Blackwolf by Phil Gilvin

Author:Phil Gilvin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Phil Gilvin
Published: 2024-01-08T00:00:00+00:00

21 The Butcher’s Stall

The sounds from downstairs dwindled as the last of the guests retired for the night. Clara and Sophia lay in their beds, hugging themselves under the blankets while draughts sneaked through every crevice and chink in the boards and the shutters. On top of their bedclothes each had a green cloak. Callington had called in with these, saying that they were spare and it looked like Clara and Sophia might need them tomorrow. She’d said that she and the other Wessexers would be setting off early the next morning, then she’d taken her leave and wished them luck.

With the cloak on top of the thin blankets, Clara began to think she was getting warm, but still sleep wouldn’t come.

Then she heard Sophia’s voice in the darkness: ‘Are you awake?’

‘Yes. Can’t get to sleep.’

‘Nor me.’ After a pause, Sophia went on: ‘Clara, what’s happened?’

‘Oh, not much. First they tried to kill us, then they bought our food, then they gave us cloaks. I can’t work it out.’

‘No, I mean, what’s happened with you? The way you argued with Callington, I mean.’

‘What’s wrong with arguing? They were talking about fighting as if it was just part of life. Well it’s not.’

‘No, that’s not what I mean. A few days ago, all you wanted to do was sit down and wait for it all to end. It’s good to see a bit of life in you.’

‘Oh.’ Clara thought. ‘Well, I guess it was you being ill. I’m getting fed up with it. I don’t want to watch my mother die, like Jack had to. He never used to talk about it much. I don’t think he could face it.’

‘Jack again?’

Clara stared into the darkness, listening to the wind gusting around the inn. ‘Like I told you, we used to argue all the time. Now I think it was because he knew me for what I was. And I didn’t like that.’

Sophia said nothing. The shutters rattled.

‘He was a bit crazy at times, too,’ went on Clara. ‘But he only tried to kill me the once, so that was a plus.’

‘He tried to kill you?’

‘He thought I was the one who’d betrayed all his friends to the Repsegs. I had a bit of a history with betrayals, you see.’

‘You did?’

With a pang, Clara realised she’d never told Sophia the truth about Amy Martin. But she just said, ‘never mind about that. Anyway, Jack realised he was wrong, and he was sorry. We – we stuck together. Got out of the Great Flood. He was going to come and help me to find you, you know...’

‘You said you got split up.’

Clara sighed. ‘We, uh, argued again. It was bad this time. I lost my temper. We were in a tiny cottage, with nothing to eat. He slept, but I couldn’t and I saw a light in the valley and I thought I’d make it up to him by getting some food.’

‘By stealing?’

‘Yes. I’d got quite good at it when I was with the Scrapers.

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