The Spellbinder (Tom & Laura Series) (26 page)

“Now don’t you worry none. I’m a go-in to find the bitch that did for him and I’m going to kill her nice and slow. Maybe hang her up there on the wall for you all to look at while I do it. Would you like that?” Nobody answered.

“I cannot abide those that dare to defy me. Take these here teachers of your’n.” He paused as he looked at the teachers huddled together, “Sterling White and Philus Brown, you come on down where I can see you up close.”

The men stood and walked towards the Captain, making a point of walking with backs as straight as ramrods. The Captain squinted into each of their faces, getting only inches away from them. Dr. White pulled back from the stench of whiskey that hit him.

“You see. These two look like reasonable men. But they defy my will and I will not have it!” The Captain went from angry to smiling in the blink of an eye. “You all go and sit back down again.”

As the men turned, the Captain drew his revolver and shot both of them in the back. Philus Brown died instantly, but Dr. White groaned on the floor. His head was next to the feet of some of the students. They shuffled down their bench to get away from him. The Captain bent down to close to Dr. White’s head.

“Traitors deserve to be back-shot, not killed like honorable men, face to face.” The Captain rose from his bending position and casually shot Dr White in the head. He holstered his gun and stared at the cowering students and teachers.

 
“I don’t want no more trouble. See you-all remember that.”

He strode out of the room.

Snood was waiting outside. “We’ve searched every room in this place and she isn’t anywhere. What do you want us to do?”

The Captain seemed satiated by the killings and smiled at Snood before answering mildly.

“Nothin’ Glen, Nothin’ at all. Nobody’s goin’ anyplace. I got this house locked down tighter than a drum. We’ll find her soon enough.”

Having said his piece, the Captain walked back to the Headmaster’s office as though he did not have a care in the world.

Chapter 31
   
On Their Way

Trelawney was regretting the journey before they left the station. They were in a train supplied by the people he had appointed to protect Hobsgate. They would not change trains on the journey as this one would travel directly to Hobsgate.

“I hate everything about this damnable visit,” he informed Belinda.

“And what does your talent tell you?”

Trelawney paused and gave that question serious thought. “There’s been a dark cloud over the future for months. This evening it lifted a little, though I could not tell you why.”

“You have seen no detail?” Belinda asked, though she knew enough about how the Precog talent worked in Trelawney to guess his answer.

“I never do. You know how it works with me. I make decisions
before
things happen that reduce their damage. Only when it is over can I see the pattern.
 
But there are dark clouds gathering, mark my words. We will not escape this untouched.”

He sat down and Belinda went back to her knitting. This train contained a contingent of cavalry, two coaches, horses in special carriages, the Prime Minister, and the Prince of Wales. It would take eight hours to reach their destination and another two for the cavalry to disembark their horses and the coaches.

The plan was to leave the railway station and make the final part of the journey to Hobsgate at ten o’clock the next morning. The enterprise was far too visible for Trelawney’s tastes.
 
It felt as is the Prime Minister had put up a hoarding with a notice saying
‘Secret Journey with Very Important People Onboard’
for all to see.

 
“Stop fussing, Ernest.” Belinda said with a certain sharpness in her voice. It is difficult for an Empath around agitated people. Their feelings spill out making it hard to concentrate. The anxiety of the cavalrymen was bad enough, but Trelawney was radiating his worries like a lighthouse and she had just messed up a whole row of knitting.

Trelawney stared glumly out of the carriage, though he could see very little. There was a scream of a whistle from the engine driver followed by another from the guard on the train and then a final whistle from the guard on the platform. The train shuddered as it began to move.

Trelawney and Belinda stayed in their compartment, not tempted by the late supper on offer in the sumptuous dining car. That came with the company of the Prime Minister and he would insist that they laugh at all of his jokes. There was a sleeping compartment available, but neither felt like sleep. Instead they both looked forward to a period of quiet introspection.

A figure staggered down the corridor and bounced against their compartment door before bursting through it. They were surprised to find it was the Prince of Wales, somewhat the worse the wear for drink.

