Black Powder by Ally Sherrick Read Free Book Online Page B

bedchamber at home. But the silver candlestick by the bed, the heavy tapestries hanging from the walls and the sharp sting of the blister on his foot soon reminded him of the truth. His heart sank. What use was it being related to these Montagues when they refused to help? They might be going to get Mother free, but what about Father? He bit his lip and dug his fingers into the soft velvet coverlet spread across the bed. A brush of whiskers tickled his toes.
    Jago. He must have left the box open last night after he’d fed him. Just as well his little friend hadn’t decided to go exploring. He pushed back the coverlet and scooped him up in his palm. ‘Hello, boy. Let’s see where we are.’ Hauling himself out of bed, he hobbled over to the window andpeered through the pale green glass. The room looked down on to the courtyard and across to the gatehouse opposite. Beyond it stretched the water meadows, their pools and grasses wound about with tendrils of mist. To the left, rising above them, was a low hill, topped with trees and a huddle of grey stone ruins.
    Jago raised his head and sniffed the air. Tom tickled him between the ears.
    â€˜There must be another way to help Father, boy.’ He frowned. ‘We just have to think of it, that’s all.’ A distant bell sounded the hour. He felt a stab of guilt. He hadn’t said his prayers yet. He closed his eyes and began to mutter the words.
    A knock at the door made him start. Sliding Jago into the sleeve of his nightshirt, he leapt back into bed and pulled the covers up under his chin. ‘Who’s there?’
    The door swung open. The girl stepped into the room with a bundle under her arm. She was wearing a blue silk gown decorated with red bows. A pair of blue velvet slippers peeped out from beneath her skirts.
    He scowled at her. ‘What do you want?’
    â€˜I’ve brought you some clothes.’ She held up a mustard-coloured silk doublet, a pair of brown velvet breeches, a stiff white ruff and some black silk slippers. ‘They belonged to my elder brother when he was a boy.’ She tilted her head and looked at him. ‘They should fit. Although’ – she sighed – ‘they are not today’s fashion.’
    â€˜I’ll wear my own, thanks.’
    â€˜Those grimy old things?’ She pulled a face like a cat sniffing a bowl of sour milk. ‘Joan fetched them away whenyou were sleeping and put them on the fire.’
    â€˜What?’ He stared wildly around the room. His boots were still there, and so was his waist-pouch, but everything else was gone. ‘She had no right!’
    â€˜You are a Montague, so you must dress like one.’ She gave a prim smile. ‘Besides’ – her eyes took on a distant look – ‘it’s fun to dress up and pretend to be someone else. Actors do it all the time.’
    He snatched up the ruff and hurled it across the room. ‘I’m a Garnett, not a Montague!’
    She blinked and arched her eyebrows. ‘Tsk. What a temper! I’m surprised you want to stay a Garnett, when your father is being hunted down like a common criminal.’
    â€˜Don’t you talk about Father like that!’
    She frowned. ‘I didn’t mean anything by it.’ She twisted a blonde curl round her little finger. ‘Anyway, you had better get dressed. Granny says you must join us for prayers in the chapel.’ With a swish of her skirts she turned and walked back to the door. ‘I will wait for you outside.’
    Tom waited until she had gone, then fished Jago out from his sleeve. He held his soft, silky body against his cheek and breathed in his mousy smell. ‘If they think they can keep us prisoner here, they’re wrong, boy.’ He glanced down at his nightshirt then back at the over-stuffed doublet and puffed-up breeches and groaned. Right now though, it looked like he didn’t have much choice.
    Tom sat in the