by Kim Allred
"After." Finn helped AJ to a sitting position.
"Then you'll eat outside. You'll not ruin a perfectly good meal." Maire ground chamomile in a small bowl then added a pinch of a dark powder.
AJ took Finn's arm to stand, wobbled a bit, then leaned against a chair. "I wouldn't mind holding dinner until then."
"Maybe we should have a bath together." His mood had improved with sleep.
Maire handed AJ a mug. "This won't taste quite as bad as the last one. I've added honey, but it's best to drink it down as quickly as you can." She turned to her brother. "This isn't an inn, and we don't have time to heat water for a bath. There's a creek behind the cabin, and considering the temperature outside, I don't think we'll have to wait long for you to finish."
AJ drank the tonic, trying not to gag at the taste. She wiped her mouth, glaring at Maire as she handed the mug back. "You lied. That was just as nasty as the last one."
Maire shrugged. "Then it's a good thing it's the last one you'll need. You can be a bit stubborn about all this."
"Who's one to talk?"
The two women glanced at the door when it banged closed. Finn was gone.
AJ grinned. "I guess a dip in a cold creek overrides our bickering."
Maire laughed then moved to help AJ freshen up. "I wish you'd stay in bed."
"I need to get away from that cot. My body feels like it's shrinking in on itself. I need to move around."
"Your head."
"Is much better. And I need to see if I get dizzy when I walk around. I promise I'll come straight back to the cot if the headache gets worse."
"Then let's get you dressed."
Maire unzipped the duffel that AJ had packed in Baywood.
"Where's my other bag?" AJ asked.
Maire pointed to it, half-hidden beneath Finn's duffel.
"I'd prefer the dress I had on." She glanced around the room. "It's ruined, isn't it?"
"No. It's still damp from being washed."
"There should be another dress in my canvas bag. It doesn't fit as well as the one I had made in Baywood, but it has secret pockets."
Maire rummaged in the canvas bag and pulled out a dark jade dress. "This is perfect." She reached into the pockets, felt around, then turned the dress inside out. She reviewed AJ's handiwork and nodded with approval. "What a wonderful idea." She helped AJ draw it over her head. "We'll have time to modify the pockets in your other dress." She pulled out the trousers and shirt AJ had previously worn. "I think we'll have time to give these a wash as well." She reached into the pockets of the pants and nodded with satisfaction at finding the hidden pockets. "Let's finish getting you dressed. The men have made plans."
38
AJ shuffled into the main room to join the group for dinner, her stiff muscles forcing small jerky movements. Lando jumped up, a grin lighting his face. He wrapped her in a bear hug. "I'm glad to see you up and around." He stepped back, his hands gripping her shoulders while he gave her a quick perusal. His smile faded. "You still look a little pale."
She patted his arm. "I'm fine. The head still aches, but it's much better." She glanced around the spacious cabin, surprised by its size if not by the clutter. One corner held two overstuffed bookcases, and more books filled tables, sofas, chairs, and other available space. A single hearth shared duty with the kitchen and the rest of the living area. The place was certainly well lived in.
The smell of stew and fresh bread refocused her attention to the dinner table. Two jugs sat in the middle of the table, and she suspected one held wine and the other ale. "It appears someone got a head start."
"Not by much." Lando pulled out a chair for her. "We waited for Beckworth and the lad to return."
AJ glanced at Beckworth, who stuffed a piece of bread in his mouth, then washed it down. The telltale drip of burgundy slid down his chin, and he wiped it away with the sleeve of his arm. He gave her a wink as she sat.
"And where did you go?" She glanced around to see that no one else ate, though a few drank. Finn hadn't returned from the creek yet.
"All in good time." His smile disappeared as he gave her the same once-over Lando had given her. "How are you feeling?"
Bart poured AJ a glass of wine while she smiled at the others at the table. Maire and Ethan sat across from her, and Beckworth sat to Ethan's right. Lincoln took the seat at the end of the table with Lando to his right. A space between Lando and AJ had been saved for Finn.
