Abigail Moor by Valerie Holmes Read Free Book Online Page B

not
known she even had a man friend. Abigail took a deep breath and
graciously offered him her hand. “Then I am both thankful and
indebted to you.” She smiled pleasantly at him.
    Ezekiel took
her kid-gloved hand in his and kissed the back of it, bowing low as
he did so. His accent was subdued, trying to form polite words as
he spoke, “It is I who am honoured, miss.”
    Martha laughed
and Abigail managed a smile in what had been so far the most
traumatic night of her life, although she had to admit there was
something about the man that could be good-naturedly humorous –
when he tried to be.
    “Ez’, it’s
coming.” A little old lady with only one tooth visibly left in her
head peered around the corner of the doorway. A floppy cloth bonnet
framed her craggy face.
    “Thanks,
Maude.” Ezekiel sighed deeply and looked at them both. “Whatever is
to become of you, Martha? I wish you a good and safe journey.
You’ve been a precious sight for my poor failing eyes.”
    “Get away, man,
you always was a flatterer and I bet you’ve sight like a hawk.” She
patted his arm, but there was a longing in her eyes that was plain
for Abigail to see. Martha truly loved this man.
    “It’s been too
long.” He kissed her full on the mouth.
    Abigail looked
away, not able to cope with this new side of Martha that was being
revealed to her. Her relationship with Martha was special to her.
Abigail had never known a life without her being there and she
realised she was jealous of this man, because of the open fondness
that Martha showed him in her every gesture. Jealousy was an
emotion she felt quite ashamed of. There was so much about Martha,
like her own past, that Abigail did not know. Everything that had
been solid as a rock in her life seemed to have become lucid. She
no longer knew what or who she could rely on other, that is, than
herself.
    “Aye, that’s as
maybe,” Martha answered him, “I’ll be back one day, honest, Ez.”
Martha gave him one last hug.
    He stared at
Abigail with no hint of humour. “Have you any idea what this woman
gave up for you?”
    For a moment
Abigail wondered what he meant, but guessed the answer would be
‘him’.
    “Now, now, Ez!
I’ll have none of that.” Martha waved a finger at Ezekiel in
rebuke. “Best be on our way,” she said, looking around fondly at
Abigail.
    Abigail tried
to return an affectionate smile, before she walked into the passage
and waited by the threshold as the great stagecoach thundered to a
halt outside the inn. Abigail was aware of a strange fluttering
feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her new life started here.
    “May God be
with us all.” Martha was staring at the darkening sky.
    Abigail watched
the concern on her maid’s face. “It’s all right, Martha, only a
storm, no more or less,” Abigail whispered to her.
    “You don’t
understand. There are things out there, on the moors. Strange
goings on. Tis not fit for a Christian to be out on a night like
this.” Martha looked pale, her eyes darting left and right, peering
into the darkness.
    “Then have more
faith in God than the things ‘going on’ and we will be fine.” She
heard the sharp intake of Martha’s breath in disgust at Abigail’s
dismissal of her superstitious ways, but could not reply as Abigail
had stepped outside the inn into the night air, glad to be free of
the dusty gloom of the stale air within.
    Abigail
considered that there was enough for them to worry about with what
they could see in this world, without looking for ghosts and demons
or whatever it was that filled Martha’s imagination. Abigail had no
time for such notions. They were fantastic tales made only to scare
children with, and she was no longer a child.
    She saw Ezekiel
hand a flagon of ale to the driver. He held out an oil lamp in
their direction. At first Abigail thought it was to light their
way, but then she realised it was to show the driver who his new
passengers were to be. Reluctantly, the man nodded and