Free The Butterfly in Amber by Kate Forsyth

quietly behind them.
    They were in front of a grand house, an upper window lit warmly with candlelight. A formal garden of clipped hedges surrounded a wide stone path, lined by pots of dark, triangular trees and white statues posing in strange attitudes. The forecourt was surrounded on all sides by high walls.
    â€˜I seen them, sir, Mr Coldham, sir!’ a voice called from the wood. ‘This way!’
    Luka and Emilia pressed themselves flat against the wall. Their pulses raced, thundering intheir ears. Sweetheart crouched beside them, for once as quiet and still as they could wish. Rollo stood, tense and expectant, his head turned back towards the gates. Emilia put her hand on his head, warning him to keep quiet.
    â€˜You saw them?’ Coldham’s rough voice grated on their ears.
    â€˜Sir, I saw two skinny little shadows, running fast this way,’ the soldier said. ‘There was a dog too, I’m sure of it, and . . . something big that had to be a bear.’
    â€˜I knew it. They can’t have got far. Go in and rouse up that house, make sure they’re not hiding in the grounds.’
    â€˜Oh, but sir . . .’
    â€˜What?’ Coldham snapped.
    â€˜I’m not sure we should do that, sir. That’s Ham House. It belongs to the Countess of Dysart, sir.’
    Emilia and Luka’s eyes met in sudden joyous astonishment.
    The soldier gabbled on. ‘The countess is a regular firebrand, sir. We tried several times to requisition the house, but she gave us the rough side of her tongue and had us driven off, then had the gall to complain to Old Ironsides himself. The Lord Protector was much taken with her and told us not to bother her again, even though her father was one of the late king’s oldest friends.’
    â€˜I’ve heard of the Countess of Dysart,’ Coldham said slowly.
    â€˜The Lord Protector used to be here all the time before he got sick, sir. They say she’s a great favourite of his.’
    There was a short silence, and then Coldham said, ‘Very well. We shall not disturb the countess unless we have to. Search the woods, and take special care to examine the ground. That bear will have left a trail. I doubt whether our gypsies will dare go near the house, anyway. They know they’ll be turned over to the law if they are discovered.’
    â€˜Aye, sir.’
    â€˜Don’t let them slip through your fingers, or I’ll have your guts for garters,’ Coldham said menacingly. ‘Do you hear me? I want those brats, and I want them now!’

Ham House

    A t last they heard Coldham’s heavy tread moving away.
    â€˜Now you’ve got to admit that’s weird,’ Emilia whispered, ‘us landing right outside Ham House.’
    Luka pressed his finger against his lips. He jerked his head and quietly they began to move around the perimeter of the forecourt, keeping close to the wall. Zizi was frightened, and clung to Luka’s ear, her tail wrapped tightly round his throat. Luka soothed her with a gentle pat.
    â€˜So we go and find the butterfly charm?’ Emilia pleaded. ‘Since we’re here?’
    â€˜Sounds like the house is the safest place to be at the moment,’ Luka muttered back.
    Emilia kept close to her cousin, almost treading on his heels. She was frightened at the strange chance that had brought them here to Ham House. It seemed too uncanny to be mere coincidence. Luka put out one hand and took hers, gripping it comfortingly.
    Soon they were close enough to the great house to see it clearly. An elegant building, three storeys tall, it was built of mellow red brick edged with stone. Smoke rose from its tall chimneys.
    They crept to the right, not daring to climb the steps up to the grand front door. A narrow passageway led them to a yard, surrounded by dark buildings. A dim light shone from one or two narrow windows at ground level, so that thetwo children were able to see well enough not to