Janna Mysteries 1 & 2 Bindup (44 page)

A thin shaft of light shone down through the trapdoor. The rest of the cellar was in darkness. The air was stale and smelt of damp earth. Janna held the candle out so that its light was shed more widely. A quick glance confirmed the cellar’s purpose. It was crammed with barrels and chests and newly combed fleeces, the latter piled high and ready for market. Truly this was a treasure trove, and not all gained by the honest toil of Serlo’s hands either, Janna was willing to stake her life on it. How long had he been planning to take over the manor, deceiving Hugh and amassing wealth at his expense so that, when the time was right, he would be in a position to make a worthy offer to the dame for her property?

Banishing Serlo’s dishonesty from her thoughts, for there would be time enough for Hugh to take revenge on his trusted reeve, Janna looked about for Bones. She could hear him barking still, but the dog seemed to have disappeared.

‘Janna,’ Godric’s anxious voice called out. ‘Are you all right?’

‘Yes, but there’s no sign of Hamo. Come down and help me look.’

Janna dripped a little hot wax onto one of the barrels, and secured the candle to it. With the small light to see by, she and Godric began a thorough search of the cellar. Almost the first things she found were the silver goblets and the length of woollen cloth supposedly stolen from the undercroft. ‘Look!’ She snatched them up with a cry of triumph, pleased that she would be able to prove her innocence beyond question now.

Everything else was sealed tight. From their weight, Janna knew that the chests and barrels were not empty. She also knew that if Hamo was concealed in one of them, he must surely be dead for there would be no air inside to sustain him. Despairing, she thumped hard on their sides, calling Hamo’s name. She didn’t think he’d be able to hear her above the cacophony of barking, but even that might comfort Hamo, if he was alive to hear it. Where was the boy? And where was Bones? She listened for the direction of the dog’s frantic barking, then followed the sound towards a row of barrels shoved against the earthen wall at the far side of the cellar. The barks came from behind them. Janna realised that there was a narrow gap between the barrels and the wall. She hoisted herself half up onto one of them in order to peer over and down into the gap between. And drew in a painful breath, and then another. The dog was wedged there, standing guard over a small, still body.

‘Hamo!’ Janna’s cry echoed through the low chamber as she shoved at the heavy barrel barring her way, leaning all her weight against it so that she could get to him. Godric rushed to help her and, as soon as there was enough space, Janna darted in and crouched down beside the child. He lay unmoving, but his eyes, wide and staring, gleamed in the faint light from the candle. Janna put her hand on his forehead, dreading to feel the chillness of death against her fingers. But his skin felt warm, although he did not move, or say anything in answer to her frantic question, ‘Are you all right?’ Then she saw why. Hamo’s feet and hands were tightly bound, and so was his mouth.

A great fury shook Janna. ‘He’s alive!’ she shouted, as she crouched down beside the child and, with shaking hands, unfastened the gag that covered his mouth.

Hamo moistened his lips with his tongue. ‘Are you Janna?’ he whispered, and Janna nodded, swallowing over a huge lump that had somehow got stuck in her throat. Godric shoved her aside. He whipped out his knife and slashed through Hamo’s bonds.

‘Hamo!’ Janna reached out to take him in her arms. Instinctively the child shrank away, moving as far from Janna as he could go. He cowered against a barrel. Bones pushed past Janna and began to lick Hamo’s face. Hamo pushed him away.

Janna knew rage and a grief beyond anything she’d ever experienced. Serlo had done this. He’d destroyed Hamo’s open, trusting nature. He had stolen his innocence.

‘It’s all right, Hamo.’ Janna kept her hand outstretched, but made no further effort to touch him. ‘You’re safe now. Master Serlo can’t harm you any more.’

‘We have to get out of here,’ Godric said urgently.

‘Just wait a few moments.’ Janna inched closer to Hamo, willing him to take her hand.

‘I’ll go for help.’ Godric rose from his knees and reached up to the opening in the roof of the cellar. ‘I’ll tell the lord Hugh that Hamo is safe. I’ll tell his mother too. And I’ll suggest the lord brings men at arms with him when he comes.’

‘No, don’t go.’ Janna tugged on his tunic to stop him. ‘If Serlo comes back, we’ll need you to defend us. But we can’t leave just yet. Hamo’s in shock. He’s going to be too stiff to walk after being tied up for so long. Just give him a little time to recover.’

Godric nodded. He squatted down beside Janna, and gave Hamo an awkward pat on the shoulder. The boy gulped, and pressed himself harder against the barrel. Godric cast a helpless glance at Janna.