AJ responded to Beckworth by addressing the table. "Just so everyone is up to speed. My muscles are stiff but just need time and exercise. I have a dull ache in the back of my head but nothing compared to how it was. I promise to take it easy until the headaches are gone, and if they get worse, I promise to tell someone. Now, are we all caught up on AJ?"
Beckworth chortled. "Not hardly, but it will do for now." He finished his slice of bread and reached for another when Maire reached across Ethan and slapped his hand.
"Wait until Finn returns." Maire glared at him until he sat back.
"Do you know how long it's been since we've had a meal?" Beckworth grumbled.
Maire raised a delicate brow and plucked at her dress, which appeared a full size too large for her.
Beckworth stared into his mug. "Point taken."
The door banged open, and Finn entered carrying an armful of wood, his hair still wet from his dip in the creek. Lincoln slammed the door shut then ran after Finn to help stack the wood by the hearth.
When Finn turned to find AJ at the table, he gave her his own slow perusal, seeming to gauge whether she was well enough to join them. He nodded, more to himself, before he braced a hand on Lando's shoulder to take his seat between the big man and AJ.
"Do your ribs still hurt?" AJ asked.
"Probably as much as your head." He squeezed her knee under the table, which confirmed everything was all right.
Now that everyone was seated, Beckworth stood and removed the lid from the giant pot of stew. He filled his own bowl then handed it to Lincoln. Taking the young man's empty bowl, he filled it and passed it to Ethan. Beckworth continued his task until everyone had a bowl. If anyone found it curious that Beckworth played host, no one openly questioned it. It seemed the man continued to be an enigma to all of them.
AJ had expected the conversation to be stilted, but Beckworth took his role as host seriously and regaled them with stories of his misspent youth. Bart joined in, sharing his own tales and keeping the laughter flowing. By the end, everyone had an anecdote to reveal. When most of the stories included Beckworth, he seemed to humorously accept his part in the misadventures.
While people laughed and emptied their bowls, AJ kept an eye on Beckworth, who in turn occasionally noticed her watching and responded with a brief nod or a wink. Was this the real Beckworth, or was he playing another role? The thought he might be luring them into complacency had crossed her mind until she noticed the strong connection between him and Bart. Then she remembered Eleanor's fondness for him. It was almost as if friends from his past had sought Beckworth out when he moved to Waverly, and he'd made a place for them. Would a man like that betray them? She knew what Finn would probably say. But now that she'd spent time with the man, she wasn't so sure who Beckworth was anymore.
Once the meal was done, the conversation turned serious. Lincoln removed the dishes and refilled the jugs.
Finn focused on their singular issue, directing the conversation as if he were still captain of a ship. "As unbelievable as it seems, the stones continue to be a problem. Now it seems, we have another book full of magical secrets." He nodded to Maire before glancing around the table. He paused when he noticed Bart's empty chair. "Where's Bart?"
"Over here," the old man wheezed, sitting next to the hearth and sipping from a steaming cup. "Some of these books are pretty old. I imagine that fake viscount will be quite interested in getting them back."
Maire rose and raced to the old man's side faster than AJ thought possible. She grasped the edge of the book, but Bart
was stronger than he looked.
He wrestled the book from her without losing his place. "Don't worry. I know how to handle a book." He nodded to his bookcase. "I have books older than this, and they're in perfectly fine condition."
Maire relented, but rather than returning to the table, she sat next to Bart and peered over his shoulder as he leafed through the book. Once satisfied he was being careful, she slumped back in her seat, trying to listen to the conversation at the table while keeping an eye on the old man.
Ethan drummed his fingers on the table. "So it seems we have something, this—" He stopped and glanced at Beckworth. "What did you say his name was? Reginald?" Beckworth nodded. "We have something Reginald wants, and he has something we want. Would he be interested in a simple exchange?"
"As important as he believes these books to be, he'll never willingly hand over the druid's book." Maire wrapped her arms around her middle and stared at the fire.