“I’ve slipped passed my security guard to have a word if you don’t mind?” The Prince was, as always, immaculately turned out, looking like a dandy. He was nineteen years old and known to be headstrong to a fault.

“Please take a seat, your highness,” Trelawney said. He and Belinda had risen to their feet automatically as soon as they recognized him.

“Ah, the most worthy, Miss Mann,” the Prince said reaching forward to kiss Belinda’s hand, pausing just a fraction too long on the kiss. “Beautiful as ever, and still waiting for Sir Ernest to make an honest woman of you.” His warm smile took away the offence his words might otherwise have caused. He waved them to be seated.

The Prince sat down facing Trelawney. “I gather we are going to visit your young lion cubs: in training to serve Her Majesty,
Empress of Just About Everywhere,
or Mama as I prefer to call her.”

“The Prime Minister believes his visits support them in their endeavors,” Trelawney said dryly.

“More likely Henry is looking for a young lady suitably overcome by his high office to offer him her favors. At his age, he should be ashamed of himself, not that one does not admire an old man who can still get his end up.”

The Prince smiled at Belinda, “I trust my frank language does not shock you, my dear. If it does, feel free to give me a sharp poke me in the ribs.” Again he used a smile capable of launching a thousand ships or bedding easily as many women as his defense.

“The Prime Minister is seventy six years old, Bertie. You should show him more respect.” Trelawney said severely. Though he was well aware there was more than a smidgeon of truth to the Prince’s comments.

“As well I should, but that is not why I have come to visit you two lovebirds.” The Prince leant forward in his seat and spoke conspiratorially.
 
“Mother listens to your opinion, Sir Ernest. She is as captivated by your magical capabilities as Father. She will listen to you and I need your assistance.”

Trelawney sighed as he now knew exactly where the conversation was going.

“Bertie, they will not let you go into the army, at least not where there is any action. You are the Heir and they couldn’t risk putting you into danger like that. If you didn’t face battle, your fellow officers would despise you and laugh at you behind your back.”

The Prince nodded.

“As well I know. That is why you must persuade Mother to allow me to face action after I receive my commission. God knows, I am not exactly an only child. Mother continues to spawn without let or hindrance. There are spares to replace me should I be killed. I do not intend to die, Sir Ernest. However, I want to be the kind of king my fellow countrymen shall admire.”

“You should not talk of the Queen that way,” Belinda said in a shocked voice.

The Prince smiled, “The
Empress of Most of the World
will survive any minor insults from me, I suspect. This is
important
to me. Mama will live for ever and I do not want to spend my life opening hospitals and town halls, or gambling in casinos for that matter, which is my current vice.” He grinned. “Well apart from my usual one.”

Trelawney looked into the Prince’s eyes and saw the frustration in them. The Queen would be angry with him for raising the matter, but he would try.

“I will explain your desires to her, Bertie. But it will do no good; her mind is made up.” Trelawney sighed. He could well understand why this young man with so much energy and intelligence would find it difficult to wait on the sidelines until his mother died.

The Prince sat back in his seat, satisfied with the promise he had obtained. His thoughts turned to other subjects.

“I hear we have a new Class A. And for the first time from the upper-class or the upper-middle anyway. When that becomes public knowledge, there will be celebrations in the streets.” The Prince fiddled with a pipe he had taken from his coat. A new affectation since Trelawney had seen him last.

“Yes, you will meet her at Hobsgate. Her name is Laura Young and she will celebrate her seventeenth birthday on Wednesday, I believe.”

“And is she pretty?” The Prince asked, raising an eyebrow archly.

Belinda answered. “Very, I would say. And wilful with it.”

“Then perhaps I will stay over at Hobsgate until Thursday. A pretty girl should always have a handsome escort on her birthday.” Bertie grinned in a way that suggested that it wasn’t escorting Laura that would be his primary gift to her.

“You are incorrigible, your highness,” Trelawney said wearily, “You and the Prime Minister are both insatiable.”

However Trelawney admitted to himself that the Prince’s presence had cheered him up. He was such a likeable young rogue.

