She pressed her lips into a line. “I have stipulations, which we will get into later.”
Kendrick laughed. “I look forward to it, sweetheart.”
“I want you to drink this,” Joseph said, holding a cup of tea under the boy’s nose. “And have some every hour.”
“Don’t want none,” the boy said sulkily. Then he coughed hard enough to shake his whole body.
“Fletcher, you must if you want to get better. Joseph is a doctor,” Genevieve said, taking the cup and holding for him.
“No, he ain’t. I know a reaver when I see one.”
Illumination dawned for Kendrick.
“What is a reaver?” Genevieve said absently, her focus on the task at hand.
“We are,” Kendrick said. He exchanged a look with Joseph.
Genevieve looked at them both and then back at the boy. “Fletcher?”
“I thought you wasn’t for the longest, but you are. But you’re a good one.” The boy said, with some surprise, “I never saw a reaver who never went on a bender before.”
“You knew?” Genevieve said in a small voice. “That I was…” The cup in her hand rattled against the saucer before she controlled her reaction. “Fletcher, none of us will hurt you.Iwill not hurt you.”
“Youwon’t. But all us know to scarper when we see reavers. They’re barking; kill you soon as look at you.” The boy coughed again, explosively, his skin flushing with the force of his lungs’ exertion.
Kendrick slung the baldric from his shoulder and pulled the sword free of his sheath. “In days long ago, men were bound by the guest right. That is the right of protection and sanctuary to a guest who comes into a house by the house holder. In this case, this is my house, and you are the guest.” He laid the sword on the bed and put his hand on the blade. “And I will swear to you that no harm will come to you under my roof. May my blade turn against me should I fail in this.”
No doubt suitably impressed by the large weapon, the boy blinked owlishly.
“To seal the bond, put your hand on the blade and say that you accept my hospitality.”
The boy extended a hand. One round of washing could not eradicate all the dirt under his nails. “Cor blimey,” he said. “Right you are, guv’nor.”
Good enough, Kendrick thought. “Now I am bound to protect you, Fletcher. No one will hurt you in my house.”
“Or you’ll stick them with that bleedin’ great sword?” Fletcher demanded around a raspy cough.
“That’s right. Now drink all of that tea Joseph has for you.”
Genevieve stood and put the sword against the wall. “Weaponry does not belong in bed.”
“I’ll remember that for later,” Kendrick said dryly.
She would ignore the double entendre for now in favor of larger matters. “Did you magic him?” she demanded under her breath. “Fletcher deserves to make decisions and feel safe as much as anybody.”
“Not actively. I think it was a small boy’s awe at weaponry more than anything.” When she shot Kendrick a narrow look, he said, “I will keep a hold on it. And I mean what I said. He will be safe in this house.”
“Good.” She wrapped her arms around herself.
“How did you meet the child?”
“A year and a half ago, I noticed him in the streets as I went out to feed and began to recognize him as a regular face in the crowds. More so later when I approached Sally and some other women about childminding. I think I spoke to him once when he was sweeping a corner and gave him a penny. One of the first I earned on my own. He began to greet me when I came across him and then walk me to and from the East End. He’s a very smart boy. Very curious. Also very proud and resistant to help. A few times, I suggested charitable organizations, places he could go, but he refused.” She swallowed. “It was so hard to know he was alone on the streets, but he didn’t want what help I could give him. I should’ve seen he was getting sick?—”
“This is not your fault,” Kendrick said firmly. “Has he told you what happened?”
“He developed a bad cough or cold. And then he came upon boys wanting to do mischief to the dog. He put himself between the dog and their knives and snatched it up, but he couldn’t outrun them. Theykickedhim,” she said. “Joseph had to wrap his ribs.”
“He got away,” he reminded her. “The boy is tough.”
