She shook her head. “He won’t return for hours.”
Stephan looked as relieved as Alden about that news.
“Are you certain you don’t want to negotiate?” he asked.
Mrs.Webb crossed her arms. “I’ll take four hundred.”
Alden stalled again, even though he knew his answer. He and Stephan had discussed their plan as they’d walked here. If they pooled resources, they had four hundred between them, with a small reserve left.
“I think we can compromise with four hundred as long as there are no more delays.” He nodded at Stephan, and the man rushed from the room. “While my colleague collects the money, please fetch Persila and me a cup of tea.”
Mrs.Webb grumbled all the way to the door.
Persila dropped her mending back into the basket after Mrs.Webb left, and he took Stephan’s seat on the floor. His stomach clenched when he examined the blood matted on her face and the cut above her eye. Even if they didn’t respect Persila, the Webbs—or the judge for that matter—should have given her the opportunity to clean her wounds.
“I’m sorry I didn’t find you earlier.”
Her gaze widened. “You were looking for me?”
“Of course,” he said. “Isaac insisted that I tell you he’s had multiple baths since we stepped off that ship.”
She managed a small smile. “How is that boy?”
“As precocious as ever.”
“Tell him that I miss him.”
“I will.”
“Alden—”
“What is it?”
She fidgeted with the thread beside her. “I’m not worth four hundred dollars.”
“You’re worth much more than that, but it’s all we had to offer.”
She looked back up at him. “You could buy a lot for that money.”
“But your freedom is priceless, Persila.”
“The Webbs don’t deserve any more money.”
“No, but I don’t want you to live as a runaway.” He leaned back against the window shade, glancing at the strips of faded paper dangling from the wall and the three pallets set up on the floor. “How did the Webbs acquire enough money to buy you in the first place?”
“Master Webb won me gambling.” She pulled her knees up to her chest. “And he’s going to come after me when he returns, even with new papers. He needs my income to keep gambling.”
Alden checked the timepiece in his pocket. It was 5:15. “There’s a paddle wheeler leaving for San Francisco at six. You and Stephan can both travel up to Vancouver Island, where everyone is free.”
As her smile grew wider, he took her hand. “One day soon, I’d like to send Isaac up to live with you so he can be free too.” In some small way, he hoped Isaac might also help replace the child Persila had lost long ago.
“Oh, Alden,” she said, squeezing his hand. “I adore that boy, but he would be devastated to leave you.”
“He needs a good mother.”
“And a good father.” She laughed softly. “All you need to find is a wife.”
The door opened, and Mrs.Webb shuffled inside with two cups of tea. She reluctantly handed both of them to Alden, and he gave the second cup to Persila, though neither he nor Persila dared to try it.
