To Love and Protect by Tammy Jo Burns Page A

do.”
    A giant of a man with a patch over one eye opened the door.   His white hair stuck up in tufts all over his head.   He had a matching white mustache and beard.  
    “I’m Jack,” the older man said.   “That be my ship out there,” he nodded toward the largest of the vessels in the small port.   It appeared to be clean and well kept.   Justin could tell it would be sleek in the water and make good time with the wind in its sails.   “Three you say?”
    “Yes.”
    “When would you need to leave?”
    “I don’t know that I could be ready to leave tonight.   Tomorrow night definitely.”
    “I can be ready.   It’ll cost you.   Storms are approaching.   It’ll be more dangerous than usual.   Cold, too.”
    “I’m prepared to pay.   We will have a sick man with us, and I need to get him to Scotland as soon as possible.”
    “Dying?”
    “I don’t know?”
    “Catching?”
    “No.   Poisoned most likely.”   The old man eyed him with his one good eye.   That eye seemed to see more by itself than what most people saw with perfect sight and two eyes.  
    “Whatcha gonna do if you get him away tonight?”
    “Hide.”
    Again, that eye seemed to look into the depths of his soul.   It unnerved him the way the old man seemed to see how his mind worked.
    “Bring yourself and the others here.   I have a cellar you can hide in until we leave tomorrow night.”   Jack left him standing there as he walked to a dinghy and rowed out the vessel with Marie spelled out on the bow of the boat.
    Justin turned and returned to the stables where he had left his horse.   He paid the lad and then mounted the horse, turning in the direction of Malmouth and Clarissa.   The return trip took longer because he took the time to study every possible hiding spot, in case they were followed.   He entered the village to curious and hostile stares.   Concern for Clarissa immediately set in.   He nudged his horse into a trot and returned quickly to the inn.   He threw the reins of the horse towards one of the stable lads and entered the inn, racing upstairs.   Justin pushed open the door to the room he had booked for Clarissa and found her sitting in the chair looking out the window.   He let out a pent-up breath, and she jerked her head in his direction.
    “What’s the matter?” she asked, quickly standing and moving to his side.
    “I don’t know.   The villagers were looking at me in a strange manner, and I just had a horrible feeling that turned out to be nothing.”
    “I think I know why they look at us like that.”
    “You, too?
    “Yes.”   Clarissa quickly related the information about the earl and his daughter to Justin.   “And to make it worse, the daughter had been secretly in love with a village boy.   They had planned to run off and marry the week of the attack.   Could it truly be Lorraine and Franklin?”
    “You saw them yourself didn’t you?” he asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Then these people have to be stopped.”
    “I agree, but first we have to get Papa away from here and well on the way to recovery.   Molly also told me their names were Thomas and Jane, not Lorraine and Franklin.   Could that be their real names or just another ruse?”
    “I just don’t know, Clare.   I’m sorry.   You said that they replaced all the servants.   What happened to the old earl’s servants?”
    “Molly said they were turned out without references.   Most are trying to make a living around here, but are finding it difficult.”
    “Get Molly to give us the names of five of the strongest men who used to be in the employ of the old earl.   I will meet with them and hopefully enlist their help.   There is a fisherman in the next village willing to take us to Scotland for a fee.”
    “Justin, I can’t believe it,” she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her body close to his.   “I owe you so much.”
    He let himself hold her close for a few moments before gently setting her