“Papa, how did you know what to do to help Thomas? And how do you have a chest full of medical tools in your possession?”
Her father sighed before he cleared his throat. “When I was young and foolish, I wanted no part of my father’s work as a goldsmith. I wanted adventure and excitement. I ran off and joined the fighting in the French and Indian War. I hated it. Hated every part of it. When I was injured, I spent time watching the doctor work, then helping him. I was a willing student and learned all I could. Months later, when I returned home, the doctor presented me with that chest of tools. I keep it ready to use. When your mother and I took over the shop after my father died, I realized the gift my father had passed to me with this shop and the skills given to create what we do. I also realized I could be a help to others. We turned the cellar into a secret room and have done what we can to help those in need of a hand when they find themselves unable to find assistance elsewhere.”
Lucy had no idea about any of it. How many nights had she blissfully slumbered in her warm bed while someone injured or in need of refuge had been in the secret cellar beneath the storage room?
Her father patted her hand. “Someday, you’ll leave here, Lucy. Don’t hesitate to follow your heart, wherever it takes you. I’m aware Theo has no interest at all in becoming a goldsmith. He will thrive at the farm with your grandparents. It’s what he loves, and what he will likely feel called to do. Farming is a noble and necessary profession. Without farmers, where would any of us be?”
Rather than wait for an answer, her father continued. “The days and months ahead will be filled with uncertainty, fears, and things we can’t begin to imagine. Hold on to your faith and your love, Lucy, and trust God’s leading. If you do that, everything will work out just as it is intended to.”
“I’ll do my best, Papa, and I thank you for sharing your past with me. I had no idea about any of it.”
Her father nodded. “It wasn’t a time of my life of which I am proud, and wanted to put it behind me as best I could once I returned here and started working for my father and then met and married your beautiful mother. It is a relief for you to know the truth of who I am and the path that led me here. I’ll tell Theo someday, when he asks. For now, he needs to enjoy the moments of being a child while he can. I fear this war will steal it from him before it draws to an end.”
“I hold some of those same fears, Papa, but I think Theo will weather them better than most. It’s just who he is.”
“True.” Ward kissed the top of her head again, then stood and held out his hand. When she took it, he pulled her to her feet, and they walked inside the house. “Rest well.”
“Good night, Papa. I love you.”
“And I love you, Lucy.”
She turned and hurried to her room, lit a candle, and wrote down all her experiences in her journal. Somehow, it seemed important to capture her thoughts on paper and preserve themfor the future. She would just have to be careful her journals never found their way into enemy hands.
Once she blew out the flame and climbed into bed, Lucy found it hard to quiet her mind. Finally, sleep claimed her.
Exhausted, she slept longer than she intended and was late arising the next morning. She hastily dressed, then rushed downstairs, eager to see Branch.
Only, he was gone.
Eleven
Slowly, Branch opened his eyes and stared at an unfamiliar ceiling in a dark, slightly dank room. Had he been taken prisoner?
Not that he recalled.
Then memories from the previous day flooded his sleepy mind. He had been shot rescuing Thomas.
It must have been a day for Redcoat spies, because he had gotten word Thomas was in danger about the time his friend had gone to retrieve whatever message Lucy had ready to send. On his way to intercept him, Branch had passed Doctor Gray’s place and noticed a known Redcoat spy lingering across the road, keeping watch.
He knew Thomas would take the boat they kept beneath the broken wharf and row over to New Jersey, make his way to Whitley on a path hidden in the trees, then disappear for a few days.
Only Thomas had been followed by the two brutes who kept watching Lucy. Ward was as aware of their presence as Branch had been, but there wasn’t much they could do to get rid of the men without raising a ruckus. Ward had mentioned he had sentLucy and Theo to the farm in hopes the men would lose interest in her, but they had resumed their ogling as soon as she had returned.
When Branch had come upon the two of them shooting at Thomas, he had lost all patience with the men. He had brained the one and grabbed an oar and smacked it against the hard head of the other to topple him like a felled tree. Ward had gotten word out before Lucy and Theo returned, and the two men were captured and hauled off to where they wouldn’t bother anyone for a good long while.
Grateful he had worn a filthy cape as part of his disguise, Branch had whipped it off when he had realized Thomas was wounded and wrapped it around him, intending to take him to Rowan’s place while they summoned the doctor, but more Redcoat spies were lounging in the shadows nearby, keeping watch.
Branch had veered into the alley and made his way to the Carlsons’ shop and home. He knew Ward had helped injured Rebels in the past and hoped he could do his best for Thomas.
Without hesitation, Branch would have gladly traded places with his friend. Thomas had saved his life more than once, and Branch felt he had a debt to repay a hundred times over.
It wasn’t until he had felt something wet against his leg that Branch had realized he’d been bleeding. He had refused to let Cleta or Ward help him until they had dug the musket balls out of Thomas and stitched his wounds closed. When Branch had finally allowed Ward to help him remove his shirt, it was to discover a musket ball had dug a furrow across his side. Despite how awful the wound looked, nothing vital had been damaged beyond a few layers of skin.
However, Branch thought his eyes might have crossed when Ward had poured rum over the wound and sutured the edges together. After Cleta had helped wrap a bandage aroundBranch’s middle, she fetched one of Ward’s shirts for him to wear and then washed his bloodstained breeches while he slept in the cot not occupied by Thomas.
He sat up slowly, recalling the dangerous mission they had sent Lucy on, accompanied by Theo. They must have all lost their minds to do that, but Theo had returned triumphantly, full of excitement as he relayed every step of the adventure, from Lucy taking off her shoes to carry him through the mud, to her charming the Redcoats, to feeding Whitley the food Cleta had sent while Theo sat on a pony.
Branch made a mental note to find the lad a pony of his own. Every boy on a farm needed a pony and a dog. John Danvers had dogs, but a puppy of his own was what Theo needed.