‘Bones found you,’ she said, with determined cheerfulness. ‘Do you know, he kept on barking and barking at Serlo. He knew what the reeve had done. And he came straight here as soon as he managed to escape. He showed us where to dig to find this cellar. He’s a smart dog, is Bones.’

‘Bones was here before.’ Hamo’s voice was so quiet they strained to hear it. ‘Serlo told me he had Bones. That’s why I came away with him, even though Mistress Cecily told me not to go anywhere without her. But Bones was missing and I wanted to find him.’ His voice hardened as he said angrily, ‘Serlo kicked Bones, I saw him. He
hurt
Bones.’

‘I know. I know.’ Janna felt somewhat reassured by the fire that had come into Hamo’s voice when he spoke of his beloved pet. His silence and apathy had frightened her. She felt even more reassured as Hamo suddenly flung his arms around Bones. Miraculously, the dog had finally stopped barking.

‘Look at all this!’ Godric gave a silent whistle as he gestured at the riches that surrounded them. ‘I’ll wager my life that the lord of the manor doesn’t know about this secret storeroom!’

Janna nodded in agreement. ‘Serlo will be hanged for his deeds. The lord Hugh will never forget or forgive what he has done.’ Her words brought home to her the danger of their position, and she stirred uneasily. Serlo wouldn’t go willingly to face his punishment. In fact, he’d stop at nothing to prevent his secret being found out.

‘We should go.’ Godric voiced her misgivings. ‘The sooner we get Hamo safely to the manor house, the better.’

And the safer we’ll be too, Janna thought. ‘Do you think you can walk?’ she asked Hamo.

He nodded, and climbed stiffly to his feet. ‘Ow!’ His face crumpled and he began to hop around as he felt the prick and sting of blood flowing freely through his cramped limbs once more.

‘Up you go!’ Godric swung him up and hoisted him through the hole in the floor. ‘Now you.’ He turned to Janna just as a muffled scream rent the air. She snatched up the candle to see better, while her heart pounded in fright.

‘I have the boy and this time I’ll show no mercy.’ Serlo’s face appeared briefly as he bent down to smile at them. ‘As for my cellar – no-one knows about it so no-one’s going to find you here. Its contents will keep … but you won’t.’ His chuckle was cut off by the sound of the solid oak panel thudding into place, sealing them into the earth.

‘No!
No!
’ Janna screamed the words in defiance, while beside her Bones began to howl. She pushed against the panel, but Serlo held it down. Godric sprang to her aid and, together, they strained to shift it. Scraping sounds above told them that Serlo was shifting something over the trapdoor to hold them fast. They were trapped, sealed tight into an earthen tomb. No-one knew they were down here, no-one would come looking for them. Soon enough their air would run out. The candle would flicker and die, and so would they. And so would Hamo. Janna looked at Godric in despair. ‘What are we going to do now?’ Her voice was almost inaudible against the noise being made by Bones.

But Godric had already seized up the sword. Arm raised above his head, he began to saw away at the wooden panel. Janna leaned over, and slid his knife from its sheath. She began to attack the other side of the panel. Silently, desperately, they sawed through the wood, neither of them voicing their fear that their air would run out before they could cut a hole big enough to escape through.

‘Help!’ she shouted, just in case there was anyone around to hear her. She put her full voice into the cry. ‘Help! Somebody, please help us!’

Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Terrifying images ran through Janna’s mind as she realised that Serlo would have to carry out his threat now that events had forced his hand. It was a miracle the child had survived as long as he had but from now on his life could only be measured in minutes, unless he was already dead. She had promised Hamo that he was safe, that Serlo could never harm him again, and she had failed him. The knowledge was shattering; she felt almost paralysed with grief and fear. ‘Hurry!’ she begged, although she knew Godric was as frantic as she was to escape.

The air in the small cellar was being used up; she could smell that it was gradually becoming foul with their breath. She could hear Godric panting, or perhaps it was her own gasps for air that she could hear. She put her hand over her nose and mouth to see if it would help to filter the foulness, but instantly felt as if she was suffocating. She quickly snatched her hand away and took in several deep breaths. It was not enough to satisfy her need. She looked about for Bones. He’d collapsed on the ground nearby. Janna could see the rapid rise and fall of his tiny stomach as he fought for breath. Beside her, Godric sawed on with grim determination.

