Kathleen E. Woodiwiss(203)

A morning tray had been delivered by Berta, and Ruark was settling down to eat the first solid nourishment in days, when the door swung open and Pitney entered with a tray loaded with a coffee service. He was followed by Orlan Trahern himself. Soon a steaming cup was placed on his bedside table by the squire.

“ ‘Tis an early hour but the best time to come and thank you without the interference of my daughter.” Trahern jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “She’s still asleep, so keep your voice down, or we’ll be set upon by more of her fretting.”

Ruark chewed on a mouthful of food, not quite sure of his status. He glanced apprehensively toward Pitney, who stood at the foot of the bed, his massive arms folded across his chest. The man returned his stare with a warning frown creasing his brow.

“I have assured Orlan that I know a man who saw ye dragged off onto the pirate ship. He was a bit addled at the time, confused ye might say, and dared say naught of the deed.”

Ruark nodded and sipped the coffee to find it heavily laced with brandy. He raised the mug in silent thanks to Trahern and savored the heady aroma that issued from it.

Pitney appeared to have spoken his fill and was satisfied with Ruark’s silence. Trahern sat back in the chair beside the bed and folded his hands across his paunch as Pitney drew a straight chair up and straddled it, resting his thick arms on the back. When the room had been quiet for a few moments, the squire spoke.

“Would you tell me the way of it all? I have judgments to make, and I have little enough to go on.”

While he ate, Ruark began his narration. He told of the raid and of the voyage to the island. He spoke frankly of his attempted misdirection and its unfortunate results and made a point of the fact that all three of the captured men had wished to return when given the chance. He let it be urged from him of Shanna’s time in the pit and his rescue of her. He avoided the details of their days and nights together but let it seem as if they had been caught together by the storm. He mentioned briefly the two men he had killed and his reasons. Included was the episode in which Shanna had slain the one. He related the plan and execution of the escape, with minor details omitted, and made much of Gaitlier’s and Dora’s parts in it. He drew chuckles from both of them over Shanna’s valor in the face of adversity.

The two older men seemed well pleased with his tale and grinned in relief when he assured them that no unusual harm had befallen Shanna. The squire let his chin sink to his chest and was lost in thought for a space. Pitney caught Ruark’s eye and smiled, nodding ever so slightly his approval. Then abruptly Trahern came erect and slapped his knee in sudden joviality.

“By George,” he chuckled, then lowered his voice with a furtive glance toward the balcony. “I see no help for it but to give the three bondsmen a bonus for their service.”

Ruark cleared his throat and, as Trahern gave him pause, lent voice to another matter. “Sir, Mister Gaitlier and Mistress Dora risked their lives to no small degree. If the matter of rewards is discussed, surely they must be considered. I fear that they will be cast to dire straits for their effort.”

“Rest assured that I have not forgotten and will deal with them handsomely.” Trahern coughed and glanced at Pitney. “It has been brought to my attention, though I had already considered the fact, that you have done me a great service in the return of my daughter unharmed. When you are about, I shall give you your papers, paid and clear. You are a free man.”

He waited for the expected joyful response, but instead Ruark frowned and pondered first one and then the other of the two men. Ruark noted that Pitney was the more uneasy of the two and well surmised the reason. But Trahern had grown somewhat puzzled by his bondsman’s delay in answering.

“Sir, would you have me accept reward for a common decency to another?” Ruark waved away any argument. “I did myself a service in escaping from the band of miscreants, and could not have left other innocents behind. I cannot accept payment for it.”

There was double meaning in his words, but Ruark was not about to take any recompense for saving Shanna. Besides, being a bondslave allowed him a good reason to stay on the island with her.

“Bah! You have more than earned your freedom with the two mills,” Trahern snorted.

“Those would be yours if I had been hired as a free man to serve you. There is no cost to me there. I but served my employer as best I could.”

Orlan Trahern stared at him in bemused amazement, but Pitney avoided looking him in the eye.

“Had I not been forced to purchase expensive clothes,” Ruark reminded the squire with a twinkle in his eye, “I would have earned nearly enough to buy my freedom.”