Petals on the River (51 page)

For once, he had to agree with Morrisa Hatcher.
 
The little man was as

detestable as the meanest rat.
 
The idea of leaving Annie in his care

without making some attempt to help her just didn't seem right somehow.

"Would you be of a mind to hire your bondswoman out for a fee, Mr.

Myers?"

Samuel Myers was clearly bemused.
 
He pushed his spectacles up higher on

his broad nose and, with a dubious smirk, contemplated Gage more

closely.
 
'What's the matter, Mister Thornton?
 
One wench aren't enough

for you?
 
You've got to have two in your bed?"

If it had been the man's intent to rile Gage, then he surely

accomplished his purpose, for Gage could feel an intensifying animosity

building within him as he returned a stony stare to the other's taunting

jeer.
 
Myers had evidently heard a great many rumors about him, whereas

Gage knew only that the man he conversed with was a haberdasher of

gentlemen's clothing.
 
Considering the gossips' zeal to wag their

tongues, it would not have surprised Gage if Samuel Myers considered him

a dangerous man.
 
As for that, the way Myers kept his right arm tucked

carefully behind his back led Gage to believe that a pistol was cocked

and held ready in the man's hand, for he just couldn't imagine the

little weasel being so reckless otherwise, especially if he believed all

the rumors that were being circulated about how dangerous the

cabinetmaker was.

"I have an employee whose wife is dangerously close to having a

miscarriage," Gage replied with measured care.
 
It was not the threat of

a pistol that made him cautious, but the realization that any show of

hostility might spoil his chances to help Shemaine's friend.
 
"Annie

said she could possibly be of assistance to Mrs.
 
Tate if she were able

to go.
 
If you'd allow her to leave with me, I'd be willing to pay you

for her time.
 
The doctor might be gone for a while, and right now

there's no one else at the Tates' who knows what to do."

"You could just as well take your own bondswoman over there, Mister

Thornton," Myers suggested, curling his lip in a sneer. "Unless, of

course, you can't bring yourself to part with the wench that long. She's

mighty fetching for an Irish bitch, and I'm wondering if she's as

pleasing to look at in bed as out."

"You use the word bitch much too loosely, Mr.
 
Myers, and presume upon a

lady's character," Gage retorted, feeling his temper rising sharply.

He paused a moment to regain control of himself before he spoke again.

"The girl is already there doing what she can, but she doesn't know

enough to be of much help to Mrs.
 
Tate."

Samuel Myers was always willing to make a coin in one fashion or

another, and he could think of no easier way to collect a goodly sum

than to allow his bondslave to earn it for him.
 
"How do I know I can

trust you to bring Annie back?"

Gage realized he would have to offer a generous guarantee to even

interest the man.
 
"If you'd like, I can leave a deposit in your care

equal to what you paid for her.
 
All you need do is show me some

evidence of what that amount may be and then sign a receipt promising to

return it once I bring Annie back."

"She cost me fifteen pounds," the man stated with a caustic snort.

"But twill cost you another five to lease her out."

"Five pounds!
 
Good heavens, man!
 
I'm not keeping her for a year!"

" Twill be five pounds or nothing at all." Mr.
 
Myers shrugged as he

exaggerated his own needs.
 
"I have important work for Annie to do here

and must be compensated for any delay her absence will cause me."

Gage became a little more demanding himself.
 
"For five pounds, I'll

expect to have her for at least two full weeks, nothing less."

Samuel Myers smirked.
 
"I suppose I can make do on my own for that long,

but be warned, if you don't bring her back, all the money will be mine."

"All the money will be yours," Gage grumbled in agreement, feeling as if

he'd just been swindled.
 
"But I'll need that receipt just in case you

might be of a mind to say that I've stolen her from you."

"You'll get your receipt," Mr.
 
Myers retorted insolently, "but she'll

leave here in the same clothes she came in."

Gage glanced around to see what Annie was wearing and promptly

wondered why the clothier concerned himself about such an unworthy

garment.

"Unless, of course," Myers prodded, "you're willing to pay for the gown,

too."' Gage declined with a disdaining jeer.
 
'You may keep the gown,

Mr.
 
Myers.
 
I'm sure I've seen better in Mrs.
 
Tate's rag bin."

