ship due with your supplies into one of the better warehouses.”
“ Cross Street Warehouse?”
“Father would have a fit. Angel’s Head.”
“Good.” William nodded, knowing that to be a fairly dry, safe place, well away from the water.
They continued discussing business details, until Andrew, realizing that his wife must be missing him, made his excuses and left. The prison was starting to grow dark. “You should go,” William said, holding Tasmin’s hand through the bars.
“I know.” She tucked an imaginary stray hair behind her ear, looking uncomfor t able. “I have spent years waiting for the day we would meet and now that the day has come…” She looked at him in that intent, direct way of hers. “When were you planning on sending for me?”
His thumb ran over her knuckles. “Soon. It’s why I’d already bought the bed.”
“I’d hoped so, but…” She looked away. “I had expected to hear from you sooner, I suppose. I’ve been eligible for the wedding table for six years now. Six years!” She gave him a glare. “You do know that there are many, many women my age or younger with children already? ”
“I thought that you would have considered that you had better things to do?” Which was, in its own way, quite true.
Her brow wrinkled. “I don’t know. I just thought ... I didn’t say I was sorry. By any means. I just... ” She looked up, as the clock began to chime. “You’re right, it is ge t ting dark.”
Still, he held onto her hand, reluctant to let it go. It was slender and delicate, d e spite the calluses that she had developed during her trade. He played with the ring of coral that banded one finger, smiling when he recognized it. He’d had no idea that she truly treasured the things he’d given her. “Will you be safe?”
“Of course,” she said, and got up.
He let her hand slip from his, and she stood there, awkwardly, as if waiting for who knew what. He smiled at her. “Stay safe, promise me?” Even though he’d asked her earlier, he could not help but ask again. He was afraid for her, a little, because he didn’t know what Lavoussier might do.
She nodded, took her basket, and began walking down the shadowed corridor. She turned once and looked back at him, and he waved at her, until she turned, relu c tantly, and went through the iron bound doors. Did she regret leaving him here? Did she regret coming, and wanted to tell him she would not be back? He doubted he would ever know, fully, what she was thinking, but he did not find that he minded that at all.
Chapter 9
Ferou Second, Sapphire Moon Quarter 1788
Dear William,
Of course I loved your necklace! Gratified, indeed! I do not have the fortune to send such grand things to you, so I have worked a healing cast, and now from it I can offer you an amulet that will ward off—supposedly, do not put too great a store in it—greater injuries, and two potions for healing, and a warming poultice for fever that needs boiling water added to it.
I would have done so sooner, but it is just now that I have been permitted to lead a group to conduct such a weaving, and the first time I have been allowed to create spells to be kept at hand. It means that I am considered, if not at the top of my craft, very near to it. I have even received a handsome letter from a town asking me to consider beco m ing their Wise Woman, but I have turned it down, saying that I lack the talent of sight. I do—my sight has never been predictable—so it was not quite a lie. The amulet will come in a separate letter, for it needs to sit for one more week, but I did not wish to wait to send the rest.
I do hope you will keep these at hand and instruct someone trustworthy in how to use them. I also hope you will keep them for yourself, but somehow I doubt it.
Yours, eventually ,
Tasmin
The day should have been wonderful, for the sleep certainly had been. The night before, T asmin had spent a long time lying
“ Cross Street Warehouse?”
“Father would have a fit. Angel’s Head.”
“Good.” William nodded, knowing that to be a fairly dry, safe place, well away from the water.
They continued discussing business details, until Andrew, realizing that his wife must be missing him, made his excuses and left. The prison was starting to grow dark. “You should go,” William said, holding Tasmin’s hand through the bars.
“I know.” She tucked an imaginary stray hair behind her ear, looking uncomfor t able. “I have spent years waiting for the day we would meet and now that the day has come…” She looked at him in that intent, direct way of hers. “When were you planning on sending for me?”
His thumb ran over her knuckles. “Soon. It’s why I’d already bought the bed.”
“I’d hoped so, but…” She looked away. “I had expected to hear from you sooner, I suppose. I’ve been eligible for the wedding table for six years now. Six years!” She gave him a glare. “You do know that there are many, many women my age or younger with children already? ”
“I thought that you would have considered that you had better things to do?” Which was, in its own way, quite true.
Her brow wrinkled. “I don’t know. I just thought ... I didn’t say I was sorry. By any means. I just... ” She looked up, as the clock began to chime. “You’re right, it is ge t ting dark.”
Still, he held onto her hand, reluctant to let it go. It was slender and delicate, d e spite the calluses that she had developed during her trade. He played with the ring of coral that banded one finger, smiling when he recognized it. He’d had no idea that she truly treasured the things he’d given her. “Will you be safe?”
“Of course,” she said, and got up.
He let her hand slip from his, and she stood there, awkwardly, as if waiting for who knew what. He smiled at her. “Stay safe, promise me?” Even though he’d asked her earlier, he could not help but ask again. He was afraid for her, a little, because he didn’t know what Lavoussier might do.
She nodded, took her basket, and began walking down the shadowed corridor. She turned once and looked back at him, and he waved at her, until she turned, relu c tantly, and went through the iron bound doors. Did she regret leaving him here? Did she regret coming, and wanted to tell him she would not be back? He doubted he would ever know, fully, what she was thinking, but he did not find that he minded that at all.
Chapter 9
Ferou Second, Sapphire Moon Quarter 1788
Dear William,
Of course I loved your necklace! Gratified, indeed! I do not have the fortune to send such grand things to you, so I have worked a healing cast, and now from it I can offer you an amulet that will ward off—supposedly, do not put too great a store in it—greater injuries, and two potions for healing, and a warming poultice for fever that needs boiling water added to it.
I would have done so sooner, but it is just now that I have been permitted to lead a group to conduct such a weaving, and the first time I have been allowed to create spells to be kept at hand. It means that I am considered, if not at the top of my craft, very near to it. I have even received a handsome letter from a town asking me to consider beco m ing their Wise Woman, but I have turned it down, saying that I lack the talent of sight. I do—my sight has never been predictable—so it was not quite a lie. The amulet will come in a separate letter, for it needs to sit for one more week, but I did not wish to wait to send the rest.
I do hope you will keep these at hand and instruct someone trustworthy in how to use them. I also hope you will keep them for yourself, but somehow I doubt it.
Yours, eventually ,
Tasmin
The day should have been wonderful, for the sleep certainly had been. The night before, T asmin had spent a long time lying
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