancient woods above the plantation.” Granddad told me they planted the coniferous trees during the war.

“Who’s Sandie?” The student asked.

“My horse, the one I was on when the martens dropped on me.”

Maggie grinned as the student frowned.

“What happened?”

Between chuckles and laughs, Maggie described events until Callie explained.

“It wasn’t funny for Sandie. The vet had to stitch one of the cuts. I have to treat it every day. He’s okay though. His cuts are not affected by his saddle or harness.”

“Have you not thought of repairing the bridge? It would enable the martens to cross.”

“I’ll have to check and see about funds. Money’s tight.”

“Have you mentioned it to your father, the Duke of Denton?”

A pregnant silence descended as the student realised she had said something out-of-place.

“What’s wrong?” She asked uncertainly.

Maggie answered as she sensed that Callie was a little embarrassed.

“Uuuhm, Callie IS the duke. Or she will be when she reaches eighteen. Her dad and granddad are both dead.”

The student hesitated before replying. It was obvious she was now confused and embarrassed.

“But, you’re, you’re a girl – aren’t you?”

Callie compressed her lips before finding the words. It didn’t do to get upset when the girl had made a perfectly innocent assumption. Callie took her out of earshot and explained.

“No. I’m not actually. I’m transgendered. Technically, I’m still a male.”

“Oh! Oh, I’m so sorry. But surely you don’t run the estate; I mean you’re only – what, fourteen?”

“I’m thirteen, fourteen in a couple of months. My Mum and Nan run the estate, though I’m learning the ropes.”

The girl smiled as her eyes scanned the house and across the yard to the moors above the dale.

“And all this is yours.”

Callie nodded, half expecting some sort of envious comment or worse, a tirade of political criticism. Instead the girl nodded before adding.

“I don’t envy you; you’ll have your work cut out looking after all this.”

“I can only try.” Callie admitted as they rejoined Maggie.

“Have you thought about a degree in biological sciences, you know – what with the wild-life aspect and everything.”

“Actually, yes. I was torn between zoology and or botany. Probably zoology what with the pine martens and the smooth snakes. Ours are the only ones known to live north of Oxford, global warming might be the cause but we keep their existence a secret.

“What! You’ve got smooth snakes! This far north?!”

“Yes. My grandfather told me about them and he showed me where they are. We told English nature. That’s why the moor is designated an SSI. Now the woods will have to be designated as well.”

“Are you pleased?”

“Yes and no. It makes the estate difficult to work at a profit.”

“What about the quarrying project?” The girl asked.

“We are not seriously affected because Cragdale is well away from Denton Hall and the forested areas. They only want to extract a smallish amount from our side. The bulk of the stone is to come out of our neighbours' land.” Callie explained.

“Our land is more seriously affected,” Maggie interjected. “Callie is only seriously affected if they have to widen and upgrade the road. We’re suggesting they relay the old railway tracks.”

“Now that’s a good idea. Environmentally friendly as well.”

“Yes,” Callie replied, “we’re ahead of you on that. My Mum and Nan have already proposed it to the county council.”

“Glad to hear it. Well, I must be off. I relieve the watchers at four in the hide.”

Callie and Maggie watched the girl clamber into the land-rover with another camera-man and it sped off toward the forest. They returned to the house to look at the monitors and the controller showed them some footage of the male returning with a rat. It gave both girls a real sense of satisfaction.

~~ooo000ooo~~