Dawn on a Distant Shore
Page 47

"I have some inquiries to make," said Elizabeth. "There is still the matter of getting out of Montréal again when our business is done there. I will not be an hour, I promise. We sail at sunset."
Hannah's cool hand on her shoulder, all her worry flowing clear as a cold spring down Elizabeth's spine. She turned her head and kissed the smooth copper skin. "All is well, Squirrel," she said in Kahnyen'kehâka. "I promise you."
Gallows at the garrison gaol, whispered another voice inside her. Elizabeth rubbed her cheek against Hannah's hand, and willed the voice away.
She was only a hundred feet away from the Jackdaw when Runs-from-Bears caught her up; Elizabeth sensed him even before she turned around.
"I thought you were going to see the others to the Nancy," she said, trying to strike a normal tone of voice and cursing the color that rose on her cheeks.
"An officer came from the ship for them," he said. "I was more worried about you, Bone-in-Her-Back."
Elizabeth straightened her shoulders. "You of all people know very well that I am able to take care of myself, Bears."
He blinked at her, his face immobile, and Elizabeth knew that he would wait for her to tell him what he wanted to hear until the sunset. His patience was without end, she knew this from experience. Elizabeth let her shoulders roll forward. "This is something I must do on my own, Bears."
"The Irishman is trouble," he said. "We do not need him."
Elizabeth glanced around herself, and lowered her voice. "But we do. How are we going to get away from Montréal, once the men are free? He has a ship, he knows the waters, and for the right money he will not ask difficult questions, as Pickering would most certainly do."
Bears pursed his mouth. After a moment he said, "I do not like it."
"Nor do I. I like none of this."
He narrowed his eyes at her. "Let us go talk to him, then. There is not much time."
She pushed out a heavy sigh. "Very well," she said, wondering that she could be both relieved and ill at ease. Elizabeth smoothed her hair and then she met his gaze, full on. "Mr. Stoker knows about Jack Lingo."
Runs-from-Bears grunted softly. "That is just why I am coming with you. Look, he is waiting."
Sweet Mac Stoker stood on the deck of his ship, hands on hips, watching them. Elizabeth pulled herself up to her full height, and went to meet him.
"Mr. Stoker," she began. "We were wondering if we might engage your services in another matter."
He grinned. "For the right price, darlin'. For the right price. Come along, and we'll talk."
Elizabeth and Runs-from-Bears came to the Nancy just as the sun was about to set. Above their heads the first star showed itself in a sky that melted from blue to rose; on the horizon a group of willows and crab apples showed tender green sprinkled with white blossoms. Overhead, gulls turned and spun, calling to one another. Captain Pickering was at the rail to offer Elizabeth his arm as she stepped onto the shining oak deck, his poor face as bad as she had remembered it. But both the captain and his ship were in impeccable condition, so that for the first time in days Elizabeth was acutely aware of the shocking state of her traveling clothes. And still Pickering bent to her hand as if she were dressed for presentation at court; if he noticed that she was trembling he gave no sign of it.
"You honor us, madam. I trust your business has been favorably concluded?"
How strange and vaguely comforting to deal with Englishmen again, who needed so many words for so little purpose. But she was thankful to this man with his unfortunate face and his kind eyes, and so she nodded politely. "As well as can be expected, thank you."
Elizabeth introduced Runs-from-Bears to the captain, the whole time observing how Hannah bounced impatiently on the balls of her feet as if she would fling herself into the heavens. Even Curiosity's doubts had been laid to rest, if the expression on her face was any indication.
The captain was all condescension and good manners. "I will leave you to your family," he said, bowing. "There is time enough to meet my officers and the ... other passengers. I hope my cabin will be satisfactory, but if there is anything you desire ..." Andwitha funny little smile he bowed and withdrew, leaving the question of Elizabeth's desires unresolved.
"Well, I hope this will serve," Elizabeth said grimly to a beaming Curiosity. "For otherwise we shall have to steal a dinghy and row to Montréal ourselves. Hannah, you are flushed. Have you had a look at the cabin?"
"Yes, we have," answered Curiosity for them both. "And we like it fine. Don't we, child?"
"Oh, yes," said Hannah, almost laughing out loud. "We put the babies down, but maybe you should go check on them."
Elizabeth looked between them. "What has got into you both?"
"Gettin' closer to home, is all," said Curiosity, putting a hand on Elizabeth's arm and pivoting her toward the steps that would take her to Pickering's cabin.
Elizabeth went, with a glance over her shoulder to Hannah, who was still grinning absurdly as she tugged on Bears' arm, chattering at him in Kahnyen'kehâka. It had been a very long day, too long to pursue whatever was at the bottom of this strange behavior. Passage on the Nancy was certainly a piece of the best good luck, but it did not change what was to come: they had built gallows in Montréal. It was a sentence that jangled in her head like loose coin, there at every turn with no escape.