The Book Without Words Part 5

Odo glared up at her from the floor. "Idiot!"

Sybil, annoyed by the bird, went to the foot of the bed, where a wooden chest sat upon the floor. She knelt. Trusting the lid screened her movements, she put the stones beneath a bolt of cloth, then took up a small leather pouch-Thorston's money pouch. She let the chest lid slam shut and drew out the few coins that were inside. "What will give out first-Master, the money-or us?"

"What difference will a few coins make?" spat out the raven. "All you've insured is that our our deaths will closely follow his." He shook his head, jumped to the window, and peered out through the gla.s.s, tail feathers twitching with agitation. Suddenly he croaked, "Sybil-a boy is coming here." deaths will closely follow his." He shook his head, jumped to the window, and peered out through the gla.s.s, tail feathers twitching with agitation. Suddenly he croaked, "Sybil-a boy is coming here."

2.

"Are you certain?" cried Sybil, forgetting about the stones.

"Where else could he be going?" said Odo. "There's no other house but ours in this horrid court. G.o.d's mercy! He's with the city reeve."

"Master Bashcroft?"

"Yes! He's pus.h.i.+ng the boy-who doesn't seem eager to move-forward. Now the reeve has retreated. But not far. He's shaking a fist at the lad."

"Does the boy have green eyes?"

"Sybil, I don't care if he's entirely green. If it's Bashcroft who's sending him, we should have nothing to do with him."

Sybil opened the chest, threw back Thorston's pouch, slammed the lid back down, and stood up. "But green eyes are what I need," she said. She took up the candle and headed for the steps.

"Are you truly going to let him in?" Odo screeched after her.

"I am," said Sybil, "but things will go badly if he hears you talk."

She hurried to the ground floor just in time to hear a timid knock on the door.

"Who's there?" she called.

"Please, I'm a child," said a small voice. "With green eyes. I'm here to see Master Thorston."

Sybil looked around at Odo, who had followed her down the steps. "There," she said, "my plan worked."

"Alas! But you mustn't let him in."

Enjoying the raven's frustration, Sybil removed the crossbeam and pulled in the heavy door.

Alfric stood on the threshold, his head bowed so that Sybil could see nothing of his eyes. She could see his unruly red hair, his ragged clothing, his torn boots, and that he was younger than she.

"Please, Mistress," said Alfric, speaking in a whisper and addressing the ground, "I was told a boy with green eyes was wanted." His trembling fingers-raw with cold-twisted in distress.

"Who told you?" said Sybil.

"Master Bashcroft." Alfric turned halfway around.

Sybil followed his gaze but saw no one in the courtyard. "Let me see your eyes."

A reluctant Alfric lifted his head. Tears were running down his red, chapped face.

"G.o.d's grace, boy," said Sybil. "What ails you?"

"I'm frightened."

"Of what?"

"Of what will happen to me here." He covered his face with his hands as if to ward off a blow.

Gently, Sybil pulled the boy's hand away and looked at his eyes anew. Seeing that they were green, her heart fluttered. "By all grace," she said, "nothing bad shall befall you here. Step in."

When Alfric edged forward, Sybil shut the door behind him. The noise made the boy jump.

"May I know your name?" said Sybil as she set back the crossbar.

"Alfric," the boy said with a shuddering sob. "Please, Mistress, I didn't want to find out about how to make the gold."

"Gold?" said a startled Sybil. "What gold?"

"That your master makes."

Sybil heard Odo hiss softly. To Alfric she said, "You appear hungry. Are you?"

"Yes, please."

"Come. I'll give you something warm." She turned toward the steps.

The boy hesitated.

"I shan't hurt you," said Sybil. "It's only your green eyes that are wanted."

The boy threw himself back up against the door. "Are you going to cut them out?" he cried.

"No, no! You need only look look at something with them," said Sybil. She moved toward the steps, turning to make sure Alfric was coming. at something with them," said Sybil. She moved toward the steps, turning to make sure Alfric was coming.

Halfway up the steps they pa.s.sed Odo who fixed his beady eyes on the boy. Alfric s.h.i.+ed away but continued on. When he reached the gloomy room, he stopped and looked about, wide-eyed.

Odo went to his customary roost upon the skull.

"Mistress," the boy whispered, "is that old man ... dead?"

"Just resting," said Sybil. She drew the three-legged stool close to the hot brazier. "Pray sit," she said.

Alfric, sitting on the stool's edge, looked about the room. Now and again he wiped his face with his dirty hands.

