“Sir, I am here at the request—no
“So you’ve said, but now you’re saddling your horse to follow those Nurses out to their compound?”
“You have been talking to Ingersoll then, haven’t you, Samuel.”
“I have.”
“Then you’ll know the reason why.”
“He suggested something about your affection for the family, and one girl in particular, yes.”
“I gather you know my purpose then.”
“
Jeremy had to control his anger and his quivering jaw. “I got to deal with a private matter that neither concerns you nor the village gossips.”
Parris’ smile was lecherous. “
Jeremy responded with a look of a man checkmated, exactly right for the moment.
Parris relaxed his grip on Dancer. “I am not one to stand in the way of affairs of the heart. I’m not so old and gone as to’ve forgotten.”
“Then you must know this trip has naught to do with you, or my service to Salem, or to—”
“I see! A spur of the moment thing, eh?” Parris actually winked.
“Precisely. My stepmother had a saying.”
“Oh? A French proverb was it?”
Dancer whinnied as if signaling impatience, or was it a warning for Jeremy to cut this short.
“The heart wants what the heart wants.”
Parris laughed lightly. “And the head be damned, eh?”
“It’s true.”
“Wise of your French mother, this saying of hers.” Parris still held up horse and rider. “But Jeremy, my friend, one must
Jeremy took the bait. “For instance?”
“
“Lust, Samuel?”
He grew thoughtful and patted Dancer about the shoulder and mane. “Lust can destroy a man. Remember that, and perhaps you’ll remain safe from….Well, safe.”
Jeremy wondered if he meant to say safe from Tituba L’englesian, but he decided not to pursue it, not here and not now. “How is Mary now?”
“She is abed beside the little one.”
“And Betty’s fever?”
“Both are in a bad way.”
“Both with fever?”
“Afraid so. Look, Jeremy, I merely caution you to beware of the Nurse clan.”
“Beware?”
“You’re young, easily swayed.”
“You needn’t worry, sir.”
“Watch your back, Jeremy.”
“I will…I will.”
“Standing as close as you are with me, some will treat you badly.”
“Aye, understood.”
“Good man!”
“You needn’t worry on that score.”
“Sometimes…wish I’d stayed a seaman.”
Jeremy was torn. Here Parris stood opening up to him, and yet both Dancer and Jeremy’s inmost desire was to be away now. He kicked at the sides of his horse, and the animal reacted, tearing loose from Parris’ hand.
Parris’ booming voice trailed after Jeremy. “I wish you only the best, Mr. Wakely, and I look for the best from you!”
Jeremy wondered at the remark; wondered if it’d been intended to have more than one meaning. Parris most assuredly hoped that his apprentice might consider the appearance of things here in the parish, and to keep faith with his
Jeremy hoped that getting away from Parris and the village would bring some perspective, but most of all, he looked forward to looking on the face of Serena Nurse—married or not, children on her hip or not, out of his reach and untouchable or not. He simply must look on her face again and hear her voice. He wanted her to tell him that she was content and happy.
Riding hard he saw smoke from fires in the distance ahead. Soon he neared the main house of the Nurse compound and saw the cooking fires of a great feast.
# # # # #
Jeremiah arrived on the heels of all the Townes, Nurses, Eastys, and Cloyses gathered round the circle of tables in a clearing in the snow-littered valley and front yard of Francis and Rebecca Nurse’s home. It did make for an odd setting, and some of the family had bundled themselves for the worst, but with a stillness over the area, without a harsh wind, and with the sun beaming down, many had begun to take off their coats and truly enjoy the repast. It appeared enough food to feed a garrison of soldiers, Jeremy thought, as he came on the Nurse family compound.
The little girl who’d so reminded Jeremy of Serena was first to take notice of him on his speckled white horse. Others soon followed suit as Jeremy searched the faces for her mother—for Serena.
He found her going between the tables, doling out food from a huge bowl, when she took notice of all those staring at the stranger who’d quietly walked his horse the last fifty yards up to the house.
When her staring at Jeremiah had gone on so long that her mouth had fallen open, Mother Nurse pinched Serena. “It’s true then,” she muttered to Serena. “Like a lost sparrow, your Jere’s returned to Salem.”
“He’s not my Jere, Mother, and he’s no sparrow; more like a vulture. Look at him in his minister’s clothes.” She dropped the bowl on the table and rushed for the house, disappearing inside.
Everyone else sat stunned, some going back to their meals, the children gravitating toward Dancer when Serena suddenly emerged again with a huge blunderbuss pointed at him, the wide barrel of the turkey shooter the size of a bugle. This sent the children scurrying for their parents, and Jeremy saw the curious girl who had in a sense led him here leap into the arms of a big man. Was it Serena’s husband?
Serena shouted, “Who invited you here, Mr. Wakely? And on
“I-I came to offset any talk of…” he fought for a rational explanation of his being here in her yard. “That is surprise regarding my having arrived, arriving as I have, you see.” He indicated his minister’s garb.”
“Take yourself off our land!”
“Serena, I didn’t want any gossip reaching you—that is before I should have the opportunity to inform you myself.”
“Such kindness! After ten years,
“I’d hoped to speak in private.”
“Well it’s just too late for that.”
“Too late?”
“It’s all I’ve heard for the past twenty-four hours, Mr. Wakely. How you’ve
“I am sorry, Serena.”
“You’ve far more to apologize for than . . . than anyone here has time to hear, sir.”
Jeremy gritted his teeth and looked again at the man he assumed to be Serena’s husband. He was handing their frightened child to a woman Jeremy recognized as Serena’s older sister, Becca. The child curled up in Becca’s