"Maire's right," Finn replied. "And though it seems he lost his primary translator, with enough time, he'll find someone else."
"What about those pages you brought with you?" Ethan asked.
Maire stood, stared at Bart, and seeming satisfied that the books were safe, returned to her seat next to Ethan. "These were the last pages Reginald gave me. I've kept pertinent notes of my other translations and hid them within the pages of the books." She nodded in Bart's direction. "I thought we might catch a break in whatever I haven't translated yet. I just haven't had a chance to look at them since the rescue."
"And do you have any thought as to whether this druid was mad as so many believed?" Finn asked.
Maire's pained expression spoke volumes, confirming there was cause to worry about the contents of the book. "From what little I've read to this point, this druid was probably the high chieftain of the sect. That would explain why he kept a written record of his discoveries."
A chill swept through AJ, seeing their quick departure back home slipping away. "It seems we have no choice. We can't let Reginald keep the book."
"Why don't we just destroy the stones and the torc?" Ethan asked. "Even if the book remains, the source of power will be gone."
All gazes turned to Maire.
"Would the old monk give us the torc?" Beckworth asked. "He seemed to be a purist. I doubt he'd want to destroy something he was meant to protect." Beckworth picked at his sleeves before tugging one down. "Though it doesn't take care of removing Reginald from my home."
Maire's hands balled into fists, which she tried to hide in her skirts. But AJ had taken note, knowing Maire would resist destroying the stones and torc just as Sebastian would.
"We're not here to help you with family problems." Finn glared at Beckworth then relented. "But you're right. Sebastian won't give up the stones, not unless there was truly no other way."
Beckworth shrugged, unperturbed by Finn's comment. "I'm just stating a fact." He glanced at AJ, seeming to be somewhat apologetic with his next statement. "I'm just reminding everyone of our quid pro quo arrangement. You help me, I help you."
The conversation erupted in angry shouts. Before any real name-calling began, Lando banged his mug on the table, which silenced the room. "We shouldn't do anything before discussing this with Hensley." Lando poured more ale before glancing at Ethan. "I imagine the earl might also have a comment. While I agree this business with the stones is important, I'm more concerned about what this Reginald's end game might be, and its impact on England."
"Lando's right." Finn glanced around the table before resting his gaze on AJ. He clasped her hand. "We don't have enough men to deal with Dugan. We also have no idea where Reginald is keeping the book. We need to gather more intelligence, and we need to wait for the current situation with search parties to calm down. I think we've put our host in enough danger."
"Then we leave for Hereford?" Ethan asked.
Finn and Lando exchanged glances, and AJ understood they had a different destination in mind. It made sense that Ethan would think of the earl, but even with the earl's men, there was only one other person who would have greater interest in this new game. And he had a powerful network at his disposal.
"No. We go to Hensley's." When Ethan appeared ready to argue, Finn held up his hand. "Hensley has better connections. You'll have to trust me on this." His steady gaze moved around the table until he had a nod of agreement from everyone. "And while AJ may look better, I don't want to spend three days on the road. Hensley is within a day's ride."
Ethan nodded. "You're right, of course. But we'll need more horses."
"How about a carriage instead?" Beckworth offered. "It would make more sense. I know it will stand out, but I doubt Dugan's men would think we'd be so bold."
"It would be easier for the women until they regain their strength," Ethan agreed.
"And just where do you plan on getting a carriage?" Finn asked.
Bart cackled from his place by the fire. "You need to have that wheel fixed first. And there's at least a year's worth of dust to remove."
"I can help with the cleaning," Lincoln suggested. He sat up, his eager expression matched the sparkle of excitement in his eyes.
"There's a carriage in one of Bart's outbuildings." Beckworth stood and refilled mugs with wine. "If you promise to return it, I'd be happy to provide it as a show of good faith on my part." He raised his mug. "To our continued partnership."
