Escape

‘Dirk Tot,’ said the High-Bailiff, recognising the voice and turning to regard the newcomer. ‘I was wondering when you would turn up.’

‘Adolfus Spute, you have no jurisdiction over these two. Release them at once.’ Dirk Tot strode into the fane. He seemed even larger and more imposing than Mel remembered.

Adolfus Spute stood his ground. ‘I represent the Fifth Mystery here and these … these vermin have stolen one of our Pleasures. They must be made to pay. Even the great Ambrosius Blenk must pay for his Pleasures. That’s the law.’

‘Oh, I quite agree. But, you see, Ambrosius Blenk has already paid for this Pleasure. This boy is one of Ambrosius Blenk’s apprentices. And everything that Ambrosius Blenk’s apprentices create belongs to Ambrosius Blenk. So, you see, this is actually my master’s exhibition. Arranged, with great kindness I might say, by the good Fa. You are here on a fool’s errand. Which seems fitting. Now let them go.’

The High-Bailiff narrowed his pale eyes. His intense loathing of this man was obvious. Then he rounded on his men. ‘Why wasn’t I told this Pleasure belonged to Ambrosius Blenk?’ he bellowed. He kicked Mumchance in the ribs, sending him flying. ‘Which one of you scrotbrained, cretinous half-wits organised this excursion?’ he screamed. His men retreated backwards as he advanced on them.

Willem went over and cut Fa Theum free. Mabin rushed to her son’s side and held him close.

Mel was distraught. ‘It’s all my fault. It’s my pictures that brought those men here. I nearly killed Fa Theum.’

‘Hush, Mel, hush.’ His mother hugged him closer.

‘There’s not a moment to lose,’ Dirk Tot said to Mabin quietly. ‘Take Mel out to my carriage at once.’

Mabin stared at the giant man, uncertain.

‘Now! Before it’s too late. If we don’t act at once all will be lost. Mel’s life depends on it. Willem, do you know of a place where the Fa will be safe for an hour or two?’

Willem nodded.

‘Good. Take him there and have someone tend to his wounds.’ He looked towards the back of the fane where the furious High-Bailiff had cornered his men and was laying into them with his heavy staff.

‘Come, Mel, we must do as the gentleman says,’ said Mabin.

Mel turned to look at Fa Theum as his father helped the old man to his feet. I shouldn’t be leaving at a time like this. Leaving everyone to take the blame for what I’ve done. Then he caught sight of the dwarf’s chest resting on a pew and shrugged free of his mother. ‘Wait, there’s something I need.’ He gazed in at the tools of torture. He needed a weapon to make him feel less vulnerable. But they all looked somehow inappropriate, too specialised for self-defence. Then he spied a bodkin. That’s the one.

‘Mel, hurry.’ His mother tugged at his sleeve.

There came a pathetic whistle from the back of the fane and, as everyone turned towards it, Mel grasped the slim dagger, but it resisted. He tugged it hard and, as it came free, there was a soft metallic ping and a secret drawer inside the chest sprang open. Inside was a small decorated box. Without thinking, Mel grabbed that too and stuffed them both into his shirt.

‘Mel, come on,’ said his mother as she pulled him towards the door and out to Dirk Tot’s carriage, which stood alongside the scarlet carriage of the Fifth Mystery. A crowd of villagers had begun to gather.

Behind them, Dirk Tot followed them from the fane. ‘Put Mel inside and make your goodbye quick,’ he said to Mabin.

‘Goodbye? But your outriders, surely they’ll protect us.’

‘I don’t have any outriders,’ confessed Dirk Tot. ‘There’s just me and my coachman.’

‘But you can’t snatch Mel away from us like this,’ said Mabin.

‘There’s no choice. Mel must come with me to Vlam. It’s the only way he can survive now. Say goodbye. As quickly as you can.’ He turned away and said something quietly to his coachman, before disappearing back into the fane.

‘Oh, Mel,’ said Mabin as she helped Mel into the carriage. She cradled her son’s face between her hands and then pressed her handkerchief to his torn scalp. ‘It shouldn’t have been like this.’

‘I’ll be all right, Mum,’ Mel said, sounding braver than he felt. He gazed at his mother standing there and noticed a grey hair among her blonde tresses. Why haven’t I ever noticed that before? He looked beyond her at the fane and the group of villagers, people he had known all his life. Now that I’m leaving everything looks different. ‘Mum, you know that – ’

‘No time. We must be gone,’ interrupted Dirk Tot as he joined Mel in the carriage, which dipped and groaned on its springs under his great weight. ‘You will probably want these,’ he said as he tossed the drawings from Mel’s exhibition on to the opposite seat. He then sat alongside Mel, with the damaged side of his face towards him.

Mel’s artistic eye no longer seemed to be working and he only saw the monster he had first encountered.

‘Mabin, you and the villagers make yourselves scarce until those men leave. I’ll send word as soon as we’re safe in Vlam.’

‘But Mel has no food, no clothes, no money. How will he survive?’

‘Fear not. What he needs will be provided. Yan, drive on!’

Mabin held on to Mel’s hand, running alongside the carriage until it was moving so fast that she had to let go. Leaning out of the window, Mel watched his father join her. He attempted to see the expression on his face, but they were already too far away. He wished he could have spoken with him. He saw his parents clutch each other, and his mother waved until they were lost. Soon, even the village of Kop vanished behind the trees.