The Silver Horse by Kate Forsyth

besides, it’s dangerous with so much straw about.’
    Emilia and Luka nodded.
    Sebastien yawned, and then covered his mouth hastily with his hand. ‘I’d better get going,’ he said. ‘I’ve got to climb back up the Downs again, and it’s really late. Try and get some sleep, and I’ll come and get you when the coast is clear.’
    â€˜All right. Thanks a lot,’ Emilia and Luka said,and he grinned and gave them a friendly wave before going out.
    â€˜Don’t forget about the candle,’ Dicky said as he followed, pulling the door shut behind him.
    Emilia and Luka looked at each other.
    â€˜Coldham was in the village?’ Emilia asked.
    Luka nodded. ‘Asking after us. He’s hot on our trail.’
    â€˜They won’t tell him where we are, will they?’
    â€˜I hope not. I think we should get going, though. As soon as it’s light enough to see, we’ll sneak out of here and get on the road. We’ll head to the New Forest, we’ve kin there.’
    â€˜We can’t,’ Emilia said.
    â€˜Why not?’
    â€˜The charm of the silver horse,’ she said. ‘That old woman, Sebastien’s grandmother – she’s got it. I didn’t have a chance to ask her for it.’
    Luka gave an impatient gesture. ‘It’s just an old charm, Emilia,’ he said. ‘It’s not going to help usget our family out of gaol. Only people can do that. And the Hearne family made it quite clear that they’re not going to help us. So we’ve got to get moving, try and find someone who can help us. Maybe the Wells family, down south, or the Smiths.’
    â€˜We can’t go without the silver horse charm,’ Emilia said, feeling the now-familiar tightening of anxiety in her chest. ‘Baba said –’
    â€˜But we don’t have time to be hanging around and hoping they’ll give us their charm,’ Luka said impatiently. ‘We only have till the end of the month to get them out. That’s when they go up before the magistrates, and you know they’re always quick about hanging once they’ve passed sentence.’
    Emilia’s chest tightened so much that she could not speak.
    Luka saw her face, and said roughly, ‘It’s all right. We’re going to get them out. I’ve got a planof sorts already. You snuggle down now, and try and get some sleep. We’ve a long way to go tomorrow.’
    Emilia huddled her shawl about her and curled up in the straw, pressing her knees to her chest. Rollo lay down in the crook of her knees, sighing heavily. Luka spread one of the blankets over her, and said, ‘Don’t you worry, Emilia, we’ll get them out.’
    She nodded, and cradled her head on her arm. Luka blew out the candle, then she heard the rustle of the straw as he lay down himself. Then there was no sound but the snoring of the bear and Alida’s occasional snort or sigh.
    Emilia lifted her free hand and rubbed the gold coin that dangled from the chain about her wrist. As she rubbed, she wished with all her heart. She wished they would find a way to set her family free.

Horse-trading
    E PSOM D OWNS , S URREY , E NGLAND
14th August 1658

    T he sound of the door being opened woke Luka from a deep sleep. At once he sat up, fumbling for his knife, his heart pounding. The stable was filled with a thin, grey light, enough for him to see dimly. His eyes flew to the door. Sebastien was just slipping in. Luka groaned aloud in relief and dropped his knife.
    â€˜I thought you were the constables!’ he said. ‘You gave me such a fright.’
    Sebastien did not smile. He looked white and strained. ‘You’d better get up,’ he said. ‘You need to come back to the camp.’
    â€˜Why? What’s wrong?’ Even as Luka spoke, he was gathering up their belongings. Emilia sat up sleepily, her hair all over her face. Rollo sat up too, and yawned