Jack said, “Where’s Rose?”
They looked around the yard. And when their eyes returned to the place they’d started, Rose was standing there, a scant four feet away.
“God’s blood!” Jack swore.
Rose had rubbed gunpowder all over her face and rimmed her eyes with bright red paint. She stared straight ahead, as if in a trance.
“Jack?” George whispered tentatively.
“What?”
“We don’t have any red paint here.”
Jack turned to George. “Surely at some time you did.”
“Never. No paint of any color. Where would I come by paint?”
“Where indeed,” Johanna said. She snapped her fingers and Rose came out of her trance-like state. From inside the basket, Rugby hissed savagely.
Jack said, “How did you know to do that?”
“Trial and error,” Johanna said, and Jack felt another chill go down his spine.
He led his party of George, Johanna and Rose back up the trail, past the crossing, beyond the town, and out to Sinner’s Row.
About a hundred yards from the path that led to the small pier, Jack noticed two brightly colored soldier hats tied to trees six feet off the ground on either side of the road. He halted his horse, and the others fell in behind.
“What’s that mean?” George said.
“It means they’re dead,” Rose said.
Jack nodded. “Mr. Pim must have found them guarding the trail. From the big pier, it looks like they’re still here, standing guard.”
“There’ll be other guards I’m sure,” George said.
“If there are, we’ll probably come upon their hats as well.”
“How much danger are we in, Henry?” Johanna asked.
“It’s okay to call me Jack, miss. That’s my given name. I’m sorry for the lie.”
“Jack,” she said, softly. “I like that.”
“How much involvement do you expect from Rose?” George said. “I can’t let you put her in harm’s way.”
“I won’t use her till it’s safe.”
“And when it’s safe, what shall you have her do?”
Rose said, “Why, scare the life out of someone, right Jack?”
Jack nodded absently, trying to decide if his plan had any chance of success. The entire rescue depended on a creepy little girl who might very possibly be crazy. Or delusional, if such was different. He didn’t know if Rose was a witch or not, but he knew she had a terrifying laugh. If nothing else about her was supernatural, the laugh alone would likely suffice.
Jack looked around. It was getting on to dusk, but they were still two hours from dark. He chanced a light whistle and heard nothing in return. They climbed off their horses and led them into the woods until they got to a place where the foliage was thick enough to provide cover. They sat and waited.
An hour later, they heard a light return whistle. Jack and the others got to their feet, and Jack responded. Moments later, Abby raced into Jack’s camp and threw her arms around him. Johanna arched an eyebrow, but waited politely to be introduced. When Abby started kissing Jack repeatedly, Johanna decided to take matters into her own hands. She started moving toward them, but stopped short as Hester entered the camp.
When Johanna saw Hester’s face, she gasped, crossed herself, and spit. George did the same. Rugby arched her back, hissed, and jumped into Rose’s arms.
Rose pointed at Hester and shouted, “Behold! The Devil’s Mistress!”
Pim and Hester were even more startled by Rose.
“By the bones of Christ,” Pim said. “Hell’s cat has found its mother.”
Abby was surprised that Henry wasn’t kissing her back. She was even more surprised to find a thin young girl pulling her by the hair.
“Ow! Ow! Let go, you bitch!”
Johanna pulled her off of Jack before letting go of her hair. Abby tried to slap Johanna, but the younger girl evaded it. Abby looked at Jack. “Who is this vile bitch?”
“This is Johanna,” Jack said, warily.
“And who are you to pull my hair like a common street urchin?” Abby said to Johanna.
Johanna said, “I’m Jack’s wife.”
Chapter 17
Two months earlier Jack had paddled up the Little River and ate dinner with the Stout family when a man called to them from outside the house. George opened the door and saw a man and woman, and behind them, a young girl tied to the horse rail.
“State your business,” George said, as Jack passed him a musket. Jack pulled two flintlocks from his coat and held them crossed over his chest.
“My wife and I are trying to find the source of this feeling. If this is some herb you sell, we’re here to trade for it.”
George looked at Jack.
“Describe the feeling,” George said, though he knew exactly what the man meant.
“I can’t. It’s just a feeling that’s taken the pain from my gouty foot and my wife’s back. It led me here. I’m Richard Bradford,” the man said, “and this is my wife, Patience, and our daughter, Johanna.”
“Why is she tied up?” George said.
“So she won’t run off. She ain’t right in the head, is what she is. We aim to get her married, though, if the price be right. Are you married, sir?”
George shook his head. After determining the Bradfords weren’t likely to kill anyone, he introduced them to his family and Henry.
“Are you married, Henry?” Richard said.
“No. And don’t intend to be.”
Jack looked at Johanna across the yard. “She looks no more than nine.”
“She is in fact twelve years old, as will be sworn by her Mum and me. Why not come over and see for yourself what a delightful prize she’d be to a man who knows how to coax with a firm hand?”
“If you bring a lamp I’ll lift her dress for you, sir,” Patience said, “should you require a peek.”
Jack had never hit a woman before, and never wanted to till now. But he kept his temper in check and said, “How much?”
“Twelve pounds sterling, sir, and worth every penny,” Richard said.
“One for each year,” Patience added.
Twelve pounds of silver was an exorbitant, ridiculous price for a dowry, which proved to Jack they thought him a fool. Jack said, “Go back inside. I’ll speak to the child and give you my answer afterward.”
Richard and Patience exchanged a glance, and Patience moved closer to Jack and whispered, “No offense, sir, but do you have the money with you? Because if so, we’d like to conclude the transaction before you put your hands on her. You might, no offense, lower her value by the degree of inspection you’re planning to undertake.”
While she spoke to Jack, Richard whispered something in the girl’s ear. He left her with a stern glare, walked over to Jack and said, “I’ve told her not to scream should you decide to touch her. However, in the name of fairness, should you choose to sample her wares in a more deliberate manner, remuneration to the parents would be in order, due to her current state of innocence and the effect of wear and tear upon her future value.”
Jack said, “I can assure you that I shall not be sampling this child’s wares anytime soon, though I wish to speak to her a few moments.
“But you are interested?” Patience said.
“I am.” Jack pressed a crown in each of their greedy hands and waited until they went inside. He picked up a lantern and crossed the yard to the horse post and untied the lead line around her neck and said, “If I untie your hands and promise not to touch you otherwise, will you walk with me a few steps and talk?”
Johanna nodded her head uncertainly.
Jack untied her and led her to the bench next to the watering tough. As they walked, he noticed her limping. They sat, and Jack asked some basic background questions and got yes or no answers in return. But when he asked, “How are you being treated by your father at home?” she said, “I cannot answer these questions without receiving severe punishment.”