Small Magics (37 page)

“I was beginning to worry you’d bargain us out of a ride,” Thomas said as they headed up the stairs. To celebrate their luck, Thomas splurged and got a room with beds enough for all of them. The inn-keeper, quite pleased at the expenditure, threw in the costs of the baths for free and led them to their room personally, the wash-tub hanging off one arm.

George grinned. “You can’t bargain if you’re not willing to turn your back on the deal. Besides, I knew he’d come down.”

The innkeeper opened a large room with four beds in it and ushered them in. He put the tub on the floor, promised the water would be up as soon as it was heated, and left them. George dropped his bag and began checking the beds. After a few moments, he declared them vermin free and quite comfortable.

“Good,” Thomas tossed his bag onto one of the beds. “I could use a night on a mattress.”

“We should go get the food,” George said. “Before the farmers head home for the day.”

“We should,” agreed Thomas. He turned to Eileen. “But first, we need to figure out what to call you.”

“I thought of that when you tried to introduce me,” Eileen said. “Any suggestions?”

“Reginald?” said George.

“Too noble,” countered Eileen. “Charles?”

“You don’t look like a Charles,” said Thomas. “Algernon?”

“No.”

“Edward?”

“Mmm… no.”

“Eustace?”

“No, George, not Eustace.”

“Well, we need something,” said Thomas. “You’re the one that’s going to have to remember it, you pick.”

“All right, let me think.” She did, then smiled. “Alexander. Alex for short.”

“Alex works,” said Thomas. “All right. Alex it is.” He turned to George. “George, meet Alex.”

“Alex,” George shook his head. “I’m not sure I can get used to it.”

“You’d better,” Thomas warned him. “
He’s
got to travel with us for at least a week.”

A knock at the door ended any further discussion. Thomas opened it and found a rather buxom young woman with a steaming bucket of water in each hand.

“Here it is,” She stepped inside and set them down. “We had some heating for the dishes, so we brought it up for you.” She looked them over. “Will you all be needing baths, then?”

“Aye,” said Thomas. “I’ll need to fetch more water,” said the girl. “Will you be bathing together or one at a time?” “Separately, I think,” Thomas turned to Eileen. “George and I will get the

supplies while you wash up.”

“All right,” said Eileen. “Take your time.”

The young lady smiled at Eileen. “Would you like some help washing your back, then?”

Eileen’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

“It’s no difficulty,” the girl smiled wider and moving closer, “and only a small fee.”

Thomas worked very hard at not laughing as Eileen turned bright red. George didn’t bother, and chortled while Eileen stammered out, “No, thank you.”

“All right.” The girl turned to Thomas and George. “And you?”

“Not me, thanks,” said Thomas. “George?”

George took his time replying, and all the while his sister glared daggers at him. “No, I suppose not,” he said at last. “Thanks, anyway.”

She smiled. “Well, let me know when you want more water.” She turned an eye to George. “You’ll certainly need an extra bucket or two.”

She left, closing the door behind her. Eileen waited until she was gone, then turned on George. “I don’t see what you’re laughing at!”

“The colour of your face, for one.” George’s chortling grew louder. “And the look on it when she made the offer.”

“And I suppose
you’d
have taken her up on it?”

“Well, she is pretty…”

“That’s it,” Eileen pushed her brother, then Thomas towards the door. “Out! Both of you!”

Thomas, now laughing as hard as George, let himself be driven from the room. The two stood in the hallway a while, letting their laughter die down. “Right,” said George. “We’d best get supplies.”

“And some more clothes for Alex, there,” Thomas said. “He won’t be happy if he has to put dirty clothes on a clean body.”

“He?” George looked confused for a moment, then comprehension came. “Of course. We’ll see what we can find for
him
.” He grinned again. “It might even be enough to get us forgiven. Come on.”

Chapter 17

Two days slipped past like the banks of the river. Thomas and George had presented Eileen with the clothes they’d found for her at the market, and she almost forgave them. The next morning the three shared breakfast with the Gloust family, then brought their food and bags aboard and settled themselves into the corner of the raft they had been given as their own.

