“Gracious.” Nathan was startled, and stared back, forgetting about cleaning between his toes. The little flakes of dried mud scattered on the floor like exhausted ants. “I don’t know anything about your horrid baron and I’m not working for anyone.” He gazed at Alice. “Look,” he said, “I’ll tell you about myself but you won’t believe me. Because either I’m a weirdo from the future, or,” and he gazed down at his striped pyjamaed knees, “you’re all weirdos from the past.”
It was John who said quickly, “I’ll believe ya, Nat. I reckon you’re alright. Anyone brave enough ta wear them horrible clothes, gotta be all right.”
“I, on the other hand,” said Alice, sitting very straight with her hands clasped tightly in her lap and a deep frown on her face, “will have to wait and see. Just tell the truth.”
The warehouse door had been left a little ajar and the entering breeze was whispering in the ashes. In the slanting beam of light, Nathan saw a huge cobweb hanging down from the roof’s beams, and the little yellow spider sitting in the middle, just as if it was listening to Nathan’s explanations too. So Nathan sighed, and stared back at his feet, and said, “I’m Nathan Bannister. Some people call me Nat. One horrid person called me Bumble-Bee Head but I don’t know why.”
“’I know. It’s cos your hair is brown with lots of sunny streaks in it,” interrupted Sam from under his blanket. “So it’s goldy stripes on brown, just like a bee. Do you like honey?”
Nathan ignored him. “I’m twelve,” he said. “Nearly thirteen. And I go to school but I don’t like it very much and I live in my Granny’s house in Hammersmith.” His voice dropped to almost a whisper and he added, “I haven’t seen my father or my mother for ages. Years. They went away when I was little and they didn’t come back and no one knows what happened to them. My little sister Poppy was only three and she doesn’t remember them but I was five, so I do.” The spider seemed to be bored and had gone to sleep. Then Nathan realised that Mouse had crept back and was also asleep, curled up on his toes, keeping them very comfortable and warm.
Nodding, Alice said, “I don’t have any living parents either but it makes no difference. Go on. Where did you come from so suddenly and why don’t you go back home to that fancy school of yours?”
“Because I don’t know how to get home,” said Nathan looking up suddenly with a scowl. “I live in the future. This is the past. I was brought here by a mad wizard and I can’t go home until he comes to get me.”
“Oh, rubbish. Impossible,” said Alice at once.
“I believe you,” insisted John. “I reckon there’s wizards up in them cold northern lands.”
“Well, it’s true,” said Nathan. “And I know it must sound crazy but I’m no one’s spy and I don’t know anything about your funny past world and daft clothes and the whole city looks so different. I can’t prove it, but it’s true and I come from the future.”
“Go on,” mumbled Sam. “Tis a good story.”
“Why did ya Ma and Pa go away?” asked John, licking the last apple juice from his fingers. “Didn’t like Hammersmith?” He thought a moment, smiling. “Didn’t like you?”
Nathan shook his head. “They went on holiday but they said Scotland and I don’t think that was true because they didn’t have a car crash or got sick in hospital or anything like that. They just never came back. So I went to live in my grandma’s house with Poppy. Granny October is really nice. I don’t know why we call her Granny October, but we always have. Poppy’s not too bad though she gets annoying sometimes.”
“That has no relevance at all,” said Alice sticking her chin up. “So how did you travel from the future back here?”
“Brewster Hazlett,” said Nathan abruptly. “And don’t ask me who he is because I don’t know. Says he’s a wizard. I didn’t believe in wizards before either, but he appeared in my bedroom and whizzed me here in a balloon. So that’s that.”
“What’s a balloon?” asked John. “Sounds daft. Must be magic.” He was wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Bag-loon? So some loony fellow wiv a bag?”
About to shake his head, Nathan suddenly smiled. ”Yes – sort of.”
“And of course wizards are real,” said Sam.
“I was excited,” admitted Nathan, “but he wasn’t a nice wizard and he didn’t explain how he chose me for his weird adventure and then he tipped me out the balloon and disappeared and I’m stuck in the past.”
