Fields of Fire (28 page)

“What is it?” Jalene asked in alarm,

“I don’t know. Let’s have a look, Hug.” He retrieved two muskets from underneath the seat and handed one to Hug.

“I didn’t know we carried weapons,” Jalene said in surprise, as if she had suddenly been reminded of the possible danger they faced every day. “What do you plan to do?”

“Wait here,” Taylor ordered her. He jumped down from the wagon. Hug silently followed suit and together they swiftly but cautiously stepped down the road.

Taylor glanced over his shoulder at Hug. He wanted some reassurance from Hug that he could still depend on him—that what had recently transpired between them would not affect his sound judgement. He wanted to ask, but would not add insult to injury. Instead, he would assume it was business as usual.

When another shot exploded from nearby, Taylor said, “It sounds like it’s coming from in front of us, but down the road a ways.”

“Aye, it’s coming from near the end of this wood where the countryside is open meadow once again,” Hug added, breaking his silence.

A noise that sounded like a muffled sneeze caused them both to turn at once to check behind them.

“Damn it, Jalene! Get back to the wagon.” Taylor spoke in as loud a voice as he considered to be safe. “I told you to wait for us.”

“I know what you said, but I’ll not sit by myself wondering about the two of you. Besides, I thought I was supposed to be safer with you.”

With her arms folded across her chest, she stood in a way that suggested she was prepared to battle with him. Her dyed-black hair was windblown and tossed about her shoulders. She changed gowns and now wore the new midnight blue gown he’d given her. A wisp of hair caught on the midnight blue crescent patch. He reached to brush her cheek—time enough for her to let down her guard and for him to catch the glimpse of fear in her eyes. Despite the cocky stance and the hopeful expression on her face, Jalene was frightened.

A tightness gripped his chest. He was worried—not about the gunshots or what lay ahead, but should any harm come to her ... Christ! Was he right to have brought her along? If anything happened to her ...

She meant more to him than he realized, but now was not the time to analyze to what degree.

He touched her cheek with the back of his hand and said, “Aye, to be sure, you are safer with me. I’ll not let any harm come to you. Stay close behind Hug.”

Jalene obeyed. Five minutes later, as they neared their objective, she hoped all her trepidation was for nothing, but even as the thought occurred, evil-sounding male laughter rang through the air as they neared the source of the shots.

Taylor paused and put his finger to his lips, gesturing for them to be especially quiet before he gingerly led them through a section of trees and thick underbrush. They were almost to the open meadow. He peered through the branches then motioned for Hug to take a peek. Wondering what they saw, she moved to Taylor’s side and quietly did the same.

She momentarily covered her mouth with both hands to prevent from making any sound. Within easy hearing distance, she watched as two highwaymen on horseback—each wearing a hood and a grotesque mask of a distorted wolf face—held at gunpoint a tinker family who’d camped with their caravan at the edge of the wood. She noticed a skittish horse tied to a shrub near a narrow stream a short distance beyond the conveyance and realized that the tinkers had chosen this spot for the water. A woman, perhaps a few years younger than herself, held a fearful, clinging toddler in her arms. Apparently, she had been returning from the stream and became caught halfway between it and the caravan. An elderly woman and a man nearer Taylor’s age stood helplessly alongside the caravan as one of the highwaymen dismounted, shoved his pistol into the waistband of his breeches and approached them.

“Get over here,” the highwayman on horseback yelled to the young woman. His partner immediately started to investigate the wagon.

The tinker caravan was bow-roofed, box-shaped and not so large that a single horse couldn’t pull it. The outside was brightly painted in red, with green and black bits of wood trim that outlined the narrow entrance in the front behind the driver’s seat and a wider means of entering the caravan at the rear. Concealed along the length of the conveyance was a board that the highwayman jerked open to display pails, cups and assorted tinware hanging inside. The clinking noise they made as the highwayman rummaged his way through them sounded loud in the open air.

She felt a tap on her arm and turned towards it. “Stay here, Jalene, or you’ll pay dearly for disobeying me,” Taylor spoke so softly she could barely hear him, yet there was no mistaking the threat his words carried. He whispered to Hug. “You know what to do.”

“Aye,” Hug answered, and they both took off in opposite directions.

