Chapter Eight
“There, ye see it! There, down the hill.” Rowan’s hoarse whisper carried to the men behind him.
“Aye, without doubt. That be the place,” answered Simeon, who was the leader of this group. “Yet it looks strangely deserted. I would expect more men about.”
“Perhaps they are all inside,” suggested Jeremy. “Just how many could there be? And we have forty able and armed men.”
“Aye, we do,” said Simeon, “but still, I am not at ease. I would but like one or two outside – ones whom we could capture, if ye know what I mean… But we shall have to be very careful not to alert anyone inside.”
Simeon gathered his men, and told them they would split into two teams, and approach the hut from both sides, going around from the back. Then, as dusk fell, he would give the signal, and they would attack, with Simeon and two others, as well as the two youths going for the door to the cave. He made sure that specific instructions were to be carried out by certain guardsmen. Next the group split up, and each group headed down indirectly toward the hut. Each man watched as the sun set, and with the ever growing darkness, awaited the signal of attack.
From his hidden vantage point, Simeon watched carefully, and noticed the complete lack of activity about the hut. As the sun had set, and they had the element of surprise, as well as the cover of darkness working for them, he whistled the sound of a whippoorwill, and as one the two parties converged on the hut. Finding no one outside, he then, along with a dozen warriors, burst into the hut, and on the inside, they found but a solitary old man. He was tied to one of the posts and had obviously been beaten about the head. He was still alive, though and called out to the men in anguish. Still sensing that there was still the possibility of urgency elsewhere, Simeon had a few of his men untie the old man, while he took Jeremy and Rowan, and three others toward the entryway to the cave.
Finding the entryway dark and steep, he and his companions crept down carefully. As they entered the dank underground room, he called out “Melchior! Lisa!” but was met with his own echo and the quiet stench of the place. Simeon noticed one of the torches was still burning, and he had one of the men bring it down to the center of the room. They looked about, and could see only the upturned wine barrel, and no other furniture. They then noticed the water jug, and the single cup. Simeon then knelt down, and felt with his hand, and noticed the floor was damp by the cup. He then went over to the wine barrel, and looked down, to notice that, in the sawdust, someone had scratched out the letters MELC.
“Well, me lads, ‘twould appear that this room was used by our Melchior and Lisa, and I would say that they have been taken away today.”
“Aye, and I should think that they were taken quite suddenly,” noted Jeremy. “Perhaps the man up in the house could tell us somethin’.”
“As ye say, laddie. Then we’ll go back and speak with him.”
When they got up the stairs, they found the old man had been untied, and was sitting in one of the rough chairs upstairs. Seeing the man brought a flood of memories to Simeon.
“Well, lads, this be Allen…Allen o’ Burridge, none other!”
“I am he, Master Simeon, me ol’ friend.” Despite his wounds, there appeared a sparkle of grateful recognition in his old eyes. “Tell me, how long has it been?”
“More years than I care to recall. What has happened t’ ye? Last I recall ye were still acting as carpenter in Clannach, but that was a mere ruse, was it not?”
“Oh, aye, that it were, me good sir. Fer it ‘twas merely what I did to keep bread on me table. As ye know, fer years I was a watchman fer Drachma. An’ fer all those years none knew o’ me. That is exceptin’ his own men.”
Rowan and Jeremy came closer to the man, for here was someone who knew of the lost years. Those years before the earl’s death, and before the arrival of Robert and Judy, and before Tom and Eustace’s rising up.
“Well, me good man,” continued Simeon, “ye shall have to accompany us, if ye’re able. And ye shall have to tell of those years. But now, d’ye need anything? Ye’ve been beaten about the head, and left here, tied to this post. Are ye hurt anywhere else?”
“Nay, Master Simeon, the men who had me held captive left in haste, when the one in charge came in an’ told the men t’ take their two prisoners anon. And hurry they did. But before I did swoon from their beating, I could see the two prisoners, though faintly. One I could tell was Master Melchior, but the other was but a young lassie. And the men just left out the door as I did swoon. Now, that’s the last I remember, afore ye came in.”
“Ah, Allen, I’m so sorry…” answered Simeon, genuinely grieved. “Me men shall take care o’ ye, and shall bind up yer wounds, and shall feed ye. And then after I seek out which way they went, I shall come back t’ ye, and we shall talk some more. Now Jeremy here, and Rowan can take care o’ ye, with an armed guard about the place. Now, I’ll take me men, and see what we can find o’ these men. But, before I go, I must ask ye, was Antoine LeGace among the men?”
“Ah, Simeon, he was among these men! I hadn’t heard that vile name in years. But I only seen ‘im briefly afore they beat me.”
“Well enough, me old friend. Now I know I must come back and talk t’ ye. But fer now, I shall leave ye in the hands o’ these fine lads. And rest assured that I shall also post an armed guard outside.” Then, turning to Jeremy, said, “And so, m’lads, ye’ve got a most important charge with ye here. Take care o’ the old fellow. And be certain, that anything he tells ye, ye can believe. The name o’ Allen o’ Burridge is one that’s revered among us.”
Simeon strode over to his men and set up assignments. Next he went outside, and began his inspection of the grounds, and within five minutes, was gone. But as he said, he left armed guards, and one bowman back at the building.
After cleaning up the painful wounds on Allen’s head, Rowan and Jeremy got their charge some water, some bread, dried fruits and some dried venison. The old man took their offering thankfully, and quietly ate his fill. After a few minutes the old man sat back in his chair. As he sat there, the two youths came closer, and Rowan timidly asked, “Master Allen, it seems that ye’ve been a watchman fer Drachma. And we ourselves are now similarly employed by Lord Craycroft.”
