Page 38 of Mistletoe

Oscar nodded. “Sound advice. The text regarding the trial, in particular, should be regarded with skepticism. It is not reliable and has several inconsistencies.”

“Where?” Hal flipped the book open again. He hadn’t noticed any obvious discrepancies but he did read it quickly. Perhaps he missed the finer details.

“The mention of Radcliffes awaiting trials. Plural.”

A chill swept over Hal. “There was another Radcliffe.”

“It’s possible. Entire families joined the colony, and not just as passengers. Crew members often recruited family members.”

“It’s hard to leave your family behind, even with the promises of a better life.”

“The promise of a better life is a powerful motivator. It can drag entire families onto a ship. It certainly motivated the De Laceys,” Oscar said, excitement in his voice. He leaned forward, facing Hal’s direction. “Unfortunately, the original manifest was lost, along with so much. The passenger list and crew roster were recorded from memory. There is no mention of another Radcliffe.”

Hal scratched the back of his neck. “A typo,” he said at length.

“Certainly a possibility. Some scholars believe there were siblings on the crew. Others believe it was a slip of a pen. The manifest is gone but the trial records are very much intact. There was only one Radcliffe on trial.”

This book was supposed to help fill in the gaps in his memory, but as Oscar pointed out, it was not a reliable source. It contradicted his own experience. His own existence.

“Well, don’t you two look cozy,” Emma shouted from across the yard. She made her way toward them, her face flushed red from the cold. She glowed.

Hal rushed to his feet. “I should go?—”

“Stay,” Oscar said, pushing himself out of the chair. “I can tell from our petal’s tone that she has things to say to you.”

She didn’t sound upset, but she looked determined. Her coat hung open, the fabric billowing with her swift steps. She wore trousers, which Hal had not seen her wear before, and he very much liked how they displayed the generous curve of her hips.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” she said, pointing as she approached.

He climbed down the steps to meet her. She stopped just a breath away from him, her head tilted back in a position very much reminiscent of their time in the alley.

“I’m trouble,” he said, quoting her own words. “It seemed prudent to keep my distance.”

“How’d you like a job?”

Chapter Eleven

Hal

Mistletoe Farm

“I’m not interested in a job,”Hal said.

“Shame. I’ve got more work than I can do alone. You’ve met my pa. Even if he wasn’t blind, the man’s not inclined to manual labor. Ma spends most of her time cooking or helping Pa, which means it’s just me to tend to the animals and keep the place running,” Emma said. “I really need another set of hands, preferably someone who can lift heavy things.”

She climbed the porch steps until she stood eye-to-eye with Hal. “I can pay you a fair wage with room and board. You can stay in the bunkhouse. It’s not much, but it’s got a stove and a shower. No hot water, though.”

“I have a place.”

“Where?”

He pointed to the west.

“The old Clerval place? That’s a shack,” Emma said. “Winter’s only going to get worse. You’ll freeze to death.”

Hal doubted that.

“Just until the spring. Eat our food. Sit by our fire. Have your philosophical history discussion with Pa. When the snow melts, you can hightail it out of here if you really want,” she said, stuffing the gloves into a coat pocket. “What else have you got going on?”

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