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indicate he followed the explanation. Ren controlled the urge to smile encouragement to him. ‘‘A wrought iron band is allowed to cool in place while the gun is rotated, which allows the reinforcement to clamp on uniformly around the circumference of the breech. We ordered eight ten-pounders. The Wainwrights called them the Prophets: Joan, Bonnye, Anna, Judith, Gregor, Larisa, Nane, and Ami.’’
‘‘At Greenhaven,’’ Eldest reported, ‘‘they were saying that the Wainwright place blew up, that their ammo went up and took out the shop and the house.’’
Ren shook her head. ‘‘The thieves killed the family in their beds long before torching the place. They managed to carry out all the small arms, the pistols and rifles, and the Prophets before we arrived. They were trying to move the great naval guns when we rode up, and they set fire to the shop to cover their retreat.’’
She and Raven had been to the Wainwrights’ home several times to see the new weapons tested and to order various guns. While not as prolific as the Whistlers, the Wainwrights had numbered around twenty women and girls with a handsome young husband that they proudly showed off. Not one survived the murderous attack. Raven cleared her throat and covered Ren’s silence.
‘‘It was easy to track the cannons. Each of the Prophets weighs nearly nine hundred pounds and they are roughly six and a half feet long. Multiply that by eight, and it’s quite an operation to move them. The thieves used two coal wagons and made four trips from the gun shop 48
Wen Spencer
down to a waiting coal barge. Half the town saw them, but thought it was the Wainwrights’ normal weekly delivery of coal for the forges.’’
Ren took up the story again. ‘‘The coal barge with the Prophets and small arms left with its load. There were two more barges waiting for the naval guns. The thieves scuttled them to foul river traffic. It gave them several hours’ start on us. We might have caught up with them if they stayed on the river, but the barge and its tug ran aground, so they started overland.’’
‘‘They ran aground above Heron Landing?’’ Eldest Whistler guessed.
Ren nodded. ‘‘They made a makeshift raft and floated the cannons and other crates ashore one at a time. We found a safe landing and unloaded our horses. Odelia’’—
Holy Mothers knew what Odelia had been doing—
‘‘became separated from the rest of us, and was attacked. We think it was more of a distraction than a planned assassination.’’
‘‘So these guns are still in the area?’’ Eldest Whistler asked.
‘‘Is there a reward?’’ Corelle asked.
‘‘Do you think the riders will come back?’’ Jerin asked.
‘‘The riders were probably hired to delay pursuers.’’
Ren sought to reassure Jerin. ‘‘They have no reason to come back. As for the cannons and small arms, the Queens Justice has found no sign of them.’’
Two of the younger sisters were rude enough to laugh. Eldest Whistler stood up, motioning Ren and Raven to follow. ‘‘Lieutenant Bounder is a good soldier, but she and most of her command are new to the area. Nor does she have many good trackers under her.’’ Eldest led them to the small, well-appointed parlor. There she opened the doors on a cherry cabinet, revealing a set of shallow drawers. She pulled out the top drawer and took out a map. She laid the map on a small side table. ‘‘How A BROTHER’S PRICE
49
far upriver from Heron Landing did they hit the sandbar?’’
‘‘About five miles.’’ Raven answered. ‘‘Bounder said it’s timberland belonging to the Fiddler family.’’
Eldest Whistler grunted, tapping a section of the map.
‘‘I thought it might be there. Look, the river runs fairly straight north to south through all of Queensland, but here, it makes a twenty-mile U east to west, and back again. When you’re on the river, it’s not obvious. The lay of the land fools you; only this ridge
‘‘At Greenhaven,’’ Eldest reported, ‘‘they were saying that the Wainwright place blew up, that their ammo went up and took out the shop and the house.’’
Ren shook her head. ‘‘The thieves killed the family in their beds long before torching the place. They managed to carry out all the small arms, the pistols and rifles, and the Prophets before we arrived. They were trying to move the great naval guns when we rode up, and they set fire to the shop to cover their retreat.’’
She and Raven had been to the Wainwrights’ home several times to see the new weapons tested and to order various guns. While not as prolific as the Whistlers, the Wainwrights had numbered around twenty women and girls with a handsome young husband that they proudly showed off. Not one survived the murderous attack. Raven cleared her throat and covered Ren’s silence.
‘‘It was easy to track the cannons. Each of the Prophets weighs nearly nine hundred pounds and they are roughly six and a half feet long. Multiply that by eight, and it’s quite an operation to move them. The thieves used two coal wagons and made four trips from the gun shop 48
Wen Spencer
down to a waiting coal barge. Half the town saw them, but thought it was the Wainwrights’ normal weekly delivery of coal for the forges.’’
Ren took up the story again. ‘‘The coal barge with the Prophets and small arms left with its load. There were two more barges waiting for the naval guns. The thieves scuttled them to foul river traffic. It gave them several hours’ start on us. We might have caught up with them if they stayed on the river, but the barge and its tug ran aground, so they started overland.’’
‘‘They ran aground above Heron Landing?’’ Eldest Whistler guessed.
Ren nodded. ‘‘They made a makeshift raft and floated the cannons and other crates ashore one at a time. We found a safe landing and unloaded our horses. Odelia’’—
Holy Mothers knew what Odelia had been doing—
‘‘became separated from the rest of us, and was attacked. We think it was more of a distraction than a planned assassination.’’
‘‘So these guns are still in the area?’’ Eldest Whistler asked.
‘‘Is there a reward?’’ Corelle asked.
‘‘Do you think the riders will come back?’’ Jerin asked.
‘‘The riders were probably hired to delay pursuers.’’
Ren sought to reassure Jerin. ‘‘They have no reason to come back. As for the cannons and small arms, the Queens Justice has found no sign of them.’’
Two of the younger sisters were rude enough to laugh. Eldest Whistler stood up, motioning Ren and Raven to follow. ‘‘Lieutenant Bounder is a good soldier, but she and most of her command are new to the area. Nor does she have many good trackers under her.’’ Eldest led them to the small, well-appointed parlor. There she opened the doors on a cherry cabinet, revealing a set of shallow drawers. She pulled out the top drawer and took out a map. She laid the map on a small side table. ‘‘How A BROTHER’S PRICE
49
far upriver from Heron Landing did they hit the sandbar?’’
‘‘About five miles.’’ Raven answered. ‘‘Bounder said it’s timberland belonging to the Fiddler family.’’
Eldest Whistler grunted, tapping a section of the map.
‘‘I thought it might be there. Look, the river runs fairly straight north to south through all of Queensland, but here, it makes a twenty-mile U east to west, and back again. When you’re on the river, it’s not obvious. The lay of the land fools you; only this ridge
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