The candle flickered, and died. They were lost in the darkness. Somehow, their fate seemed even more horrible now they could no longer see each other. Janna stopped cutting for a moment, and reached out to touch Godric. She needed to connect with someone. She needed to feel she was not alone. He took her hand, and kissed it, his lips warm and moist on her skin. Neither of them said anything as he released her and began sawing at the wooden slab once more. They worked in silence for a time, until there was a crack and part of it fell away.

‘We’re through!’ Godric shouted. Janna sensed movement beside her as he reached up to feel the opening. Why was no light shining through? Her question was answered by Godric’s next words.

‘There’s something else, something solid blocking the way,’ he said dully. ‘Serlo must have pulled a heavy chest over the trapdoor to make sure we can’t escape.’

Janna closed her eyes, swept by a wave of fierce anger that this was to be their fate. ‘Help!’ she screamed again. ‘We’re trapped in Serlo’s cottage. Somebody, please help! For the love of God, please save us!’

‘B
ONES
! B
ONES,
where are you?’ The voice sounded muffled, far away. Janna wondered if she was imagining things. She put a hand on Godric’s arm. ‘Sshh.’ She listened intently, sure she’d heard a voice.

‘Bones? Where are you?’

‘Here!’ Janna shouted frantically. ‘We’re here under the ground of Serlo’s cottage! Bones is here too!’

There was a long silence. Janna suspected she must have been hallucinating after all. Perhaps it was a lack of air that made her conjure up what wasn’t really there.

‘Did you hear anything, Godric?’ she asked at last, reluctant to give up this tiny fragment of hope.

‘Something. I don’t know. Yes, maybe.’ He raised his voice. ‘Help!’ he shouted. ‘We’re trapped in a cellar underneath Serlo’s cottage. There’s a trapdoor with a chest or something on top of it.’ He stopped and they listened intently. Silence. Then Janna heard a faint creaking above her head. Her heart leapt high with elation. ‘We’re down here!’ she shouted. ‘Hurry! Please, please hurry!’

There was a sudden waft of air, tinged faintly with smoke from the fire in the hearth. Janna sucked it gratefully into her lungs. A faint beam of light from the fire slanted down through the darkness of the cellar, the light becoming brighter as their saviour dragged a wooden chest out of the way. Janna bent to pick up Bones, then looked upwards to see who was there. Peering down at them with a worried expression, but as welcome as the angel Gabriel himself, was Urk. ‘Gabriel, well done!’ she greeted him. ‘You’ve got here just in time! Here, take Bones.’ She thrust the dog at Urk and turned to Godric.

He cupped his hands together and Janna put her foot in the cradle. Without wasting any more time, he heaved her upwards while, from above, Urk grasped her arms and hauled her through. Then it was Godric’s turn. Snatching up the sword, he pushed it through the trapdoor then pulled himself up after it. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘Thank you for saving our lives.’

Urk smiled his big smile at them both, and turned aside to pick up Bones. The dog had recovered somewhat, and licked Urk’s hand.

Godric took only a moment to catch his breath before seizing hold of Urk and Janna and hustling them out of the cottage and into the darkening night. ‘Go and fetch the lord Hugh,’ he told Urk urgently. ‘Tell him he must come at once. Tell him Serlo has taken Hamo. Tell him to bring men at arms to hunt Serlo down.’

Urk looked bewildered. He clutched Bones tighter to his chest. ‘Bones ran away,’ he said slowly. ‘I had to find him. I didn’t want Serlo to see me so I had to wait till he went away from his cottage. Serlo has Hamo.’

‘Yes, yes I know,’ Godric said impatiently. ‘What did I just tell you, Gabriel?’

‘Go and fetch the lord Hugh,’ the boy repeated obediently. ‘Tell him Serlo has taken Hamo. Tell him to come at once. He must bring men at arms to hunt Serlo down.’

‘Good boy.’ Godric patted his shoulder. ‘Hurry, it’s almost dark. There’s no time to lose.’

Still the boy hesitated. ‘Go!’ Godric gave him a shove.

‘You can take Bones with you. Look after him,’ said Janna, understanding at last what was delaying their messenger. ‘And thank you for finding us, Gabriel. You’re a real hero!’

Urk’s face split into a smile. He set off at speed, straight as an arrow towards the manor house. Janna could only hope that he would remember their message, and that Hugh would believe it.

Although impatient to be on the move, Janna forced herself to stand quietly. She peered across the fields, scanning the landscape carefully in the lambent light of the evening sky. They had no way of knowing where Serlo had taken Hamo, for there was no sign of him now. If he hadn’t risked dumping the boy in the forest before, he certainly wouldn’t risk going there now, not while bands of villeins might still be roaming about the water meadows in search of Hamo. Not the forest then. Where else might he go?

