Charles and Jen meet up as Jen travels back from Marbury. He finds her up a
tree after being chased by a dog pack. He is angry that she'd gone off on her own. They also bump into Agnes who is travelling the same route.They all set off with Hubert for Lichfield, where Greg is due in a few days. For an overnight stop, they head for a farm Agnes knows from her previous travels - it is run by the Walter family (mother and 3 sons). However, when they arrive, the farm is derelict and rat infested - they have to camp outside.
Charles
and Jen go off to hunt a rabbit for a meal, and come across two of the Walter sons. They are armed with crossbows, and force them to return to their new settlement for the night.
They are met by Edith, the boys' mother. The leader of the new settlement is called Brod. He and his gang had raided the farm while the eldest son, Tom was away trading. He'd forced them all to join him.
At dawn, they discover that the settlement is based around three railway
carriages. They stand on an embankment - too steep for the dogs at one side, and protected by a river on the other.
They meet Brod. He is a loud, large man. He was a butcher before the death, and learned all about survival from a friend who was a poacher. He perpetually wears his friend's Sheffield United scarf. He has no time for farmers, believing that only the hunters will survive in the new world.
Brod has the others fetched from their camp. He also
expects payment in kind for their night's lodgings and food. He sets them to work, but obviously expects special payment from Jenny, who he gives the job of 'chambermaid' on the carriages. He humbles Charles by making him carry water up from the river in containers strapped to a yolk around his neck. It becomes obvious Brod is not going to let them leave.
Edith also wants them to stay - she feels they may be able to help her get her farm back. Her
sons enjoy life as Brod's men, with the hunting and shooting much more exciting than farming. They had learned the blacksmiths trade, but are now using it to make crossbows.
Brod continues to bully his guests - he makes Agnes stand with an apple on her head which he shoots off with a crossbow. He says he'll turn Charles and Hubert into hunters, and gives them lessons with the crossbow.
Brod realises they want to leave - he says they can go on his
terms only. These consist of being sent off on foot and unarmed to fend for themselves. They call his bluff and set off down the embankment. However, as they draw close to the dog pack down below they realise they have no hope of escape, and have to return to the carriages. Brod lets them back on the condition that they work for him now - he can't believe that they'd been prepared to risk their lives rather than stay with him.
Brod starts to teach Hubert
and Charles to hunt. He sees Charles as a threat, arranges an accident where Charles gets caught in a mantrap and left for the dogs. Luckily, Hubert finds him, and Charles escapes with only a bruised foot. Charles, as ever, give Brod the benefit of the doubt that it was an accident, but Hubert realises it was a deliberate attempt by Brod to eliminate Charles.
Meanwhile Mavis, Brod's previous chambermaid, reassures Jenny that the has very little to fear
from Brod - "all Brod can ever raise is your hopes". She attributes Brod's aggressive attitude to this fact. Jen sees this as an opportunity to take the initiative. She goes to Brod's quarters to "settle up" - she tries to change his attitude by letting him think that this will make him attractive to her. He thinks she is mocking him, and sends her away.
Edith realises that Brod won't botch his next attempt on Charles' life and
persuades him to escape. They load up a boat to escape by river. Charles tries to persuade the community to abandon Brod, and return to Edith's farm with her. Brod appears and argues that they won't survive without him - his people are reluctant to follow Charles. Charles doesn't want to be seen to run away, so stays.
Jen tells Charles of her plans to change Brod - he is dead against her trying, saying he'll think of some way to change their
situation. He refuses to plan violence against Brod, insisting that if they do this, they'll lose their credibility with his
followers.
Hubert, however, decides he's had enough. When returning from crossbow target practice, he spots Brod standing alone with his back to him. He shoots him between the shoulder blades, and then raises the alarm, claiming it was an accident.
Brod lies dying, and realises it was a deliberate act. He admires Hubert for his
action. He taunts Charles that his own philosophy has won out in the end, and that he and Jen would never have succeeded in changing him. Charles is desperate to save Brod's life to prove him wrong, but fails.
They abandon the settlement to move back to the Walters' farm. Hubert, realising he's saved the day, acts with a new-found confidence, suggesting he won't let the others put him down so much in future.
