At the Queen_s command

Chapter Thirty-Six

August 24, 1763

Tanner and Hound, Temperance

Temperance Bay, Mystria

"I do declare, Caleb, you spend more time here than might be advisable." Nathaniel Woods pulled a chair back from Caleb's table. Nathaniel sniffed the man's bowl of stew. "Cain't be the food here is good."

"The summer ale's getting sour, and the raspberry-wheat beer isn't ready yet." Caleb closed a book. Not being able to read, Nathaniel had no idea what it was, but it bore a strong resemblance to the book he'd seen Owen carrying. "I'd go home but my mother is still upset about your visit the other day."

"Well, I reckon I'd apologize but I'm thinking that won't help much."

Caleb shook his head. "She's not upset with you-not that she's forgiven you, nor is she likely to. It's Beth. She took the news about Captain Strake hard."

Nathaniel recalled the tears and the quavering quality of her voice. "Your sister, she's a smart woman. Strong, too. Got steel in her spine, like your ma. Owen set a store by her."

"I know." Caleb took a spoonful of the stew, looked at it, then let it subside into the slowly congealing mass. "I was short with Captain Strake, you see. My mother and sister are afraid that he's thinking my attitude is their attitude. Makes things uncomfortable."

"I think you'd be finding that Owen didn't take no dislike to you. He weren't the kind of man to get a hate on all easy like."

"I know, still." Caleb sighed. "You and Kamiskwa are going to look for him. I want to go."

The woodsman sat back. "You might want to be taking a second to think on that."

"I've thought long and hard about it. I shoot good and have my own musket. I know the woods and I'm strong."

Nathaniel nodded. "You're still a mite young."

"Older than you were when you first went out."

Nathaniel raised his hands. "No disputing that. And I ain't saying you couldn't do it. What I am saying is that you don't know what you're taking on."

Caleb frowned. "You made it pretty plain."

"Nope." Nathaniel stood, waved Caleb toward the door. The young man followed. Outside, Nathaniel pointed to the sky. "What do you see there?"

Caleb rolled his eyes. "Geese, down from New Tharyngia heading south. I can also spot moose, tanner, bears, jeopards, and rabbits. I'll hit if I shoot, too."

Nathaniel sighed. "And the calendar date today?"

"Feast day of St. Bartholomew, the twenty-fourth of August."

"And that tells you?"

Caleb stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"Winter's coming. Early and bad." Nathaniel pointed west. "More bear sign and jeopard sign-they're coming out of the mountains early. Look at any of the dogs around about. Winter coats coming in. Smart young man like you ought to round up some friends, go chop a store of firewood. I'm thinking it'll sell dear inside a six weeks."

"I can dress warmly."

"It ain't I doubt you, Caleb Frost. I'd be happy to have you with me. Kamiskwa feels the same way. Fact is, though, the Prince gets his say on this."

"You'll mention me to him?"

"I will that."Nathaniel slapped him on the back. "Now, I was wanting to ask you a favor…"

"Get away from him, Caleb, he's a traitor."

Nathaniel turned slowly toward the sound of the voice. "You're looking a mite thinner, I reckon, than when I seen you last."

Cotton Quince spat at his feet. "You betrayed me."

"That so?" Nathaniel watched the slender man's hands curl into fists. "I reckon you don't got no idea what you is jabbering about."

Caleb moved between the two of them. "I'd suggest, gentlemen, that the street is not the place for this discussion."

"Ain't no cause for no discussion at all." Nathaniel nodded toward Quince, lowering his voice. "This here boy was off to Hattersburg adding words to that book your father gave Captain Strake. He called your father's honor into question. Owen took exception. Makepeace Bone likewise. That about did for Mr. Quince in Hattersburg."

"That did for me everywhere. I was made a laughingstock."

Caleb's eyes tightened. "You called my father's honor into question?"

Quince glanced at the ground. "I didn't realize who had given Strake that book."

"Ask him if he was adding things to it."

"Well?"

Quince shifted his shoulders. "I'd made a remark in a couple other places. People liked it." He stabbed a finger at Nathaniel. "But he should have stopped his friends. And would have, but he is working for the Queen's coin. He isn't one of us."

