packing up their goods for the evening. Her heart sank when she saw that the bread merchant had left. She had hoped to beg for a stale loaf. Sighing, she continued to the cooper.
When she arrived, her bucket, smelling of fresh cedar, was waiting for her on the counter. She took it, thanked the cooper, and set back out onto the road.
Her stomach rumbled and she prayed there would be supper left at home when she returned.
The market square was empty besides two children chasing each other.
A merchant carrying a basket of apple passed before her. She could almost taste how sweet they were.
“Excuse me. Could I please make a purchase?” she asked, her mouth watering.
The man turned and looked her over with scrutiny. “How much ya got?”
“Three shillings.” She grabbed at her pocket for the coins.
The sound of a horses hooves charging through the square drowned out the man’s reply. A scream caught in her throat and she covered her head as a horse reared up behind her. The fruit merchant nearly dropped his basket.
She turned to see who tried to trample her, and looked into the eyes of the baron, seated on his snorting black steed. He tossed a satchel of shillings on the fruit-seller’s basket.
“That should cover the cost of the basket.”
Judith was speechless.
The merchant set the basket down beside her and took the coin.
“Thank you, my kind and gracious baron!” He backed away from them and hurried down the road.
She looked back to the baron, and he tipped his head. “Judith.”
“That was overly generous of you.”
“You looked hungry, and he was about to rob you of all you had.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I was picking up my crossbow; it needed repairs.”
“I see.” She took an apple from the basket and rubbed it clean with her cloak. “I have no need for this whole basket of apples.”
“Share it with your family.”
“You are too generous. How could I ever repay you?”
“Might I have a moment alone with you?”
The apple that she was about to enjoy paused before her lips. “A moment alone?”
He offered his hand to her. “I don’t have much time.”
She contemplated his outstretched hand for a moment before she let him pull her up on the horse.
Blacwin nodded to his men on horseback across the road. “Bring this fruit to the Timbolt home at the edge of town! Call it a gift from the baron.”
He snapped the reins and sent the horse jumping a step forward. She grasped his waist as they galloped out of the market .
Chapter 6
They rode down a forest path leading deep into thick woods. Her heart raced wildly in anticipation of where he might be taking her. She closed her eyes and clung to him, taking in his comforting scent as tree limbs scratched at her arms and stung her cheeks in passing.
When the horse slowed, Judith peeked around him to see ruins of an old church. The baron dismounted and reached up for her. She slid from the saddle into his arms. A cold breeze blew a lock of her hair into her eyes.
“What is this place?” she asked pulling away from him.
“It was once the first church of Caldwell.”
“Why did you bring me here?” she asked wandering over to a crumbling wall and brushing some moss away to reveal a beautiful stained glass window.
“I have a question for you,” he said, following her.
“Yes?”
He took her into his arms. “Do you wish to disappear for good, Judith?”
She furrowed her brows. “I…I don’t understand.”
His expression turned impatient. “You were so eager to leave everything behind when you took Lora’s identity. So I ask you: Do you still wish to disappear?”
Fear consumed her and she took a step back. “You mean to execute me?”
“No, God, no,” he shook his head. “I want to help you and your son get away from that family, if that is what you desire. I cannot forget the way he struck you. Knowing you are mistreated weighs on my mind.”
“It does?”
He brushed his hand
When she arrived, her bucket, smelling of fresh cedar, was waiting for her on the counter. She took it, thanked the cooper, and set back out onto the road.
Her stomach rumbled and she prayed there would be supper left at home when she returned.
The market square was empty besides two children chasing each other.
A merchant carrying a basket of apple passed before her. She could almost taste how sweet they were.
“Excuse me. Could I please make a purchase?” she asked, her mouth watering.
The man turned and looked her over with scrutiny. “How much ya got?”
“Three shillings.” She grabbed at her pocket for the coins.
The sound of a horses hooves charging through the square drowned out the man’s reply. A scream caught in her throat and she covered her head as a horse reared up behind her. The fruit merchant nearly dropped his basket.
She turned to see who tried to trample her, and looked into the eyes of the baron, seated on his snorting black steed. He tossed a satchel of shillings on the fruit-seller’s basket.
“That should cover the cost of the basket.”
Judith was speechless.
The merchant set the basket down beside her and took the coin.
“Thank you, my kind and gracious baron!” He backed away from them and hurried down the road.
She looked back to the baron, and he tipped his head. “Judith.”
“That was overly generous of you.”
“You looked hungry, and he was about to rob you of all you had.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I was picking up my crossbow; it needed repairs.”
“I see.” She took an apple from the basket and rubbed it clean with her cloak. “I have no need for this whole basket of apples.”
“Share it with your family.”
“You are too generous. How could I ever repay you?”
“Might I have a moment alone with you?”
The apple that she was about to enjoy paused before her lips. “A moment alone?”
He offered his hand to her. “I don’t have much time.”
She contemplated his outstretched hand for a moment before she let him pull her up on the horse.
Blacwin nodded to his men on horseback across the road. “Bring this fruit to the Timbolt home at the edge of town! Call it a gift from the baron.”
He snapped the reins and sent the horse jumping a step forward. She grasped his waist as they galloped out of the market .
Chapter 6
They rode down a forest path leading deep into thick woods. Her heart raced wildly in anticipation of where he might be taking her. She closed her eyes and clung to him, taking in his comforting scent as tree limbs scratched at her arms and stung her cheeks in passing.
When the horse slowed, Judith peeked around him to see ruins of an old church. The baron dismounted and reached up for her. She slid from the saddle into his arms. A cold breeze blew a lock of her hair into her eyes.
“What is this place?” she asked pulling away from him.
“It was once the first church of Caldwell.”
“Why did you bring me here?” she asked wandering over to a crumbling wall and brushing some moss away to reveal a beautiful stained glass window.
“I have a question for you,” he said, following her.
“Yes?”
He took her into his arms. “Do you wish to disappear for good, Judith?”
She furrowed her brows. “I…I don’t understand.”
His expression turned impatient. “You were so eager to leave everything behind when you took Lora’s identity. So I ask you: Do you still wish to disappear?”
Fear consumed her and she took a step back. “You mean to execute me?”
“No, God, no,” he shook his head. “I want to help you and your son get away from that family, if that is what you desire. I cannot forget the way he struck you. Knowing you are mistreated weighs on my mind.”
“It does?”
He brushed his hand
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