Chapter 5

Abby did not return to the bar that night. She had a fitful sleep, eventually dropping off into an exhausted doze about five o' clock. She was awakened by a urgent knocking on the door just gone eight thirty, Wrapping her robe about her Abby opened the door, it was Mary, who was very concerned that Abby had not appeared for her breakfast earlier.

"How are you child? We got worried that you didn't come down for breakfast." Abby smiled listlessly, walked over and switched the kettle on.

"Now don't you worry about that, I brought some tea up with me." And Mary stepped back outside the door, and picked up a tray, complete with steaming teapot, Toast, Butter, and Marmalade. Abby slumped into the chair, and Mary bustled around, picking up Abby's clothes which she had discarded haphazardly last night, straightening and folding, all the while taking glances over her shoulder to see how Abby was.

"You don't need to do that, Mary, I'll do it in a minute, I'm not normally as untidy." Mary stopped and regarded Abby sympathetically.

"It's not a problem, Abby, if I had had a shock like that, I don't think I would worry too much about the mundane things in life. Sam was really upset you know; he was quite uncomplimentary about your grandfather. He didn't know why your mum had taken off and now he knows, he's quite bitter." Abby was grateful for a little bit of comfort, and somehow the fact that Sam was disturbed too did help.

Mary poured tea for them both, and took the other chair.

"Things were different then," she said, "not many girls could have told their parents that they were pregnant and too many girls in trouble ran away, had abortions from back street butchers and ended up in hospital, or on the mortuary slab. Trouble was that the older generation wouldn't talk about nor accept that sex existed, at least not until you were married, or over thirty. We heard about the swinging sixties, but it didn't happen much outside of London, certainly didn't happen down here. Your Mum, God rest her, took a very brave course, and if she could see you now would be so proud of you, so proud that she would tell you that all the trouble she had, was worth every moment." Abby looked over the rim of her cup with gratitude.

"Thanks, Mary." She paused, "have you got any children?" Mary looked downcast.

"No, Jack and I were never lucky that way." Her expression was enough to tell Abby that this was a regret that would not leave Mary, ever. But they were of a generation that did not complain about their situation, they just got on and handled life as it happened. She walked over and put her arm round Mary, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. The great beaming smile that rewarded her was ample proof that the unintended hurt was forgiven and forgotten.

"Now Miss Tregonney, what are you going to do today?"

The road to Paverton left the village and crossed the river. It wound its way through the valley in a switch back manner, dipping, swerving but generally on an uphill gradient. The river, road, and from the glimpses of embankment that Abby noticed, the railway, were now being pressed together by the confines of the narrowing sides of the Valley. The railway had to take a more meandering course, to maintain the easiest gradient possible, so as she drove Abby would see the remains of the track bed, first on one side, then on the other. Signs of the work that its builders had to do were evident in the bridges and small viaducts, which had carried the railway over farm tracks and streams flowing down from the hills to join the Lyney River. There was less sign of habitation now, just an occasional solitary cottage set well back from the road, with the faint trace of smoke drifting upwards from the chimney. The river, which had gradually narrowed, could no longer be called anything other than a large stream. As the road twisted Abby had caught sight, when the trees allowed her, of a large brick viaduct in the distance which spanned the road, stream and valley. Drawing level with the structure it became obvious that this was for the railway; leaping from one side of the valley to the other, as ever keeping the gradients easy. The road too crossed the stream about half a mile further on, a much taller structure than previously. From this bridge Abby could see back down the valley; a superb view of the ground she had covered since leaving Combe Lyney.

The road now emerged into moorland for five miles before dropping down into the town of Paverton. The contrast between Combe Lyney and Paverton was most marked. Combe Lyney with its white Cob cottages, mellow brick, and thatched roofs, a contrast to Paverton grey, dull, stone built houses, with Slate roofs, each looking like a miniature fort, built to withstand the elements. As she neared the town centre, the streets became narrower, with higher curbs, which Abby had to consider when she pulled to the side of the road to allow an oncoming vehicle room to pass. The centre was dominated by what was obviously the market square, the Town Hall on one side could not be mistaken for anything else, and there too was the Police Station, next to the Magistrates Court. Another side of the square was devoted to a Church, its simple design denoting the Methodist adherence of the West Country, and finally a small row of shops to complete the four sides. Abby smiled to herself, the four cornerstones of English life, Bureaucracy, followed by Legal, Spiritual, and Practical, it was amusing to note that the bureaucrats had built for themselves a larger, more ornate edifice than any of the others.

