a German soldier, barrel-chested and expressionless, climbed into the back with her. He sat in the far corner of the wagon, his bayonet-tipped rifle slung over his shoulder, and didn't make eye contact even for a second. Another soldier, similarly remote and intimidating, soon joined them.
As the wagon moved forward, Emma pulled the purse from her sleeve. Did it contain enough to bribe them to let her escape? She counted out the money. It wasn't a huge sum--but it was worth a try.
The wagon hit a rut in the road, and she used the opportunity to thrust the money out onto the hay. Both soldiers looked down at it immediately. "It's yours if you allow me to wander away while we are in the market," she told them in German.
A joyless smile came to the first soldier's lips. "Do you think that is worth the price we would pay for letting you escape?" he snarled. "Pick it up and do not insult us further."
Flushing with humiliation, Emma gathered up her money and sat back in the corner. She needed something more valuable to barter for her freedom--she absolutely had to get that locket back.
CHAPTER TEN
Claudine's Plan
Jack awoke and looked up at Claudine, who was mopping his sweaty brow. "You were dreaming again," she said in French that was heavily accented with her native Flemish. "What terrible dreams they must be to make you sweat so."
"You speak French?" he questioned, speaking with his own Louisiana version of the language that so many spoke in the French city of New Orleans. Although he wasn't fluent like Emma, he spoke enough to understand and make himself understood.
"I am learning more every day," Claudine confided. "I want to help our cause, and to do that I must speak French or English but the English is too difficult. I need your help because you speak both French and English."
"Emma speaks both," he pointed out.
Claudine shook her head. "I don't want to endanger her. She's so young. Do not tell of this. It is best that she does not know. I have to tell you quickly before she comes in. Right now she is down in the stable helping Willem groom the horse. She has a fondness for horses."
"What can I do?"
"They are bringing more supplies and ammunition here every day. They are preparing for something. When I go to market, Willem and I know people there who can pass that information on to the Allied armies across enemy lines. We need the information to be put in a code and in English. You are a soldier. Do you know what kind of codes the British would understand?"
"I was delivering a coded message when I got caught in the gas attack," he told her. "I know how the code worked."
"Very good. Then I can count on you?"
"A hundred percent."
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A Promise
One week later, Emma awoke to find Jack sitting up with his legs slung over the side of the four-poster bed. For the first time he looked strong enough to actually get out of bed and it appeared as though that was what he intended to attempt next. She wondered if he'd be strong enough.
Standing, he crossed to the mirror above the dresser and inspected his image for the first time since he'd arrived, smoothing his wild black curls. His peeled skin was healing and the blisters on his lips, though papery and raw, were improving. The swelling of his eye area was almost, though not quite, gone.
Emma decided he looked like a complete wild man. But, though she would never admit it, she found something attractive in the wildness--a thing raw and vibrant with energy. Considering that he had been half dead when she first encountered him, he now seemed more alive than anyone she'd ever known.
Judging from the grin spreading across his face, he was pleased with what he saw. Turning to her, he pointed at his image in the mirror. "Who is that handsome devil?" he asked playfully. "I'd say he looks good enough to kiss. Want to try?"
"Would you please stop it?" she exploded, all the more distressed by the request because he seemed to have realized she had
As the wagon moved forward, Emma pulled the purse from her sleeve. Did it contain enough to bribe them to let her escape? She counted out the money. It wasn't a huge sum--but it was worth a try.
The wagon hit a rut in the road, and she used the opportunity to thrust the money out onto the hay. Both soldiers looked down at it immediately. "It's yours if you allow me to wander away while we are in the market," she told them in German.
A joyless smile came to the first soldier's lips. "Do you think that is worth the price we would pay for letting you escape?" he snarled. "Pick it up and do not insult us further."
Flushing with humiliation, Emma gathered up her money and sat back in the corner. She needed something more valuable to barter for her freedom--she absolutely had to get that locket back.
CHAPTER TEN
Claudine's Plan
Jack awoke and looked up at Claudine, who was mopping his sweaty brow. "You were dreaming again," she said in French that was heavily accented with her native Flemish. "What terrible dreams they must be to make you sweat so."
"You speak French?" he questioned, speaking with his own Louisiana version of the language that so many spoke in the French city of New Orleans. Although he wasn't fluent like Emma, he spoke enough to understand and make himself understood.
"I am learning more every day," Claudine confided. "I want to help our cause, and to do that I must speak French or English but the English is too difficult. I need your help because you speak both French and English."
"Emma speaks both," he pointed out.
Claudine shook her head. "I don't want to endanger her. She's so young. Do not tell of this. It is best that she does not know. I have to tell you quickly before she comes in. Right now she is down in the stable helping Willem groom the horse. She has a fondness for horses."
"What can I do?"
"They are bringing more supplies and ammunition here every day. They are preparing for something. When I go to market, Willem and I know people there who can pass that information on to the Allied armies across enemy lines. We need the information to be put in a code and in English. You are a soldier. Do you know what kind of codes the British would understand?"
"I was delivering a coded message when I got caught in the gas attack," he told her. "I know how the code worked."
"Very good. Then I can count on you?"
"A hundred percent."
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A Promise
One week later, Emma awoke to find Jack sitting up with his legs slung over the side of the four-poster bed. For the first time he looked strong enough to actually get out of bed and it appeared as though that was what he intended to attempt next. She wondered if he'd be strong enough.
Standing, he crossed to the mirror above the dresser and inspected his image for the first time since he'd arrived, smoothing his wild black curls. His peeled skin was healing and the blisters on his lips, though papery and raw, were improving. The swelling of his eye area was almost, though not quite, gone.
Emma decided he looked like a complete wild man. But, though she would never admit it, she found something attractive in the wildness--a thing raw and vibrant with energy. Considering that he had been half dead when she first encountered him, he now seemed more alive than anyone she'd ever known.
Judging from the grin spreading across his face, he was pleased with what he saw. Turning to her, he pointed at his image in the mirror. "Who is that handsome devil?" he asked playfully. "I'd say he looks good enough to kiss. Want to try?"
"Would you please stop it?" she exploded, all the more distressed by the request because he seemed to have realized she had
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