Raised By Wolves Volume four- Wolves (36 page)

did. Then her eyes filled with fear and she backed away from

 

me to retreat to the cookhouse.

My Horse wished to run her down. It was all I could do to keep mygrip onthe reins.
There was a touch on my arm and I whirled to find Gaston. He was still not himself. He recoiled from whatever he found inmyeyes.
I reached for him anyway. “Please, please,” I begged, not knowingwhat I wished, onlythat he not fear me.
He came to me and I got a good grip onhimand led him to the stable. I found Pomme leaning against the walland dozing. He was startled to feel my touch, but he quickly nickered a greeting once I was recognized. I haltered him and used a hay bale to push my shaking body onto his back. Then I held out my hand for Gaston. He used the bale and clambered on behind me.
We rode out of the house and out of town. I do not know ifPomme knew the wayor I was alreadyso familiar withit I did not need to think about it, but we were soon at Gaston’s gift. There was no shelter, and no view, and it was cold and wet. I urged Pomme to the edge ofthe trees and dismounted. I pulled Gaston down and under Pomme, to squat in the relative cover provided by his bulk. Our giant horse stood still with ears flattened sideways in annoyance and resignation. I held my matelot and cried. He stroked myhair and rubbed myshoulders.
I woke to the smell of roasting pork. Gaston snored softly beside me. He was lying on his back, which was unusual for him even when he slept like the dead after his madness passed. We were covered by a blanket. We were in the shade, but the sun was shining. The light was golden and slanted. I heard dogs panting, men talking quietly, and the rustle and pop of a fire. I rolled Gaston onto his side and pushed myself up to myelbows behind him.
Pete and Striker sat at a small fire. Pomme lounged nearby. Bella and Taro were sprawled in the shade as well. We were still on Gaston’s gift property. The sky was blue but hazy. The sunwas sinkingto the west.
I crawled over Gaston and toward our friends. They turned at mymovement and smiled as one.
“’OwYaBe?”Pete asked.
I coughed, and to my dismay, still tasted bile. I tried to spit and discovered I had nothing to give. I pushed myself to my feet and stumbled downwind. My piss was likewise short and fitful. I felt empty.
I knew why. I held it far from me and did not allow my internalgaze to look uponit.
I joined themat the fire and happily accepted the skin of water Striker tossed me. I drank my fill, thankful there was still halfleft for Gaston.
“Youfound us,”I noted.
Striker chuckled. “That was a piece of work. We guessed you might come here. Sarah didn’t remember your map very well, though; only that it was up the mountain on our property. We couldn’t find the little tunnel you hacked to get out here. We finally used the dogs. We held on to one and let the other one run around until it didn’t come back, and then we followed the second one. I was damnglad to see that fat horse.”
“’EWereStandin’GuardO’erYa. We’AdTaTalk’Im TaLettin’UsGet Close. Couldna’Just Chase’ImOff’Cause WeDidNaWantYa Gettin’SteppedOnOr Kicked.”
“I love that horse,”I said.
“Somebodybetter,”Striker said witha laugh.
They were roasting half a yearling pig, and nearby sat several bottles of Madeira and an oilcloth-wrapped bundle I hoped was a cheesecake.
“Thank you,” I said. “For finding us and bringing all this here.”
Theynodded solemnly.
“Father Pierre told us what he could,”Striker said with a grimace. “He praised you.”
“’EAlsoSaidItShouldNe’erBeSpokenO’Agin.”
“Aye,” I said. “How is… was Mistress Theodore when last youwere downthere?”
Striker gave a shrug that spoke of not knowing. “She is better, but still fevers from what they say; but according to Agnes, they were able to bathe her and move her to clean the room. Theodore had the beddingburned—allofit.”
I was relieved she yet lived. “We should not have worried them, but we could not stay.”
“NoNeedTaExplain,” Pete said with gentle chiding. “NoneDownThereBlameYa.”
Striker was frowning at that. “Nay,” he said in response to my questioning look. “I feel Pete is wrong. Those that know what you had to do—or even guess at it—do not blame you. The others just think youbothwent mad.”
Pete snorted withannoyance. “Liam’sDamnWife.”
I recalled her expression, there inthe rain, after I prayed. I shuddered.
Striker had found amusement at the mention of her. “Damn, aye, her. She tried to tell me you had been possessed and were worshippingthe Devil. Liamis angrywithher.”
“I encountered her at myworst—just after… I know not what I said.”
They nodded with amusement and obviously thought nothing more of it. I wondered what I could or should say to calm the woman. Saying that she had misunderstood and that I was praying to the Virgin Mary might work. It angered me, though. Or I could say I had descended into madness and did not know what I had said, as I had just implied to Pete and Striker. That angered me too; but it was a tired sort ofanger.
I looked about, wondering where I should put a temple, and how large it should be: and sadly, what would I say of it if it was seen? People built Roman-style buildings in Christendom in their gardens and the like. How could I explain it here? And that was assuming I was even capable of making such a structure. I surely did not have marble. I had read descriptions of magnificent structures: was that what a Goddess wished or required? Or was it more like a church? They can be grand or humble; their only necessity in order for them to be considered sacred is that theybe dedicated to the divine and sanctified.
Gaston disturbed my reverie by sitting up abruptly and lookingaround withwild eyes.
“I amhere,”I called.
The tension left himas he saw me, and he slumped back to the earth. I went to him.
“Where are we?” he asked as I leaned over him and proffered the water.
I sighed. “Your birthdaygift.”
He pulled himself up to sit and drank the water while looking around. Then he stood and staggered about until he came to stand near the tree I watered. He did the same and seemed to gain far more relief from it. Next he went to stand at the end ofthe precipice and surveythe view. I joined himthere.
“It is on Sarah’s land. She gave it to me to give to you,” I said quietly. “I wanted us to have a place to retreat to.”
He spun around slowly, looking at it again with tears in his eyes. “It is wonderful, Will. It is beautiful. Thank you. I cannot thank youenough.”
I embraced himand we held one another for a time.
“I will build us a small hut here, as we had on Negril; and… a temple to Diana—thoughI know not how.”
He pulled away to regard me with a bemused

