Tombland

Reynolds said in biting tones, ‘Master Nicholas Sotherton has had an attack of nerves since his house has been buffeted about.’

Gerald turned to Sotherton and shouted, ‘You’ll get your house properly broken about, you cowardly pissing-woman, unless you give us the refuge you promised!’

‘Yes,’ Barnabas agreed. ‘There’s a few vases outside, and Venetian glassware hidden in the kitchen, I’m told – what the fuck?’ He broke off, for he had seen me standing near his grandmother. The twins ignored her, but approached me, shoulder to shoulder, knives lifted. ‘You!’ Gerald shouted. ‘You’ve been trying to fuck up our lives since London.’ He turned to his grandfather. ‘How did he find out we were here?’

‘He wouldn’t have done if you’d stayed quiet instead of rampaging down the stairs like wild bulls!’

Gerald asked quietly, ‘Is he alone?’

‘His one-armed friend is outside. The insolent dog came to talk to your grandmother, more nonsense about your father’s case.’

Gerald smiled nastily. ‘Then nobody will know if we kill him. Deal with the other freak outside, then cut this one up nice and slow with our knives.’

‘Yes,’ Barnabas agreed. ‘We’ve a big score to settle with you, hunchback. Lend us your kitchen, Master Sotherton, the blood can be mopped up easier there. Just give us half an hour.’

‘Say an hour,’ Gerald said, in a quiet, considering tone that chilled me to the bone. ‘We’ll start with his nose, go on to the fingers and then his cock and balls, if he’s got any.’

‘I want to do the eyes,’ Barnabas said.

‘No, no, no,’ Jane Reynolds said pitifully, then buried her face in her hands.

‘What’s matter, Grannykins?’ Gerald asked in a tone of mock solicitude. ‘Don’t you want us to rip up the nice old hunchback?’ I looked at his knife, glinting in the candlelight.

Jane collapsed slowly to her knees, burying her face in her hands. Her husband and grandsons ignored her. It was Nicholas Sotherton who stepped forward, suddenly authoritative. ‘No! If you kill him, he’ll be missed at the camp and those dogs will come searching for him.’

‘They will,’ I said, trying to keep my voice even. ‘I was with a senior man from the camp earlier this afternoon, and I told him I was coming to visit Master Reynolds.’ In fact, I had not told Edward, but the twins did not know that. ‘And the serving woman at your grandfather’s house directed me here.’

I knew Gerald and Barnabas dearly wanted to kill me, but their grandfather stepped forward, pushing Gerald’s knife-hand away with his stick. I thought, Nobody else could get away with doing that. He said, regretfully, ‘The hunchback’s right, lads.’

‘He’ll say he’s seen us,’ Barnabas said. ‘Then the rebels will be after us.’

‘That won’t matter if you’re on the road out of Norwich, which you should have taken earlier.’

Sotherton said, ‘You can hide in one of my carts of wool, the driver can get out by Ber Street Gate, say he’s taking it to be finished by weavers at Wymondham.’

‘It’s a bit late for that,’ Gerald said, looking out at the gathering dusk.

‘He can say we were delayed because of the fighting. They’ll let him out of the city, they are keen trade should continue in Norfolk.’

‘Go on, now,’ Reynolds said. ‘You said you wanted to be in on the fighting – there will be an army coming soon, you can join it; once you’re out of Norwich leave the cart, find some horses and head for London. And for God’s sake, Barnabas, rub some ashes into that scar, it gives you away.’

‘Shit!’ shouted Gerald, always the less controllable one. He glared at me. ‘I want to kill this cunt.’

‘You’ll get your chance. But now, go. At once.’

‘I’ll take you to the yard at the back,’ Sotherton said.

Reluctantly, the boys followed him. In the doorway Barnabas turned, ‘We’ll get you when the army comes, have no doubt.’

I asked quietly, ‘Tell me, where is John Atkinson? He helped you kill the apprentice boy Walter out at the Sandlings, didn’t he?’

The twins looked at each other, then at me, in what seemed like genuine surprise. ‘What the fuck are you talking about now?’ Gerald asked impatiently.

‘Come on,’ their grandfather said, waving a hand. ‘Leave. Now!’

The twins left with Reynolds and Sotherton. There were voices from the yard behind the house, then creaking, heavy wheels. I swallowed hard, remembering the cold, vicious eyes of the twins as they said what they would do to me, and realized I was shaking. I heard Jane move and saw that she was painfully rising to her feet, one bandaged hand on the table, tears streaming down her face, spots of red in her white cheeks. I moved to help her, but she waved me away with her free hand, casting her head down.

The two men returned, Sotherton mopping his brow with a handkerchief. ‘There, they’re gone.’

Reynolds looked at me. ‘You’ll forgive me if we lock you in here for an hour, just so Gerald and Barnabas have time to get away.’ He smiled nastily. ‘It will be an easier hour than they would have given you.’ He turned to Jane. ‘Come on, you. Stop snivelling, we’re going home.’