The Deptford Mice 2: The Crystal Prison Read Free Page A

bedroom.
    Audrey stared at Thomas and began to say something when a stem command from him sent her dashing off to find her ribbon.
    Thomas Triton sighed and smiled at Piccadilly. ‘I’ll not keep them away long. The easiest bit’s been done – I’ve got them to go. Your job’s not as simple. Pray to the Green Mouse that the Chitter lad hangs on till we return!’

2. Starwife
     
    Thomas Triton led a flustered Audrey and Twit across the hall. Through the cellar door they slipped and jumped down the stone steps beyond. Thomas strode through the cellar gloom to the Grille.
    Wrought in iron with twirling leaf patterns this had always been an object of fear and dread. And indeed, when Jupiter the terrible God of the Rats had been alive it had possessed strange powers.
    Now Audrey shivered as she stood before it, recalling how she had been dragged through the Grille by an evil band of rats. Twit backed away from it slightly. He remembered the horrible effect that the black enchantments had had upon Arthur. Only Thomas dared to touch the Grille.
    With a hearty laugh he looked at the others. ‘Jupiter is dead,’ he reminded them. ‘Whatever forces were lurking in or beyond this grating are long gone.’ As if to prove it he banged an iron leaf with his fist. ‘The spells are as cold and lifeless as the mangy moggy who made them.’ The midshipmouse chuckled and squeezed himself through the rusted gap in the Grille.
    ‘This is the quickest way to Greenwich,’ he said, popping up on the other side. Audrey and Twit still hesitated so Thomas pulled a silly face. It looked so ridiculous that they couldn’t help laughing. Perhaps the Grille was an ordinary metal grating after all. Audrey and Twit crawled through the gap and joined Thomas.
    Down into the sewers they went. Although it was a hot summer day in the outside world here it was chill and damp. Audrey had forgotten how bleak it all was. So many ugly memories were kindled by everything around her: the musty, stale smell of the dark running-water, the slippery slime on the ledges and the weird echoes which floated through the old air. Around every corner there was a dark memory.
    Thomas sensed her unease and remarked casually, ‘I use the sewers quite a bit now. I never get lost, me. I can find my way home on a black foggy night with no moon and my hat over my eyes.’ Twit chuckled softly and Audrey was grateful to the midshipmouse; he took her mind off things.
    ‘Now there ain’t no more rats down ’ere,’ Twit piped up, ‘there’s no danger of us gettin’ peeled, is there Thomas?’
    ‘’Sright matey.’
    ‘But won’t others arrive and take over where Jupiter’s rats left off?’ Audrey asked, doubtfully looking over her shoulder.
    ‘No, rats are mostly cowardly,’ answered Thomas. ‘Only the fear of Jupiter gave them a false sort of courage. Ask that city mouse – he’ll tell you how cringey they are in the city. You just have to cuff ’em about the head if they start gettin’ uppity.’
    Audrey felt relieved. Like Twit she found the midshipmouse to be a comforting figure. He was so sure of himself that it rubbed off on to everyone he was with. Audrey’s thoughts returned to Oswald lying in his bed. She shook her head to dispel that image and tried to think of something else. ‘Tell me about the Starwife, please Mr Triton,’ she asked.
    ‘She’m the grand dame of the squirrels,’ put in Twit.
    ‘Yes, but what can she want of me?’ asked Audrey, baffled. ‘I’d never heard of her before.’
    ‘Maybe,’ said Thomas, ‘but she’s obviously heard of you. Somehow the name Audrey Brown has reached her ancient ears. Rumours spread quickly she must have heard about Jupiter’s downfall and wants to know all the details of it.’
    ‘Yes, but you were there as well Mr Triton. You could have told her, surely?’
    ‘True, I was there on the altar when that old monster was sent to his watery grave – but you did the sendin’ remember, and it