Chronicles of Steele: Raven 3: Episode 3 Read online

  Colton nodded, pulling the pack from his back. “I agree, but I believe getting rid of our coats should be enough. The suits are a common sight in most towns outside of New Haven.”

  Rupert’s nostrils flared, and his eyes narrowed. “I am loath to get rid of my coat, sir. I don’t agree with the idea that the guard has no bearing but a negative one in the southern province. I’m from the south and know what the brown coat means to my people. It commands respect.”

  Jack nodded, looking both his guardsmen in the eyes as they took both sides of the argument. He looked specifically at Rupert and set a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Rupert, you are from the south, and as such, we will find your ability to speak with these people invaluable. I suggest we do it both ways. Colton and I will remove our brown coats. You will keep yours. That way we cover all of our bases.”

  The elder reaper shrugged, and Raven never lifted her gaze from the dog. She kept her hand on the camel-colored Great Dane as she spoke. “I think it might be the best idea. If we have need for a guardsman, Rupert can play the part.”

  Rupert straightened the collar on his coat and brushed unseen particles from his sleeve. Colton stripped his coat from his suit and reached for Jack's. They stowed them away in the bow of the boat.

  Raven narrowed her eyes. “Do you think this is a safe location to stow it away? We cannot be certain someone won’t happen by before we return.”

  Jack nodded and stepped closer to her. He spoke in a low voice. “Unlike Rupert, neither Colton nor I have a special attachment to our coat. If it’s lost, we’ll acquire another.”

  She furrowed her brows.

  After checking to be sure Rupert stood a good distance away, he continued. “Everyone knows the southern province detests the guard and want to keep their autonomy. But what many don’t know is that to become a guard member is seen as a highly respectable thing for one in the province. They are not seen as traitors but rather as hometown boys doing well.”

  She nibbled her bottom lip and raised her eyebrows. “So he sees it as a disgrace to rid himself of his symbolic rise from the bottom?”

  Jack nodded and straightened up, calling to the group. “I suggest we split up into three groups. If we have a greater number together, it’s likely we’ll intimidate people and cause them to hold their tongues.”

  “I’ll venture alone.” Monroe interrupted after a general murmur of consensus from the group. He drew close to Raven, reached for the leather leash in her hand, and asked, “But I’ll take Nikki with me, if you have no objections?”

  She relinquished the leash and shook her head. “None at all.”

  “We should set a time and place to meet,” Colton suggested.

  “This is as good a place as any . . . and let’s meet here at sunset. Agreed?” Monroe called over his shoulder, ignoring any chance of argument or discussion.

  “I believe it is the best suggestion,” Raven said immediately, pulling the crossbow and sword from her back. She stashed them under the coats and stepped back toward them. “I suppose I look like a common, everyday woman now.”

  Jack nodded, but he saw her as anything but common. She pushed the black curls from her face and twisted them into a bun. She put two sticks within the bun, and green liquid sloshed in each of them.

  “Do you feel vulnerable, now that you’re weaponless?” Rupert asked as he grinned, pulling both sides of his coat back to expose his sword and pistol.

  Raven tightened her jaw and narrowed her eyes at him. “A reaper is rarely vulnerable and never weaponless.”

  Colton had already come up beside Rupert, as though choosing teams. Jack shrugged. He could tell the woman would prefer not to be paired with Rupert—the two measured each other regularly. Although Colton displayed no animosity for the woman who’d taken his sword, he eyed it frequently.

  Jack stepped up beside Raven without voicing assignments. “Very well. Let’s go.”

  After hours of walking the dirt roads of the port town, Raven’s feet had grown sore. But Captain Grant’s step never faltered, and his peaceful expression never changed from a half smile. It surprised her that he could remain so calm at all times. She’d never met a man who seemed so dispassionate or at least, difficult to read. Regardless, she refused to show the fatigue pain in her step, either.