"No, I ain't." Nathaniel shook his head, looking from one young man to the other. "I hain't got no idea what you are up to, beyond being pure idiots. Ideas like you have are fine for your debating societies, but only mean trouble out on the frontier. People out there ain't got no time for that nonsense."

"It's not nonsense."

"It is, Caleb, iffen your circumstances is poor." Nathaniel opened his arms. "I just tole you that winter is a-coming fast and will be bad. Early winter means poor harvest. Livestock won't have fodder. They die. Men have to eat seed. Ain't going to be good hunting. Them folks out there ain't gonna be caring if some woman an ocean away gives a fig about them. They'll be hungry and cold, and filling their minds with airy thoughts ain't going to solve their problems."

Quince snorted. "You'll be fed and warm on the Queen's coin."

"I reckon that what I choose to do with my money is my choice." Nathaniel folded his arms over his chest. "And I reckon you should leave me out of your scheming."

Quince looked from Nathaniel to Caleb and back, then shook his head. "Very well. Caleb, good day. As for you, Mr. Woods, rot in Hell."

Quince stormed off.

Caleb turned to Nathaniel. "Why did you lie about being one of us?"

Nathaniel looked him straight in the eye. "I ain't. Curiosity done got the better of me. I attended a meeting. Two. But that don't mean I throwed-in with your 'Sons of Freedom.' And there ain't no cause for someone like Quince to be even knowing I was ever there."

Caleb held his hands up. "I never told him. I barely know him to speak to. Seen him at meetings is all."

"I'm thinking I believe you on that." Nathaniel smiled. "As for Quince, I reckon he needs beating with a smart-stick. I don't reckon nobody makes one big enough."

Caleb grinned. "I'll let the right people know he has been editing A Continent's Calling."

"It was a pretty turn of phrase he used." Nathaniel nodded. "Might be he ought to be writing more than speaking."

The younger Frost nodded. "I'll mention that. Now you said you had a question for me? Back inside? I'll buy you a drink."

Nathaniel braced him on both shoulders. "Another time. Weren't terrible important."

"You'll ask the Prince about my going with you?"

"I shall. Tomorrow, maybe day after."

Caleb smiled. "You're back in town to escort the Princess to meet the Prince?"

"Could be." Nathaniel smiled. "My regards to your family, please."

"My pleasure."

The young man headed back into the Tanner and Hound. Nathaniel watched him go, then shivered. He'd wanted to ask if Zachariah Warren was still out of town, but now he was kind of hoping that he wasn't. A dust-up would suit Nathaniel just fine. If Warren wasn't in town, a Branch or a Cask might have to stand in.

He headed across Temperance toward the North End. On Generosity, where it curved toward the ocean, he came to Warren's Fine Wares. Wider and deeper than it was tall, the wooden building rose to three stories. The top two had rooms for rent and the taverns across the street did a lot of custom for the residents. The entire bottom floor consisted of an open room in which the various real goods had been arranged. Furniture mostly, with bolts of cloth, silver, and dinnerware in the back, it displayed the very best imported items from Norisle. Wide doors in the back allowed carts to load easily.

Nathaniel watched from across the street for a minute or three. He debated going in. Wasn't any reason he couldn't. Warren had never publicly told him to stay out. Wouldn't have really mattered if he had-at least Nathaniel didn't care about Zachariah's feelings on the matter.

Rachel's, on the other hand, mattered more than anything.

He raked fingers back through his hair and put a smile on his face before wandering across the street. He opened the door and a tiny bell jingled. Two people, a man and a woman, looked over. New off a boat. They studied him with surprise and interest, but they never glanced toward Rachel.

Locals would have.

She was engrossed in making an entry in a ledger book at the back counter. Nathaniel loved seeing her that way, concentrating. She wore her dark hair gathered into a bun, but wisps escaped at her temples. Full lips slightly parted, the pink tip of her tongue at the corner of her mouth, delicate fingers tracing along a page to the left. She wrote on the right page with a fluid and efficient motion as beautiful as a deer gliding through the woods.

Then she looked up, her hazel gaze meeting his eyes. She smiled brilliantly for a heartbeat, then caught herself. Her smile shrank. She set her pen back in the inkwell. She tugged at her grey dress, then came from behind the counter. "It is so very good to see you, Mr. Woods. Have you come for more trade scraps?"

