the sheriff’s men turned their attention away from the tapestry, James nearly wept with relief.
‘The carrying of swords is forbidden by the provost,’ the porter said, speaking for the first time. James noted that he was eyeing the sheriff’s men with some distaste. He looked James straight in the eye, and James saw something he couldn’t quite interpret, a slight narrowing of the eyes, enough to indicate that whatever might happen in the city, the college was aseparate jurisdiction, and the officers of the city had no business floundering around and cutting up its bedlinen. Did the porter suspect McAllister’s whereabouts? James hardly dared to return the man’s gaze.
In the meantime, the sheriff’s men had tired of their ransacking.
‘We’re wasting time,’ one said, ‘we should seek him out at the playhouse.’
The others seemed to think that this was a sensible suggestion, and the men began to leave. As they were doing so, their leader suddenly lunged at James and caught him by the neck so that the boy gasped for breath.
‘If we don’t find him, we’ll be back for you. Mark my words, you’re not too young to swing for murder yourself.’
The sheriff’s man flung James back on the bed, where he lay until they had all left. Getting to his feet, James watched from the window until he saw the men crossing the square, and only then did he beckon to McAllister to come out from behind the tapestry.
Ten
A Strange Meeting
H is time in the college was over, as was McAllister’s, and if they didn’t act fast their very lives would be in danger.
‘This is all a terrible mistake, James. I can barely recall what actually happened. There was an argument and then … it all fades. If only I hadn’t brought that damnable sword!’
McAllister went to the window and looked down forlornly at the square. ‘It’s all over now,’ he said. ‘I shouldn’t have hidden. I should have given myself up. I am a gentlemen after all, and gentlemen don’t cower under beds.’
James was disturbed by McAllister’s mood. He seemed to be willing his own destruction. ‘Better to cower in a hidey hole than swing at the end of a rope,’ he said simply.
‘What?’ McAllister’s eyes were wide, frightened.
‘There’s every chance they’ll hang you for murder. It’s not a pleasant death.’
‘Nevertheless …’ McAllister’s couldn’t believe he would be found guilty.
‘Look,’ James said. ‘A terrible thing was done. The wrong was more likely Vandeleur’s than yours. But you’re mixed up in it, and a trial might make little distinction between the two of you. And even if they don’t hang you, your life will be over. You’ll be disgraced forever. You may as well be dead.’
‘But what am I to do then?’ McAllister cried out.
‘You must leave right now, before the sheriff’s men return. Gather whatever you cannot do without and come with me.’ James was surprised by his own decisiveness. He didn’t have time to puzzle out the rights and wrongs of it. Someone else would have to do that. He didn’t want McAllister to die, and that was all the justice he was concerned about.
‘But where will I go?’
‘Have you got money?’ James asked. ‘You’ll need as much as you can get your hands on.’
McAllister nodded. He had a good deal of cash, and what he lacked he could depend on his bank to supply, if his family stood by him.
‘You must go to the colonies, and you must leave immediately.’
James had no idea how this was to be accomplished; he only knew it had to happen. The first thing was to get McAllister out of the college, and the rest would somehow follow. Of his own future, after this day was out, he didn’t dare think, but even as he spoke he could feel as if something in himself had shifted. Whatever happened, he knew that quickthinking and quick acting would be part of it, and that his only sure home would be in his own resourcefulness. It was a lonely idea, but there was hope in
‘The carrying of swords is forbidden by the provost,’ the porter said, speaking for the first time. James noted that he was eyeing the sheriff’s men with some distaste. He looked James straight in the eye, and James saw something he couldn’t quite interpret, a slight narrowing of the eyes, enough to indicate that whatever might happen in the city, the college was aseparate jurisdiction, and the officers of the city had no business floundering around and cutting up its bedlinen. Did the porter suspect McAllister’s whereabouts? James hardly dared to return the man’s gaze.
In the meantime, the sheriff’s men had tired of their ransacking.
‘We’re wasting time,’ one said, ‘we should seek him out at the playhouse.’
The others seemed to think that this was a sensible suggestion, and the men began to leave. As they were doing so, their leader suddenly lunged at James and caught him by the neck so that the boy gasped for breath.
‘If we don’t find him, we’ll be back for you. Mark my words, you’re not too young to swing for murder yourself.’
The sheriff’s man flung James back on the bed, where he lay until they had all left. Getting to his feet, James watched from the window until he saw the men crossing the square, and only then did he beckon to McAllister to come out from behind the tapestry.
Ten
A Strange Meeting
H is time in the college was over, as was McAllister’s, and if they didn’t act fast their very lives would be in danger.
‘This is all a terrible mistake, James. I can barely recall what actually happened. There was an argument and then … it all fades. If only I hadn’t brought that damnable sword!’
McAllister went to the window and looked down forlornly at the square. ‘It’s all over now,’ he said. ‘I shouldn’t have hidden. I should have given myself up. I am a gentlemen after all, and gentlemen don’t cower under beds.’
James was disturbed by McAllister’s mood. He seemed to be willing his own destruction. ‘Better to cower in a hidey hole than swing at the end of a rope,’ he said simply.
‘What?’ McAllister’s eyes were wide, frightened.
‘There’s every chance they’ll hang you for murder. It’s not a pleasant death.’
‘Nevertheless …’ McAllister’s couldn’t believe he would be found guilty.
‘Look,’ James said. ‘A terrible thing was done. The wrong was more likely Vandeleur’s than yours. But you’re mixed up in it, and a trial might make little distinction between the two of you. And even if they don’t hang you, your life will be over. You’ll be disgraced forever. You may as well be dead.’
‘But what am I to do then?’ McAllister cried out.
‘You must leave right now, before the sheriff’s men return. Gather whatever you cannot do without and come with me.’ James was surprised by his own decisiveness. He didn’t have time to puzzle out the rights and wrongs of it. Someone else would have to do that. He didn’t want McAllister to die, and that was all the justice he was concerned about.
‘But where will I go?’
‘Have you got money?’ James asked. ‘You’ll need as much as you can get your hands on.’
McAllister nodded. He had a good deal of cash, and what he lacked he could depend on his bank to supply, if his family stood by him.
‘You must go to the colonies, and you must leave immediately.’
James had no idea how this was to be accomplished; he only knew it had to happen. The first thing was to get McAllister out of the college, and the rest would somehow follow. Of his own future, after this day was out, he didn’t dare think, but even as he spoke he could feel as if something in himself had shifted. Whatever happened, he knew that quickthinking and quick acting would be part of it, and that his only sure home would be in his own resourcefulness. It was a lonely idea, but there was hope in
Similar Books
