on at home,’ said Rosie quickly, putting an arm around her mother.
‘But Rosie, what—’
‘Come on, Mother, let’s get you home and we’ll see if she’s there,’ said Rosie. ‘If Leveret’s been so good lately and really turned over a new leaf, I’m sure she will be. And if she’s not, we’ll come back here and wait for her. There’s bound to be a good reason why she’s disappeared like this so don’t fret.’
They fetched their cloaks and made their way out into the brilliantly moonlit night, their breath clouding around them. Their boots clattered on the cobbles as they walked along the wide paved area outside the Barn. When they reached the Jack in the Green, the noise and brightness flared out at them. Many men helped out with the Yule preparations in the Barn, but others felt they’d earned a few tankards of cider after a day’s hard physical labour and left the ceremony provision to those who still had some energy left in the evenings.
The two women walked past briskly to the darker, quieter lane ahead, radiating out of the heart of the Village like a spoke on a spider’s web. An owl flew past, it’s white wings ghostly in the darkness, and everywhere the moon cast her silver glance. Her beams were caught in the shadowy thatch of the cottages, glinting off the little panes of glass in the windows, dancing back from any shiny surface she could find. The Bright Lady walked the night in her silver shoes and the dew turned imperceptibly to glittering frost. It was a beautiful, magical night.
‘Oh, Rosie, what you said about her gallivanting out with Magpie …’
‘I wish I’d never said that! This is our Leveret we’re talking about. She’s not a bad girl, not in her heart. I’m sure she’ll be curled up at home by the fire with her nose in a book and the Yule decorations completely forgotten.’
‘I hope so, Rosie,’ said Maizie dejectedly. ‘She promised to be good for me and I trusted her. If she’s let me down again …’
A minute later the other youths were told to untie Magpie, who lay in a heap apparently unable to move however much they encouraged him with their boots. One of the small barrels was brought across and the spout tipped over Magpie’s face so the cider washed him, removing the rabbit’s blood.
‘Take him back to his cottage,’ said Jay to the youths. ‘Don’t disturb the women as they’ll be busy during the Moon Fullness. Just kick him through the gate – even that idiot can find his own way from the garden gate. We don’t want him wandering around like this on the Green in case any questions are asked.’
The youths nodded, staggering slightly, and hauled poor Magpie to his feet. He could barely stand as they prepared to frog-march him home. He didn’t even seem aware of Leveret’s presence but was making a horrible noise – a combination of sobbing and screeching.
‘Oh, one more thing before he goes,’ said Jay casually. Entirely without warning he bunched his great fist and punched Magpie full in the stomach. It was a mighty blow and the grunt of air escaped from the boy’s lungs in a sickening burst. Magpie jackknifed instantly but the youths on either side wrenched him back upright, retching and groaning, and began to drag him home, skirting around the edge of the Green. Which left Leveret alone with Jay, Sweyn and Gefrin.
‘Shall we give her some delicious rabbit as well?’ asked Gefrin, who still had her arm twisted up behind her back in a painful grip. ‘I reckon she needs feeding up, skinny little runt that she is.’
The other two laughed but Sweyn shook his head.
‘What have you been doing, Leveret?’ he asked again. He seemed to have calmed down from his earlier excitement and she wondered if maybe he was going to let her off lightly after all.
‘I was helping Mother in the Barn,’ she replied, trying very hard to keep the fear from her voice for she knew it only egged them on. ‘I just went home to collect some snips for cutting the lanterns. That’s all.’
Jay surveyed her with narrowed eyes. His face was beaded with perspiration despite the cold night and like Sweyn he stank of sweat and cider. His belligerent face loomed closer and peered into hers.
‘She’s lying. She ain’t been home at all.’
‘No, I don’t think so neither. Let’s see what she’s got hidden under her cloak.’