Page 76 of Dawnlands

On top was a clean linen shirt, and below that breeches, a waistcoat, a jacket, a hat, hose, and even shoes. There was a stone flask of smallale and a new-made loaf of bread and a slice of cheese. Under the clothes was a purse. Ned lifted it up, weighed it in his hand, untied the strings, and looked in. There were five gold sovereigns. Ned had to blink away the tears from his eyes—Rowan had not just freed him, she had provided for him for weeks. He rubbed his face, and then pulled on the clothes she had stolen for him, and slipped the purse in the jacket pocket. There was a slip of paper left by the previous owner in the pocket. Ned pulled it out and read it.

Son,

Your grandmother has been troubled by a dream and won’t be turned from seeing you. Please come as soon as you can without inconveniencing the Company. Whatever she tells you,Do Notundertake to find your uncle Ned—wherever he may be.

Your loving mother

Ned folded both hands over his mouth so that he should not make a sound, and silently laughed until his head ached so badly that he had to stop.

Ned located Johnnie without difficulty—there was gossip about the fine gentleman from London who had taken up with a doxy who had run away with all his money and his clothes and who would have to go with the landlord to the magistrate to arrange to have his debt paid on credit, and himself shipped to London.

Ned walked into the breakfast parlor of the inn, saw Johnnie, and said loudly: “Ah, there you are, Nephew! Your ma is that worried about you! Sent me all the way from London to find you.”

“And good day to you, Uncle,” Johnnie said, recognizing his own jacket, breeches, and even his own shoes, which were tight on his uncle’s broad feet.

“This is for you,” Ned said, pushing Johnnie’s purse across the table.

“Uncle! It’s good to see you. Please sit down,” Johnnie said, indicating the high-backed bench. He called to the landlord for breakfast and said that he would be able to settle his slate—his uncle had providentially arrived from London.

“Londoner, eh?” the landlord said morosely, bringing the pot to the table and pouring them both a cup. “I’ll take the money for your lodging now, if you don’t mind, your honor.”

Johnnie paid and the landlord served them with a side of ham, bread, eggs, and cheese. Johnnie, looking pale and sick, had nothing but coffee.

“So, she got you out?” he asked very quietly, as Ned laid down his knife.

“Knocked me out and took my place,” Ned confirmed.

“She said she would be my wife. But that she had to pay her debt to you. She picked my pocket and stole my clothes from my room and she ran away. She only agreed to be my wife so that she could slip her hand in my pocket while I held her close.”

Ned shook his head, his eyes on the younger man’s face. “Bitter.”

“She’s a savage.”

Ned’s eyes were warm at the thought of her. “For sure, she’s not an English lady.”

“She’s heartless!”

“Love isn’t uppermost,” Ned tried to explain. “She could love you and still have stolen from you. Doesn’t mean she doesn’t love you. Just means she had to do this first. Thing is—how do we get her free?”

“She’ll survive,” Johnnie said cruelly. “She said you were too frail.”

Ned absorbed the insult. “She’ll survive the voyage,” he judged. “But not slavery; not if they put her in the fields.”

The landlord took the plates away and brought them mugs of small ale. Johnnie waited until he was out of earshot. “I have no obligation to either of you.”

Ned smiled. “None. You’ve done more than enough, coming here after me.”

“I didn’t come after you.”

Silently, Ned drew the letter from Alys, telling Johnnie that he was not to look for Ned, and laid it on the table.

“I came here as my grandmother Alinor wanted, but hoping to find her,” Johnnie admitted. “I only wanted to rescue Rowan.”

“You do know that’s not even her name?”

“I don’t care anymore,” Johnnie said. “I don’t care what her name is or what she wants. She’s condemned herself to an early death, and she’s damned herself to me and to God by her lies and deceit and theft.”

“Her soul’s her own business,” Ned said gently. “But I’ve got to save her life.”