expression.

expression.
“I think she is the Goddess of childbirth. I will explain
later.”I leaned myhead toward our friends.
Gaston nodded and his mien shifted to sadness. “I do
not recalllast night, Will.”
“You became your Child. There was a thing you could
not do. I did it. Rachelstilllives—or she did when last they were
intown.”
“Somedayyouwilltellme?”
“Oui, someday,”I said.
“Trying to remember makes me think of Gabriella,” he
said warily.
I shook my head tightly. I could not put it into words.
They would have to follow a path that went past my eyes and
heart to reachmymouth.
He nodded again. “Someday. I will not trouble you

today.”I nodded.

 

“Thank you,”he whispered.

 

I shook my head. “There was need. I was available. It is

 

done.”He held me close again and whispered in my ear. “I am

sorry I went away again. I thought I was doing well, but apparently I needed to run more than I thought. I should have nipped youdays ago.”

I grinned against his cheek as I recalled our discussion that day in the market. The humor allowed me to speak more easily. “There was no helping this, my love. Even if you had not

been tired, I feel you would have stumbled. I surely did. We just

 

been tired, I feel you would have stumbled. I surely did. We just happened across a great scree.”

“I fell, and it was not my Horse, but the vestige of me youcallmyChild?”
“Oui, you just retreated into him. With good reason,” I added.
“I truly do not wish to trouble you, my love, but it bothers me that I do not know why.”
I thought on what I could say. “Your sister. You have never performed surgeryona woman, have you?”
“Non,” he said. I could hear his realization in that one word. “I understand.”
“It is a thing we must inure you to, someday. I know not

how.” He sighed and spoke lightly. “Oui, if I am truly to be a

physicianfor anybut buccaneers.”
“Or monks,”I said inthe same tone.
He squeezed me tightly before releasing me to meet my

gaze withlove-filled eyes. “I love you.”
“And I, you,”I said.
He kissed me sweetly and I savored it. Then by

unspoken accord, we stepped apart and went to join Pete and Striker at the fire.

Soon after, I sat beside my love and our friends, with a belly full of good food and wine, and watched a glorious sunset. I felt the Gods everywhere.

Ninety-Six Wherein We Reap the Wages of Truth

We rode home on the morning of the Sixth. Striker and Pete remained with us until we parted company at the road leading to Sarah’s house. Thus we had not been alone; but I thought that for the best as I had not brought any weapons in my mad ride from the house, or flint and tender, or anything else of value including hogs’ fat, knives, or food. And, neither my matleot nor I was interested in intimacy of any sort beyond holding one another. This morn we merely wished to return to the house:I wished to bathe and burn the clothes fromthat night, and he wished to see how Rachelfared.

Father Joseph, the young priest on duty at the hospital eyed us warily as we rode up. He was usually a cheerful fellow who got onwellwithmymatelot. I had thought to stop and allow Gaston to dismount and inquire of Rachel, but upon seeing the priest’s expression, I clucked for Pomme to keep walking.