“So what year do you come from?” demanded Alice, disbelieving.
Nathan took a deep breath, knowing it would sound ridiculous. Rather apologetically, he said, “2017.”
They all stared and even John said, “That can’t be true. The world gotta end before then.”
“Well, it hasn’t,” Nathan muttered with a hiccup. “And it’s a lot nicer with good houses and proper toilets and shops and kitchens and pavements. And there are computers and televisions and phones and even school isn’t too bad.”
This was too much for all of them, so John turned to Alice. “Well, now,” he said, widening his smile. “Reckon that tale will take some beating. Now tis your turn. I only knows a bit of ya story, so it’ll be good ta listen. Tell us all about everything and Baron Cambridge and your real Da.”
Alice took a deep breath and unclasped her hands. Then she leaned over and picked up Mouse, cuddling her, fingers sinking into the thick fur. Mouse now purred and dribbled cheerfully. Alice’s voice sank low as she began.
“Well,” she said, “your story is quite impossible to believe, but I must tell my own story anyway, now that Alfie’s been taken.” Mouse was snuffling sleepily into Alice’s lap. “My parents are dead too,” Alice said sadly. “My father died when I was little, and as I was his only child, and he was the Lord David Parry and a very wealthy man and friend of the previous king, I became an heiress. None of the property was entailed, and my Papa left it all to me with just a portion to my Mamma.
“Then, when I was seven, she married again. I don’t know why because we were happy together, just the two of us out in the manor house in Devon by the Tor. Of course I don’t suppose she knew how horrible her future husband was capable of being, and she expected to be happy. But she was not. Baron Cambridge is a devious brute and a cruel man.
“Poor Mamma died just three years ago when I was ten. I’m not sure how she died, but I sometimes wonder if my step-father killed her. He took her money, and gambled most of it away. Then he tried to take control of me. Already he’s my legal guardian, and if I die, all my wealth will be taken by him.”
Alice definitely did not look rich, so Nathan blinked. “So you ran away from your step-father?”
“I had to.” Alice looked down into her lap, where Mouse was curled. “I was very unhappy after Mamma died and I hated the baron but I was still living in the same house, when Alfie came one day. I was out by the stables and I saw him, all raggedy and shivering, going to the back doors. I was sorry for him, so I followed. He was asking the steward for a job. He said he wanted to be an apprentice cook, or at the very least a scullery boy, and he promised he’d work very hard if they let him sleep on the floor by the kitchen fires with the other scullery boys. But the baron’s steward was angry and told Alfie he was a dirty little beggar, and to go away.
“I ran over and said the steward should give the boy a chance, but the horrid man said the baron hated homeless beggars, and would never agree to employ such a one.
“Poor Alfie looked so cold and hungry. He hung his head and went away, looking back over his shoulder with a sniff. So I ran after him and took him one of the new baked pies from the kitchen. He was so grateful and said he hadn’t eaten for three days. So we got talking and I told him about my horrible step-father and how unhappy I was too, even though I was rich and had a good bed and ate three times every day.”
“So you ran away with Alfie?” Nathan shook his head. “Why didn’t you bring your money with you and buy a house?”
“I reckon you really does come from the future,” sighed
John. “Ya sure don’t know nuffing.”
Alice was frowning. “My money is held in trust for me until I’m eighteen, or until I marry,” she said, staring in confusion at Nathan. “I hope you don’t think I have lots of gold coins in a money chest in my bedchamber or something silly like that. Most of it is in property anyway, and I don’t really know how much there is. But I know I’m an heiress and the baron has been trying to make me marry his younger brother. But I won’t. They’d take everything, and the brother is just as horrible as the baron.”
Nathan was shocked. “You said you were only thirteen,” he objected. “How can you get married at thirteen?”
Alice was equally confused. “Why not?” she demanded. “Lots of girls marry at thirteen or fourteen. Except I don’t want to. So I ran away with Alfie and all I managed to bring with me was a sheepskin cape and some blankets. We found this abandoned warehouse and sneaked in to live here. Sam and Peter and John are all beggar children too and we saw them cold and hungry and invited them to join us. So now we have a gang.”
