him, the others stopped and waited, wondering what had caught his eye. Then they all saw it: across the space between the White Tower and the entrance to St. Thomas’s came a short procession of men.
At the front walked a small boy, carrying a cross, which he held high above him, as a guide. Behind him came a priest, hands folded in front of him, and his head bowed, as if already in prayer. His tonsured scalp gleamed in the moonlight, and Aaron felt an hysterical urge to laugh at the sight.
The sight of the next figure was enough to still any such desire Simon, Earl de
Montfort strode along, an expression of piety sitting oddly on his features. He wore a long, furred robe, which parted with each stride, showing the jewelled belt beneath it, and the apparent lack of any weapon. At his rear came two more men, unknown to Aaron, but one was certainly known to Gregory and Hubert. William Monchesny was accompanying his leader to midnight Mass, by the look of it. The other man could only be Hugh Dispenser.
As the procession entered the door of the smaller tower, Hubert slumped against the wall.
"Now what can we do?" he said. "They have blocked our way and trapped us here, without even knowing they have done so!"
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"How long will they be in there?" said Benjamin.
"Not long, it is true," said Gregory. "But how long will our good fortune stay with us?"
"We must wait and take our chance," said Benjamin.
"It is too great a risk," said Aaron. "We cannot simply stand here. We must at least cross to the tower. There must be other rooms inside it the chapel was
below
us,
remember. A tower must have something inside it at the upper levels, even if it is only store-rooms."
Before anyone could respond, he was away from them and running swiftly across the open space, into the doorway of St. Thomas’s Tower. Hubert ran next, followed by the others, until all five were safely inside.
Aaron was right. A stone staircase, just like the one they had climbed to rescue Gregory, spiralled up from where they all stood, crowded together. They climbed up it without a word, waiting until Aaron, still in the lead, should find a door which might have behind it some kind of shelter for them. Anything was better than standing outside in the moonlight, even if they had to wait on these stone steps they were climbing.
There was indeed a door, which Aaron’s fumbling hand groped across. He felt the cold stone give way to the warmer feel of wood and stopped short. Behind him, Walter ran into his back, his halting had been so sudden.
"There’s a door here," whispered Aaron.
The others waited, while he felt for some kind of handle. He could hear them all breathing behind him, someone his father, he guessed panting more heavily than the rest.
At last, his fingers found what they were seeking. The rough iron ring turned easily in his hand, and the door began to open. He eased it away from him, holding his breath in a mute effort to will it into opening silently. There was only the faintest of creaks, and then it was as wide as he could push it without stepping forward.
A faint, musty smell came out to meet the group. The room was not one which was regularly used for anything other than some kind of store. A small window, such as the one which had lit Gregory’s prison, gave sufficient light here for them to make out bundles and chests, stacked around the walls.
Aaron made way for the others, who stepped in behind him. Benjamin was the first to walk across the room, and to reach out and touch the bundles. His hand felt the roughness of some kind of woollen stuff, then canvas, then heavy cloth with a thread which scratched his palms slightly.
"I think we have found something comfortable to rest on, while we wait," he whispered to the others. "It feels like wall-hangings and even carpets. It must belong to the King, for him to use when he is in residence."
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Whoever owned it, it gave some welcome comfort to the five men. They all sat and leant gratefully against the rolls of material, which felt soft and yielding after so long on their feet.
"Leave the door ajar," whispered Aaron. "We need to hear when they leave the tower again."
Hubert had been in the act of closing the door completely,