Free Songs of Love and War by Santa Montefiore

plovers and cormorants!’
    ‘Indeed, and I’ll give Sister Margaret a lesson she’ll never forget.’ Jack laughed.
    ‘Doesn’t she know you’re an expert?’ Kitty asked.
    ‘She will tomorrow,’ said Bridie, flushing with admiration for Jack.
    ‘Come and balance with me,’ Kitty exclaimed. ‘It’s much harder than it looks. Come on!’ Jack scaled the wall like a monkey while Bridie struggled to find her
footing. After a while Jack put out his hand and hauled her onto the top.
    ‘Don’t you go falling off now,’ he said to her and Bridie looked down anxiously.
    ‘I’m not sure I can do it,’ she said.
    ‘Course you can. Like this.’ And he lifted one foot. ‘Easy,’ he crowed. ‘Now
you
do it.’ But just as Bridie was about to raise her leg they heard
voices in the trees behind them. Hastily they jumped down, even Bridie who was afraid of heights, and crouched out of sight.
    ‘Who is it?’ Jack hissed. ‘Did you see anyone?’
    Kitty and Jack raised themselves up so they could just see over the wall. There, sneaking in among the trees, was a ragged group of people trespassing on Lord Deverill’s land. Jack pulled
Kitty down with him. ‘Tinkers,’ he snarled. ‘They were in town this morning.’
    ‘I saw them too,’ said Bridie, pleased to be able to add something to the conversation. ‘What do they want here?’
    ‘Game,’ said Kitty darkly. ‘They’re after anything they can eat.’
    ‘I’d say they’re after more than that. We have to warn Lord Deverill,’ said Jack excitedly.
    ‘Follow me,’ said Kitty. ‘I know a quick way to the castle.’
    The three children crept around the edge of the wall until they reached a farm entrance, which was easy to scale. They scampered eagerly up the dirt track until they reached the stables at the
back of the Hunting Lodge.
    ‘What’s the matter with you three? Running from the Devil, are you?’ asked Mr Mills, who was busy in the stable yard with the horse and trap Lady Deverill had just brought back
from her trip into town.
    ‘There are tinkers in the trees,’ gasped Kitty, catching her breath.
    ‘They’re up to no good, Mr Mills,’ Jack added.
    ‘We’ve come to tell Lord Deverill,’ Bridie joined in eagerly.
    ‘Slow down now. Tinkers in the trees, you say?’
    ‘Yes, we must tell Grandpa,’ Kitty insisted, hoping her grandfather would get his gun out and fire at them from his dressing-room window.
    ‘No need to bother Lord Deverill,’ said Mr Mills. ‘I’ll get some of the lads and we’ll deal with them ourselves. Now where are they?’
    ‘We’ll show you,’ said Kitty, hopping from foot to foot with excitement. ‘Hurry before they get away!’
    ‘Miss Kitty, you’d better stay here. It might be dangerous,’ said Mr Mills.
    ‘Then I
must
come!’ Kitty exclaimed. ‘I’m not afraid of a few tinkers.’
    ‘Your grandfather would not thank me if you came to harm.’
    Kitty pouted crossly. ‘But I
want
to come.’
    ‘You’re safer here,’ said Mr Mills firmly and Kitty was left with no alternative but to watch Jack, Bridie and Mr Mills set off towards the wood with Sean Doyle, Bridie’s
brother, and some of the grooms and beaters, armed with sticks and hurleys.
    Bridie felt more courageous with her big brother by her side. Like her father, Sean wasn’t tall but he was strong and fearless and deeply loyal to the Deverills. If there
was a thief on Lord Deverill’s land he’d be sure to see him off and give the man such a fright he’d be unlikely ever to come back. Now they walked through the walled vegetable
garden, past Lady Deverill’s greenhouses and on out the other side to the paddock where some of the horses grazed lazily in the waning light. This way they came to the wood from the eastern
side and worked their way towards where the children had seen the tinkers. It was dark among the trees and the air had turned cold and moist. They crept as quietly as cats, alert to every
sound.
    Suddenly