He was grinning. “Did you do that? Incredible! Genius.”
With his head in a whirl, Nathan was even more puzzled than ever. “Did what?”
“The baron,” said Alice with a beaming smile. “We saw it all. He went hurtling into the river with a yowl. When the rain started, we hurried inside, but hearing that scream, we looked outside again. I realised it was my vile step-father at once. He disappeared into the water but we saw lots of bubbles.”
“Did he drown?” asked Nathan hopefully.
But Alfie shook his head. “Wish he had. But them boatmen pulled him out. Brought the pig-man ashore and he sat on the bank pulling faces and heaving and coughing up water. A few people came over to see if he was alright. Not us. Watched from the window, wiv big smiles, we did. Then at last he just staggered off hugging his fat belly. Reckon he’ll be rotten sick. That river water ain’t clean. Did you push him in?”
Although speaking to Nathan, Alfie’s eyes had wandered to Poppy, standing shyly in Nathan’s shadow. Ignoring this, Nathan said quickly. “Well yes, that was me, sort of. The baron was chasing me, calling me names after what I did to him in the kitchen. He deserves to drown after what he did to you.”
“He’ll be in the Tower when we done finished,” Alfie assured Nathan. “But fer now, reckon he’s had a mighty good lesson. Dumped in the river, wiv all them fancy clothes ruined. Came out in a proper mess, he did, one shoe lost and his silly hat gone. Wish them fish had eaten him.” He snorted. “Wish I coulda’ gone and pushed him in again. You done well, Nat.”
Alice clapped her hands, “Oh marvellous, Nat. Look, Uncle Henry,” looking back at the smiling man, “see how great my friends are.”
There was a silent pause as everyone became more aware of Poppy and she blushed, saying with an embarrassed squeak, “I’m Nathan’s sister.”
“This is Poppy,” sighed Nathan. “She’s from the future too. My little sister, Poppy Bannister.”
Alice blinked. “I think,” she said at last, “we should find you some new clothes, Poppy. This is all very peculiar.”
“This is her school uniform,” nodded Nathan. “Like a sort of livery.”
“It’s more like being naked,” frowned Alice. “She’ showing her legs and too much of her arms too. Very odd. If she walks around like that, she’ll be arrested.”
“I reckon,” grinned Alfie, “we better get back to the cellar. Then we can tell you what happened today – and you can tell us.”
With much interested attention from the crowd outside the inn, they said goodbye to Uncle Henry who hurried back inside for a strong beer after the day’s many appointments, and Alfie, skipping ahead, led the long winding way back to Bandy Alley. He seemed surprisingly buoyant for someone recently so badly injured, and Nathan presumed the day must have gone well for him. In the meantime, Nathan was not at all sure what he was going to do about Poppy.
Bandy Alley was as alight with reflections as all the other streets, but here it seemed as though the rainbow arched directly overhead. Nathan felt as though he was walking under a brightly coloured doorway, and straight into another adventure. Pimple, shaggy hair still wet, was standing at some distance, his tether at full stretch. He was blissfully asleep on his feet, eyes closed, lashes drooping, as his mane dripped rainwater.
Not expecting Pimple’s appearance, neither Alfie nor Alice seemed to notice him, and made straight for the cellar.
It was outside the cellar steps that the smith was standing, holding up a shining axe to the bright sky. He nodded when he saw Alfie, Alice and Nathan approach. Nathan stared at the axe, with its clear silver metal and gleaming sharp edge. It reflected the rainbow as well, as though polished in glitter.
“Pretty thing, ain’t it?” smiled the smith proudly. “My own work. Best in the city. Swords, axes, and armour fit for a king. I specialise. You ever need a good knife, you come to me.” He winked suddenly, emphasising the word ‘knife’ “You need a knife, boy? I have one just right for you.”
Nathan hesitated. He had to get Poppy undercover, but he said quickly, “You were singing yesterday. You sing about a strange place. Lashtang. What is it?”
“Just a song.” The smith frowned.
“And the Hazlett brothers. You sang about them too.”
The smith’s frown deepened. “’Tis a long story. Come back another day, lad,” he said. “I’m busy now. But one day just come over for a talk and I’ll tell you some things you’d be better off not knowing.”