“What did you do?” Gaston asked. There was no jest in

 

his tone.“I prayed—loudly and openly to the Goddess Diana,

 

and I offered her a temple in exchange for her aid in keeping

Rachel alive and preventing any other woman of our Rachel alive and preventing any other woman of our acquaintance from suffering such horror—or me. Henrietta saw me. Striker said she has been trying to tell everyone I worship the Devil—or perhaps it is that I ampossessed. I have forgotten preciselywhat he said.”

Gaston buried his face in my shoulder and sighed, but I felt the subtle shake ofhis amusement.
“I know, I know, I amnothingbut trouble,”I said.
“Tell me of it, I married you,” he replied and kissed my

neck. I recalled the first time he had uttered those words, and I laughed.“Is there anything else I should know?” he asked. “I

 

have been wondering how to ask you what I should be examiningonRachel. Or evenifI should.”

“Gods…” I sighed. I did need to tell him something. Could I? “Hold me,” I whispered as I stopped Pomme at the back gate.

He did. I let myself remember. It was not as bad as I feared. The Gods and the drug had been kind indeed. I could barely remember any of it; as if it had been a dream. Oddly, my clearest memory was of Rachel gazing upon me with huge, dark eyes and tellingme to finish.

“Doucette said to cut the baby up with a wire loop and drag it through the small opening,” I said quickly and tensed, expecting my body to react even as I held my mind still. It seemed a distant thing, though; like speaking of the details of the men I had killed: the ball entered here; I stabbed him there, and so on.

so on. Gaston was holding me very tightly indeed. If I had

needed to retch, I would have had to do it across Pomme’s withers.
“I amso sorry,”he whispered at last.
“My memory of it is not as potent as I feared last night,” I said. “I dosed myself with laudanum before beginning. It now seems to be but a dream. But… That night, it was horrid indeed and I retched a great deal, and… fell—such that I felt compelled to reachto the Gods for support.”
“I cannever repayyoufor sparingme that,”he said.
“There willnever be anydebt betweenus, mylove.”
He slid off Pomme and pulled me down after himso that he could face me withhis hands aside myface. He gazed into my eyes for a time. I could see little reflections of myself in his orbs. I thought I appeared as calmas I felt.
“What do youseek?”I asked.
“The grail, I suppose,”he said witha bemused frown.
“What?”
He smiled ruefully. “You are capable of such acts of absolution, even to yourself.” He shook his head. “Non, I was lookingto see your Horse.”
I looked for my Horse. He was alert and wary. I felt it had nothingto do withRachel.
“I feel I have caused quite a bit of trouble this time,” I said. “My Horse wanted to run Henrietta down when I saw her watching me. The look on her face—such hatred and fear. Thinkingonit, it was as ifshe no longer knew me.”
“She is a very pious woman,” Gaston said and sighed. “And lacking in…” He shrugged. “She is stupid and uneducated. People ofthat nature tend to see everythingverysimply:theycan comprehend nothingelse.”
“Oui, oui, I know that well.”
Gaston looked past me and froze with a thoughtful frown. Afraid we were being spied upon; I whirled to see what had caught his attention. The second floor ofthe house appeared to be in bedlam. There were furnishings and chests pulled out of rooms and stacked here and there. Our door was closed and there was nothing before it, but Rucker and Bones’ room, the Theodores’, Agnes’, and Liam and Henrietta’s were spilled out onto the balcony.
We looked at one another, shrugged, and took Pomme to the stable. Everyone seemed involved in the industry, or closeted away, and so we slipped up the back stairs and did not encounter anyone until we came upon Rucker and Bones struggling to move a bed frame fromtheir room. They appeared startled but pleased to see us.
“What is happening?”I asked them.
Bones sighed. “The Theodore’s won’t stayintheir room, Liam’s wife won’t move into it either; so they could not trade; and then Mistress Williams decided she wished to move to this side ofthe building—to this room. So…”
Rucker picked up where his roommate had trailed off. “We are moving to the Theodore’s old room—as it does not bother us—and Mistress Williams is moving here, and then the Campbells,” he paused to sigh, “willmove to Mistress Williams’, and the Theodores willmove to the Campbell’s.”
I regarded himdullyuntilI realized Campbellwas Liam’s surname. I had never heard it used before.
“Where is Mistress Theodore, now?”Gastonasked.
“In the hospital. They have drugged her so that she might continue sleeping,”Rucker said.
“Who…” Gaston began to ask, but Bones was already