HEARING MY NAME CALLED SO terrified me, I stopped and turned around. The man had drawn closer, but as I could not see his face, I shrank away.
Only when the voice called out again, even angrier, “Crispin, you stunted son of a scoundrel!” did I realize it was Bear.
Heart exploding with relief, I ran toward him and flung myself at his knees, embracing him with fervor.
“Where, by the sins of Lucifer, have you been?” the huge man said, setting his lantern on the ground. Prying me loose, then putting his great hands on both my shoulders, he made me stand before him. At the same time he went to his knees, so I could look into his eyes.
“Bear …” I said, unable to say more because I had put my arms about him and pressed into his neck and beard, like an infant sparrow returned to its nest.
“Crispin,” he scolded, “I waited all afternoon for you to return. Did you forget me so soon? Is this the way you repay my kindness? I should give you a sound whipping.”
“I didn’t mean to. I lost my way. And I was attacked.”
“Attacked?” he said, prying me loose from his neck so he could look into my face. “By whom?”
“The stewards men.”
“What steward?”
“From Stromford. John Aycliffe. He’s come after me,” I went on in a rush. “I saw him in the great church. But he saw me, too. The moment he did, he set men upon me. And Bear, I remembered something else: he’s Lady Furnival’s kin. I even saw her. You said Great Wexly was Furnival’s principal home. That Stromford was one of his holdings. Now that Lord Furnival is dead, Lady Furnival must have summoned Aycliffe.”
“I feared that might happen.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to avoid it all.”
“My wrist is numb where they struck me.”
“Then you’ll have to walk on your feet,” he said, grinning.
With that, he turned about and began to wend his way through back streets and dark alleys, his lantern barely showing the way through the dark and rain.
“When I tried to defend myself,” I said after we had gone for a while, “I lost your dagger.”
“I’m sure you used it well.”
“Bear?” I said as we went along.
“What?”
“God bless you.”
“And you also,” he returned gruffly.
Only when I was secure behind the doors of Widow Daventry’s inn did I draw a fully relaxed breath. I looked about. The main room was deserted.
“Bear, you need to tell me what I should do if—”
The widow came into the room. As she did, Bear put up his hand to silence me.
“Ah,” the woman said. “You found him.”
“He was wandering and became lost,” Bear said, not mentioning the attack.
“Did the watch see you?” she asked me.
“I don’t think so.”
“Good.” She drew herself up. “I’m afraid John Ball has just arrived.”
“Where is he?” Bear said.
“In the kitchen. He demanded to be fed.”
“Fine. I’ll get the boy to the room. Can you fetch him something to eat? And some dry clothes.”
“I’ll get some,” the woman said and left the room.
Giving me no explanation as to what his exchange with Widow Daventry had been about, Bear and I returned to our room. Once there, he set the lantern on the table, then bade me lie down on the pallet. When I did, Bear sat down by my side, but instead of speaking, became lost in his thoughts. Even so, I felt comforted.
Widow Daventry opened the door and stuck her head inside. “He’s getting anxious,” she said.
“He always was the impatient man,” Bear muttered. “I’m coming.”
The woman left. Bear stood and stepped toward the door.
“Now eat your bread and go to sleep.”
“Will you truly forgive me?” I said.
“There’s nothing to forgive. Sometimes I forget.”
“Forget what?”
“How little you know.”
With no further words, he went away.
Left alone, I hardly knew what to think. But after what had just happened to me—and how he had come after me—I had no heart to question him.