JoAnn Wendt by Beyond the Dawn

Author:Beyond the Dawn [Dawn, Beyond the]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Dear Captain Garth McNeil,

If ever you have known the joy of true love, honor the memory of that love by helping this girl.

One Who Beseeches You

She held the letter to the fire to dry it. She folded it in thirds and addressed it to Captain Garth McNeil of Williamsburg and Hampton. Slipping it deep into her apron pocket, she scavenged food for Mary’s supper and went out to the barn.

Mary Wooster left the following night with Flavia’s letter in her pocket. The rains had blown out to sea. Wind and a day of sunshine had made the mud roads solid enough to support a human, but not so solid as to allow horse or cart. Conditions were ideal. No rider would be out for a day or two.

She went with Mary to the fork in the road, just beyond the gallows field, south of Chestertown. She’d taken a stout sack, packed it with food and put in a book that Mr. Byng wouldn’t miss. Mary could sell the book. Or trade it for passage across the Chesapeake Bay to Hampton.

They parted at the crossroads, embracing as the chill November winds slapped at their cloaks. Flavia hugged the girl for good luck.

“Remember, Mary, you carry my life in your hands,” she warned. “I can’t explain. But my life will be in danger if anyone discovers I sent you.”

Mary Wooster’s freckled face shone strong and determined in the watery moonlight.

“A man wrote the letter for me,” she said firmly. “A traveler I met. I never saw him before. I don’t know where he was atravelin’ to. I don’t remember what he looked like.”

On sudden impulse, Mary threw her arms around Flavia and hugged her tightly.

“Don’t worry, Jane. Depend on me. I owe you my life. I shall die before I say aught that might hurt you.”

Behind them, in the road toward Chestertown, a faint light began to twinkle. Taverngoers were wending their way home, carrying a lantern.

Flavia urged the food sack into Mary’s arms. The girl gripped it, shaking with frightened excitement.

“Farewell, Jane,” Mary whispered passionately, turning and running, her cloak slapping in the wind. “We shan’t meet again! God be with you.”

Flavia put a hand to her thudding throat.

“And God be with you, Mary,” she called softly. “Farewell!”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.