Chapter 20
Complications
George stared gloomily at the ceiling. “’Nother big party ternight, they says. I jus’ ’opes the fat git wi’ t’ wand’rin’ ’ands ain’t ’ere again. D’yer think we’ll get a chance t’ get out o’ this ’ell’ole soon?”
“Depends.” Ned rolled onto his side. “We needs a distraction. Will thinks mebbe a candle at a curtain, an’ while they deal wi’ it, we can get away on t’ back stairs.” Privately he acknowledged that if it failed, they’d get beaten within an inch of their lives.
George shuddered. “Long’s t’ fire don’t spread.” He had a deep-seated fear of fire, and didn’t like the thought of being trapped if they started one. Rolling onto his side to face Ned, he asked, “Think we’ll ever get away—alive, I mean?”
Ned nodded, keeping to himself his intention to try starting
