THE TOWER OF LONDON

- Book Extract One -

As they turned off London Bridge and headed towards their destination, the drizzle stopped and a weak sun began to shine behind the clouds. However, the sight of the Tower looming ahead made Nathan shiver in the autumn breeze. Although he had passed its ominous turrets many times, it still filled him with dread. As they passed through Middle Tower and Byward Tower, Nathan’s eyes flickered over to Traitor’s Gate and then across to Bloody Tower. He wondered what unfortunate prisoners were in residence at the moment, half-expecting to see pitiful outstretched hands through the barred windows. But there were none. In fact the place looked like an industrious army barracks, rather than a gloomy prison. Men were loading and unloading goods; a yeoman was walking two large mastiffs on leads; and a small contingent of guards was marching past them towards Middle Tower.
Pistol eased the cart around Bloody Tower and into the centre of the complex. Nathan, George and Toby sat open-mouthed.
‘It’s like a town all by itself,’ said Nathan, as he took in the jumble of houses, towers and fortifications. In the centre loomed the magnificent proportions of White Tower.
‘No important executions at the moment then,’ Toby muttered. He nudged Nathan and pointed to the left at a scrubby piece of grass. ‘That’s where they usually build the scaffold.’
‘How do you know?’ Nathan whispered uneasily.
Toby shrugged. ‘Someone told me.’
They all stared hard at the grass as the cart rumbled past, expecting to see a patch of blood, but there was no evidence of a recent beheading.