"I have." He nodded to the couple admiring a silver service and crossed to the back corner near the rack with bolts of cloth. Next to it sat a box with scraps-too small for quilting in most cases, or oddly shaped and unsuited for much of anything.

"The box is almost full." Rachel smiled at him. "How much will you need?"

He smiled, his heart pounding faster. "I reckon I'd gladly take it all. I have gold." He fished in a pouch and pulled out three gold pounds, holding them above her outstretched palm. "This be enough?"

She nodded and caught the coins.

Oh, how he wanted to place each one in her hand, just to let his fingers brush her palm. He knew her flesh well, both as she had caressed him, and he had caressed her. He felt clumsy at times, for she was so small and soft, and he rangy, his hands calloused, his thumbnail usually rough and darkened beneath with blood.

She closed her hand, letting a fingertip touch his thumb. Just a tiny touch. No one watching could suggest impropriety or intimacy, no matter how strongly they suspected. And yet, for him, it was rain in a drought.

He nodded. "I don't reckon I can be taking it right now. Is there a better time?"

"This evening, if you wish. I shall bundle it up for you."

"Thank you most kindly."

The door's bell jingled again. "You can be leaving now, Woods."

Nathaniel turned. "Rufus, you're a-looking more vertical than the last time I seen you. Your brothers, on the other hand, is looking twice as stupid."

"Nathaniel…" Rachel laid a hand on his elbow.

"Don't you be worrying, ma'am. Ain't nothing going to happen in your store. That right, boys?"

Rufus nodded solemnly. "That's right."

Nathaniel turned back to Rachel. "It will be fine."

"I don't want you hurt, Nathaniel."

"I don't reckon I will be. Got to be coming back for them scraps." He nodded. "Good day to you, ma'am."

The door's bell jingled again and a man came in, pushing past Rufus. The larger man took offense, and grabbed the smaller man by the shoulder. The smaller man spun, a dagger appearing in his hand, the point drawing a single droplet of blood from Rufus' throat.

"Mister Woods, if you would do me the honor of an introduction to your friends. I like to know the names of men I will kill."

Nathaniel smiled. "Count Joachim von Metternin, that there is Rufus Branch."

"And the other two?"

"You don't need to be knowing their names. I'll do the killing on them."

"I think I shall come to appreciate the egalitarian notions of Mystria." The Count smiled over his shoulder at Rachel. "And you would be Mrs. Warren, the owner of this shop?"

Rachel curtsied. "How may I help you?"

Von Metternin grabbed a handful of Rufus' tunic and tugged him around so he could face Rachel without moving his dagger. "My mistress, the Princess Gisella, has heard of this thing called a 'picnic.' She is desirous of hosting one. So she will need a dinner service for twelve, table, chairs, all the necessaries for this. And if you know a kitchen which can prepare the correct foods, I should be thankful."

He glanced up at Rufus. "And you, my fine friend, shall I be killing you, or finding a use for your brawn? I shall need these goods carted to the place and taken away again. A crown per man for a day's service."

Rufus nodded while his brothers rubbed their hands together.

"Good. The bargain holds as long as I do not see you again until the appointed day and time. Otherwise, I shall have to kill you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Rufus gave Nathaniel a glare, then departed with his brothers.

"I reckon I owe you thanks, Count Joachim."

The Kessian shrugged, slipped the dagger back into the sheath on his forearm. "I have a service to request of you, too. And you, Mrs. Warren."

"Yes, Count Joachim?"

"This evening, the both of you shall attend dinner with my mistress and me. For the sake of propriety, our dinners must be chaperoned and I, quite frankly, have tolerated all the boring people I can abide. This evening it would have been Bishop Bumble and his family, save that his gout is acting up. If you should be so kind."

"A pleasure, sir." Rachel smiled.

"I shall send a carriage for you. No fancy dress. My mistress would get to know Mystria's people for who they are, not who they pretend to be." He clapped his hands. "This is wonderful. She shall be very happy. And then, tomorrow, Mr. Woods, you shall lead her to meet her husband, and all shall be well."