‘I can’t see them anywhere,’ Godric muttered, sounding discouraged. ‘You realise, don’t you, Janna, that Serlo can’t afford to leave the boy alive. We may already be too late.’

‘No!’ Janna said fiercely. ‘I’m not giving up, not yet. It’s not quite dark. People will be out searching for Hamo. Serlo will take him somewhere that’s already been searched, where he knows they won’t be seen.’

‘This copse?’ Godric flung out a hand to indicate the grove that stood guard over Serlo’s cottage.

Janna thought for a moment. ‘We’d better check. He may have taken Hamo there just to shut him up.’ Her voice caught in her throat. She swallowed hard. ‘But I don’t think Serlo would leave him there. It’s too close to his cottage. The villeins might well come in here to collect dead wood, while the pigs will soon be foraging for acorns and beechmast. Serlo would know that a grave must be found sooner or later.’

Her eyes widened as an idea flashed into her mind. ‘What about the river?’ She turned to Godric, her eyes full of hope. ‘It’s already been searched thoroughly, but no-one will question another drowning, not when Hamo so nearly drowned that first time. Come on! But we’ll search the copse first, just in case.’

Sword in hand and ready for use if necessary, she set off through the trees. Godric hurried after her, sheathing his knife and uncoiling his slingshot as he ran. ‘Please, God, don’t let us get there too late.’ Janna repeated the prayer under her breath as they inspected the small copse. In spite of their fears, there was no sign of a small body or the reeve among the bracken and weeds that grew rank beneath the trees.

‘He’s not here.’ Janna wiped her sweating face on the sleeve of her smock. Godric nodded in agreement and, together, they left the shelter of the grove and ran down towards the river. It spread before them like a long silver snake in the dim evening light. Finally Janna stopped for a moment, and bent over, clutching hold of her aching sides. ‘He’ll be hiding somewhere among the trees,’ she gasped, ‘but where?’

At the sound of her voice, Godric glanced behind him, then turned and hurried back to her. He bent down and quickly selected a handful of flints. Janna straightened and looked towards the river, narrowing her eyes to see more clearly, watching for any movement that might betray the reeve’s whereabouts. Finally she shrugged. ‘We can’t waste any more time,’ she said. ‘Let’s split up. You go downriver,’ she stuck a finger towards the mill, ‘and I’ll go upstream. Quiet as you can. Serlo mustn’t hear us.’

‘No.’ Godric stood his ground. ‘You can’t face Serlo alone. We must stay together.’

Janna stuck out her jaw, looking stubborn. ‘I mean it,’ Godric warned. ‘I’m following you, whichever way you choose to go.’

Janna clicked her tongue. ‘Look,’ she said impatiently. ‘The closest cover of trees is over there. Maybe that’s where he’s taken Hamo. He can’t risk the boy being seen, not while there are people about.’ Without hesitation, she began to run once more, with Godric keeping a steady pace beside her.

As they came closer, Janna slowed and tried to quieten her panting breaths. Godric crept forward; she followed close behind him. It was dark in the thicket of young alders that crowded beside the river bank but, even so, they had no trouble spying Serlo. Janna felt an unutterable relief as she saw the small boy beside him, his hand held tight in the reeve’s larger hand, being dragged along against his will. Alive! Hamo was still alive. He was quite silent, and Janna’s fists clenched as she imagined what Serlo must have done to keep him quiet. Truly he would pay dearly for his treatment of the boy.

Godric crept stealthily forward, slingshot at the ready. He was gaining on Serlo, who was encumbered by the struggling Hamo. Janna knew how accurate a shot Godric was, but even so her heart beat hard with fear. What if he should miss, and bring Hamo down instead? She stopped, hardly daring even to breathe, frightened that she might make some noise and alert Serlo to their presence.

‘Be careful,’ she prayed, knowing that Serlo wouldn’t hesitate to use Hamo as a shield against any attack. She couldn’t bear it if, in the end, it was Godric who brought the boy to harm.

Godric had stopped now, and was busy fitting a flint into his weapon. Janna wondered which part of Serlo he would aim at, and prayed that the flint would find its mark.

Godric took another step forward. A twig cracked and snapped. Serlo whirled and saw them. At once, he pulled Hamo in front of him. Janna saw that he held a knife at the ready. No wonder Hamo had been so silent, she thought, feeling despair as she understood that they were powerless now to save him. She reached out a hand to Godric, to stop him from doing anything stupid that might jeopardise Hamo’s safety. But she was too late. His arm swung around. As Serlo whipped the knife up to the boy’s throat, Godric loosed the flint. For several long moments time seemed to stand still. Then, with a grunting sigh, Serlo fell to the ground, taking Hamo with him.

