Read Online Reckless Angel by Jane Feather - Free Book Online

girl.”
    â€œâ€™Tis a great sum for me, sir.” Henrietta sniveled, reaching into the pocket of her jerkin for one of the coins. “But ’tis worth it to see me father buried decent.”
    â€œA Malignant would give me five pound for such a pass,” the sergeant informed her irritably, pocketing the crown. “What are the names to go on here?”
    â€œBolt, sir,” Henrietta said. “I’m Meg Bolt, ’n me grandfer’s Daniel Bolt, ’n me brother’s Will Bolt, ’n ’is friend who’s comin’ fer protection is Tom…Tom Grant, sir.”
    â€œAnd y’are going to Spittal Fields?”
    â€œAye, sir, if you please, sir.”
    There was silence, disturbed only by the scratching of quill on parchment and Henrietta’s noisy sniffs. At last the sergeant shook the sandcaster over the parchment, dropped wax from the candle upon it, and pressed Parliament’s seal into the wax. “There.” He handed the parchment to her. “Ye may travel freely from here to Spittal Fields in the city of London, but nowhere else. If ye stray from the route and are challenged, this pass will not guarantee ye safe passage. ’Tis understood?”
    â€œAye, sir, yer honor, sir. I can’t thank ye enough, sir.” Backing to the door, clutching the precious parchment, Henrietta gabbled inanely, interspersed with frequent sniffs.
    The sergeant impatiently waved the trooper after her.“See the wench beyond the gate, Bates. And I’ll thank ye to bring me no more of that kind this night.”
    â€œCome along a’me, lass.” Trooper Bates smiled kindly. “’E’s not a bad sort, the sergeant, but ’e don’t like ’is evenings disturbed.”
    In five minutes, Henrietta was outside the castle, safe conduct to London for three men and a woman in her jerkin pocket, and a three-mile walk through the dark night ahead of her. But exhilaration winged her feet—exhilaration and triumph. Sir Daniel and Tom had scorned her plan and even Will had been less than encouraging. Now, without a scrap of help from any of them, she had secured the passes that would enable them to travel swiftly and in some comfort. So jubilant was she that not even the thought of what journey’s end in London might bring could dampen her self-congratulation.
    It was close to midnight when she reached the ruined farm. Only then did it occur to her to wonder what the others had made of her disappearance. She stood for a moment in the yard, her heart hammering, her eyes peering into the darkness, now lightened by the fleeting glimmer of a shy moon. Perhaps they believed her lost or taken by soldiers. If so, they would surely have left. They were intending to continue the journey by night as usual. Could they have done so? Abandoned her? No, Will would have known what she intended. He would have known that she could not have endured such a snub as Sir Daniel had administered without proving him wrong. Will would have made them stay for her return. He would have, wouldn’t he?
    With a surge of panic, she ran to the barn and stood panting in the doorway, gazing into the deserted, pitchy shed. She did not need light to tell her it was empty of all but rats. There were no horsey stirrings and whifflings and no sense at all of a human presence.
    â€œBy God, Henrietta, how dare you do such a thing! How dare you disappear in such reckless, thoughtless fashion.”
    She spun around with a cry, half of relief and half of alarm, at the enraged whisper behind her. “Oh, Sir Daniel, I thought you had left me.”
    â€œâ€™Twould be the least you deserve,” he said savagely. “I have spent the last four hours in the crotch of an oak tree, and heaven alone knows how Will and Tom are faring.”
    â€œBut I have a pass for all of us,” she said, the words tumbling over themselves as she felt for the parchment in her jerkin.