“Well,” exclaimed Nathan with a shocked stare, “That couldn’t ever happen in England in my time. It’s horrible.”
“But you understand?”
“I suppose I do,” Nathan said, suddenly standing up. “You don’t believe my story but I believe you and I’ll help rescue Alfie. You were all nice to me and shared your breakfast even though you don’t have much of anything, and I think I know what to do.” He smiled. “Listen.” And as they all crowded around, Nathan began to explain. A pale trickle of sunshine was leaking in through the open doors again, and he could hear the splash of boats on the Thames outside, and the calls of the people. No one had relit the fire, so there was no smoke left in the hall, even though the warmth remained. A seagull was wailing outside and Mouse was purring.
“I’ll believe your story if you want me to,” sighed Alice. “I just have to get Alfie back safe before my step-father hurts him.”
“You said Alfie went to the kitchen doors for work long ago,” Nathan said quickly. “And you say you know where the baron will have Alfie locked up?” Alice nodded. “Well,” Nathan continued, “we can all go to the kitchen door and ask for food and make lots of noise and beg for jobs and get your steward angry again. And we’ll refuse to leave until the steward calls for your step-father. Then you creep in the front door and go and set Alfie free.”
“Not that easy,” Alice said sadly. “The steward will just throw boiling water at you all. And I’d never get in the front door without someone seeing me, and I wouldn’t be able to unlock the cellar door anyway. The baron will have the key with him.”
Peter put his small hand up and waved it in the air. Nathan couldn’t remember Peter saying anything at all ever since he’d met him, but now he whispered. “I can do that.”
“Do what?” asked Alice.
Peter blushed, looking down, his brown curls flopping into his eyes. “I know how to undo locks,” he said very softly. “My Dad taught me when I was little cos he was a locksmith afore he died. Reckon I can unlock your cellar ‘lest it’s a real complicated padlock.”
Everyone stared at him and Alice said, “Oh, how wonderful,” and jumped up. “Come on then, let’s go. “
“What about the other problems?” interrupted Nathan, staying where he was.
Alice was happy and almost dancing, standing on her bare toes and skipping, holding up her long swirling skirts. Mouse had tumbled back to the floorboards and now stalked off, head in the air and the fur of her neck bristling. “Easy,” Alice said. You and Sam and John all go to the kitchen door like you said. You make a big fuss and cry and say you’re starving. One of you will have to pretend to faint inside on the tiles, so the steward won’t be able to throw boiling water at you. In the meantime, Peter and I will smash the pantry window, which is quite big and hidden behind a bush. We can climb in and go down to the cellars to rescue Alfie. Then we’ll all meet up back here.”
It didn’t sound too safe to Nathan but he was quite excited at the idea of rescuing someone and he liked Alfie, though he wasn’t so sure about Alice because she was bossy and a bit older than him. But he grinned, and said, “I’m ready.”
By now it had slipped into late afternoon and a steady dusk was descending across the city. Above the tips of the little pointed roofs, the light sank into a soft grey and with a last wail, the seagulls flew back downriver. Without street lights the lanes and alleyways were quickly shrouded in shadow. Alice, peeping out from the doorway, beckoned to the others. “Follow me,” she said softly, “and I’ll lead you to my home. It was my father’s city house before the baron moved in, so I grew up there and I know it very well and I’ll explain exactly what you all need to do.” She looked down at Peter. “You stay close to me. And if there’s any trouble, just run like mad and don’t worry about anyone else. Just save yourselves.”
A last big black crow was poking into the fish scales lying on the river bank. It looked up as Nathan passed, and flew off with a squawk. With Alice leading, the boys tiptoed past and entered the dark lane to the side of the warehouse.
“Hope we don’t have to walk all the way to Devon,” muttered Sam.
Alice ignored him, but said, “My London house is up past Crosby Place where the king used to live. It’s not so far.”
