The Secret of the Swords Read Free Page B

with our weapons in our hands.’
    â€˜Oh! That’s so sad,’ Tommy burst out.
    Nursie laughed. ‘There, there, dear. It all happened a long time ago. We’re long past feeling sorry for ourselves.’
    Still, Tommy wished there was something she could do. ‘Would you like me to polish you?’ she asked shyly.
    â€˜That would be lovely,’ said Nursie.
    So Tommy polished Nursie till her blade shone, then did the same for Bevan Brumm. Finally, she lifted Jasper Swann from the rack. He was surprisingly light compared to the other swords she had lifted that day, and the narrow grip felt just right in her hand.
    â€˜Go on,’ Jasper urged. ‘Try me out.’

    Hesitantly at first, then with more confidence, Tommy wielded the sword, slashing and slicing the air.
    â€˜Good,’ said Jasper. ‘But when you’re fighting, don’t face your enemy. You should stand side on. That way less of your body is exposed to his sword.’
    â€˜I see,’ said Tommy. She adjusted her position and did another few thrusts and parries.
    Jasper said, ‘That’s it!’
    â€˜Well done,’ Bevan Brumm agreed.
    â€˜You stick with us, dearie,’ Nursie told her, ‘and we’ll help you become the castle’s finest sword fighter. After all our years in here, there’s not much we can’t tell you about swords. Who knows? Maybe you’ll become the first-ever girl squire!’

    The first-ever girl squire! Nursie’s words were still ringing in her ears as Tommy sprang from her bed early the next morning. Sir Benedict and Mrs Moon had decided that Tommy should continue to share sleeping quarters and take her meals with the kitchen girls rather than sleep in the barracks as the last Keeper of the Blades had done.
    Tommy quickly ate a piece of bread, then crossed the courtyard to the armoury, eager to get to work. Today she was planning to check the blade of every sword for sharpness.
    But the minute Tommy stepped into the sword chamber her plans were forgotten, as the Old Wrecks started clamouring.
    â€˜Sword Girl! Sword Girl! Thank goodness you’ve come. Sir Walter was here at dawn!’
    Tommy’s throat went dry. ‘Was he happy with his sword?’ she asked in a voice barely louder than a whisper.
    â€˜He was not,’ boomed Bevan Brumm.
    Tommy clapped a hand over her mouth. What had she done wrong?
    â€˜He wasn’t unhappy with your work, dearie,’ Nursie explained.
    Tommy shook her head in confusion. ‘Then what …?’ she began.
    â€˜His sword wasn’t here,’ said Jasper.
    â€˜Wasn’t here?’ Tommy thought she must have misheard. ‘Where was it?’
    â€˜It’s gone,’ Bevan Brumm announced. ‘Disappeared. Vanished. Lost without a trace.’
    â€˜I’m sorry, Tommy,’ said Jasper. ‘Sir Walter’s sword has been stolen.’

CHAPTER 6

    â€˜S TOLEN ?’ Tommy gasped. ‘But that’s impossible! Who would steal Sir Walter’s sword?’
    â€˜We don’t know, dearie,’ said Nursie. ‘It must have happened in the middle of the night when we were asleep.’
    Tommy hardly dared ask her next question. ‘What did Sir Walter say when he couldn’t find his sword? Did he … did he say anything about me?’
    â€˜He demanded to know where the Keeper of the Blades was, but Nursie managed to put him off,’ said Bevan with a chuckle.
    â€˜He’ll be back though,’ said Nursie. ‘You’d better find that sword in a jiffy or not even Sir Benedict will be able to save your job.’
    â€˜But I don’t even know where to start,’ said Tommy desperately.
    â€˜Why don’t you ask Lil?’ said Jasper. ‘She knows everything that goes on around the castle.’
    â€˜Yes!’ said Tommy. ‘That’s a great idea.’ She raced through the armoury and out into the