Duty to the Crown by Cohen Rebecca

Author:Cohen, Rebecca [Cohen, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2013-03-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

MARIE had tried to corner Sebastian several times to discuss the book of poems he’d given her, and so he decided it was time to leave the manor for a few days. He’d promised that, on his return from seeing the physician in Kent, they could spend some time together, but Sebastian had already lingered too long at Crofton Hall and really needed to be on his way, what with Bronwyn still convalescing.

Anthony had groused further, first about Bronwyn coming to the hall and then about Sebastian leaving, but eventually, after promising he would be back in time for the next portrait sitting, Sebastian had been able to leave and start his journey to Kent. And he really hoped he could convince Bronwyn that helping him with Nicholas was something she’d want to do.

A fresh horse was being prepared by the time Sebastian reached the London townhouse. The staff there had fed him a hearty dinner on his arrival and Sebastian departed soon after to get the journey over and done with as soon as possible.

The steward had provided Sebastian with a map of his route, but still Sebastian was glad he had visited the area before when he’d traveled with the acting troupe. It was less than ten miles to Beckenham, where Bronwyn’s husband worked at the local forge, and the fresh horse ate up the countryside with ease once they cleared the south side of the city.

Sebastian passed through a number of small villages whose inhabitants watched him with unguarded mistrust, and encountered a few other travelers on horseback who nodded in his direction as an acknowledgement but didn’t stop or attempt to talk to him. Toward late afternoon, he arrived on the outskirts of the small town. If he was being unkind, Sebastian would have to admit Beckenham was really only a step up from a village. Carts trundled past as Sebastian traveled up what had to be the main road, and houses huddled together with small shops nestled in between, but he suspected it would have been much busier on a market day. Sebastian called out to a woman who was carrying a bundle of wood. “Madam, please could you direct me to the house of Jeremiah Wickman?”

The woman’s skin was tanned from a life spent outdoors and wrinkled deeply as she stared at him, as if she was trying to place him. “Keep going until the road forks, then take the left toward the river. Jeremiah and his wife live in the house next to the forge.”

Sebastian thanked her and rode on. He didn’t think Jeremiah was the blacksmith here, but was still in training like he had been when Bronwyn had run off with him, so he was surprised to hear they lived so close to the forge. The houses became more spread out as Sebastian left the main road, and there were people in the gardens, mainly women, tending to vegetable patches and chasing chickens away from their crops.

The forge was close to the river.

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