Page 25 of Exile's Return

‘That’s enough,’ Nan said, closing her hand over Matt’s wrist.

The boy gave Daniel a last despairing glance. He so resembled a pup that was being punished for some unknown transgression that Daniel had to choke back a laugh.

‘I’m going to see to the purchase of some horses and when I return in a couple of hours I would like to see him clean and properly dressed.’

This time a slow smile spread across Nan’s face. ‘It will be my pleasure, sir,’ she said. ‘And I think we can rustle up some clothes that’ll fit.’

‘Excellent. And feed him too.’

Nan tugged at the boy’s hand. ‘Right, me lad, into the kitchen wiv you. And, sir, if you want good ‘orses, try the farrier up by Aldgate.’

Daniel left the inn with Matt’s outraged howls ringing in his ears.

Nan’s recommendation proved to be a good one. Daniel purchased a black gelding with a white star, which looked to have the lines of good breeding in it, for himself, and a docile bay mare for Agnes Fletcher.

Back at the Ship Inn, he found an unrecognisable Matt sitting on a table in the taproom, eating an apple. He had been scrubbed to a raw pinkness, his hair cut short and standing up in spikes. From somewhere clothes had been found to fit him. Patched and second-hand, they were at least clean and warm and he had well-worn, but solid, shoes on his stockinged feet.

He looked up as Daniel entered the room. ‘She tried to murder me,’ he said, pointing an accusing finger at Nan Marsh who stood watching him, her hands on her hips.

Daniel winked at the woman and she rewarded him with a smile.

‘You looked just like yer brother when you did that, sir,’ she said. ‘Do ye mind me asking where yer bound…just in case I needs to send word about the boy?’

Daniel’s spine prickled. Something in the studied casualness of her tone made him think there was more to the question than first appeared.

‘I have business with an old friend of my brother’s, Sir Jonathan Thornton of Seven Ways in Worcestershire. You can send any word there. Sir Jonathan will know where to reach me from there.’

She nodded and he turned to the boy. ‘It’s time for me to go.’

The boy’s face fell. ‘But I want to come wiv you, Cap’n. Now I’m all clean and respectable like, I could be yer servant.’

‘Do you know anything about horses?’ Daniel enquired.

The momentary hesitation gave Daniel the answer as Matt said with great bravado, ‘Of course I do. Brought up round ‘orses I was.’

‘Liar.’ Nan lightly cuffed the boy’s ears. ‘Wouldn’t know one end of an ‘orse from t’other.’

‘Thought so.’ Daniel looked up at Nan. ‘Can I leave him with you, Mistress Marsh?’

Nan regarded him for a moment. ‘I could do wiv a good pot boy,’ she said.

Matt let out a howl of outrage and Daniel gave the boy a conciliatory smile. ‘I’ll pay Mistress Marsh to teach you some manners and in return, you can help with work around the inn. When my business is settled, I’ll come back. I give you my word.’

The boy cast Nan a baleful glance. She returned it in kind but she laid a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder. ‘He ain’t such a bad sort,’ she said. ‘Just needs a mother’s touch.’

Matt looked up at Nan. ‘You?’

She returned his glare. ‘You just wait, me lad. I’ll be the mother yer never knew.’

Daniel laughed and shook his head. ‘I will return for the boy, Mistress Marsh. I just can’t say when.’

He left Matt chewing on the apple core and Nan Marsh walked with him to the end of the street, where he’d left the horses, her arms wrapped around herself as a cold wind blew up from the river. She watched him swing into the saddle of the gelding and laid a hand on the bridle.

‘You will come back, sir? It’d break the lad’s heart if you didn’t.’

Daniel nodded. ‘I keep my promises, Mistress Marsh, and in turn, will you be kind to him? I don’t want him running back to the streets.’

She smiled. ‘Ask anyone, sir. Me bark’s much worse than me bite and I’ve a soft spot for Lovells.’ She raised a hand in farewell. ‘I’ll see you again, Daniel Lovell.’