“Epiny, Spink, may the good god bless you forever for what you’ve done for them,” I said quietly, and it was perhaps the most fervent prayer I’d said in my life. To see the children groomed and healthy, to see Sem standing tall like a brave little man, concerned about his sisters: could I have asked anything more of them? Tears stung my eyes. I found myself wishing that I presented a better aspect to the children as I climbed from the back of the cart. They stared at me as they would at a stranger, and quickly dismissed my presence as they clustered around Epiny, clutching at her skirts and asking, “Where’s Mummy? Will she be home soon?”

“I’ll be sure that she comes home very soon, my dearests,” Epiny blithely lied. And then I realized she was not lying at all; it was what she fully intended to do.

A tall, homely woman appeared suddenly in the doorway, wiping her hands on her apron. A bright brass whistle hung on a fine chain around her neck.

“Thank you, Rasalle!” Epiny exclaimed at the sight of her. “I’m so glad you could watch the children for me.”

“Well, it’s no more than I owe you, all the times you’ve helped me, ma’am. I’m going to hurry along home now. My missus will want me to start the dinner for her. Unless you still need some help here?” Rasalle eyed me curiously.

“Oh, I beg your pardon! So much has happened to me today that I’ve completely forgotten my manners. This is my cousin, Mr. Burvelle, come for a visit while he recuperates from some health problems. And just fancy, on the last leg of his journey, he was waylaid by highwaymen! His horse, his baggage, everything he owns was lost to them!”

“Oh, the good god’s mercy on us all! Such a thing to befall you! So pleased to meet you, Mr. Burvelle, and I’m so glad that you still managed to arrive safely. I’m so disappointed that I must hurry along. Well, ma’am, you take care. It never seems to rain but that it pours on you! Your housemaid—” She halted her tongue, looked at the children, and said, “Delayed, and houseguests, all on the same day! Call me if you need any assistance! I’m sure my missus would be glad to let me help you.”

“Oh, I shall, never fear, I shall! In fact, as you can see, Mr. Burvelle’s own garments were stolen from him as well. But I think he is of a size with poor Lieutenant Gerry. If your mistress would not mind, could some clothing be loaned, perhaps?”

“Likely she would, ma’am. You know she’s resolved to make the trip west, back home. She was looking through his things today, saying that there was no sense packing a dead man’s clothes.”

Epiny gave me a glance and said quietly, “Lieutenant Gerry was unfortunately killed in a raid this last winter.”

“I’m very sorry,” I said so sincerely that the maid stared at me. I stood, mute and frozen, not hearing the rest of their conversation.

The woman hurried away and Epiny swept us all into the house. Spink had gone to put up the horses, and she told the children to hurry off to the kitchen, and she would come to give them some bread and broth soon. No sooner were we alone than she exclaimed, “Oh, it couldn’t be better. Rasalle is the biggest gossip in Gettys. Soon enough everyone will know that my cousin has come to visit.”

I cared little enough for that. “I have to find out where they’re holding Amzil. From what I’ve heard of Thayer, the man is unbalanced. Even if all his men oppose the idea, he’ll still try to hang her.”

“Hush!” Epiny told me sharply and rolled her eyes toward the kitchen. “Don’t say anything like that where the children can hear. They don’t know that their mother has been arrested. They’re calm now, but I won’t have them frightened.” She took a shuddering breath and admitted, “I’m frightened enough for all of us.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

DECISIONS AND CONSEQUENCES

As evening fell, I buttoned the collar of my borrowed shirt and then slipped on the jacket. Everything smelled of cedar. The jacket was blue, but it was cut identically to a uniform jacket. It felt strange to do up the shining brass buttons, as if I’d been transported back to my cadet days. I wondered briefly about the man who had worn this, and what he had thought about the last time he’d buttoned it up. Then I asked the good god to be welcoming to him, took a breath, and let it go.

I looked in Epiny’s mirror with the scrolled gilt frame and tried to smile. It looked more like a sneer. Here I was, dressed in a dead man’s clothes, possibly those of a man I had helped to kill, about to step into the biggest charade I’d ever played in my life. I’d be impersonating Nevare Burvelle, soldier son of Lord Burvelle of the East, come to present my respects to Captain Thayer. I realized I was holding my breath and slowly let it out. My chest still felt just as tight. I knew I must be mad, going along with Epiny’s harebrained scheme. The only advantage I could see to her plan was it was the only one we had.