asked.
Julian nodded, grim.
"No need—there ain't no need causin' a lotta ruckus," Clem said. "Th' gal ain't hurt. You take her. Yeah, you take her. Do anything you want with her. You got my blessin'."
"Clear out," Julian ordered.
Clem needed no encouragement. He helped Randy pull Jake to his feet, and then the three of them stumbled through the bushes and disappeared from sight. We heard their footsteps retreating noisily, heard a splash as one of them fell into some water. Julian sighed again and finally lowered the pistol. Neither of us spoke until the sound of their retreat died away completely.
"Is—is what you said about the law true?" I asked. "Is what Clem did really a hangin' offense?"
"I've no idea, child. I was merely improvising."
"Would you reallyVe shot him?"
"Unquestionably," he replied.
"You ever shot a man before?"
"I've never even fired the pistol, actually."
"Never? "\ was incredulous.
"I'm much better with words than I am with firearms. I just
ft
Jennifer V^ilde 69
carry this thing around with me in order to emphasize a point now and then. Works admirably," he added.
"You're daft," I told him.
"But I do have a certain aplomb, you must admit. I suggest we pack up and leave now before your charming kin have second thoughts and decide to pay us a return visit. I have a large canoe tied up nearby."
"You—you'll take me to that town on the river?"
"Unless you keep on asking questions in that deplorable whine and I decide to throttle you instead. Hurry now, lass. It's well after noon, and we have a long way to paddle."
Chapter Five
THE LAKE WAS HUGE, surrounded by very tall cypress trees draped with moss. Sunlight reflected on the muddy brown-green water, making shimmery golden patterns on the surface. The canoe was indeed large, with plenty of room for the two of us and all the bags, but Julian handled it with ease, paddling with no apparent eflbrt. I leaned back, resting my shoulders against one of the bags, watching him dip the paddle in and out, from side to side, the soft splash of water making a soothing sound. He really was in very good shape, I thought, quite muscular and surprisingly strong for a man of his advanced years. He had been paddling for over three hours and he didn't even look tired, though his fine white shirt was damp with perspiration.
"I never seen this lake before," I said. "It's mighty big." '*It leads into a smaller lake, and that leads into a narrow river which, in turn, leads into another wider river which takes us out of the swamp and to the waterfront."
"You know an awful lot about these parts." "I've spent an awful lot of time here." "Paintin' watercolors?" *
"And collecting specimen and taking notes." "Seems a mighty peculiar occupation for a grown man," I observed.
"So family and friends constantly remind me." "You do it for a livin'?" "It's an avocation," he explained. "Oh," I said.
He grinned, knowing full well I didn't understand the word. 70
*'It's something I do to occupy my time," he explained. "Fortunately I don't have to make a 'living.' "
"You rich?"
"Solvent," he said. "That means there's enough to keep body and soul together but not enough for inordinate luxuries. There used to be quite a lot of money, but I fear the family fortunes have been considerably reduced."
"I'd like to be rich," I said.
"Indeed?"
"I'd like to have a pair of nice shoes with high heels and two dresses and a—a real silk petticoat."
"That doesn't sound too unreasonable."
"And—and I'd like to have a parasol," I said wistfully. "I know it's silly of me, but—I've always wanted a parasol."
I sighed, lounging against the bag, watching a heron wading at the edge of the lake, its long bill dipping into the water in search offish. Julian dipped the oar into the water, studying me with bemused brown eyes. A lock of chestnut hair had fallen across his brow, giving him a curiously boyish look. He studied me for some time, silent, and I wondered what he was
Julian nodded, grim.
"No need—there ain't no need causin' a lotta ruckus," Clem said. "Th' gal ain't hurt. You take her. Yeah, you take her. Do anything you want with her. You got my blessin'."
"Clear out," Julian ordered.
Clem needed no encouragement. He helped Randy pull Jake to his feet, and then the three of them stumbled through the bushes and disappeared from sight. We heard their footsteps retreating noisily, heard a splash as one of them fell into some water. Julian sighed again and finally lowered the pistol. Neither of us spoke until the sound of their retreat died away completely.
"Is—is what you said about the law true?" I asked. "Is what Clem did really a hangin' offense?"
"I've no idea, child. I was merely improvising."
"Would you reallyVe shot him?"
"Unquestionably," he replied.
"You ever shot a man before?"
"I've never even fired the pistol, actually."
"Never? "\ was incredulous.
"I'm much better with words than I am with firearms. I just
ft
Jennifer V^ilde 69
carry this thing around with me in order to emphasize a point now and then. Works admirably," he added.
"You're daft," I told him.
"But I do have a certain aplomb, you must admit. I suggest we pack up and leave now before your charming kin have second thoughts and decide to pay us a return visit. I have a large canoe tied up nearby."
"You—you'll take me to that town on the river?"
"Unless you keep on asking questions in that deplorable whine and I decide to throttle you instead. Hurry now, lass. It's well after noon, and we have a long way to paddle."
Chapter Five
THE LAKE WAS HUGE, surrounded by very tall cypress trees draped with moss. Sunlight reflected on the muddy brown-green water, making shimmery golden patterns on the surface. The canoe was indeed large, with plenty of room for the two of us and all the bags, but Julian handled it with ease, paddling with no apparent eflbrt. I leaned back, resting my shoulders against one of the bags, watching him dip the paddle in and out, from side to side, the soft splash of water making a soothing sound. He really was in very good shape, I thought, quite muscular and surprisingly strong for a man of his advanced years. He had been paddling for over three hours and he didn't even look tired, though his fine white shirt was damp with perspiration.
"I never seen this lake before," I said. "It's mighty big." '*It leads into a smaller lake, and that leads into a narrow river which, in turn, leads into another wider river which takes us out of the swamp and to the waterfront."
"You know an awful lot about these parts." "I've spent an awful lot of time here." "Paintin' watercolors?" *
"And collecting specimen and taking notes." "Seems a mighty peculiar occupation for a grown man," I observed.
"So family and friends constantly remind me." "You do it for a livin'?" "It's an avocation," he explained. "Oh," I said.
He grinned, knowing full well I didn't understand the word. 70
*'It's something I do to occupy my time," he explained. "Fortunately I don't have to make a 'living.' "
"You rich?"
"Solvent," he said. "That means there's enough to keep body and soul together but not enough for inordinate luxuries. There used to be quite a lot of money, but I fear the family fortunes have been considerably reduced."
"I'd like to be rich," I said.
"Indeed?"
"I'd like to have a pair of nice shoes with high heels and two dresses and a—a real silk petticoat."
"That doesn't sound too unreasonable."
"And—and I'd like to have a parasol," I said wistfully. "I know it's silly of me, but—I've always wanted a parasol."
I sighed, lounging against the bag, watching a heron wading at the edge of the lake, its long bill dipping into the water in search offish. Julian dipped the oar into the water, studying me with bemused brown eyes. A lock of chestnut hair had fallen across his brow, giving him a curiously boyish look. He studied me for some time, silent, and I wondered what he was
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