Gage reclaimed his seat in the wagon a few moments later and headed back

toward the Tates' cabin, accompanied by Annie, who had garbed herself in

the gown she had worn during the voyage.
 
It was still just as ragged,

but thankfully it had been washed.

Shemaine would be relieved to see her friend, Gage knew, but as for

himself, there was much to think about.
 
He would have to figure out a

way to recoup his losses, because he just couldn't feature himself

returning a bondslave to a master who abused women like Samuel Myers had

proven himself capable of doing.
 
Neither could he imagine keeping Annie

himself, for he was completely content with Shemaine and didn't want to

invite another woman into his home on a permanent basis.

Although the Tates needed Annie at the present time, they couldn't

afford to buy her when they were saving nearly every farthing for their

sons' education.

At present, he couldn't think of what other options were open to him,

but hoped that he'd have some idea by the time her services were no

longer needed by the Tates.

On the seat beside him, Annie chafed like an overanxious mother. "Did ye

leave the doc a note so's he'd know where ta come when he returns?"

"I took care of that while you were changing clothes."

"An' ye put it in a place where he'll find it as soon as he returns?"

"Aye."

"In a safe place, where Mr.
 
Myers can't find it?"

''I slipped the note beneath his door, and the door is locked," Gage

answered, wearied by her relentless inquiries.

"What if he don't look down?
 
The doc is gettin' on in years, ye know.

He said he'd be two score an' five years come Friday next." It seemed an

extremely ancient age to Annie, who had barely a score of years to her

credit.

"Annie, stop your fretting,'' Gage urged impatiently.
 
"You vex me with

all your questions."

"I'm sorry, Mr.
 
Thornton," she murmured contritely.
 
'I just want ta

make sure the doc'll be comin' so's yer friends won't be dependin' on me

alone.
 
I knows a lot bout birthin' babies, coolin' a fever, or tendin'

wounds, but I'm thinkin' it might be better ta have someone there what's

had some proper learnin'."

"Proper learning or not, Annie, you'll be staying with the Tates for a

while to watch over Calley, so you may not be able to rely on the doctor

being there when you need him the most.
 
Ramsey works for me. He's also

my friend, and I want you to do what you can for his wife, to make her

comfortable and, if it's within your capability, to save the baby.
 
His

family means a lot to him.
 
Do you understand?"

"Aye, gov'na," she answered meekly.

"They have a little boy you'll be taking care of until Calley is on her

feet again," he said, glancing askance at her.

Annie's sudden elation was proof that she was now looking forward to

staying with the family.
 
Blissfully she sighed, "Oh, I'd like that."

Upon their arrival at the Tates', Gage went into the cottage to look for

Shemaine and found her in the kitchen preparing the noon meal.

He paused beside the hearth as she knelt to push a loaf of bread into

the iron oven.
 
"I brought a woman back with me who can help out here

for a while, so you and Andy can come back home with me when I leave."

"Mr.
 
Tate insisted that I cook enough for all of us," she explained,

closing the oven door and rising to her feet.
 
"He was quite emphatic

about you staying to eat with him."

"We can stay that long if it means so much to him," Gage assured her.

Shemaine smiled gently.
 
"I'm sure your presence will help distract him,

Mr.
 
Thornton.
 
He' s been beside himself since you left.

He refused to sleep, though I told him Calley was feeling better.
 
He' s

out chopping wood in the back yard right now just to keep himself from

worrying.

Perhaps if you'd spend some time with him before we leave, it would help

him get through this."

"I'll do what I can, Shemaine," Gage replied.
 
"In the meantime, why

don't you show the woman into the bedroom and introduce her to Calley?"

Shemaine was somewhat bewildered by his directive, for she could only

assume the woman would have to introduce herself, but when Gage stepped

aside to reveal the one who had followed him in, Shemaine gave a glad

cry and flung herself into the open arms of her friend.

"Oh, Annie!
 
I was so worried about you!" she exclaimed with tears

filling her eyes.
 
She hugged the tiny woman and then stepped back to

have a better look at her, but her joyful expression turned to one of

gloom as she noticed Annie's face.
 
Reaching out a hand, she touched the

bruised cheek tenderly.
 
"Is this something your master did, or did you

perhaps walk into a wall?"