“But I need to know.” One foot on the top step, Nathan turned, nodding. “It’s important,” he said.
“Then come talk,” repeated the smith. “Ask for me. My name’s William. Will to my friends. But most folk call me Grandpa October.”
Nathan almost fell down the steps, and felt himself choke. Behind him, Alice hissed, “Hurry up, Nat. We need to get inside and sort out what to do next.”
With a hop and a jump everyone burst into the cellar, avoided the huge puddle which had trickled down the steps in the rain, and pulled off their capes.
Sam and Peter, both curled in the far corner, looked up, and Sam whispered, “Hush.” Peter did not remove his thumb from his mouth, but was looking tired.
“Oh gracious, yes,” Nathan remembered with a jolt, “Mouse. How is she? You said she was dying.”
Everyone quickly crowded around the shadowed corner, where Sam and Peter sat protectively. Peering into the semi-darkness, they saw a muddle of shapes squashed up on Alfie’s pillow, which he had kicked there that morning. Mouse, her distinct patterns of grey, black and white like a maze as she lay complacent, was sheltering three little balls of scrawny fur, each attached to her teats as they fed and snuffled. One was white, one was black and one was grey.
Peter removed his thumb, and whispered, “She was doing strange things and making funny noises. Then out popped a baby. Then another. And then the third. First we were worried for her. Then we got very excited.”
“She’s had babies,” said Sam in whispered delight. “Now we got four cats.”
Poppy, immediately transfixed, knelt down and stroked each kitten with a careful finger. Mouse did not seem to object, and purred loudly. The kittens quivered and continued sucking. Her hair in her eyes, Poppy kneeled lower and bent to kiss Mouse on her little moist black nose.
It was John, marching in from outside, who stuttered, “Who’s that?” He pointed at Poppy. “I just bin to feed Pimple,” he said, “and I comes back to find some undressed female kissing our cat.”
“It is,” smiled Alice, sitting on her folded blanket, hands clasped in her lap, “time for an explanation.”
So Nathan began. With Poppy sitting uncomfortably, a little frightened and very timid beside him, he said, “You all know I said I come from the future. I live with my grandmother and my sister in a big house in Hammersmith, and it’s the year 2017 and London is completely different. Everything’s completely different. I was brought by a wizard called Brewster Hazlett, who never explained a single thing. He just picked me up in a flying balloon, brought me here, and tipped me out.”
Poppy shivered. “And that’s what happened to me too. Except it was Wagster Hazlett who is another wizard, and he tied me up and wouldn’t let me go until he tossed me out on London Bridge. He was mean. And thank heavens Nat was there, or I think I would have died.”
“Two wizards?”
“They’re twin brothers,” said Nathan. “And it was hard enough for me to understand when I found myself in the past, but now my little sister is here too and it must be so peculiar and frightening for her, and I can barely look after myself but I’ll have to look after her too.”
“Reckon we’ll all look after her,” said John, smiling down. “Tis saving you wizard-loving Bannisters is what I likes most. Bring ‘em on, the more, the prettier.”
“Oh, indeed we will help look after your sister,” Alice assured both Poppy and Nathan. “And as for looking after yourself, Nathan, you’re a real hero. Saving Alfie when
the baron had him locked up –”
“Well, just helping.”
“– and getting all that money, and now pushing the baron off the bridge. I loved seeing that.”
“We all did.” Alfie grinned at John. “You don’t know what you missed.”
Poppy, still uncomfortable, was at least now looking intrigued.
“Poppy,” Nathan said as an introduction, and pointed at each member of the group, giving their names. “Sam. Peter. John Ten-Toes. Alfie. And Alice. Alice is the eldest.” He looked around. “And Poppy is only ten.”
“I’m ten,” said Sam. “Or I might be nine. I could be eleven. Suppose I could be eight.”
“So now we got another girl in our gang,” said Alfie.
“And three kittens,” smiled Sam.
“And an ‘orse,” added John.