“Aye, so I gathered, laddie. I’ve had the pleasure o’er the years to be the eyes and ears fer Drachma in me village, an’ beyond. And so it was, that four years ago, I was there t’ welcome Master Robert, as he came upon this isle.”
“Ye were there when Master Robert came?” Rowan was astonished. “What can ye tell us of his arrival? And what of his craft… was it magical?”
The old man laughed at that. “Ah, m’laddie, if ye’d a been there! Nay, it was no magic craft. Y’see, the first time I spied Master Robert… here he was, brought in by a party of hunters, like some big game they’d just killed. He was all tied up and was not conscious. Now, mind ye, I’d already been warned by Drachma t’ be expectin’ some magical healer from another time. And what I saw hardly fit that description. Now the hunters said that this stranger had gotten up, but had not been able t’ say anythin’, and he but swooned. And ‘twas good fortune that they’d brought ‘im to me.”
Allen paused as he took a swallow of water. And then he looked at his two companions as if he was sharing some secret for the first time.
“Anyways, whilst the hunters went in search of the forest guardsmen, I just waited, and when he came around, I made polite conversation with him, but then when he mentioned the name of Drachma, I knew right then and there that he was the one fer certain. After that I just kept t’meself, and I ne’er let on.
“And t’ this day, I’ve just been keepin’ up on the happenin’s wi’ Master Robert, and his lady, an’ wi’ Master Craycroft.” Allen paused before speaking again, and it was with a note of cold warning. “What I’ll tell ye lads is that this LeGace fellow is not one t’ be reckoned with any too lightly. I tell ye, and this comes from one who has seen his share o’ evil men, that Antoine LeGace is the face o’ the devil here among us. So, be careful, and if ye can avoid him, ye’d be much the better. Now, have ye seen him?”
Jeremy answered, “Oh, aye, we have. And we’ve been keepin’ an eye on ‘im. That’s why we were sent on this mission.”
“Well, that be fine an’ good, me lads. But if ye think ye’ll be catchin’ ‘im unawares, then I’d be thinkin’ again. Now, we must be gettin’ back t’yer boat afore ‘e finds out. Don’t ye think?”
“But what of Simeon, and the men?” asked Rowan.
“Ah, me laddies, if ye only knew, Master LeGace has a hundred or more men in these woods, so I’d say that ye’d a better chance on a boat than in these woods agin’ that foe. And don’t ye think that we owe it to Master Craycroft to tell him. Also, I believe the safest route fer ye would t’ git back t’ yer boats.”
The consternation on their faces was evident – so much so that Allen had to tell them that he knew a way down to the boats, which not even the men of LeGace knew. After a brief discussion with the men guarding the house, it was decided that the safety of Allen did warrant his escape from the island by boat. And though he thanked them for offering assistance, Allen declined, and told them that he knew of a safe, and well-hidden passage down to the boats, and that the company of Jeremy and Rowan was all he could risk. The guards then agreed to tell Simeon of what happened.
But the way that Allen had in mind took the youths by surprise. He led them back down into the underground room. He took the one torch that was there and led them back into the dark and smelly recesses of the odd room. There, on the floor was what appeared to be an apparatus for drying pelts. Beneath it, though, was a carefully crafted connection to the subfloor below. With the help of the two youths, Allen had it open. Shining his torch into the passageway, he indicated the way down. He told them that he would go first, and they were to follow, but to be certain that the apparatus was back in place before they went on.
Jeremy and Rowan did as instructed and the old passageway below the room opened up before them.
“This way, lads,” said Allen. “Me years as a carpenter were not without benefit. Fer ‘twas I who crafted this old escape route. And it were fer Drachma that I did it, too. Now that be a story fer another time. Now, come on, but careful o’ yer heads.
The three of them wound their way through the underground cavern for what seemed like an hour or more. Then Allen put up his hand in a signal. Up ahead they could see some light.
“Now, lads,” whispered Allen, “this cavern come out through some brush and tall grass, and some large rocks up ahead. I don’t expect anyone t’ be guardin’ this region, but I shall go out ’n see, an’ if the way be safe then I’ll come back an’ tell ye. Now, just wait ye here…”
Jeremy and Rowan waited and held the torch, as the old man crept forward, then out of view. A soft moonlight flooded the small exit. In the silence, they could hear the sound of the ocean off in the distance.
Then Allen’s silhouette could be seen ahead, and he said, “The way is safe, lads. Ye may come out, an’ I’ll show ye the rest o’ the way to the boat docks.”
As they came out of the tunnel, Jeremy looked back, and could see how this particular tunnel would be safe from any prying eyes. A more inconspicuous underground passageway would be hard to design. He stored that bit of information away for possible future use.
For the next half mile, they followed a nearby deer trail, to where the island jutted out to the sea. Allen pointed ahead, and said in a half whisper, “around yonder bend be the south boat dock. It should be guarded by some o’ Simeon’s men. But I should be as quiet as possible fer now, an’ then we’ll see.”
The two nodded their understanding. They crept quietly ahead and could see the men guarding the boats. Jeremy and Rowan both recognized the men but were met with drawn swords.
“Well, Jeremy and Rowan! We thought we’d heard someone creepin’ up on us... but this man, with ye … we know ‘im not. Now, ye’ll have to explain yerselves.”
“Now, Marcus, just put down yer weapons,” answered Jeremy. “This man was but a prisoner in the hut up yonder, and he had been beaten about the head an’ neck. And besides, he was barely even conscious when we arrived. His name be Allen o’ Burridge. You might have heard o’ him.”
“This… this be Allen o’ Burridge?”
“Oh, aye, that be me, indeed.” The old man’s eyes twinkled. “And I’ll tell ye lads, that this old man needs t’ lie down in one o’ thy boats, an’ get back to Shepperton.”
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