Where Hearts Are Free by Golden Keyes Parsons

Author:Golden Keyes Parsons
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2010-08-12T00:00:00+00:00

SIXTEEN

In reality, Charles hadn’t formulated a plan, but the plot had lain beneath the surface of his mind for so many years that when he made the decision to go, he knew exactly what he was going to do. He awoke early and lit a candle. Nothing about his predawn activities would cause suspicion. It was his habit to be up and about before the rest of the household. He stuffed his extra change of clothes in a knapsack and took a pistol out of the drawer in his small table. He had retrieved the weapon from the trash heap when the owner had brought it in for repairs and Zwicken declared it irreparable. Charles disagreed and had worked on it at night until he got it in working order. A small bag of ammunition went into the knapsack as well.

He arranged the quilt and pillow on his rope bed so that it would appear he was still asleep, then he went to the door and looked back at the bed as if he were coming in from the outside. It looked like someone was in the bed.

The young man wound a muffler Vangie had knit for him last Christmas around his neck and pulled his cap down around his ears. He pulled on his tattered gloves and stepped into the brittle cold, shivering as he broke the ice in the well and drew up a bucket of water. He pushed open the door into the keeping room and set the bucket of water beside the fireplace for Goody Wallace.

The banked fire winked at him through the ashes. He took the poker and stirred the embers into life, placing a large log in the back and smaller ones in front.

That should suffice until Goody Wallace gets up.

He pulled a tin of biscuits down from the mantel and emptied them into a napkin. A round of cheese went into the bag as well. That would have to do. He set the empty tin on the table. He paused at the door and looked around the kitchen. Then he went out into the frigid morning, closing the door behind him.

He tromped through the fresh snow the few blocks to the Harbor Tavern. Walking had warmed him up by the time he got there. The sun was just beginning to lighten the sky. Charles knocked on the heavy wooden door. He could see a halo of light coming toward him. Mister Clark cracked open the door, squinting into the dim light as he held up a lantern. Charles could see into the room where Goody Clark already was hard at work, bending over the table kneading bread. The heavy, sweet odor of yeast escaped through the open doorway.

“Clavell! We’re not open yet, but come in, come in! Have you come for bread or a meal? Is something amiss at the foundry?” Mister Clark opened the door and ushered Charles in. He set the lantern down and finished lacing his vest. “Well? What can I do for you, son?”

Charles shrugged his knapsack off his shoulder and dropped it on a table.

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