The Gentleman and the Rogue by Dee Bonnie & Devon Summer

Author:Dee, Bonnie & Devon, Summer [Dee, Bonnie]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Duet Publishing
Published: 2013-03-11T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Alan opened to door to the room and spotted the note at once. It had Sr in an uncertain, wobbly hand. Jem? Somehow Alan was shocked that his writing was so tentative, nothing like the man. He stared down at the messy, unsteady letters, blots of ink and a few crude pictures. His first thought was that Jem must have been very upset to have attempted a note. The man had pride and surely knew his writing was shabby. His second thought was, I'll have to teach him to read and write better.

Why would he do that? Alan shifted from foot to foot and stared down at the note. Enough with trying to get to the bottom of Jem's soul and improve him. Better to concentrate on trying to understand what he had to say. Bn der cum bk. There was a rather crude picture of a dog holding a knife and a beer, and Alan remembered the name of the inn was the Dog and Arms. grl iz sd. I gu dak ber. Son I km bk. Jem, followed by a picture of the sun at the horizon and another dog with a knife.

He decided Jem had reversed a couple of b's and d's, and the note read, Been there and came back. Girl is sad—or sick? I'm going back and will return at sunset to the inn.

Alan traced the letters of the note, wondering how long Jem had taken to write it. He'd wait. After all, he'd had little success in Sheffield, where he'd sought out a lawyer to look into the matter of making the girl at least a ward, with several men acting as guardian instead of simply being under Schivvers's unmonitored control. Alan had convinced the man it was a good idea, but the lawyer warned that the courts might not agree to even hear the matter. They didn't have time for one fortuneless orphan.

Maybe Jem would bring him good news.

The man appeared soon after sundown. Impatient though Alan was to get the news, he could see Jem was thirsty and in need of a rest. He ordered a light supper and they settled in a far corner, away from the fireplace. The taproom was filling with workers, employed by the plating company if their silvery fingernails were any indication. The two men sat across from each other over a small wooden table in a chilly corner.

After downing nearly a pint of some of the inn's decent ale, Jem wiped his mouth on his sleeve and sighed. “Thank you, sir.”

Alan nodded. “Go on.”

Jem stretched out his legs and winced. “I said I'd report on words I heard, but all I listened to today was a footman. Jolly soul, but of little use to us, at least not for information. I heard nothing from the girl or your friend Schivvers, though I saw 'em not so far away.”

He paused. “No. I were to be as a parrot, not telling more 'n I witnessed.”

Alan interrupted. “I regret injuring your feelings by saying that I don't trust your judgment.

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