Royal Ransom by Eric Walters Read Free Book Online Page B

I was about five and he was in his seventies. We covered over two hundred kilometres in five days, and you know that I didn’t contribute much to the paddling.”
    â€œProbably as much as my brother did today,” she said.
    â€œWell … maybe a little bit more than that.”
    She burst out laughing. She really did have a nice laugh.
    â€œDid you spend much time with your grandfather?”
    â€œIt’s hard not to when you live in the same little village.”
    â€œWhen did he pass on?” she asked.
    â€œJust a while ago.”
    â€œYou must miss him.”
    Of course I missed him. He was my grandfather. I nodded.
    â€œI didn’t get to know my grandfather very well,” she said. “He died when I was very little.”
    â€œIf you want to know anything about your grandfather you should ask my grandmother,” I said.
    She laughed again. “She certainly did take us by surprise when she recognized us, and then, when she began reciting our family history … and all those plates and pictures and mementos! It was so, so …”
    â€œStrange?” I asked.
    â€œWell, I was thinking ‘sweet,’ but if one was to ever think about it, there certainly is something unusual about finding pictures of your family in the house of somebody you have never met before.”
    â€œThere are actually more pictures of your family in my house than there are of my family.”
    Again she laughed.
    â€œBut I guess it wouldn’t have been so sweet if it had cost you the trip,” I noted.
    â€œThat would have be so unfortunate … a tragedy.”
    Up ahead Ray and Andrew had already made land. Ray had pulled the canoe up onto the shore and was pulling out the packs. Andrew was off to the side, sitting on a rock.
    â€œI’ll bring us in close, then I’ll jump out and pull you into shore so you won’t get wet,” I said.
    â€œI’ll do that,” Victoria said.
    â€œThat’s okay, I can do it.”
    â€œAnd so can I. I believe that proper canoe etiquette calls for the person in the bow to leave the craft and bring the canoe in.”
    â€œI don’t know nothing about etiquette, but if you want to jump in and get wet instead of me, then I’m not going to argue.”
    I changed course so the canoe was coming straight in for the sandy beach. Suddenly she shifted around and threw her legs over the side, swung herself over and dropped into water up to her waist. Why hadn’t she waited until we got closer to shore? She waded through the water, dragging the canoe behind her, and pulled the bow up onto the beach. I stood up and carefully walked up the canoe and jumped out onto the shore. Hey, any landing that ended with my feet dry was a good one! I grabbed the bow of the canoe and, along with Victoria, pulled it up and completely out of the water.
    â€œJamie, why didn’t you bring the canoe in instead of—?”
    â€œHe wanted to!” Victoria called out, cutting Ray off. “But I wouldn’t hear of it!”
    â€œI guess he couldn’t force you to let him, but if you’re going to be doing that again you might want to wait until you actually get close to the shore,” Ray pointed out.
    â€œI think I will be able to remember that lesson.”
    â€œGood. So how did you enjoy your first day on the water?”
    â€œI really liked it,” she said.
    â€œTired?”
    She nodded.
    â€œWell, there’s not much more for you to do for the rest of the night. Just grab your pack and bring it up by your brother, and then we’ll get everything set up.”
    She took her pack and started up the slope to where Andrew sat.
    â€œHow was she?” Ray asked quietly.
    â€œShe did okay. She’ll learn to paddle better as we—”
    â€œI didn’t mean about her paddling. What was she like?”
    â€œFine. Friendly. Talked.”
    â€œYou mean she didn’t complain