Chapter eight. A hunt for the dumpers and ping pong.
It was Saturday, I could hear the children's voices in the hall as I raised my elderly frame and dressed. Suddenly a knock on the door and in strode Robroy with a cup of early morning coffee, and a request!
"Grand-papa I was considering a use for the Deep beside a storage area now its all nicely sorted."
'And pray what did you have in mind? Oh thank you for the coffee you've saved Maise a climb up those blasted stairs.'
"I was, that is we, were thinking of a couple of table tennis tables would fit in nicely, there's plenty of room for the high and long hitters amongst us and it would keep us active in the winter."
'Now if I remember you've taken over the Orangery for football when the weather is inclement so now you want more!'
"Exactly, we went down last night and felt, after your prayer, a pleasant peaceful silence that seemed to us to welcome our presence."
'Remembering those grave sites were the Conquerors main allies, well at least one of them, and history reveals a hard bunch who landed with him and became the scourge of the Saxons. But then again the ancestor of ours did marry a Saxon so that could be where the tranquil atmosphere was coming from.'
'Very well, but you must all contribute to the cost, I'll ask your father to get decent lighting set up instead of that loose cabling. Anyhow what really concerns me who dumped that rubbish on our patch. The inspector told me it wasn't the murderer, he just found it there and used it for his own devices. We need to investigate it further Robroy so perhaps our Estate staff could be utilised?'
"Done Grand-papa."
Well I don't know what my grandson really meant by done other than he would head the investigation and probably use others to do the work. We had not cleared the whole lot from the Southern end near the river so it probably meant another sort through.
'But wear gloves please, you have to be careful then clear the rest to the council tip. By the by the tip people might of know of likely suspects, no harm in asking.'
With that Robroy departed, no doubt to the confines of my fathers old room to confirm his success and plan and arrange the investigation and split up the work load.
Robin my second son volunteered to speak to the council tip staff and discovered several avenues for Robroy to investigate. But it was at this time I felt for Robroy's safety he should no longer be involved as several characters referred to by the tip people were unsavoury persons best left to adults. So Robin along with several estate workers he borrowed from Nick, set about interviewing the people of interest. Because it was strictly a matter for the estate, the local village sergeant was informed and temporarily took a blind eye to the matter.
"But Grand papa I am to be told about each interview am I not?"
'Well I prefer you to leave this matter to the adults and not get involved. Some of these customers don't come from our village and your safety is paramount to both me and the castle, but you may discuss with your Uncle Robin any suggestions after you have heard his report.'
With that half hearted permission off he went to annoy Robin who had returned to the farm. He took Lady and her foal over for a ride and returned some hours later subdued, he had been asked to collect the eggs and herd the Dairy cows in before Robin would talk to him. My poor Robroy, he'll just have to get used to we adults, but it won't be long until he reaches eighteen, the traditional age for our children to make their own minds about life, though I swear Robroy is almost already there!
He nevertheless used his friendly relations with the two Anderton brothers whilst he was herding the cows for milking and Robin told me later that the three of them had their heads together after they had closed the milking shed gate.
Robin further told myself and Nick that a name had been dropped by the eldest boy Will Anderton as a probability. It applied to a builder from outside Kettle bridge in our direction, and that person became the main suspect. Being school holidays my Tom was called to deliver various members of my youthful family, to be driven there and stay awhile across the road where the chap was renovating a house. One day whilst Tom was still there the builders white van moved from the kerb and Tom with Robroy and cousin Jasmine followed in the Range Rover only to watch the van eventually enter our property on the North side behind the farm. Tom stopped the car and Jasmine rang the farm using her mobile, Robin answered and he and the Anderton boys jumped onto the tractor and sped up the hill and over the top field to the top bridal lane. Just in time to meet a visibly shaken builder who had been knocked down by the massive Tom.
"He were going to punch out Miss Jasmine as she was videoing him unloading."
'Close by was she?'
"No your grace she was zooming with her mobile, we were hidden behind that old hazel tree a fair way back. After the first batch he tipped he looked around guess he heard Master Robins tractor, then he spotted Miss Jasmine and came a running. I just got out and smacked him."
"On the chin and down he went." This from Robroy full of praise for the ex boxer Tom.
"So we gathered him up and rang the police who met us at the farm, and Grand papa because the bridle way comes under county jurisdiction they arrested him for fly tipping."
'Now hang on Robroy, that bridle lane crosses our land, if you care to look across that path you will see Beech wood and close by the lower fields we rent out to Mr. Curzon. Its an Estate lecture you need so your father needs to give you education, I will talk to him tonight!'
"Wrong Grand papa, yes the bridal path is over our land but the Government passed a bill granting all bridle paths into the control of each county. I believe it was part of the settlement in the fox hunting bill."
'Never took much interest in that Hunt malarkey just a bunch of lay about city dwellers out for a romp and leaving we farmers with broken fences. Still does not excuse the thieving Government stealing our land, perhaps they should be made to keep the paths clear and free of weeds.'
"Apparently we are supposed to maintain them Grand papa!"
'Humph'. Well it was all I could say at the time.