The Silver Stag of Bunratty Read Online Free PDF Page A

as he ran. A half-grown, panting dog ran with them, barking excitedly as if he thought this was all a game.
    ‘I will not!’ Maude turned and shouted back at him. ‘You were cruel to him! He’s only little and he was terrified! How dare you do that to him!’
    ‘Why not?’ said Fat John, with a sneer in his voice. ‘It’s only some mongrel, and mongrels do not deserve to live unless they learn to know their masters.’ He gave Maude a nasty look. ‘Do you know your master?’
    ‘I shall tell my guardian!’ Maude kept her back straight and was trying hard to control the quiver in her voice. ‘He will punish you.’
    ‘For the death of a half-breed dog? I think not, my little lady.’
    Tuan joined in. ‘It’s a barbarous way to treat an animal!If you don’t want it, let us keep the dog.’
    Matthieu also joined in, his voice shaking but courageous: ‘You’re nothing but a big fat bully! Leave him alone!’
    Fat John blocked the doorway to the hall, a smile on his face. ‘I’ve trapped you now, my pigeons. You have nowhere else to go. Hand over that dog or I’ll come over and get it from you!’
    The children looked around desperately.
    Cliar had no time to think. ‘Come,’ she said to them, ‘Come quickly.’ She ran to the small door in the wall of the north west tower, and pushed it open, hustling them in before her. She had only a moment to catch a glimpse of Fat John’s outraged expression before she slammed the door in his face.

CHAPTER 5
T HE L ADY IN THE T OWER
    rowded into the small space at the bottom of the stairs, the four children peered at each other through the darkness. The dog, now held tightly in Maude’s arms, tried to wriggle out of her grasp and started to lick Cliar’s hand as if he knew she was responsible for his rescue.
    Maude cuddled him. She was still in a state of shock from what she had seen – Fat John dangling the puppy over the battlements of the castle, beating it with a stick and shouting curses at it. The poor creature had been whimpering and wriggling in his grasp, in terror for its life. She had not thought twice, but raced over and hung out of Fat John’s arm, biting it hard. He dropped the puppy and for a terrible moment Maude thought the little creature had fallen from the tower, but instead the dog jumped onto thefloor, where he scampered out of Fat John’s reach. Maude grabbed him and raced away, almost colliding with Matthieu as he came out of the small trapdoor that led to the roof.
    After that everything had happened very quickly. Tuan, following close behind Maude, had seen what was happening and dived at Fat John’s ankles, knocking him off balance so that he fell onto the slippery stone surface of the tower. Fat John grabbed at Tuan, but the boy was too quick for him and he too made it down through the door before the Captain of the Guard could get up. The children and the dog raced to the bottom of the stairs, with Fat John grunting angrily behind them. At the base they slammed the door shut and shot the bolts, pausing only a moment to grin at each other before they fled, leaving Fat John roaring in rage to be let out. Unfortunately, one of the soldiers was passing and heard the captain’s curses, so they only had the advantage of a few moments before he was in pursuit of them again. Maude led them out into the bailey, hoping that Sir Richard might be there and they could put their case to him. But the bailey was empty except for Cliar.

    Now the four of them leaned their weight against the door. There was no bolt on this side and they all knew it was onlya matter of time before Fat John would manage to push it open. They could hear him grunting and puffing on the other side.
    ‘Ye cursed pool of cat’s vomit! Ye devil’s spawn! Ye’ll all be sorry when I get ye, especially you, witch child, with yer red hair and yer sneaking ways–’
    Then there was a sudden silence. The children stared at each other, hardly daring to breathe. Tuan put his