Once more, she peered through the branches and underbrush in time to hear the highwayman who had been searching the caravan jokingly say to his accomplice, “Want to play catch?” He tossed a tin cup up at him and threw several out across the field.

His partner laughed, but remained seated on his horse.

“Please, don’t be doin’ that now,” the tinker man said. “I made it all wi’ me own hands, and ‘tis hard enough to sell without dents and repairs.”

“Is that right?” the highwayman said in a jeering tone. “I’m sorry.” He immediately reached into the wagon and pulled out one of the larger bowls, tossed it upside down to the ground and stomped on it with his boot heel.

What could the poor tinker man do? Jalene asked herself. If he tried to defend himself, one of those horrible men would harm them. Would they kill them? Dear Lord, she hoped not. Silently, she pleaded for Taylor and Hug to hurry to the rescue.

The tinker man held his arms out in supplication, “This is me only way to keep me family fed. Why would you be wantin’ to do that?”

“Pickings were meager today. We needed a bit of fun— just that simple,” the highwayman said, and laughed through his mask. “Right?” he glanced at his friend.

The voice behind the other frightening wolf mask grunted a “Yeah,” and added, “But let’s be on our way now.”

“I haven’t even searched the caravan completely,” the highwayman on foot whined. “I’ve never seen a wagon like this before. It’s like a room on wheels.”

“There’s too many small villages not far from here which makes the odds greater for someone to come along,” the mounted highwayman answered.

“You’re a bit late for that,” Hug spoke in a loud commanding voice. Slowly, he approached the highwayman on horseback from behind while he kept his musket aimed at the man’s back. “Drop your pistol.”

Relief washed over Jalene as she watched the weapon tumble to the ground, but no sooner had that action transpired when the other highwayman grabbed his pistol from his waistband and caught hold of the older woman, wrapping his arm around her neck. He shouted at Hug, “I think you better drop your weapon, or I’ll shoot this old crone.”

The young woman and man came forward both talking at once, begging the highwayman to do her no harm. The captured woman, to Jalene’s amazement, said nary a word. Hug tossed his musket aside, and her heart sank into her stomach at the turn of events. Her only source of consolation was that she knew Taylor was waiting to appear at the right moment. But what if something went wrong? What if Taylor became captured, too? Concern for his welfare overcame her, and she knew her feelings for Taylor were more than simply attraction. Dear Lord, where was he?

From the woods near her, Taylor sneaked behind the armed highwayman before his partner on horseback could warn him.

“Don’t move except to release the woman, or you’re a dead man,” Taylor commanded.

“I’ll shoot her first,” the highwayman nervously answered.

“And, you’ll be dead,” Taylor responded in a matter of fact way. “Unless you’re ready to meet your maker, I’d drop the pistol.”

The highwayman did so and with tears of relief on their faces, the tinker family scrambled to embrace each other. Meanwhile, Taylor and Hug saw to the highwaymen.

One highwayman dismounted and held his hands up in surrender. Hug shoved the other forward in the direction of a clump of oak trees in the distance. Both Taylor and Hug apparently were taking no chances as they held their weapons on the highwaymen.

“Thank God,” Jalene murmured aloud. Thinking that she might be of assistance to the tinker women, she plodded through the wood to the edge of the meadow.

“Can I help?” she yelled and waved to them.

“Christ! I told you to stay put.” Taylor stomped over to meet Jalene.

When he got within a few feet, she said, “I did. I wanted to see if I could help.”

“I didn’t want these bandits to see your face.”

“Why not?” she asked, confused by his line of reasoning.

“It’s safer that way, but since you’re here, you can make yourself useful after we get rid of those two.” He started walking the short way to where Hug guarded the highwaymen.

“You’re not going to shoot them, are you?” she asked, hurrying after Taylor.

“Nay, I’m not going to shoot them, but we can’t take the time to bring them to the authorities either. For the moment, all I can do is see that they cause no further grief.”

Jalene glanced at the tinker family, who were quietly watching. She gave them a reassuring smile before she turned her attentions to Taylor and Hug.

“Where the hell did you find those?” Taylor said as he ripped the highwaymen’s grotesque masks from their faces, exposing two dull, ordinary men. “Thieving isn’t terrifying enough to someone, so you resort to wearing frightening masks?” Taylor stepped towards one of the highwaymen and spoke into his face.

