The inn was on the edge of a village and it served their needs well. While the others slept inside the building, Daniel stayed in the courtyard, curled up inside the coach with a pistol at his side. He shared an early breakfast with his friends, leaving an ostler to harness the horse. Before they left, Daniel took Kees Dopff aside.
'I'd like you to sit beside me today,' he said. 'Have you ever driven a cart or a coach?' Dopff shook his head. 'Then I'll have to teach you,' Daniel went on. 'In case something happens to me, you must be able to take over. There's nobody else I can ask.'
Dopff was pleased to be offered the chance of taking the reins but worried by the suggestion that Daniel might not be with them indefinitely. He could not imagine how the four of them would possibly survive without him. The others climbed into the coach and the little Dutchman took his place beside Daniel. It gave him a sense of being useful again. Having lost his roles as cook and keeper of the tapestry, he was ready to embrace a new challenge. When Daniel flicked the reins to set the horse off, Dopff watched the driver's every move.
It was a dull day with low cloud and the promise of more rain. Daniel hoped that they were not caught in another downpour. He pushed the horse a little harder than before without taxing it too much. When the animal was trotting over level ground, Daniel handed the reins over for the first time. Dopff took them nervously as if expecting the horse to react mutinously to the change of driver. Instead it continued to trot at the same unvarying pace. Dopff turned to Daniel and nodded happily. He was clearly going to enjoy being in charge. Controlling the coach seemed remarkably easy.
His confidence steadily grew. It was soon dented. They came to a series of deep ruts that made the whole vehicle sway crazily from side to side then Dopff mistakenly took the horse off the track altogether. When they crested a low hill, he saw another problem looming. At the bottom of the slope was a ford, the fast-flowing water creating white foam. Fearing that they'd be trapped in the stream, he thrust the reins at Daniel but they were immediately put back into his hands. Dopff was even more nervous when Daniel jumped to the ground from the moving vehicle and took the bridle to lead the horse through the water. It was very shallow and hardly reached his shins. Safe on the other bank, Dopff felt a sense of pride. He'd been alone on the driving seat when they'd negotiated the hazard. He grinned for a whole mile.
They paused at midday to have a light meal. Since Dopff was eager to renew his education as a coach driver, Daniel let him take the reins again. The Dutchman's main concern was to keep the horse on the winding track. Daniel, on the other hand, was more worried about the weather. A storm was brewing. The clouds were darker and more menacing. Though the windows were mere open rectangles, those in the coach did have a measure of protection. The two drivers had none. Seeing a copse ahead, Daniel wondered if it was better to seek shelter there until the storm had blown over.
In the event, he was given no choice between stopping and driving on. Shortly after they entered the copse, they had unwelcome company. Three horsemen appeared out of nowhere. One blocked their passage, forcing Dopff to pull on the reins and bring the coach to a halt, while the other two came up behind. All three of them held pistols. The leader of the highwaymen was a handsome man in his thirties with a well-groomed black beard.
'Well, now,' he said, smirking, 'what do we have here?'
'We're in a hurry, friend,' replied Daniel. 'We don't wish to be caught in the rain. Pray stand aside, if you will.'
'I will not. I want to see who your passengers are.'
There was nothing that Daniel could do. While the leader flicked his pistol to make Daniel and Dopff hold their hands in the air, the other men ordered the passengers to get out. Beatrix alighted first, petrified by the sight of loaded weapons. Janssen came next, helping his daughter after him. As soon as the men saw Amalia, they licked their lips. One of them, a squat individual with a patch over one eye, dismounted in order to search them. Choosing Amalia first, he took the opportunity to grope her. She stepped back in disgust and her father tried to push the man away. Janssen was punched in the face and fell back against the coach. He had no more strength to resist being searched. Beatrix screamed when the man ran his hands over her. It was a disappointing haul. He held up the few valuables he'd managed to find on them.
'Search these two,' said the leader, indicating Daniel and Dopff. 'Maybe they'll have something worth stealing.'
They were made to climb down from the driving seat. The man found a small purse on Dopff and an even smaller one on Daniel. Of more interest to him was the pistol that Daniel was carrying. It was tossed up to the leader.
'This is an army pistol,' he observed, studying it. 'Did you serve in the army?'
'Yes,' replied Daniel, 'and I was proud to do so.'
'How many years did you follow the drum?'
'Twelve.'
'That may save your life,' said the other, weighing him up. 'I was a soldier myself. I like a man who fights for his country.'
'What shall we do with the others?' asked the searcher.
'I haven't decided yet.'
'I say we shoot the two men and let the women live so that we can take it in turns at night.'
'Oh, the ladies will survive, have no fear of that.'
'Shall I kill this one?' said the squat man, holding a pistol to Janssen's temple. 'He's no use to us at all.'
'Yes, he is,' cried Daniel. 'Shoot him and you throw away the chance to make a lot of money.' He turned to the leader. 'Tell him to lower the pistol.'
'Do as he suggests,' said the leader and the man obeyed. 'Now what's this about a lot of money?'
'Is the name of Emanuel Janssen familiar to you?' asked Daniel, looking around the three men. When he received blank stares from the trio, he pressed on. 'Ibis gentleman is the finest tapestry-maker in Europe. His work hangs in the capital cities of almost every nation. He and his daughter have been living in Paris where he's been weaving his latest tapestry. This,' he went on, touching Dopff, 'is his assistant.' Dopff smiled uneasily.
'We're on our way to deliver a tapestry commissioned by the Bishop of Beauvais. If you don't believe me, we can show it to you.'
'Do that,' said the leader, interest aroused. 'But let's have no tricks, soldier. Make one false move and I'll shoot you between the eyes.'
Daniel reached into the coach to bring out the tapestry then he and Dopff carefully unfolded it on the grass. The highwaymen were astonished at the size and quality of it.
'Nothing but the finest materials have been used,' said Daniel.
'Yes,' said Janssen, taking his cue. 'What you are looking at is Picardy wool, Italian silk and gold and silver thread from Cyprus.'
Daniel took over again. 'Imagine the cost,' he said. 'The bishop is very wealthy. He wishes to have another tapestry made by Emanuel Janssen. Can you hear what I'm saying to you? Hold the tapestry and its creator to ransom, and you'd all be rich men.'
'That makes sense,' urged the squat man.
'Be quiet, Gustave!' snapped the leader.
'Bishops always have far too much money.'
'True enough. I'd be delighted to make one of them part with it. First, I wish to know something,' he went on, turning a suspicious eye on Daniel. 'If that tapestry is destined for the Bishop of Beauvais, why does it depict a battle? Surely a prelate would choose something more spiritual to hang on his wall?'
'You're clearly unaware of his links with the army,' said Daniel, inventing the tale as he went along. 'In his younger days, he served as an army chaplain. His brother holds the rank of general and actually fought in the battle you see laid out before you. It will not hang in the bishop's palace. It's a gift for his brother. The second tapestry,' he explained, 'will show a religious scene.' He felt a first spot of rain. 'You can see how delicate this is,' he went on. 'With your permission, we'll fold it up again.'
'Do that, soldier.'
As Daniel tried to bend down, Janssen stepped forward to stop him. He insisted on folding the tapestry himself. Aided by Dopff, he handled it with a care and reverence that showed he must have woven it. They lifted it gently back into the coach. Any lingering doubts the leader might have about Emanuel Janssen were swept away. The rain now began to fall in earnest.
'What do we do?' asked Gustave.