The four sons had undone the ropes that held the barge to the dock and pushed it away from the banks with long poles. The river had a strong current, and once away from the dock, the barge moved at a good clip downstream. Thomas sat at the side of the barge, watching the shore drift past for most of the first morning. Sometimes the road was in sight, sometimes it vanished behind the trees. Occasional farms broke the edge of the forest; houses and cleared land coming up to the water’s edge. On the second afternoon, a stone circle, smaller than the one Thomas had slept in two weeks before, drifted into view. Time and weather had done their worst, leaving the stones looking like broken teeth, upthrust from the earth.

The water itself flowed clear, the mud of the spring run-off having settled a month before. From his spot Thomas spotted schools of fish and the thick river weeds deep below them. On one occasion, they passed over the remains of another boat, sunk long before. He pointed it out to George and Eileen before going back to his place and resuming his watch of the shore.

There was little else to do on board. The barge moved south at the pace of the current, and while one of the four sons was always on watch for snags or sandbanks, they spent the rest of their time playing at cards or dice, or wrestling on the open space of the deck. Their mother did not approve of this last pastime, and often threatened to toss her children into the river. George watched the wrestling with amusement, but didn’t join in.

The boys invited their guests to join them in their card games, and George dove in. After the first day, though, he handed the purse of gold to Thomas and made him solemnly swear not to give it back until they were on land again. Eileen and Thomas joined the games occasionally, but Thomas was far too conscious that he was now holding all the money for the three and Eileen disliked gambling with the boys. She had, she said, a hunch they were cheating, but couldn’t prove it.

The boys’ father liked to play chess, and Thomas played against him several times. The man was good, though Thomas was better. Eileen also had a few games with Captain Gloust, and the two turned out to be an even match.

Thomas still didn’t sleep well.

He had hoped that being on the barge would help. There was no way for the bishop or his men to know where he was, and certainly no way for them to catch him. Once Thomas got to Hawksmouth, he could find his friends and books on witchcraft and a way to stop the bishop. There was nothing for him to do but wait.

Unfortunately, his mind would not accept that idea. It kept prodding at him to do something. Anything. He lay wide awake until nearly dawn on the first night, his mind running him ragged. The second day, after lunch and a pair of chess games, Thomas spent most of his afternoon wandering back and forth in the cleared space on the deck, mind racing and body restless. At last, George told him to either sit down or be sat on.

After dinner, Thomas found a stack of crates near the bow and sat down with his back to them, looking out at the banks of the river and the water they flowed on. He played a game of trying to identify every tree they floated past, but it wasn’t enough to calm him or stop his mind from worrying at his problems like a dog with a bone. He stayed there anyway, running through the relaxation exercises he had learned, going over stories and poems in his mind, remembering articles of law and their applications; anything to take his mind away from the constant barrage of worries and fear. He brought out his little book of poetry and attempted to translate the next poem, but couldn’t stay focused enough to do it. Nothing worked, and he ended up watching the sunset from his vantage point.

It was long after dark when Eileen touched him on the arm. He turned, surprised to see her still awake.

“Can I sit with you?” she asked.

“Aye, sure,” Thomas moved over on the crate. She sank down beside him, crossing her legs tailor-fashion. She was wearing green beeches and vest, though both looked grey in the light of the stars and partial moon. Her white shirt shone in the pale light.

“George is snoring up a storm,” she said, leaning back against the wall of crates. “It woke me up.”

Thomas cocked his head and caught the clear buzz of George’s snoring. He smiled. “I’m not surprised.”

“I’m worried about the card games he’s playing with those boys,” Eileen shook her head, the shaggy hair waving into her eyes. She pushed it aside. “They’re going to take all his money, at this rate.”

“He seems to be doing pretty well,” said Thomas. “At least, he says he is.”

“He’s breaking even. I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to take it all.”

“I wouldn’t be either. That’s why I’m not playing.”

“And why are you not sleeping?”

Thomas turned to her, saw the concern etched in the moonlight on her face.

“You always look awful in the morning,” Eileen said. “And you spent half of today wandering about as if you’re looking at something different than everybody else. How long has it been since you’ve really slept?”

