The portcullis was hastily hauled up, and when it was half raised, Makepeace and the others quickly ducked beneath it, into the short, unlit tunnel beyond. The portcullis dropped behind them with a clang, and shortly after, the door at the far end of the tunnel opened, to reveal Young Crowe with a lantern.
‘Welcome back, my lord,’ he said. ‘Your arrival with Lady Maud is not a moment too soon.’
‘His lordship is sinking like a stone,’ said Young Crowe, as he hustled the new arrivals towards the chapel. ‘He will not last the night — I doubt he will see out the hour.’
Once again Makepeace was being hurried to Lord Fellmotte’s side, so that ghosts could be crammed into her shell.
I do not know what will happen, Makepeace silently told her invisible companions. I do not know if James has a plan. The Crowes may tie us down and flood us with Fellmotte ghosts. We might have to fight.
Well, at least our practice fighting each other will not have gone to waste, said Dr Quick.
If we leave our enemies sicker than we found them, Livewell said laconically, then today is a good day.
Bear made no sound, but Makepeace could feel him in her head, and it strengthened her.
Morgan was also silent. It occurred to Makepeace that such a battle would give the spymistress the chance to switch sides again, and rejoin her old coterie. If it happens, it happens, she told herself. Until then, I trust her.
En route, Young Crowe also gave a rapid report on the progress of the siege.
The army had been outside for about a week. The siege force had only three big guns — two mortars that flung larger stones and flaming grenadoes, and a demi-culverin with better range. The Old Tower had taken a few knocks, and some of the turrets now had a broken-toothed look. So far, however, Grizehayes’s thick walls had shrugged off the worst of the damage.
‘They have asked for our surrender repeatedly, of course,’ said Young Crowe. ‘The traditional offer — all the women, children and civilians allowed to leave, and then terms of surrender to be negotiated. Of course, Lady April has said no each time.’
Lady April was at Grizehayes. This was bad news. Makepeace had been hoping that no other Elders were in the great house.
‘How is Lady April now?’ James asked carefully. The same thought had clearly occurred to him.
‘Oh, still recovering from her injuries.’ Young Crowe gave Makepeace a brief, cold look. ‘She remains in her sickbed except when she is needed.’
‘And the rest of the family?’ asked James.
‘Sir Marmaduke is hoping to bring troops here to break the siege — though it’s God’s own guess whether they arrive before the enemy’s reinforcements,’ said Young Crowe. ‘The Bishop is in the north, winning hearts and minds to the cause. Sir Alan is still in London, fighting in the courts against the sequestration.’ Makepeace had heard of these powerful members of the Fellmotte family before. Thankfully, it sounded like they were busy elsewhere.
Makepeace listened to Young Crowe’s account with slight relief. If Lady April was still keeping to her quarters and the other Elders were away, perhaps James might yet avoid coming face to face with someone who could see that he was not possessed.
‘Our cellars are well stocked with gunpowder and two months’ supply of food, and we have all the water we need from our well.’ Young Crowe was thinner than usual and a bit less dapper. ‘The towers are manned with the local trained band, and some of the best shots amongst our fowlers and game keepers. Whenever the rebels get too close to the walls, we drop rocks and hot oil on them.
‘The rebels have set sappers to dig a trench running from their camp towards the west wall. They are probably hoping to set mines at the base, but they won’t reach it before Sir Marmaduke’s forces arrive to relieve us. Grizehayes has been besieged before. These walls never fall. You might as well hurl cherries at a mountain.’
Makepeace could feel the weight of the ancient house crushing in on her again, pressing her thoughts and will like flowers. Had she really imagined that this place might lose its power over her?
The door of the chapel swung open. In the great chair, as if he had not moved since her departure, Lord Fellmotte was waiting for Maud.
Makepeace could not help noticing that the chair next to that of Lord Fellmotte now had metal shackles attached to confine the sitter’s wrists and ankles. Clearly the household were no longer willing to put their trust in mere rope and wood.
‘Lady April asked to be notified as soon as we returned,’ declared White Crowe, then gave a hasty bow and strode away. James and Makepeace exchanged a panicky look, but there was no good excuse to stop him.
Old Crowe was in the chapel, fussing over Lord Fellmotte, who looked greyer and thinner than ever. Lord Fellmotte’s feet were bare, and rested on a pair of dead pigeons that lay in a pool of their own fresh blood. It was an old and desperate remedy, used when death was thought imminent, as a last-ditch attempt to draw out sickness.
The steward glanced up as they entered, and looked almost tearfully relieved to see both Makepeace and James.
‘My lord! Oh, my lord, you have her! I shall fetch the drug straight away!’
‘No!’ snapped James, in a harsh, Elder-like voice. The chapel echoed the word, adding its own gilded echoes. ‘The drug will not be needed. Fasten the girl into the chair.’
‘But . . .’ The steward faltered, and exchanged a glance with his son. ‘The girl has a monster inside her! Last time she—’
‘Did you hear me?’ James asked, his tone coldly menacing.
There was a flurry of obedience. Makepeace was dragged over to the chair, and shoved down into it. The cold of the shackles as they fastened around her ankles and wrists gave her a chill of panic, but she fought it down.
‘Now leave!’ commanded James, snatching the key from Young Crowe’s hand. ‘All of you!’
The two Crowes stared at him with astonishment and dismay. Makepeace thought she saw a glimmer of suspicion in Young Crowe’s eyes.
‘Now!’ bellowed James.
Still looking shocked and doubtful, the Crowes left the room, taking the soldiers with them. James quickly barred the chapel door, then ran over and unlocked Makepeace’s shackles, his hands shaking with haste.
‘The Crowes know something is wrong,’ he said under his breath. ‘They couldn’t say no to an Elder, but when Lady April gets here they’ll flock to her instead. That door will hold them out for a while, though.’
‘James,’ whispered Makepeace as the shackles loosened. ‘We can’t stay in here! Lord Fellmotte might die at any moment!’
She saw realization dawn across her brother’s face. If the lord died, seven ancient, desperate ghosts would be released . . . and would sense the two tempting vessels trapped in a room with them. Makepeace had ghostly friends to defend her, and could at least try to repel boarders. Her brother, however, did not.
James muttered a word unfit for chapel.
‘What in scarlet Hell do we do?’
CHAPTER 38
The siblings stared at the sick man’s slack face and seething, antagonistic gaze.
‘We need to get out of here,’ Makepeace said.
The stained-glass windows were too small. As she looked around frantically, inspiration struck.
‘James, there is another way out!’ Makepeace pointed to the raised gallery at the back of the chapel. ‘There’s a door at the back of it, and a corridor leading to the family’s chambers! Can you climb there, then lower something so you can help me up?’ She remembered him nimbly scaling the tower to visit her on their first meeting.