Edward Marston - The Devil's Apprentice

The pony scurried off at once and was safely over the crest of the hill before the outlaws emerged from their hiding places. There were four of them, all on foot, all armed with swords or spears. As Nicholas and Elias approached, a pair of sturdy robbers ran at each of them. One man tried to grab the reins of a horse while the other struck at its rider with his weapon. It was a forlorn exercise. Anticipating the ambush, both riders had their swords out in a flash, parrying the attack and inflicting sufficient wounds to leave their adversaries howling in anguish. The two men who attempted to seize the reins fared no better. Instead of dealing with the gentle gait of two horses, they were buffeted by animals that had been spurred into a fierce plunge of speed. One man was knocked to the ground by the impact. The other, who sustained a glancing blow from the horse, also received a hard kick under the jaw from Elias’s foot that sent him cartwheeling along the grass verge. As the riders vanished down the other side of the hill, four dazed men were left to lick their wounds and meditate on the folly of their action.

The travellers cantered for a couple of miles until they were certain that they were not followed. When they slowed to a trot, Davy wanted to know what had happened.

‘Were they robbers?’ he asked, wide-eyed.

‘They thought they were,’ said Elias, grinning broadly. ‘But they met their match in us, didn’t they, Nick?’ He slapped his thigh. ‘Diu! That was wonderful. I needed a bit of excitement like that.’

‘How many of them were there?’ said Davy.

‘A dozen at least.’

‘Four,’ corrected Nicholas. ‘We caught a glimpse of one of them in advance.’

Elias chortled. ‘It was probably the one I kicked under the chin,’ he decided. ‘I must have loosened every tooth in his head.’

‘Weren’t you frightened?’

‘Of four foolish outlaws? Never, Davy.’

‘Desperate men do desperate things,’ said Nicholas. ‘And they must have been desperate to be skulking on top of that hill in this weather. They’ll have poor pickings today.’ He turned to his friend. ‘Thanks for your help, Owen. I’m very grateful that you came with me.’

‘So am I,’ said the Welshman. ‘I thrive on action.’

‘When I rode to London with my father,’ volunteered Davy, ‘we travelled in a large group. There were well over twenty of us.’

‘That’s the safest way,’ said Nicholas.

‘But you miss out on all the fun,’ complained Elias.

Another hour brought them within reach of their destination. Davy Stratton grew increasingly nervous, glancing around with apprehension. When they came to a fork in the road, he called them to a halt and pointed ahead.

‘That’s the long way round to Silvermere,’ he explained. ‘It would take us past Holly Lodge in a great loop. If we strike off through the forest, we can reach Silvermere in half the time.’

‘But we’d miss seeing your home,’ said Nicholas.

‘It’s of no account to me.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes,’ said the boy. ‘This is the way I want to go.’

‘Then lead on.’

The track through the forest was so narrow that they were forced to ride in single file as they wended their way through the looming oaks and elms. Davy kept up a brisk trot, picking his way along with the confidence of someone who was very familiar with the surroundings. When they entered a clearing, it was Elias’s turn to bring them to a halt.

‘Hold there!’ he called. ‘I need to look upon the hedge.’

‘You drank too much ale at that inn,’ observed Nicholas.

‘I could never do that, Nick.’

Elias dismounted and went behind a tree to relieve himself. Nicholas took the opportunity to get down from his own horse in order to stretch his legs. A snuffling noise made him turn around and walk towards a clump of bushes, one hand on the hilt of his sword. When he got within a few yards, there was a sudden squeal and a pig scuttled out from behind the bushes. Nicholas relaxed and watched the animal until it disappeared among the trees in search of food. He swung round to stroll back to his horse but was met with a shock. Davy Stratton had vanished. There was no sign of the boy or the pony. Tying his points, Elias came ambling out from behind the tree.

‘Where’s the lad?’ he enquired.

‘I’ve no idea,’ admitted Nicholas, looking anxiously around.

‘Perhaps he’s gone off to spray the side of tree, as I did.’

‘I hope so.’

‘Didn’t you see him go?’

‘My back was turned.’

‘Davy!’ yelled Elias. ‘Davy, where are you?’

His voice echoed through the forest, its sheer volume evicting two birds from a high branch. There was no answer. A grim silence descended.

‘Davy!’ shouted Nicholas, cupping his hands to his mouth. ‘Davy!’

There was still no response. Elias scratched his head and gave a shrug.

‘He must have wandered off when you weren’t looking, Nick,’ he said.

‘I’m afraid not.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Davy didn’t wander off,’ said Nicholas. ‘He deliberately ran away.’

It took them some time to find their way back to the fork in the road. Deciding that a search would be futile, Nicholas instead suggested that they make for Holly Lodge, the boy’s home and therefore his most likely destination. The wider track allowed them to ride side by side at a canter.

‘I think he may have had second thoughts,’ said Elias.

‘About what?’ asked Nicholas.

‘Life in the theatre. Underneath that puny exterior, Davy Stratton is a red-blooded young man. He’s insulted by the idea of dressing up as a woman. I would be.’

‘That’s no reason to abandon us like that, Owen.’

‘Maybe he was just playing a game with us.’

‘He is,’ said Nicholas, ‘but it’s a deeper one than I thought. Now I realise why he was so eager to act as our guide. It offered him a chance of escape.’

‘From what?’

‘From us, from the company, from London itself.’

‘Why was he so keen to join us in the first place?’

‘I’m not convinced that he was. His father made that decision.’

‘On what grounds?’

‘That remains a mystery.’

They were both relieved when the house eventually came into sight. Holly Lodge was a large, sprawling, timber-framed house with a thatched roof. Smoke curled up from its chimneys. A brick wall and a clutch of outbuildings gave it protection from the wind on one side. They rode up a drive that bisected the formal garden and dismounted. A servant admitted them into a draughty hall before going to fetch his master. It was not long before the portly figure of Jerome Stratton came strutting across the oak boards. Nicholas exchanged greetings with him then introduced Owen Elias.

‘I did not expect visitors,’ said Stratton brusquely, ‘so I’m not at liberty to entertain you, I fear. You are on your way to Silvermere, I take it?’

‘Yes, sir,’ replied Nicholas.

‘It is not too far distant. My servant will teach you the way.’

‘We already have a guide, Master Stratton. At least, we did until we lost him in the forest. We wondered if he had come back here.’

‘Of course not. Why on earth should he come to Holly Lodge?’

‘Because our pathfinder was your son.’

Stratton was astonished. ‘Davy?’

‘He insisted on coming with us,’ said Elias. ‘We thought he was homesick.’

‘I doubt that,’ growled Stratton. ‘You lost him in the forest, you say?’

‘Yes,’ confessed Nicholas. ‘The truth is that he gave us the slip.’

He explained the circumstances of the boy’s disappearance and saw Jerome Stratton’s irritation turn to anger. When he was in Shoreditch, the merchant was relentlessly good-natured. The affable manner was now hidden beneath a smouldering rage. He tightened both fists and glared at his guests.