  The snow in the city had almost completely melted. Occasional drifts piled up in the corners and nooks of buildings. Dirty smudges of soot spotted the formerly white snow drifts. Black smoke belched from the brick smoke stacks over the skies of Ipswich. The industrial port town’s progress polluted the air as much as the snow.

  After another stop, questioning a stranger on the street if they’d seen an old woman and a boy in red suspenders and getting no for an answer, Grant turned to her. He glanced at his pocket watch. “It’s getting late and we’ve got nearly two hours before we need to return to the boat. Would you like to stop a moment and get a morsel?”

  Raven shifted her weight off her sore heel. “Whatever your inclination . . .”

  Grant buttoned his top collar and straightened his waistcoat before starting toward a cafe. Raven blinked hard when she looked at the soiled hem of her travelling dress. She shook her head and checked her hair in the shop window before they entered.

  “You look fine,” Grant said to her as she tamed a loose curl.

  Bells rang at the opening of the door, drawing the few patrons’ attention as they stepped in. Grant stood taller and offered his elbow as he lifted his chin. Like he’d flipped a switch, he suddenly became the kind of man who would frequent this sort of establishment. He moved his hands in the direction of the coat rack and adjusted the hang of a couple as though leaving his jacket there with the others.

  He offered her his elbow as he returned. She smiled and took it, willing to play the part of a lady to his gentleman. A maître d stepped up and swept his arm across the room as he said, “Good afternoon. We are fairly empty at this time of day, so please choose a seat wherever you would like.”

  Grant bowed his head slightly and said, “Thank you. The lady and I would like a seat by the window.”

  “Good choice, sir.” The man adjusted the sleeve on his black suit and led the way.

  He pulled a small white chair out for Raven and she sat in it, politely tipping her head to him. Once seated, Grant ordered tea and a small meal of pheasant and apple chutney. Raven’s stomach growled, and she hoped no one heard it. When she darted her glance at Grant, he continued to gaze out the window as though he hadn’t.

  A young girl across the café coughed and slouched in her seat. The older woman sitting across from the child scolded her, “Drusilla, I knew coming to tea would be too much for you. We really ought to get you home and under some blankets.”

  “But Grandma, it’s Sunday and I must to have tea here with you. We missed last week, and we always come on Sunday.” The girl looked a little older than Darius but whined as though she were younger. Her blonde hair fell in soft ringlets around her face, and she wore a powder blue dress with ruffles at the collar.

  “This cough of yours has gone on too long. I’d never have invited you if I’d known you were still sick. I’ll have to stop at the herbalist—no wait.” The woman had been speaking unavoidably loud up to this point, but as she leaned in to whisper to the young girl, Raven’s ear twitched. “You should be grateful the Wood Witch is in town. I’ve already made an appointment for myself, but she’ll be happy to see you instead, I’m sure. She loves children.”

  Raven shot a wide-eyed look at Grant who returned the same. He put a finger up in a motion for her to both wait and stay quiet. He stood up and sauntered across the room toward the older woman. His shoulders squared as he leaned toward her and began speaking in a low voice.

  The old woman shot a glance in her direction, and Raven did her best to appear especially interested in folding and unfolding her napkin. Her ears strained to hear but only caught the occasional word and phrase. She found herself leaning in the directio
n of the other table when the waiter returned with the tray of tea and a small appetizer of bread and butter. Raven thanked him and poured the tea into both cups herself.

  Grant returned with a wide grin. The bell rang as the older woman and her granddaughter pulled the door to exit. Grant waved to them both and called, “We’ll see you later tonight, then.”

  The old woman returned his smile and nodded heartily as she put a hand on the girl’s shoulder. They continued through the door and started across the street. When Raven’s eyes returned to Grant, he buttered a portion of bread and leaned across the table toward her. “Ask me what I did.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him, and in forcing herself not to smile, she pursed her lips. “What did you do?”

  He took a bite of the bread and leaned back, chewing wholeheartedly. “I explained to the woman that we happen to be travelling with a doctor. I’d heard rumors that the witch was safer and more reliable if she knows a doctor will be checking on things after her. I made arrangements for our doctor to check on the child’s well being immediately after her appointment.”

