Chapter 8

It was just after dark when the four cousins crept up to the wall of the old castle. There had been no guards around the perimeter. Frank and Boni circled the castle, looking for signs of guards or lookouts. There was no one on the grounds or on the ramparts. That did not surprise anyone. The place was in none too good repair. What mortar still held the ancient walls up had long since rotted. Walking along the old sentry positions would ask for an accident.

Boni confirmed Phillip's report of Georgette's death. Just under the Count's tower, he found pieces of yellow gauze and some well-picked bones. A yard or two away from that, he kicked a rock in the dark high grass. On closer inspection, it was a skull. 'Not the girl's,' he thought. It was too old. Sick to his stomach, Boni left that section of the castle wall as fast as he could.

Frank's part of the circle uncovered a treasure. A wagon driven up to the monument Phillip had mentioned carried two men who were unloading it by lamplight. As they were finishing, the top of the monument came open. A man came up out of the entrance. He led chained workers to ground level to carry away the cargo.

Taking a chance, Frank crawled down to the wagon. He had to stop once as the workmen came back for another load. When they disappeared again, Frank made it to the wagon and found what he expected: food stuffs, picks, shovels, dynamite, and fuses. He took one box of dynamite and a roll of fuse out of an open box and then hurried away.

After the scouting, Frank and Boni went back to Phillip at the entrance they would use. Mark, the least experienced fighter, stayed in the tree line with the horses. Phillip and Boni were to go after Sarah while Frank set up the dynamite to do what damage he could. He expected it to the sizable. Placed properly, he might just bring the whole tower down with the count in it.

The entrance was locked, but easily forced.

Phillip led Boni into the castle. He had memorized the path just in case this opportunity came up. He had considered doing just this on his own, but discarded the idea this morning before setting out. But now, with reinforcements beside him, Phillip was far more confident.

They made Sarah's floor without incident. Heading down the hall, they saw one guard unlock and go into her room. He came out with Sarah unconscious in his arms. As the guard walked down the hall toward the cousins, they backed into the shadows. A moment later, Phillip had the man's head in his hands, twisting it viciously to the right while Boniface pulled his sister out of the guard's arms.

Phillip dragged the downed guard back into Sarah's room and lock him in.

"Is she all right?"

Boniface was on the floor, cradling his sister. He lightly slapped her cheeks but had no luck reviving her. "I think she's been drugged. We've got to get out of here fast. Wherever he was taking her, they will be missed before long." Boniface stood, picked up his sister easily and headed down the stairs double time. At the bottom, they found Frank finishing up his handy work. "There is about five minutes of fuse here," he said. "I set it off and we get clear of here fast." He struck the fuse with Phillip's pistol flint, watching that it caught well and all ran for the door and across the field to the horses.

On the way, they saw Mark standing in his cloak waiting for them. As they made the tree line, he fell to the ground. In his place stood a man in the uniform of the counts followers. He was the castle watcher who had seen Phillip off that morning. He was holding a pistol on them.

"You should not have come back," the watcher said. "The master knows what you have done. Saving the girl was foolish. All you have done is hurry your deaths. Even now, the master's has ordered punishment for this offence. Your General Wellington will die as this one did, and you will be made slaves in the caves."

"The hell we will!" Frank swore.

He stepped around Phillip, who had blocked him from the watcher's view. With one clean motion, he raised their one pistol and shot. The watcher's weapon went off at the same time. Everyone hit the ground.

As the smoke cleared, Phillip looked up from the ground to find Frank in the ground, swearing. He was hit in the arm, a glancing flesh wound. The watcher lay dead over Mark's body. Seconds later, the dynamite exploded like cannon fire. The men watching from the tree line saw the explosion. Smoke billowed around the tower. It didn't completely fall, but enough of it fell to ensure that anyone in it would have lived.

The Foggs took small pleasure in their victory. Before them on the ground was Mark's body. Sarah lay in her last living brother's arms, drugged, insensible. Frank was wounded. They were now four Englishmen in enemy territory with a long trip back to the channel.

Out of the castle came the roar of a mad thing echoed across the valley. Phillip heard it and knew without a doubt the count still lived. They had failed.

Phillip came out of his grief with the watcher's words ringing in his ear. He took his pistol from Frank and pushed Boni toward the horses. "Get mounted. Get Sarah and yourselves out of here. I am going overland to Brussels. The Count's assassin cannot be far ahead." He looked to Frank for assurance. "I have to try. Go to my father and tell him what has happened. If I fail…"

"Go!" Frank shouted before he could say more. "Ride!"

Phillip turned to the east and spurred his horse to run as if it had wings.