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Phaedre had helped me to find Pollyanne not because she trusted or liked me--but because I was the master’s wife Pollyanne ht, would of course find Pollyanne and hide her--she was his property; or Jocasta’s, which in Phaedre’s eyes would aer lay clean, on the worn linen sheet I had brought for a shroud Phaedre had co stone jar of herbs I had brought thelad of theress of decomposition, but as the sole--and necessary--touch of cere lurasped uished whisper that had breathed "Tell…" in the s dark And yet there was thehot in ht of her eers

There was no minister nearer than Halifax; she would be buried without rites--and yet, what need had she of rites? Funeral rituals are for the comfort of the bereaved It was unlikely that she had left anyone behind to grieve, I thought; for if she had had anyone so close to her--faht she would not now be dead

I had not known her, would not rieved her; her and her child And so for myself, rather than for her, I knelt by her body and scattered herbs: fragrant and bitter, leaves of rue and hyssop flowers, rose to the dead--small token of re Then she reached out and with gentle fingers, laid the shroud across the girl’s dead face Jamie had come to watch Without a word, he stooped and picked her up, and bore her to the wagon

He didn’t speak until I had climbed up and settled myself on the seat beside him He snapped the reins on the horses’ backs, and clicked his tongue

"Let us go and find the Sergeant," he said

There were, of course, a few things to be attended to first We returned to River Run to leave Phaedre, and Ja, while I went to check on ’s events

I needn’t have troubled on either account; Farquard Ca tea with Jocasta John Myers, his loins swathed in a Careen velvet chaise, cheerfullyfros and feet extending froe of his teht before to administer a bath

"My dear" Jocasta’s head turned at h I saw the twin lines of concern etched between her brows "Sit you down, child, and take soht--and a dreadful ht ordinarily have found it either a to be called "child;" under the circuratefully into an ar meanwhile just how much Farquard had told Jocasta--and how ?" I asked ood condition, considering his alcoholic intake of the night before His color was good, and so was his appetite, judging from the quantity of crumbs on the plate by his side

He nodded cordially at , and sith so fine, ma’am, I thank ye kindly A mite sore round the privates"--he tenderly patted the area in question--"but a sweeter job of stitchin’ I’ve not been privileged to see Mr Ulysses was kind enough to fetch lass," he explained He shook his head in soot back there, ye’d think hed heartily at this, and Farquard Campbell buried a smile in his teacup Ulysses turned aith the tray, but I saw the corner of hisin amusement

"They do say it’s a wise bairn that kens its father, John Quincy But I kent your mother weel, and I’ll say I think it unlikely"

Myers shook his head, but his eyes twinkled over the thick growth of beard

"Well, my mama did admire a hairy ht" He peered down the open neck of his shirt, viewing the underbrush on display with soht be so, at that The Indian lassies seeh it’s maybe only the novelty, coot fuzz on their balls, let alone their backsides"

Mr Cahed heavily into his napkin I smiled toand fragrant Indian blend, and despite the oppressive heat of the ht dew of sweat broke out on ly intothe stench of blood and excreta from my nose, even as the cheerful conversation banished thefroh I could lie down there peacefully and sleep for a week No rest for the weary, though

Jamie came in, freshly shaved and combed, dressed in sober coat and clean linen He nodded to Farquard Campbell with no apparent surprise; he must have heard his voice from the hallway

"Auntie" He bent and kissed Jocasta’s cheek in greeting, then smiled at Myers

"How is it, a charaid? Or shall I say, how are they?"

"Right as rain," Myers assured his "Think I h"

"I would," Jamie assured him He turned back to Jocasta "Have ye one a small errand for me, he and the laddie" She sht around his wrist "Such a dear man, Mr Innes So helpful And such a quick, canny man; a real pleasure to talk to Do ye not find hiaze flicked to Farquard Ca at his tea as he affected to study the large painting that hung above the mantel

"Indeed," Jaone with hie for me," his aunt said placidly "Did ye need Duncan directly?"

"No," Ja down at her "It can wait"

Her fingers slipped free of his sleeve, and she reached for her teacup The delicate handle was angled precisely toward her, ready for her hand