It had been just before midnight when he’d arrived, and they’d thought his volley of knocking on the door was the Demon himself. The door was locked, of course, and he’d had to shoot through the lock to break in. They’d all run out and taken shelter a little way off, there being no time to put more distance between themselves and the lodge, and at five minutes to midnight…the Hunt arrived. Neither of them could describe it properly. But they were certain of one thing, and that was that Peter hadn’t fired his musket at all, apart from when he shot through the lock.

“But how did you escape him, then?” I said.

“Oh, it was terrifying!” said Lucy. “Zamiel’s horse was huge—halfway up the sky—and all the hounds, you could hear them straining at the leash and foaming and growling—and then Peter just stood up straight and called to Zamiel.”

“He did what?”

“He called out!” said Charlotte. “He said, You’re not having these girls! Count Karlstein is your prey—go and seek him!”

Lucy said, “And Zamiel said, Who are you? His voice was like thunder—”

Charlotte said, “And Peter said, Peter Kelmar, a freeborn huntsman.”

Lucy said, “And Zamiel said, A huntsman? I do not harm true huntsmen, or those they protect. Go in peace!”

Charlotte said, “And then Zamiel wheeled his horse around and the hunt rose up into the sky and they all flew away….”

“And do you know?” said Lucy. “Peter only had one bullet with him—and that was the silver one! And he’d shot that through the door letting us out!”

“Oh, the fool,” I said. “What was he thinking of?”

“No, he’s not!” said Charlotte. “He was really brave.”

“That was the bravest thing I ever saw, when he stood up to Zamiel,” said Lucy. “If he hadn’t done that…”

“Where is he now?” said Hannerl. “Has he still got the horse with him?”

Charlotte explained where Peter was hiding, and Hannerl hastened out. She’d bring the horse back to the stable, she said, since Peter’d be too busy and the owner would be worried about it.

Eliza sat back thoughtfully. “What are you going to do now, though?” she said. “I suppose Miss Davenport could take you in—I know she’d like to, but the law’s very strict about that sort of thing.”

“It’s got to be relations or nothing, that’s the law,” said Max. “You got any cousins anywhere?”

“No one,” said Lucy. “Count Karlstein’s our only relative.”