Her breath stalled. “What?”

Holding tight to her hand, he led her behind the trees to the edge of the creek, the cold water pulling on her skirts.

He grabbed her shoulders. “Whatever you do, do not come out from this spot until I come and get you.”

She nodded, her tongue welded to the roof of her mouth. Her pulse thumped in her ears. How had he known someone was near? She hadn’t heard a thing. She gripped the trunk of a tree and crouched as low as she could, almost kneeling on the slippery stones beneath her feet as she watched him go.

Minutes passed in clutching silence. How many, she couldn’t tell. Her muscles shivered both from fear and the cold water that swam past her legs. She glanced up, noting how the first few stars twinkled above and the full moon promised a blanket of milky light. Her feet tingled and her toes ached with the beginnings of numbness. Should she look for him? Perhaps something had happened? Her body gave a quick tremor. Where was he?

Just then, voices shot back and forth some paces away. More shivers shook her limbs. She strained to hear over the gurgling of the water when footsteps neared and halted.

CHAPTER TEN

The pistol William had hidden at his side burned against his ribs, begging to be relieved of the ball within. Silent, he widened his feet, the muscles of his back tensing with every intake of breath. Had they been followed, or were the soldiers discharging the duties he’d heard that soldier profess to Brown?

The sound of shuffling feet was quickly followed by the man that owned them.

A young soldier hurried to the water then stopped with a lurch when his eyes landed on William. His expression fell, his eyes wide as if he’d seen an apparition. He flung his weapon against his shoulder, the nose of the musket aimed at William’s chest.

“State your business,” the young soldier commanded.

The muzzle quivered. William allowed only the slightest tick of his eyebrow. Was the weapon too heavy for the lad or was he frightened?

William took a step forward, his biceps pulsing. “State yours.” Playing the part of a patriot came easy. For truly, he was one. “What right have you to burst upon my property and raise your weapon?”

The boy’s eyes widened, and he moved back before another wave of courage took its place and he lunged forward. “I…” He shook his head. “State your business!”

“I’m laundering, what does it look like?”

The boy tilted his head to peer past William where the basket rested at the water’s edge. The fictitious courage in his face dropped, as did his weapon as he spied the few articles hanging on the bushes.

Eyes shifting, voice strained, the soldier took a step back. “Are you friendly to the crown?”

“Are you lost?” Answering with a question of his own might provide William with additional knowledge. He moved toward him like an animal stalking prey. “I’ve not seen any troops here for some time. So either you are lost or you are looking for trouble you’ll be sorry you sought.”

The soldier’s throat shifted and he glanced left, once more raising his weapon. “Have you seen any suspicious activity? We’re looking for smugglers.”

There it was. The truth he’d been waiting for. A laugh stacked in William’s chest. Was this one of the newly enlisted soldiers the crown had to depend upon? If that were the case, the British army was doomed indeed. “I cannot say I have.”

He continued to press forward and the boy continued to step back. Fear rose in his eyes as William neared, and so did his weapon. Finally the boy stopped, speaking louder, the weapon still quivering. “How do I know you speak the truth?” Again he glanced left. “Are you alone?”

William’s chest went solid, his eyes narrowing. The soldier kept looking in the direction of Anna. Had he seen her? Suspected? Impossible. She was too far from sight.

A sudden thought struck his head like the back of a pistol.

Perhaps the soldier wasn’t alone…

“Get out.” William’s patience vanished. The last thing he wished was to be forced to show this inferior soldier all the ways he could best him.

Gripping the weapon tighter, the boy shifted his feet. “Answer me.”

William’s fingers twitched.

The boy looked left again and William lunged, snatching the weapon from his grasp and slamming the end of the weapon into his belly. Arms flailing, the boy fell to his back with a groan. He gripped his middle and scooted against the ground, eyes squinted and mouth contorted.

William neared and stood over him, tossing the weapon to the ground. “Get out. Now.”

Scrambling to his feet, the boy lunged for the gun and darted back down the trail.

Tags: Amber Lynn Perry Daughters of His Kingdom Historical
Source: readsnovelonline.net