  “But won’t that stop them from calling on the witch and relying on the doctor instead?”

  He stuffed the rest in his mouth and swallowed a quick cup of tea in one gulp.

  Where did the gentleman go?

  “The witch is considered a great apothecary and can often find cures a doctor cannot. But the lady would appreciate if I’d bring the doctor in on the girl after the wood witch’s visit. It makes sense to keep the doctor as a second opinion.”

  “So you lied. We don’t have a doctor.” The words drudged up memories of her doctor, and part of her wished he was here to play the part for her.

  He shook his head and picked up another piece of bread. “Colton’s a doctor. Our team has two. Harry and Colton both.”

  Raven snatched the last piece of bread as he offered her the basket. “Really? Isn’t that unusual?”

  “Not really. When choosing assignments, the guard always has one doctor or healer on each team. Colton hid the fact he’d had a medical degree because he specifically wanted to be in the strategic sector of the guard. It’s a little known fact we have two.”

  After nibbling the bread and taking a sip of some of the best tea she’d ever had, Raven spotted the waiter bringing the pheasant and chutney out with more bread. Grant stopped the man before he left the table. He put some coins in the man’s hand and said, “We’re in a bit of a hurry, man. This should be enough and please keep the change.”

  The waiter opened his hand and found two silvers. He nodded vigorously, doing his best to keep the smile from cracking on his lips. “Thank you sir. It will do just fine.”

  When the waiter left, Raven leaned toward Grant and whispered, “I intended to pay for my own meal.”

  Grant’s eyes grew wide and he shook his head. “I thought we were on our first date.”

  Raven’s jaw snapped shut and she felt the heat rush to her face. She pulled her napkin to her mouth and wanted to hide behind it.

  Grant chuckled and leaned toward her, saying, “I’m just kidding, Raven. All meals on this trip are covered by the Duke’s Court. Honestly, don’t fret.”

  The sudden urge to stuff the napkin in her mouth and scream struck her. Anger overcame the embarrassment as she sat up straighter and breathed slowly to get a hold of herself. Why did her heart flutter when Grant had said it was a date? Was it hope? No. The only man she’d ever love rejected her and married another. She couldn’t possibly have fallen for another man when her heart was broken. Raven shook her head. His kind eyes studied her expression. Her eyes burned with tears, and she quickly covered her face with her napkin.

  His chair scraped the hardwood floor as he rounded the table and knelt at her side. “Is something wrong? What is it?”

  Raven wiped her eyes and sat straighter. She bit her lip and took two deep breaths. After, she finally felt she could speak, she decided to exchange one weakness for another. “I’m fine. I’m just really tired.”

  He patted her on the shoulder and smiled. “I can definitely understand that.”

  She nodded as he straightened and sat back in his seat.

  “I think we’ll have time for a nap before we need to be at the woman’s house.” He stuffed a fork full of pheasant into his mouth, pointed the fork at her, and continued with his mouth full. “I’ll even hire a carriage to take us there. It will save time and energy, right?”

  Raven nodded. At the talk of getting rest, exhaustion settled on her like a blanket. She ate a few bites of her meal before yawning. Now that they’d determined a plan of action, she felt as though she might actually sleep.

  They were the first to arrive at the boat. Jack grinned when he found the two coats still in the bow. He lifted one up at random and offered it to Raven. Her arms were wrapped around her body, and her head was ducked down. The sun had sunk just enough below the horizon that it painted the sky in streaks of deep orange. With it, the wind whipped around them and increased the chill in the air.

  She eyed him hesitantly, but accepted the coat and pulled it around her, closing her eyes. His gaze trailed up her arm and found the red band on the sleeve. It was his jacket.

  “Why don’t you go ahead and lie down in the boat? I’ll keep an eye out for the others.”

  Her eyes grew wide and she shook her head. “But you’re just as tired as I am. Neither of us has slept. It would be unfair.”

