Black Powder by Ally Sherrick Read Free Book Online Page A

friends with the King and would be able to stop the constable and—’
    â€˜Fools! The pair of them!’ The Viscountess clutched the prayer book against her crucifix. ‘What were they thinking?’ She groaned, then, letting her cane slide between her fingers, she closed her eyes and pinched the top of her nose.
    What was she saying? Tom tugged at her sleeve. ‘Please, mistress . . . I mean, My Lady. You’ve got to help them!’
    She snapped her eyes open. ‘It is not as simple as that! Unlike your father, we Montagues have our reputation to think of. One false move . . .’ She shook her head andgestured to the girl to pick up her cane.
    â€˜But they might die.’ His eyes blurred with tears. He scrubbed at them with his sleeve. He mustn’t cry. Not now.
    The Viscountess stroked the worn cover of the prayer book then gave a deep sigh. ‘Your mother, although estranged from us, is of our blood. I will send word to Lord Montague in London about her plight. Let us hope he can use his influence at court to secure her release. As for your father . . .’ Her mouth hardened into a thin white line. ‘He is a lost cause.’ With a rustle of skirts, she turned, walked back to her chair and sat down.
    â€˜What do you mean?’ Tom stumbled after her.
    The Viscountess fixed him with a granite stare. ‘Many years ago, he brought great grief to this house. Now, once again, he has shown himself to be a man of poor judgement.’
    He frowned. ‘I don’t understand.’
    She shook her head. ‘For a town-bred boy, you are very naive. Your father should know better than to try his hand at priest-smuggling. With watchers everywhere, it is a dangerous business, even for those with the means to support it.’
    Anger whirled up inside Tom. How dare she talk about Father like that? He glared at her, but her eyes gazed past him into the fire.
    His jaw tightened. All right, if she wanted him to beg . . . He knelt down and clutched at her skirts. ‘Please. Help him. In the name of Our Lord . . .’
    She pulled back and frowned. ‘No. Your father will have known what the stakes were. He must take his chances andpray that God will be merciful.’ She dropped the prayer book in her lap and smoothed the front of her gown with the palm of her hand.
    A bitter taste flooded Tom’s throat. Without the Montagues’ help, what chance did Father have? He shot a look at the girl. She turned away quickly, fixing her eyes on the carving of a two-headed dog next to the fireplace. He jumped to his feet and strode towards the door.
    â€˜Where do you think you are going?’ The Viscountess’s voice was iron-hard.
    â€˜Home.’ He clenched his fists and kept walking.
    â€˜To what? An empty house and a mother in gaol? Don’t be foolish, boy. You must stay here until your uncle returns. Then he can decide what to do with you. Besides, it is past the curfew now and Sergeant Talbot is under strict orders to let no one pass through Cowdray’s gates.’
    Tom stopped in his tracks, shoulders slumped.
    A pair of footsteps crunched slowly across the rush mats behind him. ‘Here.’ Something sharp prodded him in the back.
    He spun round. The old woman lowered her cane and held out the prayer book. He snatched it from her and slipped it inside his jerkin.
    The Viscountess turned to the girl. ‘Ask Joan to prepare one of the bedchambers in the North Range for him, then take him to the kitchen so he can be fed.’ She waved them away with her hand.
    The girl tugged at his sleeve. Tom yanked it free and marched to the door. He’d stay here tonight, but if the highand mighty Montagues thought he was going to sit around waiting for Father to be hunted down and thrown in gaol, they were wrong.

Chapter Ten
    Sunday 27 October
    F or a moment when Tom woke, he thought he was back in his