Read Online The Butterfly in Amber by Kate Forsyth - Free Book Online Page B

to the oarsmen. ‘When we’re carrying illegal passengers too!’
    â€˜You think they’ll stop us and check?’ one of the oarsmen whispered. ‘But why?’
    â€˜Any chance of raising more revenue for OldIronsides,’ another said sourly. ‘They’d fine their grandmother for sucking eggs if they could.’
    â€˜There goes our profits!’ said another.
    â€˜You could steer towards the bank and let us sneak ashore,’ Luka suggested, keeping his voice low. ‘The soldiers need never know we were here.’
    â€˜Good idea,’ the steersman whispered back. ‘They’d only make us put you ashore anyway. Better douse that lamp.’
    Luka did as he was told.
    At once there was a shout from the soldiers’ boat coming up behind. ‘Hey! Lights! No sailing without lights!’
    They ignored the shout, quietly steering the boat in towards the south bank of the river. Luka scrambled to his feet, and went to rouse Sweetheart. The clank of her chain and her mumble of discontent sounded very loud across the water.
    â€˜Stop, I say! Stop in the name of the law,’ a voice cried.
    Emilia sucked her breath in sharply. She knew that voice. Coldham! Her legs trembled and almost gave way beneath her. She could not believe he had found them again! Did he never give up? She wondered where he had picked up their trail again. They had tried to get aboard the boat without arousing suspicion, but Sweetheart was hard to hide, and maybe their very haste had attracted attention.
    The boat bumped gently into the bank. Luka jumped across first, Zizi clinging to his shoulder, and coaxed Sweetheart to follow him. The huge old bear refused sulkily, and he dragged hard at her chain, till at last she obeyed, landing with a loud splash. The tilt boat rocked wildly and Emilia almost overbalanced. An oarsmen caught her and steadied her.
    â€˜I order you to pull over! Light your lantern, else I’ll shoot!’ Coldham shouted. The light of the flaming torches reached hungrily across the watertowards them, the soldiers’ boat drawing closer and closer.
    â€˜Don’t shoot!’ the oarsman called back. ‘The lamp’s gone out. We’re trying to light it again. Give us a chance!’
    Emilia flashed him a smile, then scrambled down onto the bank. Reeds crackled under her feet.

    â€˜Who goes there? Are you unloading passengers? Light your lamp!’
    â€˜Hold your horses, we’ve almost got it fixed,’ the oarsman called back, bending over the lamp and pretending to tinker with it. Rollo had jumped down behind Emilia, and together they crept upthe bank and into the shelter of some trees, where Luka was waiting impatiently for them. They heard the boats bang together, and the shout of voices and the thunder of boots on wood. They ran away from the river, trying not to blunder too loudly in the darkness.
    â€˜There’s someone there!’ Coldham shouted. ‘Men, get ashore! They could be our fugitives!’
    â€˜There’s no one there,’ the steersman said. ‘We just pulled up to fix our lamp. It must’ve been a rabbit.’
    Coldham snorted. ‘A big rabbit!’
    Soldiers began to search through the bushes, carrying flaming torches. Emilia could see Luka’s face clearly as he turned back to look for her, strained and white and streaked with dirt. His eyes glittered. He laid his finger on his lips and beckoned her away from the river.
    The soldiers were making so much noise that the two children did not trouble to move quietly.Speed was more important now. They ran through the copse of trees, Sweetheart smashing aside the bushes with her bulk, and found themselves facing a high stone wall. They turned away from the torches, running along its length and came to a set of high iron gates. Gilded spears glittered in the wavering torchlight. Luka had the gate open in a trice, and they slipped through, shutting it