What about you, Marc? You ever run across either Richard or Isobel before?'
'Never,' said Marc flatly. 'Their arrival here was a complete surprise to me.'
'Now, don't you dare start picking on Richard,' said Katrina. 'Just because he
comes from Lower Markham. We've always known that some parts of the Family have…
gone down in the world. And remember, he's one of the few people to stick by us,
even after he found out about the Secret.'
'Yes,' said David. 'Interesting, that. Why should he and his sister be so loyal?
Why come all this way, with winter so close?'
'Presumably, he expects Duncan to make it worth his while in the will,' said
Arthur.
'Could be,' said David. 'But that might not be his only motive.'
'What other motive could he have?' said Katrina.
'Why don't we ask him?' suggested Marc.
'Yes,' said David. 'Why don't we?'
But just then Jamie strode forward into the middle of the room and called for
everyone's attention, and all conversation died quickly away.
'My friends, I regret to say it, but we can't simply barricade ourselves in here
and wait for the wards to go down tomorrow morning. We have a duty and an
obligation to find the freak and put an end to its miserable existence.'
'But no one's been able to find the bricked-up room for centuries,' objected
Katrina.
'I've been thinking about the problem,' said Jamie, 'And I've come up with an
idea. Based on certain comments and internal evidence in the notes my father
left, I'm pretty sure the freak's cell has some kind of window. Presumably not
very large, but enough to allow light to enter. So, I propose we make a tour of
the Tower, floor by floor, opening every window and hanging out a marker of some
kind, until we've covered them all. Then we go outside and take a look.
Whichever window remains unmarked has to be the freak's cell. Shouldn't be too
difficult to find the room, with that to point the way.'
'It might just work,' said Hawk. 'It's simple and straightforward. I like it.'
'Wait just a minute,' said Fisher. 'Did you say go outside the Tower? I thought
we were all trapped in here by the wards?'
'The wards do not become operative until some ten feet beyond the Tower,' said
Jamie patiently. 'And no, I don't know why. The wards themselves were designed
hundreds of years ago; I just raise and lower them, as and when needed. Now, if
there are no more questions, I think we should make a start.'
'Obviously we can't all go,' said Alistair. 'The women will have to stay here,
and someone will have to remain with them, to protect them.'
'Right,' said Hawk. 'And the smaller the search party, the better. No point in
risking anyone we don't have to. The freak could be out there anywhere, just
waiting for a chance at us. This has to be volunteers only, and people who can
look after themselves in a fight. I'll go, for one. Who's with me?'
'You do like to take charge, don't you, Richard?' said Jamie.
'Sorry,' said Hawk. 'I'm just… eager to make a start. But of course you're in
charge. You're the MacNeil.'
'That's right,' said Jamie. 'I am. So I'll decide who goes and who stays. Since
you're so eager, Richard, you can be part of the group, along with Alistair and
myself. How about you, Arthur? Are you any good with a sword?'
'Not really,' said Lord Arthur. 'Sorry, Jamie, I'm not really up to heroics. But
I'll do my best to protect the ladies while you're gone.'
'I'd better stay too,' said David Brook. 'There ought to be one person here who
knows one end of his sword from the other.'
'I'll go with you, Jamie,' said Marc. 'I'm fairly proficient with a sword, and I
hate being cooped up.'
'Mister Brennan and I will be happy to accompany you, sir,' said Greaves,
stepping forward with the minstrel. Jamie smiled, but shook his head.
'No offense, but I think we'll make better time without you.'
'As you wish,' said Brennan flatly.
'Don't sulk, Robbie. It doesn't become you. I'd take you if I could, but speed
is of the essence, and I think you'll be more useful here. In the meantime,
barricade the door behind us once we've gone. Make it sturdy enough to keep the
freak out but not so heavy you can't dismantle it fast if we need to get back in
here in a hurry. Well, no point in hanging about, is there? We might as well go.
Unless there's anything you want to add, Richard?'
'I don't think so, Jamie,' said Hawk courteously. 'You've covered everything I
can think of.'
'Then let's go,' said Alistair. 'We've got a lot of ground to cover.'
There was a quick murmur of goodbyes. Jamie took Holly in his arms, and she
hugged him hard for a moment before pushing him resolutely away. Hawk pulled the
chair away from the door, listened a moment, and then carefully eased the door
open. A quick glance up and down the corridor revealed nothing but familiar
furniture and the occasional shadow. Everything was still and silent. He stepped
out into the corridor, sword in hand, followed by Jamie and Alistair and Marc.
The door closed quickly behind them, and there was the sound of furniture being
piled against it.
Hawk looked at Jamie for orders, and Jamie hesitated a long moment before
nodding to the left. They set off down the corridor, alert for any sudden sound
or movement. Despite all that had taken place it was still early in the day, and
the corridor was bathed in bright golden sunlight. From out an open window Hawk
could hear gulls keening and the distant crash of waves on the rocks far below.
Jamie moved over to the window and draped one of the curtains so that it hung
out over the windowsill. They continued on down the corridor, swords at the
ready, keeping a careful eye on every door they passed. The quiet grew heavy and
oppressive, and Hawk's skin prickled uneasily. He hadn't liked breaking up the
group, but he could see Jamie was determined to have his way, so he'd gone along
with it. But he still didn't feel right about it.
The last time he'd been in a situation like this had been in the sorcerer
Gaunt's house. People had insisted on going off on their own, despite everything
Hawk and Fisher did to stop them. Most of them had died horribly. He was damned
if he'd let that happen again. But there were limits to what he could do in
Tower MacNeil; Jamie wasn't about to let him take control of the situation, no
matter what. Richard was a minor cousin from Lower Markham, and should
accordingly know his place and keep his mouth shut. Hawk smiled sourly. He'd
never been very good at that.
He hefted his sword unhappily as they walked along. With only the one eye left,
Hawk's depth perception was shot to hell, and his swordsmanship was only a
shadow of what it had once been. It didn't affect him so much with the axe. An
axe has many qualities and virtues all its own, but subtlety isn't one of them.
With an axe, as long as you can see your opponent, you can usually hit him. And
