Read Online By Grace Alone (The Death Dealer Book 2) by Katie Roman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Katie Roman
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everyone to gawk at.”
Grace stopped walking and stared up at the sergeant. He looked contrite and miserable. Maybe he really was sorry.
“I think I can see fit to forgive you.” He brightened and Grace thought about how handsome he looked in his uniform, smiling down at her.
“It would ease my mind greatly, and as promised, you won’t be bothered by me again.” He turned to leave.
Grace thought about Moore’s talk with Thom. Even if Nathaniel left her alone, he would still be around the Angel fairly often. If she sweet talked him enough, he might even slip and give away information about Harris. “Perhaps you can take me to breakfast tomorrow to make up for the folly of last night.”
He stopped and turned to gawk at her. Quickly he smiled, beaming ear to ear. “I’ll be by Mistress Fisher’s lodgings at...” He waited for her to pick the time.
“I go into the Angel an hour after the sun rises, so you best come by around daybreak.”
Moore took her hand and kissed it. “Tomorrow morning then, as the sun rises over our fair city.”
Grace continued on home alone, in a haze until she got into her room. Her mind had wandered to Nathaniel Moore the entirety of her walk. She shook the feelings from her head, but in trying to clear him out, she remembered Jack. That fiend was still in Glenbard. Grace lay down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, feeling very tired and heartsick again. Tears streamed down her face until she fell asleep.
~*~*~
The captain of the Merchant Way guardhouse came across young Nathaniel Moore hard at work in the mess hall. Captain Ericson was a lean man in his early forties with wispy hair on top, but a full beard he sometimes braided. Tonight his beard was combed out, hanging down to his collarbone.
“How goes your hunt?” Nathaniel got off his bench to salute the captain. “Stay seated, young man,” Captain Ericson commented and sat down across from him.
There was one candle burning between them, but other than that, the mess hall in the Rogue’s Lane guardhouse was dark. Stretched out before Nathaniel was a map of the Lane, and Ericson took a hold of it, asking, “May I?”
“Please go ahead, sir.”
The captain pulled the map over to his side and noticed X’s over some houses. “What are these?”
“Homes that I know are housing fugitives. I’m trying to find Harris’s hiding place.”
“When I was a lad, the Guild used to handle men like Harris Atkins.”
“A guard is dead, sir, and Marcus shouldn’t be allowed to continue as he has. Why should the thieves decide who lives and dies? Men like Marcus shouldn’t get to dole out retribution on their whims.”
Ericson shook his head. “My father was a guard…a captain, actually. A fool like Harris knifed him. The current king hunted him halfheartedly, and then decided the man was too valuable to the Guild. We received coin from the Guard and coin from the Guild, and that was the end of it. No vengeance for my father.”
Nathaniel watched the captain’s face. He wasn’t angry, just sad. “Would you have chased the man down?”
“I was only eight. I couldn’t hunt anyone down. But what’s to stop Marcus from deciding young Atkins is too valuable to lose? Constable Taylor was a rotten knave. He cheated enough men out of dice, he flirted with enough wives, and was easy to buy off. But he was one of ours. We owe him justice.”
Nathaniel took back his map. “I’m finding it hard to garner support here.”
“The Lane has always been in the pockets of the Guild. I’d suggest finding the Death Dealer. Take out Marcus’s pawn first.” Ericson got up and waved his hand when Nathaniel started to rise. “Get some sleep.”
Ericson left the mess hall and Nathaniel went back to his map. He would continue knocking on doors and investigating, but maybe the captain had a point. The Death Dealer was a known ally to the Guild.
The masked marauder once rode through the north fighting brigands and putting
Grace stopped walking and stared up at the sergeant. He looked contrite and miserable. Maybe he really was sorry.
“I think I can see fit to forgive you.” He brightened and Grace thought about how handsome he looked in his uniform, smiling down at her.
“It would ease my mind greatly, and as promised, you won’t be bothered by me again.” He turned to leave.
Grace thought about Moore’s talk with Thom. Even if Nathaniel left her alone, he would still be around the Angel fairly often. If she sweet talked him enough, he might even slip and give away information about Harris. “Perhaps you can take me to breakfast tomorrow to make up for the folly of last night.”
He stopped and turned to gawk at her. Quickly he smiled, beaming ear to ear. “I’ll be by Mistress Fisher’s lodgings at...” He waited for her to pick the time.
“I go into the Angel an hour after the sun rises, so you best come by around daybreak.”
Moore took her hand and kissed it. “Tomorrow morning then, as the sun rises over our fair city.”
Grace continued on home alone, in a haze until she got into her room. Her mind had wandered to Nathaniel Moore the entirety of her walk. She shook the feelings from her head, but in trying to clear him out, she remembered Jack. That fiend was still in Glenbard. Grace lay down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, feeling very tired and heartsick again. Tears streamed down her face until she fell asleep.
~*~*~
The captain of the Merchant Way guardhouse came across young Nathaniel Moore hard at work in the mess hall. Captain Ericson was a lean man in his early forties with wispy hair on top, but a full beard he sometimes braided. Tonight his beard was combed out, hanging down to his collarbone.
“How goes your hunt?” Nathaniel got off his bench to salute the captain. “Stay seated, young man,” Captain Ericson commented and sat down across from him.
There was one candle burning between them, but other than that, the mess hall in the Rogue’s Lane guardhouse was dark. Stretched out before Nathaniel was a map of the Lane, and Ericson took a hold of it, asking, “May I?”
“Please go ahead, sir.”
The captain pulled the map over to his side and noticed X’s over some houses. “What are these?”
“Homes that I know are housing fugitives. I’m trying to find Harris’s hiding place.”
“When I was a lad, the Guild used to handle men like Harris Atkins.”
“A guard is dead, sir, and Marcus shouldn’t be allowed to continue as he has. Why should the thieves decide who lives and dies? Men like Marcus shouldn’t get to dole out retribution on their whims.”
Ericson shook his head. “My father was a guard…a captain, actually. A fool like Harris knifed him. The current king hunted him halfheartedly, and then decided the man was too valuable to the Guild. We received coin from the Guard and coin from the Guild, and that was the end of it. No vengeance for my father.”
Nathaniel watched the captain’s face. He wasn’t angry, just sad. “Would you have chased the man down?”
“I was only eight. I couldn’t hunt anyone down. But what’s to stop Marcus from deciding young Atkins is too valuable to lose? Constable Taylor was a rotten knave. He cheated enough men out of dice, he flirted with enough wives, and was easy to buy off. But he was one of ours. We owe him justice.”
Nathaniel took back his map. “I’m finding it hard to garner support here.”
“The Lane has always been in the pockets of the Guild. I’d suggest finding the Death Dealer. Take out Marcus’s pawn first.” Ericson got up and waved his hand when Nathaniel started to rise. “Get some sleep.”
Ericson left the mess hall and Nathaniel went back to his map. He would continue knocking on doors and investigating, but maybe the captain had a point. The Death Dealer was a known ally to the Guild.
The masked marauder once rode through the north fighting brigands and putting
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