Sybil placed the bowl from which she had been attempting to feed Thorston back on the brazier. As it warmed, she watched Alfric survey the room. She sensed he was looking for something.

"Tell me, Alfric," she said, "what is your connection to Master Bashcroft?"

"He bought me for two pennies."

"Bought you! Where are your parents, then?"

"Dead," the boy whispered.

"May they find grace," said Sybil as she handed the bowl to the boy.

With a look of grat.i.tude, Alfric took the bowl in both raw hands. He allowed himself a sip; then a second, deeper one. His third swallow drained the bowl. Though the bowl was empty, he continued to clutch it, reluctant to give up its warmth.

"Now, Alfric," said Sybil, "I require you to look at something with those green eyes of yours."

"Mistress, I can read. Truly. My father, who did ledgers for merchants, was also a scrivener. He taught me the skill."

"Even better," said Sybil, glancing at Odo and feeling a heart swell of antic.i.p.ation. She went to Thorston's bed, took up the Book Without Words, placed it on Alfric's knees, and opened it at random. "Be so good as to read what you see."

As Alfric bent over the open page, Odo hopped closer to observe better. Sybil also watched intently.

After a long time Alfric looked up. "Please, Mistress," he whispered. "There are no words here."

Sybil sighed. "Turn some pages. Perhaps you'll find something."

Alfric reached the end of the book. "I don't see anything," he said. "Is it something I've done?"

Even as he spoke there came a loud pounding on the door below.

3.

Sybil looked to Odo. The raven's head was up, bright black eyes full of alarm.

"It must be Master Bashcroft," whispered Alfric. His thin chest heaved. Tears began to flow. "He said he'd be watching me closely. Said he'd beat me if I don't find out how your master makes gold."

Odo jumped up to the window and peered down. Sybil joined him.

"Now what do you propose to do?" the bird whispered.

"Look there," said Sybil, tapping the gla.s.s with her finger. "In that far doorway. It's Bashcroft. So it can't be him who's knocking."

"No doubt," said Odo, "he's sending an army of green-eyed children."

Sybil turned to boy. "Alfric," she called, "did you come with anyone beside the reeve?"

Alfric, his face full of fright, was standing stiff as a stick with the Book Without Words clutched to his chest like a s.h.i.+eld. He shook his head.

Another knock came.

Sybil gave Odo a warning look, as if to say "Don't speak!" then hastened down the steps, candle in hand. By the time she reached the seventh step, Odo had leaped to her shoulder, and he rode the rest of the way down with her. He pecked her neck twice, but she ignored it.

"Who's there?" she called when she reached the door.

"A child with green eyes," was the bellowed reply from the other side. "Here to see Master Thorston."

"G.o.d's grace," said Sybil, "whoever it is, he doesn't lack for boldness." She pulled the door open.

On the threshold stood Damian.

Sybil, recognizing him as the apothecary's apprentice, was immediately alarmed. She took a mental measure of him. He was bigger than she, well fed, but not much older. She noted his pimpled red face and the fact that he wore decent boots and a wool jacket. He seemed soft, with much padding.

"I am Damian Perbeck. Apprentice to Mistress Weebly, the apothecary. My eyes are green."

Despite feeling an instant dislike for the boy, Sybil stepped aside. "Enter," she said.

Damian eyed her. "Who are you?"

"Master Thorston's servant."

"Then my business is not with you" said the boy. He stepped inside and turned his back on her. "Take me to your master."

"I'll take you nowhere, till you tell me why you've come," said Sybil as she slammed the door, set the bar, and faced the boy.

"Mistress Weebly, knowing Master Thorston is in need of a green-eyed child, sent me. To learn his alchemy."

Odo glared at Damian from Sybil's shoulder. Damian, eyeing the bird with disgust, folded his arms over his chest. "I'll answer you no more," he said. "Lead the way."

4.

Spying into the courtyard from Clutterbuck Lane, Bashcroft could not believe what he had just seen: Damian Perbeck, Mistress Weebly's apprentice, entering the alchemist's house. Could that boy have green eyes too? Did that mean the apothecary was after the gold for herself?

Selfish wench. How dare she!

"Dura lex, sed lex," the reeve murmured. Then he swore an oath that he would wait and watch until doomsday if required. Indeed, to get that gold, he would hang them all. the reeve murmured. Then he swore an oath that he would wait and watch until doomsday if required. Indeed, to get that gold, he would hang them all.