Belinda had to suppress several smiles during the Prince’s exchanges with Trelawney. Laura already had a beau, but who wouldn’t swap him for the Prince of Wales, given the chance? Bertie oozed charm and sexuality. However, it was her duty to warn the Prince that he might be stepping on someone’s toes.

“She is, sadly, already taken. Her young man is Thomas Carter of the Berkshire Carter’s. The family is not wealthy, but they are renowned for their service to both Crown and to their parish.”

The Prince frowned on hearing this news. He surprised Belinda and Trelawney with his reply.

“As it happens, I have heard of him or more accurately I have heard of his father. Alfred Carter bested Lord Humphrey in a local affair last year. Stopped him from turning a village common over to grouse. The upper classes should remember who they owe their wealth to. Look what happened to the French aristocracy when they forgot.” Bertie paused in thought for a few seconds. “Thomas Carter might well find trouble when he joins the army. Lord Humphrey is known to be a man who carries a grudge and he has many connections.”

Trelawney felt as if someone had just put a piece of a puzzle into place.

“Would he pay someone to assassinate the boy, to punish the father for his temerity?”

“I would put nothing past that man, Sir Ernest.”

“I take it you will all be coming with us?”
Cam
asked. There were cautious nods from the assembled students. Though she had revealed to them what had happened to Virtue before dinner,
Cam
had held off explaining the escape plan until the last minute. What they didn’t know they couldn’t give away.

“We can’t all go at once,” Daisy pointed out. “There are far too many of us.”

“Daisy is right,” Tompkins said. “Even a dozen sneaking down the corridors would be seen.”

Cam
had not given it any thought until the question was raised, but she saw that they were right.

“How many of you know the back ways to the cellar?”
Cam
asked and only Daisy’s hand went up.

“We will travel six to a group with either Daisy or me leading. Ten minute intervals between each group and then Daisy and I will return for more.”

“That is going to take all night,” Tompkins pointed out.

Cam
sighed. “Do you have a better idea?”

Tompkins shook his head.

At the stroke of midnight
Cam
led the first group of students down to the cellar. They had sorted the students by age order, the youngest going first.

“Shush,”
Cam
whispered as someone walked the corridor with a distinct series of loud clicks.

“It’s my shoes,” Emma whispered back. The nails are knocking against the wood.”

“Then take them off,”
Cam
spat back. She struggled to calm herself down when she saw how frightened her charges were. All six were crouched down behind a small table that would have had difficulty hiding a dog. Emma slipped her shoes from her feet and they started moving again.

A few yards further down the corridor an owl hooted and someone gave a stifled yell.
Cam
had known the night was going to be long, but now she knew it was going to be interminable. Five minutes later they reached the safety of the cellar and
Cam
felt she had already aged ten years.

“Greetings,” Tom said, standing up from behind a wall of barrels.
Cam
shrieked as her nerves were fried. Laura appeared alongside him.

“Really, Camilla. What an example to set the others. Fortunately, no one can hear us down here, but really.”

“Can I put my shoes back on?” Emma asked. The cellar floor was cold and she was hoping from one foot to the other.

“Certainly,” Laura told Emma. “This is where you’re going.”

Laura tore the bind and dropped the burning paper to the floor, stamping on the pieces to put them out. There was a low rumble as the stone moved back into place and the tunnel reformed.

“Off you go and don’t touch the black boat down there,” Laura instructed. “Shouldn’t you be getting back to bring the next lot?” She enquired of Camilla.

“I have to wait for Daisy,”
Cam
explained. “Are you two going to stay down here all night?”

Tom grinned. “Laura only needs to stay so she can remake the bind if the soldiers come down.
Nan
has brought straw and a blanket and she’ll sleep here while I keep watch. There’s no need for both of us to be exhausted tomorrow.”

“You had better wake me up so I can do my share, Thomas,” Laura said. She waved a scrap of paper at Tom. “Just think what I could do to you if you made me angry.”

Emma walked around the barrels and stared at Laura’s cabin boy clothes in astonishment. “I think you could get arrested for going out like that.” She paused for a moment before adding, “And I want to know exactly where you got those clothes.”