Chapter 19 A LOT OF EXCITEMENT
Julian turned the key in the lock and opened the door. A stately old woman sat in a chair beside thewindow, reading a book. She did not turn round.
'And why have you come at this time of the morning, Matthew?' she said, without turning round.
'And how did you find the manners to knock? Are you remembering the time when you knew how tobehave to your elders and betters?'
'It isn't Matthew,' said Julian. 'It's us - we've come to set you free.'
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The old woman turned at once, gaping¹ in amazement². She got up and went over to the door, and theFive saw that she was trembling.
'Who are you? Let me out of that door before Matthew comes! Let me out, I tell you!'
She pushed by the four children and the dog, and then stood uncertainly in the passage.
'What shall I do? Where shall I go? Are those men here still?'
She went back into her room and sank down in her chair again, covering her face with her hands.
'I feel faint. Get me some water.'
Anne sprang to pour out a glass of water from a jug⁴ on a table. The old woman took it and drank it.
She looked at Anne.
'Who are you? What is the meaning of this? Where is Matthew? Oh, I must be going mad!'
'Mrs. Thomas - you are Mrs. Thomas, aren't you?' said Julian. 'Little Aily, the shepherd's daughter,brought us here. She knew you were locked up. You remember her mother, don't you?
She told us she used to come and wait on you.'
'Aily's mother - Maggy - yes, yes. But what has Aily to do with this? I don't believe it. It's anothertrick. Where are the men who killed my son?'
Julian looked at Dick. It was clear that the poor old lady was not herself - or else this suddenappearance of the children had upset her.
'Those men that my Llewellyn brought here - they wanted to buy my house,' she said. 'But I wouldn'tsell it, no, I wouldn't. Do you know what they said to me? They said that in this hill, far, far belowmy house, was a rare metal - a powerful metal - worth a fortune. What did they call it now?'
She looked at the children, as if expecting them to know. She shook her head as they didn't answer.
'Why should you know about it - you are only children. But I wouldn't sell it - no, I wouldn't sell myhouse - nor the metal below. Do you know what they wanted it for? For bombs to kill people with!
And I said NO, never will I sell this place so that men can dig the metal and make bombs.
It is against the law of God, I said, and I, Bronwen Thomas, will not do such a thing!'

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