A loud braying caught his attention as he rounded the bend out of town. Merry jerked in distaste.
“Steady, girl. What have we here?” A small grey donkey was braying loudly and kicking up his heels, unable to free himself from ropes tying him to a large mulberry bush. His thrashing had torn off limbs, but not the core of the bush, where the ropes were secured.
Bergen slid from his horse. “Just a minute, little fellow.” He tried to sort out the muddle of rope and branch that the donkey had created. “You must be the little donkey I heard about last night. I recall they said you were cursed.”
“Eeeeeeeorrrrrrrr!” Kicked-up clumps of mud covered them both.
“Damn it, donkey! I am trying to help. Hold still.”
The donkey tried to turn his head towards him and seemed to be moving his lips as if pleading. Bergen did not sense any aggression.
“There, now. That should do it.” Still holding the rope, he freed the donkey and patted him on the rump, hoping to send him on his way, but the donkey stayed. He pulled up his lips and showed his teeth.
“Oh, there! Is that a smile? I have never seen a smiling donkey…and with blue eyes…” Bergen laughed out loud. “Well, your eyes do not quite line up, but you are a friendly fellow despite your predicament. Not the temper I have normally experienced with your brethren, I will say.”
Bergen fished in his saddle-bag and pulled out an apple he had packed before leaving on the trip. “Here you go…Clarence. You look like a Clarence, I think.”
The donkey accepted the apple and nudged Bergen’s arm in a gentle show of thanks.
“Very well…off with you, Clarence. Time for me to go.” The donkey starred at Bergen and slowly walked off in the opposite direction.
Once back in his saddle, Bergen urged Merry into a canter. “I am suddenly in a good mood, old girl. I have done a good deed today.” He began to whistle and suddenly heard what sounded like a donkey braying along to his song. Bergen turned slowly. There stood Clarence, smiling his odd smile.
“Clarence, what am I to do with you?” He looked upward at the position of the sun. It had to be two hours past his early meal already and he had hoped by this time to be well underway. He could not take a donkey into London with him, so there was nothing to do but retrace his steps to the inn. Grabbing up the rope, he looped it through Clarence’s collar. “That is an interesting collar you have, Clarence. Does it mean anything significant?” The words of the gypsy came back to him. Amulet, cursed. “Well, it is odd, but I do not think I have ever heard of a cursed donkey. I think you might be the funniest one I have met, however.”
A thunderous sound exited the small animal; soon they were both enveloped with a sulphuric stench.
“Goodness, Clarence! Was that you…good God!” Bergen grappled with the ropes while at the same time trying to move away from the animal.
“Whew! All right now, let us go back.”
On reaching the Cock Inn, Bergen noticed Perry in the yard and whistled. A deep bray mimicked him from behind. Unable to stop himself, he laughed.
“Yes, my lord? Are you returning for the night?”
“No…I found myself in the company of this…Clarence.”
“A donkey?” The young man smiled in amusement. “You named him Clarence?”
“Yes. It seemed to fit.” Bergen chuckled. “Clarence seems in need of a home.”
“Oh, I see, my lord. Well, the master here already has a donkey for his cart and though I shouldna say so, he is a bit of a skinflint. I do not think he would take to this little fellow, but there is a place…” Perry scratched his head and smiled.
“Lady Newton in the big house up the lane, there…” He pointed towards the other end of the High Street. “…she takes in strays. She heals them and gives them a home. Been known to take all kinds of animals. I reckon she’d like this little donkey—er, Clarence.”
“Thank you, Perry. Could you give me a better description of her house?”
“My lord, it be the first one you see as you pass out of town. On the right, it is. It has a short, black iron fence surrounding it, and the yard is full of plantings—I think roses. Yes, red ones.” He nodded, seeming pleased with his directions.
“Thank you, again, Perry. You are very helpful.” Bergen turned to Clarence.
“Well. old boy, it appears we are going to make a social call. This should be interesting.” He gently tugged at the donkey, but before he would move, Clarence turned to smile at Perry.
***
“Lizzie!” Aunt Jane shouted from the back door, loud enough for anyone in the county to hear. “There is a delicious gentleman arrived!”
Elizabeth cast her gaze heavenward. Aunt Jane thought any human with different parts and of marriageable age was delicious. Dear Horace had only been dead for two years, and Jane never tired of trying to see Elizabeth remarried.
“I will be there directly,” Elizabeth replied as she shut the door with her foot and set down the pail of fresh milk without spilling it. The milkmaid was away, caring for her ailing mother, so Elizabeth had taken on the extra task. She did not mind, really. There was something soothing about the repetitive tasks of farm work.
After untying her apron, she placed it back on the hook beside the door and made a fool’s attempt to tidy her hair.
“Why bother,” she muttered, “Most likely it is only Jed Hamm come to convince me to give the children away.”
They had gone