  Jack smiled wider. Not one girl he could remember would have thought of herself as his equal in strength and stamina. He’d never met a woman who would flatly deny any weakness the way Raven tried to. He stood taller and lied. “When the others get here, I’ll wake you. You can keep watch while the rest of us sleep. That’s reasonable, right?”

  She nodded, suddenly looking much more tired. He helped her into the boat, and probably couldn’t have counted to ten before her breathing evened out. While she slept, her face softened. He kept watch over her and surveyed the ships. Occasionally, he turned toward the street at the sound of a person or carriage passing by. The rocky beach on which he stood remained deserted.

  Jack had to pace in order to keep himself awake. He counted three laps on the beach before checking his watch and noticed that each time he checked, approximately ten minutes had passed. After widening his circle a bit, he made it exactly ten. Proud of himself, it helped pass the time, and at six on the dot, Monroe strode up.

  Jack stopped. “Anything?”

  Monroe peeked into the boat at the woman who’d been asleep a little more than an hour. He eyed Jack and shook his head. After jabbing a thumb in Raven’s direction he asked, “How’d you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “How did you get her to agree to sleep while you stayed awake? It’s not like her to let her guard down in this way.”

  Jack shrugged and smiled. “She trusts me, I guess.”

  Monroe narrowed his eyes at him and opened his mouth to speak when Colton and Rupert rounded the corner. Rupert called out in a loud voice as he approached. “Do you realize how big this town is?”

  Jack gave him a stern look and pointed into the boat.

  Rupert furrowed his brows and only lowered his voice one tick. “How long have you been here that she’s already asleep?”

  Raven stirred but didn’t wake. Jack grabbed Rupert by the shoulder and strode away from the boat a little ways with him. Colton and Monroe followed.

  Jack spoke softly but sternly. “We’ve been here nearly an hour and a half. Did you find any information?”

  His second-in-command put his hands on his hips and narrowed his eyes. Rupert’s jaw pulsed at the top as he ground his teeth.

  Colton cleared his throat. “Actually . . . no. We found some who had heard rumors about the witch’s arrival in town, but no one who even knew what she looked like. All hearsay. We gained no new information whatsoever.”

  Rupert threw his hands into the air. “I don’t understand why we are letting that c
riminal take a nap. Why did you arrive over an hour early while we continued canvassing the streets? Is she better than us? Does she deserve special treatment? I thought we were supposed to kill her on sight.”

  The ring of a blade being pulled from a scabbard interrupted his tirade, and Jack turned around to find Monroe standing with his short sword drawn on the three guards. Monroe narrowed his eyes. “No one will be killing this woman while she sleeps.”

  Jack shook his head and grabbed Rupert’s arm as the man reached for the grip of his pistol. “No. We need to work together on this. There will be no fighting and no killing on sight.”

  Rupert yanked free of Jack’s grasp and crossed his arms over his chest. He shot a malicious look at Jack and glowered.

  After a deep breath, Jack reined in his own anger. “Look. We got here early because we found something worth reporting. Raven and I discovered an old woman with a sick granddaughter. After overhearing a conversation about the child’s illness, in which the Wood Witch was mentioned, I struck up a conversation with the old woman.”

  During the pause, Rupert’s shoulders relaxed and he uncrossed his arms.

  Jack smiled, and tilted his head toward Colton. “I informed the woman that we happened to be traveling with a doctor from New Haven.”

  Colton’s jaw dropped and he started to pace. “You did what? I don’t have any tools with me, nor have I practiced medicine since college. It’s been five years since I have even seen a patient. What have you signed me up for?”

  Jack shrugged. “It’s not much. You look the part. You talk like a noble. You speak their language and know how to give people what they want.”

  “But the child is sick for real, Jack. What if I make things worse, or even bar them from seeking real medical attention? I can’t have this kind of responsibility on my conscience.”

  “The Wood Witch has an appointment at the house in Grandview at nine-thirty. She’s never late according to this woman. We are supposed to be showing up at ten-thirty, but we’re going to be there by nine-fifteen.”