the straw, their hands entwined, the pig between them.
Chapter Six
V oices! It was true! Animals really could—a hand was clapped over Juneclaire’s mouth before she could sit up and exclaim over the wonder of it all. The lantern was lighted, so she could see Merry’s face inches from her own, scowling at her. He shook his head no. She nodded and he took his hand away but stayed so close, Juneclaire could feel his breath on her cheek. There were miracles and then there were—
“I tell you, Charlie, old man Blaine will have our hides for using his horses.”
“Shut up, boy. Who’s to tell him? He’ll come back tomorrow an’ be none the wiser if you bed ’em down proper. Left you in charge, didn’t he? ’Sides, it wouldn’t do to take my own cob out, now would it? I swan, you got less brains’n a duck, Ned Corbett. Riddles is back in the livery over to Bramley for all the world and his brother to see. For aught anyone knows I’m tucked up tight, and you been here watching the Blaine place all day and night just like you ought to be.”
“That last carriage was too close to here, Charlie. Magistrate’ll be here in the morning asking questions.”
“Not on Christmas Day, he won’t. Lord Cantwell likes his stuffed goose too well. And if he does, you didn’t hear nothing anyway. ’Sides, that last coach was a bonus, you might say, for a good day’s work. Who’d expect some widder lady to wear all her diamonds to midnight service? Finish up with them horses, boy. I want to divide up the take and be gone.”
“I still don’t like it. I wish you hadn’t gone and hit that groom this morning. He dies and we could hang, Charlie.”
“Stop worritin’ at it, Ned. We could already hang for highway robbery, boy. What do you think, they hang you twice?”
“And you never said nothing about pulling a gun on no swell.”
“What did you expect, boy? His nibs was going to hand over the blunt if we asked him pretty please? You’re acting like a bloody schoolmarm.”
“I never wanted to go anyways, Charlie. My ma finds out, she’ll die.”
“You’re forgetting why you agreed to help me in the first place. You needed money for medicine, ’member, else she’ll die. Sounds like she’s going to cock up her toes anyway. May as well go in style.”
“You leave my ma out of this, you makebate! She always said you’d end on the gallows, and she was right.”
Juneclaire could hear the sound of a scuffle. She moved to poke her head over the wood to see, but St. Cloud quickly held her down with his body across her chest. All she could hear was heavy breathing. No, that was hers.
“Let that be a lesson, boy. No one messes with Charlie Parrett. You just cost yourself an extra yellow boy I was going to throw in for your ma. You’ll think twice about giving me lip next time.”
“There ain’t going to be no next time, Charlie. I ain’t going out with you again.”
There came the sound of a heavy slap. “You ain’t with me, boy, then you’re against me. I’d never know when you’d give my name over to Cantwell for the reward money. O’ course, the second they take me up, I’ll shout your name so loud, your ma will hear even in heaven.”
“I wouldn’t cry rope on you, Charlie. I just don’t want to do it again.”
“You already been on the high toby, Ned, so there’s no backing down. You don’t come with me, I’ll have to leave town and this easy-picking territory. Afore I go, naturally, I’d be sure to send a message to Cantwell, asking him where you got the ready for your ma’s doctorin’. Now stop your sniveling and take your money, you poor, tender little dewdrop. Why, you’re nothing but a whining pansy.”
So Pansy went out to investigate. She slipped past St. Cloud while he was still lying across Juneclaire. Juneclaire held him and her breath.
“What’s that?”
“What do you think it is, you looby, the lord-high sheriff hisself come to arrest you? It’s a bloody
Chapter Six
V oices! It was true! Animals really could—a hand was clapped over Juneclaire’s mouth before she could sit up and exclaim over the wonder of it all. The lantern was lighted, so she could see Merry’s face inches from her own, scowling at her. He shook his head no. She nodded and he took his hand away but stayed so close, Juneclaire could feel his breath on her cheek. There were miracles and then there were—
“I tell you, Charlie, old man Blaine will have our hides for using his horses.”
“Shut up, boy. Who’s to tell him? He’ll come back tomorrow an’ be none the wiser if you bed ’em down proper. Left you in charge, didn’t he? ’Sides, it wouldn’t do to take my own cob out, now would it? I swan, you got less brains’n a duck, Ned Corbett. Riddles is back in the livery over to Bramley for all the world and his brother to see. For aught anyone knows I’m tucked up tight, and you been here watching the Blaine place all day and night just like you ought to be.”
“That last carriage was too close to here, Charlie. Magistrate’ll be here in the morning asking questions.”
“Not on Christmas Day, he won’t. Lord Cantwell likes his stuffed goose too well. And if he does, you didn’t hear nothing anyway. ’Sides, that last coach was a bonus, you might say, for a good day’s work. Who’d expect some widder lady to wear all her diamonds to midnight service? Finish up with them horses, boy. I want to divide up the take and be gone.”
“I still don’t like it. I wish you hadn’t gone and hit that groom this morning. He dies and we could hang, Charlie.”
“Stop worritin’ at it, Ned. We could already hang for highway robbery, boy. What do you think, they hang you twice?”
“And you never said nothing about pulling a gun on no swell.”
“What did you expect, boy? His nibs was going to hand over the blunt if we asked him pretty please? You’re acting like a bloody schoolmarm.”
“I never wanted to go anyways, Charlie. My ma finds out, she’ll die.”
“You’re forgetting why you agreed to help me in the first place. You needed money for medicine, ’member, else she’ll die. Sounds like she’s going to cock up her toes anyway. May as well go in style.”
“You leave my ma out of this, you makebate! She always said you’d end on the gallows, and she was right.”
Juneclaire could hear the sound of a scuffle. She moved to poke her head over the wood to see, but St. Cloud quickly held her down with his body across her chest. All she could hear was heavy breathing. No, that was hers.
“Let that be a lesson, boy. No one messes with Charlie Parrett. You just cost yourself an extra yellow boy I was going to throw in for your ma. You’ll think twice about giving me lip next time.”
“There ain’t going to be no next time, Charlie. I ain’t going out with you again.”
There came the sound of a heavy slap. “You ain’t with me, boy, then you’re against me. I’d never know when you’d give my name over to Cantwell for the reward money. O’ course, the second they take me up, I’ll shout your name so loud, your ma will hear even in heaven.”
“I wouldn’t cry rope on you, Charlie. I just don’t want to do it again.”
“You already been on the high toby, Ned, so there’s no backing down. You don’t come with me, I’ll have to leave town and this easy-picking territory. Afore I go, naturally, I’d be sure to send a message to Cantwell, asking him where you got the ready for your ma’s doctorin’. Now stop your sniveling and take your money, you poor, tender little dewdrop. Why, you’re nothing but a whining pansy.”
So Pansy went out to investigate. She slipped past St. Cloud while he was still lying across Juneclaire. Juneclaire held him and her breath.
“What’s that?”
“What do you think it is, you looby, the lord-high sheriff hisself come to arrest you? It’s a bloody
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