Page 44 of A Night of Forever
He knew two things.
One, he was meant to survive. They had not dropped him down a shaft or taken him far enough into the mine to make it impossible for him to find his way out. And two, he had to be somewhere near Durham.
His tired and battered limbs had summoned extra strength from somewhere to keep him moving thus far, but now it was almost gone. His leg hurt, he was weak from lack of food, and he was desperate for sleep.Not yet. Stay awake.Before he could rest he had to get a message to the others that he was safe and Isobel was not to be trusted.
But you were the one who asked her to meet you.
He wanted to ignore the niggle as it flickered in his mind. In justice, he could not. It was not Isobel who had suggested meeting in her stepmother’s stable. She had not seduced him. He’d been only too eager to sample her innocent yet addictive charms. And she had shown him the map of the mine.
Perhaps Isobel was not to blame.
He thanked his lucky stars that she had managed to show him the map, because if she had not, he would have no idea where he was.
A cool change of temperature over his face could have been a cloud across the sun, but it felt wrong. Arend cracked his eyes open and in the still painfully bright light saw a young girl, about Sealey’s age, standing over him and staring down into his face.
Her clothes were not those of an urchin, nor were they of the gentry. She seemed curious about him rather than fearful.
Perhaps he could convince her to run for some help.
He licked his lips. “Hello.” He sounded like a bullfrog. He coughed. Tried again. “What’s your name?” This time he sounded human.
She blinked, and then considered him, head tilted slightly to one side. “Mother says I shouldn’t talk to strangers.”
“Your mother is very wise,” he said, and would have sat up if he hadn’t thought he might fall back down. “But I’m lost, and in need of help.” He smiled. “My name is Arend. See? Now we are not quite strangers.”
This appeared to be acceptable. “My name is Pauline.”
“That’s a pretty name,” he said. “Do you live nearby?”
She nodded and gestured behind her. “Over the rise with Mama, Papa, Johnny, and Seth.”
Help. And food. “Do you think your mother would feed me if I gave her some coin?”
Pauline nodded enthusiastically. “Mama’s just finished baking scones. They smell so good. When Papa and the boys come home for their lunch we can have them then.” She sighed and pouted. “I’m hungry now, but Mama told me to play outside. I came to paddle in the stream.” She pointed to her right.
At her mention of scones, Arend’s belly rumbled. At her mention of the stream, he realized the possible source of the water that trickled through the walls of the mine.
What he wouldn’t give for something to eat and drink. His stomach growled in agreement. “Does your mother not worry that you play near the mine?”
She gave him a scornful look. “I know not to go near the mine. It’s dark and scary.” Then her eyes went wide. “Did you get lost in there, Arend? Is that why you are covered in soot?”
He looked down his body, and he did indeed look a sight. Shirtless under his jacket. Breeches ripped. Every inch of him covered in black soot. He struggled to lift himself on his elbows, and, through the ripped fabric of his breeches saw the reason for his throbbing leg. His knee was bloody and badly swollen. He must have taken a kick before being dumped in the mine.
“Pauline!”
The voice, Arend discovered, belonged to a black-haired whippet of a man who, as he rounded the bend, stopped short when he saw Arend with the girl.
“Home, lass,” he snapped, moving quickly forward. “Your mama’s been calling you. Tell her I’ll be there soon.”
“Yes, Papa,” Pauline said, and ran off at speed without another word.
When she had disappeared from sight, her father glanced toward the mine and then down at Arend. “What kind of fool goes into a mine without a lantern?”
Arend couldn’t help it. The laugh bubbled up from his chest and roared out of his throat as he flung his head back and let his shout echo off the hills.
The man took a step back and stared at him as if he were crazy. It made Arend laugh even more.
When he finally got his emotions under control he said, “You won’t understand the joke, but I most definitely did not enter the mine of my own volition, Mr….”
