Page 74 of The Lovers
“May I see her?”
“No, ye fool. Ye may not. Just take Mercy, and be on yer way.”
Molly grabbed an empty sack and began to throw in various items of clothing for her daughter. There wasn’t much, and the sack was depressingly light. “Come,” she called out to Mercy, who peered from behind the curtain of the alcove where she’d been sleeping. “James will take ye away from this accursed place.”
“But what about ye and Father, Mam? And Beth?” Mercy pleaded. “I don’t want to leave ye.”
“We will come and fetch ye as soon as we can. Now, mind yer uncle and don’t be a burden to ’im.”
Molly seized the child and held her close for a moment, kissing the top of her head. She squeezed her eyes shut to keep the tears from falling, then swiftly pushed Mercy away. “Go now.”
Mercy looked frightened as she followed James out of the house. She glanced from left to right, shocked by the silence and stink of fear that permeated the narrow alley where she’d been born and lived her whole life. James lifted Mercy onto the horse and swung into the saddle behind her. She leaned against him, giving him her trust, but he could feel her slight shoulders shaking with silent sobs as they trotted away from Blackfriars. Mercy didn’t say a word, but her body was rigid against James’s chest, and she continued to cry, occasional sobs tearing from her as she took in the state of the city. James wished that he could comfort the child, but there wasn’t much he could say. She knew the reality of what was happening and understood only too well the consequences of having a plague victim in the house.
James wrapped his arms about her and kissed the top of her head. “We’ll be all right, Mercy. I’ll take care of you no matter what. You hear?”
Mercy nodded miserably. “Thank ye, Uncle James. I know ye will.”
Mercy remained silent for the rest of the ride through London, huddling against James as if she could meld into him for greater safety. She wasn’t asleep, but she kept her eyes closed to block out the horror. James reached into his saddlebag and took out a piece of bread. “Here, have some bread, child.”
“’T might be tainted,” Mercy replied, stiffening.
“It’s not. I brought it with me from Suffolk. I don’t have much left, but we’ll be able to buy some food in a few hours once we are far enough from the city.”
Mercy accepted the bread and chewed it slowly, savoring every bite. James realized that the child probably hadn’t eaten at all since yesterday, food being scarce. James took out a kerchief and gave it to the girl. “Tie this around your face once we get closer to the gate.”
“Why?”
“It will keep you from breathing in evil humors.”
“And how will that help?” Mercy asked, suddenly curious.
“I don’t know, but the plague doctors wear those leather masks with the long beaks, and the masks seem to keep them safe. So, covering your nose and mouth must have some benefit.”
Mercy nodded and tied the scarf around her face. She looked like England’s tiniest highwayman.
“Will it get better outside the wall?”
“Not for a while. It’s even worse past the city gates, but eventually we will get to open country. Just be patient till then.”
“Not like I have much choice in the matter,” replied Mercy wisely.
FIFTY-FIVE
“I’m glad to see you feeling better,” Elise said as she entered Edward’s room with the breakfast tray. Edward was sitting up in bed, a scowl of irritation on his face. The unnatural flush of a few days ago had been replaced by pallor, but at least the fever had gone, and Edward was no longer vomiting. He’d lost weight over the past few weeks, and his jowls sagged, loose skin wobbling beneath his chin in a most unbecoming manner. His hair appeared to be grayer than it had been even a few months ago, and there were fine wrinkles around his eyes even when he wasn’t smiling, which at this moment, he most certainly wasn’t.
“Will you try some breakfast?”
“Give it here,” Edward replied and took the tray from Elise. She sat down and watched as he obediently ate a hot bun and drank a cup of broth. Edward handed back the crockery and made to rise.
“You are not fit to be out of bed, Edward,” Elise protested. “You need a few more days, or you will undermine your recovery.”
“If I don’t die of sickness, I will perish of boredom,” Edward growled.
“Better than dying of the plague,” Elise replied. “They say in the village that the king and his court have left London for Salisbury. He will remain there until the pestilence begins to abate in the city.”
“Then I will go to Salisbury,” Edward said but made no move to rise. Surprisingly, he’d decided to heed her advice for once.
“Perhaps I can come with you. Salisbury is not so far, is it? I’ve never been.” Elise already knew what Edward would say, but she thought she might try. Being in this house without James was unbearable. She floated from room to room, desperate for something to do and someone to talk to, but there was no one, save Peg, and it wasn’t proper to chat with the servants as if they were friends. Elise had grown close to Lucy during her time in London, but Peg was a different type of woman, a woman who was best kept at arm’s length if one didn’t wish to have to pull a knife out of one’s back. Elise was even lonelier than she had been in London, where at least she could take the occasional walk and see something of the hustle and bustle of the city.
