Wolves by Hoffman W. A

Author:Hoffman, W. A. [Hoffman, W. A.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Alien Perspective
Published: 2010-09-01T07:00:00+00:00

One Hundred

Wherein We Scatter Before the Wind

Gaston and I found Cudro, Ash, Julio, and Striker at Sarah’s, sitting on the back porch listening to Pete while Chris stood in the shade and out of sight. The Strikers had also already loaded most of what they would take aboard the Magdalene. Now Sarah sat in a rocking chair nursing her son—who was less than a fortnight old—while ordering her two servants to pack the remaining items and load them on a donkey cart in the yard.

Striker looked pleased to see us. “So we go,” he said. “The Bard and Dickey have already gone to the ship.”

“Liam was sending our first wave there as we left,” I said as we dismounted.

“We’ll go as soon as Sarah is ready,” he said.

“Who’s that?” Davey asked as he emerged from the house and saw Chris standing out of sight of the others.

She reluctantly stepped forward.

“My cousin,” Gaston said with amusement. “He arrived with the letter from my father.”

To my amusement and never-ending amazement—and Pete’s, apparently—none of the men recognized her.

Women are not so blind, however. Sarah looked over and immediately knew her. “What in the name of God is she doing here?” she demanded.

And then there was tension in the air.

“SheBeLearnin’TaShoot,” Pete chided.

“Truly? Well it seems she already knows enough of that: she shot Will!” Sarah snapped.

“Nay!” Chris protested with her arms tightly crossed. “Not hardly: I did not kill him!”

I held up my hands in an unsuccessful attempt to calm the squawks of surprise and indignation from the men at the card table.

“Aye, it is she; she is here, and she is the least of our troubles!” I finally yelled.

“Do tell,” Sarah said coldly into the quiet that followed.

“Is that really Miss Vines?” Ash asked with awe.

“Nay,” I said firmly. “This is Christien Sable, Gaston’s cousin. And even if she were not, she is Madame Sable and not Miss Vines.”

“She’s going with us?” Cudro asked with even more amazement.

I shrugged. “Aye.”

“Nay,” Sarah said.

“Oh Bloody Hell,” I snapped. “What else are we supposed to do with her?”

“Send her back on the ship on which she came,” Sarah said.

Chris stood her ground with stubborn desperation etched across her features.

“She causes nothing but trouble,” Sarah added.

“She is my wife,” Gaston said with some annoyance.

Everyone quieted, even Sarah.

“She can sleep on deck,” I said. “We do not have time to argue about this.”

“So you think they’ll come for him today?” Striker asked.

“We cannot know,” I said.

“We’re going,” Cudro said amiably as he stood. “We’re ready. There’s no reason to stay longer. We’ll just have to start trading out old victuals the longer we stay. Our things are aboard. Do you need help at the house in town?”

I shrugged. “Most things are loaded, but aye, we are short-handed in all things these days.”

“You should have bought more servants,” Sarah chided.

I sighed and did not reply.

Julio stood and ambled over. I knew something was amiss by the sad look in his dark eyes. “Davey and I are staying.”

“Well damn, we will miss you,” I said and embraced him.

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