Folk were hurrying home, shopping bags full. Market stalls were packing up and the shops were closing, pulling up their counters to cover their windows, and locking their doors. The Shambles, which Nathan discovered was the butchers’ street, was all shut up now and a few of the shop-owners were throwing buckets of water to clear the blood and scraps from the cobbles. A wandering dog, looking hungry, was darting to avoid the water but grab the scraps of meat and a large meaty bone.
It was growing darker and the first stars peeped out from the glowering sky. The wind had dropped but the darkening night was chilly and the moon was hidden behind the clouds.
Alice led the others on past handsome houses with spreading gardens and trees, their branches still bare silhouetted. A few steps along on the other side of the road was another large house, not quite as grand but impressive with three storeys and a big garden stretching to either side. “That’s my real home,” muttered Alice, staring up. “Look, that window on the second floor right in the middle. That used to be my bedchamber.”
Nathan mumbled back,” You must miss it now, living in a dump.”
Alice turned. “I’m happy living with my friends and not my cruel step-father. But one day, if I can get some help from someone, I may be able to get my home back again. Then you can all come and live with me in comfort.”
Smiling, Nathan didn’t answer. He was beginning to like everyone in the gang, even bossy Alice, but there was no way he wanted to live here. He missed his own home and family far too much. But eventually, as they walked slowly forwards, he said, “I’ll help. Don’t worry. I’ll think of something.”
And then suddenly a thin gleam of light seemed to shine down from above. Thinking it was the moon escaping from the clouds, Nathan looked up. Then he stood stock still, amazed. Far away above them he saw the bright striped colours of the balloon which had brought him here, and just a glimpse of the tall skinny wizard in the top hat leaning over the side of the basket, waving. Nathan started to wave back, hoping that Brewster Hazlett had come for him. But when he looked again, the balloon had disappeared and all Nathan could see were stars.
Chapter Four
They entered the grounds of Baron Cambridge’s house by a small side gate, and tiptoed towards the rear. The gardens were not extensive but they seemed somehow bigger as night fell and the shadows merged. Hedges, bushes and pebbled paths converged. “Hush,” Alice whispered, “the pebbles clink.”
Peter whispered back. “Where’s that pantry window?”
Alice pointed, then turned to Nathan, John and Sam, saying, “Look, there’s the kitchen doors. It’s supper time so they’ll be busy, which means they won’t watch you so closely.
The cook is quite nice, and the horrid steward will be in the main hall with my step-father, organising the meal. You know what to do.” She paused, smiled and blinked back tears. “Good luck.”
Then she and Peter ran around the back into the darkness, and Nathan turned to John and Sam. “Alright,” he said. “Time to start.”
Stepping briskly forwards, Nathan banged loudly on the doors. He could hear the bustle and noise from within, with the clang of pots and pans and the shouts of the cooks and the scullery boys.
“My fingers is burning,” yelped a young voice.
“Get on with it and turn that spit,” came a man’s gruff reply.
Nathan knocked again, banging hard with his fists until the door shook. Then it opened so wide and so abruptly that Nathan nearly fell over. He quickly poked his head into the kitchen and pushed past the young boy who had swung the door open. A burst of hot white steam blew in their faces, and for a moment that was all they could see. Then the haze lifted and the three boys peered forwards.
Nathan, looking around, was astonished at what he saw. This was not anything like any kitchen he had ever seen before. It was huge and along the far wall were two enormous fireplaces, with fires blazing and crackling. On each, a boy was turning the handle of a spit, with large meat carcasses roasting on each over the flames. Juice from the cooking meat dripped onto the logs below and the fire spat. Now Nathan understood why one boy had complained of his fingers burning.
There were several long wooden tables all covered in platters and pots with food steaming and bubbling. Clouds of smoke filled the whole place, dark smoke from the fires and pale condensation from the hot plates of food.
For a moment, utterly amazed, Nathan was speechless. Then he heard John Ten-Toes saying in a sad voice, “Please, mister, we’s ever so hungry. Ya got any scraps fer us? Can we hav’ some supper too?”
“Get out of here,” called an irate cook from near the fires. “I’m busy. Come back later when the master has finished eating, and you can have what is left over.”
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