“We only just got ‘em. This is the first time using them,” the highwayman answered.

“And, your last,” Taylor said, and tossed the masks to Hug. “Get rid of these later, but first let’s get their hands tied behind their backs.”

Once they were secured, he and Hug escorted them to a safe distance from where the tinkers camped and bound each one to a large oak tree.

Hug came back and swatted the rumps of each of the highwaymen’s horses and sent them on their way towards the nearest town. Taylor approached the tinker man. “That should keep them for the night. If they get noisy, shove something into their mouths. In the morning, go to the nearest authorities and tell them where the thieves are.”

The tinker man nodded. “Thank ye for yer help, but won’t ye please stay and share a meal and our camp with us. It’s not much, but ‘tis the only way I can repay ye.”

Jalene knew that tinkers normally didn’t allow strangers amongst them, and that the food they offered was hard-earned. It would be a great insult to refuse the man, and Taylor would never do so.

“With pleasure, we accept your generosity.” Taylor gave a slight bow, grabbed her by the hand, and said, “This is Jalene, my woman.” He put his arm around Hug’s shoulder, “You can call him, Grandda.”

The tinker man grinned from ear to ear. “Me name is Lem. This is me ma. She don’t talk. Some sickness, I don’t remember what, but she lost her voice since. This is me wife, Twyla and me son, Jonathan.” Proudly, he gathered them closer to him.

After introductions were exchanged, Taylor and Hug retrieved their cask-laden wagon from the roadside and helped Lem make preparations to spend the night.

Shortly thereafter, they congregated around the campfire. If she hadn’t known better, she would have thought Taylor and Hug were part of Lem’s family. Taylor, with his black wig, green breeches and copper-colored embroidered waistcoat, rivaled Lem with his red pants and plaid shirt. Hug, though dressed in more somber colors of brown and beige, appeared to be the perfect match to Lem’s ma. Jalene inwardly smiled and pitched in to help the tinker women with dinner.

She soon learned that although Twyla was cordial, she was as shy as her child, and of course, Lem’s ma couldn’t speak. This gave Jalene the opportunity to study the tinkers.

The garments they wore were not remarkable or exotic, like those of the gypsies she’d heard about in England and other countries. In fact, it was the tinker family’s total disregard for fashion that set them apart. Their clothing was as brightly colored as their caravan, and strikingly mismatched. It also covered them well for little skin showed. Feeling conspicuous in her own low-cut gown, she pulled her black lacy shawl more securely across her breasts before she studied Jonathan, the child, who now crawled about his father’s lap. Even the toddler’s clothing was mismatched, as well as being several sizes too large.

Twyla handed her some leeks to cut up and add to the pot with the cabbage. In doing so, Jalene spotted the simple silver wedding band on her finger. This too, now made her feel self-conscious about her relationship with Taylor, and she wondered what the tinkers must have thought about her. Did they see her as the trollop she portrayed? Would they care? She heard stories about tinkers, gypsies and other itinerant people being promiscuous, but this tinker family certainly did not seem so. Perhaps the stories were mere stories. It bothered her that these kind people might think of her in a negative way, but considering the circumstances, it couldn’t be helped.

She watched Twyla and smiled. The woman wore her dark brown hair loose and flyaway. Aside from her ring, the only jewelry that adorned her consisted of a pair of gold loop earrings. Lem’s ma, who was preparing the mutton, was an older, heavier version of Twyla. She wore similar gold earrings. Lem’s ma also sported a ring with a large, oval amber-colored stone. She caught Jalene watching her and gave her a warm, toothless smile.

Eventually, the meal was ready to be consumed. Twyla scooped mutton, cabbage and leeks into bowls, and Jalene handed the food and utensils out to everyone. Twyla seated herself next to Lem, while his ma plopped herself down next to Hug. The twinkle in her eye suggested to Jalene that she had taken a liking to him. Finally, Jalene took a place next to Taylor and in as ladylike manner as possible devoured her own food. As she did so, she noticed that Lem’s chest showed a strange bulge. She hoped Lem hadn’t caught her staring, but his next actions proved he had.