Numb with shock, Janna stayed frozen, listening to the fearful silence. Finally she forced her legs to move. She ran forward, dreading what she might find: that Serlo had had time to slit the boy’s throat; that even now Hamo might be dying or dead. She became aware that Godric was beside her as she fell to her knees beside the reeve. There was blood everywhere. Neither Hamo nor Serlo was moving. She reached out to Hamo with a trembling hand.

‘Ohhh.’ It was a long drawn-out sigh of relief as she saw that the blood spattered over Hamo’s tunic had come from the reeve. The flint had hit Serlo’s forehead. It was bleeding profusely, and so was a long cut in his arm where his knife had sliced through his sleeve as he’d fallen.

Ignoring Serlo, Godric snatched Hamo from the reeve’s limp hands and carried him to safety, while Janna bent over Serlo to inspect his wounds and determine if he was dead or merely stunned. She wanted the reeve alive to face Hugh, to know public humiliation and disgrace before the hangman put an end to his pathetic, miserable life. As she leaned closer, his hand shot out and grabbed her. She cried out, but it was too late. Serlo had her firmly in his grasp. She lunged for his fallen knife, but he was too fast for her. He snatched it up and staggered to his feet, holding her in front of him as a shield against any further harm.

‘Drop the sword.’ She felt the prick of his knife against her throat. Frightened into silence, she obeyed his command.

Godric put Hamo down. He rose to his feet, knife in hand, and faced the reeve. Janna stared at him in despair. He could do nothing to save her without risking her life at the same time.

The reeve pulled Janna closer. He pressed himself against her; his arms became a tight band around her, trapping her tight. She couldn’t move; there was nothing she could do to free herself. Fighting panic, she waited numbly to see what would happen next.

‘Give me my life, or I’ll take hers.’ Serlo’s voice rumbled behind her. Godric nodded acceptance. He dropped his slingshot and slowly sheathed his knife.

‘No!’ Janna’s mind suddenly cleared. She remembered how she’d been trapped like this once before. She knew there was a way out after all. Before Serlo could move, she raised her foot and stamped down with all her strength onto his instep. He stumbled, loosening his hold as he struggled to keep his balance. Janna wrenched herself free and ran towards Godric. With a wide gesture, he swept her out of his way while, with his other hand, he pulled his knife out of its sheath. There was a glint of silver in the dim light, then Janna heard a thud.

Serlo lay on his back on the ground, with Godric’s knife embedded up to its hilt in his chest.

‘Your life, Serlo, instead of hers.’ Godric walked to the reeve, gave the knife a twist and pulled it out. Serlo’s fingers plucked feebly at the air, then fell nervelessly to his side. He gave a faint sigh and his body went limp.

Knowing that he was no longer a danger, Janna rushed over to Hamo. He was curled up in a ball. His eyes were wide with terror; his whole body was shaking. Not giving him any chance to retreat this time, she scooped him into her arms and held him close. For one long, heart-stopping moment, he stayed rigid. Then, with a strangled yelp, he burrowed into her and began to cry.

‘You’re safe now,’ she comforted him. ‘You really are safe now. Serlo’s dead. He’ll never harm you again.’ She glanced sideways as a faint drumming came to her ears. Horses! She caught a glimpse of torches.

‘We’re here!’ Godric shouted. ‘We’re down by the river!’

The drumming sounded louder. ‘Is the boy safe?’ Janna recognised Hugh’s voice, and felt an overwhelming relief. She bent over Hamo, fighting tears. ‘Your cousin Hugh is here,’ she told him. ‘He’ll take you back to the manor, Hamo. Your mother and father are there. They’ll be so glad to see you. So glad.’ A sudden thought brought fear to Janna’s heart. ‘Don’t tell them my name,’ she said urgently. ‘Please just call me “John”.’

‘John,’ Hamo echoed. There was a moment’s silence, and then came the question. ‘Where’s Bones?’

Janna didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She hugged Hamo tighter. ‘Bones is safe too,’ she said. ‘Urk has him, he’s looking after him for you. Urk saved Bones and he also saved us. He let us out of the cellar so we could chase after you and Serlo. You’re safe now, Hamo, I promise you. Everything’s going to be all right. Everything.’

The nightmare was over. The knowledge filled Janna’s mind and heart, and left her overflowing with joy.