Chapter Seventeen‘Who’s there?’ Patrick called out, and his voice was steady.
‘Is that you?’ replied a man’s voice.
‘Yes, Father—with Matilda and another lady.’
‘Miss Muchamore, I presume.’ The Irish voice came closer, and I saw a wild mass of beard within the circle of the lamplight, shockingly dark against a stained white shirt. ‘Where’s Mr Dunne?’
‘What!’ I’d stood to my feet, but the shock of that name almost threw me back to the ground.
‘They say a Mr Dunne is with you,’ said the voice.
‘He was never with me!’ I said. ‘Never! Don’t tell me he’s escaped too?’
The man stopped and raised his candle high. It stunk of burning tallow and clay, and its light reflected against the cloud of black smoke hovering around him. ‘You’d best come into the house. Barry’s safe at Joe’s. I was ex