There was no market today so Abby was able to park in the market square itself; even here the inevitable Pay and Display notice invited her to buy some time. She was astounded by the prices, used as she was to paying London rates of two pounds or more for just half an hour, here the same money would bring her an entitlement for the whole day! Happily she paid the ransom, and embarked on an exploration. She was looking for a Library, and did not need to search too long, as outside the Town Hall a finger post pointed her in the right direction. The Library turned out to be part of the Town Hall building, its entrance tucked away round the corner. Inside the atmosphere was of calm sobriety, the reading room to the left of the entrance, but untroubled by customers. The Lending Library door was opposite, and the reference Library straight on. Abby entered, and was immediately disappointed; the demand for reference reading was obviously small, as were the facilities offered. There was a Librarians desk just to the left of the door, and to the right along the wall was a table, obviously intended for the use of visitors. A young woman sat behind the desk reading an official looking volume, and making notes in a notebook, she looked up from the book with a questioning expression. Abby noted a nametag giving the girls name as Toni and explained.

"I'm looking for material on the Lyney valley, with particular reference to the old railway. I would especially like to see any archive photographs you may have." The young woman's demeanour brightened considerably.

"A serious researcher! We don't get many of those; fact is we don't get any. The Tourist Information Office could easily answer most of the enquiries we get. Now let's see what we've got, it won't be much I'm afraid, you'll probably have to go to Taunton for in-depth material." She got up and came round the desk.

"I'll show you the shelves and leave you to browse." Abby followed her through the tightly packed bookshelves, and they stopped in the Historical section.

Toni pulled out five books from various parts of the section telling Abby.

"You will find that these cover the area generally, some will make reference to the Lyney Valley, but could be quite sketchy, Taunton will have much more detailed Histories, but you have to wade through pages of facts and figures to find what you're looking for. I'll leave you to look, and in the meantime I will try and find something about the railway in the Industrial section." She was about to leave when Abby held her back by the arm.

"This is very helpful of you, thanks." Toni gave her a mischievous grin.

"It's much more interesting than researching Parliamentary Returns. I needed a rest from all those self-important worthy's." Abby took the volumes that Toni had selected for her to the table and sat down prepared for research. In pursuit of her hobby she had often done this sort of thing and had refined her approach. The Contents list were usually just rough guides, the index was the place to start, using key-words, and then listing the page numbers given for each. No sooner had she sat down and she realised she had not brought a pad and pencil. Toni was equal to the occasion, and re-appeared with another couple of books, a pad and ball point Pen.

"Thought you might find these useful." Abby smiled her thanks and started. The first two Histories covered too large an area to warrant more than a cursory mention of the valley. The third made no mention at all save a note about the confluence of the Lyney with the River Bray. The fourth had more to say, but this only about the valley as a route used by a column of Parliamentary forces during the Civil War after the attack on Dunster Castle. Another page mentioned the building of the Railway by the Bristol and Exeter Railway Company. Here Abby was confused, she had imagined that the line was Great Western, and had been built by that concern. Who or what was the Bristol and Exeter? She made a note on her pad to start looking for references, another key word! The last book gave her the most information, with a description of the valley, with paragraphs about the quarries providing good granite, and another, which yielded Alabaster. It was from this volume that she discovered that the Comberford family had owned nearly all the Valley at one time, and that their tenure went back to Elizabethan times. She scribbled furiously, making notes of interest on the pad as well as more key words to continue her research.

She then turned to the last two books that Toni had brought for her. Primarily concerned with the industry of the area, the railway network was written about only as an adjunct to such industry, mainly quarrying, that existed. These two books were very slim indeed. They did however give her another tack to take, as they both mentioned in the bibliography a book about Exmoor Farming. Abby collected her note pad, and picking up the books she called to Toni.

"I'll just put these back." Toni shook her head.

"No leave them on the desk here. I have to record visitors and the books they refer to. Did you find anything of interest?" Abby showed the notes she had made, and the list of further research she would make.

"It's a start, but I suspect there's a lot more to do." Toni examined her lists, and ticked those books she could get.

"They'll be here in two days, if you want to come back." Abby thought about it and replied.

"No, thanks all the same." I'm only here for a few days, so I doubt that I shall be able to make much use of them. I'll find them in the British Library." Toni's eyes widened.