She'd have felt something, and yet she's said nothing so far. Now don't worry." She patted the still rigid muscles of his arm and added truthfully, "You know I'd not have another with me. I've complete trust and faith in you and your courage, Will. Forgive me?"
Sabrina smiled up into his broad face that still mirrored the hurt she'd inflicted to his pride. He suddenly grinned sheepishly.
"Sure, Charlie. I can't be mad at you, even though I know I shouldn't listen to you."
Sabrina's smile deepened as she turned happily away, waving to Mrs. Taylor, who stood watching from the bedroom window. Climbing back into the gaily painted cart, she urged the horse down the path and onto the road that cut through the small village. The horse trotted along pulling the yellow-wheeled cart across the stone bridge that spanned the river as it meandered through the village. The brick and oak walls of the old mill towered over the bridge while the huge mill wheel turned noisily. Entering the village with its cobbled streets Sabrina drove slowly past the high-roofed, half-timbered houses and flower gardens, cheerful sunflowers standing tall above the rest as they nodded somnolently in the afternoon heat. She left the main road of the village before entering the busy marketplace and the tavern opposite that would be busily serving thirsty customers. She could see the tall tower of the church rising into the blue sky above the town until it was blocked out by the shade from the overhanging boughs of chestnuts and elms bordering the road. In the distance, red bullocks grazed peacefully in green meadows of yellow cowslips and droopy-headed bluebells.
A lazy afternoon, Sabrina thought idly as the cart jogged along the dusty road, the horse automatically turning up the narrow, twisting road that led to Verrick House. But before leaving the main road, Sabrina's breath caught sharply as she recognized a troop of patrolling dragoons further down the road. Her gloved hands tightened unconsciously on the reins as she controlled the impulse to whip the horse into a gallop and send him out of reach of the King's men. She forced herself to loosen her grip and keep the horse trotting at a steady, even pace. Glancing curiously from beneath the wide brim of her hat, Sabrina watched the troop gallop past on the road, not recognizing the officer who rode ahead, one of the new ones brought in to capture her, she thought in amusement. He wouldn't be riding so proudly in the saddle after the many fruitless chases she would lead him on, she thought and breathed a sigh of relief as they rounded a bend and were hidden from sight.
Nearing Verrick House the road narrowed and was bordered by oleanders and cherry laurel hedges. Guiding the cart along the drive she slowed as she entered the stable yard and an ostler came running forward to assist her. She entered the hall, and removing her bonnet climbed the stairs, her thoughts centered on this evening's activities. She would talk with Mary first, just to reassure herself; not that she herself was really worried about this evening.
She found Mary in her room, sitting on the edge of her bed, a faraway look in her light gray eyes. Sabrina sat down beside her, taking one of her cold hands between her own and squeezing it softly.
"Mary," she whispered. "Mary, it's me, Sabrina." She looked into Mary's eyes, trying to see what she was gazing at, but they stared through her, seeing something beyond the room. "Mary?"
Mary's fingers gripped Sabrina's hands and she shivered, her eyes closing as she breathed a deep sigh. Sabrina
waited patiently, knowing it would be a moment before Mary regained her composure.
Mary's eyes opened slowly and she turned her head and smiled at Sabrina.
"You knew, didn't you?" Sabrina asked.
"Yes, I felt your questions and your doubts before I think even you did," she replied softly, the trance still holding her in its spell. "I have never felt quite this strange before."
"What did you see?"
Sabrina smiled up into his broad face that still mirrored the hurt she'd inflicted to his pride. He suddenly grinned sheepishly.
"Sure, Charlie. I can't be mad at you, even though I know I shouldn't listen to you."
Sabrina's smile deepened as she turned happily away, waving to Mrs. Taylor, who stood watching from the bedroom window. Climbing back into the gaily painted cart, she urged the horse down the path and onto the road that cut through the small village. The horse trotted along pulling the yellow-wheeled cart across the stone bridge that spanned the river as it meandered through the village. The brick and oak walls of the old mill towered over the bridge while the huge mill wheel turned noisily. Entering the village with its cobbled streets Sabrina drove slowly past the high-roofed, half-timbered houses and flower gardens, cheerful sunflowers standing tall above the rest as they nodded somnolently in the afternoon heat. She left the main road of the village before entering the busy marketplace and the tavern opposite that would be busily serving thirsty customers. She could see the tall tower of the church rising into the blue sky above the town until it was blocked out by the shade from the overhanging boughs of chestnuts and elms bordering the road. In the distance, red bullocks grazed peacefully in green meadows of yellow cowslips and droopy-headed bluebells.
A lazy afternoon, Sabrina thought idly as the cart jogged along the dusty road, the horse automatically turning up the narrow, twisting road that led to Verrick House. But before leaving the main road, Sabrina's breath caught sharply as she recognized a troop of patrolling dragoons further down the road. Her gloved hands tightened unconsciously on the reins as she controlled the impulse to whip the horse into a gallop and send him out of reach of the King's men. She forced herself to loosen her grip and keep the horse trotting at a steady, even pace. Glancing curiously from beneath the wide brim of her hat, Sabrina watched the troop gallop past on the road, not recognizing the officer who rode ahead, one of the new ones brought in to capture her, she thought in amusement. He wouldn't be riding so proudly in the saddle after the many fruitless chases she would lead him on, she thought and breathed a sigh of relief as they rounded a bend and were hidden from sight.
Nearing Verrick House the road narrowed and was bordered by oleanders and cherry laurel hedges. Guiding the cart along the drive she slowed as she entered the stable yard and an ostler came running forward to assist her. She entered the hall, and removing her bonnet climbed the stairs, her thoughts centered on this evening's activities. She would talk with Mary first, just to reassure herself; not that she herself was really worried about this evening.
She found Mary in her room, sitting on the edge of her bed, a faraway look in her light gray eyes. Sabrina sat down beside her, taking one of her cold hands between her own and squeezing it softly.
"Mary," she whispered. "Mary, it's me, Sabrina." She looked into Mary's eyes, trying to see what she was gazing at, but they stared through her, seeing something beyond the room. "Mary?"
Mary's fingers gripped Sabrina's hands and she shivered, her eyes closing as she breathed a deep sigh. Sabrina
waited patiently, knowing it would be a moment before Mary regained her composure.
Mary's eyes opened slowly and she turned her head and smiled at Sabrina.
"You knew, didn't you?" Sabrina asked.
"Yes, I felt your questions and your doubts before I think even you did," she replied softly, the trance still holding her in its spell. "I have never felt quite this strange before."
"What did you see?"
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