BUT YOU, SHE SAID TO BEAR, “must sit and slake your thirst. I want to know all you’ve learned since you’ve last been here.”
Bear relaxed. “If you’ll be so good as to fetch me the key to my room in the solar—the special one,” he added, “I’ll settle the boy. Then we can speak.”
Though realizing I was being put aside, I said nothing, but simply followed Bear.
Key in one hand, he led me up the steps to the second story. I had never climbed so high in a building before, so high that I furtively put a hand to the wall to steady myself.
We went along a dark, narrow hallway until we reached a door, which he unlocked.
“Our solar,” he informed me. “Go on.”
I stepped inside. By the little light that seeped through a shuttered window, I observed a small room. Old rushes lay on the floor. A small, low table stood in one corner. In another corner was a large pallet of hay. The place had a rank, close smell of sweat and ale that made me feel slightly ill, used as I was to open air.
Bear fluffed up the pallet.
“Bear?”
“What?”
“This building … it’s so high. Might… might it fall down?”
He looked at me for a disbelieving moment, then erupted with one of his big laughs. “There is no chance. None.”
There was a knock on the door. Widow Daventry entered. In her hands was a bowl with meat in thick sauce. Pieces of bread were mixed in. To my surprise, she offered it to me. I took it gratefully.
“Yours is below,” she said to Bear and left.
I sat on the hay cross-legged, bowl in my lap, horn spoon in hand.
As Bear removed his dagger and laid it on the table, I said, “Will we perform here?” I asked.
“I think not,” he said to my further surprise. “Our time here will be very short. But I must show you something.” He went to the wall, and felt about the wooden boards. “This is a special room,” he said. “My friend below always gives it to me.”
Under the pressure of his hands, a slab of wood popped out from the wall. “It’s a hiding place. It will hold you, and me too, for that matter, if there’s need.”
“Will there be a need?”
“By all of Heaven’s sacred saints, I pray not.”
“Bear,” I said looking directly at him, “what is it you really do?”
He laughed. “When we met,” he said, “you dared not even ask my name. Now you stare brazenly at me and presume to ask of my affairs. Have we risen in the world, or fallen?”
“That’s for you to say,” I said.
“As to what I really do,” he said with a placating smile, “I’m a fool because I should like to be in Heaven before I die.” He reached for the door.
“I don’t want to stay here,” I said. “It’s close and ill smelling.”
“You’ll do as you’re told.”
“Yes, master,” I said, knowing my saying so would irritate him. “Then at least don’t lock the door.”
“I won’t,” he said, then paused. For a moment I thought he would speak more. But all he said was, “Crispin, on your life, remain here until I return.” With that, he left.
Feeling much aggrieved, I ate the food, then lay back upon the straw. I was not very happy. Why, I asked myself, should I remain in such a stuffy place while he did as he pleased? Besides, my glimpses of the town had only whetted my curiosity. And I had a penny of my own. There was much still to see, but it sounded as if Bear intended to keep me in the room for what now appeared to be a short stay.
For a while I remained where I was, though as time passed, I fretted more and more.
Finally, I got up, went to the door, and peeked into the hall. Seeing no one about, I made up my mind to wander the town for a short time. My intent was that I would return before Bear even noticed I had left.
I was just about to leave when I went to the table and plucked up Bear’s sheathed dagger and hid it underneath my tunic. Had he not taught me to use it? Was not this the town in which to claim my liberties?
Moving quietly, I crept halfway down the stairs and listened. From somewhere I could hear the murmurs of Bear’s talk, as well as Widow Daventry’s. Exactly where they were I didn’t know.
I continued down, until I was certain no one was in the tavern room.
At the base of the steps, I decided it would be better if I didn’t use the front door, lest they see me. Instead, I made a sharp turn and went along a narrow hall. At the end of it I reached a small door.
Pushing it open, I stepped into an alley that had the most appalling stench. It was the place where privies were set over open ditches.
Holding my nose, I shut the door behind me, and raced away.