The Time Sphere (20 page)

Billy quietly observed Maurice’s wife and children
, who were also garbed in costly clothing.  However, their clothes were simple and worn for daily use.  Madeleine was a pretty young woman with dark blond hair and light blue eyes.  She wore her tresses pulled back into a bun, the hair feathered and rising high off her head. 

She wore a short jacket, and her elbow length sleeves were like her husband’s, puffed and slashed at the sides.  Her blue skirt belled out and flowed to the floor.  Around her neck was a stiff white collar, held up by wire.  The color of her outfit was a plain solid blue and finished with small black pointed shoes.  Like her husband, her clothes were dirt smeared and frayed. 

Their two children were similarly dressed and in the same condition.  Both were light haired and eyed like their mother.

Dickens smiled at him and his wife and then turned his gaze to the two youngsters at the woman’s feet.  “Hello there,” he greeted them in a low and friendly tone. 

Their only response was to silently stare up at the old man, their eyes appearing overly large on their small and sunken faces.  Dickens lets out a small laugh, reached into his coat and pulled out two shiny red apples.  The children stared at the fruit as if they were an apparition and moved not a muscle to reach for them. 

“Go on, t
hey’re yours,” he prompted with a smile. 

Finally, the dazed children reached out their hands for the treat, their expressions not quite believing their luck.  As they bite into the fruit, its juices ran down their chins.  They looked up at their mother and their eyes conveyed a joyful emotion for the first time.

“Monsieur, where did you get these?” exclaimed the woman, tears of happiness in her eyes. 

For the first time, someone in the town truly looked at the new comers.  Madeleine gazed at her guests in a direct and forthcoming manner, “Who are you? 
Your dress, this food?  However did you get into La Rochelle?” she demanded.  Her tone quickly went from elated to suspicious.

“La Rochelle?  France is it?” Billy heard Dickens murmur.

“Your accent, are you British?  Did the British sneak you all in?  Are you employed by their army to help us?” she further inquired as hope set into her blue eyes.

“Madeleine, hush now.  We can talk later.  Let our guests rest,” Maurice softly ordered his wife, giving her a light kiss on the top of her head.  She closed her eyes, burrowing her head into the crook of his arm.

Billy walked over to the only window in the room and stuck his head out in order to get an idea of where they were.  He could see that the town was surrounded by a large stone wall.  There was a large harbor to the west, flanked by two enormous towers.  Across the inlet leading into the harbor, Billy could see a long bridge type structure with a wooden building on it, closing it off.

Billy then noticed an island, surrounded by large ships.  He looked to the other side of the harbor and could see a large army encampment reaching into the horizon.  As he gazed at both sides, he noticed that
different colored flags and pendants waved in the air. 

The realization suddenly struck Billy.  This small town was flanked by two very different armies and that he, Dickens and Jeanie were stranded right in the middle of them.

Chapter 29

Madeleine found suitable clothing for her unexpected guests and eyed their old garments with a curious gaze as she set them aside.  They were clothed
in a similar fashion as their hosts and the garments were in the same ratty condition.  Billy almost laughed when he saw Jeanie’s face after she was dressed in her new clothes.  For once she wasn’t very impressed with her attire.

Everyone
seated themselves at the wooden table in front of the heating stove.  Billy stared down into his bowl, which seemed to be a hot bowl of steaming…he didn’t have a clue.  The liquid was foggy and opaque, with dark brown chunks floating in it.  He was feeling hungry, but didn’t know if he was hungry enough to eat this.

“I am sorry, this is all that we have,” apologized a red faced Madeleine at seeing her guest’s expression.

Billy caught Dickens eye and judging from the frown on his face, he was telling Billy to eat the meal and be thankful for it.  Billy took a spoonful and gingerly placed it in his mouth. 

The broth had no flavor and the brown pieces of meat were tough, extremely tough.  Billy was having a hard time chewing the food at all.  He looked at Jeanie and found that she was having as much trouble as him.  

