Shiv jumped up and down, disturbing the dust on the floor. “And she’s blowin’ a kissy. Oooh, she’s blowin’ it to you! Look, Moocum!”

“Please, Shiv, leave it out, eh! I’ve had a bit of a rough time and I’m not in the mood for yer games.” He hadn’t dared tell the little girl about her brother. What did it take for someone to imprison a four-year-old? “Now, when yer finished makin’ fings up, how about we work out a plan to get us out of here, eh?” Mucum finally turned over and sat up.

A shaft of moonlight broke through the high-up, barred window frame. And there, as Shiv had told him over and over, was an upside-down face.

“Yow promised to come back and see me!” Her eyes twinkled like a pair of mischevious fireflies.

Mucum jumped up and ran to stand under the window. “Flo! What the holly are you doing here?”

“Thought Oi’d pop by for a visit. Ain’t yow going to introduce me?” Flo was hanging the wrong way up, her legs wrapped around a length of rope, her pale white face filled with concern.

“Well … erm … This is little Shiv. Shiv, this is my friend Flo.”

“Told you so!” said Shiv. She turned to the window and gave a little curtsy. “Pleased to meet you. Do you walk on your hands?”

“Only when moi feet are sore!”

Shiv giggled, peeking at those two enormous eyes through her interlaced fingers.

Mucum couldn’t get over it. “You came all that way, just ter see me?”

“Warghh! Weren’t that bad, with the lift ‘n’ all. Easy as … as pie! I hope yow missed me?”

“Course I did.” Mucum was glad it was dark and no one could see him blushing.

“Oi be glad of that!” Flo smiled. “Now, Oi thought yow might want this.” With much effort, the upside-down Flo reached a hand into her knapsack, which was threatening to fall into the forest depths below as it hung from around her neck.

Mucum was excited. If she’d brought a hacksaw, they could cut through the bars and be out of there.

“Thar we go!” She pushed a wrapped-up lump through the gap.

Mucum reached up and caught it. He pulled off the cloth. “What’s this?” He frowned.

“Oi brought yow a pie!”

“Oh … thanks. A lot.” Mucum couldn’t believe it. Petronio would consider him a very overgrown loose end. There was no way the Councillor’s son would let him out of here alive. And what had his girlfriend brought him? A pie!

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

Flo’s eyes filled with tears. “Why, yow be eatin’ it, moi handsome, and sharing it out with that little girly yow be lookin’ after, that’s what. Ain’t it no good?”