Love's Pursuit by Siri Mitchell Read Free Book Online Page B

speaking. “Since this man prefers the king’s religion to God’s truth, then perhaps the perfect place for him of a Sabbath is . . . outside, on watch.”
    The captain bowed. “My thoughts exactly.” He straightened and proceeded down the aisle toward the door. But not before giving me a wink.
    Which was witnessed by half the people in that place.
    The captain stepped forward from the side of the meetinghouse as I limped out the door. “Mistress Phillips.”
    I frowned at him and kept on . . . limping. There were too many people watching, too many goodwives bent on finding a topic for their gossip, to allow the captain to speak to me in so public a place.
    Unfortunately, he did not know it. “May I walk with you?”
    I did not answer.
    He fell into step with me as I followed my parents, despite my pointed lack of reply.
    It was then I decided to seize the opportunity his boldness had provided. “You may not flirt with me.”
    He leaned toward me but kept his eyes on my parents, who were walking still before us. “Flirt with you?”
    “Wink at me.”
    “Wink at you?”
    “Must you repeat everything I say?”
    “Only if I wish to understand what it is you are trying to tell me.”
    “I am not some. . . . some . . . scandalous woman for you to treat me so lightly.”
    His gaze darted from my parents and came to rest on me. “Scandalous? But I never thought you were. I simply thought you were exceedingly beautiful. And a gentleman is honor bound to . . . honor beauty when he observes it.”
    “Then cease your observations.”
    “I would rather pluck out my own eyes.”
    “Have you a knife? I will do it myself.” That such bold words would issue forth from my mouth!
    “Such coldhearted cruelty from one so fair. A very flower of Puritan orthodoxy. And yet so spirited. You fascinate me.”
    There was laughter lurking in his eyes. I could see it. And I did not like to be laughed at. I was vain as well as rebellious. But I was still an upstanding citizen of Stoneybrooke Towne. And the townspeople thought me good as well. “Find your fascination elsewhere. I am promised to John Prescotte.”
    “Betrothed?”
    I could not lie. Certainly not on a Sabbath. “Not yet.”
    He smiled.
    “But I will be.”
    The smile disappeared. “Truly?”
    “Before the summer is over.” Please, God, may I not have lied!
    “Is he the young one, then? The one with the scraggly beard?”
    I ignored his insults. “The one with more virtues than you will ever know.”
    “Who works like an indentured servant on his father’s farm?”
    I could not stop my face from flushing. “His father has been ill.”
    “ ’Tis that which has stopped him from marrying you?”
    “Are you an orphan that you do not understand such obligations to family?”
    “Nay. I am a son of a man who pushed me out into the world to make my own way when I was yet a lad. Despite the fact that he had gone lame. In both feet.”
    How had he managed to shame me when he was the one who had been seen winking?
    “John Prescotte?” He sighed. “I wish you much luck then.”
    I could tell that he did not mean it. And besides, I did not need his luck.

8
    TRAINING DAY DAWNED SULTRY. Even the notes of the cowherd’s horn drooped in the air. The sun had barely cleared the tops of the trees when waves of heat began to shimmer in the distance.
    After breakfast Nathaniel ran up to the meetinghouse with his drum. Soon we heard his signal. By the time we arrived at the training field, several stakes had been driven into the ground. Between them stretched some lengths of homespun and beneath, blankets had been spread out and babes laid down. For once Abigail had been freed from her burden. She stood within a loose cluster of other young mothers.
    John Prescotte walked by. I might have smiled at him, spoken to him for a moment, but he did not look at me in passing.

    Thomas shrugged out of his doublet and handed it to me, leaving me free to join the other women. And so I