Chapter 81

The Woodcutter ran to the location that he had been given. He practically threw the surface chamber cover to one side, let himself drop to the bottom of the steel ladder and burst through the huge, wooden door, having used his first set of keys in the main lock.

He broke down in tears as he was reunited with his loved ones. His crying eyes became inflamed when he saw the ankle chains leading to the bed-frames. His urgency to remove them meant that the Woodcutter had not even noticed the body of the young man lying on the floor. He had almost tripped over the dark shape whilst reaching his family lying on the beds against the hard, cold, rear wall.

Hugging, touching, kissing his loved ones. They were all experiencing waves of emotion. Relief. They needed to be away, out. To breathe in the fresh air outside and above ground. They would take in the comings and goings of Portsmouth waking up, the people leisurely enjoying their Sunday morning strolls, walking dogs, buying newspapers.

The hump of the dark shape on the floor shifted, groaned. What was this? The Woodcutter furrowed his brow and scratched the back of his head. Who was this man? Had he been there all along? Where had he come from? The Woodcutter turned him over onto his back. In the pale light, it was not immediately apparent that the Woodcutter had met the Lieutenant before.

The Woodcutter’s priority was to rescue his family. Having found them and now aware that they were both going to be alright, he wanted them all to be out of this underground pit as quickly as possible. He slapped the man a couple of times on the cheeks and he seemed to respond through further grunts and groans. The teenage daughter indicated the water and cups close to the wall and one of the cups full of water was proffered to Archie’s lips. It only took a few seconds before there was any reaction. The man seemed to come round. He was battered and bruised. The Woodcutter could see that he had been repeatedly punched but he was definitely savouring the liquid. His energy had not diminished. He was presumably just in shock at being knocked out by someone and, it appeared, very recently.

It dawned on the Woodcutter who had control of this underground cellar, seeing that he had been given the keys from the Tower Captain, and who worked directly for the Tower Captain. The Woodcutter had had no direct contact with David, but from the few hours that he had spent with him during the morning he would not have trusted him as far as he could spit.

The Woodcutter’s thoughts whirred into action. He realised that David had left this man on the floor in an injured state. The young man was now starting to move forcefully, to stretch out all of his limbs and shakily rise to his feet. Disorientated, on first attempt he careered off in the direction of the solid wall near the entrance and the chamber pot. Pulling himself together and standing still, leaning against the wall, he seemed to come round completely.

The Woodcutter appraised the man now that he was on his feet and had to swallow hard. It was more than a likeness. He had seen him before. Most people would not be too concerned if they had seen somebody before, but this was always worrying for the Woodcutter. Fortunately, it came to him where he had seen him previously, and this did not help his position any further. His memory had served him well, but had the man recognised him? If he had not already, it was just a matter of time. Well, he and his family would be out of here and long gone. The Woodcutter thought hard. This was a real opportunity. A chance for payback. He had always believed that what comes around, goes around.

The Woodcutter went over to Archie. He carefully gave him some more water, some chocolate and looked at him hard in the face, man to man. Archie had to concentrate. He was unable to see anything except this athletic torso of a man with military bearing and his overcoat and hat, which lay on the side of the bed. Oh no, thought Archie at the same instance, for he had clicked exactly who this hulk of a man was.

The Woodcutter saw the glimmer of recognition in Archie’s eyes and started immediately to explain what he was doing and crucially, what he had been doing out in the Alps. The Woodcutter had his money. More importantly, he had his family. What did he have to lose?