Maurice laughed at the difficulty the children were having.  “It takes getting used to, but believe me, a little shoe leather is better than nothing.  The trick is boiling it all day and my Madeleine has mastered the technique.” He winked at his red-faced wife and then heartily began eating his food. 

Billy almost choked.  H
e was eating somebody’s shoe!  He shut his eyes and forced the tough material down his throat, making his eyes water.  He cleared his throat.  “Thank you,” he said as he pounded his chest.

Dickens looked about the room.  “This seems to be some type of storage space.  What was your occupation?”

“I sold grains.  This area was where I stored them.  Now, we are reduced to living up here.  Not long after the siege had begun, my store was looted, and all of the grain was taken,” Maurice stated in a low and angry voice, not looking up from his meal.

As Dickens blew on his soup, he innocently inquired, “I gather times are tough.  How long has it been this way?”

Maurice’s face turned into a scowl and his eyes burned.  “Since the French built the blockade across the inlet, blocking the British from bringing us supplies.  For most of the siege, the British has aided us with food and such.  Now we are on our own.  People have died by the thousands, and many have resorted to eating their pets.  That is how low this siege has brought us.  My family is eating their shoes for dinner.  This war!”  He pounded his fist against the table.   “Fathers and husbands have lost the dignity of taking care of their own and reduced to watch them starve to death!”

Madeleine put her hand on her husband’s arm and said in a gentle voice, “Now Maurice, don’t upset the children.  We know you do the best you can.”

Maurice turned to look at his wife with a saddened expression.  “The best I can? I almost stole food out of a child’s hand, Madeleine.  This is not living. We are the living dead of La Rochelle.”

“What is everybody fighting about?” asked Jeanie, gaining a curious stare from Madeleine.

Maurice almost smiled as he responded, “Yes, that is a good question, young lady!  The King Louis XIII and his man, the Cardinal Richelieu, feel that there are too many Huguenot supporters in France.  As you must know, France and her king is Catholic.  But the Huguenot Protestants have grown powerful, and France has set out to obliterate them.  La Rochelle is the last protestant stronghold in France.  The king and his Cardinal have come to destroy us.”

Maurice shook his head and continued.  “My family and I are not even Protestant, but Catholic and have nothing to do with the politics of France.  However, we are here and are now drawn into the middle of their fight.  The king himself and the Cardinal are here overseeing the siege.”

“I noticed two armies, who else is here?” Billy asked, as he valiantly tried to chew on another hunk of leather.

“That is the British who are based on the Isle of Re.  They have been our allies since the beginning and brought us our necessities.  But since the building of the blockade in the harbor, there has been nothing.”

Billy looked at Dickens with a smirk.  “So you guys
do
have people trying to bring in food and stuff?”

“Young man, the British came here in order to instigate a rebellion between the Huguenots and the French king.  We may have gotten food and supplies in the past from the British, but that was in order to gain the city’s cooperation.  La Rochelle has no true allies, for both sides are willing to sacrifice us for their own political gain.”

“Dear, they are trying,” said Madeleine with a hopeful smile.

“Trying!
Delegates from the town went begging to the king to spare us.  He was about to grant their wish when they thought once again the British could save us.  They turned their backs on the king and the British navy attempted to break through the blockade, but they have failed!  Now you have seen the king’s fury and the cannons fall upon the city as our punishment,” her husband passionately replied.

Madeleine put her hand on
Maurice’s cheek and in a low and excited voice she said, “Maurice, I have heard whispers of a cease fire among the townsfolk.  It is said that the British are going into negotiations with the French over our surrender.” 

“What?  Like the last time?  I doubt the king will even believe them, but I pray he does.  This siege has lasted for over a year.  It is now the year 1628 and we
cannot live through much more,” he stated wearily, not allowing himself to hope.

