to weigh anchor seaward side of the isle of Yarmouth. They learned their lesson with the Santa Katarina, so they'll not risk running the ship into Breydon Water. Too easy to get trapped there. But Yarmouth's a free port, so there's none of John's men stationed in it, leastways not officially. I'll get word to you when ship's been sighted.'
'But what. . .' Raffe began, then realized he was speaking to the empty air. Talbot had vanished.
Raffe sat on the keg, staring out over the whispering marshes. The black bogs seemed to suck all the light from the stars and moon. The stinking, bottomless mud gurgled continuously like the stomach of a great beast digesting its prey. Here and there unearthly shrieks rang out from the tall reeds, but he knew of old that there was no living soul out there, only the tormented restless spirits who wandered the marshes.
But it isn't your country, is it? What did it matter if he betrayed England? What did it really matter? He owed this land no loyalty. It was Gerard's home, not his. Talbot had said he had a choice, a simple choice, he'd called it: betray Gerard's beloved country to the French or let Gerard's own mother be taken and executed as a traitor.
Once, as a little boy, he had knelt in the great abbey church and fervently prayed before the hot, bright candles for the life of his father. Now in the darkness he sank again to his knees among the stinking fishing nets and prayed once more with all his soul.
Gerard, forgive me. Forgive me for what I am about to do.
1Oth Day after the New Moon,
September 1211
Mice — are particularly efficacious when stewed, roasted, baked or fried, to strengthen sickly children, cure them of colds, fits, the pox and fevers, or prevent them from wetting the bed. If a mortal has a persistent cough, let him hang a bag of live mice about his neck and the cough will travel to the mice. When they are all dead the patient will be cured.
Mouse teeth are often worn as charms. Ailing cattle may be given water in which teeth or bones of mice have been laid. When the milk teeth of a child fall out they must be placed in a mouse hole so that the child's new teeth will be as small, white and sharp as a mouse's.
If a mouse squeaks in the chamber of one who is sick, the person will die. Likewise, if a mouse should run across a living person, he is doomed, for the spirits of man often appear in the likeness of a mouse. If the mouse should be red, the spirit is pure, but if black the spirit is steeped in sin.
If a mortal sleeps, a mouse may be seen running from his open mouth, and that is his spirit which leaves the body to travel through the dream world. But take heed, if you should move that man from his place while he sleeps, or wake him before his mouse-spirit has returned, that man will wake, but it will be as if he is dead, unable to talk to the living. He will wander senseless like a corpse and after some days or months he will die.
The Mandrake's Herbal
The Freedom of the Lark
Talbot grasped Raffe's arm and led him through the door to Ma's staircase. But instead of mounting the stairs, Talbot opened a small door tucked in behind them. In all the years he had been coming here, Raffe had never noticed the door before. In the dark recess of the stairwell, it was nigh on invisible.
Talbot led the way into a tiny cell. A shaft of early morning light streamed in through a slit in the stones, high up on the wall, revealing the low, narrow bed and a banded wooden chest which occupied most of the narrow space. From the clothes strewn across the bed, Raffe guessed this must be where Talbot himself slept, close enough to the main door to reach it quickly should he be summoned in the night.
Talbot turned to face Raffe. 'It's well you've come, saves me a journey. The ship carrying your cargo has been sighted off the coast. Dragon's Breath, she's called. They reckon she'll put in at Yarmouth tomorrow on the evening tide. Her crew'll not be allowed ashore till the day after her cargo's been inspected and tolls have been paid. You'd best meet them then.'