Beneath the Major's Scars(48)

He slipped away and was soon lost to sight between the     straggling buildings. Dominic waited a few minutes, then set off after him. The     whole area was deserted, no fishing boats were tied up at the quay, the houses     and outbuildings were empty and an air of quiet desolation hung over everything.     He kept close to the buildings, the rain splashing from the roof tiles onto his     hat and shoulders as he hurried along the muddy lane and into the narrow alley     that led to the rear of the inn. The long, low building formed an L-shape around     a cobbled yard. On one side the roof was extended to form a covered way, which     looked as if it had once been a skittle alley, but was now filled with empty     beer barrels stacked untidily against the back wall.

He could hear Jasper’s voice, loud and bombastic as he shouted     for the landlord. Dominic moved cautiously towards the open doorway. He found     himself in a narrow passage. An open door immediately on his right led to the     kitchen and a set of narrow stairs ran up to his left. He slipped up the stairs,     which mercifully did not creak. A series of doors led off the landing. Boldly he     put his hand on the latch of the first one and walked in, prepared to apologise     and retreat if it was occupied, as if he was a genuine guest.

The room was empty, shabby but clean with the bed made up and     ready for use. The second and third attempts revealed similar empty rooms.

‘Hmm,’ he muttered to himself, ‘that gives the lie to their     being full.’

The next door was locked and a heavy bolt had been fastened to     the outside, the freshly splintered wood evidence that it had been fitted very     recently. He knocked softly and heard a sobbing whimper.

Dominic took out a pocket knife and set to work on the old     lock, which soon gave way.

Cautiously he opened the door. The room was as sparsely     furnished as the others, but Nicky was there, alone, sitting disconsolately on     the edge of the narrow bed. As soon as he saw Dominic he threw himself at     him.

‘Thank God,’ muttered Dominic, laying a hand on the boy’s     shoulder. ‘Come now, let us get out of here—’

‘Not so fast, my fine friends.’

The rolling West Country vowels made Dominic’s head snap     around. The landlord was at the door, a shotgun held menacingly in his     hands.

‘Ah. I thought I heard a noise up ’ere.’

Dominic stepped in front of Nicky. ‘Don’t be a fool, man. Put     the gun down. The game is up now, unless you mean to murder us.’

The landlord shrugged. ‘Murder, abduction, it makes no odds.     We’d hang anyway if we was found out—and keep yer hands where I can see ’em,’ he     ordered, as Dominic reached for the pistol in his pocket.

‘Dan’l, what’re you doin’...?’ the landlady’s shrill tones     preceded her up the stairs. A slatternly looking woman with untidy hair and a     greasy apron appeared beside her husband, who sniffed.

‘We got a visitor, Martha. Come to get the boy. Do you check     ’is pockets, and see if he’s carryin’ a weapon.’

The landlady wiped her hands nervously on her apron and     approached Dominic, keeping well to the side so there was no possibility of     blocking her husband’s aim. She lifted the pistol from his pocket and the man     called Daniel gave a satisfied nod.

‘I thought as much.’

‘So are you going to shoot ’im, Dan’l?’

‘No!’ cried Nicky, clinging to Dominic.

‘It’s all right, Nicky,’ said Dom quickly. ‘Don’t worry,     lad.’

‘Aye, that’s right, you tell ’im,’ leered the landlord, waving     the shotgun menacingly. ‘If you are wise, you’ll both behave yerselves.’

‘And if you are wise, you will let     them go.’ Jasper’s cool drawl came from the landing, a pistol in his hand.

‘Is that right?’ The landlord spat on the floor. ‘Seems to me     that pop gun o’ yers might get me, but not afore I’ve pulled the trigger, and     one blast from this would send the nipper and yer     friend to kingdom come. And it’s not to say that Martha here might not loose off     yer friend’s shooter, too.’

A cold chill ran down Dominic’s spine. He wondered how quickly     he could drop down and shield the boy. If he was quick enough, he could take the     force of the blast and Nicky might survive.

‘So what’s it t’be?’ the landlord demanded. ‘I ain’t gonna     stand here all day. Either you comes in here with yer friend and the boy, or     I’ll shoot ’em both.’

‘Don’t ’ee be too hasty, Dan’l.’ The woman placed her hand on     the landlord’s arm. ‘If we has trouble here then we’ll have the Revenue men     crawling all over the place.’

‘She’s right,’ agreed Jasper. ‘You cannot fire that thing     without an almighty disturbance that will bring every Revenue man for miles down     upon you.’

The landlord shrugged. ‘No matter. They ain’t found nothing yet     so I reckons I’ll tek my chances, if I ’as to. And as to shooting anybody...’     his lip curled, displaying a mouth full of yellow, rotted teeth ‘...a man’s     entitled to defend his property. No, my fine buck, I thinks you’d better give     that pretty pop o’ yours to my good lady, afore my finger gets itchy on this     trigger and I shoots the boy.’

Through the open doorway Dominic met Jasper’s eyes and read the     message there. The risk was too great. Jasper lowered his pistol.

‘Well, fellow, it seems you have me there.’

The landlord stood away from the door. ‘You come on in here,     then, where I can see thee. And, Martha, you go and fetch some cord to tie up     these fine gennlemen!’

‘I’m sorry, brother,’ murmured Jasper as he came to stand     beside Dominic. ‘Perhaps we will have another chance.’

‘Perhaps.’ Dominic shrugged.

Faced with the shotgun pointing at them, they could do nothing     but wait until the landlady returned with a length of thin rope, with which she     proceeded to bind their hands behind their back.

‘Tight, mind,’ ordered Daniel. ‘They’s big divils and I don’t     want no messin with ’em.’

‘Aye, but what now?’ said Martha, when she had finished. ‘Do     you want to leave ’em all here?’

‘No, the boy can stay—the lock’s bust, but the bolt on the door     will hold’n.’ He looked up suddenly. ‘Where’s your horses?’

‘Back at the village,’ said Dominic. ‘At the inn.’

‘Aye,’ added Jasper. ‘We told them we were here to paint the     landscape.’

The landlord’s face twisted into a cruel grin. ‘Well, then,     they won’t think nothing of it if you takes a tumble off the cliff into the sea.     We’ll put you in the cellar ’til nightfall, then tek you out to sea an’—’

‘No!’ shouted Nicky, ‘You shan’t hurt them, you shan’t.’

The landlady pulled him against her greasy skirts. ‘No, no,     they won’t be ’armed, my babby.’ She glared at her husband. ‘Do you want to have     the nipper bawling and troublesome all night? Will said we was to keep ’im     safe—no marks, ’e said.’ She looked down at the little boy. ‘Don’t ’ee worry, me     lad. We’re jus gonna put yer friends into the cellar for a while, till William     comes to take you all home, ain’t that right, Dan’l?’

‘Aye,’ growled Daniel. ‘So you two get yerselves downstairs,     now, and don’t try anything, I ain’t afraid to deal with you.’

‘No, of course not, now we have our hands tied behind our     backs!’ retorted Dominic. He turned and nodded at Nicky. ‘We will see you later,     Nicky.’

Daniel waved the shotgun again. ‘That’s enough, now get     yerselves down them stairs.’

The landlord kept a safe distance behind them and the landlady,     waving Jasper’s pistol in her hand, informed them that she was quite prepared to     use it.

A door under the stairs led to the cellar. The landlord waved     them forwards, waited until they were both on the stairs, then kicked his foot     into Jasper’s back, sending them crashing down into the darkness.