“When is this supposed to happen?” asked Dickens
, with urgency in his voice.

“I heard within the next few days.  A small group representing the town will meet with a British contingent and discuss our surrender to the French,” Madeleine replied, as she stared at the older man in front of her.  “Why?  Do you have something to do with this?”

“No, my lady, we are but wanderers who have strayed down the wrong path,” Dickens cryptically replied.

“I do not understand how you have come to be here and why?”  The woman’s suspicious tone was returning.

“I cannot say, but I will tell your family this.  The siege is going to end soon.  Please trust me.  Allow me and my wards to stay here and we will be gone in a few days.”

Madeleine looked to her husband.  “I, I, do not see how that will be possible.  There is no food…” the woman stammered, unable to finish, just gazing at Dickens and shaking her head.

Dickens rose from the table and went to retrieve his large overcoat.  As he sat back down, he pulled out six apples and placed them on the table.  “Will this be payment enough?”

Madeleine’s eyes widened and said nothing as she took the bounty and walked quickly to her small makeshift kitchen. 

Maurice let out a loud belly laugh.  “Well, I guess that means you can stay!”

The tiny group settled in for the night in one of the empty bedrooms on the second floor of the Merriot’s home.   Dickens, Billy and Jeanie made beds out of old grain sacks, piled high on top of each other.  Madeleine gave them thin
course blankets for the night.

As he lay on the hard wooden floor, Billy stared out into the black, his mind going over the day’s events.  He understood that glint in Dickens eyes well enough by now and knew that the wily old man knew something he wasn’t sharing with him and Jeanie.  It had bee
n a long and tiring day, but Billy knew he wasn’t going to get to sleep without any answers.  

He twisted his body to face Dickens and put his head in his hand, which he propped up with his elbow.  “Ok, Dickens, so what are we doing here?  I know you’ve figur
ed something out,” Billy whispered loudly in an accusatory tone.

“What do you mean?” mumbled the old man.  His eyes were closed and he was obviously trying to go to sleep.

“What do you mean what do I mean?  I saw that look in your eyes upstairs. You know something.  So if we’re meant to be here like the other places, I want to know why!”

“Me too
, Dickens; this place scares me,” Jeanie added in a small voice.

“This time it’s just going to take longer to figure things out, that’s all,” he replied in a sleepy voice.

Dickens lack of concern was the tip of the iceberg for Billy.  “I think we need to just leave.  Actually, right now!” 

Billy threw his covers back and stood up.  Dickens response was to turn on his side and resume trying to get some sleep.

Billy gazed down at him with disbelief.  “I don’t believe you.  We’re in the middle of two armies fighting over the town we happen to be in.”  Silence was Dickens only reaction.  “This is crazy, Dickens!  What about me and Jeanie?  Don’t you care what happens to us?”

Dickens sat up and eyed the enraged young man before him, his white hair sticking up. “Yes, I care, Mr. Townsend!  I see you have learned nothing of patience and faith.  That skirmish today is not going to repeat itself.  We have come here at the end of the siege and have been presented with a golden opportunity to leave with the town delegates when they discuss the terms of surrender.  I would say that events are working in our favor and yet you persist in your defiance.  You said it yourself Billy, perhaps our interference in the streams is the natural order of time.  So stop whining and let the next few days unfold
themselves!” 

With a huff Dickens lay back down.  He turned to his side and threw his blankets over his head.  Billy just stood there staring at the ornery little man.  After a moment, he laid himself back down. Dickens was already snoring beside him. 

It was the unknown that frightened Billy.  For the first time, they had no idea why they were in a place and with no one to help them get home.  He turned to look at Jeanie who was breathing softly in her sleep. 

Billy’s whole life up to this point had been one misadventure after the other in the realms of the unknown.  He closed his eyes.  Faith had saved them in Pisa, he thought.  Quietly, he decided to
purpose himself and choose to once again blindly trust and follow this road that had been laid out before him.