Annifer

Chapter 7: Disguise

When Poppy knocked on my door the next morning I was up and dressed, waiting for her. As usual, she was talking before she'd even entered the room.

"Annie, I've washed your . . ." When she saw the steely glint in my eyes and the determined set of my jaw, she gave a frightened start.

"Poppy, sit down please. I need to talk to you." I took a deep breath and looked her in the eye. "Skarp's trying to poison Kris." She gasped and clasped her hand to her mouth.

"I need your help to stop him. I need to go and see your herb lady. Please Poppy, when I come back for lunch, bring me some of your maid's clothes and the grey cloak you wear when you leave the castle. Then go and tell Lady Bellina I won't be coming to afternoon lessons because I've got a headache. No, wait! Tell her I've got my period. The guard won't argue with that and they won't send for the Royal Doctor. Then come back here and stay out of sight till I get back."

"But Daisy . . . He'll hurt Daisy!" Her voice was thin and shaky.

"He won't be able to Poppy. Do you know what this is?" I opened my hand.

"It's a Moon Locket! Mother told me about these but I've never seen one, they're very rare!" she exclaimed, taking it from me reverently and examining it closely with open-mouthed wonder.

"I've written Daisy's name inside. Put it round her neck and she'll be under the Goddess's protection. He won't be able to hurt her." Poppy gazed up at me with wide fearful eyes and then bolted out of the room, the locket clasped to her chest.

Oh please! I thought, folding my hands over my heart. Please let this work. It's my only hope.

The dancing lesson was a little less painful than the last time. I was focused; all my senses were alert and honed to the task. I didn't make so many mistakes and Lady Bellina was relieved she didn't have to hit me as often. I remembered to groan every now and then and hold my stomach to make my excuse for missing afternoon lessons more believable.

When we broke for lunch, I ran back to my room and gulped down the bread and cheese Poppy had left for me while I waited for her nervously. Soon enough I heard her footsteps rushing up the stairs. I braced myself. She threw open the door and rushed in. Draped over her left arm was one of her navy blue maids' tunics and the grey cloak every servant had to wear when they left the castle to signal they were on official castle business. In her right hand was a wicker basket.

"It works!" she burst out. "The locket works! I put it round Daisy's neck just like you said. Then she went out to pick raspberries in the fruit garden by the west wall, one of the guards was standing on the battlement above. He leaned against a stone in the parapet which was loose and it fell down. It was going to fall right on her head but Petros was walking past taking Treacle back to the stable and he saw it falling and he shouted 'Daisy!' and she moved out of the way just in time. She's safe! She didn't get hurt. The locket saved her! Oh Annie, thank you! You can have my clothes."

She thrust the bundle into my arms, talking all the while. "Now, when you get out of the main castle gates, keep going straight till you get to the marketplace. Then take the road that goes off to the right as far as The Three Pigs tavern. Then turn left and take that road as far as the big white house on the corner, right again and carry on to the end of the road. The herb lady's house is the last one on the left, just by the edge of the forest."

Oh God! I hoped I could remember all of that.

"This is the list of herbs you'll need to bring back with you for the kitchen. I'll go and tell Lady Bellina you're . . . er . . . indisposed."

She shot off down the stairs and I wriggled into the tunic and fastened the cloak around my neck. I tied my hair back in a bun like the one Poppy wore and covered my head with the hood. She was back in no time.