When no one immediately responded, AJ stood and met Beckworth's mug with her own. Finn shook his head but stood with her, raising his own mug. Everyone else slowly followed suit. While it was clear they only trusted Beckworth to a point, no one could argue the dangers of staying. Their first move was to get the hell out of Dodge and gather reinforcements.
39
Though dusk was hours old by the time they finished their planning, Finn didn't want to wait until dawn to inspect the carriage. AJ watched from the porch as he rode out with Beckworth, Lando, and Lincoln. She scanned the yard for long minutes once they'd left. Satisfied they didn't have any unexpected visitors, she returned to the cabin to help Maire and Ethan clean up. Bart had returned to his office to prepare a medicinal package for their travel.
When the men hadn't returned by the time chores were done, Maire sat with Bart as he flipped through the books she had stolen. AJ watched over their shoulders, but everything was written in Celtic if she remembered the handwriting in The Book of Stones correctly. Other than marveling at their binding and colorful artwork, she had little else to comment on.
AJ left them to their own enjoyment and found Ethan sitting at the table, flipping through the pages of Maire's transcriptions. She removed the kettle of coffee from the hearth and set two mugs on the table, pushing the pages aside. She spoke of her travels without him and Finn, filling in details she hadn't shared before. Ethan talked about their capture by French soldiers and the kindness of two shepherd boys. A knot formed in her belly when she realized he and Finn could have just as easily been shot. Finn had laughed about their encounter and subsequent kidnapping by Valentin. He had apparently decided to gloss over the telling of other events.
The idea that their troubles were only beginning brought a tremor of foreboding. She rubbed her arms, shaking it off. But she now agreed with Ethan. Destroy everything except the Heart Stone. And once they got home, they would take the Heart Stone out to sea and toss it in.
"I'm sorry for my deception." Ethan clinked his mug with hers to break her out of her dark musings.
AJ stood to put the kettle over the fire to make coffee and returned with a full jug of ale. With the cold winter night, she wasn't sure which the men would prefer when they returned.
"Now, we're all guilty of secrets." She nudged his boot with her foot. "But it's a bit ironic that you lectured me about my secret while keeping your own."
He had the good manners to look chastised through his grin. Yet, he couldn't hide his deep sorrow. She scooted her chair over so she could lay her head on his shoulder. She grabbed his hand with both o
f hers. "You're forgiven. You know that." She glanced at Maire, who laughed at something Bart said. "Love isn't something we can explain. Sometimes the things we do for love are the most difficult to apologize for."
"You're a wise woman, Miss Moore." The tension she felt in his grip told her he wasn't free of guilt. His kiss on the top of her head suggested he'd at least started to put it behind him. She leaned back and brushed the hair from his forehead. A little sparkle had returned in his gaze, making him look like the man she'd first had coffee with in Baywood. So much had happened since then—only a few months ago.
The sound of horses stopped the conversation. Ethan ran for the rifles while Maire helped Bart out of his chair. AJ raced for the back room and collected weapons. When she returned to the front room, everyone had positioned themselves near one of the two windows. She handed Maire a pistol, shot, and a bag of powder.
Maire loaded the pistol then checked the three rifles Ethan had placed between them. AJ crossed to where Bart stood and placed her quiver against the wall. AJ nocked an arrow and blew out long slow breaths, counting to ten then starting over. Between her nerves and how long it had been since she used her bow, she was tempted to loose an arrow or two before anyone entered the clearing.
The horses approached slowly. A few minutes later, a creaking sound followed the sounds of hooves. No one spoke, but AJ could hear the release of breaths as others began to relax their guard. It was possible that Dugan's men could have overtaken Finn and the others, and this was a trap. So they waited.
"There were mice in the hen house but we cleaned them out." The words were shouted from the far side of the yard where no one could be seen, but Bart relaxed his grip on the rifle. He cackled with amusement as he limped to the door. "That's my boy."
AJ gave Ethan and Maire a questioning glance. When Ethan shrugged and lowered his rifle, AJ released the tension in her bow but held on to the arrow.
Bart hobbled out to the porch and lifted a lantern.
