I leaned in with an urgent whisper, “Was itMaria Cobham? Did the woman look like me? Just older?” I asked himdesperately, almost afraid of the answer I already knew. He onlynodded.
I looked atLottie and she regarded me from the side. “See? I told you.”
I bit back therest of my tears and pulled myself together. “Do you know where shewent? Where she is now?” The poor man seemed frazzled and helpless.I knew he had no further information. But, surely, this was a signof some kind. A connection. My wish finally unfolding and pullingme in the direction to find my insane sibling. “I’ll buy this cratefrom you,” I told the merchant and his shoulders sank withrelief.
Lottie leanedover the table; dagger still pointed in a threatening direction.“But if Maria comes through again, or you hear of her whereabouts,you must let us know.” With her empty hand, she reached into thesatchel she wore and pulled out a tiny bag of coins. Discretely,she shoved it toward the man. “I trust you’ll remain quiet abouteverything. Come and find a man named Gus at The Kraken’s Den ifyou have anything worth sharing.”
The merchantaccepted the bag of schillings and nodded purposefully. “I swear toit.”
Lottie sneeredand backed away, returning her weapon to its hilt under the thicklayers of her dress. “Good.”
I loosened thestring of my red leather coin bag, ready to pay the man whatever hewanted for Henry’s belongings, but he held his hands out to stopme. “No, no, please,” he said. “Just take them.”
“Are yousure?” I asked, hesitant of his reasoning.
He gave me anervous smile and tilted his head, hands open. “I have no need forthem. And they clearly mean something to you. Please,” he urged,“Take them. I insist. Consider it a gesture of good faith.”
“Well, I atleast want to pay for the ring,” I told him as I plucked a few goldcoins from my pouch and placed them on the table between us. Morethan enough, I was sure. He would have sold it to someone, mademoney. He was running a business, after all. And I respectedthat.
The merchant’seyes flicked to Lottie by my side, almost as if he awaited herapproval. When she didn’t react, he finally gave a nod and slippedthe coins into his pocket. “If you must.”
“I do,” Ireplied and swiped an empty red velvet sack from the table. “I’lltake this as well.”
We bid himfarewell and made our way down through the bustling merchant squaretoward our awaiting carriage. I’d transferred the contents of thecrate and the other items I purchased to the more convenientdrawstring sack and held it tight to my chest, arms wrapped aroundit as if it held the most precious things in the world. And, in away, it did.
Henry’sjournal, his past contained in its pages, in his mother’s blood.The ship-in-a-bottle I gave to him as a present, after the firstnight we made love. And his mother’s emerald ring. The one thing heso desperately wanted me to have on our wedding day. Henry washeartbroken over its loss. He never really said as much, but Icould tell. Now, as we approached the carriage, I imagined the lookon his face when I showed it to him. My heart warmed.
“You know,” Isaid to Lottie, “You probably didn’t need to threaten that man backthere. I’m sure he would have been fine with payment. Moneytalks.”
She laughed asour driver opened the door for us to step in. “As does a blade. Andit’s a conversation he won’t forget. I had to make sure he would doas I asked.”
She went infirst and I handed her the heavy bag as I followed behind, unableto stifle my own laughter. It’s like she had no idea the power sheheld just by being a woman. “I’m sure he would have listened toyou, regardless.”
“What do youmean?”
We took ourseats and settled in for the long, bumpy ride. “Lottie, you’re dropdead gorgeous. I’m sure you could make any man do whatever youwanted.”
Her facecrumpled in disgust. “I’d rather die than lower myself to thosestandards. My beauty is not a weapon. If anything, it’s a curse.I’ve had to become much stronger than one should ever be in orderto deal with the people who’ve tried to use my appearance to theiradvantage.”
I stared ather admiringly. My friend was a wonder. A rare gem, that was forsure. “And that’s why I love you, Charlotte Roberts.” I chuckled.“You’re such a badass.”
I caught aglimpse of her blue eyes rolling at my expense as she glanced outthe tiny carriage window. “I’m not sure what that means.” I sat andawaited her usual lecture about my modern tongue. Instead, sheregarded me with a pleasant grin. “But I quite like it.”
We spent thewhole ride immersed in a conversation about strong females from mytime and how far women will come. Lottie was mesmerized by mywords, my affirmations of our future as a gender. I told her of thehurdles women will eventually face, the sexism that still lingersin the threads of modern day. She seemed fascinated by suffrage andadmired how woman persisted. I could picture Lottie fitting inquite well in the future. Fighting for women’s rights. Owning hersexuality as she should. She reminded me of an old-world JessicaJones or Sarah Connor. Only she wasn’t a superhero. She was real, and I felt beyond lucky to callher my friend.
Finally, wepulled to a stop and the door flung open once again. The driverstood loyally, waiting to help us step down to the ground below. Itfelt weird being carted around and aided to and from a vehicle. Ialmost felt like someone important.
Lottie handedme the velvet sack before her hand reached out and hauled on thethick, tentacle carved wooden door of The Kraken’s Den. As soon aswe entered my eyes scanned the common areas and I felt my heartflutter wildly as they landed on a small trio of men standingaround the stone fireplace in the back. One of which was Henry whoturned and caught my eager gaze. We both smiled and casuallystrolled to one another. Heart reaching for heart.
“I missedyou,” he whispered deep and raspy against my ear. His lips foundmine and I succumbed to the
