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“Unless one of the groups arrives back unexpectedly, it is highly unlikely.”
It would be rather wonderful to see something more of this area than the same view of the island she had every day. And the opportunity for a boat ride with Brecc was too good to ignore.
“If no one else is in need of the punt, I should very much enjoy going with you.”
Brecc smiled and offered her his hand. “Come. Allow me to assist you into the boat.”
Descending the bank with her hand in Brecc’s proved infinitely easier than climbing up it in an excessively weakened state had been, and in no time at all, she was seated on the wooden seat inside the long, narrow craft. Brecc took his position on the platform at the end of the boat, set the pole in the water, and pushed. Smoothly and silently, they glided away from the island.
Clouds hung low over Burrow Mump, but to the south, sunshine and a patch of blue brightened the sky. Brown bracken and broken reed heads lined the shore, but the vegetation’s annual transformation from the muted colors of winter to the verdant green of spring was well on its way.
“Look, Brecc,” Aisley cried, pointing to a spot beneath a leafy birch tree. “Crocuses.”
“Do you need to gather some?” His arms were poised on the pole, ready to adjust their direction if necessary.
“Not this time, but I am glad to know where to find them.”
“What would you use crocus for?” he asked, pushing the punt forward again.
“It can be used for stomach ailments and smarting of the eyes.”
He laughed.
“Why would you laugh at such a thing?” she asked.
“I am not laughing at the crocus’s healing properties,” he said. “I am simply in awe of your knowledge. I daresay I could ask you about any plant we pass and you would have an answer for me.”
She felt her cheeks redden. “Not every plant. And I wish I knew a great deal more about other things.” She pointed to an enormous gray bird with a black head and long, thin legs wading through the water ahead of them. “I do not know what that is called. Do you?”
“That is a common crane.”
“There, you see? Common to you and many others, I wager. But I was ignorant of its name until this very moment.”
He smiled. “I am glad we can learn from each other. If I see any of the only half dozen other birds I can recognize, I shall let you know.”
It was Aisley’s turn to laugh. She knew full well that Brecc’s knowledge of birds was greater than that. The men used bird calls to message each other on a regular basis.
“Where exactly are you taking me?” she asked.
“There.” He pointed to a small wooden structure sitting atop a gentle rise on the other side of the water.
Aisley studied it curiously. “What is it?”
“A church.” Brecc guided the punt to the bank not far from a trail that appeared to meander up the rise toward the building.
“Truly?” There were no dwellings anywhere in sight. Indeed, as far as Aisley could tell, there were no people anywhere near this place beyond herself and Brecc.
“Aye.” Favoring his uninjured leg, he jumped onto the land and tied the rope attached to the punt’s end to a nearby sapling. “It has been all but abandoned by the local people, which has served the king’s purposes very well.”
Aisley gasped. “This is where the king comes to offer his prayers?”
“It is. I have brought him here more times than I can count. He feels a special connection to this humble place, and I believe he has been gifted heavenly direction during his many hours of worship.” He reached for her hand and guided her out of the boat. “Would you like to see it for yourself?”
“Very much.”
They walked the sheep trail hand in hand, and it was not long before they reached the isolated church. Brecc pushed open the door. It creaked. Aisley stepped inside and paused, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the muted light before moving any farther. Eight tidy rows of pews filled
the modest structure, four on each side of a narrow aisle. At the front of the building, a simple wooden cross hung above a wooden lectern and a stone christening font.