“And we had a good day with Uncle Henry,” nodded Alice, “and the Constable and the judge and Mister Percival Weeks the lawyer, and I’ll tell you all about that after supper. But now I’m starving.” She nodded to Poppy. “You must be hungry too.”
“No thank you.” Poppy shook her tangled yellow and brown curls. “Granny October made me a good breakfast before I set off to school, and it was after that when the horrible wizard snatched me into his balloon.”
“Still don’t know what a balloon is,” muttered Alfie to himself.
But it was Granny October Nathan was thinking about, for it had reminded him that the strange singing smith next door had called himself Grandpa October. Which didn’t make any sense at all.
On a tiny fire of collected twigs, Alice began cooking pottage, watched with both interest and suspicion by Poppy, sitting close. Poppy looked closer and recoiled. “Cabbage stew?” Trying to look polite, “I’m really not hungry.” Then, as an afterthought, she reached into one of the large pockets in her school blazer, and pulled out a sticky and partially melted bar of chocolate. “Anyone want a piece of Mars Bar?” she asked, looking around.
Six pairs of eyes stared back at her. Even Mouse looked up.
“They don’t know anything about chocolate,” Nathan grinned. “It hasn’t been discovered yet.”
Alfie’s face told the story. “Future food?” he asked, as if sure he was being offered poison. “Better not. I ain’t got a future stomach.”
“Just taste a tiny bit,” Nathan suggested, laughing.
John reached out. “Try anyfing once,” he nodded. “But it looks funny and ‘tis wrapped in weird stuff.”
“Just shiny paper.” Poppy handed a broken slice to John and watched with interest as he popped it in his mouth. “But you should have taken the paper off first.”
He spat the crumpled paper out, but held it in his palm as if precious as he sucked slowly on the sliver of Mars Bar. “It’s – gorgeous,” he managed to say. “Like honey only better. And reckon that paper don’t taste good but it looks proper gorgeous too.”
Alfie sniffed the small piece he had been given. “Smells good.”
“It’s – wonderful,” mumbled Peter, thumb out and chocolate in. “Best I ever ate in me life.”
“Shall I give some to Mouse?” asked Sam, sucking on his own little square piece.”
“Not good for cats,” Nathan shook his head. “But very, very good for people.”
“Where can we buy it,” Alice was excited, eyes bright as she swallowed her last little bit.
“Sorry.” Poppy gave the remaining sliver to Nathan. “Tesco. A sweet shop. But nowhere in 1485, I don’t think.”
Finally trusting the melting corner in his hand, Alfie shoved it in his mouth, and closed his eyes in bliss. “Magic.”
“Well, it is, isn’t it,” said Alice eagerly. “I have to admit I never really found it easy to believe the story about coming from the future, and all these balloon things and so on. But now I believe it, and it has to be magic, doesn’t it. And ever since you arrived here, Nat, life has changed. It is so much better.” She licked her lips with pleasure., leaned over and took Poppy’s hand in hers. “Your brother is amazing. And so are you. Now my uncle is involved in my problems and he is helping so much. The Constable has promised to look into the matter, the judge says he is sure we have been badly treated by the baron, and our lawyer thinks he has scraped off enough of the ink blot to see my aunt’s name underneath. It is all so exciting. My life has changed ever since Nat came to stay. We even have money for food and shoes and capes and pillows.”
“And a horse ta take us ta market,” added John.
“And kittens,” said Sam.
Nathan sniggered slightly. “I don’t think the kittens have much to do with me,” he laughed.
“But it’s all happening now,” said John. “Wiv that pig-baron in the river and now this! Bars Mar.”
“Mars Bar.”
“Heaven. Magic.”
“Which reminds me,” said Nathan. “Does anyone know anything about the smith next door?”
But no one knew anything at all. Only that his furnace kept them all comfortably warm.
Chapter Sixteen
They stayed up late, curling against the heated wall, but still murmuring to each other, too excited to sleep at once. Alice had given Poppy her thick new cloak, fur up, folded on the ground for a mattress. But even with this, Nathan’s sister found it hard and wretchedly uncomfortable. She had never had to sleep on the floor before, and although she squeezed her eyes tight shut, both fear and discomfort kept her awake.