Thomas thought about saying it wasn’t so bad, or that he always slept this little. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the truth, and he had no desire to lie to her. He sighed. “Since I got home.” He stopped and a small, bitter smile crept over his face. “Since I didn’t get home, I should say.”

“That long?” Eileen sounded appalled. “You must be exhausted.”

“Not really,” said Thomas. “I always have trouble sleeping when I’m worried. That’s why I did so well on my exams. I couldn’t sleep so I’d get up and study. Cost a fortune in candles and lamp oil, though.” He turned back to the dark waters of the river, wondered what was swimming underneath them. “It got worse after Lakewood.”

Eileen didn’t say anything to that, but one hand crept to her stomach, and something in her expression hardened. She looked away from him, staring into the river the way Thomas had done the moment before.

“It will get better,” Thomas said, more to bring Eileen away from her memories than from any real belief it was true. “We’ll get to the city and I’ll find out how to stop the bishop. I’ll sleep better after that.”

“That could take a long time.”

“It could take forever,” Thomas said. “In which case I’ll see a lot more sunrises than I used to.”

Eileen put her hand on his arm. “You need sleep.”

“I know,” Thomas sighed. “I’m just not going to get it right now.”

They sat in silence for a while. The banks of the river ghosted past, the trees vague shapes in the night. Moon and starlight glanced off the surface of the river. Thomas watched it roll with the ripples of the water.

“Tell me about the Academy,” Eileen said.

Thomas shook his head. “I’ve told you about it.”

“You told a couple of stories,” she corrected. “Not what it was like. Besides, you need to stop worrying and I need something to distract me from that noise,” she gestured back in the direction of her slumbering brother. “What’s your favourite class?”

“Philosophy.”

“Why?”

“Exactly.”

Eileen glared at him. “Very funny. What’s your favourite place?”

“
The Broken Quill.
Best pub in the student quarter. Good food, good music, cheap ale.”

“Favourite book?”

“
The Arguments of the Ancients.
”

“How many girls have you courted?”

“Hundreds.”

“Any you didn’t imagine?”

Thomas chuckled. “Some.”

“Any waiting for you?”

“No, not that it’s your business.”

“Any you spent Fire Night with?”

“They don’t celebrate Fire Night in the city,” Thomas said, glad the dark was hiding his blush. “And
that
is definitely not your business.”

Eileen laughed. “I thought so. Who were they?”

Thomas, feeling the blush rising up even further, tried to counter, “I’ll tell when you will.”

“I have nothing to tell.”

“I’m sure.”

“No one dares. Have you seen the size of my brother?”

“Aye, and that wouldn’t stop a boy for an instant. Who were they?”

“Aren’t we supposed to be talking about you?”

He peered at her through the darkness. “Are you blushing, now?”

“No. Now tell me.”

“I said I’d tell if you would.”

Eileen looked out at the river. Thomas was sure she was blushing, and wished he could see well enough to know. When she spoke again, her voice was much quieter. “You promise not to tell anyone?”

Thomas felt his heart pick up its pace. “I do.”

“Really?”

“Really,” said Thomas. “I promise.”

“All right.” Eileen looked over her shoulder, as if her brother would suddenly appear, awake and listening, then leaned in close. She swallowed, then blurted, “I haven’t spent Fire Night with anyone, yet. Michael Pembleton and I got to kissing once, but he was only doing it to make Lisa Grant jealous. And at New Year I let Billy Grant get his hand down my blouse.”

“Lucky him.”

“Shut up,” Eileen hit him. She was definitely blushing, Thomas was sure. “Now you tell.”

“You sure you want to know?”

“Aye.”

“Well…”

“Thomas, if you don’t tell me I’ll never speak to you again!”

“All right,” Thomas leaned back against the crates. “There were two. One was Christine. She was a shop-girl. It lasted for maybe a month. She tossed me aside for a young noble with more money.”

“Nice. And the other?”

Thomas smiled. “The other was Alison Dunlow.”

“I take it that went better?”

Thomas, remembering many stolen afternoons with her, smiled wider. “Aye, it did.”