The door flung open, and Violet rolled the second cask inside the flat. “They’re attacking,” she said between breaths.
“And we’re defending. That one, Georgie! Holy hell, duck!”
A man had lifted one of the rocks and hurled it back. Georgie hunched down, and King stepped aside, so the rock landed in the flat, knocking over a chair. Joshua jumped over it and moved into position, flinging another coal. One of the men mistook one of the pieces of coal for a rock and picked it up, then dropped it and howled in pain as he clutched his burned hand.
In the meantime, another two men had moved into position with the plank and rammed the door to the tavern. “Violet, stay back,” King ordered her. “Joshua, help me with this cask.”
He and Joshua rolled the first cask to the window, heaved it up, and pushed it out. The men saw it coming and raced out of the way, shielding their faces with their hands when the wood broke and wine and splinters flew everywhere.
King took the pause to race back to the stove, replace his unused and cooling pot of oil, and lift the larger one, now boiling. He went back to the window and looked down at Ferryman, who still stood tantalizingly out of reach. Georgie threw a rock at him, but he caught it and tossed it back, breaking the glass above them. Georgie jumped back, covering his face, and Violet raced forward and took him by the shoulders. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, Vi!” Georgie pushed her back. But below, Ferryman had seen her.
“You’ll pay for this, Violet Baker. When I get my hands on you—” He’d moved closer, and King saw his opportunity.
“Violet, come to the window. Just here.” He shoved Joshua out of the way. “Yell down at him.”
“You want me totaunthim?”
“Exactly. Taunt away. You’re good at that.”
She glared at King then stood at the window and called down, “I’d like to see you try even one of those acts, Ferryman. I heard you’re so infected with the pox, your cock won’t stand up!”
“Really, Vi?” Joshua asked.
She waved a hand as though to say she was just saying whatever fabrications came to mind. But Ferryman howled and screamed epithets at the window.
“Just a little closer,” King muttered.
Violet seemed to hear him and leaned forward to stick her tongue out at Ferryman, who lunged toward the tavern, raising his fists in anger and calling on his men to destroy the place. King took his chance, shouldering Violet aside, thrusting the pot out the window, and turning it over. The hot oil poured out. Ferryman saw it and tried to move, but too late. It scalded one side of his face, and the chest and shoulder of the man beside him. Ferryman howled, his arms over his burned skin.
“More rocks, Georgie!” King called. Joshua was already pulling Violet aside to fling hot coals at the men gawking at Ferryman. Georgie hit another of them, and King hurled the pot, hitting another.
“Not my pot!” Violet protested.
Finally, the tight circle of the gang broke apart and two men grabbed the still-wailing Ferryman and pulled him away as the entire gang retreated. Presumably back to the Black Bear.
“Ye did it!” Lizzie said, looking out. “I can’t believe ye did it.”
“Vi, look at this,” Joshua said, pointing out the window.
Violet and King looked down at the street below, where a half-dozen neighbors and shop owners had emerged. Mrs. Littman had her hands on her hips, surveying the debris on the street. Then she looked up at the window and began to clap. The other neighbors clapped too, and then began to cheer and chant, “Long live the King!”
Violet put a hand to her temple. “I don’t know how his head will fit through the door after this,” she muttered. “What about Lizzie and Peggy? I need to get Peggy home to her mother.”
“Right.” King hadn’t been able to think about anything but the coming battle, but now he considered that if things didn’t go well, it would be best if Lizzie and Peggy were far away. “Joshua and Violet, you take Peggy home. Do you think you can manage her alone?”
“We can do it,” Joshua said.
“Good. Take Georgie with you and leave him with Archie.”
“But Pa—!”
King knelt in front of Georgie and took him by the shoulders. “You acquitted yourself well today, soldier, but the next battle is too dangerous for a new recruit like you. Violet needs you safe if she’s to concentrate on what we must do tonight.” He needed the boy tucked safely away, too.
“But Pa, I can help!”
“I know you can, but a soldier has to follow orders.” He gave Georgie a stern look. “Even when he doesn’t like them.”