“He says it can be proved beyond doubt. He says he can prove it. He says he won’t charge me until I have my home back, with my aunt and uncle as guardians,” Alice murmured.
“Percival Weeks,” mumbled Alfie. “Lawyer. Silly name. But reckon he’s alright.”
Half muffled under his blanket, John said, “So you trust this uncle fellow now, Alf?”
Alfie paused. The silence echoed. Then he muttered, “S’pose so. But I ain’t sure o’ nuffing. Reckon I won’t be sure till Alice is back in that grand house.”
Mouse, one kitten at a time held by the scruff of its neck, brought her babies to snuggle up next to Alice. Repeated squeaks and purrs were reassuring through the darkening shadows.
“I expect the baron will fight back,” sighed Nathan. “He won’t just accept what the lawyer says.”
“There’s the judge and the Constable too,” Alice reminded him as she cuddled all the balls of dappled fur.
Poppy had little idea what they were talking about, but on the following morning, Nathan explained in greater detail. Horrified at the idea of being forced to marry a cruel and fat old man when she was only thirteen years old, Poppy immediately felt particular sympathy for Alice, but all she really wanted to do was go home again.
Sitting on the top step leading into the cellar, with the wind whistling down the back of their necks and Pimple having an occasional chomp on their dishevelled hair, Nathan spoke quietly to Poppy. “This is serious,” he said. “If we want to do anything to help get ourselves out of here, then you have to remember everything. What did Granny October say this morning before you left for school?” Poppy bit her lip, trying to remember. “She can’t just have ignored it all,” insisted Nathan. “She gets up early. If I wasn’t there, she must have been surprised.”
“No.” Poppy studied her shoes, sturdy school fashion. “I sort of rolled out of bed as usual and went downstairs in my nightie and Granny was already at the table reading the newspaper. My plate was on the table with scrambled egg and toast all steaming.”
“Only one plate? Nothing prepared for me?”
She suddenly realised the relevance. “Nothing put out for you. Not even a bit of toast. So I asked Granny where you were. Gone to school already, she told me.” Poppy stared up at Nathan. “Now that must have been a lie.”
“Granny doesn’t lie.”
“Pooh. Everyone lies.”
“Not Granny.”
“She just did.” Poppy shook her head. “Maybe she went in your bedroom and found the bed empty, and g
uessed you’d gone to school.”
“With my pyjamas gone, and my school stuff still around the room? Did she think I’d gone to school in my pyjamas?”
“Well you came here in them,” and Poppy sniggered.
“So Granny lied. I wonder, does she know about Lashtang?”
“Now you’re talking rubbish again, Nat,” Poppy complained. “What on earth is Lashtang?”
“Probably not on earth,” Nathan sighed, “and that’s the whole point.”
The smith had not arrived to open the shop next door. Impatient, Nathan waited outside while Poppy went in to cuddle the kittens. It was already way past the time most shops opened. Confused, he wandered up and down Bandy Alley.
Alice and Alfie had once again met up with Uncle Henry for a final day of discussion, and a last talk with the lawyer. There would be plenty more to be done before the situation was ready to go to court, but for that they would have to wait. John, Sam and Peter remained in the cellar, sleepy after the late night. John was muttering in his sleep with incomprehensible words such as, “Similty,” and “Go’way plonkfish.” Sam was back with Mouse and the kittens, and Peter was examining his crinkled scrap of Mars Bar paper, wondering how it got so shiny and patterned.”
Poppy, admiring Mouse, looked over. “It says Ba, cos that’s the bit of Mars Bar I broke off,” she explained.
“I can’t read,” Peter looked up, smiling. “But you go to a real school. That’s mighty special. Did you get taught to read there?”
“Well yes, years ago,” nodded Poppy. “I could teach you some letters if you like.”
But Peter pulled a face. “No use to me here. Nothing to read anyways, ‘cept your bits of funny paper.” He ironed the scrap with his wet thumb. “Was it ever so expensive?”
“Not really.”
John said, “Wiggish hollik.”
Peter said, “But paper is much too expensive just for wrapping things. Comes all the way from Italy, and it’s mighty rare. Even parchment is expensive.”
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